Lentil and Spinach Soup with Chopped Pork Rind
Lentils are a good source of protein, and with added Spinach, makes it doubly nutritious. Some health-conscious would set the Pork Rind aside but if you want to go an extra mile, garnish your soup with chopped Crispy Pork Rinds and indulge. Good for those evenings when you feel empty on your tummy. This recipe will fill you up.
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
4.5 oz dry green lentils, soaked overnight for easy cooking
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cups water or vegetable stock if available. Fresh spinach, chopped. Set aside a little for garnish
3 tablespoons lemon juice Salt
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Ground Pepper
Crispy Pork Rinds (optional)
Method of Preparation: Pork Rinds can be bought cooked in groceries or you can do it at home by deep-frying pork belly. Add cornstarch, Salt, and Pepper before deep frying to add a little crisp. When done, chop and set aside for garnish. Heat Olive oil in a saucepan and add onions. Sauté until transparent and add lentils. Pour in water or stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour until lentils are ready. Add fresh Spinach and simmer for another minute or two. Adjust seasoning. Ladle in a soup bowl and garnish with chopped Pork Rinds and some finely chopped spinach. Squeeze in Lemon for added flavor.
Tuscan Soup
The sausage originally came from Tuscany and is used in many dishes since the 16th century. This soup has meat and vegetable which makes it balanced. This is a delicious milky recipe and only takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil A bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
3 links spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
3 large potatoes, cubed and soaked in water
1/4 cup evaporated milk Salt Freshly ground black pepper
Method of Preparation: In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add onions. Fry until transparent. Then add the sausage meat. Fry until medium brown. Add the potatoes. Wait for 5 minutes and add the stock. Bring to a boil. Once potatoes are tender, add the evaporated milk and spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spinach Tortellini Soup
Tortellini is ring-shaped pasta/dumpling and its cheesiness adds richness to the soup. Add the spinach and basil, and then you got one healthy soup.
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup water A bunch of chopped spinach
9 oz cheese tortellini
1/4 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder salt and pepper to taste
Method of Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Add the tortellini. Simmer for 5 minutes until done then add Spinach. Season with salt, pepper, basil and garlic powder.
Curried Spinach Soup
A beautifully blended pureed spinach soup with a touch of curry and sour cream. You can coarsely blend the ingredients to make it a bit chunky or puree well to make it smooth. Add 1 tablespoon lemon to make it citrusy.
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large potato, cubed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
12 cups spinach – rinsed, stemmed, and dried
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 carton nonfat sour cream (8 ounces) Salt and pepper
Method of Preparation: In a saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté the green onions and potatoes. Add in the curry powder and flour. When potatoes are halfway done, add the stock and then the spinach and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer contents in a food processor and puree. Once done, transfer contents into the saucepan and adjust seasoning. Add in the lemon juice. In a soup bowl, spoon in 1 tablespoon sour cream and ladle the soup into the bowl or top the sour crème into the soup.
Chinese-Style Spinach and Mushroom Soup
An exciting and flavorful soup with a touch from the East is what this is all about. You won’t need a main course to fill you up, this soup is chunky filled with tofu and mushrooms, and it’s very nutritious too!
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 cups vegetable broth
5 oz spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
1 1/2 cups water
4 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 oz thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 pound firm tofu, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
3 green onions, chopped
Method of Preparation: In a medium stockpot, combine vegetable broth, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the tofu, simmer for 2 minutes then add the spinach. Before serving, sprinkle green onions to add freshness to the soup.
Spinach Egg Drop Soup
An easy recipe that only uses spinach and egg as its main ingredient. The flavor of the soup lies in the richness of the stock. Garnish with mint or parsley before serving.
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth A handful of fresh spinach
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 green onions, chopped Pepper (optional) Mint or parsley (optional) for garnish
Method of Preparation: In a medium stockpot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the soy sauce, green onions, and sugar. Add the egg, stirring it for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Ladle in soup in a soup bowl with spinach at the bottom. Garnish with mint or parsley.
