Make Your Own: Veggie-Shrimp-Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

1t olive oil
3t chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4c chopped leek
1/2c chopped cauliflower
1c peeled, diced potato
10 oz frozen corn
1c shrimp~ I used frozen because that's what I had, but would like to use fresh next time!
1t seafood seasoning
2t fresh parsley, minced
1 1/2c chicken stock
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Saute onion, garlic, and leeks in olive oil until tender. Add water, potatoes, corn, cauliflower, seafood seasoning, and salt and bring to a boil.  Separately, steam the shrimp.

Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. When done remove half of the mixture and blend until creamy and add back to the pot. Stir in a 1/2 cup milk. Add shrimp. Enjoy!

This is adapted from a Veggie Corn Chowder recipe found on Nature Moms Blog.

Tip: Using a Blender when Making Soup

One of my girlfriends giggled when I told her I puree my soups in a blender, not a processor.  Is that weird?

If it is, oh well, because it totally works! I have a food processor but do not know how to use it. I actually pulled it out last week, determined to teach myself, and I have misplaced the instruction manual!!! NOOO! 

Anywho, I found myself with a ton of broccoli last week, so I whipped up a quick batch of Broccoli, Cannellini Bean, and Cheese Soup!!

Make Your Own: Bok Choy Soup

I can only handle so much stir-fry every week, so after the third week in a row of receiving bok choy in our CSA pickup, I decided it was time to branch out and make something else.


I made this awesome soup and separately boiled some ramen noodles to add to each bowl. Mmmmm!



Bok Choy Chicken Soup

This easy Chinese recipe allows you to get all the nutritional benefits of bok choy in a simple, flavorful soup. Feel free to increase the nutritional value by using homemade chicken broth, or adding cooked chicken or raw, peeled shrimp.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 10 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped

Preparation:

Bring the chicken broth to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the seasonings (the red pepper flakes, soy sauce, Asian sesame oil), and the chopped garlic.

Add the bok choy. Simmer for up to 10 minutes, until the bok choy leaves turn dark green and are wilted and tender. Serves 4 to 5.

This recipe is submitted by a reader, Linnie Williams.

Make Your Own: Sweet Potato Soup

This one comes to you from Kate's Green Book- I had the pleasure of making it with her when we got together to cook a few weeks ago.  I think I have made it three times on my own already! I ALWAYS make it with lobster because hey, why not!?

If you're going without the lobster, this would make a perfect baby food!!!

Sweet Potato Soup

2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 cup chopped onions
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
2 c. chicken (or veg.) broth
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick

Poke hole in the sweet potatoes’ skins with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast whole sweet potatoes for 1 hour at 400 degrees.

Saute onions in a little olive oil until wilted.

Scoop out potatoes and puree in a blender with onions, minced ginger and 1 cup broth.
Add second broth, continue to puree until completely smooth.

Return puree to pot, stir in brown sugar and nutmeg, toss in cinnamon stick and simmer
over low heat for 30 minutes.

Optional: Top soup with chopped lobster baked with butter or boiled and tossed with a
little clarified butter.

Make Your Own: Potato Leek Soup

Mmmmm. We are elbows-deep in soup these days, thanks to our amazing CSA.  Sadly, our share ended for the season yesterday, but we will be able to enjoy everything for weeks, thanks to all the yummy soups we have made and frozen.  I have been on a huge Potato Leek Soup kick, but the other day, the hubs told me, "Babe, I don't think I really like that Potato Leek Soup, it has no flavor." 




WHAT?!


I love it but I took his comment to heart, determined to get him to love the soup as much as I do. I thought, why not add cheese? Cheese makes everything delish.  So I put the fate of the soup in my husband's hands and had him google a nice recipe that includes cheese. He came up with this one and we all agreed, it's awesome.

Yield: Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced 1 large garlic clove, minced 4 large potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4 cups low-salt chicken broth 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried 3/4 cup milk 4 ounces cream cheese 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces) Chopped fresh parsley (optional) Additional grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional) Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leek and garlic; sauté until tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots; sauté 5 minutes longer. Add chicken broth and dill; simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add milk to soup. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot. Add 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese and stir over low heat until melted. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to simmer before serving.) Transfer to large serving bowl. Garnish soup with chopped fresh parsley and additional grated sharp cheddar cheese, if desired.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Potato-Leek-Soup-with-Cheese-107255#ixzz17cpkzF3Y

Potato-Leek Soup with Cheese  

Bon Appétit | November 2002

Julia Shure, Albany, CA

Julia Shure of Albany, California, writes: "This comforting soup has both cream cheese and cheddar, which give it a rich, smooth texture. While it makes an elegant first course, the soup can also be a satisfying meal partnered with a simple salad and some crusty bread."

