Broccoli Cauliflower Soup with turmeric (dairy and gluten free)

 So I have been learning the benefits of turmeric. One of the benefits is it can help in preventing cancer. It helps fight inflammation too.  The ideal is to eat 1/2 tsp a day of it. When I was making this soup the other day I decided it would make a great addition and it did. You can also add turmeric to salad dressing, cooked or raw vegetables, pastas, sprinkle on your salad etc..

This soup incorporates two great vegetables into one great soup. Ideal for lunch or dinner. What are you doing fun for the weekend? I get to go watch my grandson sing in his kindergarten program. He said he would sing all the songs except the one called "friendship". He said "That one is ridiculous." Ha ha! I love being a grandma.

Ingredients

4 C washed cauliflower cut into bite size pieces
4 C washed broccoli cut into bite size pieces
3 T olive oil
1 tsp salt
4 T olive oil
1 chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic minced
3 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 C water
1 C broth (I used bone broth, vegetable for vegan)
4 C cashew milk or other milk

Directions   Serves 6

1. Heat oven to 425.  Place cauliflower and broccoli on cookie sheet drizzle on the oil and sprinkle on the salt. Place in oven. Cook until lightly brown and tender about 30 min.
2. In a stock pot on the stove heat to medium heat. Pour in the oil and let it heat up.
3. Stir in the onion and let cook a few minutes to soften. Then stir in garlic and turmeric. Cook until you start to smell the garlic.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Let the soup heat up all together for a few minutes to incorporate all the flavors.
5. Then blend 1/2 the soup at a time until all smooth and creamy.
6. Return the soup back to the stove and let cook on medium low another 10 min.
7. Serve warm.
(I sprinkled chili powder on top and swirled it with a knife)

Vegetable Bean Soup

Here is another wonderful soup. It is loaded with vegetables and lots of flavor. You can decide what kind of beans you want to add to the soup. It is a great way to warm up on these cold days. It is also a wonderful way to enjoy a lot of vegetables.

 Ingredients

3 T olive oil
1 onion chopped up
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 red chili seeds removed finely chopped *optional
1 boneless skinless chicken breast chopped up * for non- vegan option
4 celery stalks chopped
1 C chopped up carrots
6  C water
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/3 C chia *optional
1 14 Oz can of beans drained and rinsed garbanzo, northern, black etc..
1 14.5 oz whole tomatoes pureed in blender
Serve topped with cilantro, parsley or cheese for non -vegan version
*You can eat with tortillas or tortilla chips.

Directions

1. Put large cooking pot on the stove and turn heat to medium. Pour in the oil and let heat up
2. Add garlic and onions and let them cook until soft and light golden.
3. Add chili if desired and chicken for non-vegan version. Add 1/4 C water and let the chicken cook and turn light golden.
4. Stir in the celery, carrots, water, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, and chia. Let the mixture come to a boil and then turn down and let simmer for 20 min until vegetables are tender.
5. Then stir in the tomato puree and beans and let simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Take off the heat and serve in soup bowls with desired toppings.
7. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge or freezer. Enjoy!

Creamy Salmon Bisque (Dairy Free)

I hope you are enjoying the year and have nice things to look forward to. It is fun to set new goal and to have new things to work for. This is a great way to start out a healthy new year. Not on a "diet" I don't like that word. I like to look at it as a healthier way of living. This recipe will get you started on the right foot.

This is a nice creamy soup. My husband enjoyed 3 bowls of it. :) Our family has become salmon fans. I have never had salmon in a soup. I really enjoyed it too. Happy 2015.

