Warm Up with Soup

7 delicious soups to keep you warm inside and out.

Soup is a great way to clean out your refrigerator.  You can make soup with all kinds of meat, vegetables, legumes, grains, and/or pasta.  Here are 7 of my soup recipes that are simple and delicious.  Many are meatless, vegetarian, or vegan and all will help keep you warm.

A #roundup of 7 delicious soup #recipes. Warm Up w/ Soup  [Tweet this]

Black Bean Soup

A creamy, flavorful, and meatless soup made with black beans and spices.  Filling enough for an entree.

Warm up w/ #meatless Black Bean Soup  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

A creamy soup made with chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk and warm spices.  Cauliflower and chickpea soup is a delicious and vegan meal.

Warm up w/ #vegan Cauliflower & Chickpea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Green Pea Soup

Healthy and easy frozen green peas pureed in a flavorful broth for a creamy and delicious, vibrant green, soup.

Warm up w/ #frozenpeas in Green Pea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Lentil Soup

A bold and spicy soup with hot Portuguese sausage and healthy lentils.

Warm up w/ #healthy #lentils in Lentil Soup  [Tweet this]

Minestrone Soup

A simple, vegetarian, Italian style soup made with vegetables, beans, pasta, tomatoes, and spices.

Warm up w/ #vegetarian Minestrone #Soup  [Tweet this]

Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

A creamy, meatless, soup with mushrooms and wild rice.  It's warm comfort food for a cold night.

Warm up with #comfortfood Mushroom and #WildRiceSoup  [Tweet this]

Pureed Carrot Soup

A creamy, vegan, soup made with pureed carrots, onions, and beans in a vegetable broth with a hint of dill.  It's filling enough for a meal but also great with a small sandwich.

Warm up w/ #vegan Pureed Carrot #Soup  [Tweet this]

Enjoy.

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Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Chicken and chickpeas slow cooked in a flavorful Moroccan spiced broth and served over brown rice.

My husband had a sore muscle.  Not just the kind you get from regular exercise (he's very active and not one to complain), but one like a tweak or a strain.  It was bothering him for a while so on top of resting, icing, and taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) he also wanted to eat anti-inflammatory foods.  This is where I came in and looked up some information online.  For an anti-inflammatory diet, foods low in saturated fat are good.  So are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and spices.  Spices like cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and chili pepper are all supposed to be anti-inflammatory.

Add plenty of spices for anti-inflammatory diet [Tweet this]

Moroccan dishes often include many spices so I looked up common Moroccan spices.  Then I made a Moroccan spice blend with plenty of spices said to have anti-inflammatory properties.  (It's a good thing I love spicy foods and Indian foods because I have a huge cabinet full of spices so I had everything on hand.)  This spice blend was the main inspiration for this dish.  I just added veggies, chicken, and a few other healthy ingredients then cooked it all in a slow cooker for a simple and nutritious meal.

Moroccan spice blend with plenty of anti-inflammatory spices. [Tweet this]

This was not a miracle cure for my husband's pain.  I won't make any unbelievable claims.  We ate anti-inflammatory foods for a couple of weeks (we still include many in our regular meals) and maybe they helped or maybe they didn't.  I just think eating healthy and flavorful foods is never a bad thing.  Most importantly we really enjoyed this meal and will make it again (sore muscles or not).

Eating healthy & flavorful food is never bad. [Tweet this]

Moroccan Chicken

Cook time:  6 hours
Servings: 8

Moroccan Spice Mix:

1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp hot red chili powder (cayenne is fine)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 Tablespoons Moroccan Spice Mix
1 chicken, separated
1 bunch cilantro stems (reserve the leaves for garnish)
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas
1 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup olives, chopped (optional)

First prepare the spice mix by stirring all the spice together in a small bowl.  This makes about 2 tablespoons of spice mix and I used it all in this recipe.  Set aside.

In a 5 quart slow cooker, add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper (I use coarse sea salt and use a few pinches, a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper)

Sprinkle on the spice mix and add the chicken (I bought a whole chicken and had the butcher separate it into 10 pieces--breast (each cut in half), legs, thighs, wings).  You could also use boneless skinless breasts or thighs, whatever you prefer.  Make sure to season the chicken with salt and pepper too (a few pinches).

Then make a spice bundle using cheesecloth.  Unfold a square of cheesecloth and place the cilantro stems, cinnamon stick, and star anise in the center.  Then tie the cloth up around them. This just makes them easier to fish out after cooking and imparting their flavor.  Toss this packet into the slow cooker.

Add the can of tomatoes, chickpeas, and 2 cups of water.  You can probably add the raisins and olives now, but I didn't think about it until the end of cooking.

Cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

Serve with brown rice and garnish with cilantro (I had roasted cauliflower and broccoli on the side--more vegetables never hurt).

Enjoy.

For more Moroccan and other dishes using anti-inflammatory spices check out:

Moroccan Raw Carrot Salad

Patta Gobhi Mattar (Cabbage & Peas)

Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

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Greek Stew

A meatless stew inspired by Greek flavors.

