I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I just love mini meatballs in soup! They turn almost any broth into a legitimate one pot meal and are just so delicious and cute. I make mini meatball soup fairly often and this time around decided to give my bowl a little Indian twist.

I whipped up a creamy tomato and red pepper soup spiced with a bunch of my favorites – coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. Then I mixed in the mini meatballs, which were packed with garlic, ginger, cumin, fennel powder, and cayenne pepper. Mmm, this is such a warm, comforting, and hearty meal! I probably should have gone the extra mile and garnished the dish too, but it was late, and I was too hungry to mess around with it any further. I’m guessing a swirl of Greek yogurt and sprinkle of cilantro on top would be delicious though!

Indian Spiced Mini Meatball Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup panko
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons fennel powder (ground fennel seeds)
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Soup:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To make the meatballs, heat oven to 375˚F. Place ground turkey, egg, panko, garlic, ginger, cumin, fennel powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a large bowl and knead with your hands until well mixed. Shape into 50 mini meatballs and place on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 375˚F for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To make the soup, heat canola oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic and sauté 30 seconds; stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and tumeric and sauté an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and roasted peppers, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth or place batches in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in apple cider vinegar and salt. Mix in cooked meatballs. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 366 calories, 18.0g fat, 2.3g fiber, 38.3g protein per serving
Cost: $2.63 per serving

I have a love-hate relationship with carrots. Carrot cake is my very favorite (although I’m not sure that really counts!), and I tend to enjoy hearty carrot chunks in vegetable and chicken noodle soup, but raw carrots just don’t do it for me. I always pick around them in salads or pawn them off to Apolinaras. I’ve recently warmed up to roasted carrots though and actually really loved them pureed in this soup, alongside some roasted parsnips.

I mixed the roasted carrots and parsnips with shallots, garlic, and a touch of toasted cumin and ginger to warm things up. Then I pureed the veggies along with some chicken stock and added a touch of cider vinegar for some acid and heavy cream for richness. I garnished the soup with croutons made from pumpkin bread, which I’ve been wanting to make ever since I whipped up these cornbread croutons. So good – roasting veggies always makes them better!

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Pumpkin Bread Croutons
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 large shallots, chopped (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 thick slices pumpkin bread (I used my pumpkin beer bread), cut into crouton-sized cubes

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Place carrots and parsnips on a large cookie sheet and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well and roast at 400˚F for 40 minutes or until tender.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add shallots to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Stir in ground cumin and ginger until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add roasted carrots and parsnips, chicken broth, and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth; stir in heavy cream and apple cider vinegar and heat 2 to 3 more minute or until warmed through.

Meanwhile, place pumpkin bread cubes on a large cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400˚F, then flip over the cubes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Ladle soup evenly into 4 bowls and top with croutons. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 292 calories, 15.6g fat, 5.3g fiber, 5.3g protein per serving
Cost: $1.58 per serving

Well hello, did you miss me? Last week was a whirlwind, and try as I might, I never quite managed to get a post up. I spent the first couple of days attending a conference for work just outside of Boston. Then Apolinaras and I headed over to Portland, Oregon for my friend’s beautiful wedding. We had such a fantastic time catching up with everyone, and I’m hoping to get a trip recap up soon! We returned this morning to an empty fridge, but I just made a grocery list and all the ingredients for this lovely soup were at the top.

Every fall, I get very excited to try a few new pumpkin soup recipes and this time I added some hickory smoked bacon and apple juice to the pot for some extra layers of flavor. I also stirred in a touch of cream and some apple cider vinegar for a bit of tang. Then I garnished my soup with some sweet sautéed apples and crunchy sunflower seeds. We may or may not have inhaled the whole pot in one day…good thing I put enough ingredients for a double batch on my grocery list this time!

Pumpkin Apple Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 slices hickory smoked bacon, chopped
4 large shallots, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon roasted salted sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds if you have some around!)

Directions:
Heat a large stockpot over medium high heat and add bacon to the pan; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy, stirring regularly. Drain on paper towels. Add shallots to the same stockpot with the bacon grease and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add chicken stock, apple juice, pumpkin puree, the cooked bacon, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth; stir in heavy cream and apple cider vinegar and heat 2 to 3 more minute or until warmed through.

