Gluten-Free Review: Real Simple Delicious Soups

A few nights ago I got home from work and really had no intention of cooking dinner. I figured we'd probably graze from the fridge again or have scrambled eggs and toast (a no-cooking night staple!)... and then I remembered we had 3 soup samples delivered to us earlier in the week. One of the definite perks of food blogging... free food!

Cook! San Francisco is a small company that creates homemade gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free soups and stews. They also have a detox meal service that delivers healthy gluten-free meals nationwide for those following Dr. Mark Hyman's Ultrametabolism-Diet.

The soups and stews are quite simple and contain healthy, whole foods ingredients. That evening for dinner Michael decided to have the All Bean Chili. The chili contains water, black beans, pinto beans lima beans, onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, spices, salt & pepper. Michael said it tasted a lot like Wendy's Chili to him and he really enjoyed it.

For my own bowl, I had the French Onion Soup which contains: a homemade vegetable broth, onions, olive oil, sherry, thyme, bay leaf, salt & pepper. This soup is so light and delicious. It tasted homemade and it's like I could have made it in my own kitchen.  It would have been really awesome with a piece of gluten-free toast and mozzarella cheese melted over on top!

Real Simple Delicious Soup Pro's:

• Very healthy, all gluten-free AND vegan
• Low calorie, but filling with healthy vegetable protein & fiber
• Lots of variety, some soups can be served hot OR cold such as the Zucchini Soup
• Only 1 soup contains soy- the Thai Green Curry, every other soup is soy-free as well
• Eco-friendly packaging, very little to throw away, and all packaging should be recyclable

Real Simple Delicious Soup Con's:

• I don't know the actual retail price, but I'm guessing it's probably at least $5-$7 per package and each container only has 1.5 servings from 12 ounces (about the equivalent of your average can of soup), So, most likely pretty pricey for one meal (however homemade, REAL food, & healthy are generally worth the extra cost!) 
• Not shelf-stable. These soups need to be refrigerated or frozen after purchasing. Once opened, you can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. 
• I'm not sure if the soups are available nationwide yet, but their website provides a form you can give to your the manager of your favorite grocery store 

Want to know more, please check out: Cook! Real Simple Delicious Soups & Stews.

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GLG Disclosure: 

Cook! San Francisco provided me with free samples of their soups and stews for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

Carrot Apple Curry Soup Recipe

For the past few weeks I've had this soup swirling through my thoughts. I've been trying to eat a lot more vegetable based meals lately. My tummy hasn't been super happy with meat proteins the past few weeks, I'm not sure why (no, no kids on the way, you don't have to ask!) I just have times when my body craves more vegetables and other times I crave more protein. Right now though, veggies are the bee's knees.

I am a comfort food junkie. I love mashed potatoes... mac and cheese... baked beans... anything creamy and warm, and I love pureed soups. Michael isn't such a huge fan of them, he thinks they resemble an adult version of baby food. And maybe he's right, who knows... but what can I say I love them.

This soup is so incredibly simple and consists of only a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It cooks in about 25 minutes and it makes enough for several meals. I kind of see this as an "orange" version of my favorite green soup.  Ha! Did you notice when I posted that soup? Last January! Apparently my body craves veggies in January! 

I added a very tiny amount of curry seasoning to this soup. I haven't always been a fan of Indian curries and I only like it in very small amounts... but in this creamy soup it really works.

Simple Carrot Apple Curry Soup
free of gluten/dairy/soy/grains/eggs/sugar
created by carrie of gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly version

1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 teaspoon curry seasoning (I used Victoria's Gourmet)
5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
5-6 cups filtered water
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
In a large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat until sizzling. Add diced onions, apples, and curry seasoning and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly until onions are translucent and have softened. Add carrots and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes until carrots begin to soften. Add 5-6 cups of water, depending on how thin or thick you prefer the soup. Cover and cook over medium low heat for about 20 additional minutes, until carrots and apples are fully cooked through and soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to cool for several minutes and then puree in small batches in a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender. Serve soup with a swirl of coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon over each bowl.


Iris of The Daily Dietribe has started a Monday blogging event called "Five Ingredients" -- which this recipe 7 ingredients, I think it still fits the bill as quick and easy and really delicious and healthy! Go check out all the other amazing recipes in Iris' roundup today! 

