I tell you the truth when I say we ate the whole pot to the last drop, and I think I personally ate six bowls, because I have the secret for an easy, delicious soup broth and you won’t believe how easy it is.

Before I list my ingredients, keep in mind you can replace or add in more ingredients as you see fit. There are no hard and fast rules for vegetable soup vegetables, but I do have a few tips on how to make sure the soup has flavor with a good broth.

Making the Best EASY Soup Broth

While the vegetables you add will certainly add flavor to your broth, you want to start with as much flavor as possible. This is why I do this:

• 2 Quarts of organic boxed broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable broth).
• 1 large can of tomatoes. (I squeeze the tomatoes with my hands and add in all the juices). I prefer using San Marzano Tomatoes, but you could also add in a good tomato puree. It’s the mix of the broth with tomato that tastes so good.

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More Hearty Soups from Spinach Tiger

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Homemade Vegetable Soup

Paleo, Low Carb Vegetable Soup, Easy

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword vegetable soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 16 oz can San Marzano Whole Tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 4 carrots diced
• 1 turnip
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole cauliflower head
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas optional
• parsley
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano for serving
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes to add extra heat
• 1 cup frozen peas or white beans optional

Instructions

• Put oil, broth, and tomatoes in dutch oven (or crock pot). Use your hands to break up the tomatoes out of the can and include all the juice.
• Add carrot coins, cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces, diced celery and diced onion.
• Season with herbs, spices, salt and pepper.
• Cook low and slow for two hours or four hours on low in crock pot.
• Add peeled, cubed turnip in the last hour.
• Add frozen peas or canned white beans. Rinse beans before adding. Add peas in the last 30 minutes. You can add the beans anytime.
• Make sure kale is ripped into bite-sized pieces. If using Tuscan kale, remove the rib.
• Add kale in last hour also.
• Add in red chili flakes if you want to add heat. You can add a dash or up to a teaspoon.
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese or pecorino. If you use pecorino, consider its saltiness before adding more salt.

Notes

Regarding vegetables. You can delete something you don’t have or like and add in other veggies such as broccoli, cabbage, or green beans. Make sure everything is bite-sized.

The post Recipe for Homemade Vegetable Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Osso Buco is Italian for bone with a hole. The bone marrow is cross cut and is typically made with veal. Originating in Milan and the Lombardy Region of Italy, osso buco showcases their culinary genius, transforming modest cuts of meat into long-standing recipes.

In its earliest version, osso buco was made with butter, onion, white wine and broth, using very typical ingredients found in many northern Italian dishes. Tomatoes are now part of a more modern recipe, and I think adds to its heartiness.

What is Osso Buco?

Basically ossobuco is a meat shank (usually veal) which used to be a very inexpensive cut with the bone marrow cut crosswise (thus, bone with a hole).

Osso buco requires a long braise in a tomato broth with vegetables. In this recipe, I served it with creamy white beans (it was New Year’s Day), but it’s most often served with risotto ala Milanese and topped with gremolata to cut through the richness.

Eat the Marrow

The marrow is considered a delicacy and is especially good with bread or eaten on a spoon. I recommend crusty bread like my sourdough to enjoy every bit of the sauce and marrow.

Why This Dish is Represents Italian Values

• Italians are known to take modest, humble cuts of meat to create spectacular gourmet recipes. Peasant food achieves elevation and Osso buco is now a proudly recognized Italian National Dish.
• Italians are known to respect the whole animal, wasting nothing, even bone marrow.
• Italians not only embrace slow food, Italians embrace eating ingredients which can be locally sourced, which is why the menu changes often radically in each region of Italy.

The History

The first mention of osso buco found its way in cookbooks in the mid to late 1800’s, particularly Pellegrino Artusi (1891) which helped it become a national Italian dish.

What Kind of Meat is Used in Osso Buco?

Veal is most often used, but other choices could include beef or pork shanks. This time, I served with cannellini beans, put in the pot at the last twenty minutes.