I'm not Greek.  I had my first Greek/Mediterranean food after college and I instantly loved it.  I associate many things with Greek food such as lamb, chickpeas, eggplant, pita, hummus, feta, and certain herbs & spices.  This stew is not authentically Greek but I was inspired by Greek and Mediterranean flavors while making it.  I didn't know what to call this stew with out making a long name listing all the ingredients so I just simplified it by calling it Greek Stew.

No matter what this dish is called it is delicious.  It contains plenty of vegetables, chickpeas, and rice which give it lots of nutrients, fiber, and protein.  It's a meatless meal that is high in flavor yet low in calories and it fills you up without weighing you down.  And, it makes a huge pot of stew that will feed many or just one all week long.

Greek Stew

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
thyme, oregano, and rosemary
olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
4 mini sweet peppers, sliced (optional--I had them so I used them and they add pretty color)
salt & pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups cooked cargo or brown rice (1 cup dry, cooked)
2 cups cooked chickpeas

Toss the chopped eggplant and zucchini (you can either peel them or not) with the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, and olive oil.  Use enough olive oil and herbs to coat the veggies well. Maybe about 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of each (salt and pepper is to taste).

Spread the herbed vegetables on a sheet pan and roast at 425 F for about 20 minutes until nicely browned and very fragrant.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil, in a large stock pot, over medium heat.  Saute the onions, mushrooms, and peppers, with salt and pepper to taste, until soft.

To this add the roasted eggplant mixture, broth, tomatoes, rice, and chickpeas (with a little more salt and pepper).  Mix well and cook on low, covered, for at least 1 hour.

I made this on the weekend so I had plenty of time to let it sit and stew.  You could also put it all in a slow cooker and let it cook all day, or turn up the heat and it would cook in less time...just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Serve hot with any sides of your choice.  I had it with pita chips and tzatziki.  Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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Hummus

A creamy dip or spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil.  Great with vegetables or pita.

Hummus makes a great snack or accompaniment to just about any meal.  It's smooth, creamy, and so tasty.  I'm disappointed I didn't even know about it until I was in college.  After I tried it for the first time, though, I was hooked.  This stuff is delicious.  It's also simple to make your own and add all kinds of different flavors.  I was making this hummus for a middle eastern type meal so I kept the flavors traditional.

Making hummus is one of the reasons I purchased my food processor.  I tried to make it in a blender once and failed miserably.  It was one of the blenders that tapers toward the bottom and things got stuck.  Maybe some people can make it in a blender but it didn't work for me and took me a while to try again.  This hummus is great with pita, vegetables, or as a main component of my Spiced Lamb and Hummus.  Store bought hummus is easy but once you try homemade there is no comparison.

Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas (or about 1 can)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt

In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade, add the chickpeas and pulse until they are broken up and in small pieces.

Add the garlic, tahini, and lemon juice and pulse some more until well mixed (add salt to taste).

Then leave the processor on while adding up to 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a seal-able container and refrigerate or serve right away.  I think it tastes better as it sits and the flavors have a chance to meld but sometimes I just can't wait.

To serve drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle on some smoked paprika, and serve with pita and/or vegetables.

Makes about 6 servings.  Enjoy.

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Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

A creamy soup made with chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk and warm spices.  Cauliflower and chickpea soup is a delicious and vegan meal.

(Updated 2/22/16:  Tweet-ables, Pin-able image, similar recipes, and minor editing)
This is a soup I created on a cool rainy day.  It's usually a constant 75-85 degrees F here in Hawaii and that temperature usually inspires salads and stir fries.  However, when it is rainy and there are thick clouds blocking the warm tropical sun it gets kind of chilly.  Then, soups and stews are on the menu.  This is a quick and filling soup I threw together using half a head of cauliflower I had leftover from another use.  I loved the flavors of my Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry so that is the basis of this soup.  It's delicious.

A #curry in soup form & it's #vegan Cauliflower&ChickpeaSoup  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

Cook time:  Under 30 minutes
Servings:  2-4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp red chili powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp tamarind concentrate (optional)
2 cups chickpeas, precooked
1 13.5 oz coconut milk

In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmery and then add the cumin seeds, stirring, until they begin to sputter and become fragrant.

Then add the ginger and garlic, cooking, until they become fragrant then add the cauliflower and dry spices.  Stir and mix well for about a minute and then add the water.

Let come to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until cauliflower becomes soft.  Add the tamarind concentrate and chickpeas.  Cook until chickpeas are heated through (I used frozen but if using canned it won't take long).

Transfer soup to a blender (one that is heat resistant or use an immersion blender) and puree with the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour puree back into the saucepan on low heat until heated through.  Add Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2-3 entree servings.  Garnish with toasted cumin seeds and enjoy.

Check out my Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry mentioned in this post:

For more cauliflower and/or chickpea recipes check out:

Cumined Broccoli & Cauliflower

Hummus          -

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

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