Italian Spinach and Pesto Soup

We've had a bit of cold weather dip this past week and soup just seemed like the right thing to make. And it turned out so yummy!  One of the things I love about it - is that although it uses fresh spinach in it .. . .you can't really taste the spinach.  It's there.  It's healthy.  But you don't have to taste it!  Win-win!  

During the summers, I always grow an abundance of basil and will make my own pesto.  This one recipe to use up some of that said pesto.  If you don't make your own, you can buy it at the grocery store.  Regardless, this soup is a cinch to make and like most soups - it is fantastic as a leftover.

Italian Spinach & Pesto Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Pound Ground Turkey Italian Sausage

1 Medium Onion, Diced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

1 6-Ounce Bag of Fresh Spinach, Loosely Chopped

2 Tablespoons Pesto

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1 Cup Half and Half

6 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Fresh Diced Tomatoes (for serving)

Step 1:  In a large pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add the sausage, onion, garlic and spinach.  Break up the meat as it cooks and cook thoroughly.

Step 2:  Once the meat is browned, add the pesto, Italian seasoning, chicken broth and half 'n' half.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let cook for 10 - 15 minutes.  

Step 3:  Garnish with fresh diced tomatoes to serve.  

Rockin' Black Bean Soup

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook "The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen" Second Edition by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson.  I used a few shortcuts and omitted one ingredient from the original recipe (kombu . .not available in my local grocery store).  I've always enjoyed a good bowl of black bean soup - so I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have!

Rockin' Black Bean Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 15 oz Can of Black Beans (drained)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cups Diced Yellow Onion

Sea Salt

1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Diced Fine

1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Chopped and Seeded Jalapenos

1 Tablespoon Garlic Minced

1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

8 Cups Vegetable Broth

4 Cloves Garlic, Smashed

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Bay Leaf

2 Teaspoons Lime Juice (optional)

Corn Tortilla Strips (optional for garnish)

Cilantro (garnish)

Sour Cream (garnish)

Step 1:  Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are translucent.  Add the red bell pepper, jalapeno, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Saute for about a minute.  Add in 1/2 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Step 2:  Add the remaining 7 and 1/2 cups of broth, black beans, smashed garlic, cinnamon stick and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil over high heat - then reduce to a simmer.  Partially cover and let simmer for 1 hour.

Step 3:  Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.  

Step 4:  Remove half the black beans and set aside in a bowl.  

Step 5:  In batches if needed, puree the soup and beans the remained in the soup pot in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Return to the soup pot, add in the reserved beans and reheat if needed.  Taste and adjust seasoning - add additional salt if needed.  If desired, add lime juice.  

Step 5:  To serve, garnish with tortilla strips, cilantro and sour cream.

Wild Rice Soup

I love wild rice soup....seriously, it's definitely one of my favorite.  Creamy, delicious and with tender bits of vegetables and chicken.  This recipe is great with leftover chicken or turkey (hint hint...Thanksgiving leftover turkey).

Wild Rice Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 Cups Cooked Wild Rice

1/2 Cup Chopped Carrot

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

6 Tablespoons Butter

1/2 Cup Flour

4 Cups Chicken Broth

1-2 Cups Cooked Chicken or Turkey (Diced or Shredded)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt (or Nature's Seasoning)

1 Cup Half and Half

2 Tablespoons Dry Sherry

Step 1:  In a large soup pot, add the butter and onion.  Over medium heat, saute until the butter is melted and veggies begin to soften.  

Step 2:  Add the flour to the pot.  Stir, it may become a big lump - and that's okay.  Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes.  

Step 3:  A little bit a time, add the broth.  Do not add all at once - if you do this, you will get flour lumps!!  Add just a little bit and stir into the flour mixture.  Once incorporated, add a bit more.  Stir until incorporated.  Repeat this until all the broth has been added.

Step 4:  Add in the wild rice and chicken or turkey and seasoning.  Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

Step 5:  Add in the Half and Half and Sherry.  Stir until incorporated and heated through.  

