Ingredients:
2 tblsp olive oil (or butter)
Pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
1lb (500g) chickpeas (canned is fine)
1 tblsp chopped celery leaves
2 diced onions
8 ripe roma tomatoes.
3 tsp sweet paprika (I like to use Spanish pimenton or smoked paprika, the dulce kind since it adds pizzazz)
2 heaped tsp dried, ground ginger
1tsp saffron
2 garlic gloves
1 tsp tumeric

This soup can also be made with cubed lamb, or I have also seen it served with green lentils or rice; but I think it works best this way, simple and delicate.

Herb paste:
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped.
pinch of kosher salt

To serve: 1 lemon for wedges, herbpaste

Flash boil the tomatoes and then allow to cool so you can easily remove the skins. Blend.
Heat a dutch oven to medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to warm and add the onions and salt and pepper. Soften for 3-5 mins then add the celery leaves and spices. Stir then add chickpeas. Saute for 10 mins.
Add the tomatoes and then cover the mix with water (use the reserved water from boiling the tomatoes.
Simmer for 45 mins.

To make the herb paste, pound your chopped spices with some kosher salt. Add a spoonful to each bowl to serve and squeeze a little lemon juice in. Dates are also a traditional accompaniment if you can get them

My mom’s secret to her chicken soup is to add a ¼ tsp. of sugar for each cup of chicken stock. It’s not a lot of sugar, but it sure makes a difference in the taste. The
sweetness complements the soup’s savory base and satisfies the palette’s craving for salty sweetness. There are different types of sugar that could be used for each type of
cooking. For soup you can use regular white sugar.

The beauty of homemade chicken soup is that you can use the recipe to get rid of things that are cluttering up the fridge, as the recipe is easy to modify. Beyond
the basic carrot, celery, and parsley, you can throw in any additional vegetables you choose. Add any type of pasta or rice you already have laying around your
kitchen. Use either chicken or turkey, depending on the original meal and your dietary preferences.

Preparation:

My soup began with a chicken roast. On Sunday afternoon I arranged a bed of vegetables left over from our weekly produce box on the bottom of a roasting pan: carrot, parsnip, potato, leek, garlic, and fresh rosemary sprigs. After draining the chicken, I rubbed every inch with olive oil and coated it with a generous rub of salt and pepper. After adding ½ cup of water and covering the pan, the bird was ready for the oven.

The chicken soup itself came the next night, and the recipe was very simple. I used water and the chicken’s carcass and roasting juices to create a stock, and the leftover chicken meat and roasted veggies went into the soup as well. We also had a side of wild rice with our roasted chicken dinner, and I made extra to serve with the
soup. What a wonderful meal!

Ingredients:

1. Sauté 1 cup diced onion in 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil on low heat until onions are translucent.

2. Add 1 cup diced celery and ¼ cup chopped parsley and sauté 2 more minutes.

3. Add mixture to a soup pot with the chicken stock, already heating over medium heat.

4. After the stock has heated to simmering, add the shredded chicken, roasted veggies, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Ladle the finished soup over precooked rice or pasta. Don’t add the rice or pasta to the soup pot itself, because it will make your leftovers soggy. Top with parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread. Enjoy!

About the Author:
Elizabeth Gomez is a successful caterer in the Houston area. In her free time she enjoys wine tasting, baking and testing new recipes on her family. She also loves to
share her catering skill and nutritional knowledge in blogs to help others improve their diet & nutrition and how to cook quick and healthy meals for the entire family. Follow her on Twitter @lizgomez485.

Calling all home bakers!  Get ready to pull out your best dessert recipes and “bake” a difference!

Share Our Strength, the nation’s leading nonprofit working to end childhood hunger is celebrating their 10^th anniversary of its Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry.  Individuals and groups are encouraged to sign up to host bake sales in their local communities and the goal this year is to raise $600,000 – which can help connect kids in need with up to 6 million meals.