Top with Gremolata

Gremolata is a mixture of chopped parsley, garlic, lemon zest and salt. It brightens up the dish and cuts through the richness.

Other Hearty Italian Dishes You May Like

• What is Bolognese? Answers to all your questions.
• Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Italian Meatball Soup
• Braciole – Italian Rolled Steak
• Beef Stock and Roasted Bones
• Beef and Veal Stew Shepherds Pie

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Osso Buco

Osso Buco, the quintessential veal dish from the Lombardy region of Northern Italy.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 cup onion
• 2/3 cup carrot finely chopped
• 2/3 cup celery finely chopped
• 4 T butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 4 veal shanks
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup meat broth
• 1 large can San Marzano tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• several sprigs fresh thyme
• several sprigs parsley
• freshly ground pepper
• sea salt

Gremolata

• 1 handful parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon garlic clove
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, for two to three hours of braising
• Pat Veal shanks dry. Season with salt and pepper. Coat veal in flour, and when pan is hot, brown veal on both sides in separate frying pan.
• Choose heavy pot (dutch oven with lid) to cook vegetables, which can be put in oven.
• Heat butter in dutch oven. Saute onion, carrot, lemon zest, celery on medium heat, 8-10 minutes. Then add garlic and cook a few more minutes.
• Once vegetables are done, stir in white wine and cup of broth. Cook on low for ten minutes to cook off alcohol.
• Add in tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. You want the veal to be covered 2/3 in broth.
• Add in veal shanks. Cover and braise for 2-3 hours, until fork tender.
• Serve with a garnish of gremolata.

Gremolata

• Chop together, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and add in sea salt.

The post Osso Buco Recipe with White Beans appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Actually this soup came about quite by accident. I was hoping to use eggplant, canned tomatoes, and bell pepper to make a chicken dish. But when I roasted the vegetables with olive oil, white wine and garlic, covered in the onion and decided to blend and make a soup or a sauce.

Once blended, I added in some heavy cream and broth and it turned to be a lovely summer soup. You could go dairy free (see below).

Variations for Creamy Eggplant Tomato Soup

• You could change out the heavy cream for coconut milk to thin it down if you want to keep it vegan.
• Add in other vegetables like zucchini, which is also plentiful this time of year.
• Use this as a pasta sauce with a penne pasta or gnocchi. Use less broth in this case.
• Make this a meal with grilled bread or use as a starter.
• Serve with a white, mild fish, or shrimp.

Equipment

• Immersion Blender
• Cutting Board Flexible Mats
• Small Soup Bowls

More Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Chunky Italian Summer Vegetable Soup
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Watermelon Gazpacho
• Chilled Cucumber Gazpacho
• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Gazpacho from My Garden
• Eggplant Rollatini

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Creamy Summer Eggplant, Tomato Soup

Soup made with Eggplant, Canned Tomato, Onion, Bell Pepper, Garlic and Olive Oil with a bit of heavy cream, great for Summer

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Bean macaroni Soup, Eggplant Soup, Tomato soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant peeled, cubed
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 small onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1 24 ounce Italian Tomatoes
• 1 cup white wine
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
• fresh thyme, oregano or basil for garnish

Instructions

• Peel, cube eggplant. Salt and place on colander lined with paper towels.
• Chop onion medium dice.
• Peel garlic cloves.
• Seed and slice bell pepper in 1 inch slices.
• Place all vegetables in shallow baking dish (so you can spread out). Pour olive oil and toss. Add garlic cloves whole.
• Open tomatoes. Chop tomatoes and pour over vegetables including juices.
• Stir in white wine.
• Bake at 300 degrees for up to two hours, until all is soft. A long, slow bake melds flavors. Or put in slow cooker for four hours on low.
• Use immersion blender to blends and add broth and heavy cream.
• Serve with herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

The post Creamy Roasted Eggplant, Tomato Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Last year we went to an Irish cooking class. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, but thought it would be a fun social event. This class surprised me. It was delicious, comforting, and exceeded our expectations. On a side note, I’m only 3/4 Italian heritage; the rest is a mix of Scotch, Irish, English, and it was fun embracing this cuisine.