Ingredients

salmon filets 1lb 8oz
3 1/2 C water
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 lemon sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
7 peppercorns
3 black peppercorns
5 green onions chopped finely
1/4 C whole grain flour ( I used spelt)
2/3 water
1 tsp salt
3/4 coconut milk
1 T dried dill
2 1/2 to 3 T lemon juice
more salt and pepper if desired

Directions

1. In a pot put in salmon, water, thyme lemon and peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then turn down the heat to simmer and cover and let simmer for 20 min.
2. Take off the heat. Strain. Take the skin off the fish if there is any (The skin will add more flavor). Chop up the fish and set aside. Save the fish broth
3. In the pot pour in the oil and heat to medium. Pour in the onions, and garlic. Stir and let cook a couple minutes. Then stir in the flour.
4. Pour in the fish stock. It equaled about 2 1/2 C. Add an additional 2/3 C water, fish, and salt. Stir all together and let the mixture come to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let cook about 5 minutes.
5. Then stir in the in coconut milk and dill. Do not let the mixture come to a boil again. Let the mixture heat all the way through.
6. You can eat warm or chilled. Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Britney had a busy day yesterday. She welcomed her 4th son into the world he is a beautiful little boy. It is a wonderful way to end a great year. Britney and baby are doing great.

This is a fun way to use cauliflower by adding some Indian spices to the soup. It makes it a yummy lunch or dinner. A great way to stay warm.

Ingredients

olive oil
1 large cauliflower head washed and chopped
3 T olive oil
1 C chopped up carrots
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp grated ginger root
1/4 C chia * optional
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 C water
1/2 C plain yogurt

Directions

1.  Place cauliflower on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and roast. Place in middle rack heated to 375. Cook about 25-30 until it starts to soften.
2. Put the oil in a large pot and put in the roasted cauliflower, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, chia, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, and salt. Cook together on medium heat for 5-10 min. Until vegetables start to soften
3. Stir in the water and let mixture come to a low boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and put the lid on. Stir occasionally. Let cook for 30 min.
4. Place mixture into blender and puree you may have to do it in two batches. Then blend in the yogurt.
5. Serve warm with a nice naan bread. Happy New Year!

Mulligatawny Soup

We have enjoyed some snow. It has been a mild winter here. We were in need of snow. It was the perfect amount of snow for Christmas it made everything so pretty and white. It was fun to stay cozy in our warm home.

This is a wonderful soup that will keep you nice and warm in the winter. It is based on a soup that was popular with army officers in India at the beginning of the century.

Ingredients

3 T olive oil
1 large onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
4 celery stalks chopped
1 large apple peeled and cored and chopped up
2 T whole grain flour
1/4 C chia *Optional
2 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
5 1/2  C water
1  14.5 can of whole tomatoes
2 C brown rice cooked
garnish with plain yogurt if desired

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot add onion, carrots, celery, and apple. Stir and let soften and brown slightly.
2. Stir in flour, for a minute. Then stir in chia*, curry, salt, and thyme.
3. Then stir in water and bring it to a boil. Then stir in the tomatoes. Turn down the heat and let cook on low with the lid on. Le simmer about 30 min.
4. Pour into blender or food processor and blend and pulse until smooth.
5. Return to the pot and stir in the rice and heat until all warm.
6. Serve hot. You can put on a dollop of plain yogurt on top if desired.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Recipe Redux has been around for 42 months! We've been grateful to be a part of it, even if we haven't been with them 42 months. This group is a great collection of bloggers that all are trying to make healthy eating a consistent part of their diets. In honor of 42 months, we were challenged to look in our cook books and find a recipe on page 42 or 142 and adapt it to be healthier. 

I ended up with a cookbook that I haven't used for a long time. I really like the recipes and pictures in it. So I was glad I had this challenge. It made me realize I needed to use it more. It is called the Ultimate Low Fat. I changed the "Red Bell Pepper Soup" recipe around a little bit. One of the things I did was roast the red peppers to add more flavor and browned the vegetables. I also made some other changes, such as loading it with vegetables. The end result was a satisfying, healthy bowl of soup. I liked the different dimensions of flavor.  My family enjoyed it too. Great for this time of year. Happy holidays!