Meanwhile, make the apple garnish by placing apples, butter, and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat; sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, or until apples are softened and lightly browned. Stir in sunflower seeds. Scoop soup into bowls and garnish with chopped apples. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 313 calories, 16.1g fat, 3.9g fiber, 8.0g protein per serving
Cost: $2.48 per serving

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! We celebrated by splurging on the tasting menu at Craigie on Main and enjoyed every bite. I also recently got a little present from the Fairy Hobmother. I left a comment on Joanne’s post that I needed a new immersion blender and was delighted that the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online granted my wish! She is spreading cheer throughout the blogging world and if you leave a comment on this post and make a wish, she might also visit you!

I wanted to make a soup first with my new gadget because I was also itching to use my adorable new soup bowls. I love French Onion soup, but hate it when the slices of onion slip off my spoon, so I decided to puree the red and yellow caramelized onions in my soup with the immersion blender. I also poured in a bottle of beer (Allagash White!) to add an extra layer of flavor along with the traditional beef broth. I topped the soup with a layer of croutons and creamy fontina cheese – yum!

The fine print: The Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online sent me a complimentary immersion blender, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine.

Creamy French Onion Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large red onions, sliced (6 cups)
2 large yellow onions, sliced (6 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 12-ounce Allagash White beer (or a Belgian style wheat beer)
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups croutons
2 cups shredded fontina cheese

Directions:
Heat butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick stockpot. Add onions, cover, and cook 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Add beer and simmer 5 minutes. Add beef broth and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth and stir in apple cider vinegar.

Heat oven broiler. Place four heat safe bowls on a large cookie sheet and ladle soup into the bowls. Top evenly with crotons and shredded cheese. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 590 calories, 16.8g fat, 7.2g fiber, 21.3g protein per serving
Cost: $3.20 per serving

Apolinaras and I ventured back to HMart on Super Bowl Sunday and enjoyed big bowls of udon soup for lunch from the Japanese section of food court. We always go back and forth on what to order because everything looks so tasty, but I think we made a good choice, because the soup was just delicious and packed with thin slices of tofu, seaweed, green onions, and broccoli– so good! We’d also never had udon noodles before and had a great time slurping them up. In fact, we enjoyed it so much, that I immediately got out my shopping list and jotted down all the ingredients I could identify in the soup so I could attempt to recreate it at home.

Look at all the goodies I scooped up that I’ve never bought before – frozen udon noodles, fried tofu, dried seaweed, and dashi miso (from what I can tell, this type of miso has bonito extract in it, which is commonly used to flavor Japanese soup stocks). I also got a huge package of dried shitake mushrooms, because I thought they would add a great extra layer of flavor, and I couldn’t resist buying them because where else can you can get so many dried mushrooms for just $3?

I was super happy with how my soup came out. I cooked the udon noodles according to the package directions and added them to a pot with the rehydrated shitake mushrooms and mushroom stock, chicken broth, seaweed, broccoli, and tofu. Then I added the miso and green onions after reducing the heat. I like to mix miso with a couple cups of broth in a small bowl to make sure the miso fully dissolves, before adding it to the stock pot, otherwise big chunks of it end up floating around. This meal came together really quickly and I’m very happy that I still have enough of all the ingredients to make it again soon – yay for HMart!

p.s. Congrats to Monica, who won my Guylian Artisanal Belgian Chocolates giveaway!

Udon Miso Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 9-ounce packages frozen udon noodles
3 ounces dried sliced shitake mushrooms
3 cups boiling water
12 cups low sodium chicken broth
0.3 ounces dried seaweed, cut into strips
4 cups broccoli florets (I used 12 ounces of frozen florets)
9 ounces fried tofu (called soy cutlets), cut into long thin strips
1/2 cup dashi miso paste with bonito extract
5 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
Prepare udon noodles according to the package directions, drain, and rinse well with cold water.

