Vegan Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Fall is here!  Time for sweaters & boots, hot apple cider, and comfort food at it's best.  I've been making this family favorite every fall for several years now and it is always a big hit.  The recipe has evolved quite a bit from the first time I made this soup and I think it's better than ever now.

Hope you enjoy these classic flavors as much as we do!

1 pkg. Beyond Meat chicken strips

1 TBSP olive oil

salt, pepper, & garlic powder, to taste

6c vegetarian chicken broth

1 - 4oz. pkg. wild rice mix, with seasoning packet

3/4c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2c vegan butter

1/4c yellow onion, diced

1/2c carrots, diced

1/2c celery, chopped

1/2c white wine, optional

2c soy creamer

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add chicken strips and cook until heated through, seasoning with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste.  Remove to a cutting board and shred.

In a large pot over medium high heat, bring the broth to a boil.  Add rice and seasoning packet included.  Cover and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In a medium-large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add onions, carrots, and celery, sautéing until slightly tender.  Stir in garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant.

Add white wine, if desired, and reduce heat to low.  

Gradually whisk in the flour mixture.

Pour in the creamer, a little at a time, whisking to maintain a smooth consistency.  Allow to simmer approximately 5 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Stir creamy mixture into the large pot with broth and rice.  Bring heat to medium and allow soup to heat through; 15-20 min.

 Served with biscuits for dipping - yum!

Cheesy Broccoli Twice Baked Potatoes

I love a big baked potato for dinner!   Aside from the classic-style buttered potato, BBQ vegetarian chicken had been my go-to favorite, until now.

Served these up with sides of Clean Out the Fridge Soup, here, for an easy and tasty dinner!

5 Russet potatoes

1c broccoli florets, chopped

3-4 TBSP butter

2 TBSP green onions, chopped

1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

1c sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

paprika

1.  Preheat oven to 385* and bake potatoes approximately 1 hour, or until tender.  Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, sauté broccoli in 2-3 TBSP water until cooked through.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Slice length-wise across each potato and remove tops.  Scoop out insides, leaving enough potato that the skin holds its shape.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, mash the scooped out potato with butter until it reaches your desired consistency.

4.  Stir in the green onions, parsley, Cheddar cheese, salt, and black pepper.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Spoon mixture back into the potato skins.

5.  Bake 15 minutes.  Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika and serve warm.

Late Summer Garden Minestrone

We're on the very edge of fall here and I've already been craving heartier soups and stews lately.  Farmers' markets are overflowing with okra, tomatoes, carrots.... add to that, my little backyard garden is bursting with herbs.

This soup creation is exactly what I was in the mood for on a recent cool and rainy day.  It is a minestrone in the classic sense that it's a vegetable soup with a little pasta thrown in for fun.  The ingredients are what's in-season here right now and I think could be easily adjusted to whatever you've got on hand.

2 TBSP olive oil

1/4c yellow onion, diced

3/4c okra, sliced 1/2"

1/4c celery, sliced

1/2c carrots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4c vegetable broth

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

3 large roma tomatoes, diced

3 TBSP fresh parsley

1 TBSP fresh oregano

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 TBSP fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh thyme

3c fresh baby spinach, rough chopped 

1/2c ditalini pasta

1.  In a large pot, heat olive oil over Medium heat.

2.  Add onion, okra, celery, and carrots.  Saute 3-5 minutes.

3.  Add garlic and continue cooking another 1 minute.

4.  Add all remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to Low.

5.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm.

Julia Child's Cream of Spinach Soup

The first female celebrity chef would have been 102 today so it's fitting to showcase this simple but decadent soup.

My husband has been fighting a cold bug for the last few days and I thought a nice, hot soup would soothe his sore throat.  Why spinach?  Honestly, I had a bag of spinach I needed to use fairly soon or lose forever.

I opened Mastering the Art of French Cooking to page 43 where I found a recipe for Potage Creme d'Epinards (Cream of Spinach Soup) described in the book as, "...a lovely soup, and perfect for an important dinner."  Sounded good to me so I decided to give it a try and the resulting soup was a definite winner!

Side note: I love the way this recipe is written..."enrichment butter," "off heat" etc. - so charming.

Here's Mrs. Child's exact recipe, in case you don't have the book:


1/3 cup minced green onions, or yellow onions
3 Tbsp butter
3-4 packed cups of fresh spinach cut into chiffonade (thin slices)
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp flour (I used 5 Tbsp total for a thicker soup, your preference)
5 1/2 cups boiling white stock or chicken broth
2 eggs yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
1-2 Tbsp butter

1. Cook the onions slowly in the butter in a covered saucepan for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender and translucent but not browned.

