Indian Spiced Cream of Tomato Soup with Couscous

After a few unseasonably warm days, we had a bit of a cold spell. What is better than soup for dinner on a cold day? We love tomato soup, and we've made several different varieties in the past, so adding yet another variety to our repertoire was right up our alley. I came across this one from An Edible Mosaic. Something about the blend of spices that was used in the recipe made it stand out. I had never cooked with garam masala before, but I knew that it would add a spectacular flavor to the soup. This soup tasted excellent, and like many other things, it seemed to taste even better the next day for lunch, after the flavors had time to meld together. The beans and couscous made this soup more substantial than other soups, and one bowl was just enough to make us pleasantly full. Now that the weather is supposed to be getting warmer, I don't foresee us making this soup any time soon, but as soon as the cold weather hits us again, I know that this will be a recipe we keep coming back to!

3/4 cup Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous (I used plain white)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 medium Onion, diced
3 Garlic Cloves
1-inch piece Fresh Ginger, grated on a microplane
1 (14 ounce) can Petit Diced Tomatoes, with juices
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
3 cups Vegetable Stock
1 Bay Leaf
2 Dried Red Chili Peppers, optional (I just put in a pinch of red pepper flakes)
2 teaspoons Garam Masala
1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 (16 ounce) can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 tablespoons Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley, for garnish--optional

 Fill a medium pot 2/3 of the way full with water and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and a pinch of salt and cook until the couscous is al dente, about 7-9 minutes. Drain and set aside. In another medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook until softened, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, bay leaf, chili peppers, garam masala, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, then cover the pot, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off, cool slightly, and remove and discard the bay leaf and chili peppers. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (alternately, you can place the soup in a blender and puree it). Add the chickpeas and lemon juice to the pot of pureed soup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and stir in the couscous and coconut milk. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, as desired. Serve garnished with cilantro or parsley, if desired. 

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

It's recipe swap time again! This week, in honor of the cold weather, the theme of the swap was soup. I had the pleasure of making this soup from Nicole at Prevention RD. I was excited when I got the recipe assignment, and added it to my menu last week. However, when the time came to make the soup, neither Joel or I were in a soup kind of mood. Given the fact that we were leaving for Florida and were running out of time to make the soup, we went ahead and made it, hoping that by the time the soup was done cooking, our mood would change. I halved the recipe so as to not have any leftovers, and we threw together some leftover pasta from the fridge as well. When the soup was done, it looked and smelled so good that luckily, my mood changed and soup sounded like the perfect meal! This soup was deliciously creamy, yet very healthy*. The roasted garlic flavor gave the soup such an amazing flavor. Next time I'm in the mood for soup, I'll definitely be turning to this recipe!

1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups Broccoli, cut into florets
1 Garlic HEAD (not clove)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 Celery Stalks, diced
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
1 tablespoon Flour
1/3 cup Dry White Wine
1/3 cup Water
28 ounces Vegetable Broth
1 Bay Leaf
2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley, minced (optional)
1/3 cup Half-and-Half

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the cauliflower and broccoli florets in a 9x14 baking dish. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cut off the top of the head of garlic and wrap it in foil. Place the wrapped garlic on the baking dish and roast the cauliflower, broccoli, and garlic for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a cast iron dutch oven or medium-large stock pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Whisk in the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and flour and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add the wine and water, mixing to combine with the flour mixture. Slowly add in the vegetable broth, then add the bay leaf. Remove the garlic cloves from their skin and add to the pot whole. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and broccoli and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed and smooth, or puree with an immersion blender in the pot. Stir in the half and half and parsley. Cook until just heated through. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings, each between 1 1/3 and 1 1/2 cups.

*I don't normally include this information, but Nicole had it posted on her blog, so I thought I'd share--Nutrition information (per serving): 193 calories, 8.5 grams of fat, 7mg of cholesterol, 449mg sodium, 21.3 grams of carbohydrates, 6.5 grams of fiber, and 5.2 grams of protein.

