Tag Archives: tomato

Soups of San Diego – A Summery Cream Satisfaction Indeed

Posted on by
Reply

Last week I had the great liberty to visit beautiful San Diego. My trip was originally for business to attend a conference on tag management software for analytics, but I was able to combine it with a few days of pleasure time.

Coming from rainy Vancouver, I was very impressed with the sunshine and shorts weather for my first two days. I had a cute tour guide visiting with me and we had a wonderful time bike riding around Coronado Island and downtown San Diego. During the week, I experienced some mighty fine restaurants and pubs.

With the mild weather and great soups, it was very much a summery cream satisfaction for myself. The following are my three favorite soups that I had dining out during my week stay in San Diego.

Kelvin Restaurant at W Hotel
http://www.kelvinrestaurant.com
421 West B. Street, San Diego, CA

I had their Rustic Poblano Corn Soup with spiked popcorn:

The Verdict of Kelvin Restaurant Rustic Poblano Corn Soup:
On my last night I decided to have a quiet dinner at my hotel (W Hotel). This restaurant is petit but very modern and nice. I wanted to have a light dinner so I ordered the Rustic Poblano Corn Soup with the Duck Confit Quesidillas. Both paired well together. But I ended up with a not so light dinner – I was super stuffed after eating it all.

The soup seemed to have fresh kernels within the pureed base, which I thought was a classy touch. They were not mushy what-so-ever liked canned corn. I LOVED the use of tiny chopped chives (my favorite soup topper) as well as a tasty swirl of chile infused oil. The oil added a really fine touch of heat.

And the spiked corn as a garnish – oh my! It sure prettied up the soup! First ever experience of popcorn as a garnish for myself.

My waitress shared that the soup had cream, vegetable stock and rice flour.  I am sure that it had a lot of cream too. It had a very good tasting base but a tad heavy on the cream side. I also think it didn’t really need the rice flour because it was to thick for my liking (almost like risotto thick).

The taste of the soup rocked, but does not get high marks for a slimming soup from me.

Oh well, I enjoyed it but back on the treadmill I go!

Soup Mistress Rating For Kelvin Restaurant Rustic Corn Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (2.5/5)
Presentation: (4.5/5) 
Taste: (4/5)

Blue Point Coastal Cuisine
http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/menu-restaurants/blue-point/
565 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA

I had their famous Lobster Bisque with sherry and creme fraiche (gluten-free):

The Verdict of Blue Point Coastal Cuisine Lobster Bisque:

What a special treat, I went to this restaurant twice in one week! The first time was pleasure and the second time, Tealium Software treated our team at Electronic Arts to dinner. I also had a great opportunity to sit besides Jim Sterne – one of the biggest Analytics evangelist and great eMetrics conference host and speaker. Was fun to talk analytics with him.

A few of us at the table ordered the Lobster Bisque. This soup was super rich and very tasty. The soup was perfect for my appetite because I only ordered crab cakes with it.  Jim, on the other hand couldn’t finish it because he thought it was too rich and filling – he was also waiting for his main entre. Perhaps Blue Point should offer a cup of bisque for those who may be like Jim and not want a big bowl?

The pieces of lobster in my bisque was meaty and juicy at same time. Perhaps it marinated in the soup a tad -sometime I find lobster to tough. I didn’t pick up on the Sherry in the soup – perhaps it dissipated? The seasoning was just perfect but the bisque could have used triple the amount of chives.

I would order this bisque again but perhaps replace the crab cakes with some more fresh oysters, which by the way, comes from beautiful British Columbia (my home province)!

Soup Mistress Rating For Blue Point Coastal Cuisine Lobster Bisque:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (2.5/5)
Presentation: (3.5/5) 
Taste: (4/5)

Mimmo’s Italian Village
http://www.mimmos.biz
1743 India St, San Diego, CA., San Diego, CA

I had the their soup of the day which was a Tomato Basil Soup:

The Verdict of Mimo’s Tomato Basil Soup:

The last day, I had fun hanging out with two other co-workers (Nataliya and Robert). We took a tour on the USS Midway ship and then we ventured to Little Italy for our last meal before heading to the airport.