The menu included Irish Stew, Colcannon, Shamrock Salad and a delicious Irish soda bread. I’ll share the recipe for the Irish stew and the Irish soda bread. This makes a great snow day meal, and that’s exactly what we did last week.

Irish Stew – What is it?

So what is Irish Stew anyway? It’s a true meat and potatoes dish, but a little different from a typical beef stew. Often known as Mulligan Stew, it developed as a meat and vegetable dish sometime in the 17th or 18th century, for farmers and shepherds who would welcome a simply made, hot meal on a damp, cold day.

Irish stew is typically made with beer, and usually no thickener is used to make a more gravy-like stew. Since we are major soup and broth lovers in this house, we love it more broth-like.

The Irish also relied on cabbage, turnips, and onions, in addition to milk, cheese and beef from cows. You could replace the potatoes with turnips for a low carb stew, but cook only at last twenty to thirty minutes because they cook fast and will turn to a bitter mush.

Beef or Lamb Irish Stew

Lamb is more typical in Ireland, but beef is used more in the states. If you love the idea of a lamb stew, you have to make this Hunger Games Lamb Stew I made years ago.

Or go ahead and use lamb for this recipe. Many people don’t give lamb a fighting chance, and a leg of lamb can be very tasty and affordable (Costco has a good price).

Beer for Irish Stew

The typical beer for the best Irish Stew is Guinness. I was snowed in and used what this beer I found in the fridge. It worked fine. You could also sub with a cup of red wine, but this is Irish stew, so use beer if you can.

If you can’t use beer for whatever reason, substitute with more beef broth, and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce.

Process for Making the Best Irish Stew

Just like all other stew recipes, the meat should be a little marbled, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned really well before adding it to the broth. This stew doesn’t require flouring first, but if you want a thicker stew you can do that.

Once the meat is browned add garlic and cook for just a minute to bring flavor. Add in remaining vegetables (except potatoes), broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, add in the beer. Cook for 30 minutes. Add in bite-sized potatoes and cook for another 60 minutes. I keep the carrots in quite large pieces and put them in from the beginning. If you are going to substitute turnips for potatoes, add them in at the last 30 minutes of cooking or you will have mush.

Tips for Best Irish Stew

• Irish stew is typically brothy. You can thicken, but our family likes the brothiness.
• Keep carrots in large pieces so they don’t get mushy.
• Add potatoes at last 30 minutes. I prefer golden yukons.
• Make sure to brown the meat on all sides.

Finish: Taste for seasoning. Add chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Irish Soda Bread in the Oven

This recipe for soda bread is glorious. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and just a tad sweet with golden raisins. Feel free to use brown raisins, currents, or dried fruit of choice.

Traditional Vs. This Recipe for Soda Bread

• Traditional Recipe: No Butter, Egg or Sugar. Made on top of the stove. (per my Irish Cookbook)
• This Recipe: Baked on oven. Butter in recipe similar to American biscuits.
• Both recipes use flour, buttermilk and baking soda.

Tips for Irish Soda Bread

• If you don’t weigh out the flour, please spoon in your measuring cup.
• Keep ingredients cold, especially butter.
• Mix egg into the buttermilk first.
• Make your own buttermilk: add a teaspoon distilled vinegar or lemon juice, and wait about 10 minutes.
• Keep dough sticky and don’t over-mix. Treat soda bread same way you would treat American biscuits. Sticky is good.
• Cold butter (pea size) that doesn’t get smeared into the flour. Makes for fluffy inside.
• Raisins: I prefer golden raisins, but you can leave them out or replace with other dried fruit.
• Best eaten same day, and out of the oven, but can be reheated up to two days.

