One Sunny Home: Soup

Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts

Friday, September 28, 2012

Quinoa Corn Chowder

Quinoa, pronounced Keenwa, is a grain that primarily comes from South America. The ancient grain is said to be a staple food for Incas. Quinoa contain more protein than any other grain, that is easily digestible I may add! I like to use quinoa not only because of its nutritional values, but also for its quick cooking time and great taste. My sister and I made this soup for the first time last summer during the corn season peak. The soup makes a great lunch filled with lots of protein and great taste! I posted another recipe last February using this amazing grain: Red Quinoa Vegetable Salad.

Quinoa Corn Chowder

Serves 4-6

1. Combine water, quinoa, potatoes, carrots, and onions: simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes tender. Add corn and bring it back to a boil, simmer for additional 5 minutes.

2. Add milk, bring to a boil.

3. Add butter. Season with salt, black pepper, and paprika to taste.

4. Garnish with parsley.

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy!

Inspired by Quinoa Corn Chowder

Friday, February 24, 2012

Okra Vegetable Soup

The weather is rather chilly today and a bowl of hearty soup is a welcoming thought! Since I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to make my okra vegetable soup. I never had the famous gumbo, so having nothing to compare to I can't officially call this "Vegetable Gumbo" but that is what my family refers to it by. This soup is easy to make, doesn't have fancy ingredients, and deliciously filling. You can make the soup match your taste buds by simply tweaking the ingredients.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Prepare all the vegetables before starting the base of the soup.

2. Make the roux-or the base of the soup by melting butter in a cast iron pot on medium heat. Add flour and mix using a whisk, mix frequently, taking care not to burn. The roux will expand and start turning a golden color. Constantly mixing, continue to "brown" the roux until it reaches a dark tan/light brown color 3-4 minutes: this will add the rich "roasted" feel to the soup.

3. Add the chopped onions, garlic, pepper, celery, and okra if using FRESH ONLY. Sauté the vegetables for 2-3 minutes: if using fresh okra cook until the slimy texture disappears.

4. Add the tomato sauce or juice to the vegetables: add more if you like the "tomato" taste in your soup. Continue to cook for additional 1-2 minutes.

5. Add corn, frozen okra-if using, instant rice or use leftover cooked rice, pearled barley, and vegetable bouillon. Mix and bring to a boil. Add parsley, paprika, and seasoning salt to taste. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, add additional seasoning to match your preference, try adding: Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, or some Cajun seasoning.

Bon Appetit my lovely readers!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Split Pea Soup

I have been wanting to make some peas soup...I honestly could not remember the last time I had a bowl! With the weather being so cold these days a thought of a warm soup is very welcoming!! Instead of having a thin peas soup I wanted to make a thicker, richer kind...perhaps with a few extra vegetables to maximize the taste! Here is how I created a richer variety of the simple split peas soup. Plus, some REALLY exciting news at the end of this post!!!

Ingredients:

(add a vegetable cube to a cup of water to make a quick veggie broth)

1. If you have the time, cook the peas in a pot by placing peas in a pot and cover completely with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce head to a slow simmer. Simmer peas for 35-45 minutes, add additional water if needed. If you don't have the time, cook the peas in a microwave. Using a large microwave safe bowl place peas in the bowl and cover completely with water. Microwave on high for 14-20 minutes, add additional water if needed. Peas should be soft and able to be mashed with a fork when done.

2. While peas is cooking: Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add olive oil. When the oil gets hot add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook stirring occasionally for about 30 seconds. Add zucchini, carrot, celery, garlic, tomatoes, and potato (if using mashed potatoes-add to the soup when adding peas.) Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Add green onions and parsley at the last 2 minutes of cooking.

3. Mash cooked peas with a fork or potato masher, add a couple of tablespoon of water/vegetable broth if needed. Add mashed peas (and mashed potatoes if using) to the soup pot. Add a cup or two of water/vegetable broth to reach a desired consistency. Heat soup to a slow simmer.

4. Add a small amount of spices: black pepper, herbal seasoning, salt. Now you can either leave your soup as is-chunky. Or you can put it into a blender to make silkier. I like to have it in between...to reach that I blended half of the soup in a blender and used a potato masher to coarsely mash the rest.

5. Taste soup and add additional spices as desired! Add additional water/vegetable broth if needed. I like to put additional green onions and red pepper flakes on the top of my soup... for that extra warmth! Serve with a couple of slices of bread or some toasted tortillas!!

I hope you'll give this soup a try! I believe this vegetable loaded peas soup is my new favorite from the peas variety!!

P.S. Stay tuned...a "face lift" for my blog page is coming! And for all of you quote and poetry lovers, there is a surprise in the making!!

Is there a recipe you're yearning to see from my kitchen? Perhaps an ingredient that you wish to see in "action"...email me, I would love to hear from you!! My email is: one sunny home (at) gmail (dot) com all one word, without spaces. Hope to hear from you! ~Blessings!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Butternut Squash & Green Apple Soup

The weather has been especially chilly these last couple of days- making me wish for a warm bowl of soup and a slice of hearty bread...and perhaps a good book in hand :-) I've been wanting to make butternut squash soup for a while, so this was perfect for the frosty weather. The balance of the sweet butternut squash and the tart green apple make the perfect match. I was very pleased with this soup! I liked the silky texture and the satisfying taste without the heaviness. (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes; turn the heat down if the vegetables begin to brown.

2 Add squash, apple, broth and water. Bring to boil. Add salt and spices. Cover, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until squash and carrots soften. (Note the smaller you chop your vegetables, the quicker your soup will be finished. If you got the time, try roasting the butternut squash in the over in it's skin until soft then scraping the flesh out into the done soup just before pureeing.) Puree in a blender, and return to a clean pot.

3 Add additional salt and/or spices to taste, and garnish with chives or parsley.

I enjoyed making this quick, delicious, simple, and yet so healthy soup! I hope you too will give this soup a try! Happy Thursday Everyone!

Adopted from: simplyrecipes.com