Soups + Stews

Quick Ham and Bean Soup

~ nourishedpeach ~ Leave a comment

Image

Lets do a little mathematics, my dear friends:

Ham hock + beans + simmering all day = my heart runneth over.

The same taste as the previous equation + minimal work + no time at all = my heart runneth over.

Same results?  I choose the latter.

The first time I made this I was looking for a way to use up leftover baked ham and it has become a staple in our meal rotation ever since.  You will be shocked at how something so quick and simple can yield such flavor.  And by the way, stop picking on me and making me do your math homework for you…next thing you know you’ll be stealing my lunch and shoving me into lockers.  Not okay.

Quick Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Small White Onion, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

6 Cloves Garlic, chopped

2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme or 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Thyme

3/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 (15 Ounce) Can Petite Diced Tomatoes

2 (15 Ounce) Cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

3 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Cups Diced Ham

2 Teaspoons Stone Ground Mustard

1/2 Cup Cream

Fresh Parsley, for garnish *optional

Salt to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat.  Add the onion and carrot and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, thyme and pepper and sauté 1 minute.  Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chicken stock and ham and bring to a boil; turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in the mustard and cream, simmer for 5 additional minutes and season with salt, if needed.  Serves 4

Winter Tomato Soup

~ nourishedpeach ~ 3 Comments

Image

I’ve missed you my dear friends.  How goes it?  It’s been both exhausting and great around here as I learn to manage life with two littles.  You see, I’ve been feeling pulled in so many different directions.  My two year old has officially learned the phrase “I want my mommy” and it seems as though her new little brother has caused her to use this phrase until she is blue in the face these days, bless her heart.  And her little brother?  That precious little punkin that has officially been named “moose” in our household (we mean it as endearing, I swear)?  Well, he finds it necessary to eat like its nobodies business.  This kid could drink any of you fools under the table.  His cheeks will prove it (and those cheeks taste as delicious as any dish I have EVER prepared).  It’s amazing how these two things alone can take up the majority of the day.  And while I have continued to cook on a regular basis..and take photos here and there…I have not had too much of an opportunity to write.  Until now.

Guess what is happening this very moment? My house is quiet.  The laundry is folded.  The toys are picked up.  The play dough is scraped off the kitchen floor.  The dishwasher is emptied.  Jude’s tummy is full.  Georgia had 45 minutes of “Georgia and mommy time” with not a single interruption.  Dinner is made and sitting on the stove.  And both kids are sleeping.  And to top it all off..I didn’t even drink an extra-shot latte today.  As Matthew Wilder would say, can’t nobody break my stride….feeling good, folks, feeling pretty darn good.

And now I need to make the rest of this post the absolute fastest written content of all times…because Im pretty sure this quiet, still moment will only last for approximately 37 more seconds.  I can assure you this will most likely be the best tomato soup you’ve ever eaten….no joke.  You simply must try it.  And I kid you not…I now hear a crying baby…

Winter Tomato Soup

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Large Carrots, chopped

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

6 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine

2 15 Ounce Cans Diced Tomatoes

2 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 Cup Half and Half

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil

Directions

Heat olive oil in soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add carrots, onion, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper and sauté for 5 minutes or until veggies begin to soften.  Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.  Add red wine and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Once at a boil cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, place the soup into a blender or food processor and puree until the mixture is a very smooth consistency (make sure blender or processor is covered…mixture will be very hot).  Transfer soup back into the pot and turn heat to medium low.  Stir in honey, balsamic and half and half and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serves 2-4

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

~ nourishedpeach ~ Leave a comment

Image

This has been a favorite recipe of mine for truly as long as I remember living on my own.  I would even make it for just myself in my single days and eat it for lunches and dinners for the entire week.  It’s so rich and wholesome and pairs just beautifully with a cold day and a hungry tummy.  An awesome way to switch up your typical beef stew…and I have a feeling once you try this one you may retire that old recipe, anyway.  Ideal for entertaining, too, because the longer it sits the more the flavors develop, so make it ahead of time and serve it to your company with a nice green salad and crusty bread….but only if you feel like being praised beyond belief 🙂

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

barely adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Large Onion, chopped

4 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Large Carrot, Sliced

1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Rosemary

1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 3/4-2 Pounds Stew Beef

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons Cold Water

1 Cup Red Wine

1 Pound Butternut Squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 Cup Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes

3-4 Cups Beef Broth

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion, rosemary and thyme and sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.  Toss the beef with salt and pepper and add to the pan along with the garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Add wine and scrape the bottom of the pot well, releasing any of the browned bits from the pot.  Add tomatoes, carrots and enough broth to cover the beef and bring the pot to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.  Mix together the arrowroot or cornstarch and water in a separate bowl and stir that into the stew along with the butternut squash.  Return to a simmer, cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.  Serves 4.

Chicken Noodle Soup

~ nourishedpeach ~ 2 Comments

Image

Well, it’s been one of those weekends.  A stomach virus hit my little peach overnight on thursday…and of course my husband was traveling, which meant I was fortunate enough to be on clean-up duty, wash 3 loads of sheets duty, comfort duty, rub your tummy duty until the sun came up and it was time to begin our friday.  I finally got her to bed for a few hours around 6:30 Friday morning and it was all good…Nick would be home that day and we could try to get rested up and have a leisure weekend…and I could have some adult company and a little help.

Nick gets home Friday and no more than 20 hours later gets hit with the “Icky Truck”.  Yep…stomach virus in full effect.  Awesome!  Totally fine, I can handle another patient…I’ll get them both cozy and comfortable and able to keep down liquids for a few hours, send them to bed for the night and then it will be my turn to sleep.  I’ve never craved anything like I did sleep that night-Im no good with skipping a full nights worth of the stuff like I did the previous night.  Nick’s out like a light and finally comfortable. I give Georgia a bath, we get cozy, read books and off to bed she goes.  Ahhh.  After a quick clorox wipe-down of most of the house I finally head up to start my shower….the feeling was pure bliss; a silent, semi germ-free house and a clean bed waiting for me.  The minute I grab my towel I hear Georgia scream.  I ran into her room and walked in to find her dripping a completely not-okay amount of blood from her mouth and grabbing at her tongue.  OF COURSE she bit her tongue horribly!  Why wouldn’t she??  That poor thing.  I have absolutely no clue how it happened but the little punkin was in pain.  She bled for well over two hours but again, Barney, that ridiculously annoying wonderful dinosaur kept her happy and busy while I tried to give her ice and popsicles to numb the pain and help with the swelling.  After two and a half hours she was finally in bed and asleep.  I got to shower and climb into my clean bed and aside from a couple of “I’m-in-pain wake ups” from the little lady I got a somewhat decent sleep in.  Today…both of my loves are seeming a little better; heres to hoping for them feeling 100% tomorrow.

I have no idea why I felt the need to tell you all of that when, in essence, I was simply trying to get to the point of how I made a pot of chicken soup for my poor sickies….that completely hit the comforting nail on the head.  I apologize for the rant…but boy did that feel good to vent 😉  This soup is just outstanding…it has the most rich chicken flavor you could imagine and by browning the chicken on the stove before making the stock you are left with an incredibly deep-in-flavor broth…so deep that the color is reminiscent of a beef broth, not chicken.  I’ve been on the hunt for a staple chicken soup recipe with homemade stock that is not an all-day deal….and I will not be looking further.  Perfection.  And pure, nourishing comfort.

Image

Image

Chicken Noodle Soup

adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Peanut or Sunflower Seed Oil

2 Large Onions, roughly chopped

2-3 Pounds Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Breasts

2 Cups Chicken Stock

6 Cups Water

2 Bay Leaves

2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

2 Large Carrots, diced

1 Large Celery Stalk, diced

1 Cup Dried Egg Noodles

Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish, optional

Directions

In a heavy soup pot heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges begin to brown.  Nestle the chicken in the pot, skin side down, moving the onions aside so that the chicken is directly touching the bottom of the pan and brown for 5-6 minutes or until the skin is a deep golden color.  Turn chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Add water, stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper, flip chicken over so it is skin side down and bring the pot to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, scrape away any fat that has floated to the top, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pot and set aside; shred which rest of the soup is simmering.  Pour the soup broth through a strainer to strain out the onion and bay leaves.  Return the broth to the pot, bring back to a simmer and add carrot and celery.  Let vegetable simmer for 5 minutes then add the pasta and cook for an additional 6 minutes.  Stir in shredded chicken, season with additional salt and pepper, if needed and serve with optional parsley for garnish.  Serves 6.