Gluten Free Beans Galore Recipe

When I graduated from college (good heavens 10 years ago... yeesh!) I rented an upstairs room from Mrs. Betty B. The first meal Betty made for me was Beans Galore.  I remember moving my stuff into Betty's house, a bit nervous, not sure what the future held. I didn't have a job yet, wasn't sure where life was taking me (do you ever stop wondering that?)... but I knew it was a good decision to become Mrs. Betty's roommate after tasting that wonderful bowl of Beans Galore.

No matter what you may think when you graduate from college, you're still a kid. There's a lot of growing up to be done. In that sense, Betty will always be kind of like a 2nd mom to me. She was nurturing, she cooked many meals, she put up with my dating and first job frustrations... she was and still is a great friend.  She still cooks us meals and Betty's home is still a peaceful haven to me.

I'm beyond blessed to have met Betty and still have her in my life. For another awesome recipe from Betty, check out this gluten free french bread casserole!

This recipe is an old favorite. It's one of the few recipes with beans that Michael will actually ask for. He'll eat 3rd helpings. It's sweet and savory and nothing but simple. You can simmer it all day in a crockpot or you can make it on the stove and have it on the table in 30 minutes. This dish might also be known to you as glorified baked beans, chuckwagon beans, or just simply as "baked beans" depending on how your family makes it.

Every time we eat this meal it reminds me of Betty's simple & loving hospitality. Make a big pot and generously share a bowl with your friends and neighbors. Laugh, smile, and let them know how much you appreciate them!

Mrs. Betty's Beans Galore
created by Betty B., shared by Carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com
free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and corn
Printer-friendly recipe


1/2 pound bacon (optional - I only use if it I have it -- last night I didn't have it!)
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar (I only use 1-2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup white sugar (we leave this out)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup of your favorite gluten free barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 (15 oz.) cans pork & beans (I just use a 28 oz. can of baked beans)
1 (15 oz.) can lima beans
1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans (I use northern beans)

Stovetop Directions:
Fry bacon in a large dutch oven. Drain off grease, crumble bacon and set aside. Brown ground beef until it's cooked through and there is no pink showing. Add chopped onions and saute until soft -or- translucent. Add remaining ingredients to dutch oven. Cook beans galore over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until completely heated through and simmering. You may need to stir often to prevent the beans from burning on the bottom. Serve hot with a nice green salad and gluten free french bread. (Of if you're like us, just eat a small bowl... it'll do ya for a few hours! This is a delicious and filling sweet & sour chili!)

Slow Cooker Directions:
Fry bacon in a large pan. Drain off grease, crumble bacon and set aside. Brown ground beef until it's cooked through and there is no pink showing. Add chopped onions and saute until soft -or- translucent. Add crumbled bacon, browned ground beef & onions, and all other ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Allow to cool a bit before eating.

Carrie's Notes:

• To watch the sugar content in this recipe  (the original has a LOT!) I don't add any white sugar, and I only add about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. We use low sugar ketchup and low sugar barbecue sauce...so our version is not super sweet... if you make this using Betty's recipe, be prepared for a SUPER sweet and sour treat!! 
• To cut the salt content of this recipe, I rinse and drain both the lima beans and the northern beans/red beans. I don't drain the can of baked beans, since it's flavoring is in the sauce. If you rinse & drain your beans you may need a little bit more liquid, so add a can or so or warm water to make the texture like a thick stew/chili. 
• Optional Bacon: If you know me, you know I'm not going to skip the bacon if I don't have too! But this recipe is still absolutely delicious without the bacon. I didn't have any on hand tonight and it still turned out just fine!

Gluten Free Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

Gluten free black bean and butternut squash chili is a welcome change for fall. I've been ready to cook fall squashes for several weeks now and I'm finally getting the chance. It's still hot here in Eastern NC, but I've already transitioned to fall foods. Apples, pumpkin, fall greens like kale, and squash are abundant right now and they are the foods I really want. The great thing about seasonal eating is that our bodies become accustomed to the foods that are (or should be) available locally. Right now I want apples. I want the taste of squash. I want filling soups and stews. By early March I'll be more than tired of them and ready for spring foods... but right now... it's time for hearty beans, lentils, and squashes.