Mimo’s grabbed our attention and both Robert and I ordered the Tomato Basil soup. I really enjoyed it – I have tried many tomato basil soups and this one makes one of the top 5 I had to date.. It was simple yet tasty like it should be. I lapped up the bowl of soup with some very fresh bread slices. And the freshly grated parmesan is a must at any Italian restaurant don’t you think?

Thumbs up for taste as well as a slimming soup from both Robert and myself!

Soup Mistress Rating For Mimo’s Tomato Basil Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (4/5) 
Taste: (4.5/5)

Veganlicious Soup Options in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland is Plentiful

Posted on by
Reply

For the last three weeks I have been participating in a vegan challenge and it has been a mighty fine journey. I must confess that I did have one slip up just 3 days in. I confessed to my challenger. He displayed disbelief and disappointment of my news – I felt like a gigantic fricken loser! After that naughty episode, I got back on the program instead of just throwing in the towel. I was determined to do it!

At first I thought it was going to be very difficult to find good vegan grub in Vancouver and the lower mainland, but after being a week and half into my challenge, I was overwhelmed by the options – and plentiful indeed!

The Outcome?
Over the last few weeks I felt super great and realized that I was treating my body well with this diet choice. I am considering becoming a vegan close to full-time (well…minus 2-3 days per month. I do love having an egg and prosciutto once in a while as well as butter on my hot air popcorn!). Read more on veganism here.

Below are vegan soups that I want to share with you that are from my favorite vegan friendly spots to date in Vancouver/ Lower Mainland:

Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House
http://www.paradisevegetarian.com/
8681 10th Avenue, Burnaby, BC

I had their #12 Soup: Veggie Chicken Rice Noodle Soup (Pho Ga)

The Verdict of Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House Veggie Chicken Rice Noodle Soup
Refreshing sunshine on a grey day for me! I was astonished how the slices of veggie chicken had the texture like any juicy meat basting in a fine broth. The soup was served with sprouts and lemon on the side, which soon joined the party in my bowl. The broth seemed very flavorful and hint of a creamy broth. I’d love to find out how they make their broth and try to recreate it at home.

I am sure that I will visit this place frequently on the way home from work. I was surprised that it was so close to home and that I walked by it many times when shopping at Choices. A nice spot indeed with a humble and cute atmosphere. The lady who served me was so passionate about the food and even gave me a recipe book on organic vegan cooking! So sweet!

I also tried the vegetarian ham and the vegetarian chicken….very nice tasting nuggets dipped in a sweet chile sauce….pass a napkin please!

Soup Mistress Rating For Veggie Chicken Rice Noodle Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (4/5)
Taste: (4.5/5)

Nuba, Healthy Fresh Lebanese
http://www.nuba.ca/
1489 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

I had their vegan soup of the day, it was a Roasted Tomato Soup.

The Verdict of Nubas Roasted Tomato Soup
Wow and wow. The soup was very yummy. It also looked and tasted creamy to me. But what was the cream if it was the vegan soup of the day? I asked the server what was in the soup and was totally surprised that it was not a complex soup what-so-ever. I expected some magical spices or additional ingredients as well as some vegan cream-like ingredient. He mentioned that it did not have any cream and it was the powerful food processor that made the soup so fluffy and creamy. Also the soup just had bay leave and thyme – that’s it!

KISS – Keep it simple soup! It must have been the good quality tomatoes or the particular technique of roasting that delighted my taste buds!

Soup Mistress Rating For Nubas Roasted Tomato Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (3.5/5)
Taste: (4.5/5)

Bandidas
http://bandidastaqueria.com/
2781 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC

I had a small bowl of their Tortilla Soup. It was made of roasted tomatoes in a rich vegetable stock.

The Verdict of Bandidas Tortilla Soup.

