It’s Soup Season!

My driveway is covered in leaves and the air is getting cooler. Have you ever noticed how blue the sky is in October?  Fall is such a lovely season in so many ways and one of my favorite things about fall is that it’s time for soup! 

I love homemade soup. There is something so comforting about having a mug full of steaming, fresh soup.  The summer is simply too hot to think about eating or preparing it but the minute the temperature drops, my body starts craving soup.

Two years ago, I bought an instant pot and have found making soup in it so easy that it is ridiculous to not make a different kind each week. Soup can be frozen and taken out when you want a meal already to go.  I prefer to package it up in glass jars and keep it in the fridge.  I always have a salad made, so if I’m not sure what to have for lunch-it’s already done!  If I’m hungry in the middle of the day but it’s the wrong time to eat a meal, a small cup of soup can tide me over. 

If you don’t have an instant pot, a crock pot will do.  If you don’t have a crock pot, a large pot simmering on the stove is wonderful too.

Today, I want to share with you two of my favorite soups. The first is chicken soup or broth.  When you cook the soup, the veggies lose all their flavor. So, if you take the veggies out, you have broth which you can then use for the base for other soups. It’s fine to use store bought chicken stock but a homemade one just adds a richness and nutrition boost that you can’t get with the store kind. You can add fresh veggies to the stock and cut up the soup chicken to complete your soup. Or, you can use the soup chicken for other recipes. 

Hint: My secret ingredient for chicken soup is chicken feet. I know, sounds gross, but if you add in a few feet, the soup will be rich and delicious. When chilled, it will be like jelly, but that is what you want, that’s how you know you’ve gotten the nutrients from the bones.  I buy my feet from a farmer in Tennessee. If you have access to a farmer who raises chicken, they will most likely have them. You can also find them at Asian markets.  Do remove them and toss them before serving soup!

The second soup is a favorite of mine from Rebecca Katz, a writer and cookbook author.  You can find her online and she has a regular blog.  In fact, I strongly encourage you to go on her website and download her Magic Mineral Broth: https://www.rebeccakatz.com/magic-mineral-broth.  This broth is a staple in my home that is a vegetarian stock. It is great for cooking but also if you’re feeling run down or you are sick, this can be sipped as a tea. I can attest to it’s healing powers, I used it in recovery from my boating accident.  Whenever I have a friend with cancer, this is the first thing I bring to them to promote healing. I keep some in my freezer at all times.

Enjoy these soups and if you have any you’d like to share with me, I’d love to hear from you at: vicki@yourhealthystructure.com.

Best Chicken Soup Ever-#ambitiouskitchen

Ingredients

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth (I use filtered water)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (I use a whole, organic chicken-remove giblets from inside and add to soup)

2-4 chicken feet (optional but strongly recommended)

1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup pearl or Israeli couscous (optional)

2/3 cup frozen peas (optional, but recommended)

Instructions

Place a large Dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and add in oil. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, carrots and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent. (If using an Instant Pot, simply use the soup button and leave it until done. Allow for natural release). 

Next add in grated ginger and grated turmeric. Sautee for 30 seconds to let the spices cook a bit, then add in chicken broth, chicken breast, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.

Bring soup to a boil, then stir in couscous. You’ll want the chicken to be covered by the broth so make sure you stir them down to the bottom.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to pot then stir in frozen peas. If you find that you don’t have enough broth, feel free to add in another cup. Everyone likes their soup differently. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy.

Cook Nourishing Life One Bite at a Time @Rebecca Katz

Carrot-Ginger Soup with Cashew Cream

This versatile soup can be prepared either with Magic Mineral Broth or using the carrot cooking liquid as your stock. The ginger adds an agreeable pep but the real showstopper is the cashew cream. Your taste buds will thank you.

Soup

3 pounds carrots washed and cut into I-inch pieces   

8 cups cold water or Magic Mineral Broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onions

 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

 1 small pinch of red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

Cashew cream

1 cup raw cashews           

2 cup water

1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

In a 6- to 8-quart pot heat the olive oil over medium heat combine the carrots and the water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until golden. Add the carrots, ginger, curry, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, coriander, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water or broth, and then add the remaining 7 cups of liquid with l teaspoon of salt. Cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

Return to the pot, add the maple syrup, and reheat slowly.  Does it need a squeeze of lemon, a pinch or two of salt, or a drizzle of maple syrup?

To make the cashew cream, grind the cashews in a mini food processor or nut grinder (some blenders are not powerful enough to turn nuts into cream, so we give them a head start). If you have a Vita-mix skip this step. Put the water in a blender.