Ingredients

12 oz of fresh red pepper, seeds removed

3 T olive oil

1 1/2  whole onions, sliced

5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies

2 1/4 C tomatoes, pureed

3 3/4 water

2 tsp salt * (more if desired)

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

basil leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Place red pepper on a cookie sheet face down. Put in oven heated to broil. Let broil until the outside gets charred. Watch closely so it doesn't cook too long. Take out of the oven, place it in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then peel off charred skin and chop up. 

2. Heat up oil in large pot. Place onions and garlic in pan and stir around and let cook for a few minutes. 

3. Stir in the red pepper and green chilies and continue to cook and let  the vegetables start to turn a light golden color. 

4. Stir in the tomatoes (I did whole tomatoes and blended in the blender a couple times until smooth) and water. Then add, salt, thyme, basil and crushed pepper. Let the mixture come to a low boil. 

5. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Pour into blender and pulse a couple times. Serve warm. Garnish with basil leaves

An InLinkz Link-up

Turkey Quinoa Soup

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for. It was wonderful to have all of our family with us except our son and his sweet wife. We missed them. It was neat to look around the table and see the sweet people that I love. My life revolves around my family. They bring me my greatest joy. I think we can have Thanksgiving every day being grateful for all of our blessings.

So after dinner I was cutting the turkey off the bone and debating if I should use the bones to make soup. Britney encouraged me so I did. It made the house smell so good while it was cooking on the stove. It just isn't' the same smell when you pour soup out of a can. If you don't have the carcass you can make it with just chopped up turkey.

This is a wonderful soup that you could enjoy for lunch or dinner. Yum!

Ingredients

1 turkey carcass *Optional
water to cover it
4 C cooked chopped up turkey (if you don't have the carcass)
8 C water
1 C quinoa washed
3/4 C chia *optional (nice thickener and great source of protein)
1 C carrots chopped
1 C celery chopped
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
additional salt and pepper to taste if needed

Directions  serves 8

1. In a large pot place car carcass and water to cover it. Place on low heat and let it cook for a couple hours. The meat will fall off the bone.
2. Take pot off the stove and strain through the water to remove the fat, and bones.
3. Place broth back on the stove. Add water to make a total of 8 cups. If you don't have turkey carcass add chopped turkey and water together instead and cook together for 20 minutes.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and let cook at least another 30 min. to let the vegetables soften and the quinoa to cook. Add additional water if it gets too thick.
5. Serve in soup bowls.

Roasted Acorn Curry Soup (dairy free)

I had an acorn squash sitting on my counter and thought it would be fun to make into soup for these cool nights we have been having. It was a wonderful creamy soup. That was enjoyed by all.

Ingredients

2 acorn squash washed
3 T olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 T olive oil
1 onion sliced
3 scallion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 granny smith apple peeled chopped and cored *optional
3 C milk (I used cashew milk)
1/2 C canned coconut milk
1 1/2 C water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Directions  Heat oven to 350  Serves 4

1.  Cut a slit in the squashes, and place on cookie sheet. Place in oven and cook until you can cut it up easily. (For a faster cooking time you could do this part in the microwave until soft.)
2. Take squash out of oven and cut into pieces take out the seeds, and drizzle with oil and salt. Cook until nice and tender. Then set aside
3. In a large pot heat up the oil on medium heat and stir in onions and scallions saute for a couple minutes. Optional add apple cut up and cook until softened with the vegetables.
4. Stir in the garlic and continue to saute.   Cook until it turns a light golden color and is soft.
5. With a wire whisk slowly stir in milk, coconut milk, water, salt, curry, thyme, nutmeg, and pepper. Let cook together a couple minutes.
6. Peel off the skin off the squash and put the pieces into the soup and stir and let cook together a couple minutes.
7. Pour half of the mixture into the blender and blend until smooth. Continue the same process with the other half of the soup.
8. Return back to the pot and add additional salt and pepper and spices as desired.
9. Serve warm. I garnished with some pumpkin seeds and drizzled on some coconut milk.

