Chickpea Farro Spinach Soup

• Chickpea Farro Spinach Soup
• (Twopeasandtheirpod recipe)
• 
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (15 oz) cans vegetable broth
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups cooked farro
• 1 cup packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
2.  Stir in the broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, basil, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the farro and spinach and stir just until the spinach is wilted. Season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and serve warm. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Note-to cook the farro, rinse and drain 3/4 cup farro. Place in a pot and add enough water to cover. Add a little salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 25 minutes. Drain any excess water. OR you can buy Trader Joe's 10 minute farro, it is my favorite and only takes 10 minutes to cook. For vegan, omit the Parmesan cheese.

Perfect Potato Soup (Pioneer Woman)

6 slices thin bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 whole medium onion, diced
3 whole carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
6 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 tsp minced fresh parsley (optional)
1 cup grated cheese of your choice

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.  Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.

Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and cajun spice.

Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil.  Cook for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together flour and milk, then pour into soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove 1/2 to 2/3 of the soup and blend in a blender/food processor until completely smooth.  Pour it back in the soup pot and stir to combine.  Let it heat back up and taste for seasoning, adding more of what it needs.  Stir in cream, then parsley.

Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.

Kale Orzo Chickpea Soup

This recipe is from domesticdiva.

• 2 cups fresh kale, chopped
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 cups baby potatoes, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• optional: parmesan reggiano for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
2. Add the kale, chickpeas, potatoes, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the orzo and bring to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is tender (about 10 minutes).
4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. For serving, ladle into bowls and top with a little grated parmesan reggiano if desired. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Enjoy!

Lentil Stew

This started as a recipe from Allrecipes.com, but I added a few ingredients and doubled a bunch of others, so here's my version:

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 small potatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups dry lentils
5 cups water + chicken bouillon
1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
optional: 1 link smoked sausage or kielbasa (diced ham would be good, too)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in heavy bottomed pot and sauté carrots, celery, onion and potatoes until onions are tender. Add garlic and spices, cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Add tomatoes, dry lentils and water (chicken broth).

2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour. The soup will thicken and you may need to add just a bit more water. Just before serving, add the balsamic vinegar, spinach and (pre-cooked) sausage. Salt and pepper to taste.

We served it with cornbread and it was a perfect matching. This made 8 - 10 servings and we had enough leftovers to freezer. I wish I could say the same for the cornbread. Crumbs!

Wheat Berry Minestrone (slow cooker)

This started as a Weight Watcher's recipe, but I made some changes, so here's my adjusted version. The Crock Pot photo is mine, the finished photo is theirs.

Wheat Berry Minestrone

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.

4 cups vegetable broth (4 cups water + veg bouillion)

1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 can kidney beans

1 small red onion, diced

1 carrot, sliced thinly

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut

1 cup diced bell pepper (I used red, orange and yellow mini peppers I had in the freezer)

1 1/2 cups uncooked wheat berries (hard white winter wheat)

1/4 tsp sage

1/4 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Makes 8 - 12 servings. So yummy and very filling.

Spinach Soup

I've made an increased effort to include more vegetables in my diet the past few weeks. LOTS of spinach. After many spinach salads last week, today I switched to soup.

I started with 8 cups of washed, stemmed spinach. Stemming was the only time intensive part of this recipe. It's SO easy. This recipe is adapted from "Eating Well in Season: The Farmers' Market Cookbook."


1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
ground pepper, to taste
2 cups red potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 cups vegetable broth or water (I used water + 1 chicken bouillion cube)
8 cups fresh spinach, stemmed

Heat butter and oil in large stock pot over medium-high heat.
Saute onions, garlic, salt and pepper until soft (about 5 min).
Add potatoes and combine, cooking 3 more minutes.
Add water or vegetable broth and simmer for about 15 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
Stir in spinach and simmer about 10 minutes until spinach is wilted and tender.

Blend with an immersion blender to desired texture.
Optional: Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and grated nutmeg.

Potato Ham Chowder

I always have to get this recipe from my sister when I have leftover ham. I'm posting it while the chowder is simmering, so I'll have it next time!

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 medium potato, cubed

1 cup water

1 packet McCormick Original Gravy Mix
2 cups milk
1 bayleaf
1-2 cups diced ham

Sautee onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes.
Add cubed potato and water. Boil for 5 minutes until potatoes begin to soften.
Combine gravy mix and milk, then add to pot.
Add the bayleaf, reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes.
Add ham last.