We're still receiving incredibly fresh produce from our CSA. Last week I received a butternut squash and an acorn squash in the box (along with many other things). This week I received the first pumpkin of the year. I was almost teary-eyed at seeing the bright orange peeking through the box. Right now I'm enjoying the mere site of that perfect pumpkin... but in a few weeks it will become our first pie for the season!

I wasn't feeling well last week so I decided to make a hearty, healthy stew. I found a recipe for a vegetarian black bean and butternut squash stew and made a few changes to make the stew with what I had on hand.

Hearty butternut squash, healthy black beans and tomatoes, spicy cumin and chili powder, with the soft crunch of kale at the end of each bite. We ate this stew for two meals and then had it for lunch 3 days last week. Honestly I don't often repeat recipes (it can be hard to do that when you're constantly trying to create new recipes) but this is a fall stew we'll be making often. It's vegetarian but you will never miss the meat. Try this for a filling lunch or a hearty dinner.

This recipe is being featured on the gluten free recipe carnival: "Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free." This month is being hosted by Ali of Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen and the theme is: Packing a Healthy Lunch.

Gluten Free Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili
free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and corn
adapted from this recipe by carrie forbes of gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons gluten free chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cooked & cubed
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 cups vegetable broth (depending on how thick or thin you like your stew/soup)
1 (14 oz.) can petit diced tomatoes in juice
2-3 cups fresh kale, washed, patted dry, and cut or torn into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large dutch oven heat olive oil. Saute onions and garlic until soft. Add chili powder and cumin and cook for 1-2 minutes to release the aroma of the spices. Add butternut squash, black beans, and can of tomatoes. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth. If you want the chili a bit more thin, add additional vegetable broth. Cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes. About 10 minutes before serving add the fresh kale. After simmering for 6-8 minutes the kale will be a beautiful bright green. Taste the chili. Add salt if needed, along with freshly ground pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowl into bowls and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh gluten free bread.

Carrie's Notes: 

• This chili would work really well in a slow cooker. Simply saute the garlic and onions, and then add all ingredients (except kale) to your slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours and high for 2-3 hours. Add the kale, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker about 10 minutes before serving. 
• We don't use a lot of salt in our cooking for health reasons. If you need more, feel free to add it! I've learned that if you add salt at the end of the cooking process you'll be less likely to oversalt your food. 
• Any type of cooked, cubed squash would work well in this chili.
• I actually used a beef broth in this chili because it's what I had on hand at the time. It made a delicious stew. 
• After reviewing this post for me, my husband said, "You used butternut squash in the chili? I thought it was cubed sweet potatoes!"  So feel free to substitute cooked, cubed sweet potatoes in place of the squash.

This post is part of a monthly roundup of gluten free recipes called "Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free." The theme for this month is healthy lunches. Ali of Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen is the host for September 2010. Make sure to stop by her blog this month to see the awesome roundup of healthy gluten free lunches, especially for kids!

Gluten Free Pasta Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup... or also known as chicken pastry in Eastern NC

Before going gluten free I had never attempted to make homemade pasta. Why bother if you could pick up a box of spaghetti noodles at the store on the way home? Most days I still feel that way. Thank GOODNESS for Tinkyada. 

When I moved to Eastern NC for college one of the first local foods I learned about was chicken pastry. I had never heard of this dish. My mother made chicken & dumplings when I was growing up. The dumplings were basically biscuits that were added to a mixture of chicken broth and cream of chicken soup and they were allowed to "bake" on top of the soup in a covered pot. They were light & fluffy and soaked in that delicious chicken broth. It still brings back good memories. 

Eastern NC's answer to my mom's chicken & dumplings is chicken pastry. Basically thick noodles cooked in chicken broth. These noodles are usually either homemade or bought in the freezer section of North Carolina grocery stores. A popular brand to buy is Anne's, which are marketed as flat dumplings. But don't call them dumplings, my mother-in-law wouldn't have the slightest idea what you were talking about. 

Turns out making homemade noodles, pasta, or pastry as we say in Eastern NC... it's not hard. It took me less than 20 minutes to mix the dough and roll out the noodles for our soup last night. 20 minutes. It would take that long to cook a box of pasta (which on most nights, trust me... I'd rather do!) 

Making homemade gluten free pasta. I rolled the dough out by hand and cut the strips with a pizza cutter. 