Pumpkin Soup

Here is another installment of the weekly recipe swap.  This week's theme was soup and stew, which got me very excited because there may not be another food I like more in the fall and winter!  I received this pumpkin soup recipe from Does Not Cook Well With Others.  I was very intrigued because I had never eaten, and certainly never made, a soup from pumpkin before.  I wasn't too sure about how the flavors were going to taste together.  Quite honestly, I put this recipe off until the last minute because in my mind, I had a flavor for how this soup would taste and I wasn't looking forward to it.  Well, then I made the soup.  It was NOTHING like what I had thought it might be.  In fact, it was amazing!  The color, taste, and smell was like putting everything I love about fall into one little bowl.  This recipe is a keeper, for sure!!

1 cup Onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 a medium onion)
2 tablespoons Butter
4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 can (15 ounces) Pumpkin Puree
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/8 teaspoon Ground Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Heavy Cream
Scallions, optional

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sauté the chopped onion until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil.  Once it has reached a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.  Remove the saucepan from heat and puree the onions and broth until smooth using an immersion blender.  Add the remaining 2 cups of broth, pumpkin, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, cayenne, and brown sugar.  Stir until all the ingredients are blended.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the heavy cream and heat through, being careful not to let it come to a boil.  Ladle into soup bowls and top with thinly sliced scallions (optional).

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Despite the fact that it was 75 degrees and sunny last weekend, it is fall and I crave soup.  I had flagged this recipe on Prevention RD, originally from Food Network, and decided to give it a go.  It has such a delicious flavor, though it isn't too cheesy.  The sweet potato and russet potato gives the soup the thickness it needs without the need for too much cheese.  This was great paired with some homemade rolls, but it tasted better when I reheated it for lunch the next day!

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Celery Stalks, finely chopped
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Half and Half (I omitted)
1 cup Skim Milk (I used 2 cups Almond Milk instead)
2 cups Water
1 pound Russet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
6 cups Broccoli Florets, chopped
5 ounces (1 1/3 cups) Cheddar Cheese, shredded

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the broth, half and half, milk, both potatoes, bay leaf, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of water and season with salt.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.  When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf front he soup and puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.  Return the soup to a simmer over medium-low heat and stir in the broccoli, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale

Summer isn't exactly the time of year you would think to make a soup.  However, last week, we had some cool nights and this particular soup from Our Share of the Harvest just sounded good!  Let me tell you, it definitely hit the spot!  I would definitely like to add this to my repertoire of soup recipes for the fall and winter, for sure.  This was my first time cooking with kale, and I was a little bit nervous, but it worked out perfectly.  I would imagine that you could substitute spinach or any other leafy green if you wanted, but the kale was a great touch.

1 pound Mild Italian Sausage, removed from the casings
3 tablespoons Butter
1 Onion, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 cups (loosely packed) Kale, chopped
4 cups Water (or additional stock)
2 cups Chicken Broth (I used vegetable stock)
6 cups White Beans (I used 3 cans of Great Northern, drained and rinsed)
1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Marsala Wine or Sherry
1/2 tablespoon Minced Sage
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4-1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, depending on your liking
Salt

In a large skillet over medium heat, break up and brown the sausage, then set aside.  In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion for about 1 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Add the kale and saute until it turns a brighter green and becomes more tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the water and broth, bringing to a simmer.  Meanwhile, puree 4 cups of the beans in a food processor and add them, and the remaining whole beans, to the pot.  Stir to thoroughly combine the bean puree with the broth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Add the sausage and stir to combine, making sure that it is heated throughout.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

As per the pattern of weather this past few weeks, it was cool and rainy again today.  Because of the forecast, I thought it would be a perfect day to make a soup for dinner, hopefully for the last time this season.  I had bookmarked this soup from The Sisters Cafe last year on my birthday, and was waiting for the right time to make it.  I made it tonight and was very happy with the results.  For some reason, I tend to not read recipes very carefully until I start cooking.  Often times, that leaves me running out for a forgotten ingredient or eating much later than originally intended.  So, if you are anything like me, be sure that you plan ahead...this one takes a while!

1/2 cup Butter
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 cup Frozen Corn
8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Carrots, sliced
3/4 cup Flour
6 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Cooked Wild Rice (I used a box mix)
1 pound Chicken Breast, cooked and cooled (I shredded some of the meat off a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Mustard Powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 cup Slivered Almonds
2 cups Half and Half

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, corn, and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Add the flour and stir well to combine.  Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly until all has been added.  Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer.  Add the rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, pepper, and almonds and stir to combine.  Add the half and half.  With the heat on low, simmer the soup for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Chicken Soup

A few months ago, Joel bought the YummySoup! program for my computer.  Though I haven't really been using it too much, I like that it is a way to organize some of my recipes.  He has actually been using it for recipes that he makes, since I tend to blog mine.  When I opened the program for the first time, I was really pleased to see a sampling of recipes already programmed.  The recipes come from Kay at Kayotic Kitchen, which happens to be a blog I already follow!  Even though it was snowing on Monday during my spring break, I didn't let that get me down.  Instead, I decided to embrace the cold weather and make this soup for dinner.  Here's hoping that the rest of my spring break will be, well, a little more spring-like!