The soup was very nice, chunky and thick. The base was pretty tasty and who doesn’t like avacados? I do think it could have used some corn and the chips were a tad too salty for my liking. Something that was not stated on their website is that they have vegan cheese and vegan sour cream. I was going to opt out of the cheese, but when I read the vegan options on their printed menu I was delighted!

Although the soup receives a decent review from myself, the superstar dish was their tacos. You must have the tacos with your soup or just stay home in your jammies!

I had the following 3 tacos, they were killer and very unique:

  1. Bobcat – Roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, purple cabbage pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, & roasted salsa
  2. Stella – Kale, butternut squash, roasted salsa, pinto beans, cheese, & sour cream.
  3. Ronny Russel – Roasted yams and onions, fresh guacamole, black beans, green salsa, purple cabbage & toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

 

Soup Mistress Rating For Bandidas Tortilla Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4/5)
Presentation: (3/5)
Taste: (3.5/5) 

Tomato Root Soup On Top of Grouse Mountain Could Use Grind Workout

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday, my girlfriend Karen and I decided to get some fresh air and exercise up on Grouse Mountain (a very pretty local ski hill in the North Shore of Vancouver). So early in the AM, we strapped on snowshoes and hiked up the Snowshoe Grind. The Grind was a killer workout indeed and we had an appetite for lunch by 11am, so we visited Attitudes Bistro for a sandwich and soup.

The soup of the day was tomato and root vegetable – the server said it was one of the better ones (had tomato, parsnips, celery, & carrot) , so Karen ordered a bowl and I ordered a cup with a sandwich.

The Verdict of Attitudes Bistro Tomato Root Soup?
Karen loves soup and most of the time we are out, she orders soup. I decided to get her perspective on this soup as well. For the most part, we agreed that the soup was ok, and could have been improved in a few ways.
  • The soup seemed kind of bland and could have used:
    • a dollop of cream with a fresh herb (perhaps basil)
    • chunks of another vegetable would be nice to add some texture
    • some sort of nice garnish, perhaps a bit of fried shredded parsnips
I did love how the parsnips played with the tomato soup base. This is one soup I would like to try to make myself at home with modifications noted above.

Soup Mistress (and Karen) Rating for Tomato Root Soup:
Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (3/5)

Taste: (3.5/5)

Oh, ya. With the soup I had the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich. I highly recommend the sandwich – it was fabulous and had arugula, artichokes, hummus, tomato & organic flat bread. The soup needs some refining to be at the same level as the sandwich! Perhaps a Grind Workout!

Moroccan Chickpea Soup, A Happy Planet Vegetarian Gluten-free Masterpiece

Posted on by
Reply

The other day I left the office quite late and didn’t feel like cooking and I decided to stop off at Choices on the way home.

Happy Planets Moroccan Chickpea Soup grabbed my attention being organic and all. I brought it home and heated it up very slowly on low-med heat. It’s funny, I did not have huge expectations for a prepackaged soup – but I was totally surprised of how awesome this soup was when I had my first spoonful! OMG!

The soup seemed so fresh, and had noticeable pieces celery and onion and full firm chickpeas. The vegetables and beans were not mushy what-so-ever. The spinach seemed to be chopped fine and hide in the background giving the chickpeas all the attention it deserves.

The warm spices had a nice touch. I read the ingredients and it had basil with cilantro and cumin. I would have never thought to use those three together! Cilantro and cumin together is a gimme though as a duo. Although it does not read fennel seeds in the ingredients, I think it adds a extra special touch to this soup.

Take a look at the picture of the soup in my bowl above. I think it could fool a meat eater!! I am guessing that a percentage of the soup was pureed to give it a thicker consistency like a meaty soup. It can also fool the same person that it had a meat broth base too – it had some mighty fine depth!!

Happy Planet wasn’t too shy on the spices and it worked out like a vegetarian masterpiece!!

Oh ya, it is also Gluten-free, high in fiber and more. Read more here on Happy Planets website.