Vegetable Barley Soup

This soup is soup-er easy. It's a great last-minute meal, because I tend you have all of these ingredients on hand.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 medium potato, diced
1 can corn (or frozen)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (with juices)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup barley
salt and pepper to taste

Saute veggies in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add corn, tomatoes, broth and barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until potatoes and barley are cooked. Salt and pepper to taste. The green chiles in the diced tomatoes give it a nice kick if you like a little spice.

Jimmie grilled a small steak, diced it up and quickly made it a Beef, Barley & Veggie soup. Yum.

Serve with homemade foccacia.

Red Chicken Chili

Yum! Two chicken chilis in one week! This one is very different than the first. Here's what you need:

Red Chicken Chili

Saute:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

Add:

1 can chicken broth

1 can chicken breast

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can white northern (or canellini) beans

1 can diced green chiles

1 jar (16 oz) green salsa

1 can corn (I used frozen)

Bring to a simmer until throughly heated. Garnish with cilantro and corn tortilla chips. This was about 5 minutes of effort and has a fantastic taste. Love it.

White Chicken Chili

Jimmie is telling everyone he 'took second place' at the annual church chili cookoff yesterday. They announced a winner (which was neither of us), but no second or third place awards were given. We both made a pot of chili - mine was white chicken chili; his was black bean elk chili.

All I'm going to say about our little competition is a) he went around telling everyone which was his chili, then asking them which one they liked best; b) every last drop of mine was eaten, while his had leftover; c) several people have asked for MY recipe. The defense submits the above to the jury for deliberation. :) We're not competitive. at all.

White Chicken Chili

8 cups [cooked] white northern beans (or 5 cans)
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced

Cook and drain the beans ahead of time. I put 2 lbs of white northern beans in the crockpot on high for about 2.5 hours.

Cook and shred chicken breast. This can also be done ahead of time and refrigerated.

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Combine all ingredients to crock pot and heat on low for 3-4 hours. Add salt to taste.

For thicker and creamier chili, place 3 or 4 cups of the beans in a blender and puree.

Garnish with shredded cheese and tortilla chips (optional).

5 Minute Chicken Taco Soup

I woke up from a nap today in the mood for homemade soup....chicken fajita soup...but too hungry to take the time to thaw and cook chicken. ENTER canned chicken!

Soup is a wonderful way to use it because you can't tell it came from a can. This is a soup you can make entirely with things in your pantry.

5 Minute Chicken Taco Soup

8 cups water
8 cubes chicken boullion
1 can diced green chiles
1 13 oz can chunk chicken breast
1 can black beans [with jalapenos]
1 can corn
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp onion powder
3 Tbsp lime juice

Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes, breaking apart the chicken chunks.

Garnish with cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cheese.

We inhaled it.

Carrot Soup

Got carrots?This is a very simple soup and is velvety smooth and full of flavor. I found that making chicken stock was not worth the extra work. Next time I'll just use store bought chicken stock or broth.


Carrot Soup
Serves 4 to 6

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
4 cups coarsely chopped carrots
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (aka: grenadine), plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups chicken stock
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over moderate heat in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the onion, carrots, pomegranate molasses and cumin. Cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add 3 cups of stock and simmer, covered, until the carrots are very tender, about an hour. Take off the heat and let cool.

3. Purée, in batches if necessary, in a blender, adding the final cup of stock. The purée should be very smooth; if it isn't, you may want to pour the soup through a strainer.

4. Return to the burner and heat through until hot. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle the soup into soup plates, spooning extra pomegranate molasses around the center (about one-half teaspoon per bowl). Serve immediately.



You may notice the pomegranate seed garnish. I didn't think it added much to the soup, but I will garnish with grenadine again....and maybe parsley.

Sheena's Black & White Chili

We tried Sheena's Black & White Chili recipe tonight. I think it might've killed me.....

......'cuz I've died and gone to heaven! Seriously better than ANY chicken tortilla soup I've ever had.

Who knew how important [and potent] ground Chipotle could be? Apparently, Sheena did! I couldn't find it locally, but I did find whole dried chipotle pods at Pueblo Market #2. I ground them into powder myself using a coffee grinder [but not before practically ruining my Cuisinart food processor and destroying my lungs by inhaling it]. But, I digress!