2 Chicken Cutlets
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Onion, chopped
1 heaping teaspoon Tomato Paste (I added)
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Diced Tomatoes
3 cups Chicken Broth
1 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
Handful Green Beans
Fresh Oregano (I used 1 teaspoon of dried)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Handful of Small Pasta (I added and used ditilini)

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until they start to sweat, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken to the pot and cook until the chicken has lost it's rawness.  Keep stirring, as you do not want to brown the chicken.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, black pepper, salt, and oregano.  Toss in the pasta and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.  Add the green beans and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the beans start to become crisp-tender.  Add any additional seasoning and serve.

Guinness & Onion Soup

I immediately flagged this soup recipe from Pennies on a Platter when I read it two weeks ago.  When I planned it for our menu last week, I checked out the original recipe on Food Network.  I noticed that the original recipe called for sherry vinegar, which we had, so I chose to use that in this soup.  We also made a few other variations.  We made it meatless by omitting beef broth and substituting mushroom broth.  Also, instead of toasting bread with cheese on it, we chose to go the traditional 'French Onion Soup' route and float a piece of bread in the soup, and cover the whole bowl with cheese before toasting.  This soup was quite delicious, especially with a nice tall glass of Guinness to go with it!

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 cups Yellow Onions, thinly sliced (about 2 large onions)
Salt
1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught (not Stout)
6 cups Beef Stock (we used mushroom stock)
1 Bay Leaf
Bread, cut into 6 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pound Irish Cheddar, thinly sliced (we used Provolone)

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant.  Add the onions, season with salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and saute the onions for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep amber color.  Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer.  Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, then add the stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 more minutes.  Discard the bay leaf and ladle the soup into individual broiler-safe bowls.  Place a piece of bread in each bowl and top the bowl with cheese.  Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Tortellini in Brodo

When coming up with inexpensive meal ideas, soup always comes to mind.  Generally, broth and vegetables come together very quick and don't cost very much to buy.  I came across this soup from Bell'alimento, via La Fuji Mama.  This soup was perfect paired with a freshly baked crusty bread.  And even though we halved the recipe, we still enjoyed the leftovers the next day for lunch.

3 tablespoons Butter
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 cups Chicken Broth (I used vegetable broth)
4 cups Water
1 Parmigiano Reggiano Rind, optional (I omitted)
20 ounces Cheese Tortellini
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic.  Cover and reduce the heat to low, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.  Add the broth and water (and rind, if using).  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  When the broth boils, add the pepper and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to low and add the tortellini.  Allow to simmer until the tortellini cooks to al dente.  Once cooked, remove the rind, if you used it.  Add the parsley and stir to combine.  Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese.

West African Peanut Soup

There is a relatively local brewery that Joel and I like to go to whenever we have the chance.  One of their specialties on the menu is an African Peanut Soup.  A few years ago, I took my parents to that brewery for lunch and my dad ordered the soup.  He immediately fell in love and would talk about it from time to time. A few weeks before he passed away, Joel and I happened to be there for dinner and I texted my dad to see if he wanted me to bring him some of the soup home for him.  As much as he would have loved it, he declined the offer, figuring it would be too much for his stomach to handle.  When I was planning our menu for this week, I remembered that I had saved this recipe from Gimme Some Oven, so I thought it would be a delicious tribute to my dad!

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Ginger, minced
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 (15 ounce) can Crushed Tomatoes
2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup Roasted Peanuts
6 cups Vegetable Stock
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
Salt & Pepper, to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion in the oil until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne.  Saute together for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and sweet potatoes, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.  Add the stock and peanuts, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.  Whisk in the peanut butter and chopped cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper and heat through.  Serve and garnish with additional chopped cilantro, crushed peanuts, and/or chopped tomatoes.