Ingredients: Water, organic chick peas, organic tomatoes, organic onions, organic celery, organic spinach, organic garlic, organic sunflower oil, organic tomato paste, sea salt, organic cilantro, organic and/or natural spices.

This is one soup I would LOVE to try and recreate at home! I may put this at the top of my to do list! I would also consider bring home another bag of this soup from the grocery store anytime in the future.

Soup Mistress Rating for Happy Planet Moroccan Chickpea Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (4.5/5)
Taste: (5/5)

Ooh La LaTomato Gin Soup, A Le Crocodile Classic

Posted on by
Reply

Just last week I went to Vancouver`s Le Crocodile with my girlfriend Karen for lunch. Was my first time and wished that I have had the opportunity to go there two decades ago! It is a formidable restaurant. Presentation of our food was exquisite. The lovely chef surprises were a superb touch as well (a tart for appetizer and sorbet for dessert) – left me feeling quite special. Loved our waitress – she was so refined, knew and described the french menu to a tee and had a very cute charm.

I decided to start with the  “Le Crocodile Classic” Tomato and Gin Soup, served with Fresh Whipped Cream.

The Verdict of Le Crocodile Classic Tomato and Gin Soup?
Ooh la la. The soup was very good, the tomato base was so smooth and not too acidic.  I felt like asking for more fresh whipped cream and chives though! I was a naughty gal and dived right into the middle right off the bat and lapped it all up. I do love chives so much and when I swirled the cream into the soup, I was in heaven and soon forgot about the nasty head cold I was fighting. Not sure if I recognized the gin per se in the soup. I would like to make it in the future at home and try it with and without gin to see if it makes a noticeable difference.

I could not find a published version of Le Crocodiles Tomato Gin soup but found some contenders to try out in the future that seem to be from some local chefs in Vancouver:

  • http://lesleystowe.com/blog/summer-tomato-gin-soup/.
  • http://vitamindaily.com/content/rob-feenies-tomato-gin-soup-exclusive-recipe
  • http://www.westernlivingmagazine.com/FD/0310.Food.html
  • http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca/qs/page/17299/17088/115
  • http://www.food.com/recipe/gin-tomato-soup-22116

Rob Feenie’s recipe calls for Hendricks Gin. I may steer towards using that gin because it has a cucumber infusion I am told – that should go well with tomato.

Soup Mistress Rating for Le Crocodile Classic Tomato Gin Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (3/5)
Presentation: (4.5/5)
Taste: (4.5/5)

Along with the soup, here are other dishes that were served to us (Foie Gras, Lobster Tempura, Lamb Chops). I loved the Tempura and Karen loved her Lamb Chops!:

Ra Ra For Kristen Suzanne’s Harvest Raw Soup

Posted on by
Reply

Raw Harvest Soup

Raw Harvest Soup
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 4

The Completed Raw Harvest Soup

I have been meaning to try raw (uncooked) soup recipes and venture out more to raw food restaurants in Vancouver. Don`t get me wrong, I do love bacon, prosciutto and cooked foods – I am not a vegan and I do like to cook some of my food.  I do though try to eat a fair bit of raw foods (salads, veggies, fruits, fresh juices, nuts etc..) and I am a huge advocate of Vega One (a plant based shake)  – been taking it for over 2 years for breakfast. Having a raw food based diet in the mornings helped me a ton to do long runs and work bright eyed and effectively all day. I have never felt healthier.

So What Are The Benefits of Raw?
In short, when you cook your food, you’re destroying the nutrients. Read more here on the benefits of raw food.

A few weeks ago, I started following Choosing Raw on Facebook. She shared this raw soup recipe that she swore is awesome and she made it a few times in one week.

The Verdict of Kristen Suzanne’s Raw Harvest Soup ? Overall, this soup tasted pretty good! Presentation leaves a little to be desired being purred and all. The soup was a little warm and went down nice and smooth. I had some left over in fridge and tried it later chilled – I prefer it right out of the blender at room temperature though. My favorite thing I liked about this soup is how healthy I felt instantly and it was quite filling.