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Cheese Soup

This soup was so creamy and good. I adapted another version of it to make it healthier. It had great flavor and my family loved. I sometimes am not sure I love cauliflower, but I really loved this. I have made this twice in one week. This is my new favorite soup.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower chopped in bite size pieces
3 T olive oil
salt and ground pepper
3 T olive oil
1 onion chopped up
3 cloves of garlic minced
3 cups milk
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C canned coconut milk
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper *optional
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp honey
2 oz of sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
1 oz of parmesan cheese shredded

Directions Heat oven to 425 Serves 4

1. Place cauliflower on cookie sheet drizzle on olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Toss it so it is all covered with oil. Place pan in oven and cook about 30 min until light golden. Set aside.
2. Place a large pot on the stove on medium heat. Pour in oil  and then chopped onions and garlic. Cook until nicely softened.
3. With a wire whisk stir in the milk, water, coconut milk, red pepper, parsley, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, and honey. Stirring constantly let the mixture come to a boil. Turn down the heat to low.
4. Toss in the cauliflower and stir it in.
5. Pour mixture into blender (I used a blendtec) and blend until all smooth. It took a couple minutes.
6. Pour back into pot. Stir in cheese until melted.
7. Serve into bowls. Top with additional cheese or a sprinkle of parsley and crushed pepper if desired.
Enjoy!

Coconut Curried Butternut Soup

This was my dinner tonight. It was so creamy and yummy. I loved it. The flavors all went well together. It would be a fun soup to warm up with on a cool day too. I loved eating these pumpkin muffins with them. Love the color of it as well.
We are enjoying the Fall and all the colors on the trees and mountains. I don't want it to end.


Ingredients

1 T olive oil
1 large brown onion sliced thin
3 garlic cloves minced
1 apple cored and sliced
2 T olive oil
4 C butternut squash cubed and peeled
6 C water
1 T curry powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pumpkin spice
3 T honey or for vegan choose another sweetner
1/2 C canned coconut milk

Directions Serves 6

1. In a big pot pour in oil heat up to medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic. Stir until softened for a few minutes.
2. Then stir in apple, oil and squash. Stir and turn up the heat a little. I wanted to kind of roast them a little.  They could even get a little golden colored. Cook together for about 5-8 min.
3. Turn back down the heat to medium heat. Stir in the water, curry, salt, pumpkin spice, and honey. Let the squash cook until soft about 10-15 min.
4. Then use a hand blender or divide in half and blend in your regular blender until pureed.
5. Pour back into the pot and add coconut milk and heat until it is all warm.
6. Serve in bowls.

*Optional: I drizzled some more coconut milk on top and swirled it around with a wooden skewer.

Toasted Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

 So the weather is changing around here. I love riding by bike and seeing all of the vibrant colored leaves that are on the trees right now. I always think about what a beautiful world we leave in. I wish these colors could stay all year. The ride today the air was much cooler. It was still wonderful to be outside.

The pretty blue dishes in the picture were my sisters that I inherited many years ago. I love using them and thinking of her. She is a dear sister that I look forward to seeing again some day. It is fun to have keepsakes that remind of those we love.

This is some delicious soup that hit the spot right on. I had some for lunch and it made me feel so good. I felt warmed up from my head to my toes. It was wonderful to incorporate so many vegetables into it and come up with a fantastic flavor. One bite and you will be hooked. I had it made in about and hour.

Ingredients 

4 T olive oil

1 white onion sliced in thin slices

3 cloves of garlic minced

4 stalks of celery chopped up

6 Roma tomatoes chopped up

1 green pepper deseeded chopped up

1 red pepper deseeded chopped up

1 jalapeño diced up 

3 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric (so good for you)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 C red quinoa rinsed off well

8 C water

Directions

1. In a large pot on the stove. Heat up pot on medium and pour in oil, onion and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions become softened. 

2. Then stir in celery, tomatoes, peppers, jalapeño, salt, cumin, turmeric, and pepper. Cook on medium heat and let the vegetables soften a few minutes. 