You can find her recipe HERE on her blog. I used about 3/4 Tbsp chipotle and it had some HEAT! Just enough bite and SO much flavor.

Her presentation is prettier than mine. I took this picture before I crumbled some Tostitos w/ Lime tortilla chips over the top of my bowl.

We love all things: Avocado, Cilantro and Lime.

Add Chipotle to the list!

Potato & Leek Soup

I was grocery shopping this weekend and trying to think up a few healthy meals with vegetables. While putting a head of romaine in a bag, I spotted some good looking leeks. I haven't make potato leek soup in a few years, so I put them in my basket with the intention to do it some time this week.

Don't you love watching what other people are putting on the conveyer belt at the grocery store? I like to give them a good once over, then their basket a good once over, and then I have a very visual image of their lives. Kinda scary to make a snap judgment of people, based only on what groceries they're buying, but hey - I'll never see these people again and it's a fun little game. What else am I going to do while I'm waiting in line, besides peruse the weekly trash mags??

So, I noticed the lady standing behind me was totally eyeing my cart candy as I unloaded. Wouldn't SHE like to know what I was going to do with all those beans and ham? And who was going to get the giant heart shaped peanut butter cup?

So the cashier starts moving through my collection, picking and choosing similar items, very consciencious to put all of the produce together, greeting cards in a separate bag, etc. Boy, she was a talker. I asked where the Red Box went and she said they'd removed it for the remodel (because there's a NEW Walmart coming in 25 days!). I think that means they put the new logo and paint color on the building, but I digress. She told me a story about how they had taken away the cushy little mats that they stand on while they check, and that she had complained about how much her back hurt working all day without the mats. The complaining had worked, because they'd gotten the mats back! Then, she picked up my leeks and asked me what they were. After I told her they were leeks, she said, 'Yeah, that's what I thought - leeks. What do you use them for?' I told her they were similar to green onions and that I used them in a soup with potatoes and carrots. She told me, 'Yeah, I've never known what people use them for, but I know they're in the bible, so they must be good.' People in the bible belt LOVE to tell you what they know about the bible. It makes me laugh when people bring it up in unexpected context.

Yes, indeed, they must be good.

So, in honor of the bible lady at Walmart, here's a simple soup recipe I love. Most leek soups contain heavy cream, so I like this one because it's super healthy. I got this recipe from Teresa when I worked at Twinlab. She's an awesome cook. My favorite part is the un-exactness (ish) of the quantities:

POTATO LEEK SOUP

A bit of butter
1 leek (this big)
2 ish carrots
4 ish red potatoes
1 can kidney beans
2 knorr vegetable boullion cubes
enough water to fill the pot

Cut leek and saute in butter. (Slice the leek down the middle and rinse between the layers to remove grit. Then slice.) Cut up carrots and potatoes. Throw veggies into boiling water with boullion. Cook for a while, then add the rinsed kidney beans. Salt and pepper to taste.

Since I'm in a soup mood, here's another soup recipe from another Twinlab friend, Barb:

CHEESY POTATO SOUP

6 potatoes (cubed)
2 cups broccoli (cut)
2 large carrots (sliced)
2 stalks celery (sliced)
4 cubes chicken boullion
1 onion (chopped)
4 cups water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbs parsley
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbs flour

Boil potatoes in boullion and spices. Then add all vegetables except broccoli. In a small sauce pan, melt together evaporated milk, flour and cheese. Add sauce to vegetables that have boiled. Reduce heat (do not boil after cheese is added). Steam broccoli in microwave. Add last. If too thick, add water.

Ice Storm Stew

Got Food Storage?

Got 5 minutes?

Then you've got Ice Storm [food storage] Stew!

I started with the intention of making a white bean chicken chili.
But I didn't have any white beans here...they're in my storage unit. Great place for food storage, huh??

I improvised and used what I had. Dump the following into your crock pot on low for a few hours until heated:

1 can chick peas
1 can black beans
1 can chicken
1 cup salsa
1 cup water

Optional garnish: cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions (which I just happened to have in the fridge).

Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos scoops. There's plenty of salt in the salsa and the chips, so I didn't even add seasoning. So easy. So yummy.