Don’t wait until St. Patrick’s Day to try these recipes. They are perfect for comfort and chasing away the winter blues. Please leave me a comment, letting me know if you have ever made Irish Stew, and if you have a different version, I’d love to hear about it.

More Stews from Spinach Tiger

• Hunger Games Lamb Stew
• Italian Beef Stew
• Veal Stew with Onion Sauce
• Beef Bourguinon
• Veal Stew with Turnips and Purple Potatoes

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Irish Stew, Irish Soda Bread

Easy Irish Stew made with beef, carrots, potatoes with Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Course Stew

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Irish Soda Bread, Irish Stew

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

IRISH STEW

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds Beef chuck stew meat
• salt, pepper
• 1 onion diced
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 16 ounce bottle Beer (Guiness or Your Choice)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 t dried thyme
• chopped parsley for garnish
• 3 cups cubed (large) yellow yukon potatoes or russet

IRISH SODA BREAD

• 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 4 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted cold butter
• 1/2 cup raisins optional

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in dutch oven you will be making stew in.
• Season cubed meat with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. You may need to work in batches so as to not steam the meat. Transfer to a plate. Meat does NOT need to be cooked through. It will cook in the stew broth,
  
• Add more oil if needed and cook onion, carrots and celery for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme.
• Add meat back.
• Add broth and beer.
  
• Cook on very low for about two hours. Add potatoes in during the last 30 minutes.
  
• Garnish with parsley. Serve.

IRISH SODA BREAD

• Mix flour with salt, sugar, baking soda.
• Add raisins if using.
• Cut in butter. Butter should be cold and pea size.
• Add buttermilk (can make with regular milk and teaspoon of white vinegar).
• Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix. It should be sticky dough. Use some extra flour to form into a round. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Bake in cast pan or griddle at 375 degrees F. for 35-50 minutes. My oven cooked very fast. Internal temperature should be 208 degrees F.

The post Best Irish Stew, Oven Baked Soda Bread appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

By now, most of us are cooking at home and looking for new ways to perk up steak and ground beef.

This steak mushroom sauce made with red wine, and bacon is so delicious, it just might be the thing that brings a little new excitement.

You can even add this it roast beef, or use it for a meat pie or steak pie.

It can turn any cut of steak into something really special, even burger steaks.

I love a good steak like this New York Strip Steak, (my number one post).  But let’s face it we don’t always have the budget for that. On the days you make teres major (a much less expensive cut from the shoulder) or ground beef steak burgers, this sauce will turn ordinary into extraordinary.

Sauté Mushrooms Just right

I have a love hate relationship with mushrooms. They have to be cooked just right. When sautéed in bacon grease long enough to caramelize a little, they are full of flavor and the texture is right. You can use any kind of mushroom to make mushroom sauce. I like the cremini mushrooms, but plain white mushrooms will be just fine as I used below when that was all I could find.

By the way, sautéeing mushrooms with bacon and shallots might be all you need to perk up a burger, or it can be start of a steak mushroom sauce.

Can Steak Mushroom Sauce be Make Low Carb?

Yes, instead of using flour to thicken the sauce, I added a teaspoon of xanthan gum. If you don’t want to use xanthan gum, you can use a tablespoon or two of tapioca flour mixed with cold water to thicken. You could also use corn starch.

Process for the Bacon Wine Steak Mushroom Sauce

• Start with bacon,  but you can skip that if you want, or use pancetta or proscuitto.
• Use shallots over onion, but onions work fine too.
• Add about 1/4 cup red wine. You can add more or less and even skip it.
• I used a pinot noir one night and a cab another night. I prefer the cab, but both are fine. You can even use a white wine.
• If you have a nice balsamic vinegar (the syrupy kind) you could sub the wine with a few tablespoons.
• I use 1/4 teaspoon or so of xanthan gum mixed with water to act as a thickener. (low carb)
• You can use a tablespoon of flour, tapioca flour or corn starch mixed with cold water in a jar.
• Instead of a thickener, you could also add in about 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon butter.
• Or you could use sour cream with mushrooms like I did here. 