Make Your Own: Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

 

Mmmmmm I just made this for lunch and it was amazing.

• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add broccoli, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans, salt and pepper and cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer half the mixture to a blender with half the cheese and puree. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining broccoli mixture and cheese. Serve warm.

Make Your Own: Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup

We LOVE soup in our house. More specifically, we love chicken noodle soup. We love making different varieties to switch it up! 

We have made this recipe twice and instead of egg noodles, used orzo the first time and barley the second time. YUMMMMMM!

Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 12 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups diced, cooked chicken meat

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and oil, and boil for 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and rinse under cool running water.
2. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine broth, salt, and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil. Stir in celery and onion. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in noodles and chicken, and heat through.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

Pic.

Make Your Own: Savory & Creamy Pumpkin Soup

One for the babies!!! (And toddlers!)

Savory & Creamy Pumpkin Soup (for babies 8 months and up)

Ingredients:
2 cups of pumpkin(canned or fresh pureed)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth or veggie broth
1 small onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 cups half and half or evaporated milk (if you want to indulge) – use plain whole milk yogurt for the little ones
1/4 cup Sour Cream (optional)
dash of pepper
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Directions:
1. In a large pot add the broth, onions, carrot, and spices.
2. Simmer uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes until carrots are soft.
Optional: Put vegetables and broth into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
3. Add pumpkin and half and half or yogurt. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Serve warm, topped with with sour cream (optional)
Ideas for the babies:  Blend into rice, blend with chicken or pork or serve as a “sauce” over pasta


Thanks, Wholesome Baby Food!!!!
Pic.

Make Your Own : Tortellini Soup

1 medium onion
3 chopped carrots
5 cups of chicken broth
1 cup cheese-filled tortellini (fresh)
1/2 cup cooked chicken (you can shred, or cut into chunks)
2 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp.chili powder
4 oz. fresh spinach
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
Black pepper

Slice onions and carrots, and add to stock with chicken, tortellini, basil and chili. Simmer over low heat until tortellini is tender, for about 15 minutes. Cut spinach and mushrooms into slices. Add to soup and simmer 3 to 4 minutes more.



Adapted from cooks.com.

Make Your Own: Souper Summer Squash Soup

I got this recipe from Whole Baby Food and just happened to have a humungo sqaush and some zucchini (both homegrown by family!) on the counter, so I was excited to try this.  The recipe says you can puree or leave it, but the chunks looked gross so I pureed. My husband was a little nervous when he saw it on the counter, but did taste it and loved it! YUM!

Here is a Souper Summer Squash Soup – enjoy it with your tiny diner from 7 months+  Puree it if desired or serve with the squash pieces intact depending on how your little one enjoys textures.


Ingredients:
3 medium summer squash (yellow-crocked neck or patty pan) washed and diced into small-ish pieces
3 medium zucchini squash – washed and diced into small-ish pieces
1 medium tomato – roughly diced
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove of garlic
4 or 5 cups of veggie stock (homemade or low sodium commercial – love Pacific Natural brand!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
pepper, basil, oregano and chives
2 drips of lemon juice from a bottle of lemon juice or squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon)

Directions:
In a frying pan with a olive oil, saute onions, tomato and garlic 5-10 minutes until veggies are all a wee bit soft and onion is translucent; remove to a bowl.
Add the stock to the crockpot and turn the crockpot on low
Add the squash to the frying pan and sautee in the remaining oil for about 5 minutes – you’re not cooking the squash, just softening up a wee bit and allowing the flavors from the oil (tomato, garlic & onions) to seep into the squash
Now add the squash and the remaining veggies to the crockpot along with the pepper and oregano (to your taste preference) – cook for about 1 hour until squash pieces have reached a texture you like.  Add the lemon juice and basil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Stir frequently and once soup is done to your tastes, serve warm or, allow to cool a bit and then puree.  If pureeing, you may want to then warm the soup back up prior to serving.  This is great cold too!  Serve the soup with crusty bread and chicken salad on a bed of lettuce for a quick light meal that even baby can partake of.

*Taste often as summer squash may turn a wee bit bitter if you are leaving the skins on the squash – you may peel if desired but there really should be no need if you are using fresh squash.   You could also add 1/2 cup of rinsed brown rice or even lentils to this 1/2 way through the cooking.

Make Your Own: Chicken Noodle Soup a la Skinny Chef

This soup kicks @$$!! It's chicken noodle with a little bite....delish.