Place mushrooms and boiling water in a medium bowl and stir well; let sit for 30 minutes or until mushrooms are rehydrated. Place mushrooms and mushroom stock, chicken broth, seaweed, broccoli florets, and tofu in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and place 2 cups of broth in a medium bowl. Stir in miso and return to stockpot; stir well (make sure the miso doesn’t boil or you will kill the flavor!). Stir in noodles and green onions and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 444 calories, 10.8g fat, 4.8g fiber, 18.8g protein per serving
Cost: $1.98 per serving

Oh, and of course, we enjoyed a bunch of good eats! We had a little kitchen in our suite, so I was able to cook on Christmas (spinach stuffed chicken breasts, pasta primavera, moussaka, and Greek salad) and Apolinaras and my brother fired up the grill by the pool one night and grilled jerk chicken and plantains – yum! Other highlights included sushi at Yu-Mi and Mexican at Rocco’s Tacos.

We had Cuban food in Miami as well, but the restaurant was a tad disappointing.  We did enjoy the sweet plantains, which as you probably know, are one of my favorite ingredients. In fact, in anticipation of our trip a few weeks ago, I decided to make a sweet potato and plantain soup. It’s the perfect way to enjoy some Caribbean flavor in the winter. I added some traditional spices found in jerk seasoning at the end, so the soup wouldn’t be too sweet, and really liked the crunch of the plantain chips on top. There were also a few flavor combos I was inspired by during our trip and I’m already looking forward to developing some new recipes!

Caribbean Sweet Potato and Plantain Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 yellow medium plantains with dark spots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into chunks (mine were 32 ounces unpeeled)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped plantain chips

Directions:
Heat canola oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add ginger and garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add chicken broth, water, plantains, and sweet potatoes, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer with the pot covered for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in lime juice, thyme, cayenne pepper, allspice, and salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with plantain chips. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 337 calories, 7.4g fat, 7.9g fiber, 5.0g protein per serving
Cost: $2.25 per serving

Remember when I mentioned I was testing a few soup recipes last week?  Work has been super busy, but I finally got around to making this one last night and had to post it right away because it’s so addicting! I had a huge bowl for dinner and went back for seconds, and I wish there was more left because I wouldn’t mind a little snack right about now…

It’s really all about the mini meatballs. I love them in soup because they just make it so much more hearty and tasty. Instead of making a traditional Italian wedding soup though, I decided it would be fun to try a Mexican inspired version. I mixed Ancho chile powder, cumin, and oregano spiced mini meatballs in a red and poblano pepper tomato broth and garnished the soup with avocado and feta. Next time I’m going to make a double batch so the leftovers last longer!

Mini Meatball Mexican Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt

Soup:
1 large red pepper
2 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
To make the meatballs, heat oven to 375˚F. Place ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano, and salt in a large bowl and knead with your hands until well mixed. Shape into 50 mini meatballs and place on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 375˚F for 13-15 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To make the soup, heat oven broiler. Place peppers on a greased cookie sheet and broil for 15 to 20 minutes or until outsides are black and charred, turning once. Cool to room temperature, remove blackened skins and seeds, and roughly chop roasted peppers.

Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add chicken broth, water, tomatoes, and roasted peppers, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth or place batches in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in lime juice, cumin, and salt. Mix in cooked meatballs. Scoop into four bowls and garnish with avocado and feta. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 418 calories, 18.9g fat, 6.1g fiber, 44.8g protein per serving
Cost: $2.72 per serving

Since it’s suddenly December and freezing in Boston, I decided to use my new purchase to spice up my crab and red pepper bisque. I also mixed in cumin, cayenne pepper, lime juice, corn, and cilantro and will definitely be making this again. I have all the ingredients to test two more soup recipes this week and already can’t wait!

Latin Crab Bisque
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked corn kernels (I used frozen)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Heat canola oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet and sauté onions for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.

Melt butter over medium high heat in a large stockpot. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one minute or until mixture starts to brown. Add chicken stock, red peppers, tomato paste, ancho chile powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and sautéed onions to the stockpot and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Add 14 ounces lump crabmeat and use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth or place batches in a blender and process until smooth.