As part of this initiative, Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry is enlisting bloggers for the fourth annual National Food Blogger Bake Sale.  The virtual-meets-reality event, will be held on Saturday, May 4 and will unite food bloggers from across the country to host bake sales in their communities and encourage their followers to host their own virtual bake sales!

To sign up, please visit: Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry

Yesterday I mentioned how much I loved Jennifer Perrillo’s new cookbook, Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie’s Kitchen. Featuring classic recipes that you could make from scratch, the cookbook will allow you to master home-made cooking without complex ingredients or directions.

Today, I am giving away a copy of the cookbook to one lucky reader.

To enter, simply like Seriously Soupy on Facebook and tell me you did so in the comments section. I will be picking a winner randomly on March 31st.

What I love the most about soup making is the ability for the ingredients to stand alone, that couple with the use of some spices and flavors, can create a memorable soup recipe. When I began my own soup making journey in 2009, I also started to learn about the online world of bloggers and chefs, and somehow stubbled upon Jennifer Perrillo’s (more about the author below***) website, In Jennie’s Kitchen where I was in awe of her homemade recipes that she created right out of her Brooklyn kitchen.

We can also now cherish her recipes even more, and pass them along to friends and loved ones thank to the new release of her new cookbook, Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie’s Kitchen. Featuring a collection of recipes and tips to equip families, budding foodies or those simply looking to focus on simple and wholesome eating with a practical and insightful guide to get started, Homemade with Love is an essential guide to cooking with a focus on making food from scratch, buying local, and eating at home. While looking through the cookbook (and starring at the beautiful pictures), I loved reading Jennie’s intro to each recipe that was filled with meaning and insight to why she loved it. I also really appreciate that the recipes could be made everyday, and didn’t involve intricate or overly complicated instructions. As a busy mom, I also really appreciated that she provided readers with the tool to get started on the path to homemade cooking by discussing with what you need in your pantry (canned beans, boxed pasta, baking soda – to name a few) as well as what to stock in your fridge and freezer – so that that dreaded ‘what are we having for dinner’ is never to be uttered. She also covers the basics like to how to make your own all-purpose baking mix and how to make homemade nut butters to sections that cover breakfast (including options for those on-the-go); soups, sandwiches and salads, pizzas, savory tarts and savory breads; snacks; side and vegetables; meats; pasta, grains and beans; and jams, salsa and condiments (to name a few).

Being all about soup, I instantly went to the soups, sandwiches and salads section where I found some delicious options like Italian Lentil Soup, Carrot-Fennel Soup, Kale, White Bean and Ravioli Soup, a Secret Ingredient French Onion Soup and a Roasted Tomato Soup that I decided to make. Having made my own version of tomato soup using basil and cooking it on a stove-top, I was excited to try a new version that didn’t include that many ingredients. Using tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, cloves, cream, salt and pepper, the soup was roasted for an hour and then blended, warmed up with the cream and served. I was amazed at how easy it was, but also how different it was from any other tomato soup that I had tried before. The roasting gave it a really nice taste that didn’t require my usual additions of garlic and onions. I also enjoyed this classic soup recipe with her recipe for Apple, Cheddar, and Pancetta Panini (I omitted the pancetta since I’m not a huge meat eater), but I loved this adult take on grilled cheese that was such a comforting pairing with the soup.

I can’t wait to further delve into this book and try the Rosemary & Pecorino Popcorn, Crispy Spinach Latkes, Peach Raspberry Tart, Orange Scented Scones and so much more!  The book is filled with so many gems that (to me) are essentially a connection to the home and family that I am so thrilled to share my girls and budding chefs.

A fantastic guide for anyone looking to connect with their food and appreciate the beauty of home-made cooking, Homemade with Love allows readers to reawaken their inner chef, find the joy and create memories in their own kitchens.