Kristen Suzanne’s Raw Harvest Soup Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 large zucchini, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cups carrot, chopped
  • 2 dates, pitted
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup white onion, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4cup flax oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Kristen Suzanne’s Raw Harvest Soup Instructions:

  • Blend all of the ingredients except for the flax oil, on high speed in your blender until really creamy (approximately one minute). Then, while the blender is running on low speed, add the flax oil. Continue blending, at a higher speed, for another minute or less. This will make it slightly warm. Enjoy!

Original Recipe here: http://kristensraw.com/blog/2007/09/05/kristen-suzannes-harvest-soup/

What I changed from the original recipe:

  • Used 1 and 1/4 cup of water to compensate for less flax oil
  • Instead of Himalayan crystal salt I used sea salt
  • instead of 1 tablespoon of onion powder I used 1/4 cup of chopped white onion
  • used 1/4 cup of flax oil versus 1/2 cup
  • added coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg (original recommend pumpkin pie spice mix as optional)

Soup Mistress Rating for Kristen Suzanne’s Raw Harvest Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (5/5)
Presentation: (3/5)
Taste: (4/5)

Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup – A Great Pick Me Up Soup

Posted on by
Reply

Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup

Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 9

The Completed Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup

Yesterday I decided to make this refreshing soup. I was looking for something to pick me up because the night before I had one too many glasses of wine with my girl friends.

I decided to replace regular green cabbage with napa cabbage – it is somewhat milder and a bit sweeter. Napa cabbage is a good source of vitamin C, folate, calcium, potassium, and manganese. Read more on the nutritional value here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3035/2

The Verdict of Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup? I did like the sweet and sour taste of the soup. It seemed more on the sweet side to me though – so if you are not a sweet soup kind of person, this is not for you. Myself, I do like savory as well as sweet soups. This soup did in fact pick me up and make me feel like I did not have wine the night before. It was a great pick me up soup. I would make this soup in the future. I think this soup could also be served cold in the summertime or used as a base (simmered down more) to cook chicken in and served it over some rice.

Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cups napa cabbage, finely chopped
  • 2 apples, peeled and diced (plus few slices for garnish)
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • 14oz canned tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3.5 oz pineapple with reserved juice, finely chopped
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 teaspoon wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • salt and pepper

Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium sauté onions for about 5 minutes or until soft (not browned).
  2. Add cabbage and sauté for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add apples and apple juice,  and cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, pineapple, vinegar, and water.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour until fruit and veggies are soft.
  6. Take soup off heat, add lime juice and puree soup with hand blender (or in food processor working in batches).
  7. Return soup to rinsed out pot, and heat up soup on low.
  8. Add pepper and salt to taste.
  9. Ladle soup in warmed bowls.
  10. Garnish with thin apple slices.

Original Recipe: Soup Bowl, An inspiring Collection of Soups, Broths, and Chowders,  Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup (page 137)

What I Changed From Original Recipe:

  • omitted raisins and orange juice
  • added lime juice and tomato paste
  • omitted tomato juice
  • used more cabbage and napa cabbage instead of regular cabbage
  • used more pineapple and the reserved juice

Soup Mistress Rating for Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage Apple Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.75/5)
Presentation: (3.75/5) 
Taste: (3.85/5) 

Parsnip Red Lentil Chipotle Soup – A Tasty Soup Not Acquainted With The Freezer

Posted on by
Reply

Parsnip Lentil Chipotle Soup

Parsnip Lentil Chipotle Soup
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 13

The Completed Parsnip Red Lentil Chipotle Soup.

The other day, Jan Comerford Surgent (another soup-a-holic and Facebook friend) posted on Soup Mistress wall that she likes to cook up a tasty lentil and chorizo soup with chipotle pepper and shredded carrots. Yum, that did sound tasty and inspired me.