Add cream to the stockpot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through; stir in lime juice and salt. Scoop into 4 serving bowls and garnish with remaining 2 ounces crabmeat, corn kernels, and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 580 calories, 41.1g fat, 4.0g fiber, 24.4g protein per serving
Cost: $5.31 per serving

Of all the fresh summer veggies in season right now, my favorites are yellow squash and zucchini. In fact, I often sauté 4-6 of them on Sunday nights so we can enjoy them as one of our side dishes all week! My love for summer squash first blossomed when I was learning to cook the summer after I graduated from college. I was living at home and my parents had a huge garden that was overflowing with summer squash. Every week I set about the task of finding a new recipe to use them in and I think this challenge really sparked my love of cooking because I had so much fun learning about all the different ways you could use one ingredient!

I recently saw a zucchini basil soup on a restaurant menu and immediately knew I wanted to recreate a healthy version at home. I thickened the soup with a potato instead of heavy cream and did my best to balance the bright basil with just the right amount of zucchini so that both flavors were well balanced. The raw zucchini on top was my favorite part because it added some texture to the dish. I can’t wait until I have my own garden full of summer squash!

Zucchini Basil Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large zucchini, shredded with a coarse cheese grater (4 cups)
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté shallots for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add 3 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, potato pieces, and stock and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in basil and salt and puree soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Scoop soup into 4 bowls and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup shredded zucchini. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 199 calories, 4.2g fat, 6.9g fiber, 6.4g protein per serving
Cost: $1.52 per serving

If you follow me on twitter, you may have noticed that I’ve been raving about Apolinaras’ spinach and lentil soup. He has tweaked the recipe to perfection and it’s so good that I find myself filling up a bowl with it instead of ice cream for my late night snack. Don’t let its humble appearance and short ingredient list fool you – it’s completely addicting!

Since Apolinaras doesn’t follow recipes or measure ingredients, I tagged alongside him while he was making it this weekend so I could jot down exactly how he crafts his masterpiece. In the true spirit of my hubby, it’s super easy to put together. You literally just put everything in a pot and allow it to simmer! You can’t beat something that is this good for you and easy to make.  I’m very happy that I can now make this myself on the days that he’s too busy to get into the kitchen!

Spinach and Lentil Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup lentils
1 pound fresh baby spinach
2 teaspoons lemon pepper spice blend
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon

Directions:
Place chicken stock, lentils, baby spinach, lemon pepper spice blend, and olive oil in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender. Mix in lemon juice. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 156 calories, 7.9g fat, 6.5g fiber, 8.8g protein per serving
Cost: $1.53 per serving

Anyway, the concept sort of made me giggle since my brother and I are both adults and haven’t cared about keeping things “even” for a long time. I told her I didn’t need anything, but when she wouldn’t let the matter go, I finally emailed her my current cookbook wishlist. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to organizational matters and always have a current list of books I want to request from the library on my laptop, along with a list of the cooking/photography gadgets I want to buy next and restaurants that I want to visit among other things. You don’t even want to see the list I keep with recipe ideas! So I sent her the list and look what just came in the mail – yay, thanks Mom!

I curled up with a beer on the couch last Friday night and took my time browsing through them all. I’m most excited about the 660 Curries book (thanks for the recommendation Natashya!) since one of my foodie goals is to learn how to make saag paneer. I can’t find an Indian place that I really love by us, so it’s a necessity! All the recipes looked SO good but I didn’t have all the authentic ingredients needed for them, so to satisfy my Indian craving, I made this soup with what I had on hand. It was inspired by the recipe in the book for Restaurant-Style Cauliflower and Potatoes.

I wanted to keep things on the lighter side, so I roasted cauliflower and used it and a few potatoes to thicken the soup. I used a plethora of spices too and added in some peas at the end. It was very tasty and perfect to enjoy in this rainy weather we’ve been having in Boston lately. I’m already excited to head to the Indian market with my good friend Geeti next weekend. She’s going to show me around, and of course I already have a list ready to go of various spices to stock up on. I especially can’t wait to get my hands on some paneer!

Indian Spiced Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (8 cups, 28 ounces)
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups frozen peas
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Drizzle one tablespoon canola oil over cauliflower florets on a large greased cookie sheet and roast at 400˚F for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender, stirring once halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and turmeric and sauté 1 additional minute while stirring. Add chicken stock, water, potatoes, and tomato paste and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Add cauliflower to the soup and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Add milk, vinegar, peas, and salt to the pureed soup and stir until smooth. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 284 calories, 6.6g fat, 10.7g fiber, 12.4g protein per serving
Cost: $1.75 per serving

As promised, here’s the recipe for the crab bisque I served at our lab ski retreat. This is my favorite soup recipe on my blog so far, although it’s not really a fair comparison because it’s the only one that contains heavy cream and butter – it’s nice to splurge every once and awhile!

We always get our fresh lump crabmeat from Costco (it’s in the produce section by the guacamole) because it’s high quality and not too pricey at $13 a pound. I had a feeling we wouldn’t be able to find crabmeat at the small grocery store by our ski house, so my PI, Carla, was nice enough to go to Costco, stash the lump crabmeat in a cooler, and bring it with her! It was a good thing too, because the seafood section at the store was pretty sad, and I couldn’t even find pancetta for the stuffed chicken recipe below and ended up having to use bacon instead!

The crab is definitely the star of this dish, but I did build additional layers of flavor by also using leeks, garlic, roasted red peppers, and tomato paste (which I finally found in a tube – yay)! I also thickened the bisque with a roux and added some red wine vinegar for a little extra tang. I used an immersion blender so there were still some pieces of crabmeat, which I actually enjoyed, but you can definitely put it in the food processor if you want a smoother consistency. It’s so rainy and miserable in Boston right now that just looking at the picture is making me crave a nice big bowl. Although, I actually have a feeling I’m going to crave a bowl every time I look at this post, even in the middle of summer!

Crab and Red Pepper Bisque
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté leeks for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium high heat in a large stockpot. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one minute or until mixture starts to brown. Add chicken stock, red peppers, tomato paste, 14 ounces crabmeat, basil, and sautéed leeks to the stockpot and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth.

Add heavy cream, red wine vinegar, and salt to the stockpot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Scoop into serving bowls and garnish with remaining 2 ounces crabmeat. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 687 calories, 55.3g fat, 2.5g fiber, 14.8g protein per serving
Cost: $5.30 per serving

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of all our goodies from Eva’s farm share this week, but the bounty was similar to last time, except we got green peppers and wheat berries instead of the baby spinach and golden beets. I made quick use of the green peppers in fajitas and the Swiss chard in Camilla’s tasty Lentil Soup with Italian Sausage and Swiss Chard, but I’m still stumped on the wheat berries – any suggestions?

I was also able wrestle away some of the sweet potatoes from Apolinaras this time (and by wrestle away, I mean hide in the back of the cabinet!), and decided to whip up a soup with them since it’s been so rainy and windy in Boston lately. I decided on a Thai twist because I was craving the sweet potato curry from Sugar and Spice, so I simmered the sweet potatoes with fresh ginger, lemongrass, red curry paste, lime juice, and coconut milk. The lovely orange hue made me smile and the flavor did not disappoint – yum!

Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon red curry paste (or to taste, 1 tablespoon makes it pretty spicy!)
4 cups chicken stock
2 three-inch pieces lemongrass
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into chunks (4 cups, 32 ounces peeled)
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup light coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Heat oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté onions for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add ginger and curry paste and sauté one minute. Add chicken stock, lemongrass, and sweet potatoes to the stockpot and simmer with the pot covered for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove lemongrass and stir in lime juice, coconut milk, and salt. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 303 calories, 9.4g fat, 7.4g fiber, 5.6g protein per serving
Cost: $1.31 per serving

And two of my best friends from college, Susie and Emily!

One of the non-wedding highlights of the trip was that I got to meet Meghan of You’re Gonna Bake it After All! Meghan and I bonded right away because we started our blogs around the same time and both went to graduate school in Chicago. In fact, we both got our PhDs in cancer biology, believe it or not – what a small world! She is just as gorgeous, smart, warm, and down to earth as she comes across in her blog, and it really felt like we had been friends for a long time as we chatted over brunch at Yolk.

When I ordered the Tuscan Frittata, she just smiled knowingly and commented that she thought I may get that one because it was topped with goat cheese. Yep, she knows me well! So today’s spiced pumpkin soup recipe is for Meghan, who is a big soup and turkey bacon fan!

Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Turkey Bacon
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garam marsala
3 cups chicken stock
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat and add bacon to the pan; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Add onions and carrots to the same stockpot and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, curry powder, turmeric, and garam marsala, and sauté one additional minute or until fragrant. Add chicken stock, pumpkin, 3/4 of the cooked turkey bacon, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender and puree to desired smoothness. Mix in white wine vinegar. Scoop into bowls and garnish with remaining turkey bacon. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 220 calories, 11.3g fat, 4.0g fiber, 10.6g protein per serving
Cost: $1.15 per serving

We spent our first night in the city dining at Craft. I was actually a bit nervous about visiting Craft because I am a huge Top Chef fan and didn’t want to be disappointed by Tom Colicchio’s flagship restaurant, but I shouldn’t have worried because both the food and unpretentious service were wonderful! I convinced my mom that we should start with the octopus appetizer, and I was completely tickled when she actually admitted she enjoyed it (it was the best octopus I’ve ever had!). Meals are served family style at Craft so while I had the braised short ribs (which were so tender that they were served with a spoon!) and my mom had the duck, we shared an arugula and lemon salad, gnocchi, zucchini, and a mix of oyster, baby shiitake, hen of the woods, and trompette royale mushrooms – yum! We just had an ice cream and sorbet sampler for dessert since we were so stuffed and I would return just for the amazing raspberry sorbet! The cute surprise at the end of the night was that the hostess handed us super moist zucchini muffins to enjoy for breakfast the next morning!

The next morning we were still stuffed from dinner, but we put on our game faces and took a long walk to make room for pizza! A visit to NYC would not be complete without sampling the best pizza the city has to offer, so when I came across Scott’s Pizza Tours, I immediately signed us up. Scott is a super enthusiastic pizza historian. We rode a huge yellow school bus through Manhattan and Brooklyn and visited four pizzerias, where we learned about the history of pizza and ovens, and got to sample a slice of pie at each stop. Our favorite place was Luzzo’s, but don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself! I would highly, highly recommend this tour for any pizza loving foodie!

Over the last couple of days we relaxed in Central park, spent a few hours wandering through the MoMA, visited Times Square and hummed along at the fun Broadway muscial Mama Mia, chowed down on dirty water hot dogs, and enjoyed a feast of lobster egg rolls, tuna tartare spring rolls, twice cooked long beans, sweet and crispy jumbo shrimp, and roast duck and noodles at Buddakan. We sure packed a lot into a few short days! I was definitely in food blogger mode when I saw Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup series in the MoMA and immediately knew it would be the perfect picture for a blog post about soup, which brings me to today’s recipe.

I was craving a nice light and healthy veggie soup when I returned home and that decided roasted yellow peppers should be the star. This is a very light soup because I didn’t use any cream or milk, but it’s still very smooth because I thickened it by adding some butternut squash!

Roasted Yellow Pepper and Leek Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 yellow peppers, seeded and cut into fourths
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 12-ounce package frozen cooked butternut squash, thawed
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven broiler. Place peppers skin side up on a greased cookie sheet and broil for 15 to 20 minutes or until outsides are black and charred. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes or until cool to touch. Remove blackened skins and roughly chop roasted peppers.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté leeks and carrots until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add roasted peppers, butternut squash, chicken stock, and salt, and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish each bowl with parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 176 calories, 5.8g fat, 7.1g fiber, 5.9g protein per serving
Cost: $1.93 per serving

I’m not one of those people that can ignore hunger pains. I get super cranky when my tummy is growling and can’t concentrate. So whenever I end up working late, I take a short break and head over to the Au Bon Pain in the hospital to buy dinner. My intention is always to get a healthy salad, but it almost never happens. When I’m tired and wishing I could have left work hours ago, I crave comfort food, which for me, is a nice big bowl of creamy broccoli and cheddar soup and a piece of focaccia!

