Creamy Parsnip Split Pea Soup

I've gone on a complete split pea binge. I have been making it (or reheating it if I have left overs) every day for the last two weeks, no joke. (This lady needs her protein) I get home, grab what ever veggies I see first in the fridge, a few jars of some spices, the giant jar of dried peas, and make quick work of lunch. Chop chop, dump, splash, stir. I am a soup (stews and bisques too) master. Soup for lunch. Right in all ways and just needs to happen.

Sometimes I'll make soup and it's just good soup.  Sometimes it will end up being really good .This soup, well this soup is really freaking awesome and is my new go to for split peas. Thick and creamy, mildly sweet from the parsnips and ginger, but mellow at the same time. Add a little or a lot of pepper (lots of pepper here) and you got yourself perfection.

Soup that warms you up from the inside out and leaves you happy and full.

Split pea for life!

The stuff. Dried split peas, parsnips, a carrot, and onion, some Italian seasoning, ground ginger, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Also need water.

Chop the veggies. Smaller chunks are good, but don't worry to much, it's all getting blended up anyway.

Now toss all those veggies into a big heavy bottom pot and mix in all the spices. Stick o stove with a splash of water and turn up the heat to give the veggies and spices a few minutes alone to active all the goodness.

Once the smell hits you nose and the veggies look like they need some water, dump in the split peas and add enough water to completely cover everything plus a few extra inches. Bring the pot to a boil then turn down to low, stick a lid on pot, and let cook. Check an stir every 10 minutes or so. If it starts to look dry, add in another few cups of water.

Peas are soft, veggies are cooked and now soup is almost ready to go.

Just blend it until smooth. Take liberty hear and smooth it as much or as little as you like. Also if you want to thin it out, just add more water. Want to thicken it up, just cook for a little while longer. ( spit pea is so easy).

And that is it.

You know what to do from here.

Soup time!

Stay warm and have a great weekend.

-C

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Creamy Parsnip Split Pea Soup

makes a large pot of soup that will feed 4-6

• 1 pound dried split peas
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 large carrot
• 1 pound (about 4-5) parsnips
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning*
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• water

*Note. Italian seasoning is pretty basic and you probably have it, but if not you can make your own by mixing equal parts thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary.

Start by rough chopping all the veggies and placing them in a large heavy bottom pot. Mix in the spices and bay leaves. Stick on the stove with a splash of water and cook for a few minutes to let the spices ans veggies heat up and smell all nice. Add in peas and enough water to completely cover everything in the pot plus a few inches. Bring to a boil, them turn heat to low, cover pot, and let cook for about 1/2 hour-45 minutes, checking and stir ever 10 minutes. If the soup seems to get too dry, just add in a few extra cups of water.

Once the veggies and peas are soft, turn heat off and using the blending device of your choice, blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and eat hot but watch your tongue.

Lime Broccoli Cabbage and Black Bean Salad

A few weeks ago the mr and I were standing at the check out line at the grocery store when up behind us comes Shannon (sister of mine) which was really weird because I was just saying how I felt like I was going to see her there. (Sister ESP) Of course we just started talking and stopped paying attention. (handed over the bags and wallets to the mr) She was telling me about the party she was going to and the salad she was really excited to go home and make for that party. (like as excited I as I get when I talk about salad, but maybe she was more excited about the party, hard to tell)  The lady cashier rang us through while the mr was kind enough to bag and pay, then rang Shannon through, which the mr was also kind enough to bag and pay(using her card). We chatted a bit more, walked our separate ways and moseyed on home. When we got there, I started putting our groceries away and there it was, a bag of Shannon's groceries, the stuff for the salad she was going to make for her party. Oops. So the mr called her up and told her, was willing to drive all the way back to her house right then and there in the snow to bring it to her no problem, but she just laughed and said no. She would just make something else. All she wanted was for us to eat it, or better yet, make the salad she was going to make and then eat it.  And that is what I did, or at least I think I did. I used the cabbage, limes, and broccoli that she bought, some black beans I had,  chopped and tossed and ate. Not sure if it is exactly what she as describing, but it's good.