I got this from Secrets of a Skinny Chef: 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes.

10 Minute Chicken Noodle Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 small red onion (I used yellow because that's what I had) chopped
1 tsp lemon zest from 1 lemon (I didn't have any lemons)
1 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp ground celery seed
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 32-oz carton reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup small egg noodles (I used 1 cup whole wheat shells)
1 rotisserie chicken (about 3 lbs), skin discarded and meat shredded (I used chicken breasts, cooked, shredded)
1/4 cup packed fresh tarragon leaves (I didn't have this either)

Heat Oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add carrots, celery, and onions.
Cook 4-5 min until veggies soften.
Add lemon zest, chili powder, celery seed, coriander, pepper.
Cook 1 more minute until veggies are cooked through and carrots are soft.

Add chicken broth, water and noodles to the veggies.
Bring broth mixture to a boil and cook 3-4 more minutes, until noodles are tender.
Add chicken and tarragon. Stir to combine.

Serve immediately.

Make Your Own: Tortellini Soup!

It's been raining cats and dogs here all day, so I thought it would be the perfect day to have some tortellini soup! I had never made it, so I looked up a recipe on allrecipes.com and modified.

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (9 ounce) package cheese tortellini [I used fresh--found @ Giant with the refrigerated pasta]
• 1/4 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder [I used chopped garlic]
• salt and pepper to taste
• I added turkey sausage-YUM!

Directions

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the spinach and chicken broth. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. 
2. Chop garlic.
3. Cook turkey sausage (cut it up into small pieces).
4. Stir in tortellini, garlic, sausage and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked to desired tenderness. Season with basil, salt, and pepper.

Make Your Own: Slow Cooker Minestrone

Healthy, yummy and wow, barely any calories!

Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone

Colorful Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain carotenoids, plant pigments that color them red. Carotenoids are antioxidants that help protect cells from damage.

Savor a veggie-packed slow-cooked hearty Italian soup. From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:15 min

Start to Finish:7 hr 35 min

makes:12 servings

4	cups vegetable broth or 1 carton (32 oz) Progresso® chicken broth
4	cups tomato juice
1	tablespoon dried basil leaves
1	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4	teaspoon pepper
2	medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
2	medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
1	medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1	cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
2	garlic cloves, finely chopped
1	can (28 oz) Muir Glen® organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2	cups uncooked rotini pasta (4 1/2 oz)
	Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

1.	In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese.
2.	Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3.	Stir in pasta. Cover; cook on High heat setting 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 90 (Calories from Fat 0); Total Fat 0g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 850mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 6g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 45%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 2 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Make Your Own: Chicken Noodle Soup

Delicious. 
I am embarrassed to admit- I have never made chicken noodle soup!  I got this recipe emailed to me by babyfit, so I thought why not?


All three of us loved this.  I added carrots to up the nutritional value.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup

Nothing beats a bowl of fresh, homemade chicken noodle soup. Here's a super quick way to enjoy a classic favorite.

INGREDIENTS
2-1/2 cups wide egg noodles
4 cups water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
12 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 cups diced, cooked chicken meat

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add noodles and oil, and boil 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool running water, then drain again.
In a large saucepan, bring broth, salt, and poultry seasoning to a boil. Stir in celery and onion. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
In separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water together until cornstarch is completely dissolved, and gradually add to soup, stirring constantly.
Add noodles and chicken, and heat through.

NUTRITION INFO
(per serving)
Calories: 327.1
Fat: 6.5 g
Carbohydrates: 18.4 g
Protein: 45.9 g

Spicing up 16 Bean Soup

For those of you who don't know (JEN J!), you can buy a bag 'o beans at the grocery store- usually 15 or 16 different beans to make soup with. The directions are right on the bag- it's pretty easy!  You do have to soak the beans overnight so plan ahead with this meal.

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I made some yesterday and was surprised that it came with a chili seasoning. That excited me, but I was not totally pleased with the lack of oomph it provided.

Here are some ways we like to add flavor to our soup...

1. Use chicken stock instead of water (shoot for low fat/sodium)
2. Add ham
3. Add ground turkey (cook it first!!)
4. Add other veggies (celery, carrots, onions, whatever else you enjoy)
5. Experiment with other spices---taco seasoning, curry, cumin even!
6. Add tomatoes


Last week, I added ground turkey and the veggies. Maybe I diluted the seasoning too much by adding extra broth and other ingredients?

Baby A loved it. I spoon fed it to her and was careful of the larger beans (sliced them in half with her spoon).