19 Nov Soups On!

Greetings from your resident GFFC foodie Karen Neuman!  Back again with one of my favorite food topics – SOUP!

What is better suited to a chilly Michigan evening then a steaming pot of soup?  At least once per week I get out the Dutch oven, prepare a side salad, and call it dinner.  The big bonus is the leftovers that we warm up for lunch all week. I always make a big batch, and soup usually can also be frozen!

Here are my best suggestions for keeping a weekly batch of soup healthy and interesting:

1) Soup is an easy way to try out a new type of ethnic food, and you can find great recipes online (seek ones with lots of vegetables and few carbs) .  Italian, Mexican, African and Thai versions are all in my repertoire.  My favorite searchable websites include Food Network and Epicurious.

2) You can even start with leftovers!  That roast chicken or pork from last night will make a great addition to your soup pot and give you a jumpstart on dinner.

3) Take a recipe that looks good to you and make it healthier!  Quite often I replace noodles or rice in a recipe with legumes or extra vegetables.

As always I’ve included a couple of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!

KAREN’S CHINESE CHICKEN SOUP

• 1-4 lb. whole chicken
• 1-1 lb. daikon, halved lengthwise & sliced thin
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 c. bean sprouts
• 4 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1 T. minced garlic
• 2 t. minced ginger
• 3 T. fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 t. Splenda
• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves

Place chicken in Dutch oven.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for about 1 hour.  Turn off and let cool.  Take chicken out of pot;  remove and discard skin.  Remove meat, cut in bite-size chunks and return to pot.  Add daikon, carrot, garlic, ginger, and bouillon;  simmer about 20 min. until daikon is tender.  Add fish sauce, Splenda, green onion and bean sprouts;  simmer 5 more min.  Turn heat off and stir in lime and cilantro.  Serve warm.  Reheats and freezes well!

WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN & PEANUT SOUP

• 1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4″ to 1″-cubes
• 1 T. hot sauce
• 4 c. low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter (do not use natural OR old-fashioned)1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4″ to 1″-cubes
• 1 T. hot sauce
• 4 c. low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter (do not use natural OR old-fashioned)
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 5 T. butter
• 1 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 2 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2″-cubes
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. drained canned diced tomatoes in juice

Combine chicken cubes and hot sauce in medium bowl and toss to coat well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again.  Whisk chicken broth, peanut butter, and tomato paste in another medium bowl to blend.  Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat.  Add chopped onion and zucchini;  saute until tender, about 8 min.  Add chicken and saute until no longer pink on outside, about 3 min.  Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.  Add broth mixture and tomatoes to pot.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through and flavors blend, about 5 min.  Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve.