Cauliflower Carrot Soup

This soup is warm, flavorful and perfect for the wintertime.

Estimated preparation time: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower
• 3-4 cups carrot
• 1 large potato
• 1 onion
• 1 head of garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Red chili flakes
• Italian seasoning
• Broth

Procedure

1. Sauté garlic, chopped onions and carrots with all the seasonings for about 5-10 minutes at medium to medium-high heat, until carrots have a nice sear starting. 

2. Add the chopped potato (peeled if preferred) and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower and give it another 5 minutes. 

3. Add broth to almost cover the vegetables. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are cooked through, and blend until smooth. Simmer another 5 minutes. 

4. Serve with a dash of cream, a slice of toasted baguette, or au naturel. 

Lemon Garlic Lentil Soup

This is a flavorful alternative to the dreaded lentil soup. It is zesty and garlicky and legitimately delicious while being maximally healthy.

Estimated preparation time: 30 min
Snagged from delish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 3 celery
• 3 carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 head of garlic
• 5 cups broth of choice
• 1-2 lemons
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• Red chili flakes (for some spice)

Procedure

1. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic with thyme, red chili flakes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

2. Add the lentils, broth and bay leaves.

3. Let simmer until lentils are cooked.

4. Add lemon zest and juice and let ruminate a young minute. 

5. Serve hot with parsley and perhaps more lemon juice. 

Thai Chicken Soup

This soup is like chicken noodle soup on steroids. It is packed with flavor and can be made as spicy or mild as desired.

Estimated preparation time: 45 min

Ingredients

• 2 cans coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 ginger
• 4 cups chicken
• 3 cups mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 1 jalapeno
• Rice noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoon fish sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cilantro, lime, garlic chili sauce to garnish

Procedure

1. Chop chicken, onion, ginger and garlic and sear with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes til chicken is just seared. Take chicken out and set aside. 

2. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and juice of one lime to the aromatics and let simmer 20-30 minutes. 

3. Add jalapeño if more spice is desired. Put the chicken and mushrooms into the broth and let simmer until just underdone. 

4. Add rice noodles, being sure to stir. 

5. Serve with lime, cilantro, jalapeño, and the garlic chili sauce. 

Zucchini Soup

3-4 zucchini
4-5 shallots, chopped
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T oil
1 t curry (+ more as needed)
1 1/2 c chicken broth/bouillon
1/2 c half & half
salt & pepper
sour cream (for garnish - optional)
chives (for garnish - optional)

Peel & slice the zucchini.  Saute with the shallots in butter and oil until transparent.  Add curry, chicken broth, and half & half.  Blend in a blender.  Season to taste.  Can be served hot or cold.

Sausage, Potato, Kale Soup

Deviating a bit from traditional recipes here, I'm just going to note, for future reference, a few recipes that have gone over well lately.

First up, since it's so cold and definitely soup weather, the Pioneer Woman's Sausage, Potato, and Kale soup.  (with modifications, as usual)

Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

1 bunch kale
6 red potatoes
1 onion
1 package Italian sausage (mild)
red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups cream
black pepper
oregano

Boil the potatoes, drain and cool, and slice.  I left the skins on, though I'm sure you could remove them.

Brown the sausage.  Drain, put back in the pan with the chopped onion.  Cook until the onion turns yellow.  Add the red pepper (careful about adding too much - gets quite spicy), then the cream, milk, and chicken broth, and pepper and oregano.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Note: original recipe calls for 4 cups half and half instead of the cream - I didn't have any, and prefer a thicker soup/stew as it is.

Wash and drain the kale, tear into bite-sized pieces, while soup is simmering.  After 30 minutes, or when a bit thickened, add the kale and sliced potatoes and simmer for another 15 minutes or so, or until the kale is cooked.  Serve with thick bread and butter.

Zucchini Soup

Delicious!

Zucchini Soup

3-4 zucchini
1-2 shallots
1 tsp curry
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T oil
1 1/4 c chicken broth
1/2 c half and half

Saute' the shallots in the butter and oil.  Peel and slice the zucchini (core, too, if you do not like seeds) and saute'.  Add the curry and 1/2 c of chicken broth.  Blend until smooth.  Add the remaining chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste.  Blend until smooth.  Just before serving, add the half and half and blend again.  Serve with big chunks of homemade bread fresh out of the oven.