This recipe is a variation of Thomas's gluten free pasta for pierogies. It's a simple dough and the recipe just works well. I've made this probably 10-12 times now and each time... it makes great noodles. If you have a pasta machine the dough would work beautifully with it. 

I make the dough, divide it into three balls and quickly roll it out into thick strips of pasta. You could make ravioli, spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine... basically any kind of gluten free pasta you want. It's versatile, easy and quick. 

Personally I like thick chicken pastry best. Basic chicken soup with thick homemade noodles. I added a can of mixed vegetables and cooked, diced chicken to make a complete meal. Meals like this are pure comfort food to me. Don't be intimidated by fresh noodles. You can make homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup in 35 minutes. Why aren't you headed to the kitchen? 

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup/ AKA Chicken Pastry with mixed vegetables.
The noodles take less than 5 minutes to cook!

Easy Gluten Free Pasta Recipe

free of gluten, dairy, and soy

adapted by Carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com from this recipe by Thomas of GF/CF Experience

print-friendly recipe

Dry Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup arrowroot starch 

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tbsp. non-dairy margarine

2 tablespoons almond milk

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, margarine, and milk. Stir the wet & dry ingredients together until you get a ball of thick, slightly sticky dough. Divide the dough into three balls. Sprinkle a flat, dry surface with brown rice flour so the pasta doesn't stick when you roll it out. I like to use a silpat mat or a flexible cutting board. Place your ball of dough in the center of your flat surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional brown rice flour. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the ball of dough. Roll out the dough into a wide, flat rectangle (as seen in the 2nd picture above). Cut strips of pasta (using a pizza roller) as thick or as thin as you want them. Place them on a plate and continue rolling out your balls of dough. Make sure to use more brown rice flour if you need too to prevent the noodles from sticking. 

To COOK gluten free pasta: 

Drop the pasta into hot boiling water or broth and cook for 5-8 minutes until pasta is the texture you desire. Drain & rinse the pasta to use with sauces. Leave the pasta in the broth for soup. 

For Quick Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup:

Heat 32 oz. of chicken stock/broth in a soup pot. Add 1-2 cups of cooked chicken, a drained can of mixed vegetables. Heat the soup until boiling and then add 1 batch of gluten free pasta. Cook for 5-8 additional minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Carrie's Notes: 

• Be GENTLE with the pizza cutter if you're using a silpat mat, you don't want to cut your mat. I usually place an additional piece of plastic wrap on top of the silpat mat to prevent cutting it. 

• You know I love whole grain flours, but I think in this recipe you could use your favorite gluten free flour mix in place of the 1 cup of gluten free flour called for, just make sure it's not a baking mix with leavening... unless you want really puffy pasta!

• For the margarine -- I used earth balance soy free margarine. I don't see why it wouldn't work with simply using olive oil or coconut oil though. Try it and see if you're opposed to margarine.

I added this to Gluten Free Homemaker's Wednesday Roundup! Make sure to stop by and check out all of the other wonderful gluten free recipes listed! 

30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals: Day 10 - Ellen's Tomato Soup

Welcome to 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals!

Today's post is written by Ellen Allard author of the blog, I Am Gluten Free.

Day 9 - Ellen Allard's Classic Tomato Soup with Herbed Croutons & Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

"This is definitely classic tomato soup." pronounced my husband. Then he asked, "You found gluten free canned tomato soup?". "Nope", I said. "It's homemade."

I would usually reserve making Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese for a cold winter night, but I'm flying to Chicago tomorrow and had very little time for dinner prep. Before taking off for the windy city, I wanted to make something extra special for my honeys’ dinner, leaving him with the taste of something sweet on his lips. Something he'll ask for when I return home, for sure. You see, he LOVES Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese. It was a regular dinner feature for him growing up, so there are lots of gustatory memories associated with this particular pair, this super simple soup and sandwich dinner.

I didn't time myself, but if I had to guess, I would say that this dinner took me about 20 minutes, though I might throw in an extra five minutes for the croutons, which though not crucial to the soup, add that extra touch of specialness to an already delicious soup.

If I’d made it in the crockpot, it still would’ve come in at or under 20 minutes, at least for the preparation. How sweet! Throw it in the crockpot in the morning, put it on a timer so that it starts 4 hours before you’re ready to serve it, leave a few extra minutes to assemble and grill the sandwich, and voila, pretty quick dinner if you ask me.

But tonight, I made the soup in the pressure cooker, one of my absolute favorite kitchen tools (appliances?). Here’s the schedule for how long it took me to make it:

1. 2 minutes to cut the onion and celery
2. 3 minutes to saute onion and celery in the pressure cooker
3. While it was sauteing, I opened the can of tomatoes, threw them in the blender and blended for about 5 seconds, minced the garlic clove, opened the container of vegetable stock, and measured the soy creamer.
4. 30 seconds to add the tomatoes, garlic, stock, and creamer to the pressure cooker
5. 15 seconds to add salt and pepper
6. 8 minutes for the whole shebang to come to high pressure in the cooker
7. 5 minutes to cook at high pressure
8. 1 minutes to run under cold water to release the pressure
   

Total: just under 20 minutes

You’re probably wondering where the sandwich fits into this schedule? Honestly, while the whole shebang was coming to high pressure, I sliced the bread and buttered it. I melted some Earth Balance in a cast iron pan, slapped one piece of buttered bread (butter side down) in the pan, sprinkled on some already shredded cheese, added the other piece of bread (buttered side up). It took about 6 minutes to grill it to crisp perfection.

Ok, so throw in an extra five minutes for the croutons, but like I said, they’re not crucial to the soup. But definitely worth the extra time and effort. They add a crunchiness to the soup that elevates it to a whole new level.



Ellen's Tomato Soup with Herbed Croutons
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup soy creamer (or half and half for a dairy choice)

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add the onion and celery and saute for 3 minutes. Add the blended tomatoes, garlic, s&p and stock. Bring to high pressure, reduce heat to simmer, cook for 5 minutes. Run cold water over pressure cooker to allow the pressure to come down. Remove the lid.

Bring the pan back to the stove, add the creamer and gently heat for 1 - 2 minutes. Serve with (or without) croutons.

Carrie's Notes: If you don't have a pressure cooker, simply add all the ingredients to your blender. Blend until smooth and then cook on the stove for about 10-20 minutes. It may not have quite as deep a flavor as the pressure cooker version, but it's fast, easy, quick, and still delicious!

Herbed Croutons
1 slice gluten free bread, cut into small cubes
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 /4 tsp each onion and garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil and oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Toast the bread cubes for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Add the toasted bread cubes to coat. Put back on the baking tray and bake until golden brown, about 3 minutes.


Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich
2 slices gluten free bread
cheese of choice (dairy based or dairy free - Daiya is a great choice for dairy free)
Earth balance buttery spread

Directions:
Melt about 2 tsp of Earth Balance in a pan. Spread some Earth Balance on one side of each piece of bread, enough to coat the surface. When the Earth Balance has melted in the pan, put one piece of bread in the pan, buttered side down. Add the cheese (either shredded or sliced) on top of the slice of bread. Add the second piece of bread, buttered side up. Grill until desired crispness, then flip and grill other side. Occasionally, use a spatula to press down the sandwich - that will help it crisp up.


Apparently, the only way to eat this meal is to dip the sandwich into the tomato soup, just to the point of saturating the sandwich but not so much that it falls apart on the way to your mouth. My husband had lots of practice in his younger days, and was very happy to relive his past once again!

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About Ellen:

Ellen is a mostly self-taught cook and baker. She loves creating new gluten free recipes, both savory and sweet. Writing for her own blog, www.Iamglutenfree.blogspot.com, has given her lots of excuses to be in the kitchen. When she's not making music with her husband or visiting her new baby grandson, it's her favorite place to be. Most recently, in part influenced by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, she has been thinking about how to eat locally and simply. Her participation in Carrie's carnival is a reflection of her desire to streamline and find easy weeknight meals that utilize mostly fresh ingredients for easy-to-make recipes.

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Stay tuned tomorrow for Day 11 of 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals. Deanna from "TheMommyBowl" will be sharing one a delicious chicken curry recipe!

Gluten Free Simple Egg Drop Soup

One of my favorite pre-gluten free (pre-getting healthy) meals was egg drop soup from a Chinese restaurant.

I have no idea what's actually in egg drop soup from Chinese restaurants (other than eggs of course) but from the thick "gel"-like texture my guess is that it's probably not gluten free, and even if it is, it's probably not a substance we should be eating anyway.