Thanks Shannon for the bag of groceries, sorry we stole it. I owe you a salad.

The stuff. Some red cabbage, a broccoli crown, black beans (rinsed ans drained) a lime, and salt.

Cabbage gets shredded and broccoli gets chopped into small little pieces.

Chopped veggies, beans, lime juice and salt go into a big bowl.

Tossed. Now it may look done, but what this salad really needs is time to let the lime juice do it's work. Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes, but heck, if you make this a few hours, if not even a day ahead, well it's only going to taste that much better.

And after the wait, eat it.

This salad makes for a great light Lunch or a pre-dinner (the small meal you eat before dinner, that's a thing right?)

Enjoy your weekend.

-C

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Lime Broccoli Cabbage and Black Bean Salad

serves 4-6

• 2 cups cooked or 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• Half of a small head of red cabbage
• 1 large broccoli crown
• 1 or 2 juicy limes
• a good pinch of salt

Finely shred the cabbage and small chop the broccoli. (stem and all) Dump the veggies into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix in the drained black beans and toss with the juice of the lime. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. This salad taste good just made but only gets better with time, like if you can make it a few hours, if not a day ahead, go for it. When you are ready to eat. well eat it.  Add more salt if needed, more lime juice if you want, maybe a pinch or two of pepper.

White Bean Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

This is what I am talking about. Winter has finally come with it's snowy snow and super freezing cold temperatures. It just feels right, even if I freeze a little every time I leave the house to walk the dog. But that's ok, it is suppose to happen.

And when it's cold and snowy we are all suppose to eat lots of warm and hearty good things to warm us up in our insides. So we soup.. Soup all day, everyday, all winter long, especially in the case of feeling slightly ill (which I have been for the past week) Eating soup makes everything better.  Soup soup soup.

Soup, what a weird word. Anyway.

This soup is amazingly easy to make and even easier to eat. Full of veggies, spices and lots of beans. A perfect meal to satisfy your frozen self. And bonus, not full of shit. It's super healthy, protein packed and just plan ol good. Warm. hearty, healthy.. What more can you ask for? (you could ask for some crackers and I would probably give them to you)

Soup time!

The stuff. Navy beans, a sweet potato, and some chopped up kale. A couple carrots, an onion, a few cloves of garlic, a little olive oil and water.* And lets not forget some spices.... I used a couple bay leaves, some dried rosemary and thyme. Oh and there should be a lemon here.(I think it rolled off the counter)

*Note. Some people get all up and up about not using a stock in soup. This soup creates it's own stock with all the veggies and spices and time spent simmering but if you want, go ahead and use stock.

Start by chopping up the carrots, the onion, and the garlic and tossing it all into a really big pot along with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and the spices. Stick on the stove on medium high heat for a few minutes until the veggies start to brown.. This gives the veggies and spices a chance to develop more flavor. 

Now chop up the sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss that into the pot too.

And the dried beans and water go into as well. Get it all in there, give it a mix and stick the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, then bring the heat to low.  Add a lid to the pot and let cook for a while,like an hour,  stirring every now and then.

Once the beans in the soup are cooked to your preferred done-ness (I like mine on al dente) remove pot from heat.

Dump in the chopped up kale...

Give it a stir.

And that lemon that rolled away. I found it. So slice up lemon. Ladle a large amount of the soup into a pretty bowl and finish it off with some cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

Soup! Now grab a big spoon, a cozy sweater or blanket (or snuggy) , and maybe some crackers or bread if you feel so inclined and eat. You will be filled with warmth and happiness. 

Have a great day.

-C

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White Bean Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

• 1 cup dried white bean (I used navy, but you could use any white bean you like)
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 bunch of kale (about 5 cups chopped)
• 6-7 cups water (add 6 then another cup as its cooking if you think it needs it)
• 1onion
• 2 carrots
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 heaping tablespoon thyme or Italian seasoning
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried, chopped or ground rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• a lemon (optional but you want it)

Chop carrots, onion and garlic and stick them all into a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil, all the spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stick on the stove and cook until the veggies start to brown. While veggies are cooking, cut sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss the potato into the pot along with the beans and the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Stick a lid on the pot and simmer fir about an hour or until the beans are cooked to you liking.