White Chicken Chili

~ nourishedpeach ~ 1 Comment

Image

I can already tell this is going to be a chili kind of weekend.  The air is crisp, the ground is damp and the leaves are falling waaay to quickly.  This one pot meal is a family and friends favorite around here…I get asked for the recipe over and over.  It’s hearty and absolutely delicious…and it couldn’t be more quick and simple to prepare.  We love it served with homemade baked corn tortilla strips (just like in this recipe)  and a little green onion on top.  Perfect cozy-food.

White Chicken Chili

Notes:  This chili is just as good the next day so feel free to make it ahead of time.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Large White Onion, diced

6 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 Tablespoon Oregano Leaves

15 Ounce Can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

2-4 Ounce Can Fire Roasted Diced Green Chilies

2-15 Ounce Cans Pinto or Great Northern Beans (I prefer to use one of each)

5 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (rotisserie works great here)

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, cayenne, black pepper, salt, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes, chilies and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Once at a boil turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chicken and beans and simmer 10 additional minutes.  Add sour cream and cheese and stir until well combined and melted.  Season with additional salt and pepper as desired and serve.  Serves 6-8.

Sausage, Bean and Vegetable Soup

~ nourishedpeach ~ Leave a comment

Image

Well…it’s beginning to feel a lot like my favorite time of year.  Football has begun, the air has cooled down (at least for now) and soups and stews are preparing to overtake my kitchen, ahhhh the excitement is out of control over here!  This is a favorite of ours that is just perfect for this time of year because we can still utilize the fresh kale, carrots and potatoes from our local farmer.  The flavors of the soup are rich and warm without making the consistency too dense or heavy.  Real ingredients prepared quickly with crazy amounts of savory flavor…my kind of one pot meal.

Image

Sausage, Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Pound Ground Italian Sausage

1 Large Onion, diced

3 Large Carrots, diced

6 Cloves Garlic, chopped

2 Bay Leaves

3/4 Pound Red Potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes

1 15 Ounce Can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

4 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

3/4 Cup Half and Half

3 Cups Chopped Kale

1 Cup Fresh Shredded Parmesan

Directions

In a large pot or dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up with the back of your spoon.  Remove sausage from the pain and drain grease.  Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan along with onions and carrots.  Sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften.  Add garlic and bay leaves and sauté for 1 additional minute.  Add potatoes, beans, stock, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked thru.  Stir in the cooked sausage, half and half, kale and parmesan and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.  Serves 4-6

Asparagus Soup with Whole Grain Croutons

~ nourishedpeach ~ Leave a comment

Image

I have a confession.  Want to hear it?  Spare you?  Geez, sorry…it was so harmless.  Fine, moving forward.  Asparagus could not be more delicious, fresh and affordable this time of year not to mention it’s impressive nourishment profile:  it is full of antioxidants, fiber, folate and vitamins A, C, E and K.   So let’s all agree to take advantage of it as much as we are able.  Okay?  Okay.

This soup is a mystery to me.  It is absolutely amazing how much flavor comes thru with such few ingredients.  It is gorgeous to look at and even better to taste; it’s rich, silky and bright tasting and the crispy, chewy croutons on top are the perfect compliment.  Insanely good paired with a grilled ham and cheese…mmm,  pure comfort on a rainy day like today.

Image

I love the way asparagus makes my pee smell.  Sorry.  I had to.  If you don’t like confessions this probably isn’t the best place for you to stop by.  I’m catholic and full of guilt that I need to get off my chest.  I feel so much better, thank you.