My version of this soup is much more healthy with very little added salt, fresh spinach (from the CSA this week), minced garlic, and a lot of love.

Instead of making a pot of rice to go with this soup (as I would normally order at the Chinese restaurant) I just added a handful of naturally gluten free thin vermicelli rice noodles. I love the texture these noodles add to the soup. They are also a fun gluten free substitute for real ramen noodles, which are wheat based.

Simple, easy, one pot meal.


Simple Egg Drop Soup
Created by Carrie Forbes @ www.gingerlemongirl.com
(Free of gluten, soy, dairy, & corn)
Print-friendly recipe.

Ingredients:
4 cups low sodium -or- salt free vegetable or chicken broth (make SURE it's gluten free!)
2-3 eggs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes -or- 1/2 cup fresh chopped sweet onion (optional)
Small handful of rice vermicelli noodles (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach, chiffenaded (your cooking school term for the day! :-)
1 tablespoon adzuki bean miso tamari -or- coconut aminos
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch sea salt

Method:
Bring chicken or vegetable broth to a rolling boil. Whisk eggs gently in a bowl and then pour slowly into rolling broth. Stir broth. Add minced garlic, onion, and rice noodles. Cook for 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat. Take soup off of heat. Add spinach, adzuki bean miso tamari or coconut aminos, and freshly ground pepper. Cover soup and allow it to continue to "cook" off of the heat for another 5 minutes or so until spinach is bright green and slightly wilted. Serve immediately with a pinch of sea salt. Makes 2-3 large servings.

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Another reason I love this type of soup is it reminds me of Japanese ramen soup. Here are a few clips from one of my favorite foodie movies starring the late Brittney Murphy entitled "The Ramen Girl." If you're anything like me, you will HAVE to make a bowl of your own version of a ramen soup after watching this sweet, endearing, heartfelt movie.

Cheeseburger Chowder (Gluten Free)

It is definitely the season for soups, chowders,and stews. I made a killer beef stew on Saturday evening. We had company over and we knocked out that stew. Completely gone.

By Monday I was craving stew again, but I didn't have any more stew beef.

I DID have some grass-fed beef from a local grower. Hmmm...

I did a quick search on allrecipes.com and found this recipe. I thought it looked promising. My husband loves cheeseburgers, so I thought the recipe might be a winner. I made several distinct changes to make the recipe gluten-free and a bit healthier.

We used sweet potatoes in place of the regular white potatoes in the original recipe. The sweet potatoes are a delicious savory addition and add vivid color to this chowder, along with a tiny bit of sweetness. The combination of flavors in this recipe is truly fantastic!

I hope you'll give this easy cheesy chowder a try this fall!

Just so you know... we knocked this chowder out too. It's completely gone. And that wonderful, but picky husband of mine? Absolutely loved it, hands down!!

Cheeseburger Chowder

1 pound grass-fed, low-fat beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups gluten free chicken broth (I use Herb Ox Chicken Bouillon)
4 cups sweet potatoes, skinned and cubed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups organic milk

Toppings:
- Italian parsley
- crumbled turkey bacon
- shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, and ground beef. Cook until beef is browned. Stir in parsley and basil. Add chicken broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. In a glass measuring cup melt remaining butter in the microwave. Add milk to measuring cup with melted butter and whisk in cornstarch. Gradually pour milk mixture into chowder, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese until heated through. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve. Sprinkle bowls of chowder with toppings. Enjoy! Makes 5-6 large servings.

(Printer-friendly version.)

Creamy Clam Chowder (Gluten Free)

photo courtesy of Clara @ SixFoodIntoleranceLiving

Last fall I posted my favorite recipe for Hatteras style clam chowder, a chowder without cream.

I love that Hatteras chowder, it's simple to make and so delicious on a cold day.

But I also love creamy chowder. I'm a sauce girl. I always have been. I grew up eating hamburger gravy over toast for breakfast, fried pork chops with pan gravy, creamy potato soup when I was sick, turkey gravy over dressing at Thanksgiving (you can have the turkey... I just want the pan drippings for a good gravy!!), etc... so I would be fooling you if I didn't say that I love cream soups.