Mushroom and Spinach Soup
Shiitake is a mushroom that is very flavorful and gives its dish a ‘classy’ presentation. This recipe is very easy to make and won’t need much of your time, though you need to soak the mushrooms beforehand. Sauté everything, add a thickener and add the stock and you’ve got soup!
Yields: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
3 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoon Flour
2 med onions, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
6 Shitake mushrooms, minced
3 onion leeks, chopped Spinach leaves, cut Chiffonade Salt and Pepper
8 cups Chicken stock Croutons
Method of Preparation: Soak your mushroom 1 hour before cooking. Do not discard the liquid. In a saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the onions and garlic but do not brown. Add flour and pour in the chicken stock and the liquid from the soaked mushrooms. Add minced shiitake mushrooms and bring to a boil. Once it has thickened, add the Spinach and immediately turn off the heat. . 3. Upon serving, put some chopped onion leeks and croutons if desired.
Creamy Spinach Soup
This hearty recipe is traditional for family gatherings or supper. Growing up as a child, this is one of the comfort food I love best. Its chunkiness is filling, its creaminess is satisfying…you won’t even need a main course to fill you up.
Yields: Serves 6.
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoon flour
8 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, finely chopped Boiled potatoes, coarsely mashed
1 stalk celery, finely chopped Fresh Spinach, washed
1/2 cup heavy cream Salt Ground Pepper Garlic French Bread Garlic French Bread
3 French Bread slices
3 tablespoons butter, Garlic, minced Parsley, chopped
Method of Preparation: Garlic French Bread 1. Mix 3 tablespoons butter, garlic, and parsley in a container and spread to French bread slices. Put in the oven for 7-10 minutes until toasted. Soup 2. In a saucepan, mix in butter and sauté onions until caramelized over medium heat. Add in flour stirring constantly and pour in chicken stock 3. Add the potatoes and celery, simmer for 5 mins 4. Pour in heavy cream and simmer another for 3 minutes. 5. Adjust consistency by adding flour into cold water (if needed) to make the soup thicker. 6. Add the spinach leaves. 7. Adjust Salt and pepper to taste. 8. Serve with Garlic French Bread
Pureed Potato, Spinach & Leek Soup
Potato serves as a thickening agent when pureed. When done in an immersion blender, it will give such a smooth and creamy outcome when blended thoroughly. Added leeks and the sherry wine would give a twist to this all-time favorite family recipe.
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 small potatoes, peeled and cut into
1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 cans of chicken broth
1 cup of water
2 bunches spinach, leaves rinsed Leeks, washed and chopped Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Method of Preparation: Heat butter in a saucepan. Add onion, garlic, and potatoes. Pour in sherry wine to evaporate the alcohol then pour in Chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are very tender Stir in Spinach for 1 minute and put contents in a food processor. Puree everything working in batches so as not to spill anything. Return mixture in the saucepan to the season with salt and pepper. Adjust according to taste. Garnish with some remaining leeks then serve.
Spinach and Onion soup with Tomato Crostini
A restaurant-style soup can be done in the comforts of your home in no time. The Tomato Crostini adds a little ‘spice’ to this traditional soup and adds color to it. Most often, the crostini is served floating in the soup which makes it more exciting.
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 ¼ cup (1 liter) vegetable stock
1 oz (30 g) butter 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1-liter vegetable stock
4 oz (115 g) broccoli, finely chopped
4 oz (115 g) spinach leaves, cut chiffonade salt, and pepper Tomato Crostini
8 thick slices of French bread 1 garlic clove, halved
2 tsp tomato purée
2 tomatoes, each cut into
8 wedges 1 oz (30 g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Method of Preparation: Prepare bread slices by spreading the tomato puree on the bread. Rub garlic to induce flavor and place tomato slices on top before sprinkling Parmesan cheese. Grill in a pan until the bread is toasted. Heat butter and olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onions until transparent. Add in sugar and sauté a little bit more until onions are caramelized. Pour in vegetable stock and stir. Bring to a boil before adding the Broccoli. Once Broccoli is tender, add in the Spinach and simmer for 1 more minute. Float the Crostini before serving in a soup bowl.
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