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Pounds Asparagus, roughly chopped

2 Medium Onions, roughly chopped

6 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Teaspoon Pepper

4 Cups Chicken Stock

3/4 Cup-1 Cup Half and Half

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven.  Add asparagus and onion and saute until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer soup until asparagus is soft, 20 minutes.  Transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, 2 minutes.  Return puree to soup pot and place back on the stove over medium low heat.  Add half and half until the soup has reached your desired thickness and cook until warmed through.  Top with Whole Grain Croutons.  Serves 4.

Whole Grain Croutons

Note: these can easily be made gluten free by opting for gluten free bread.

Ingredients

3 + Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Slices Whole Grain Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)

Directions

In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add bread and stir to coat with the olive oil.  Toast, stirring occasionally, until bread is golden in color and begins to crisp up, 7-10 minutes.  If the bread seems too dry and is not toasting well add another drizzle of olive oil to coat the bread.

Image

Salmon and Corn Chowder

~ nourishedpeach ~ 2 Comments

Image

This is one of the most simple, fast, flavorful recipes on the planet.  It’s perfect for a rainy, warm day because it’s light and comforting all at the same time.  I don’t know about you but I often get sick of the typical roasted or grilled salmon and this is a wonderful, think-outside-the-box way to prepare the omega rich food.  Salmon and vegetables in a lemony, creamy broth…that only takes about a half hour?  Sold.

Image

Note:  If you are using frozen salmon I would suggest keeping it slightly frozen while you cut it as it will make slicing much easier.

Image

Salmon and Corn Chowder

Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Carrots, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

4 Medium Sized Red Potatoes, cut into one inch pieces

2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1 1/2 Cups Corn, fresh or frozen

2 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

1 Cup Half and Half

1 1/2 Pounds Salmon Fillets, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, optional

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add carrots and onion and sauté until onions soften, 4-5 minutes.  Add potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in corn, add chicken stock and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked through.  Stir in half and half and lemon and bring to a simmer.  Add salmon and cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.  Discard thyme stems and serve with crushed red pepper flakes on top.  Yeilds 4 Servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

~ nourishedpeach ~ 9 Comments

Image

It’s Saturday of The Masters weekend which equals a lot of laying-low coziness going on around here.  Great day for a pot of soup and this one definitely hits the spot.  It’s filling and light all at the same time and has an absolutely beautiful, smokey flavor.  I, myself, have always had a bit of a love affair with condiments of any kind (don’t worry, my husband was aware before he asked me to marry him) so in my mind all of the toppings are crucial.  Great for company too; just put together a colorful “toppings bar” and everyone can have fun building their own.  It’s by far the best tortilla soup I’ve ever witnessed and leftovers are even better (I can’t promise you’ll have any as second and third helpings tend to happen with this stuff).

If you would prefer not to use store-bought rotisserie chicken for this feel free to use about 2 cups of your own favorite cooked chicken; The rotisserie can be a huge time saver.  And the tortilla strips…holy cannoli do they make this dish over the top!  I promise you they are worth the tiny extra step.

Chicken Tortilla Soup                                                                                                             

1 Rotisserie Chicken, breast meat removed and shredded

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, diced

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

5 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

1 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 (15 oz) Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 (4 oz) Can Green Chillies

3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 (15 oz) Can Black Beans, rinsed

1 (15 oz) Can Pinto Beans, rinsed

5 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoons Cornmeal

2 Cups Packed Fresh Spinach Leaves

1/4 Cup Peanut Oil (any high temp cooking oil will do)

6  Soft Corn Tortillas

Toppings:

Diced Avocado

Sliced Jalapeno

Sour Cream

Cilantro leaves

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and red pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about five minutes.  Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.  Next, add tomato paste, chicken, tomatoes, chillies, beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Mix cornmeal with 1/4 cup of water and stir the mixture into the soup.  Cook, on low heat, for 20 additional minutes.  Stir in spinach right before serving and allow it to wilt down for about two minutes.

While soup is simmering on the stove, prepare your tortillas for topping.  Lay out tortillas on a cutting board and brush both sides with peanut oil.  Slice tortillas into strips, place strips on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden.  Heres what they will look like after you cut them and before you place them on the cookie sheet

Image

Ladle soup into bowls and top with avocado, jalapeño, sour cream, cilantro and tortilla strips and serve.

Adapted from this recipe