Seafood Bisque

Happiness in a bowl.  That should be the recipe title for this one.  Decadent, sweet and tender crab and shrimp along with a savory blend of milk, tomato and seasonings . . .excellent soup for a meal.  Serve with a salad and revel in all things delicious.

Seafood Bisque

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Butter

3 Green Onions or Scallions, slices thinly

1 Celery Stalk, diced fine

3 Tablespoons Flour

2 and 1/2 Cups Milk

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 Tablespoon Sea Salt

8 Ounces Crab Meat

6 Ounces Cooked Shrimp 

2 Tablespoons Sherry

Optional Garnishes:  Additional Green Onion, Chives, Parsley or a dollop of Sour Cream.

Step 1:  In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt the butter and add the green onion, celery and tomato paste.  Saute over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the tomato paste has been incorporated. 

Step 2:  Warm the milk in a separate saucepan or in the microwave.  This will make it easier to blend into the ingredients in the next couple steps. Do not let the milk boil.  You just want it warmed.

Step 3:  Blend the flour into the butter/veggies.  It will kinda lump up into a big ball.  Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes.  

Step 4:  Little by little, add in the warmed milk.  Be sure to stir fully into the flour mixture a little bit at a time.  If you dump all the milk in at once, it will be lumpy.  If you add only a little milk at a time and stir in between - you should have a smooth soup.  

Step 5:  Once the milk and flour are all incorporated, add the black pepper, Old Bay seasoning and sea salt.  Stir until combined.

Step 6:  Add the shrimp, crab and heavy cream to the pot.  Stir until combined and heated through.  Serve immediately.

Cauliflower-Cheddar Soup

Wow.  This is soup is sooooooooo delicious and so crazy creamy, it is hard to believe it only has 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of cheddar in it.  It's a little bit of work to make it - only because you have to puree it, but it is so amazing -you won't mind at all.   I've adapted this from the book, "Keto in 28" by Michelle Hogan.  This is a perfect fall and winter food!

Cauliflower-Cheddar Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 Slices of Bacon, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

4 Cups of Cauliflower Florets 

4 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tablespoons Water

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Chives - for garnish

Step 1:  In a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy.  With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon bits and place into a bowl for later use.  Do not discard the bacon fat in the pan.

Step 2:  In the pan with the bacon grease, add the butter, onion and garlic.  Saute over medium until onion is almost translucent.  Then, add the cauliflower.  Continue to saute for about 5 minutes, until the the cauliflower is beginning to soften.

Step 3:  Add the chicken broth to the pot and let it come to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes - until the cauliflower is soft.  Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.

Step 4:  Transfer the soup to a food processor and puree until very smooth.  

Step 5"  Return the soup to the pot and place over low heat.  

Step 6:  In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch.  Stir into the the soup and also add 1/2 the cheese.  Stir until the cheese melts.

Step 7:  To serve, garnish with the remaining cheese, the reserved bacon from step 1 and chives.

Butternut Squash Soup

Is there any soup more wonderful than butternut squash soup?  Mmmmmm . . .the natural sweetness of the squash kissed with a hint of earthy-ness, creamy and with a hint of cinnamon.  Comfort food at it's finest served on a cold fall day.

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoon Butter (unsalted)

2.5 Pounds of Butternut Squash - this is the weight before peeling it.

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg
Chives (for garnish)
Salt and Pepper 

Step 1:  Prepare the squash by cutting of the ends, removing the seeds and then peeling it.  Once peeled and gutted, cut into small chunks/squares and place in a microwavable bowl.  Add the water to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10-13 minutes.  When it is done, it will be soft and you should be able to take a chunk out and squish it with a fork very easily.

Step 2:  In a blender, puree the squash.  To do so, add about 1/2 to the pitcher of the blender and puree.  If it is too thick, add 1/4 cup of water at a time until you can puree it to a smooth consistency.  Repeat this process with the remaining sauce. I ended up using roughly 1 cup of water to help puree it all.

Step 3:  In a large pot, melt the butter.  Once melted, add the squash and remaining ingredients.  Heat on low, stirring, until heated through.  Too thick?  Add in a little more milk.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish.  Serve warm.