Slow Cooker Refried Bean Soup

So, we had a new tradition for Thanksgiving this year. I was asked to make burritos. I made tortillas, spanish rice and refried beans from scratch. However, the beans had too much liquid and ended up being a little runny, and I made too much (a whole pound of pinto beans!). So, I was looking for a good refried bean soup recipe and as always, Taste of Home had a great one!

Some changes I made were to substitute the stewed tomatos with rotel. Also added bacon, garlic and fresh, chopped yellow onion. I was out of canned black beans and didn't take time to soak and cook so I used canned Canellini beans instead. It worked out well. Also added redmond salt, pepper and, at the end, topped with broken tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro. 

The great thing about the slow cooker is you can keep it on the counter overnight and have leftovers the next day. 

*See separate posts for the tortillas, spanish rice and refried beans recipes. 

Refried Bean Soup

1 can (16 ounces) spicy fat-free refried beans

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1/2 cup water

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1/4 cup salsa

Tortilla chips

Nourishing Noodle Soup (Forks Over Knives)

There's a chill in the air this week so Chicken Noodle Soup sounded good Saturday night. The hubby doesn't like the traditional Reame's-style noodle or even the spaghetti-style noodle so I usually replace it with rice. This time I decided to try orzo pasta. I also like looking at other recipes for inspiration. Forks Over Knives magazine won the prize. I ended up modifying it with the following: replaced canned jackfruit with chicken (not a fan of canned ingredients); used green onions instead of chives; used orzo instead of linguine; used fresh lemon juice instead of zest. Yummo! This meal is definitely on the comfort food list without all the guilt. Super easy to make, especially if you cook the chicken in the same pot and just keep adding the ingredients over 20 minutes or so then let it cook for an hour. Can't wait for leftovers tonight. :)

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/quick-easy-vegan-noodle-soup/#gs.s2mvim

Quick Chicken Pho (Slow Cooker)

We love going out for Pho when it's a chilly day. It's a very warming soup. I came across this recipe on the BBC.co.uk/food site as a modernized "quick" version (not requiring the days of cooking OxTail). The Chinese 5 Spice was key to capturing the flavor of Pho. Unlike in the restaurant, I was unable to find Vietnamese fresh Coriander, so I had to settle with Cilantro. I also use chicken tenderloins (rather than a whole chicken to speed up the process) and Maggi brand "soy"(which I buy by the case on Amazon). The hubby likes Hoisin and Sriracha added to his for an extra kick! I also forgot the fish sauce this round, but it didn't affect our recollection of how Pho should taste. At some point, I'd love to cook genuine pho using OxTail, but for a quick imitation, this one is great!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_pho_97726

Thai Sweet Potato Carrot Soup

Carrot Recipe #2

[A couple of weeks ago, the hubby harvested carrots from our garden--a big basket full! I decided to explore the world of recipes that contain carrots. It didn't really feel like we had a daily ration of carrots because of the multiple ways they can be served and prepared.]

This is probably my favorite that I'll make again later this fall when it's soup weather. Carrots and sweet potatoes taste so good together! I didn't puree as instructed but cooked it down as a thick stew. I also somehow completely missed the roasted cashews section of this recipe, but ended up serving it with chicken anyway, so the double protein would have been unnecessary. I also added fresh lime juice and cilantro at the end. It's a great side dish for any meat of choice.

https://reciperunner.com/thai-sweet-potato-carrot-soup/

Artichoke Soup a la Barigoule

This Magazine is so much fun especially on these cold days. Last night we had chicken feta brats, air fried potato wedges and this soup. I ended up buying archichokes from King Soopers olive bar in the deli to save time and add flavor/oil. Although there are a lot of ingredients, each one brought a completeness to the dish. I didn’t add any salt as there was plenty of flavor already. It turned out absolutely delicious!

Thai-Style Turkey Soup

We buy turkeys during the holidays when they’re on sale and load up our freezer. Our Anatolian shepherds get daily treats of meat. Sometimes it’s beef, pork, fish or poultry. Usually I cook enough to last a week and lately it’s been turkey. It’s so handy to have in the fridge and since I’m on my kick in this Magazine, tonight was turkey soup night. I added red pepper flakes for extra zing. So good and  healthy! Of course my carby hubby needed rice to go with it. Bonus-it only took 20-30 minutes to make.

Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup

The bright side to cold snowy days are all the new soup recipes I can try. I was in the mood for tortellini and had some Italian and German pork sausage in the freezer from our farm. This recipe met my expectations and satisfied my cravings. FYI-don’t add salt, there is plenty in the pork and chicken broth. Next time, I think I’ll add chopped tomatoes or roasted red pepper.

https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/2017/02/creamy-sausage-and-tortellini-soup/?utm_content=buffer435b7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer&epik=dj0yJnU9alRPcWZ4S3pmQTI2TV9ZakE0cWlQNEt1bWljYVEzT0Qmbj1wRXBRUFA4UjZ0aUhydzBDLUxQN1d3Jm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRnhxREw4

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

I saw this Magazine at Sprouts recently and had to check it out. Normally I peruse the internet for recipes related to what I have on-hand but lately the hubby has been needing some healthier options. What I love about this book is that it’s Soups and Stews for 2. In the past, I would make a normal-sized pot and we would end up eating only half and get burned out. Now I can cook small and try meals from around the world...I think Morocco is next :)

Friday was a very blustery snowy day and clam chowder sounded good to warm the belly. I didn't have any clams so I went with Cod instead. I actually looked through several recipes and decided on this one. I added yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and some left over roasted red pepper alfredo sauce, milk and cornstarch for creaminess since I was out of heavy whipping cream. I've tried white fish soup recipes in the past, but they didn't have a good flavor. The cod was amazing in the dish; I also read haddock is good--might try that one next time. This dish was a big winner! [If you need to pass around to a bigger guest list, try serving with cooked rice to make it go farther.]

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/corn-and-cod-chowder

Ham, Potato and Broccoli Cheese Soup

Well, it's a rainy/snowy day; that's how Colorado does spring. Don't know what it is about cold, dreary weather that makes soup taste so good. I used 2 ham steaks and cut them up; used my handy dicer on my KitchenAid mixer for the potatoes (makes perfect cubes); and had fresh broccoli that needed using up. In general, I cook healthy dinners, but tonight, I didn't hold back with the cream and cheese--it's the only way to truly make comfort food. :) Thumbs up from the hubby...I don't think this soup will last long. ;)

https://themccallumsshamrockpatch.com/2015/01/05/broccoli-cheese-soup/

Sausage, Potato and Sauerkraut Soup (Instant Pot)

I think we're averaging one (ground) sausage recipe per week. I definitely need to keep finding good German Sausage recipes. I loosely based my soup on this recipe. First, I sauted the sausage in the instant pot then added the rest of the ingredients. We still have potatoes from our garden and I used a jar of my homemade sauerkraut. I also added carrots. The bay leaf and caraway seed made it taste amazing. The hubby also added sour cream and cheese at the end. Using the instant pot, I was able to get all cooked in under 30 minutes!  Delish!

http://deliciousfoodhomemade.com/polish-sausage-sauerkraut-and-potatoes-crockpot/

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

I have a freezer full of kale, chard and zucchini; I also have boxes of potatoes--blessings of the garden harvest. I don't think I've actually eaten the Olive Garden version, but the ingredients were perfect to give it a try. Oh man! I am super glad I tried this one. The ingredients sounded good, but when you put it all together it's Amazing! I did make a few changes: I used chicken thighs instead of sausage, added some lemon juice and used Arrowroot instead of cornstarch, and opted for the kale. I think next time I'll ad quinoa or rice, otherwise this is one really worth a go.

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a45873/copycat-olive-garden-zuppa-toscana-recipe/

Chicken Avocado Lime Soup

The hubby bought a bag of limes last week, so I've had to figure out what to do with them. Although margaritas come to mind, I decided to first (re-)make Salsa Verde (Green Chili), then made Green Chili Breakfast Burrito Casserole and tonight Chicken Avocado Lime Soup. I added black beans, corn, and green chili.  I served it with tortillas, sour cream and shredded cheese. Definitely a good one for a cold night. :)

https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-avocado-lime-soup/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicken-avocado-lime-soup

Baked Potato Soup

The potatoes are starting to come in from the garden! I was craving baked potato soup, so I found this recipe on Pinterest. I used it loosely and probably didn't really need a recipe, but it was a nice reference point. I often review several recipes for the same dish to see what I want to incorporate into mine. I ended up adding peas (also from the garden), shredded cheeses (leftover Queso, Sharp Cheddar and Mexican blends), cream of mushroom, fresh mushrooms, salt and pepper, omitted the butter, flour and heavy cream, and doubled the sour cream. Of course the hubby had to add Franks ;) So delicious!

