Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had soup on my mind. So I thought I’d share what we’ve been enjoying in the Well Diva household. These soups can be prepared quickly and make for wonderful leftovers to take to work for lunch the next day, or to freeze and pull out later during the colder months. And bet of all, they’re kid tested, mom approved.
Black Eyed Pea and Kale Chili – This was inspired by a couple of other recipes. First there was the black eyed pea chili. Then there was the kale avocado salad. Somehow the two ended up in the same bowl and voila!
One quart of vegetable or chicken stock, one can of roasted tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh tomatoes) 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 green bell pepper, 2 celery stalks (all sliced), one bunch of kale (leaves torn), 2 cloves of garlic chopped or sliced, 1 cup of dried black eyed peas, 2 teaspoons each of dried cumin and chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder, add salt and cayenne to taste, 1/2 avocado per bowl (serves about 6) – optional fresh cilantro and lime
Cook the beans according to the package directions. Drain them and set aside. Place the chicken stock and tomatoes in a pot and heat. In a large skillet, add olive oil, then sautee onion, bell peppers, and celery until tender. Add the kale and garlic and continue to sautee about 4 minutes. Add the black eyed peas and vegetables to the heated vegetable or chicken stock. Add seasonings and allow to heat through. Add salt and cayenne to taste. Serve with fresh diced avocado on top. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and cilantro for additional flavor and health benefits (vitamin c from the lime, and cilantro helps to detoxify the liver).
Asian Vegetable Soup – This one comes from a cooking class that I teach college students, with a bit of flavor added by one of my students!
One quart of vegetable or chicken stock, 1 cup each of shredded carrots, thinly sliced celery, yellow onion, and red bell pepper, 2 cups shredded cabbage, 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional – sold in the Asian food section), 2 cups tofu (optional), sesame oil
Add all ingredients to the stock and heat long enough to cook the veggies (about 7 to 10 minutes) – finish with a splash of sesame oil.
For both of these soups, you can add additional stock to stretch them out or thin them if you prefer.
I hope to come up with a few more new soups as we get closer to the winter months. What’s your favorite soup for this time of year?