2. Stir in spinach and salt, cover, and cook slowly for about 5 minutes or until the leaves are tender and wilted.

3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir over moderate heat for 3 minutes.

4. Off heat, beat in the boiling stock. Simmer for 5 minutes. *If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. Reheat to simmer before proceeding.

5. Blend the yolks and cream in the mixing bowl. Beat a cupful of hot soup into them by driblets. Gradually beat in the rest of the soup in a thin stream. Return soup to saucepan and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two to peach the egg yolks, but do not bring the soup to a simmer. Off heat, stir in the enrichment butter a tablespoon at a time.

I made the usual vegetarian and vegan substitutes for all but the egg yolks:

                

This recipe is not complicated but I still had lots of help.  My littlest chef-in-training takes her job very seriously.  :)

                  

Serve hot with garlic bread.

Roasted Garlic and Leek Soup

The annual spring cold that has been going around lately finally made an appearance at our house.  I had a little touch of it but my husband is absolutely miserable!  So, in addition to a homemade juice involving lots of ginger, garlic, kale, and other cold-fighting foods, we enjoyed this soup along with a simple baguette and butter for dinner last night.  The house smelled amazing from all the garlic in the air  and the soup was a big hit with everyone.  Our two-year old even went back for seconds!

Notes:

* Used Earth Balance for the butter and Better Than Bouillon's No-Chicken for the broth

4 bulbs garlic, large

olive oil

6 TBSP butter

4 leeks, chopped

1/2c yellow onion, chopped

6 TBSP all-purpose flour

4c chicken broth

1/3c dry sherry

1/4 tsp. white pepper

fresh chives, for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 350*  Cut off tops of garlic heads, exposing the cloves.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven approximately 1 hour.  Allow to cool and squeeze to remove the cloves.

2.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add garlic, leeks, and onion.  Break up the garlic with your spoon and stir frequently until leeks and onion are soft.

3.  Add the flour and stir quickly to thicken.  Pour in the broth, sherry, and white pepper.

4.  Reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer approximately 20 min.  Adjust the seasoning, to taste, top with chives, and serve hot.

Black Bean Chili

I don't know why I've waited so long to write a post about this chili.  I've been serving it for years, usually over couscous or rice, and everyone loves it!  Last night though, I served the chili by itself and it was just as satisfying as always (minus the additional calories!).  I suppose a more appropriate title would be something more like, "black bean, red pepper, mushroom, and corn chili" but that just seemed like a ridiculously long name so.... black bean chili.

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil 

1/2c onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2c corn

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4c vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. salt

Optional toppings: 

cheddar cheese, jalapeño slices, chopped green onions

1.  In a medium pan, over medium-high heat, sauté onion, pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, and corn for about 5 min., or until vegetables are softened and fragrant.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

3.  Using an immersion blender, puree approximately 1/4 - 1/2 the mixture.

4.  Top with cheddar cheese, jalapeño slices, and chopped green onions.

                  

Clean Out the Fridge Soup

What to do when the crisper fill up with various odds & ends like half a bag of broccoli, two carrots, a potato, parsley that is starting to look wilted and sad, etc.?  This happened at my house yesterday and I declared a Soup Night!

All you really need is whatever vegetables and/or beans (I used both) you have on hand and some broth.  Yes, it's that simple.  The following recipe lists the ingredients I happened to use last night:

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP butter

1/4c onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Russet potato - cubed

2c cauliflower florets

1c broccoli florets

1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

5c vegetable broth

1/4c Italian parsley, chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

1.  In a medium pot, over medium heat, combine oil and butter.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened; about 5 minutes.

2.  Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer 20-30 minutes over low heat, until potatoes and cauliflower are tender.  Stir in the parsley, adjust the seasoning and serve.

                   

Beer Cheese Soup

This is what we had for dinner last night.  It was a simple, filling, and delicious cold weather meal.  For the beer, I used a pale ale and feel like anything darker would have been way too overpowering.

3/4c carrots, diced
1/2c onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper sauce
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2c vegetable broth
3/4c light beer
2 TBSP butter
2 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour
2c milk
3c sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, cayenne papper sauce, sea salt, black pepper, vegetable broth, and beer.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

2.  Add the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard; stir to combine and set aside.

2.  In a separate large pot, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring until thickened.  Whisk in the milk and continue stirring until thickened again.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.

3.  Add in vegetable mixture and simmer to heat through, about 10-15 minutes.

                                   

Homemade soft pretzels also pair really well with this soup!

Black-Eyed Pea and Cabbage Stew

The first day of 2014 and I'm bringing back this recipe from last New Year's.  So good, we're having it again for dinner tonight!

********

It is well known and understood in this house that everyone is required to eat the black-eyed peas and cabbage served on New Year's Day.  In previous years, I have served the peas and cabbage as two separate side dishes and watched as both boys put just the very teensiest amount they thought would be acceptable on their plates.  

So, this year I tried a new approach by putting everything in one big pot and the resulting stew was delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

2c chicken broth (I used a vegan no-chicken broth)

3/4c brown rice

2 cans black-eyed peas with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles with liquid

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c cooked cabbage

1.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, and celery; cook and stir until tender.

3.  Add the broth, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and garlic.

4.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 1 hour.  Add the cabbage during the last 15 minutes.

Served with cornbread.  Happy New Year!

DIY Cream of Chicken* Soup

I don't eat chicken so, when a recipe calls for canned cream of chicken soup, I make my own vegetarian version.  It's so easy and I just feel better knowing I made it myself.  This recipe makes the equivalent of one can:

3 TBSP butter  (use Earth Balance to make it vegan)

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1/2c unsweetened almond milk

1/2c chicken broth (I like Better Than Bouillon's No-Chicken Base)

salt and pepper, to taste

1.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add flour and whisk until smooth.

2.  Whisk in the milk, broth, salt, and pepper.

3.  Bring to a boil and whisk occasionally until it thickens (about 2 minutes).

Easy!

White Chili

It's a snowy Spring day here and I am planning to serve leftovers fantastic chili/soup for dinner.  I say, "chili/soup" because you can control the consistency.  We like it more soupy, so I simmer it with a lid.  If you prefer something thicker, leave the lid off.  It's good either way. 

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c yellow onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

4oz. can Fire Roasted green chiles, diced and drained

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 pkg. mushrooms, sliced and chopped

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can light pinto beans, rinsed and drained

4 green onions, chopped

3/4c Italian parsley, rough chopped

1c white wine

3 1/2c vegetarian chicken broth

2 tsp. vegetarian chicken bouillon

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 TBSP dried oregano

1 1/2 TBSP ground cumin

2 bay leaves

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot, over Medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, chiles, and pepper.  Cook and stir until onions soften, about 2-3 minutes.

2.  Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, beans, green onions, and parsley.  Cook and stir another 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the wine, broth, bouillon, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves.

4.  Cover, reduce heat to Low, and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 90 minutes.  Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Serving this with cornbread tonight!

Corn Chowder

I had actually planned on making something completely different for dinner but the weather that afternoon changed my mind.  There is just something about freezing rain that makes me want a good, hearty bowl of goodness and this definitely hit the spot:

1/4c butter

1/2c yellow onion, chopped

2 TBSP all-purpose flour

salt and pepper, to taste

1 TBSP dry sherry

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1c milk (I use almond and it works great)

1 16oz. bag frozen corn

1 small-medium Russett potato, diced

1 4oz. can green chiles, diced

1/4c red pepper, chopped

1/2c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4c green onions, sliced

1.  In a medium size pot, melt butter over medium heat.

2.  Add onion and saute until slightly soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

3.  Add flour, salt, pepper, sherry, cayenne, and parsley.  Whisk to form a roux.

4.  Add milk and continue whisking until thickened.

5.  Add corn, potato, green chiles, red pepper, and cheese.  Cover and simmer over Low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

6.  To serve, ladle into bowls and top with Cheddar cheese and green onions.

The leftovers were really good the next day!

Garden Tomato Soup

I love this tomato soup because it's not thin and watery like so make others I've eaten in the past.  Also, there is no dairy in this soup!  Sure, you could use the dairy-based stuff in here, but it's not necessary for flavor.

I used my food processor to get the vegetables really finely chopped but you could easily accomplish the same thing with an immersion blender.

15 roma tomatoes, seeded and lightly pureed

1c carrots, finely chopped

3/4c onion, finely chopped

3 TBSP vegan butter

3 TBSP all-purpose flour

1c almond milk

1 3/4c vegetable broth

1 TBSP white sugar

2 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. dried basil (or 2 TBSP fresh, chopped)

1/2 tsp. celery salt

3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1.  In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, carrots, amd onions.  Bring to a boil then reduce to Low and simmer about 30 minutes.

