April 19, 2024

Baked Potato Soup – Load It Up

January 13, 2014 by

Yum!  Do you enjoy a baked potato with all the fixin’s?  I must admit I do!  What is your favorite topping?  Mine is bacon. And even choosing just what to put on top…when my husband gets done “loading” his potato, it is a masterpiece (and he enjoys every bite)!  But we’ve learned a few things about the balancing act with carbs…and so, a loaded baked potato finds it’s way onto my plate once in a blue moon.  However, this soup…now this i can enjoy perhaps every full moon!

A friend had asked me for a recipe for this soup. (I had never even heard of ‘Baked Potato Soup!’)   You can only imagine the variety of recipes to be found out on the internet!  Well, you can easily guess just what they were “loaded” with—many more calories than I desire to serve to my husband and guests (and me)!   And we surely couldn’t include a recipe like most of those I saw on our Monday post on the At Home w/ GCH blog!

So here is how I made our healthy-but-oh-so-yummy version—this recipe includes cauliflower. Using cauliflower as a main ingredient does a number of things in a healthy and yummy way:

  • provides our bodies with more veggies
  • and for those of you trying to sneak veggies into your family’s repertoire…perfect!
  • keeps the carb count down (approximately the same # of carbs in an entire head of cauliflower as in one russet potato)
  • bulks up the soup so it is thick and creamy without exhorbitant quantities of heavy cream and cheese (lots of fat and calories)

I encourage you to try this soup…it is a very satisfying comfort food but is light on the carbs and the fat calories.  A nice treat!  Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Healthy but oh-so-yummy Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Healthy but oh-so-yummy Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients
soup:
2 medium-sized russet* potatoes, washed and dried
1 head of cauliflower, rough chopped
1+1/2 cups chicken, or vegetable, broth
1+1/2 cups 2% milk (warmed)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
toppings:
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you wish)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded very sharp cheddar cheese
dried parsley

Directions

  • First get the baked potatoes going. After scrubbing them, pierce potatoes with a fork in 4 or 5 places. I prepared mine in the microwave oven (on high for 5 minutes; turn over and cook another 3-5 minutes, until tender). Or, you can bake them at 400° for approximately 1 hour or until tender. Either way, when potatoes are done, cool for 10-15 minutes. Then they can be peeled and chopped. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes!
  • While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, you can prepare the other main ingredients. Here’s how I cook bacon: I stack the slices and, using kitchen scissors, I cut it into approximately 1+1/2″ to 2″ pieces. I find that the bacon cooks much more quickly and evenly this way. Place the pieces into a COLD small frying pan, heat over medium heat. Once the bacon starts frying, I reduce the heat a bit and cook to the desired degree of doneness, keeping a careful eye so that it does not burn. I like to cook bacon over a medium low heat so that most of the fat is rendered out. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon, leaving the drippings, and place onto a couple of paper towels to finish draining. Set aside for topping the soup.
  • Now while the bacon is cooking, place the cut-up cauliflower into a medium-sized pot along with the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer ‘til tender. Do not drain.
  • Once cauliflower is cooked, add warmed milk and the chopped baked potatoes to the pot, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer ‘til thoroughly heated, stirring once or twice; this will take just a couple of minutes. Remove pot from heat and scoop out about 1/3 of the veggies; set aside.
  • Now you are going to puree (smooth out) the soup. I use an immersion or stick blender** to puree. Other options would be to use a potato masher, or to puree the soup in your blender. You must be very careful doing it this way because it is hot! See below for tips (just ‘cause God loves you…we don’t want to see you get hurt!). Once pureed, place pot back on very low heat, add back in the reserved veggies, the sour cream, half the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. heat on very low ‘til nice and hot, stirring occasionally.

Now to “load” your potato soup!  Ladle soup into each bowl.  Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, a sprinkle of the remaining parsley, and some of the crumbled bacon. Healthy but-oh-so-yummy!

