Lamb Meatball Pho

A little twist on the classic Vietnamese soup!  Perfect for a cold, rainy night - just the right amount of spice, heartiness, and warm broth.  You can substitute most of these ingredients for what you have on hand - I'm sure it will still come out delicious! 

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pack ground lamb (or meat of your choice)
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (can sub 2 cups water + 1 bullion cube)
• 1 pack rice noodles (whatever noodles you have on hand will work)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb ginger, peeled and minced or sliced thin
• 2 baby bok choy, chopped or broken apart with the leaves whole (can sub spinach or other greens)
• 1 jalapeno (optional)
• 2 scallions, chopped into small rounds with the white parts separated from the green
• 1 lime (optional)
• 1/4 cup panko
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. Use a large basin or mixing bowl to combine the ground meat with the onion, garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, panko and salt.  Mix just well enough to combine, don't over-mix.
2. Form meatballs out of the mixture and lightly sear them in a wok or pot with the vegetable oil.
3. Add the ginger and sautee for about a minute, then pour in the broth and noodles.
4. Let the noodles cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the bok choy and the white parts of the scallions.  You can also add the jalapeno slices now if you're using them.
5. Once the noodles are cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), serve hot garnished with the fresh mint leaves and green parts of the scallions!

Fish Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

Here's another 20 minute meal for you!  A delicious, light, soury soup that is loaded with tamarind paste, meaty trout, crunchy summer squash and daikon radishes - and my personal addition: sliced habañero peppers!  You can tell I'm on a habañero craze :) 

Sinigang is served even during summertime in the Philippines.  It encompasses all of my favorite elements of a home-cooked meal: ethnic, healthy, fast, and delicious! 

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rainbow trout or fish of your choice (tilapia or salmon work well) (cleaned and de-boned - cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 packets tamarind stir-fry paste (or whatever tamarind paste you can find)
• 1/2 of a fresh diakon radish, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup summer squash, diced
• 1 habanero pepper, thinly sliced with the seeds removed
• 2-3 cups water
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 2 tamarind strings, cleaned, seeds pulled apart (optional)​
• Rice for serving (optional)

Recipe:

1. Use a medium-large bowl to combine the tamarind paste and the water - you'll want to stir and have the paste dissolve a bit.
2. In a medium pot, place the fish, squash, tomatoes and radish before turning on the heat.  Then, pour the tamarind mixture on top and turn the heat on medium. 
3. Add the habanero and bring the mixture to a boil (you'll want to raise the heat for this). Cover the pot.
4. Fish should cook in 5-7 minutes, then you can remove the pot from the heat and serve!  Traditionally this dish is served over rice but you can drink it as a soup if desired. 

Vegetarian Barley Soup

Tired of the cold/snow?  Warm up in no time with this recipe! Don't worry, my Vegetarian Barley Soup is soup-er easy!!  The potato pieces practically melt in your mouth, and help keep you fuller, longer.  Try this next time you're in the mood for a quick, comforting meal.

Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons yellow onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thing or minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 3 small red potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

Recipe:

1. In a large pot, sauté the diced onions, ginger and garlic in olive oil for 1-2 mins until the onion pieces are transparent. 
2. Add the potatoes, barley, thyme, salt and pepper - stir to combine.
3. Add the vegetable stock and water, bring to a boil then add the bouillon cube.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer, and let sit for 30 mins or until the potatoes are soft enough to easily cut through.
5. Add the pepper sauce if desired, stir and enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Soup

Snowed in? Try this creamy tomato soup for dinner with my roasted eggplant pizza!! Search the blog for "Roasted Eggplant Flatbread Pizza". Both so easy & so delicious!!  

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:  

• 2 cans of Amy's Organic Cream of Tomato soup  
• 1.5 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature  
• 1 tablespoon dried basil  
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)  
• 1 tablespoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 rind Parmesan cheese (optional)  

Recipe:  

1. In a medium sauce pan, pour both cans of soup, basil, salt & black pepper to a boil. 
2. Lower the heat all the way to low & add the heavy cream.
3. After the heavy cream is incorporated, add the Parmesan rind & stir.   
4. Leave the heat on low so the flavor from the Parmesan rind & all the other spices can set in.  
5. Serve hot & enjoy! This goes great with my eggplant pizza!! Search the blog for "roasted eggplant pizza". 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli Cheddar soup is one of my faves.  It is perfect for my Meatless Monday's - I would get it from Panera or Au Bon Pain - until I found out they use chicken stock in the base!  No more Panera or Au Bon Pain for me (at least on Monday's!).  Here's a vegetarian version I came up with - it's easy & delish! 

Time: 45 mins total

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups chopped broccoli (I got these frozen, and chopped them finer)
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups milk (can use lactaid)
• 1/4 white onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves chopped fresh garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 handful diced or shredded carrots 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour  
• 1-2 pinches of smoked paprika (optional) 

Recipe:

1. Heat the chopped onion, carrots and garlic in a pot with the butter or oil for 2-3 mins on medium heat.
2. Add the flour, seasonings & broccoli. Stir to combine. 
3. Stir in vegetable broth and milk and bring to a boil - then reduce the heat to medium-low.
4. Let simmer for 5 - 7 mins before slowly adding the cheddar cheese (keep stirring so it melts & doesn't clump).
5. Sprinkle on paprika if desired - and serve!  

This recipe yields 3-4 adult-sized servings. 

Chicken Tinola

A delicious Filipino dish that's perfect for the cold weather!  This is one of my favorite soups lately because I'm obsessed with garlic and ginger.  Enjoy!

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs with bones-in (either skin-on or skinless will work.  Skinless is healthier!)
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (it's easier to grate it using a cheese grater!)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or more if you love that flavor!)
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (can substitute 1 boullion cube with 1 cup water)
• 2 cups rice wash (rinse rice well in a basin and strain, then add water again to the rice and swish around until the water is cloudy - this is rice wash!)
• 1/2 diced & pealed chayote squash (can substitute kale, yellow squash, or any other veggies you love!)
• 1 head bok choy, chopped or pulled apart (you can sub spinach, broccoli or any other greens)
• 2-3 whole chili peppers (optional, I use Guyanese wiri-wiri peppers, it gives it an amazing kick!)
• Salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Sautée onion & garlic in a large pot with the veggie oil
2. Add the chopped ginger & let simmer for about 1-2 mins until the onion is clear
3. Add the chicken thighs & brown on both sides
4. Pour in the fish sauce, stock, and rice wash - bring to a boil 
5. Cover and let simmer for ~40 mins (I added a few whole chili peppers before covering)
6. Add bok choy & diced chayote squash once the chicken is fork-tender
7. Sprinkle in black pepper & salt to taste - then let simmer for about 5 more mins
8. Served in a bowl on top of cooked white rice or brown rice, enjoy!

Below is a picture of the tinola with the skin-on, just to show another variation. 

Green Curry Soup

Just what you need on a cold night!  Some Thai Green Curry Soup!

Time: 30 - 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 pack chicken tenders 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
• 3 gloves of chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion (or yellow, I had red on hand)
• 1/4 cup chopped ginger
• 1 head bok choy
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 or 2 whole green chilies

Recipes:

1. Cut chicken tenders into cubes & tossed them in soy sauce
2. Sautée chicken pieces in olive oil with chopped garlic & chopped onion & chopped fresh ginger
3. When the chicken is browned, added salt, green curry paste, fish sauce & a can of coconut milk
4. Let it simmer 5 mins then add in the bok choy until it's wilted
5. Add chili powder & some fresh chili's to make it more spicy
6. Serve with some cooked basmati rice or add in some noodles and drink it as a soup!