3. Stir in the quinoa and keep stirring it to let it get toasted while cooking the vegetables. Cook about 5 min. Continue to stir during the 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the water. Turn up the water a little and let it come to a boil. Let it boil a couple minutes. 

5. Turn down the heat and let it cook on low for about 20-25 min. covered. 

6. Take the pot off the stove and pour 1/2 of mixture into the blender. Blend a couple minutes. I left a little texture to it. I like seeing  the quinoa in the soup after blending. Blend the other half of the soup. 

7. Then serve in bowls nice and hot. Yum!

8. Put leftovers in the fridge in airtight container. You could also freeze in an air tight container.

Kristy's Dishes

Tomato Basil Zucchini Soup

We have a very large amount of Roma tomatoes this year. Tomatoes are what grow best for us. It sounded really good to make some soup on Sat. It had been rainy in the morning. I loved this soup. It had such a wonderful flavor. Yum! I even had some cold yesterday. 

Ingredients Serves about 8.
3 lbs Roma tomatoes (Little less or little more works too)
1/4 C olive oil = 4 T olive oil
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
2 T olive oil
1/2 yellow onion chopped (I just chopped in the blender)
1/4 purple onion chopped up
3 garlic cloves pressed
1/2 a zucchini sliced up
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 fresh basil leaves (if you have them)
1 T dried rosemary
3 to 5 T dried basil leaves
4 C water (add more if it is too thick)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes that have been sliced in 1/4 pieces, into a bowl with olive oil 1 T basil and a little salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet. Roast 45 min. Don't let them burn.

2. In a large pot heat on medium heat onions, garlic with and oil,  and red pepper flakes until golden brown. Add zucchini, red pepper, and spices, and let cook a couple minutes. Then add the water. Then add the oven roasted tomatoes too. Bring to boil and then simmer about 35 minutes or until thickened. The flavor gets better as it cooks. I put the large chunks of vegetables and some liquid, into a blender and pulse for a few seconds.

3. You can add more spice if you prefer. It is wonderful to have extra! I love this soup and it freezes well for lunches! =)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I am so excited to be able to make roasted tomato soup at home,and to know what is in it. I have tried different variations of this recipe. The soup has gone over well with my family and it is a nice healthy dinner. Serve it with a little bread and a nice green salad and you have a great meal. It has been fun to learn how to roast tomatoes too. It is very easy. Its like cooking spaghetti sauce--you can add your own touch to it. :)

Ingredients Serves about 8.
3 lbs Roma tomatoes (Little less or little more works too)
1/4 C olive oil = 4 T olive oil
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 white onions chopped (I just chopped in the blender)
5 garlic cloves pressed
1 T butter or vegan butter
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz ) cans of roasted tomatoes whole or crushed (I used fire roasted Yum!)
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves (if you have them)
1 T dried thyme
3 to 5 T dried basil leaves
4 C water (add more if it is too thick)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes that have been sliced in 1/4 pieces, into a bowl with olive oil 1 T basil and a little salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet. Roast 45 min. Don't let them burn.

2. In a large pot heat on medium heat onions, garlic with and oil, butter and red pepper flakes until golden brown. Add the canned tomatoes and spices, and water. Then add the oven roasted tomatoes too. Bring to boil and then simmer about 35 minutes or until thickened. The flavor gets better as it cooks. I put the large chunks of tomatoes and some liquid, into a blender and pulse for a few seconds.

3. You can add more spice if you prefer. It is wonderful to have extra! I love this soup and it freezes well for lunches! =)

Quick Blender Broccoli Cheese Soup

We had a crazy weekend. Our 2 year old grandson got to be hospitalized for a cold that had gotten into his eye. We are very grateful it was not more serious, and he is back home. We are grateful for the tender mercies. The positive side is I got to spend more time with her 2 other boys, while Britney went to the hospital. Max is so fun to cuddle with  he is a great baby.