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

God loves you!  ♥   (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥   Coleen

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SoupPalooza2014 – Turkey Veggie Soup

January 6, 2014 by

SoupPalooza time again! January is National Soup Month, and for my hubby, Robert, we have entered his ‘happy zone!’  The man will eat soup every single day! So, just like January 2013, I am indulging him and have committed to serving soup at one meal per day for the entire month.

2014-01-05 16.54.40

Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! Monday’s on the At Home w/ GCH blog, we will be promoting soup, soup, and soup for the next four weeks. Each week will focus on a different type of soup, i.e., veggie-based, creamy, chunky, meaty, etc. And don’t forget to utilize the search button on our website to check out soups from SoupPalooza 2013 along with soups that our Dana has shared with us, too!  With all of the ch-ch-chilly temperatures around the country recently, perhaps soup will feature more in your menu planning, too!

Turkey Veggie Soup

Ingredients
4 quarts homemade turkey stock (or your choice of boxed broth)2014-01-05 14.09.29
3-4 cups of cooked turkey meat, shredded
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic in oil (jarred)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium-large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 can (15 oz) stewed or crushed tomatoes
1/2 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (NOT seasoned!)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 ounces green beans (if using frozen, defrost)
2 cups cauliflower florets (ditto)
1 cup cubed zucchini
8 ounces carrots (I used frozen)
optional: cooked rice, quinoa, or tiny pasta

Directions

  • In a large soup (or stock) pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and then add onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes.
  • Add cubed butternut squash and saute for an additional 10 minutes, stirring only once or twice, ‘til just beginning to brown.
  • Add chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in stock, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree, mixing thoroughly.
  • Add vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans) and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 or so minutes ‘til veggies are getting tender.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove about half of the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
  • Turn heat very low, and puree the broth and remaining veggies ‘til smooth using an immersion stick blender (or very carefully! puree in a blender container).
  • Add back in the reserved veggies along with the cooked meat. Heat ‘til nice and hot.  Enjoy!

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

God loves you!   ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

October 16, 2013 by

Yesterday, I was off work and took my little boys to the doctor. Turns out they both have ear infections. So, I decided to make homemade chicken noodle soup. It is so healthy and delicious. Below is my recipe.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

3 Large Chicken Breasts

1 Medium White Onion – diced

4 Carrots – diced

3 Celery Stalks – diced

2 boxes of Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper

Egg Noodles – ¾ bag

 

Directions:

In a large pan, boil the chicken breasts for about 45 minutes (until the inside is white).  Add salt and pepper during cooking.

Remove the cooked chicken breasts and place them on a plate. When they cool slightly, cut up the chicken into small bite-size pieces.

In the water that you cooked the chicken, add the diced onions, carrots, celery, and cooked chicken into the water. Add one box of the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook on medium heat for about an hour.

Once the carrots and celery are tender, add ¾ of the bag of Egg Noodles. Add the other box of chicken broth. Turn up the heat for the noodles to boil, for about 20 – 30 minutes. I always test the noodles for tenderness to see if they are done before serving.

You can add a cup or two of water if you like more broth to your soup.

Serve the soup in a bowl or coffee mug, shown below. I like using the coffee mug so you can sip the broth. Make sure that you let the soup cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

This is something easy to make and we always have plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week. This is nice, especially when everyone is a little under the weather.

Another tip: You can boil more than 3 chicken breasts and use the others for dinner another night during the week. I like making Chicken Casserole or Chicken Salad with boiled chicken. What are some of your favorite chicken recipes?

Happy Cooking J

Amy

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Butternut Squash-Sausage Soup

September 30, 2013 by

♪♬  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  ♬♪  Yes, I know…that’s a song you might sing during the Christmas holiday season…but for me AUTUMN is the most wonderful time of the year!  The weather is delightful…back to sleeping with the windows open a crack, and we get to break out our beautiful sweaters!  And some of my favorite ingredients to cook and bake with are in-season: pumpkin, apples, cider, pears, cranberries, butternut squash (ok…all the winter squashes!), cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale!

For the next few weeks, our Monday blog here on At Home w/ GCH will focus on these ingredients while keeping to our healthy but oh-so-yummy! point of view.

Today’s recipe is also our first soup of the season…Butternut Squash-Sausage Soup.  Here’s a link showing the incredible nutritional value of butternut squash.  This recipe remain within our healthy but oh-so-yummy parameters as it is l-o-a-ded with veggies and, while very smooth and  creamy, contains not a speck of butter or sour cream or cheese.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash-Sausage Soup

2013-09-28 13.33.17

 

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, 3#2013-09-27 16.59.05
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2# italian turkey sausage, removed from casings
1/2# ground chicken (or turkey)
1 large sweet onion
6-8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms
1 red or yellow bell pepper
3-4 tablespoons chopped garlic
kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon each: dried sage, marjoram, and basil
8 cups chicken broth
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed

 

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 425.
  • Cut and peel butternut squash; dice into 2″ pieces. Place in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil; liberally season with salt & pepper.  Stir until well-coated.  Pour onto a large baking sheet lined with foil and roast for 10 minutes.  Stir and flip pieces over.  Roast for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, and set aside.
  • While the butternut squash is roasting, saute meats together in a large frypan, allowing them to brown just a bit.  Use the edge of a wooden spoon (or a potato masher) to break pieces up as they cook into smaller pieces.  Remove to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan.
  • Dice the onion, the pepper, and the mushrooms into similar-sized pieces, approximately 1+1/2″.  Add the onion to the frypan and saute for 5 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Then add the mushrooms.  Cook for another 5 minutes; allow the veggies to begin to caramelize.  Add in the peppers; cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Finally add the chopped garlic and the seasonings, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
  • Pour in the chicken broth, stir, and bring to a boil.  Add the roasted butternut squash and the beans.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Scoop out about 1+1/2 cups of the chunkier pieces; set aside.
  • With a hand-held immersion blender * carefully puree the soup (or in batches in a countertop blender).
  • Add in the cooked meats plus the veggies you put aside.  Stir all well together, and simmer for 5-10 additional minutes.  Taste (carefully!) for additional seasoning.

* Note: I simply love my immersion blender (we own the Oster 3-in-1)!  I use it almost every day.  It is so handy for many simple, quick blending jobs…even for smoothies or milkshakes.  The best part—it is extremely easy to clean and most often is used right in the cooking pot you are using…not dirtying yet another thing to wash up!   A good quality immersion blender can be purchased for around $25.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Italian Sausage Soup

September 25, 2013 by

Fall is here along with a busy schedule at my house which means time crock pot cooking. One of my family favorites is Italian sausage soup .  It is healthy and easy to throw together with a hectic schedule since I usually have most of the ingredients in stock.

 ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can of any beans you like, drained; I use Pinto
  • 1 pound of lean sausage, your choice cut into bite size
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 medium carrot, diced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta
  • grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

My kids and my husband love, love, love sausage – – any kind of sausage, and the greasier the better to them.  However, they will get a healthier choice when I cook for them.  I like using deer sausage which is leaner and more flavorful especially when lucky enough to receive some from a friend, who is an avid hunter.

sausage

 

 Here is the easiest part.  Throw everything into your Crockpot, even sausage precooked and cook 6-8 hours on low.

in crock pot

For the last hour, add your pasta and cook on high.  When pasta is tender, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and you are ready to go.

Final

 

This is a perfect meal on a cold night or a busy day when you don’t have time to stew in the kitchen.  It’s filled with lots of protein and fiber.  The carrots give one serving of a vegetable; however, you could add other vegetables such as zucchini or squash.  To add in a few more greens, I like to serve with a toss salad.

 toss salad

Italian Sausage Soup, it gives a kick to the name  soup and salad.

I can’t wait to share more recipes and tips on how to plan meals that are quick and easy for a busy schedule in my upcoming Weight Loss Teleclass.  Check it out and email me to sign up for my FREE ORIENTATION to learn more.

In Good Health,

Crystal

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Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

July 12, 2013 by

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

I am convinced that every culture, every civilization, has a chicken soup recipe.  Nothing else satisfies or feels so much like a hug to the tummy like a big bowl of chicken soup made by someone you love.  If you are like me and are a frugal girl, you buy a whole chicken at least once a week.  I remove the breasts and legs and cook them one night, then cook the carcass for broth and about two cups of shredded chicken left on the body.  If you have a chicken body and the desire to try something new, read on – here comes Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, also known as Tom Kha Gai!

Now that you know how to make coconut milk from scratch, you’ll need about 2 cups of homemade coconut milk, or you can use one can of packaged coconut milk.  There are a few other unusual ingredients for this recipe:  ginger, cilantro, and fish sauce.  Ginger really isn’t that out of the ordinary, and goes great in smoothies and peach dishes; but if you aren’t going to use it soon, you can peel whatever is left and freeze it to use later.  Cilantro shows up in many different cuisines, so if you don’t want to waste half a bunch of cilantro, you have many options (like Mexican or Indian food), or try this  and  this.  Fish sauce is a savory liquid distillation of anchovy, sugar and salt.  If you can’t find it, you can still make the soup, but fish sauce is the secret ingredient that really brings everything together.  It keeps in the fridge forever, and is a great flavor booster for clam chowder or a substitute for anchovy paste (think Caesar salad.)  The only other ingredients you need are a chicken, some limes, and mushrooms.  Thai restaurants use straw mushrooms, and you can find them in a can, but I used dried shiitake mushrooms here, and they’re delicious.  You could also use cremini mushrooms.

Try this with Jasmine rice and a green salad for a light but satisfying dinner!

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken body, breasts and legs removed (or use two cooked chicken breasts, diced, plus 3 cups of chicken broth)
  • 1 large piece of ginger, 2 or 3 inches long, peeled and bashed with the handle of your knife
  • 1 can coconut milk, or about 2 cups homemade coconut milk
  • 1 ounce dried mushrooms, broken into little pieces, or 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon or so fish sauce (to taste – if you don’t have fish sauce, use salt)
  • 2 limes, juiced

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, cook the chicken carcass with 4 cups of water and the peeled, bashed ginger, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a large bowl; shred meat from bones and set aside. Strain the broth into another bowl, discarding ginger. Wash the pot and return to stove. Over medium low, add the dried mushrooms to the chicken broth and cook ten minutes. (If using fresh mushrooms, add them in Step 2.)
  2. Add back the chicken to the broth, and pour in coconut milk (and fresh mushrooms, if using).  Cook until simmering.  Add chopped cilantro, fish sauce, and lime juice, and stir to combine.  Taste for seasoning – may need more salt, or you may like more lime (you can add the zest of the lime too, if you want a stronger citrus flavor.)  Serve hot with more chopped cilantro.  You can also stir in a little hot sauce or chili flakes if you like!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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At Home with GCH – SoupPalooza, Part 4

January 21, 2013 by

SoupPalooza Part 4 – Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup

Here on our At Home with GCH  blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  We are continuing to celebrate soup, soup, and soup since this is National Soup Month!  Each week we will explore soup basics sometimes along with a bonus recipe for you to serve to your loved ones.

This week we are making Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons. Such a comfort food and indulgence!  The way we manage to stay within our ‘healthy’ parameters is that this soup contains evaporated milk instead of heavy cream.  Using evaporated milk saves approximately 80 calories AND 12 grams of fat (yes, you read that right!) in each serving.  All the yummy creaminess…and now—since you have kept the soup lower in calories—you can thoroughly indulge in those grilled cheese croutons; oh my!