http://ashleemarie.com/loaded-baked-potato-soup-recipe/

Favorite Hamburger Stew

I've had this one set aside for a while, but finally decided to make it. It reminds me of growing up in a rural community in Kansas with mainly just meat, potatoes and salt and pepper. As I've branched out in my kitchen skills, I've since learned to add additional spices. A nice bonus was that the hubby bought heirloom tomatoes that needed to be used up-yum! This recipe is a great example of READ THE REVIEWS before making it. I took the advice of others and added garlic, basil, oregano and beef broth. I love the idea of adding V8 and barley--maybe next time. Can't wait to have a bowl tonight!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-hamburger-stew

Thai Chicken Curry

Last week, the two of us managed to catch a cold from somewhere, so I wanted a chicken soup that would  warm the belly and the soul. For some it's chicken noodle soup, but for me it's Thai Chicken curry with chicken thighs. I loosely used the following recipe, but mainly used chicken broth, coconut milk, yellow curry powder, fish sauce, yellow onion, cilantro, carrots, orange bell pepper, potatoes and rice. The hubby bought me a KitchenAid mixer and one of the attachments was a spiralizer. I used it for the carrots and was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was; I saved a lot of time that I would have spent chopping. I know this recipe was instrumental in our recovery. :)

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/sites/default/files/styles/recipe/public/recipe_images/recipe-image-legacy-id--1035606_11.jpg?itok=3ny7oaux

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

I found this recipe in an email recently and decided I "had" to make it. Believe it or not, I've never used fresh pumpkin, but the decision was pretty easy at the store....1 14oz can of organic pumpkin was 4.99 and 2 pumpkin pie size pumpkins were 2 for $5...no brainer. I couldn't believe how much edible pumpkin these 2 produced as well as the happy pigs that loved the skins. I wanted to use dry black beans, but ran out of time, so I did use canned beans. We still have racks of tomatoes that are ripening in the sun room, so they worked great. Every 2 weeks, I make chicken broth for the dogs and so I added the shredded chicken from the last batch. The hubby was extremely impressed with the chili and has decided that pie pumpkins and/or Hubbard squash will be planted in the garden next year. I'm really excited about the new recipe opportunities that are now open, similar to our first crack at butternut last year :)

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/black-bean--n--pumpkin-chili

Salmon Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk

I was cleaning out our freezer this week and pulled out salmon and a bag of last year's summer squash (chopped). I decided I needed to make salmon corn chowder. I've made it in the past but always felt it was missing something. After finding this recipe (on Pinterest) which uses coconut milk, I now have a keeper. I ended up adding a bag of mixed vegetable to give it color since the hubby doesn't eat peppers. I also added arrowroot at the end to thicken it up. Even the hubby had seconds AND leftovers :)

http://www.mariaushakova.com/2015/09/salmon-corn-chowder-with-coconut-milk/#_a5y_p=4393816

Salmon Chowder

I was tired of the same old baked salmon so I wanted a healthy version of soup/chowder. I googled "aip salmon chowder" and found this amazing recipe. Coconut milk makes everything delicious and the fresh leek, rutabaga and fennel was a great addition. I also added corn and would have loved to add red bell pepper, but the hubby doesn't tolerate bells very well.

http://healingfamilyeats.com/hearty-salmon-chowder-aip/

Paleo Lemon Chicken Kale Soup

End of the week food inventory....Chicken breast, lemons, kale....Pinterest....Aha! I found (on my own board labeled "Bucket List:SOUP" this recipe. For more bulk (and goodness), I added some frozen zucchini and yellow squash (from our garden). The recipe actually says it's creamy because they use a food processor for the onion w/olive oil. I skipped that step because I like chunks of onion in my soup. I also only put in 2 cups of broth and the frozen veggies, chicken and salt help liquify for just the right amount of juices. It's sometimes hard to judge because the hubby doesn't like his soup too "soupy". Since we're not strict paleo'ers, I probably would have added cornstarch to thicken if need be but it turned out great! I purposefully chose a night when the teenager wasn't home because this dish IS earthy (and delicious to us old folks). :D  Bon appetit!

http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-recipe/autoimmune-paleo-creamy-lemon-chicken-kale-soup/