I am making an effort to eat more vegetables. If you are like me it is something I have to think about it does not come naturally to choose vegetables. This was a quick and easy lunch. It was a great way to eat some vegetables.

Ingredients:
2 C steamed broccoli florets
1/4  Small onion (steamed the last 2 minute with the broccoli)
1 clove of garlic
1 C warm water
3/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram *optional
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg * optional
3/4 tsp sea salt with iodine
1 0z of cheddar cheese (and some for a garnish)

Directions: 2 servings
1.  Throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. 

2. Serve hot with  a little cheese grated on top.



 

Barley Chicken Soup

Enjoy a great soup with a lot of vegetables and barley added that is a wonderful grain. 

Ingredients: Serves about 8
2 Chicken Breast skinned
7 C Water
2 olive oil
2 onions chopped up
 2 minced garlic
3 stalks of celery washed and chopped
1 T thyme
1 T chicken seasoning
1 tsp pepper
1 C barley cooked
*extra seasoning to your taste preference 

Directions:
1. Pour water into pot. Heat on the stove to medium heat. Place chicken breasts in the pan. Cook the chicken till completely cooked.   
2. Once the chicken is all cooked take the pot off the stove. Take the chicken out and shred the chicken. Put the chicken back into the pot. Put back on the stove on medium low heat.
3. In a small frying pan heat the oil to medium heat. Place onion in the pan stir and let cook till soft. It should take 3-5 min. Then stir in the garlic cook another 2 min. Then take the onion and garlic mixture into the chicken pot.   
4. Pour the remaining ingredients into the pot and cook until the carrots and celery are soft. 
5. Serve warm.
   

Blender Tortilla Soup

I am always in the mood for some Mexican food. This soup is a great  way to satisfy that craving. It is quick and loaded with with a lot of great foods too.

Ingredients:
3 Roma tomatoes quartered
1 large peeled carrot
1/2 avocado peeled an pitted
3 T onion
1 C green chilis
2 oz mozzarella cheese or pepper jack cheese
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 C warm water
1 can black beans or pinto beans drained and washed
*optional toppings cheese, green onions, chips, sour cream 

Directions: 
1. Pour all the ingredients in a jar except the beans and optional toppings. Blend until all smooth about 2-3 min. 
2. Add beans and pulse a couple seconds. Serve with your favorite topping. Yum!  
 

Creamy Baked Potato Soup

I hope the Christmas season was a happy one at your home. It was a nice one for us. It was wonderful to have my son and his wife come for a visit. It is heartwarming to look around the dinner table and see your whole family sitting around it. Those moments are the sweetest. This is a wonderful soup for these cold days that we have been having. It is not a lot of work either. Hope you are able to enjoy it.
Ingredients:
 1 1/2 Rice milk or milk of your choice (warmed up)
 1/4 C plain yogurt
 2 green onions
3 oz cheddar cheese
 1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
 1  garlic clove
 2 large potatoes boiled or baked and Peeled (Yukon would be great)
 topping options: cheese, croutons, bacon bits  
Directions:
1. In blender blend, milk, yogurt, onions, cheeses, salt pepper, garlic and on potato. Blend until smooth. (Put on soup setting if you have that on your blender.
 2. The put in the next potato and pulse the blender a couple times. Keep the potato chunky. Unless you prefer it creamy.
3. Serve warm and top with your favorite toppings. cheese, croutons, bacon bits etc..

Sweet Potato Soup

Christmas time is upon us. I hope you are finding ways to enjoy it with your families. My goal is to enjoy it and have peace in the process. I know it is easy for all of us to stack up a bunch of things we think we "need" to do. I try to focus on the most important things, and give up some other things. This year it is serving my parents. My Dads health is failing and it is time to give back. I know I will never be able to give back all they have given me. I will do all I can none the less. It is so hard to watch both of them hurting. A saying that my son use to say fits my feelings well. "My heart hurts." I am sure many of you have experienced the same thing. I am so grateful for family that is working as a team through this. Family is the best. My husband is wonderful help to me. I knew this chapter of life was coming. I will continue to seek Peace. I wish the same for you. I love this scripture from the king of peace Jesus Christ. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." When this runs through my mind I feel peace. Enjoy the season!

