Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Many think that a creamy soup is fatting, unhealthy and not a nutritious choice for those looking to keep healthy. This could not be further from the truth! This soup has every nutrient you need in one bowl! Healthy Fats (coconut milk & fats), Protein (whole chicken), Complex Carbs (whole grain rice & veggies), and tons of micronutrients from the bone stock!!  The best part is this soup is satisfying and filling not leaving you reaching for snacks a few hours later! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1/2 red pepper, diced

• 1 cup carrots, diced

• 1 cup celery, leafy part too, diced

• 2 cups mushrooms, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, pressed

• 2-3 tbsp butter

• 1-2 tbsp flour ( I use GF cassava flour)

• 4 cups bone broth

• 1 cup wild rice

• 4 cups shredded or chunked cooked chicken

• 2-16oz full fat coconut milk

• 2 bay leaves

• 1-1/4 tsp+ sea salt

• 1/2 tsp +pepper 

Time to make:

Heat stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter, onions, peppers. Sautee till softened then add remaining veggies, plus the garlic.  Cook down till all have softened and add remaining butter. Once butter is melted we will make the roux. This gives the thickness to the soup. Sprinkle flour over mixture. Stir and combine mixture for 2 minutes till it is a little thick. Now you will slowly add one cup of broth and stir till it is thick.

Then keep adding, one cup at a time doing the same process. After all the broth is in, add salt, pepper, bay leaf and wild rice. Bring to boil then return to low. Cover the pot and cook on low for 30-45 minutes till the rice is cooked. Once rice is tender, add remaining ingredients, bring to boil again then turn to low for 5-10 minutes! Time to eat!!

Side Notes: if you tolerate dairy you can use cream, whole milk, etc. Also, you can make rice add of time and add fully cook to cut the time down. For best result use homemade bone broth. Here is my version

 

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken thighs

• 1 can 28 oz diced tomatoes

• 1 can black beans

• 1 can diced chiles

• 1-16 oz frozen corn

• 8 cups bone broth

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 2 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 cup taco seasoning (MY RECIPE)

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp salt 

• cheeses, avocado, sour cream

Directions:

Add oil to the soup pot over medium heat. Once warmed up put in onions, peppers, garlic, and chicken. Sprinkle this mixture with about 1-2 tbsp of taco seasoning. Once the chicken is cooked add rest of ingredients and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with, Sour Cream, Guacamole, even shredded cheeses. 

Adaption for the crockpot. Cook the chicken as instructed on the stove then add all ingredients to the crockpot cook on low for 8-10 hrs. 

Veggie Loaded Chili

Getting vegetables into our kid's diet can be a bit of a challenge. Picking kids are the number one issues that parents struggle within the cooking arena. I get it, truly! Soups and sauces are a fantastic way to sneak in those greens. This Chili recipe is a hit with many kids, I do leave the beans out if making for really picky kids. One tip to get kids on board, load up the cheese and even tortilla chips to make it even more enticing. Remember that it can that it can take up to 7 times for a child to catch on to a food. Keep offering my friends. Don't give up! 

The Veggies!!!

This is where you get to play with your food! What are some of your favorite veggies? I like to choose veggies that can hold up to cooking and seasonal choices as well. This gives such an interesting flavor. Pumpkin, butternut squash, even greens can be added. Again if you have picky eaters, dice or chop finely. I do always have the trinity of cooking. Onions, peppers, and celery. These need to be sautee in fats to soften! I do a little sautee on all the veggies to give them a good coating of fats and seasonings! 

There are some cans and jugs used in chili unless you can your tomatoes. Gardening is not my gift, trust me I have tried! So canned organic tomatoes it is! I LOVE Trader Joe's garden patch veggie juice! No added junk and very flavorful! Add in my homemade taco seasoning and you have a winner! Time for the recipe!!

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, pressed

• 1 green pepper, diced

• 1 cup mushroom diced

• 1 cup celery, diced

• 2 cups carrots, chopped

• 2 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup zucchini

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

• 2 cans 28 oz diced tomatoes

• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed

• 1 can navy beans, rinsed

• 64 oz tomato/veggie juice.

• 3/4-1 cup chili seasoning ( my recipe)

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• shredded cheese and greek yogurt for toppings

Directions:

Heat large stock pot on medium high heat. Then add beef, onions and garlic, sprinkle with 2 tbsp chili seasoning. Cook till beef done. Then add in all veggies and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Then add rest of seasoning, I start light and add more as needed. Veggie juice and beans then bring to a boil. Add a little water as needed to get to consistency you like.  I do try to use organic as much as possible. 

You can make in crock pot, you do need to cook beef onions and garlic as well as cooking the veggies a bit then add to crockpot on low for 8 hrs. 

 

Meatball Soup

This is truly one of my kids absolute favorite, every single time!! So much so that it made the cut for my cookbook Mom, Can I Take That for Lunch, 50 Family Favorites from our real food kitchen!  Super simple soup that is loaded with veggies. You can actually add rice, pasta or potato or just leave as a broth base. 

Diced up your Veggies, Onions, Celery ( tops too) and carrots! If you like a smaller dice go for it. I am more of a rustic soup gal so I do not worry about a perfect dice cut. This will be the base of the soup along with garlic

Add Garlic and Oil to pot cook for a minute. Then just add the bowl of veggies. Mix and cook for 3-5 minutes. 

Add this beautiful broth and water to the mix and bring to a boil. As this is working begin to make the meatballs. 

Add your meats, eggs, ground oats (gluten free option) or bread crumbs and spices. Mix until till combined. 

Roll up those meatballs and drop into the boiling broth. Once all the balls are in the soup, reduce the heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. If you choose to add a starch ( diced potato, rice or noodle) this is when you will add. 

After the meatballs are done, you will add a pound of baby spinach. I do this a little at a time so it can cook down to make room for the whole batch. Cook till wilted, about 8-10 minutes

And....You are ready to EAT!!

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Here is the Recipe: MeatBall Soup

The Meatballs:

•        1 LB ground beef

•        1/2 ground pork

•        1 cup oats (ground)

•        1 tsp garlic

•        1 tsp pepper

•        1 tsp salt

•        1/2 tsp nutmeg

•        1 egg

Soup:

•      3 C Carrots, Celery & Onion, finely diced

•      3 garlic cloves; pressed

•      6 C bone broth

•      2 C water

•      2 tsp Salt

•      1 tsp Pepper

•       bay leaf

•      1 lb spinach

Directions: In dutch oven or stock pot melt 2 tbsp butter & sauté carrots, celery, onion till translucent. Add pressed garlic for 3 minutes. Then add bone broth and water. Add bay leaf and seasonings. While this comes to a rolling boil begin making the meatballs.

Add all the meatball ingredients into large bowl & mix till combined. You will roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.  When broth begins boiling add meatballs. Once all the balls are in, cook for 15 min then add potatoes   (or you can add noodle/rice if so chose) & cook for another 10 minutes.

Then add the spinach, cook another 5 minutes till spinach is wilted. Then serve with love!

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Chili Seasoning

• 2 1/2 tbsp Chili Powder
• 3 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Sea Salt
• 1/2 cayenne

Mix and store in air tight container. I use Organic spices as often as possible. BUT not required.