Since I am a big fan of chipotle pepper and I never attempted any kind of lentil soup in the past, Jan inspired me to look further. I went on my merry way and searched online for lentil soup recipes and one in particular grabbed my attention which had bacon. So I decided to run with the recipe with a few modifications plus taking Jan’s suggestions to use chipotle pepper.  I decided to use parsnips instead of carrots, since I had them on hand. I  also shredded the parsnips with Jan’s recommendation as well, instead of chopped.

The Verdict of Parsnip Red Lentil Chipotle Soup? This is one soup I wished I made two batches of because none made it to my freezer for a later date. I had a friend over to help me and the soup was well received with a request for a second bowl. Some lentil soups call for blending, but I don’t think this soup needs any blending what-so-ever – I like the tiny pieces of onion and contrast with the ingredients. This is one soup where the ingredients play really well together. I really liked the shredded parsnips and how they played into the soup background. This soup is a little on the spicy side – so no wussies allowed! If you feel like a milder soup – maybe use a small or half of a chipotle pepper but don’t omit it. The cilantro and dollop of goat yogurt cools the soup and plays well with the bacon and heat of the pepper. Yeppers, this soup will be made again in my home in the future, I am very sure of that!

Parsnip Red Lentil Chipotle Soup Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup chopped bacon
  • 2 cups onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 cups parsnips, shredded
  • 3 cups tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup lentils, rinsed
  • 1 medium – large chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  • 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  •  ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (keeping some for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup goat yogurt
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Parsnip Red Lentil Chipotle Soup Instructions:

  1. Chop the bacon into small pieces and cook it over very medium-low heat in a heavy bottomed pan.
  2. Reserve the bacon on a plate with paper towel, leaving about a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan to saute the onions.
  3. Saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
  4. Add parsnip and tomato to the pan, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 2 more minutes.
  5. Add the bacon pieces, lentils, chipotle pepper, and the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Cover the pan and simmer until the lentils are soft (30 to 40 minutes). Check the soup occasionally to see if more liquid is needed; the lentils should be covered.
  6. Add lemon juice and cilantro, stir.
  7. Add the salt and pepper (to taste) and serve.
  8. Ladle in serving bowls, garnish with a tablespoon of goat yogurt and cilantro.

Original Recipe: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t–1748/lentil-and-parsnip-soup.asp

What I Changed From Original Recipe:

  • used more bacon
  • added garlic
  • used parsnip only (no carrots), and shredded (not chopped)
  • added chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • used low sodium vegetable stock\added cilantro
  • added goat yogurt as garnish
  • added fresh lemon juice

Soup Mistress Rating for Parsnip Lentil Chipotle Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (4/5) 
Taste: (4.75/5) 

Yum Factor With Tomato Basil Organic Soup

Posted on by
1

tomato-organic-soup-1

tomato-organic-soup-1
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 11

The Completed Tomato Basil Organic Soup

A while ago, Noel Pullen (@noelpullen) (another soup-a-holic like myself) shared Jamie Oliver’s Tomato Soup recipe with me along with his own modifications. I’ve been meaning to make this soup with Noel’s recommendations for quite some time. Noel made the soup a tad thicker (doubling the veggies and not the water/stock) and gave it some zing by adding peppercorns and increasing the amount of basil.

The Verdict? I purchased the same canned tomatoes and vegetable stock cubes that Noel used at Donalds Market (at the Westminster Quay). The canned plum tomatoes are really great and have a thick tomato base, which I think is what gives this soup a very yummy taste. These canned tomatoes don’t seem to be as watered down as other brands – I would buy them again. The extra basil and peppercorns really added some nice depth to the soup for sure. Two thumbs up for this soup and it’s modifications. I feel really healthy eating this soup because I used all organic vegetables! Yum factor indeed.

