It’s cold out there. If you want to warm up with soup, why don’t you check out my healthy take on broccoli cheese soup over at Today’s Housewife?
It's cheesy good!
Check it out and let me know what you think!
This soup was really good. Really, really, really good. Like, so good that I was [kinda-sorta-maybe] glad that Ben liked it, but [kinda-sorta-maybe... most definitely] hoping that he didn’t like it enough to eat the leftovers. And if that situation happened to arise, well, then I would be happy to slurp up each and every drop of Lasagna Soup because, as I said, it was just so good. Except I wouldn’t be slurping it, because that’s not very ladylike, now is it?
This Lasagna Soup is flavorful, filling, and the most perfect way to fulfill those healthy New Years resolutions while still indulging in your cheeeesy cravings too. Pantry staples–a boatload of herbs, tomatoes, and broth, combined with fresh spinach, browned ground beef, and a handful of leftover macaroni and cheese come together in a fantabulous way.
It is a welcome change from the rich, sweet treats of the holiday season, and is simple enough for a weeknight. Enjoy–even if you do have to share!
Lasagna Soup [inspired by A Veggie Venture]
printable version
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a large stockpot, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside. Using a small amount of the hamburger grease, cook onions for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Return beef to pan, then add tomatoes, broth, pesto, parsley, marjoram, oregano, red chili flakes, and pepper. Stir to mix everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in pasta and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes, then add spinach and simmer until wilted, another 1-2 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Time: 45 minutes [25 minutes active].
Yield: 10 servings.
So, it’s winter. It isn’t calendar official yet, but there’s snow on the ground so that makes it winter in my book. While I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of that cold season, I do love warming up with some hearty chili.
I recently tried this hearty chili when we had company, and it was a huge hit. I’m not a fan of thin soups and this chili is anything but. Each bite is chock-full of spicy ground turkey, black beans, sweet potatoes, and lots of other flavorful veggies.
Don’t get me wrong–regular chili is good too, but this amped-up chili has tons of healthy additions that make it even better. The original recipe was vegetarian, but to satisfy a certain man in my life, I added ground turkey. I also added some extra vegetables, like zucchini, to use up the contents of my fridge. The zucchini wasn’t too noticeable so you could probably leave that out without missing it. I wasn’t sure initially how well potatoes, even my beloved sweet potatoes, would work in chili but I am happy to report that they are great, blending in naturally so even sweet potato haters [Benjamin] don’t object too loudly. 
The leftovers are fantastic served out of the fridge for a few days and also freeze nicely for lunches during the work week. Hope you enjoy!
Turkey, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili [adapted from goodLife(eats)]
printable version
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a skillet, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Drain grease and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, pepper, and zucchini and saute for a couple more minutes, until fragrant. Add cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and oregano and stir well, cooking for another minute or so.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Next, stir in ground turkey, tomatoes, carrot, sweet potatoes, beans, and salsa. Reserve 1/4 cup broth, but add the rest to the stock pot.
In a small measuring cup, whisk together reserved broth and cornstarch. Mix until smooth, then pour into pot. Stir until combined, then cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then uncover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 60 minutes. Cover and simmer with lid for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with cheese, cilantro, and sour cream as desired.
Time: 2 hours [30 minutes active].
Yield: a lot of chili. At least 10-12 generous servings.
Okay. So I’m going to forget for a few moments that it’s been in the 80s here in Indiana this week and last, and transport myself back to a time a couple weeks ago where the temperatures were barely in the low 60s and the rain was steadily pouring nearly every day. This requires a bit of willing suspension of disbelief, if you will.
Now that I’m back in those chilly early days of fall if only in my memories, I can recall a delicious soup that popped its way into my oven, onto my stove, and into my heart. A soup that requires little to no effort, sans some chopping, scooping, and measuring that yields a slightly spicy, thick, and comforting bowl of Roasted Vegetable Soup.
Now, despite my love of vegetables, I am by no means a Vegetable Soup kind of girl. Brothy soups are not for me. So when I saw this recipe pop up on my Google Reader, I was a bit skeptical. A soup just made out of vegetables? How much flavor can that really have? Sure, there are some herbs but what can they really do?
Oh, silly me. Clearly I forgot the lessons I learned with Roasted Tomato Sauce or any of the other roasted vegetable dishes I’ve shared on this ‘lil blog. Roasting vegetables makes all the difference. While cooking vegetable stovetop leaves them mushy and a little blah, roasting them brings out tons of flavor and that smooth, creamy texture that I love. This soup’s perfect for cozying up to on a cold, rainy evening, and is the best vehicle for endless bites of warm, crusty bread. Mmm, good!
I’m so glad I decided to give vegetable soup a try. What’s one food that you’re glad that you decided to try?
Roasted Vegetable Soup [from Good Cheap Eats]
printable version
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the vegetables–eggplant, squash, zucchini, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and hot pepper–on a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet [or two, in my case]. Brush with a thin layer of oil and season with a generous amount of pepper and a little salt. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until tender and spotted with brown.
Add vegetables to a large stockpot, scooping pulp from eggplant, squash, and zucchini first. Add oregano, basil, and bay leaf, then pour in 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
It’s been a chilly, rainy start to fall so far–and what better way to warm up than with a cozy bowl of Butternut Squash Apple Soup?
I haven’t had butternut squash in over a year thanks to the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese overdose of winter 2009, but a large butternut squash at the Farmer’s Market looked so yummy that I just had to bring it home. I loved the sweet-tart flavor of this soup, intensified by roasting the squash and slowly cooking a plethora of other produce including pieces of onions, carrots, celery, and apples. Some spices top off the delightfulness of this creamy soup. For a little extra treat, try stirring in some sour cream for a cool twist on this hot dish!
Reader Question ~ What’s your favorite fall soup?
Butternut Squash Apple Soup [from Simply Recipes]
printable version
Ingredients:
