Potato Leek Soup

I realize that this is 'the most wonderful time of the year,' but I am very tempted to rename it, 'the most food-laden, stressful, exhausting time of the year.'  While, generally, the holidays are one of my favorite things to look forward to, something about this year is hitting me differently.  Maybe it's the stress of having a 5-month-old who is loved but does not have a set schedule or the ability to tell me why he is fussing more than usual, maybe it's the fear of traveling with said baby on a 10-hour road trip, maybe it's the copious amount of sugar and chocolate in my kitchen.
My point is, it could be any number of things.
But this is such a lovely time of year!  The lights are up on our neighbor's houses, our fireplace has been put to use, the holiday cards are in (and gorgeous!  I couldn't love them more!), and I'm looking for excuses to be more cozy in our home for the first Christmas.  This soup is one of them.  In between the hot cocoa popcorn and gingerbread, this soup will warm you from the inside out.  It's rich and hearty, perfect on its own or with roasted chicken (our preferred method).  Best of all, it's easy to through together and just simmer for a while on the stove while you're wrapping gifts and listening to your husband sing 'Yesterday' to your sweet baby boy.
We'll call it 'the worry-melting soup.'

Julia Child's Potato Leek Soup (from HelloGiggles)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lb. leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
6 c. vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 c. heavy cream (optional)
Smoked paprika, for garnish

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add veggies and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have begun to soften and brown slightly.
2. Add stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
3. Remove from heat and blend using immersion blender or small batches in a blender.
4. Add cream, season to taste with salt and pepper, add lemon juice.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a few sprinkles of smoked paprika.  Enjoy!

Smoky Red Lentil Soup

Let me start this post by saying that, although this is a pureed soup, it is not meant to be sipped with a straw.  I'm not automatically saying no to the whole thing, just pointing out that I believe it's best with just a spoon.
The first time I cooked up this recipe from Sprouted Kitchen, I was on the phone with my dad just before busting out my immersion blender to smooth it out.  His response when I told him what I was doing was, "So, do you use a straw?"  Actually, this is a totally valid question coming from him, as he had to drink meals through a straw when he had jaw surgery many years ago.  If you're having oral surgery that involves your jaw being wired shut, this soup might just hit the spot.
During the in-between season of spring and winter (when will actual spring pop up?), I like soups that aren't crazy heavy (cream-based) and chunky (chilis).  This comes together relatively quickly, with the exception of a roasted sweet potato that takes about 45 minutes to cook.  It's a complete meal, full of lentils, onions, a bit of Greek yogurt for protein, and the above-mentioned starch.  As per my pregnancy cravings, we usually serve this with these biscuits; it can't be beat.

Smoky Red Lentil Soup, from The Sprouted Kitchen, 2012
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Spanish onion, coarsely diced
Smoked sea salt and ground pepper
3 celery stalks, diced
2 c. dried red lentils, rinsed
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
4 c. low-sodium veggie or chicken broth (I've used both, and actually prefer the veggie)
1 small sweet potato
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lemon or lime
Greek yogurt, for garnish

1. Wrap sweet potato and roast it at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.  Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add onion and salt, and cook until onion is translucent, 5-8 minutes.  Add celery, stir, and cook until just softened, 5ish more minutes.
3. Add lentils, paprika, cumin, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes, until lentils are soft but not falling apart.  Remove from heat.
4. Peel sweet potato and add flesh to the lentils.  Using an immersion blender (or doing batches in a blender), puree the soup until it's just blended but has some texture.  Season to taste.
5. Serve into bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt (and chives, if you have a few on hand).  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  Gracious, this year has flown by.  Anyway, tomorrow kicks off the official start of the holiday season, at least in my book, and that means tons of food.  I love to eat, but I also want to use a bit of restraint periodically during the monthlong binge-eating fest.

 

If you're taking it easy before the big day, try this soup by Joy the Baker.  It's delightfully light, slightly spicy, and chock full of healthy stuff.  Kale is a great source of vitamins K and C, calcium, and antioxidants; sweet potatoes have lots of antioxidants, fiber and complex carbs.  There's a splash of coconut milk, which I thought about leaving out but am so glad I added.  It adds a lovely creaminess without the heft of cream or animal milk.

It does make quite a lot of soup, so I'm planning on freezing a small portion of it for December.  Just reheat and serve over brown rice!

Lentil Sweet Potato Apple Soup

John Paul's out of town this week, visiting LA for work.  I miss him a whole, whole bunch, but I do love eating "bachelorette food" when I've got full control of the kitchen.  He's not the biggest fan of soups, so I figured this was a good time to test out a new recipe for the fall.  I got it from a DailyCandy e-mail, although it originates from Soupergirl.  If it was good enough, I could entice him to try out this vegan, vegetable-laden, healthy soup.

