Winter Soup

Winter Soup

I will be the first to admit how disappointed I am with this winter. Not only do I love hitting the slopes and snowshoeing but nothing comforts me more than a steaming bowl of hot soup on a snowy winter day.  After last weeks storm I have been making and eating soup nonstop trying to cram all of winter in the little we've had of it.

Soups and stews can be daunting to some cooks but in actuality they are quit simple.   The recipe below is something I will just throw together and change up depending on what I have on hand or what I’m in the mood for. No beans? Use small pasta or rice. No zucchini? Use broccoli or snap peas. Same goes for protein. You can add anything from shredded precooked chicken, mini meatballs or tofu. If you get the basic ingredients down this soup can be made in so many delish ways. A lot of cooks will say that they don’t use a recipe or don’t measure ingredients (notice I said cooks NOT bakers as this would be disastrous). While I follow this mantra myself it always helps to use a recipe the first time you make a dish and once you’ve got the general idea down than start experimenting with adding/ omitting ingredients and eyeballing measurements. Now go make yourself a comforting bowl of soup, even if you’re eating it on a 60-degree day in March.

Basic Ingredients

1 onion chopped

2 carrots diced

1 stalk celery diced

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1 32ounce can diced tomatoes

2 bay leafs

1-teaspoon fresh thyme (I always prefer fresh, but dry will work too)

1-tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped

½- 1-teaspoon red pepper flakes (use your judgment here)

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro (if you like, there is clearly a love hate thing with cilantro)

Salt and pepper to taste

Choices

4 cups of broth (chicken, beef or veggie- always use low sodium or better yet make your own!)

1 cup of protein (shredded chicken, mini meatballs, tofu)- if you want this can be omitted to make a vegetable soup

Veggies (I would pick at least three depending on what you have and what’s in season) I always say the more the merrier 

            - 1 Zucchini diced

            - 1 cup Frozen Corn

            - ½ head Broccoli

            - ½ cup Snap peas

            - 1 cup Chopped cabbage

            - 1 bunch Asparagus chopped

            - 1 cup Mushrooms chopped

            - 1 bunch Kale

            - 1 cup Peas

            - 2 cups packed fresh Baby Spinach

Starch (choose one)

-       2 medium size Red potatoes diced

-       1 cup small shaped pasta (anything from elbows to pastina)

-       1 cup rice

-       1 can beans rinsed (cannelloni, chickpeas and pinto would work)

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Chop the onion, carrots and celery and add to the hot oil. Sautee until soft but not browned. Add the herbs, diced tomatoes, broth, protein, starch and the vegetables you are using. Cook on medium for approximately 30 minutes until veggies are cooked through and starch is soft but not mushy.  Discard bay leaves, season with salt and pepper and serve with a nice warm piece of crusty bread.

Food is Love

XOXO

Jami’s Delish Kitch