Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!  I always look forward to the leftover turkey just so I can make this soup.  It is one of my favorites and very easy to make.  It's a real comfort food and perfect for the weekend after Thanksgiving when you may be out shopping all day or just lounging around (like me!).

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
adapted from mountainmamacooks.com
Serves 6

3 T butter or ghee (for dairy free)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T all-purpose or gluten-free flour (I used white rice flour)
4-5 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 T soy sauce or coconut aminos (for soy/gluten free)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken), chopped
1/4 cup cream or half and half (omit for dairy-free)
1 T chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1.  In a large pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the vegetable are soft, about 10 minutes.
2.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook 5 minutes more.
3.  Add the flour and cook while stirring about 3-4 minutes.
4.  Stir in the stock, soy sauce, and bay leaf. and simmer for 30 minutes.
5.  Add the wild rice and simmer for 35 minutes.
6.  Add turkey, cream, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer another 20 minutes.  Add more stock or water to thin as needed.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are touted for their many health benefits, and they are easily made into this delicious soup.

Creamy Mushroom Soup
adapted from The Nourished Kitchen
Serves 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 pound mixed mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, chanterelle, cremini etc), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced, optional
2 teaspoons finely ground unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
3 cups chicken bone broth
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup heavy cream, or less, to taste
pinch ground cayenne pepper, to taste

Melt the butter, add the shallots and thyme, and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute until mushrooms are tender and any extra liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the broth and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a stand blender until smooth.  Stir in the sherry and heavy cream and taste for seasoning, adding cayenne pepper, if desired.  Garnish with chopped fresh thyme, fresh sprouts, or a drizzle of pesto.

Ramp and Watercress Soup

I found myself with ramps and watercress in my fridge thanks to my Penn's Corner Spring Fever CSA membership.  Not sure what to do with them, I consulted the world wide web.  Cooking with unfamiliar ingredients is a snap with so much information at my fingertips.  I found out that watercress is a healthy cruciferous vegetable (like kale and broccoli) and that ramps are a foraged delicacy only growing for a short time in the Spring.  I only had to pick up some leeks and I was in business. Perfect for a cool Spring day, this soup was delicious and just what my body was craving - a healthy warm creamy soup with flavors that meld perfectly.  I enjoyed it with a dollop of plain yogurt mixed in and that made the soup even better.  

Ramp and Watercress Soup

Adapted from Sweet Paul

Serves 3-4

2 tablespoons butter

3 leeks, thinly sliced

1 cup ramps, thinly sliced

1 cup water

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup milk

1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes

1 bunch watercress, washed good

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

salt

pepper

pinch cayenne pepper or to taste, optional

plain yogurt for garnish

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add leeks and ramps and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add water, stock, milk and potato.
• Bring to a boil and let the soup simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add watercress and parmesan, cook 3 more minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and puree into a smooth soup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of plain yogurt and swirl it in with a knife for garnish.

Roasted Tomato Soup

I grew some tomatoes in my garden this year, and while I got enough to freeze, I still wanted to make marinara sauce and this tomato soup.  So I ordered a half peck (big box) of organic paste tomatoes from Kretschmann Farm, one of the CSA's I belong to.  Look at these beautiful tomatoes!

This tomato soup is quite easy to make - quarter enough tomatoes to fill a pan, throw on some shallots or onions, garlic cloves, chopped fresh herbs, spices and olive oil and roast in the oven.  When the shallots are golden and the tomatoes are soft, place everything into a blender, add stock and blend into soup.  A dollop of heavy cream is a nice addition, as would be a drizzling of basil pesto.  Freeze leftovers and enjoy it all winter long.

Roasted Tomato Soup
adapted from Honey and Jam

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety, cut into wedges

4 shallots, peeled and quartered 

3 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs; I used thyme, oregano,  and basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

basil pesto for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.   Arrange tomatoes, shallots and garlic on a rimmed cookie sheet or other large pan.  Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and herbs, gently toss. Roast for 30- 45 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and shallots have browned and caramelized.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Pour all of the pan's contents into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly add in stock while blending. 

