Have you ever tasted a soup with a depth of flavor that you just can’t explain? Did it have an indescribable richness that you would love to duplicate? Chances are the chef of that soup utilized a secret trick that has become less common ever since boxed and canned broths have become prevalent at the market. Most likely the cook has an important but old-fashioned weapon in his or her arsenal – chicken stock made from scratch. While the sound of this might initially seem too overwhelming or involved, I can assure you that making chicken stock is easier than you think. I dare you to try it just once and you likely won’t be buying boxed chicken broth again. It does take some planning ahead, but it is SO WORTH IT! Not only is homemade stock delicious, it is incredibly nutritious as well. Continue reading Making Chicken Stock is Easier Than You Think
Category Archives: Soup
Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup
This Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup is light, bright, and deliciously satisfying. Loaded with both flavor and nutrition, you can’t go wrong with this one! Our children rarely all like the same meal, but they all give this one an enthusiastic thumbs-up! Start with an organic, pasture-raised chicken and home-made stock. You will be setting yourself up for an incredibly wholesome meal, minus the bad stuff that usually comes with chicken soups. Who really needs MSG in their soup anyway? The tumeric is what gives this dish it’s beautiful yellow color. The addition of quinoa gives a hearty and nutritional bonus. This is truly a delicious, satisfying meal! Continue reading Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup
Cowboy Beans (Frijoles Charros)
The first time I had these Cowboy Beans I was blown away. They are the perfect combination of hearty, comforting, and tasty! Nutritionally, they are packed with a load of protein and fiber . They even have a hefty bit of veggies added. To keep things as healthy as possible, use organic, nitrate free bacon and chorizo sausage. Even better, use a chicken or turkey version of the bacon and sausage if you can find it (although the flavor will be somewhat different). These beans are absolutely lovely and the most satisfying when served with the suggested toppings. If you want to make this dish even better, pair the beans with Sweet Whole Grain Corn Muffins with Jalapenos. I dare you to try this. You’ll never look at beans the same way again! Continue reading Cowboy Beans (Frijoles Charros)
Organic Chicken Soup from Scratch
This is a delicious, wholesome variety of homemade organic chicken soup that contains nothing artificial. There are no boxed broths or msg-laden boullions involved (will be even better when I can use our own farm-raised chickens). It is truly lovely to indulge in bite after bite of everything that is good and nothing that is not. Although this recipe has many steps and is a two day endeavor, all of the steps are easy. If you try this even once, I am sure it will go to your list of favorites. Continue reading Organic Chicken Soup from Scratch
Crock Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Total Time: 6-8 hours
Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 1 large organic onion, diced
- 3 organic stalks of celery, diced
- 5 organic cloves of garlic, minced
- 10 oz of organic carrots, shredded
- 8 oz nitrate/nitrite free organic ham, diced
- 1 qt. of organic chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 TBSP curry powder
- 2 TBSP Sugar in the Raw
- 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a large crock pot.
- Stir lightly to combine.
- Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.
- Use immersion blender to smooth out some of the chunks, if you like. I leave mine lumpy and just mix it a bit with a spoon.
- Garnish with a dollop of fresh organic plain yogurt, or some shredded cheese, if desired.
BULK COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
For Bulk Cooking, I quadruple this recipe using two large crock pots. In EACH crock pot I add:
2 large onions, diced
6 organic stalks of celery, diced
10 organic cloves of garlic, minced
20 oz. organic carrot, shredded
16 oz. of nitrate/nitrite free ham, diced
2 qts. chicken broth
4 cups water
2 TBSP curry powder
4 TBSP Sugar in the Raw
2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp dried thyme
Cook as directed above. Cool completely and divide each crock pot contents into two gallon-size freezer bags, yielding four bags in all. Lay flat and freeze to stack horizontally. Don’t forget to label your bags with date and contents.
FREEZER TO CROCK POT INSTRUCTIONS
Take frozen soup out of freezer and run under warm water long enough for the soup to release from the sides of the bag. Cook in your crock pot on low setting until warmed through and steaming hot.