It was dreary and drizzling all week and I knew I wanted to make a nice big pot of comforting soup to enjoy. This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to Trader Joe’s where I found a package of super cute mini-ravioli. I always find some amazing new ingredient there!  All the fresh veggies really brighten up this soup and the mini-ravioli and cream make it very filling. I rarely cook with cream, but I had some left over from the ganache I made earlier, and didn’t want it to go to waste. I noticed Cara uses low fat cottage cheese to make her asparagus soup super creamy, so I’m definitely going to try that next time!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Florentine Soup with Mini-Ravioli
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half
4 red peppers, cut into fourths
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Trader Joe’s mini-ravioli
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups (4 ounces) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat the broiler. Place sliced tomatoes and red peppers on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss the veggies to make sure they are evenly coated with the oil and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, or until blackened. Discard any extra liquid, peel the veggies, and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot and sauté chopped leeks for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

Place roasted tomatoes, red peppers, and sauted leeks in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Pour blended veggies back into stockpot and add chicken stock and salt. Bring the soup to a boil and add mini-ravioli. Boil for 15 minutes or until mini-ravioli are tender. Add cream and spinach and stir until spinach has wilted. Makes 6 servings. Garnish with feta cheese.

Nutrition: 403 calories, 19.9g fat, 5.0g fiber, 15.6g protein per serving
Cost: $2.20 per serving

I had gumbo with chicken and Andouille sausage for dinner tonight, followed by hot chocolate and beignets – yep, I’m in New Orleans! I’m here for a scientific conference and walked around the city tonight for a couple hours after my talk this afternoon. I was stressed about the talk (which thankfully, went really well!), so it great to finally blow off some steam!

There’s a music festival in the French Quarter this weekend with over 150 bands playing on 17 different stages, so it was really fun people watching – everyone was dancing and chowing down on food and drinks from the various vendors. I still have “When the Saints Go Marching In” stuck in my head! I had a bowl of gumbo, and then went back and got another because it was so good. I know, I know, I should have sampled something different, but I just couldn’t help myself! I’ll have to check out some other New Orleans’ favorites tomorrow. I’m already looking forward to the extra beignets I snagged for breakfast tomorrow.

After having all that delicious gumbo, I was inspired to post one of my favorite soup recipes. Black bean soup is so flavorful and healthy. It’s definitely not the most beautiful meal out there, but it’s a tasty one pot meal that involves minimal clean up!

Spicy Black Bean Soup with Turkey Bacon
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
8 slices turkey bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:
Cook turkey bacon, 4 pieces at a time, in a large stockpot over medium heat. Remove cooked bacon and crumble. Add olive oil to the same pan the bacon was cooked in and sauté carrots and onions until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add chicken stock, black beans, cumin, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and bacon, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender and puree to desired smoothness (I like to leave mine a tad chunky!). Mix red wine vinegar and corn starch in a small dish, and add to the soup. Simmer another 5 minutes or until desired thickness is reached. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 344 calories, 9.7g fat, 11.6g fiber, 20.0g protein per serving
Cost: $0.69 per serving

Wow – I was hoping we were done with the snow for this year, but Mother Nature had other plans for the Northeast. I actually don’t mind the snow too much, because I don’t have to worry about driving on the slick roads. I have a pair of cute snow boots (thanks Mom!) that keep my toes warm during my commute on public transportation. This weather  does, however, make me want to curl up with a big bowl of soup, so that’s exactly what I made tonight.

This recipe was inspired by the great chicken florentine soup I always order when I go to Biaggi’s with my parents in Iowa. Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to add any cream, so I thickened it up with some potatoes and added plenty of leeks and garlic. The best part is that this is a one pot meal so there is minimal clean up. I usually double the recipe if we we’re in the mood for leftovers.

Chicken Florentine Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock
3 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
2 cups (4 ounces) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:
In a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté leeks for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

Add chicken stock and potatoes to the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth and creamy. Add chicken and spinach, and simmer for 10 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

Whisk flour and salt into the milk until smooth, and gradually stir the milk into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition: 355 calories, 10.8g fat, 1.8g fiber, 43.2g protein per serving
Cost: $1.53 per serving