2013-01-18 22.14.54

Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped small
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred)2013-01-18 21.23.16
1 Tablespoon dried basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups broth
1 cup red wine, or additional cup of broth
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
1 can tomato puree (28 ounces)
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, chopped small, optional
1 portion homemade condensed tomato soup (see recipe below)
1 can evaporated milk

In a medium-sized saucepan (4 quarts or so), melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes until softened and transparent.  Add garlic and basil; cook for 1 minute stirring continuously.  Pour in red wine to deglaze pan; then add broth, all tomato products (also roasted red peppers, if you are using them) and salt & pepper.  Stir really well.  Bring up to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to mix up from the bottom.  Carefully taste for seasoning, adding if necessary. Finally, add in evaporated milk and heat through.  Keep warm.

Another aspect of this recipe that fulfills our healthy but oh-so-yummy needs is the homemade condensed soup.  You know… just like in the can BUT no wheat, no additives, no un-pronounceable ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup!  So easy and quick to pull together!

Homemade “Condensed” Tomato Soup

8 ounces tomato puree or sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, stir all ingredients together.  Bring just up to a boil, reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Ready to use!

OK!

Now the part that (some of you!) have been waiting for…Grilled Cheese Croutons!  Actually, no recipe 🙂 Prepare your most incredible, delicious, gooey grilled cheese sammies!  You choose the bread (I would suggest cutting off the crusts!)…you choose the cheese!  Make sure that they are really nicely crunchy and toasted! Let them cool for just a minute or two, and cut up into small squares.  Serve alongside the soup…toss them in as you go because you wouldn’t want them to get soggy!  Comfort food that is healthy but oh-so-yummy !

God loves you!  ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥ coleen

_________________________________________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at:  Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – SoupPalooza, Part Two

January 7, 2013 by

Soup-Palooza, Part Two

  • “Not from a Box, Nor from a Can” Chicken Broth
  • White Bean & Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage

Did you know that January is National Soup Month?  That is good news to one particular individual here in the Hayden household…my husband would eat soup e-v-e-r-y single day!  So this month I have committed to serving soup at one meal per day for the entire month (ummm, yeah…he’s a happy camper!).  And I am taking YOU along for the ride, too!

Here on our GCH:WoYP, where Monday’s are focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes, we will be promoting soup, soup, and soup for the next four weeks.  Each week we will explore the basics along with a delicious recipe for you to serve to your loved ones.

So, this week we are starting from scratch!  Homemade chicken broth.  Oh, yeah!  Now don’t be afraid, please…this is so simple, I promise!  One way to make this easy to fit into a busy schedule would be to start it as you are making your supper preparations.  Then the broth can simmer away, and you can finalize it after supper.  Just a thought!

This recipe makes a vat…well, not quite a vat…it makes 8+ quarts.  A quart of soup is the size of those aseptically sealed boxes from your grocery store (or approximately 2 cans).  Most soup recipes that feed 4-6 people require two quarts of broth.  Now you can have delicious, nutritious, chemical-free chicken broth handy right in your refrigerator or freezer!  Let’s get started!

“Not From a Can, Nor From a Box” Chicken Broth     

Makes 8+ quarts

1 8-9# ‘oven stuffer’ whole chicken, cut-up (or buy cut-up chicken)*
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia), rough chopped
4-5 stalks of celery WITH the leaves, cut in 3-4″ sized pieces
1/4# carrots (3-4 whole carrots, or ½ bag baby carrots), rough chopped
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt

4-5 sprigs each of fresh thyme and dill, optional
9 quarts of water; I use filtered; use whatever you would drink 😉

Use the largest pot you own.**  I use a 12 quart-sized pot. You don’t want to fill your pot up to the top; this needs a little room to move around while it is boiling.