Once the beans are cooked through, dump in the chopped up kale, mix it around, then call it done.

Ladle into bowls, top with cracked pepper (and more salt if you want) and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Grab a spoon, eat the soup. Be happy.

Got some left over... Well yeah, soup for later! (will last in fridge for a few days, but freezes super well too)

Creamy Tomato Chard and Rocket Soup

I probabaly have already told you, but August is for sure my favorite month of the year (well,one of my favorites)

There is bounties of bounties of fresh, sweet and colorful, oh so juicy, crispy crisp, just so f ing  amazing, produce exploding all over the place. I have probably gained like 75 thousand pounds in the past month due to all of the fruits and veggies that I have been consuming. I am starting to consider it a full time job just to keep up with the eating.

 Another reason why I love August so much is becauuse the days are still nice and warm, but the nights are starting to cool which means I get to make so much soup!!!!!. 

This soup is the freshest freshy soup yet. Everything is from the farm and or the garden (except the salt pepper, vinegar and oil), some picked within hours of me making this.

. I am a lucky/spolied veggie brat.

Anyways. This soup. The fresh tomato base gives it a sweet, slightly acidic kick. So super creamy due to the lovely earthy stocks of the chard. Slightly spicy and earthy from the arugula* and chard green green. This soup... it just tastes so fresh and clean, yet hearty and satisfying. A perfect soup for a mid August night, eating outside, watching the sun slide behind the mountains and the temperature dropping just enough that you might want a light sweater. Or you can just eat it from the pot in the kitchen while watching TV. It's good eating anyway you want. 

*Here in America, it's called arugula.  Else where , it's  called rocket. I wish we all called it rocket, although I do like the name arugula, but for like my first born child or maybe a pet goldfish. Anyway, rocket is arugula,  or vice versa.

Soup time!.

The stuff. Some big  fresh tomatoes, a few stalks of chard, and a few handfuls of arugaula (aka rocket). A couple carrots, an onion, some garlic, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil.. Oh, and I added some balsamic vinegar, which for some reason didn't make it into the picture (sorry vinegar)

Start by removing the chard leaves from the stalks. Set aside leave with the arugula. Chop up the carrot, chard stems, onion and garlic and toss into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of water, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir around and stick o nthe stove on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the veggies start to soften up.

All cooked up

Now chop up the tomatoes into chunks and toss those right into the pot with the other stuff. Add in a few cups water and a few glugs of balazmic vinegar. Bring everything to a boil and then turn heat to medium low and place a lid on pot and let cook at medium heat for another 20 ish minutes, or until the tomatoes are falling apart.

Now that everything is all cooked up, blend it up.

So silky smooth

And now take the chard leaves and the aruglula and chop into little pieces….into the pot they go.

Mix it all up.. and take the blender to the soup again….if you want a smaller sized bite.

Soup Into bowls..Then into mouth.

Happy August!!

And hey hey hey.. Have the best weekend!

-C

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Creamy Tomato Chard and Rocket Soup

• 4-5 large fresh tomatoes
• 4 large stalks of rainbow chard
• 2-3 big handfuls of arugula 
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large or 2 small carrots
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3glugs (about 2 tablespoons) balsamic vinegar 
• 3 cups water 
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

To start, remove stalks of chard from leaves and chop stalks, onion, carrot and garlic into chunks and place int a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash or water, and spinkle of salt and pepper. Place on stove on medium low heat sand cooke the veggies down until starting to soften and garlic is becoming fragrant. While that cooking, remove core from tomatoes and dice them up. Toss into pot with the cooked down veggies with the vinegar and water. Place a lid on the pot and let cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes are falling apart. 