Unfortunately my husband does not like seafood. Yes, he'll eat fish sticks or fried shrimp, but that's about the extent of it. So it's not something we make around here very often.

When my husband and I went to the coast for our anniversary the one thing I wanted was a good bowl of creamy clam chowder. The second day we were there I had some amazing clam chowder for lunch. I decided I had to figure out how to make it at home.

I browsed the internet and several cookbooks for ideas and eventually came up with our recipe.

It's quite good. I shared the recipe on our Gluten Free Recipe Swap Group (please join if you haven't! Everyone is welcome!), and Clara from Six Food Intolerance Living, wondered if she could make the chowder not only gluten free, but casein free as well. We thought it was a great idea and soon Clara reported back that she had not only made the chowder using coconut cream instead of dairy cream, but had also made the chowder using hemp milk. She said her husband loved her casein free version of the chowder, even though it contained coconut! So, if you cannot use cream or milk, try using coconut cream, or hemp milk for a successful gluten free, casein free chowder!


Creamy Clam Chowder
(New England Style)

3 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup clam juice
2 cups FINELY diced potatoes
1 (6-10 oz.) can minced clams WITH juice
1 cup cream (or half and half)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
**1-2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

In a dutch oven or large stock pot, melt butter. Add diced bacon. Cook until
bacon is browned and crispy. Add chopped onions, salt, pepper, and Old
Bay Seasoning. Cook 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add clam
juice, clams WITH juice, and diced potatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes
until potatoes are cooked and are fork tender. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes within the pot. (This will help to create a creamy texture
for the soup.) Add cream to soup and heat through. If you like your
chowder thicker mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of
water and add to chowder. Cook 5-8 minutes to thicken soup. Makes 4
large servings.

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** Many thanks to Clara for sending me a picture of her version of this wonderful chowder!

How to use homemade Gluten Free Cream Soup

Hop over to my frugal blog, Heart of a Servant for a super easy and frugal recipe for homemade cream soup and to discover all the versatile uses for this great, super easy recipe!

Here are a few recipes that use this cream soup:

Stacy's Pork Chops
Tuna Casserole
Sweet Corn Pudding
Gluten Free Gravy
Michael's Rustic Chicken Pie
Cheddar Baked Hominy

Tuscan Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup

One of my favorite restaurants used to be Olive Garden. The main reason I loved the restaurant was for those big squooshy, salty, garlicky breadsticks they had...

...oh and yeah, the pasta was pretty good too! But I loved those breadsticks! (And actually just between you and me, I think I've come up with an incredible gluten free breadstick recipe that is very similar, but that's another post for another day!)

Another thing I loved about Olive Garden was their soup. Occasionally several co-workers and I would go for the breadsticks, soup, and salad lunch at the restaurant. My favorite soup served was "Zuppa Toscana." I loved the zesty creamy soup with the big chunks of Italian sausage, potatoes, fresh kale, and spices. It was such a robust soup with amazing flavor and color!

Several years ago I tried my hand at making it at home. It took a few tries, but I think I came up with a good imitation! Now, I make this soup using gluten free chicken broth and gluten free sausage but the flavor is just as delicious, and I always look forward to a big warm bowl when making it! A piece of Sheltie Girl's French bread would be wonderful with this soup! Enjoy!




Tuscan Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage
3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp. quality white wine
2 large russet potatoes (or 4 small red potatoes), sliced and cubed
2 cups kale, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped
1 cup heavy cream -or- low fat evaporated milk (though it may not be quite as creamy with the evaporated milk)
2 cups - 1 quart gluten free chicken broth (add enough to thin soup to your liking)
Dash red pepper flakes
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut sausage into bite size pieces. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes until cooked through and crisp. Set aside. Cut bacon into bite size pieces. In a large soup or heavy dutch oven, brown pieces of bacon until crisp. Add onions and saute until tender. Add minced garlic. Deglaze pan (add a few tbsp. of white wine to the dutch oven and scrape the bottom of the pan for all little bits of stuck bacon and onions, this will add a lot of flavor to the soup broth!) Add 2 cups - 1qt chicken broth and diced potatoes. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Add chopped kale and sausage. Simmer for additional 10-15 minutes. Lastly add heavy cream or evaporated milk with a dash of red pepper flakes. Warm through and serve. Enjoy!!


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