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Potato Leek Soup

There’s nothing like settling in with a hot bowl of soup to warm you up during the coldest time of the year. This wonderfully savory and smooth potato leek soup will certainly do the trick, plus it’s vegetarian and can be made vegan. We hope you enjoy this comforting soup during the cold months ahead.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes

6 cups vegetable broth 

4 leeks 

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp salt

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp black pepper

½ cup plain greek yogurt (optional)

 

Instructions:

Begin by preparing your vegetables. Chop and clean your leek. You can do this by chopping your leek in half lengthwise, stopping where the fronds start emerging from the stalk. Turn the leek over on its side by 90 degrees and chop again, cutting it into 4 segments. Fan out the sections on the inside of the leek, using the fronds as a handle. Wash out any dirt inside the leek. Press the sections back together and chop finely. Set aside. 

Wash and peel your potatoes. Chop them into chunks and set aside. 

In a large stockpot, add your oil and leeks. Cook them for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook them evenly. Add your garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Pour in your vegetable broth and potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Once your soup has finished simmering, remove from heat and allow it to cool 10-15 minutes. 

Using an immersion blender, food processor or a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth.

Note: You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender or food processor. If you are using a blender, I recommend waiting until the soup has completely cooled before blending, as the pressure of a hot liquid in a sealed blender can be dangerous and cause your blender to leak or possibly explode. You can then reheat the soup in the pot before serving. 

Stir in your yogurt, if using, and serve. Enjoy!

 

 

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This bright and flavorful soup is perfect for when you’re craving something refreshing, but the chill of early spring hasn’t quite worn off. Flavorful, savory, and nutritious, this soup will be your latest obsession. We hope you enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
½ medium yellow onion, diced
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
2 T all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped kale
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 ½ lb. chicken breast or tenderloin
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 lemons, juiced
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

Peel and finely chop your carrots, dice your onions, and finely chop your celery.

Mince your garlic and set it aside if you are not using pre-minced garlic.

Chop your kale and parsley and set it aside.
In a large soup pot, add your butter and olive oil on medium heat.

Add your carrots, onions and celery to the soup pot and cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

While stirring, add your all-purpose flour in and cook for another minute.

Pour in your chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved.

Add your Italian seasoning, kale and chicken to the soup base and stir.

Cover it with a lid and reduce it to medium-low heat. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

While your chicken is cooking, you can juice your lemons and set the juice aside.

Remove your chicken from the pot and shred or cut it into smaller pieces as desired.

Put your chicken back into the pot and stir in your uncooked orzo pasta.

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When your orzo is done cooking, stir in your parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Serve and enjoy!

Turkey Chili

Chili is a go-to meal for anyone who’s not sure what to make for dinner. Throw everything into the pot and let it simmer, you can even bake some cornbread to serve alongside it while you wait. Our recipe for turkey chili is easy to make and sure to please, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 T all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 lb. white ground turkey
28 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
30 oz pinto or kidney beans
4 T chili powder
2 T cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 T paprika
½ T salt (or to taste

 

Optional Toppings:

Crushed tortilla chips
Sliced avocado
Shredded cheddar
Sour cream

Instructions:

Chop your onion and red bell pepper. Mince your garlic if you are not using pre-minced.

In a large soup pot, add your olive oil, onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Cook them for 6-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally until your onions are translucent.

Add your white ground turkey to the pot and turn up the heat to medium-high. Break up the turkey into small pieces using your spatula or a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking the turkey and breaking it apart until there are no spots of raw turkey left.

Add your all-purpose flour to the pot. Stir until combined and continue to stir occasionally while it cooks for another 5 minutes.

Pour your chicken broth into the pot and stir until the flour has dissolved into the broth.

Add your chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, paprika, and salt into the broth and stir until combined.

Drain your canned beans. Pour in your tomatoes and beans, stirring to incorporate them into the broth.

Bring the chili up to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly to keep the chili from sticking to the bottom.

Serve immediately and top as desired. Enjoy!

 

Easy Miso Soup (Vegan)

This soup is a takeout staple for anyone who loves Japanese cuisine. This simple version of miso soup uses just a few ingredients, comes together in a flash, and is customizable to your favorite flavors. It’s perfect for a chilly night and can be served on it’s own, or as a side to a nutritious dinner.

This recipe is a simplified version of miso soup, meaning it’s easier to make at home and requires fewer ingredients. This recipe is vegan if it’s made with vegan miso and tofu. However, you can add whatever you’d like to this soup to make your own. I recommend adding some shrimp if you enjoy seafood, edamame, or even slices of ham served on top. I hope you enjoy this warm and cozy miso soup!

 

Ingredients:

2 T white miso paste

¼ cup kombu or wakame seaweed

8 ounces soft tofu (about one package)

2 tsp chopped spring onion (or to taste)

 

Instructions:

Prepare your kombu or wakame according to the instructions on the package.

Drain your tofu and chop it into medium cubes.

Finely chop your spring onion.

If you would like your soup to have a stronger flavor, you can reserve the cooking liquid used to prepare your kombu or wakame and use it in place of boiling water in the next step.

In your pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

When the water has begun boiling, add your miso and tofu. Allow it to simmer on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

To serve, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with green onion.

 

SOUP DU JOUR : AVOCADO SOUP!

Look no further for a light summer soup that will cool you down in the summer heat; it leaves the senses refreshed and rejuvenated!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1 large jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt, for seasoning, plus 1 teaspoon
  • 4 firm ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and mashed
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • optional, 1/2 cup sour cream
  • optional, hot sauce or salsa

Procedure

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and the garlic and cook until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place aside to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, add the avocados, chicken broth, lemon juice, cilantro, onion mixture, and water. In batches, add to a blender and purée until smooth, straining each batch of purée into a large bowl. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of salt and the 1 teaspoon of pepper
  4. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, around 3 hours.
  5. Pour the chilled soup into individual bowls. Try adding a drizzle of sour cream and/or hot sauce, and sprinkle cilantro on top.

 

Guest Bloggers: James Madison Dietetics

Alexandra Balbontin, Taylor Coleman, Julia Danisewicz, Andrea George, and Emily Salvaggio