When cooked, using with a hand blender or a normal blender, blend the soup until smooth. (if using blender, pour back into pot)

Now take the arugula and chard leaves and chop them into wee little picese and mix into soup. If you want to, blend the greens into the soup.. but not until smooth, unless thats what you want.  Cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowl and serve with lots of fresh cracked pepper, maybe a little balsamic drizzle or even some mustard (I at left overs with mustard and it rocked my world)

spoons work eel las eating utencils.

Corn Chowder

I am a year round maker and consumer of soup.

With that being said, the nature of my soups change seasonally. My summertime soups are usually on the lighter side, made with the fresh bounty of the season, and spiced more on the light and floral side, opposed to the really deep and warm spices that I use all winter long,

This corn chowder is made just right. It had the perfect balance of hearty and creamy from the potatoes and use of pureed onion cream, but  still light and refreshing from the sweet fresh corn and the lemony fresh thyme. It is for sure a great summertime soup (chowder) Even the Mr. was even really into it, and he claims he doesn't like corn. (I say bullshit to that.. he eats corn all the time)

Now to chowder!

The Stuff. Some super fresh corn on the cob, a couple onions, a few chopped up potatoes and a chopped up carrot. Then we have a little oil, a lemon, dried thyme and salt and pepper. 

To start, take an onion, chop it up, and toss into a large heavy pot with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick pot on stove on medium heat and cook until  onions are soft and traslutcent. When the onions are done, remove and add to a blender or bowl. (if using a hand blender) Add in the juice of the lemon and blend it all up until nice a smooth. 

You have now made a nice creamy cream that will help make the final product more, well more creamy without the use of cream (lets say cream on more time !) .Set aside.

When the pot is empty again, add in the rest of the stuff, including the cobs of the corn, (they hold a butt load of flavor) the dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Place on stove and add enough water to completely submerge the veggies. Keep pot on a medium heat, add a lid, and stir ever once in a while. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. (when the potatoes are done, so is everything else)

Now that everything is all cooked up, remove the cobs and stir in the onion puree.

Now with a hand blender, blend up until the chowder is thick and smooth, but still nice and chunky. (If you are working with a blender, just remove about half of the soup and blend up, then dump back in) The optimal chunkiness  is up to you , so  blend, check the chunk,  then blend a little more if needed. If you feel that the soup is to thick, add in a little more water, or to thin, just cook down o little longer.

 Once you like the constituency,season to taste with salt and pepper and place pot back on a simmer until you are ready to serve. 

And thats how we make corn chowder

It tastes best serves in the daintiest of the cups, sprinkled heavily with cracked pepper, and with a side of some cracker situation (Saltines would be best, but sometime there are only triscits in the house)

Summertime is for chowder!

HAPPY Humpday Wednesday!!!

-C

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Corn Chowder

Makes a pot big enough for 4-6 nice decent sized servings

• 2 fresh ears of corn
• 3 medium (tennis ball sized) red or white potatoes
• 2 white or yellow onions
• 1 carrot
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2  tablespoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper

To start, peel and dice one whole onion and toss into pot with olive oil and stick on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pot and add cooked onions and the lemon juice to a blender and puree until smooth and set aside.

While you are cooking down the onions, dice up the carrot and onion, remove the corn kernels from the cob, and chop up the potatoes. Once you have removed the first batch of onions, toss in corn, onions, carrot, potatoes, and the dried thyme. Stir around in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes just to warm up the spices. Add the cobs into the pot and fill with enough water to cover the stuff in the pot. Place back on medium heat with a lid and cook for another 20ish minutes, or until potatoes are super tender and almost falling apart.

Remove cobs from pot and add in the onion puree. Now either remove about half the soup and place in the bender and blend up til smooth, or use a hand blender and blend up chowder until you get your desired chunkiness. If you think the chowder seems to thick, add in more water, or to thin, just cook down a little longer on the stove.

When ready to eat, ladle chowder into a cup or bowl and add lots of fresh cracked pepper. 

Serve with a cracker and a spoon to eat it with.