Fall, it’s here whether we like it or not. Goodbye long days, farmer’s market and Sunday morning bike rides.
Hello soup!
I love a good warm bowl of soup. Pair it with an apple grilled cheese and I am full and happy.
Today I am honored to present our first guest recipe from a lovely lady named Kira. Kira and I worked together a long, long time ago and recently reconnected on Facebook. Even though I know her from way back, I had no idea she was a great cook and creator of fantastic recipes. After seeing a few posts about her tasty creations I asked her if she wouldn’t mind sharing a recipe with me for the blog. I am so glad she accepted.
Before I share the recipe, here’s Kira’s philosophy behind the recipes she creates:
I would have to say I am “inspired” by health and wellness! I have made the changes in my lifestyle, and positively refuse to diet! But that doesn’t mean I don’t crave a fatty fast food fix or a big ole’ Andy’s custard every now and then! So I take my favorite foods, and try to come up with ways to make them healthier by swapping the ingredients to lower all the “bad stuff” like sodium, fat, and sugar. I also try to boost the nutritional value of whatever it is I am creating. I look for swaps that will up the fiber, protein, and quality fats in the finished product. And of course, it has to taste AWESOME!!!
I have to say, she nailed it with this next recipe, a tasty, filling, chock full of good stuff soup recipe. I used shiitake mushrooms, which gave this soup a wonderful flavor as well as gave it some “heft” without a lot of calories.
Mushroom Minestrone
- 10 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, julienned
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3c. vegetable broth
- 16oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans(chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- ½ tbsp. dried parsley
- ¼ tsp curry powder (more or less to taste)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
- ½ c small shaped pasta (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
*Note: Any of the above canned items (broth, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans) can be substituted for Low Sodium/No Salt Added products to control the sodium.
Heat a soup pot over medium/high heat. Add olive oil, onions, and mushrooms. Sauté until mushroom and onions are tender and begin to brown on the edges, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. At this point, you may add the small shaped pasta if using, and cook until pasta is barely tender. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a blender add about 1/3 of the can of the garbanzo beans, and remaining 1 cup of broth. Puree until completely smooth. Add puree to the pot, along with remaining garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes, parsley, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and a few grids of black pepper. Stir to combine, and return to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook about ten minutes more, or until reduced to desired consistency. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Garnish with additional fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
Makes 4 servings
I loved this recipe and I think all of you will too! Thank you so much Kira for sharing your talent with all of us!