Ingredients for Plum Tomato Basil Organic Soup:
(Serves 10 – 12,  this is a big batch of soup – great to freeze as well)

  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 4 sticks of celery, chopped
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes, preferably organic
  • 1.5 liters of boiling water
  • 2x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
  • 3 large ripe tomatoes
  • 20 large fresh basil leaves
  • sea salt
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup parmesan, grated

Cooking Instructions for Plum Tomato Basil Organic Soup:

  1. Heat olive oil in large heavy pan (or pot) over medium-high heat.
  2. Add carrots, celery, garlic, onion and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with the lid slightly on until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.
  3. Bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil and turn off. Stir in stock cubes until dissolved.
  4. Add stock to the pot with vegetables, as well as the canned and fresh whole tomatoes. Stir.
  5. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt and peppercorns and add the basil leaves.
  7. Using a hand blender or regular blender, puree the soup until smooth.
  8. To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with grated parmesan and a few small basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Original recipe here: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/soup-recipes/tomato-soup-updated

What was changed from Jamie Oliver’s Tomato Soup recipe:

  • increased to 20 big basil leaves
  • added 10 black peppercorns
  • doubled all the vegetables and not the liquid
  • added parmesan as a garnish (this was my modification)
  • used all organic vegetables

Soup Mistress Rating for Plum Tomato Basil Organic Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.5/5)
Presentation: (5/5) 
Taste: (5/5) 

Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup

Posted on by
2

Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup

Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 11

The completed Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup with Goat Yogurt and Cilantro as garnish.

Puddy Salivating

In the wintertime I like to make a thick chili with stewing beef in my Crock-Pot. I  prepare all the ingredients in the morning and turn on the Crock-Pot all day. Unfortunately, my all day Crock-Pot cooking drives my dog crazy. He seems to hang out more in the kitchen smelling around and salivating – poor fella.

But yesterday,  I decided to take my regular chili recipe and make it a little different by adding a fair bit of tasty broth. So, I am going to call it Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup instead.

The verdict? In the past, I would just add more water to make my chili thinner, but with this recipe I added one of my favorite vegetable broths (and more of it) and boy it make a BIG difference. I can just lap up this chili soup with a few pieces of yummy buttered bread. But wait, maybe I can attribute the taste bud enhancements to another new ingredient I added to my chili? The new ingredient was Skillet’s Chipotle Pumpkin Sauce (a sister product of Skillet Bacon Spread that I so love). I’m thinking the combination of all ingredients, the broth and the Chipotle Pumpkin sauce made a very tasty chili soup. Or maybe it was the slow and long cooking process of my Crock-Pot? Hmmn, maybe so, but this one is a keeper and I am happy a made a big batch to freeze.

Note: The recipe below serves about 15 – you can half all ingredients. I made a big batch with intentions of freezing a few Ziplocs.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups white onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 750 ml diced can tomatoes in juice
  • 2 x 150 ml cans of tomato paste
  • 2 serrano chiles, finely chopped (seeds and white out)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoon tex mex spice (or chili powder)
  • 2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons skillet chipotle pumpkin sauce
  • dash of pepper (to taste)
  • 1.25 Kg stewing beef, in chunks
  • 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup goat yogurt (or sour cream)
  • fresh cilantro

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Add the following ingredients into Crock-Pot: diced tomatoes(with juice), tomato paste, serrano chili, cumin, tex mex, oregano, cayenne, chipotle pumpkin sauce, and pepper.
  2. Turn the Crock-Pot on low to get it heated up.
  3. Heat olive oil in heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 5 minutes, or until onions are softened. Add to Crock-Pot
  4. Using the same heavy pan brown beef cubes in batches. Add to Crock-Pot
  5. Add vegetable broth to Crock-Pot.
  6. Place lid on Crock-Pot and simmer for at least 7 – 8 hours
  7. Add in strained kidney beans, place lid back on and simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with some goat yogurt (or sour cream) and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

What I changed from my original chile recipe:

  • Added 3 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
  • Add Skillet Chipotle Pumpkin Sauce

Soup Mistress Rating for Crock-Pot Mexican Chili Beef Soup:

Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4/5)
Presentation: (4/5) 
Taste: (4.5/5)