Carefully rinse the cut-up chicken (the better the chicken is rinsed…the less yuck floating around in your broth).  Then place the chicken pieces along with the vegetables, and the seasonings, into the pot and pour water over them all.  Cover pot and heat on high ‘til just coming to a boil; reduce heat and partially cover.  You want the soup to be gently boiling.  You can occasionally skim off the yucky stuff from the top of the broth.  Let everything simmer away for a half hour; remove breastmeat to cool.  Continue cooking an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove pot from heat.  Take dark meat sections and add to breastmeat which has cooled.  You can strain your broth, if preferred; it all depends on just how clear you would like the broth to be.  CAREFULLY pour, or ladle, the broth along with the cooked veggies into storage containers, leaving enough room to add the chicken.  Cut up (or shred) the chicken into bite-size pieces; keep every last one of all the little bits!  Add back into the broth.

Let cool ‘til container is no longer HOT to the touch; refrigerate.  When thoroughly cooled, I would suggest discarding the layer of fat that will have solidified on the top of the container. This broth freezes very well.  I usually keep 2 quarts in the refrigerator (use within 1 week or so) and the rest in the freezer.

* Toss the wings in the trash…not even worth cooking.  I cut each of the breastmeat pieces in half; that way they don’t overcook.  You want tender meat in the end (but throw the bones into the pot, too).

**Should you not have a pot this size, or cannot beg or borrow one, just reduce all of the ingredients by half and proceed, ok?  Don’t let that stop you!

****************************************

Now, to actually USE that healthy but oh-so-yummy broth…

White Bean and Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage 

Makes 6 servings

IMG_0138

8 cups (2 quarts) chicken broth, divided
(1) 12 oz pkg italian chicken sausage, sliced diagonally ½” thick
2+ tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia), sliced
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup white wine, or additional broth
2 cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1+1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I used lemon pepper)
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated if possible
1 lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot (4 quart) over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is just starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add onion slices and additional olive oil, if necessary.  Cook, stirring often, until onions and sausage are slightly browned, about 10 minutes more.  Reduce heat to low; stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Remove sausage, onions and garlic; set aside.  Pour wine into pot and scrape up brown bits stuck to the bottom. Let simmer for a minute or two.  Meanwhile, put 3 cups beans and 2 cups broth into a blender and purée ‘til smooth; set aside.  Add all of  the remaining broth to the liquid in pot; increase heat to medium and bring to a boil.  Add kale, reduce heat; cover and gently simmer, stirring a few times until kale is wilted and softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add remaining beans, bean puree, sausage and onion mixture; stir well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer gently until hot, about 5 minutes more.  Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.

“This soup is delicious, hearty and satisfying while still light and fresh-tasting.  It definitely fits the healthy but oh-so-yummy comfort food category.”  (Comment from the hubby.)  🙂

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Creamy Squash Soup with Ginger

November 30, 2012 by

Today’s blog post is brought to you by Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt

This recipe was part of a class I took a few months ago through Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.  It was a required class in my Nutrition program.  The class was taught by Chef Rachel Albert.  You can find her website and information on her website The Healthy Cooking Coach.   http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/  This squash soup was one of my favorite dishes.  I even made a double batch and froze some in a quart ball canning jar for later.  If you do this make sure you leave an inch or more of space at the top for expansion.  I highly recommend you make extra, you will love this soup.

During my classes with Chef Rachel, I learned she has been recovering from Cancer.  She is doing well these days.  As many of you reading this are all too aware, the financial toll this illness can take is extensive.  Chef Rachel has been paying for her treatments out of pocket.  When I learned of this I wanted to help any way that I could.

Chef Rachel has agreed to allow us to post her recipe on this blog this week, and any of her other recipes; and for that I am very grateful.  I would like to invite all of our readers to go to http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/, read Chef Rachel’s story and purchase the wonderful book she has created.  Many of the recipes I will be sharing in the coming weeks will be variations or exact replications of the recipes I have learned from Chef Rachel.  All proceeds from the sale of her book go directly to help with her medical expenses.  I know she will be grateful for financial support as well as your prayers.