2.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour.  Whisk until thick and well blended.  Add milk and continue whisking until consistencey is smooth.  Add this to the soup pot.

3.  To the soup mixture, add the vegetable broth, sugar, sea salt, basil, celery salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

4.  Allow everything to continue simmering about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This paired really well with sourdough and Havarti paninis.

Black-Eyed Pea and Cabbage Stew

It is well known and understood in this house that everyone is required to eat the black-eyed peas and cabbage served on New Year's Day.  In previous years, I have served the peas and cabbage as two separate side dishes and watched as both boys put just the very teensiest amount they thought would be acceptable on their plates. 

So, this year I tried a new approach by putting everything in one big pot and the resulting stew was delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

2c chicken broth (I used a vegan no-chicken broth)

3/4c brown rice

2 cans black-eyed peas with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles with liquid

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c cooked cabbage

1.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, and celery; cook and stir until tender.

3.  Add the broth, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and garlic.

4.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 1 hour.  Add the cabbage during the last 15 min.

 

Served with cornbread.  Happy New Year!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

This was a super yummy dinner on a cold and rainy night.  Also, it's one of those soups that tastes like it was more work than it is - seriously, you could have this on the table in 30 minutes:

2 TBSP butter

1/2c onion, chopped

1c carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 TBSP garlic, minced

4c vegetable broth

2c cauliflower

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1/2c water

2/3c milk

2c broccoli florets

2c cheddar cheese

1.  In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.

2.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery; saute 3-5 minutes, or until tender.

3.  Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4.  Add broth and cauliflower; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender.

5.  Combine flour and water, then add to pot.  Allow to continue simmering another 5-10 minutes.

6.  Add milk and broccoli.  Simmer until heated through and broccoli is tender.

7.  Add cheese and stir until completely melted. 

 Served with buttermilk biscuits for dipping.

Tuscan Soup

We love hot and spicy soups on cold nights.  So, yesterday evening, as the snow was falling outside, we were all sitting around the dining table enjoying a wonderful, Tuscan soup with spicy pork sausage, cannellini and garbanzo beans, potatoes, spinach, garlic..... it was all just so very good.

Here's the recipe:

6 c. chicken broth

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 links spicy Italian sausage

3 large potatoes, cubed

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 bunch fresh spinach, rough chopped

1/4 c. evaporated milk

salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, shredded

1.  Remove skin from sausage and crumble into large pot. 

Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat. 

Add garlic when meat is almost done.

2.  Add broth, potatoes.  Boil until potato is cooked.  Stir in beans.

3.  Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly wilted.

4.  Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste. 

5.  Top with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. 

 Served with baguette slices and Italian Garlic Butter.

 

Egg Drop Soup

The star of the show at dinner last night was

definitely the egg drop soup. 

The beef and broccoli was good but it was the

soup that everyone raved about!  This was so

much better than anything I've had in a restaurant.

You really must try it:

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced

2 TBSP fresh chives, chopped

1/4c. green onions, chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

white pepper, to taste

1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch

2 whole eggs

1 egg yolk

  

1.  Reserve 3/4c. vegetable broth and pour the rest into

a medium saucepan.

2.  Stir the salt, white pepper, ginger, chives,

and green onions into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil.

3.  In a small bowl, stir together the remaining broth

and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

4.  In small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork.

5.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

6.  Remove pan from heat.

7.  Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the

boiling broth mixture.

Egg should cook immediately, forming the "ribbons".

8.  Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot.

Hubby requested I make a double batch next time!

Garlic Soup

Last night's dinner consisted of balsamic chicken over couscous,

sauteed asparagus, and garlic soup.

Everything was delicious but it was the garlic soup

that really stood out.

My guys all went back for seconds and there were no leftovers!

I've tried a few garlic soup recipes in the past but there were always

comments about how this or that could have made the soup better.

So, this is the way I now make garlic soup:

2 TBSP olive oil

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/4c. chopped onions

14 whole cloves garlic (not bulbs!)

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8c. chicken broth

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2c. heavy cream
1/3c. grated Parmesan

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

2.  Add red pepper flakes, onions, garlic cloves, bay leaves,

and pepper.

3.  Saute until onions are caramelized.

4.  Add chicken broth, minced garlic, basil, and thyme.

5.  Boil then simmer on low for about 45 minutes.

6.  Increase heat to high and whisk in cream and Parmesan.

7.  Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender.

8.  Serve hot.

The aromas that fill the kitchen as this soup is simmering are amazing!!