Add Bacon, Pancetta or Prosciutto to Steak Mushroom Sauce

Any of these meats, cut finely add a little bit extra. Prociutto is what I use is my Chicken Marsala and I love it, but make sure you crisp it up.

It’s important to cut bacon into small lardons and cook off any of the fat on the bacon. Add shallots and soften for a few minutes, and add mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are sauteéd to a golden color, add in broth, until it’s heated.  Add wine and cook down for about ten minutes.

How to Thicken Mushroom Sauce

Xanthan gum , can be a little pricey, but it’s also great for grain free baked goods.

Xanthan gum will give body to the sauce. I shake it up with a little water, before adding in. It turns into a gel, and doesn’t completely mix, but it will, when you add it to the mushroom mixture.  The result was creamy, mushroom wine sauce.

My Most Popular Post is How to Make a New York Strip Steak

Here are some more easy dinner ideas from Spinach Tiger

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ground Beef Ideas for Easy Dinner

Teres Major, the Faux Filet

Cauliflower Mash

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

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Steak Mushroom Sauce

Perfect for making a less expensive cut of steak more delicious.

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Bacon Mushroom Wine Sauce

• 4 slices bacon
• 2 shallots diced
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum see notes in blog post on alternatives

Instructions

• Cut bacon into small lardons. Fry in pan that will be used for the mushroom sauce.
• Add diced shallots until softened. Cook about a minute.
• Add sliced mushrooms. Sauté until Golden.
• Add broth and wine.
• Mix xanthan gum with a little water. Shake until incorporated and add in a little at a time to thicken sauce.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve Immediately.

Notes

Read all the notes under Process in the blog post for substitutions. 

You can use 1/4 cup  heavy cream  or sour cream for an alternative keto recipe. 

You can use tablespoon flour/cold water shaken in jar to thicken.

You can use tapioca starch or corn starch.

 

The post Steak Mushroom Sauce with Wine and Bacon appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

A few years ago I wrote a great informative post on How to Make Perfect Risotto, including the mistakes to avoid.  That post is worth reading through, as I did a lot of research with the Italians I trust.

Italians take their risotto very seriously. There are strong arguments on how much broth to rice ratio, as well as whether to add in heavy cream at the end, which authentic risotto should never ever have. I solve some of that debate, but then tell you, you must be the judge of the broth. I will give you a guideline that has been tested many times, but your own eyes will tell you when it’s done.

A good risotto can also make good leftovers.

A Funny/Not Funny Story about Risotto while Dining Out

I have a funny story about risotto. Last September we were at a very expensive Nashville restaurant. There was a dish on the menu, pumpkin seed risotto. One would think it was a dish that had rice and pumpkin seeds. However, in today’s super trendy world of celebrity chefism,  it was just a dish of pumpkin seeds.

We had to sit through what felt like a full 20 minute description of the chef’s food and this “risotto.

When the pumpkin seed risotto was served, it was a bowl of seeds. We asked where the rice was and we were told it’s a riff on risotto.

That’s not what we thought or we wouldn’t have ordered it. When I said “that’s not really risotto,” I was told by the server “risotto has changed through the ages.”  Another food blogger was with us, who is also Italian. It was actually her dish.

I said, “no, risotto is risotto. If you say risotto, you need to serve risotto. It hasn’t changed through the ages. You should tell people you’re giving them a bowl of pumpkin seeds and call it stewed pumpkin seeds but please don’t call it risotto.

By the way, Google defines risotto as an Italian dish of rice cooked in stock with other ingredients such as meat and vegetables.

It is NOT seeds! I actually take offense to wonder bread chefs messing with Italian food.  Too harsh? It was my birthday!

We left hungry, went to Fido’s Coffee House and had cake and coffee for dinner. It’s a night we will never forget.