One final note, I am honored to be attending a gathering of amazing folks this next April in Ventura, California as Chef Rachel’s assistant.  The gathering is called PrimalCon.  You can learn more about PrimalCon and so much more on the Primal Blueprint website http://primalblueprint.com/products/PrimalCon-Oxnard-2013.html.  This event is sold out but there will be another round in Lake Tahoe later in the year.

 

Now for the recipe:

 

Image Courtesy of: Renee Sullivan

Prep: 30 minutes Cooking: 40 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 (1 Cup) servings

I’ve been making this sweet and creamy squash soup for more than 20 years. It makes a great addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner and freezes well. You can vary the kind of squash you use during the fall, winter, and early spring––or the spices. If you get a not so sweet squash, you can doctor it up with a dash of Stevia or a tablespoon or two of honey, or maple syrup. Note: Do not use a dark or strong-flavored homemade vegetable broth in this recipe. See variations below for using baked squash to reduce peeling and chopping time.

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Ingredients:

2 to 3 teaspoons extra virgin coconut oil, clarified butter or ghee

1 medium to large onion, halved and diced or cut into thin slices (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt (Celtic, Lima, Si, Muramato, RealSalt, or Eden)

1 to 2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon dried, ground ginger

5 to 6 cups halved, seeded, peeled, and cubed uncooked winter squash: Kabocha, Hokaido, buttercup, butternut, sweet dumpling, honey delight or delicate

4 cups filtered water, homemade chicken broth or preservative-free vegetable or chicken broth (you may use part water, part stock or broth), plus more as needed to blend

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper, optional

3/4 teaspoon additional sea salt or 1 to 2 tablespoons sweet white, yellow, or mellow miso (reduce by one-half if using salted broth)

1/2 cup preservative-free, full-fat coconut milk or 1 cup rich, homemade almond milk

1/4 teaspoon Stevia extract powder and/or 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, optional

1/4 cup finely minced fresh fennel fronds, parsley leaves or chives for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil and onions in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add sea salt and stir until tender and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add ginger, stir, and cook for one more minute. Add squash and water or broth. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, wash, spin or pat dry, and chop the garnish, and set aside.

2. Purée the cooked vegetables and liquid from the pot with coconut milk using an immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender or food processor until smooth and silky. Add additional water or broth a little at a time as needed to yield 6 to 8 cups of soup. Add sea salt or white miso. Taste and adjust with sweetener as needed. Return the soup to the saucepan and heat gently if serving right away. Do not allow soup to boil.

3. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish, and serve. Transfer to wide mouth jars, allow the soup to cool, then cover, and refrigerate. Freeze whatever you do not plan to consume within 3 days.

Entire recipe with coconut milk: 662 calories, 16 g protein, 84 g carbohydrate (13 g fiber), 29 g fat, 265 mg calcium, 1936 mg sodium

1 cup soup made with coconut milk: 110 calories, 3 g protein, 14 g carbs (2 g fiber), 5 g fat, 44 mg calcium, 322 mg sodium

 

Variations:

Soothing-Squash Soup with Pie Spice: Replace ginger with 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.

Creamy Squash & Apple Soup: Replace 2 cups of winter squash with 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced. Replace 1 cup of water or broth with apple juice.

Soothing Ginger, Squash & Pear Soup: Replace 2 cups of winter squash with 2 medium, ripe, peeled, cored, and diced pears. Replace 1 cup of water or broth with pear juice.

Cut one large or several small buttercup, butternut or kabocha squash in half from top to bottom (about 2 to 2 ½-pounds worth). Scoop and discard seeds. Arrange squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Do not add water or foil. Bake in a preheated 400° F oven until soft and juicy, 35 to 45 minutes. Scoop out flesh and discard skin. Add cooked squash (about 3 cups) to sautéed onions in step 2 above with spices and liquid. Cover, bring to boil, and simmer for 15 minutes then purée as above.

© Copyright 2004 Rachel Albert-Matesz, www.TheHealthyCookingCoach.com

from The Garden of Eating: A Produce Dominated Diet & Cookbook

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Healthy Eating!

Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt

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