I love soup. Mostly vegetarian soups, since I am also suspicious of unidentified pieces of meat. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
Anyway, here are a couple of our new favorites. When given the option the other day, the kids chose the second – which over-ruled Aaron’s choice of the first. Any soup that the kids will actually eat is a keeper as far as I’m concerned.
Adam of course is more hesitant about soups than the big kids, but I threw chunks of bread into the bowl and he ate it up pretty well!
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Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup with Spicy Relish
(I’ve never made the relish, since my kids are averse to anything with “spicy” in the description)
Spicy Relish
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1/2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into a small dice
Salt and fresh black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sweet Potato–Coconut Soup
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbsp clover honey
Large pinch of ground cinnamon
1. For relish: Heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add red-pepper flakes; heat for 10 seconds. Add the diced sweet potato, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 15 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until diced potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the parsley.Â
2. For soup: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock and water; bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Return to saucepan; simmer over low heat. Whisk in coconut milk, honey, and cinnamon. Cook until thickened and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; top with a spoonful of the spicy relish.
Serves 4. Per serving: 410 calories, 34g carbs, 5g protein, 10mg cholesterol, 30g fat, and 4g fiber.
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Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) frozen cauliflower
- 1 cup frozen sliced carrots
- 3 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
- 2-1/4 cups water, divided
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- In a large saucepan, combine the vegetables, onion, bouillon and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (At this point I would use my immersion or stick blender and purify everything. This way my kids can’t pick out any particular veggies!)
- Stir in the milk, soup, garlic powder and nutmeg. Combine cornstarch and remaining water until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Yield: 5 servings
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Need some bread to go with your soups but have some dietary restrictions? Check out my friend Andrea at bakerybabe.com. She makes all kinds of goodies that are gluten and Top 8 allergen-free. Don’t ask me what she DOES use…I think it’s magic.