We gave it an honest review on open table and the chef wrote to me and was nearly raging,  claiming I was one-sided and unfair to him. He talked down to me as if I wasn’t “foodie hipster” enough to get it. Sorry/not sorry.

If you know me around here for the past nine years, I do not get into arguments with chefs, nor do I post anything negative. This was my exception,

You don’t need to be foodie hipster coolness to understand Italian food.  Risotto is classic Italian  comfort food, made with care and finesse.  A few months later, he was not longer working there.

This stirred me up so much, I had to come home and make authentic risotto, which led to risotto cakes.

This is risotto.

That’s when my risotto cakes were born.

I made the risotto cakes from the above risotto the next day!

The crispiness on the outside and the gooeyness on the inside makes this the perfect comfort food bite.

These risotto cakes are so easy, and quite versatile. You can eat them for lunch as a stand alone. You can enjoy them  as a side or appetizer for dinner. You can make them small and serve them at a party.

This is made with my basic risotto recipe, but it would be stellar with this caramelized vidalia onion  and corn risotto.

My favorite way to eat Italian Risotto Cakes  is to top one with an egg and have it for breakfast.

I oven bake my fried eggs and you can find that recipe here.

I added in a little bit of grated mozzarella to the mix and very lightly applied some tapioca flour. I think you could honestly skip the flour because you’re going to make this with cold risotto.

I thought back and forth if I would want a sauce for these and I decided no, but I’m not opposed. I would love to know what you think?

Here are a few ideas from some of my fellow bloggers.

The Original Risotto 101 Post

More Italian Recipes from Spinach Tiger

How to Make Aoili from House of Nash

Easy Allioli – Catalan Garlic Sauce from Fuss Free Flavours

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Italian Risotto Cakes

Risotto Cakes can be a side dish or an appetizer. Cheesy and easy made from left over risotto.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups risotto recipe here
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 to 4 tablespoons avocado oil for frying
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour or all purpose flour
• chopped parsley for garnish
• parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

• Add shredded mozzarella to risotto cakes.
• Season with salt and pepper if necessary.Heat oil in frying pan to medium high.
• Form into patties, Dredge lightly in tapioca flour. (I didn't use flour).
• Once placed in pan, turn heat to medium. Turn when golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.
• Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Disclosure: Spinach Tiger is an Amazon affiliate, which means we earn a small commission that does not affect price. We only recommend products we believe in and use or are on our wish list.



The post How to Make Italian Risotto Cakes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love soup. I sure do, and I  don’t know a soup I don’t love.

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite soups, from super easy like the 30 minute health soup to the more complex, slower cooking borscht.

Many of these were created with nutrition density in mind, getting my calories worth for good health, and lighter feasting days. I’m starting to think with gratitude about all the veggies I’m privy to. If I can get a bunch of carrots to make a soup, I’m blessed.

I’ll add to this list as I make more healthy soup recipes.

These are my Favorite Healthy Soup Recipes, Easy, Nutrient Dense.

Carrot Ginger Soup is bright, cheery and heart healthy. You can order these wide mouth jars here.

The 30 Minute Green Health Soup was something I came up with when I was recovering from pneumonia years ago. I had many relapses and wanted to make sure the food I ate was healing. It has chicken broth, broccoli, leeks, potatoes, watercress and lemon and is one of my go to healthy soup recipes.

Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pecans is everything a squash soup needs to be including fried sage leaves.

Tomato Bisque Soup is one of the most my most popular posts. Don’t forget the grilled cheese.

Borscht is heavy, hearty, and the soup I make as soon as it snows. Beets are a super food, and make an awesome soup.

Italian version of Spinach Soup. Recipe from Marcella Hazan; and a little Spinach 101 from Spinach Tiger.

Maple Roasted Apple Soup The comfort of apple pie in a warm soup. Imagine that.

Pumpkin Carrot Curry If you love the savory flavors of curry, this is for you.