There isn't anything in this soup recipe I don't like.  There's even cumin sprinkled in there!  And paprika!  And it's all blended together in a tasty, puree of sweet potatoes, lentils and apples.

I only tweaked one thing: added some sliced celery to the sauteeing onions, more for the health benefits than taste.

You know what?  I think this is the perfect soup for John Paul.  It's got a kick to it from the chili, richness from the sweet potatoes, sweetness from the apples...it all blends together into a perfect soup to toast some bread with and enjoy by the fire.  I hope he likes it, because this makes 8 servings!

Minted Pea Soup

I know, I know, most people hear, "Pea soup," and think The Exorcist.  Please do not let one little thriller affect the way you feel about this dish.  It's delicious, and super versatile!
Katie Lee used this soup in one of her cookbooks, and her picture is totally cute: a lovely green soup in a glass tumbler with a sprig of mint.  Of course I had to try it.
Not only is this soup incredibly easy to make, but it can be served hot or cold, as an appetizer or an entree (with some slices of challah!), and saves incredibly well.  Be sure to blend well, as you don't want anything chunky left at the bottom.
Sorry this picture didn't turn out better; I was kind of in a rush to eat it!

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crostini

Honestly, is there anything better than french onion soup in the winter?  It sounds like it should be a bland, weak broth with a few onion strands floating in a mug.  Instead, this is a full-bodied beef broth, thick with hearty rings of caramelized onion, seasoned with fresh thyme.  There aren't many ingredients in this soup, but it tastes complex.  Top it with ciabatta toasts with browned Gruyere on top.
Best when served while in your pajamas, next to a fire.  If it happens to be snowing outside, the soup will taste even better.

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crostini
1 lb. yellow onions, halved and cut lengthwise
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Pepper
1 tsp. flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. beef stock
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Thick-cut slices of ciabatta
1 1/2 c. grated Gruyere cheese
1. In a heavy 5-quart pot, melt butter over low heat.  Add the onions, thyme, salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep amber in color and exceedingly soft, 25-30 minutes.  Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add wine, increase the heat, and let the wine cook, 2-3 minutes.  Add the beef stock and water and let soup simmer, 10-15 minutes.  Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Preheat oven to broil.  Place ciabatta on cooking sheet, sprinkle cheese on top, and broil until golden and bubbly.
3. Remove thyme sprigs from soup and discard.  Pour soup into bowls, put crostini on top, and chow down.

 

 

I should mention the cookbook this is from, Cooking for Two.  Megan convinced me to buy this from Matilda's in my beloved Downtown Stuart, and it's been such a great addition to my cookbook collection!  Everything I've made has been delicious, and perfectly portioned for two generous helpings.  We've made ricotta gnocchi, chocolate souffles, garbage salad....it's a great anniversary or wedding gift for your couple friends!

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup

Garlic.
Caramelized shallots.
Heavy cream.
Listen, winter is coming and we need to be ready to hibernate with a few extra pounds.  Right?
I've checked out Giada de Laurentiis' Giada's Kitchen from the library four times; this weekend marked the time that I finally just bought a copy of it for myself.  Now I have access to this recipe whenever I want!  Actually, so do you, with the help of the Internet.
That's beside the point.
This soup will make you a believer of purchasing cookbooks instead of looking at recipes online.  It's thick and creamy, with a rich combination of garlic and sage.  Whip it up and serve with a crusty baguette.  You won't be sorry.
Giada's recipe can be found on the Food Network site, and the only change I made was using a hand blender instead of a real blender.  Eat up!

 

 

P.S. Happy birthday to my wonderful father!!  He taught me that one should always laugh hard enough to fall off a chair, and I'm still learning from him.  I love you, Daddy Man, and am so glad you were born!

 

Summer Corn Soup

There is a picture of me as a wee Abbi, in which I have fallen asleep in my high-chair right into a plate of corn.  Clearly, I have long adored the sweet taste of summer corn.
My wonderful mom, knowing this tidbit, suggested I try this easy soup recipe.  It's got lots of quinoa, so the protein is covered, sweet corn, basil, and is topped with some tangy feta cheese.  This is an absolutely delicious meal, especially when sopped up with some freshly baked bread.  Because I did not read the recipe through before making the soup, there is no zucchini in my version, and I used frozen corn in order to save a bit of time.
Thanks Mom for turning me on to this delicious soup!!

Summer Corn Soup with Quinoa (from Delicious Living Magazine)
3 c. frozen corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 ounces minced fresh basil
1 ounce crumbled feta cheese

1. In a deep pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until softened.
2. Add broth; bring to a boil. Add quinoa; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
3. Add fresh basil and corn. Simmer 8-10 minutes. Serve hot with feta cheese sprinkled on top.