I love sweet potatoes so this was another yummy way to use them. It is a great meal on these cooler nights. It was nice and creamy and had a great flavor. :) It is full of lots of vitamin A.

Ingredients:
2 T grape seed oil or olive oil
1 white onion chopped up
2 cloves minced
2 sweet potatoes baked (take off the skins after baking)
3 cups water
1 C milk of your choice (I used rice milk)
1 tsp thyme
1 /4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a small skillet heat up the oil and saute onions and garlic till tender.
2.In a blender pour all the ingredients and blend till smooth. Serve warm. :) YUM!

Healthy Butternut Squash Soup

I was abundantly blessed with tons of butternut squash in my garden this year. So I decided it was time to make some soup out of one of them. I had made it before and a couple years ago and didn't like the consistency, It was too thick. This recipe turned out some much better. I changed around a recipe I found in family circle   It had some thickness to it yet was not too thick. I loved the combination of flavor the fresh scallions thrown on top were a nice addition. It tasted yummy on this beautiful Fall evening. We had it with some grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients:
2-3 T olive oil
1 white onion diced
salt and pepper
4 carrots peeled and chopped
3/4 medium butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes
8 C water
1 T chicken seasoning (vegan option leave out)
1 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder or granules
1 tsp salt or to taste preference
1/4 tsp pepper
scallion chopped in small pieces
*For taste variation: leave out the thyme and rosemary add 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Directions:
1. In a large cooking pot heat oil in pan on medium heat. Toss in the onion. Cook for about 5 min till softened. Add a little salt and pepper
2. Then throw in the squash and carrots. Cook with onion. Cover and  cook on medium low heat about 5 min. Stir as needed.
3. Stir in the water and spices, salt and pepper to your taste preference  Let the mixture come to a boil. Then turn down to medium low heat and let cook about 15 min. covered.
4.  Then pour a couple cups at a time into the blender and puree. Continue until the squash and carrots are all blended.
5. Serve in bowls and top with scallions.
6. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas. baguettes with cheese or crusty bread.

Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Soup with Brown Rice)

I had a friend tell me how much she enjoyed this soup at a Thai restaurant, so I decided it would be fun to see if I could make it at home. Think coconut, ginger, lemongrass . . . mmmmm. It was fun to try something new. The family really enjoyed it. It was a hit. It was a nice light meal. I will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients: Serves about 8
2 Cans of coconut milk
6 C chicken broth ( I just used the water that I cooked the chicken in)
1/2 tsp salt
4 stalks fresh lemon grass (wash it well and chop in pieces)
6 red shallots (peel and chop into small pieces)
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp coriander
2 handfuls of cilantro leaves
1-2 jalapeno peppers* (seeded and chopped) depends on how spicy you want it?
2 T fresh ginger chopped or galanga I used ginger. couldn't find the galanga)
zest from one lime
*opt. 1 to 2 tsp chili garlic sauce ( I didn't use this time.)
3 C cooked chicken chopped into pieces (cooked in 6 C water and used for broth)
1 C chopped mushrooms
3 T fish sauce
2 T lime juice
1 handful of cilantro if desired
6 C of cooked brown rice

Directions:

1. In a pot on the stove on medium heat cook, milk, broth, salt, lemon grass, shallots, garlic, coriander and cilantro, peppers, ginger, and zest. Let it all cook together about 15 min. You can fish out the lemon grass at this point.

2. Then add the chicken, mushrooms and fish sauce. Cook another 10 min.

3. Stir in lime juice and another handful of cilantro if desired. Heat 3 more min.

4. Serve it over brown rice or you could eat it without the rice. Enjoy

*You could use serrano peppers.