3 Soup + Breakfast or Dessert Recipes Within
My dad had surgery last week. I was beyond grateful for the people who brought food. Could I have made food for us? Yes. Was there soup in the freezer I could have thawed? Yes.
As you know, making food requires decisions. And time. Both things were in scarce supply caring for him post-op. Not to mention he was nauseated and didn’t want a kitchen of aromas.
The point I’m trying to make is: share your food. Be a blessing. Even if it’s a simple cup of soup. It will nourish the body, mind and weary spirit. Every one of us are weary these days.
Note about these recipes: Don’t feel constrained by any soup recipe. Just think of it as a guideline. Knowing there is a wide spectrum of home chefs reading this, I tried to write for a novice and give options for the adventurous.
Souper Easy Butternut Squash Soup
*replace roasted squash with a can of pumpkin, which is mostly squash anyway.
Ingredients
Butternut squash or 32oz can of pumpkin
garlic, optional
full fat coconut milk
1-4 cups broth
sea salt to taste
Instructions
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds then roast flat side down at 400 until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork, about 30 minutes to an hour and depending on the size of the squash.
If you're feeling extra, drizzle a few cloves of garlic with oil and wrap in aluminum foil to roast with the squash.
Allow roasted squash to cool then remove the outer skin. If you have an immersion blender, place butternut flesh (and squeeze out roasted garlic, if using) in large stock pot. Otherwise place butternut squash in a blender. Add a can of full fat coconut milk and blend. Add more broth as needed for desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors for salt. Curry (2t or more) and cayenne (1/2t) are nice spices to add to this soup.
Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro or scallions. Pepitas (green pumkin seeds) lend a nice contrast in color and texture. Toasted croutons are great too. Serve with a cheese plate or grilled sandwich.
I've combined this Butternut Soup to Dahl before, too.
Dahl
*easily doubled and frozen
Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped or 1t dry
4 cups broth full details to make here
1 cup dried red lentils or yellow split peas (rinsed and picked over)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric or grated fresh
¼ + teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ +teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ + teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
Grated carrot
Garnishes: yogurt and cilantro
Instructions
If you have the margin and can think of it, soaking the lentils or split peas a few hours increases the available nutrition. Aim for 6 hours or overnight, sometimes I only soak one hour. Rinse before using.
In a 3-quart stockpot or other medium-sized soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Then add garlic and ginger, stirring until both are fragrant. Add spices.
Stirring constantly, add broth, lentils, spices, and salt. Bring to a low boil, then turn down the heat to low, cover and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are very tender.
If desired, use an immersion blender once lentils are tender.
Stir in the tomato paste and grated carrot until well combined. Cook several minutes more, or until the soup is desired temperature and consistency, adding more broth or water as needed.
Tips
While dahl can certainly be eaten alone, it's sometimes served with a hearty grain, especially if the soup is thick. Basmati rice and quinoa are the usual accompaniments.
Dahl can also be served with roti, an Indian bread, or naan.
For a bright finish, top the dahl with chopped fresh cilantro or chili oil.
If you're serving a lot of guests, have red pepper flakes available so that others control the heat. I really like this Mother in Law’s Korean chili flakes.
Curried* “Creamy” Chicken Soup
Use cooked and pureed yellow squash for it to appear creamy. Substitute a can of pumpkin or a roasted butternut squash for a golden effect.
*Some people in my home have decided they don’t like curry. Therefore sometimes I call this Golden Creamy Chicken Soup and cut back on the curry while increasing turmeric. I’ve also replaced the curry all together with garam masala. Don’t feel constrained by any soup recipe. Just think of it as guidelines.
Ingredients
chicken, cooked & shredded - I use a whole chicken, reserving broth. Aim for about 2-3 lb of cooked meat.
4-6 cups broth, how to make your own
large onion, chopped
garlic, chopped or 1t garlic powder
3 ribs, celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1T turmeric
1T curry powder (or garam masala)
1T cumin
squash, cooked and pureed (about 2lbs yellow or 2 butternut squash or 32 oz pumpkin puree)
10-16oz of frozen cauliflower rice, optional
1-2 cans of full fat coconut milk, optional
Garnish: roasted cashews, toasted almond slivers, pumpkin seeds or scallions
Instructions
Cook the chicken, save the broth, pull meat off bones. I freeze bones and cartilage for a second batch of broth.
Roast and puree squash if using - or open a can of pumpkin.
Saute onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sprinkle with salt. Once soft sprinkle turmeric, curry powder and cumin. Add squash or pumpkin puree, additional broth, cauliflower rice and cooked chicken. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt.
Are you a spaghetti squash lover? Here's the right way to cut it to get the longest strands of spaghetti. Alexandra says: When I tried the new method — 350ºF for 45 minutes — I was so pleased with the result. The strands were firmer and held their shape when twirled. Something to note about this method is that when you remove the squash from the oven, it won’t be knife tender or easily pricked with a fork, but the flesh will be cooked. If you still have cherry tomatoes, try this Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes on top of spaghetti squash. (Alexandra is one of my favorite newsletters.)
Breakfast or Dessert?
My kids loved this breakfast apple granola crisp by smitten kitchen and will certainly make it again. The topping is more like granola than the usual crumble/crisp (serve with full fat greek yogurt!). I added even more nuts and seeds; replaced half of the honey with maple syrup simply because I love maple syrup. My kids devoured it and actually asked that I use more apples next time. I stopped peeling and coring after about 3 pounds. *note to self, buy bigger apples next time.
Life is hard, food doesn't have to be,
Julie