***More about the author: Jennifer Perillo is the consulting food editor at Working Mother magazine. She has worked in some of New York City’s top restaurants including Gramercy Tavern and Alain Ducasse at The Essex House. Jennie’s recipes and writing have been featured in Parenting, Kiwi, and Relish magazines, and online at FoodNetwork.com, Parenting.com, and Cuisinart.com. She also shares stories about family, food, and life at In Jennie’s Kitchen, a blog dedicated to from-scratch cooking. She lives with her two daughters in Brooklyn, New York. For more information visit http://www.injennieskitchen.com

I was not paid for this post. I was given a sample for review.

Guest Post by Joy Venner

(picture via the Guardian)

A deliciously refreshing cold tomato soup.

This refreshing healthy soup is made from very simple ingredients; tomatoes and bread, garlic, oil and vinegar essentially. It originates from Cordoba in Andalucía (Southern region of Spain) and is a common tapa to choose in bars in the Southern area of Spain. It is similar to Gazpacho (also Spanish based vegetable soup) but thicker and often served with boiled egg chopped up and cured ham (Jamon Serrano) on top. It makes an excellent lunch or starter for a dinner and is greatly enjoyed by all.

Recipe.

• Serves: 4
• Preparation time: 15 Minutes
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 25 minutes.

Ingredients for the Salmorejo (Cold Tomato Soup)

6 large red tomatoes

2 tablespoons Vinegar

3 – 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 dessert spoons of water

2 cloves of Garlic

½ a baguette from yesterday

Salt

Pepper

To Garnish.

1 boiled egg

100 grams of Jamon Serrano (cured ham)

How to make the Salmorejo.

• Skin the tomatoes and peel the garlic.
• Crush the garlic and chop the tomatoes roughly.
• Add the tomatoes, crushed garlic, vinegar, water and a pinch of salt and mix up using a pitcher or hand held blender until smooth. Whilst you are blending, add chunks of yesterday’s baguette and olive oil until the mixture turns into a thick cream. If you find that the soup appears too thick, add small spoons of water until it reaches a better consistency.
• Once this is done taste to see if it needs more seasoning, put the soup in a bowl and chill in the fridge.
• If you want to serve it in the most authentic manner, use small pottery bowls, and sprinkle the Serrano ham and boiled egg chopped up on the top. Eat with fresh bread. Enjoy!

Yesterday was a day all about simplicity. I had a great playdate for Emma at our local coffee shop, and took a long walk home with my neighbor/former co-worker who spoke about comfort foods. She mentioned a soup that was said to be a favorite recipe of two sisters in Italy who ate it every single day. As she listed off the ingredients (spinach, carrots, eggplant, leeks, etc). I knew this was something that was right up my alley and with a day at home it was the perfect day to make it. Ready in about an hour, this comforting and wholesome soup was even a hit with both of my kids who gobbled it up and keep saying how delicious it was. I loved it for its use of multiple veggies and beans for a healthy winter soup that I am looking forward to making again.

Vegetable Minestrone Soup Recipe from Fine Dining Lovers.

INGREDIENTS
1 Eggplant
1 Zucchini
1 Onion
2 Each Carrot
1 Leek
1 Tomato
1 bunch, Basil
4 bunches, Spinach
1 clove Garlic
20 ml Pesto
20 ml, grated Parmesan
Extra-virgin olive oil To taste
100 g Green bean
100 g, cooked Kidney bean
50 g Peas
Salt To taste

PREPARATION:
Wash, peel and dice all the vegetables and place them into a large pot with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.

To make the dish more digestible, begin sautéing the vegetables in a cool pot.

Once slightly softened, add enough water to cover the veg and leave to simmer.

It’s important to cut all the vegetables to the same size to ensure uniform cooking.

After 40 minutes, turn off the heat.

The vegetables should maintain their original consistency and should not be mushy.

Leave the dish to cool, once cooled serve into soup bowls.

Add a spoonful of pesto, some Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

According to the Genoese tradition, this dish is excellent when served at room temperature or even cold, sprinkled with Parmigiano cheese.

How do you make your minestrone soup?

The chance to try something new (or go back to something old) and the health benefits of certain foods generally draw me to a soup recipe. For this recipe that  was all one of my favorite vegetables: kale. Rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, E, C, and K (sourced from What’s Cooking America), kale is a super food that I love to serve whenever I can. For soups, I really like the blend of red lentils and kale that give it a hearty taste that is packed with protein. To complete the soup I added in zucchini, carrots, and some simple spices like fresh basil and bay leaves. Hearty delicious and vegan, this soup is definitely going to be one that I go back to over the course of the winter.

Kale, Red Lentil and Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
Serves 4
4-6 cups of water
2 cups of dry red lentils
1 yellow onion, cut up
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green zucchini, cut up
1 rib of celery, cut up
3 large carrots, cut up
1/4 bunch kale, chopped
3-5 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or a handful of fresh, cut up
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or a handful of fresh, cut up
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
Add water to a pot and let boil on a medium heat. As the water starts to boil, cut up the garlic and onions and add them to the pot, along with the basil, parsley and bay leaves.  Let cook for 10 minutes and then add the lentils and let cook for about 45 minutes. Cut up the celery, carrots, zucchini, and kale, and add them to the pot, along with the salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for another 20 minutes. Enjoy!

GUEST BLOG by Dr. Hyman

The cure for what ails us — both in our bodies and in our nation — can be found in the kitchen. It is a place to rebuild community and connection, strengthen bonds with family and friends, teach life-giving skills to our children, enrich and nourish our bodies and our souls. Yet, in the twenty-first century, our kitchens (and our taste buds) have been hijacked by the food industry. In 1900 only 2 percent of meals were eaten outside of the home; today that number is over 50 percent.

The food-like substances proffered by the industrial food system trick our taste buds into momentary pleasure. But our biology rejects the junk forced on our genes and on our hormonal and biochemical pathways. Your tongue can be fooled and your brain can become addicted to the slick combinations of fat, sugar, and salt pumped into factory- made foods, but your biochemistry cannot handle these foods, and the result is the disaster we have in America today — 70 percent of us are overweight, and obesity rates are expected to top 42 percent by the end of the next decade (up from only 13 percent in 1960).

Today one in two Americans has either pre-diabetes or diabetes. In less than a decade the rate of pre-diabetes or diabetes in teenagers has risen from 9 percent to 23 percent. Really? Almost one in four kids has pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes? Yes, and, perhaps even more shocking, 37 percent of kids at a normal weight have one or more cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high blood sugar, because even though factory food doesn’t necessarily make you fat, it does make you sick! The food industry taxes our health and mortgages our children’s futures. Obese children will earn less, suffer more, and die younger.

It is time to take back our kitchens and our homes. Transforming the food industry seems like a gigantic undertaking, but it is in fact an easy fix. The solution is in our shopping carts, our refrigerators, and our cupboards — and on our dining room tables. This is where the power is. It is the hundreds of small choices you make every day, choices that will topple the monolithic food industry.

We need a revolution. Cooking real food is a revolutionary act. We have lost the means to care for ourselves. We have now raised the second generation of Americans who don’t know how to cook. The average child in America doesn’t know how to identify even the most basic vegetables and fruit; our kids don’t know where their food comes from or even that it grows on a farm. Cooking means microwaving. Food comes in boxes, plastic bags, and cans. Reading labels is supremely unhelpful in identifying the source of most foods — the ingredients are mostly factory-made science projects with a remote and unrecognizable lineage to real food.

We are brainwashed into thinking that cooking real food costs too much, is too hard, and takes too long. Hence, we rely on inexpensive convenience foods. But these aren’t so convenient when we become dependent on hundreds of dollars of medication a month, when we can’t work because we are sick and fat and sluggish, or when we feel so bad we can’t enjoy life anymore. The average American spends eight hours a day in front of a screen (mostly the television) and spends more time watching cooking shows than actually cooking.

Convenience is killing us.

In fact, real food can be inexpensive. Choosing simple ingredients, cooking from scratch, shopping at discount club stores, and getting produce from community supported agriculture associations (CSAs), community gardens, or co-ops all build health and community and save money. Europeans spend nearly 20 percent of their income on food, Americans only about 9 percent. Food is the best investment in your health.

I believe in the power of collective intelligence. Within my community are hundreds, if not thousands, of unheralded chefs experimenting with food and creating extraordinary meals and recipes. Within our individual and our national communities is the cure for what ails us. We are the answer. We are the revolutionaries who will change the face of food in America and around the world. The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook is the product of this collective intelligence. Truly, the community is the cure!

Yes, we need to change policy in order to change the food we grow and to subsidize real food instead of the walls of processed fat, sugar, flour, and trans fats that line our grocery and convenience stores. Yes, we need to end food marketing to children. We need to make schools safe zones for kids with only those products and activities that support healthy minds and bodies. There is no room for junk food or factory foods in schools. Period. Yes, we need all that and more to take back our kitchens and our health. But each of us can start at home with a kitchen makeover. Three simple actions can change everything:

• Do a fridge makeover.
• Do a pantry makeover.
• Do a shopping cart makeover.

This book gives you advice on what to keep and what to discard from your fridge, pantry and shopping cart. It also provides recipes — gathered from our own community of health and cooking revolutionaries — to delight your palate, stimulate your senses, and nourish your body and soul. The recipes are designed to be made, shared, and enjoyed with friends and family. Think of this book as a roadmap to pleasure and health.

Once you have taken back your kitchen, then you can start something really revolutionary. Find eight (or so) people you would love to know better or spend more time with. Invite them to start a supper club — once a week or once a month. Rotate dinners at one another’s houses. Share the cooking by creating a potluck, or take turns choosing some favorite recipes from this cookbook and preparing a feast for all. At each dinner pick a topic — about food, health, or community — to discuss. Then let the juices flow. The stew of food and friendship will nourish you deeply. In this way — one by one, kitchen by kitchen, community by community — we will take back our health together!

Get started today! Get a copy of The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook today. When you purchase this book from this link you will gain access to these exclusive Dr. Hyman bonuses:

• An invitation to join Dr. Hyman on a live online webinar on March 27th, 2013. Open to the first 500 buyers only.
• In the Kitchen with Dr. Hyman – a “how to” online video series where Dr. Hyman shows you how to shift from a “factory food” diet that’s making you sick to meals that make you healthy. Featuring 90 minutes of entertaining how-to videos.
• A 1week Gluten-Free meal plan, with all new recipes.

* Pilar Gerasimo and her 101 Revolutionary Ways to be Healthy inspired the idea that cooking is a revolutionary act. To learn the other 100 revolutionary ways to be healthy, go to revolutionaryact.com or check out the app.

It was almost two and a half years ago that I made my very first chicken broth and matzoh ball soup. The recipe was passed on from my mother-in-law from her mother that was a favorite during the holidays. Prior to that my idea of chicken stock or broth was from a container or a flavored by a bouillon cube. I have a come a long way since then where I now make my own vegetable and chicken stock without the blick of an eye. I love how flavorful, rich and comforting it is as well how satisfying it is to use fresh ingredients and create the soup from scratch. Recently, my daughter got bit my the awful  stomach bug that is going around where I decided to make this soup. She actually requested it, too, which is pretty shocking since she always tells me that she doesn’t like soup (sigh). As I was making it I realized how simple it was to create, and how this recipe is worth repeating that is especially comforting a long (and chilly) day. Also, it is a great soup for kids thanks to the noodles and hearty dose of vitamins. Enjoy!