Fruity Nutty Carrot No need for croutons as the toasted almonds and pomegranate provide a crunchy texture.

Here is a soup inspired from a soup I had in a very remote town in Tuscany. Ribollita, a stale bread soup with cabbage. (recipe here). 

Minestrone with Kale. This is the easy, quick version of this classic Italian soup.

Creamy Garden Tomato Soup made with fresh tomatoes, shredded basil. Made in my Vitamix.

Snowcap Heirloom Bean Soup with Shrimp. One of my all-time favorites with beans from Rancho Gordo. The olives make this soup extra special.

Spicy Tortilla Soup (the Lighter Version) Copy cat version of  soup from a tiny Nashville restaurant  that has garnered national success.

My most popular soup is this grain free Vegetable Beef Soup. It’s a meal and one of my all time favorites.

Italian Wedding Soup

I’m in process of making a broccoli kale soup and a cauliflower sausage soup, and I’ll be back to share.

All Soup Recipes from Spinach Tiger

The post Easy Nutrient Dense Healthy Soup Recipes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Sweet Potato Risotto is one of those dishes that makes sense to me, living in Nashville, as it’s a beloved item here. Although it’s a blending of two starches still works, and sweet potatoes love onions (in this case shallots) and butter.

This is part of the continuing series on risotto. In this previous article, I wrote a rather lengthy tutorial on the ins and outs of risotto. I took it upon myself to make three different risottos all at one time and learned quite a bit.  I used three different ingredients, and approached each differently. I made red beet with goat cheese risotto and kale risotto, and I couldn’t decide on which of any three I liked best.

For the sweet potato risotto, I cooked the potato first, mashed it up quickly with some butter, but not so much that it was a puree. I left it with some chunky pieces so it could bring some texture to the dish. I finished it with freshly grated parmigiana reggiano, and had I been thinking, I would have topped it with some fresh sage, although that is not really necessary to its success. For picture purposes, I molded each risotto dish, but trust me, it was very creamy, and al dente, the signs of a good risotto.

Serve sweet potato rissotto as a perfect side to fried chicken, a pork chop, a piece of fish or just eat it by itself. It’s as comforting as any sweet potato dish.

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Sweet Potato Risotto

A freshly roasted sweet potato is a perfect addition to a creamy risotto and makes a wonderful first course.

Course Sweet Potato Risotto

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato medium size
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (one for sweet potato)
• 1 large shallot diced
• 1 cup of arborio rice
• 2 to 2½ cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• ¼ cup parmigiana reggiano cheese freshly grated
• sea salt
• black pepper
• sage for garnish or parsley

Instructions

• Roast or microwave sweet potato. Cool. Remove from Skin.
• Mash with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Heat chicken broth in separate pot. Once hot, turn to simmer.
• Melt butter and In a 10 inch stainless steel frying pan or an enamled cast iron small dutch oven. Add olive oil.
• Add chopped shallot and cook until translucent.Add in dry arborio rice and toast for four minutes, stirring. Have a lid ready to immediately cover when you put the first ladle of broth. Add ½ cup broth. Cover for a few seconds to avoid any reaction from hot broth hitting the hot fat. Uncover.
• Stir until the broth is nearly all absorbed in the rice.
• Add in mashed sweet potato.
• Add another ½ cup broth and repeat until there is only ½ cup broth left to add.
• Add in cider vinegar. Continue to stir.
• Add in broth ¼ cup at a time at the end, so as to not overcook the rice.
• At the end of about 18 minutes, you should be at the end of the broth. Taste the rice. If it gives yet still has a bite, take it off. If it crunches, then cook another minute, stirring constantly. If you run out of broth and you're sure the rice is not done, add a small amount of water, (tablespoon or so).
• Remove from stove, Stir in grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serves two entree or 4 side dishes.

More Sweet Potato Dishes

Sweet Potato Grits

Sweet Potato Lasagna

Sweet Potato Biscuits

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