Pour contents into a large stock pot, add heavy cream and adjust seasonings and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Soup for a Crowd

Creamy Tomato Soup for a Crowd

6 tablespoons olive oil

8 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 heaping tablespoon dried basil, crushed

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

6 28-ounce cans whole peeled Roma tomatoes

2 quarts chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon coarse salt or sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add carrots and onion and lightly salt and pepper the vegetables. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes, then add garlic, basil, and oregano and cook about a minute more.

Add tomatoes, broth, cayenne, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes.

After allowing soup to cool somewhat, purée in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Please blend carefully - Do not fill the blender more that half full and make sure that the steam has a way of escaping.

Stir in cream and heat over low heat until the soup is just heated through. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

North African Butternut Squash Soup

I have found that my tastebuds are getting more adventurous as I get older.  I have my basic butternut squash soup recipe which is delicious but sometimes it's fun to switch things up a little.  I'm so glad I tried this recipe.  It is a treat to the eyes as well as the tastebuds - colorful and delicious and provides lots of healthy vegetables (some kale or lentils might be good additions too).

A note about the ingredients:  The small cinnamon stick gives it just a hint of cinnamon flavor without overpowering.  The harissa is a chili paste that can be found in middle eastern markets and gives a nice depth of flavor.  This soup also has ground turmeric.  Hopefully you've heard about the health benefits of turmeric.  It's a superfood spice that's getting a lot of press lately.  It can reduce inflammation and has many other health-protecting properties.

Feeling adventurous in the kitchen?  Give this soup a try - your body will thank you!

North African Butternut Squash Soup
from The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Makes 6 servings

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp harissa, or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups cubed butternut squash or pumpkin (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 14.5 ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped with their juice
2 bay leaves
1 short piece of cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups water or chicken stock
1 or 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Combine the olive oil, carrots, celery, and garlic in a heavy-duty stock pot set over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the chopped pepper,  the harissa or crushed red pepper, and the butternut squash and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 cups of water or chicken stock.  Bring to a simmer and cover the pan.  Let simmer about 20-30 minutes or until the squash is very soft.  If desired, blend the soup with a blender or a stick blender (I left mine chunky).  Add lemon and cilantro and adjust seasoning if needed.

Purslane - is this super weed growing in your garden?

Purslane is a common weed found in most of our yards and gardens.  I call it a superweed, not because it is unmanageable, but because it is a nutritional powerhouse!

Check out these nutrition facts:

-purslane has more omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of ALA) than any other plant food.  100 grams of fresh purslane contains 350 mg of ALA.  Increasing our intake of omega-3's has been linked to better heart health and decreased systemic inflammation.

-it is a good source of many vitamins and minerals including vitamins C and E, riboflavin, beta carotene, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and calcium.

-purslane is also high in dietary fiber, contains antioxidants and is reported to contain compounds which help with depression.

Purslane growing among the thyme and rosemary.

In my garden, I practice selective weeding.  I'll pull other weeds and leave the purslane to grow.  It is actually beneficial to the surrounding plants as it provides a great edible ground cover which helps retain soil moisture and prevents other weeds from taking over.  It grows low to the ground so it doesn't impede my other plants from getting the sunlight they need - and it's such a cute and happy looking plant!

Purslane is an annual plant that reseeds itself each year.  The seedlings will appear when the soil warms to 76 degrees F.  The plant will grow in just about any soil conditions, even in the cracks of the sidewalk, and the seeds can remain viable in undisturbed soil for more than 30 years.  I will allow some of my purslane to mature and develop seeds to ensure that I will have more purslane next year.

I think purslane is delicious.  It has a mildly tart lemony flavor. I eat purslane straight from the garden sometimes, but most of the time I'll add it to a salad along with other greens.  (Only harvest purslane in areas which you know have not been chemically treated.)  The leaves, tender stems and flowers are all edible.  Just pinch off the stems, or pull the entire plant and cut off the roots if you are trying to control the plant.  

Dress your purslane salad simply with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Or add it to potato salad, soups, or anywhere you would use spinach or other greens.

In the case of purslane,  I'm happy to ask my kids, "have you eaten your weed today?"

Purslane as ground cover under my tomato plants.

Sources:

http://www.naturalhealth-solutions.net/healthy-eating/powerhouse-of-nutrition-purslane

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/purslane.html

http://www.canadiangardening.com/plants/native-plants-and-wildflowers/purslane-an-edible-groundcover/a/31791