Shorba Libya

This warm and filling lamb stew from Libya will fill the whole house with a heavenly aroma that will bring both of you to the table at top speed! 

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 lb lamb shoulder, diced
• 1/2 of a 14oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 C water
• 1/2 Tbsp dried mint
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1.  Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add onions, and cook until tender.  Add lamb, chickpeas, tomato puree, spices, and salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.  Pour in water, stir through, and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lamb is cooked through.
3.  About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in mint.  Add lemon juice just before serving.

Robyn's notes: Leftover chickpeas can be used to make hummus, or falafel.  In my market tomato puree only comes in huge cans, so the leftover can be used to make pizza sauce or if preferred, tomato paste can be watered down to approximate tomato puree.  I served this with some naan alongside.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!  

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

For cold and flu season, for a cold winter day, or just because, this makes a great soup and the noodles cook right in the broth at the end!

• 6 oz boneless skinless chicken
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp diced onion
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 small bay leaf
• 2 oz spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds
• 1 tsp lemon juice

1.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, place into 1 1/2 qt slow cooker.
2.  Stir in broth, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and seasonings. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
3.  Remove chicken and shred, using two forks.  Remove and discard bay leaf.
4.  Stir pasta and chicken into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
5.  Stir in lemon juice and serve.

Robyn's notes: the seasoning was just a tad strong, so don't overdo it.  I might add a pinch of cayenne next time.  This was very simple and straightforward.  Can use all chicken breast, all thigh, or a combination.  Thigh holds up better in the slow cooker, but I'm partial to breast, so I used both.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube! 

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Quick Herb-Tomato Soup

• 1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 C roasted garlic hummus
• 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp pepper (coarsely ground preferred)
• 1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, stir together all the ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Carefully pour into a blender and process until smooth (or remove from the heat and use an immersion, or handheld, blender).
2. Return to the pan. Heat over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just simmering. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with the parsley.

Robyn's notes: this was far too strongly herb flavoured. If making this again, I'd actually halve the amount of all of the herbs. It was quite easy and quick, though. Shown with Grilled Triple Cheese Sandwiches.

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes

Nutritional Facts: Exchanges = 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat. Calories 125; Calories from Fat 55; Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 1.1g; Trans Fat 0g; Polyunsaturated Fat 2.4g; Monounsaturated Fat 2.7g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbohydrate 16g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Sugars 7g; Protein 4g

Soup-er Easy Chicken Pot Pie

In celebration of Pi Day (π = 3.14...), a quick and simple way to bring pi(e) to the dinner table.

• 1 can (18.6 oz) Progresso® Rich & Hearty chicken pot pie style soup
• 1 C mixed vegetables (see notes)
• 1 oz sliced Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 slices
• 2 Pillsbury® Grands!® frozen buttermilk biscuits (from 25-oz bag)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray insides of 2 ovenproof 2-cup bowls with cooking spray.
2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat soup and vegetables to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
3. Into each serving bowl, pour half of the hot soup mixture. Carefully place 2 cheese slices in center on top of soup in each bowl. Place biscuits over cheese; spray biscuits with cooking spray. 4. Place bowls on baking sheet for easier handling; bake 38 to 43 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and soup bubbles around edges. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Robyn's notes: for vegetables, either use 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies, or 1 cup total of fresh vegetables of your choice (peas, diced carrots, chopped celery, green beans, etc.). This was not exciting, but it was simple and filling. The cheese that I used made the finished product look quite greasy, and I'm not sure it added much flavour, so I might switch to sprinkling shredded cheese over the top of the biscuit if making again.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Feel like having something else for π Day? Maybe try one of these:
Mini Cottage Pies
Tamale Pie

Cream of Mushroom Soup

• 1 tsp beef bouillon granules
• 1/4 C boiling water
• 3 C sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 C milk
• 6 oz cream cheese, cubed

1. In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in water; set aside. In a small saucepan, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour.
2. Gradually add milk and reserved broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cream cheese until melted and soup is heated through.

Robyn's notes: I used beef broth instead of the bouillon granules, it turned out fine. He liked this, it has strong flavor.

Vegetable Turkey Soup

Note: Check the Yield before making!

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/3 C chopped onion
• 1/3 C chopped green pepper
• 29 oz beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 C cubed potatoes
• 3/4 C green beans
• 1/2 C chopped carrot
• 1/2 C water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp pepper

1. Cook turkey, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer containers. May be frozen for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup: thaw in fridge overnight. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings

Robyn's notes: easy, takes about an hour total. He liked it.  We didn't ever get around to eating the rest of the leftovers, though.  I found them in the freezer much later, forgotten.  Basically the last time we tried making a large soup and storing most for future consumption.

Italian Lentil and Barley Soup

Robyn's notes: crockpot recipe, plan ahead

• 1/2 C lentils
• 1/4 C pearl barley
• 1/2 C carrots, chopped
• 1/2 C celery, chopped
• 1/2 C onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 3/4 C vegetable broth
• 1 1/4 C water
• 7oz can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1. Sort through lentils to remove debris and shriveled beans, then rinse.
2. Add lentils to crock pot, along with barley, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, dried herbs and bay leaf.
3. Pour in broth, water, and tomatoes.
4. Cover and cook on low heat for 12 to 14 hours, or on high heat for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Discard bay leaf and just before serving stir in parsley and vinegar.

Robyn's notes: This is the halved recipe. The original states the yield as 12 servings, but this halved version does not serve 6. There is no way that it would serve more than 3, max. I added chopped zucchini. I had training out of town all day, so this was for him only.

Dilled Potato-Leek Soup

• 1 C sliced leeks (white portion only)
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp butter
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C cubed peeled Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp snipped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dill weed

1. In a large saucepan, saute leeks and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, potatoes, carrot, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly.
2. Transfer to a blender; cover and process until smooth. Return to the pan. Whisk a small amount of soup into buttermilk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Add dill; heat through (do not boil).

Yield: 3 3/4 C

Robyn's notes: This was very easy and quick to make. He really liked it. I had potato soup for myself. Substituted vanilla soymilk for the buttermilk.

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1/4 C diced carrot
• 2 Tbsp diced celery
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1 tsp butter
• 2-1/2 C chicken broth
• 2/3 C diced cooked chicken
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• dash pepper
• 1/2 C uncooked medium egg noodles
• 1 tsp minced fresh parsley

1. In a large saucepan, saute the carrot, celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, chicken and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add noodles; cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with parsley.


Robyn's notes: I used rigatoni because it's what I had in the house, and it absorbed more of the broth than I expected, but it was still good. Research shows that chicken noodle soup actually is good for colds and the flu, and since he's had a really bad flu since Xmas, I was hoping to boost his immune system a bit.

Lentil Soup for the Soul

• 1/3 C chopped peeled parsnip
• 1/3 C diced peeled potato
• 1/4 C chopped green onions
• 1/4 C chopped leek (white portion only)
• 1/4 C chopped carrot
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 can (14.5oz) vegetable broth
• 1 C canned no-salt-added whole tomatoes, cut up
• 1/3 C dried lentils, rinsed
• 1/4 C dry red wine or additional vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 C minced fresh cilantro

1. In a large saucepan, saute the parsnip, potato, onions, leek, carrot and celery in oil for 3 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, wine or additional broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
2. Just before serving, discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro.

Yield: 4 Cups

Robyn notes: the recipe looks more time-intensive than it is, because the ingredient list is long, but once you chop everything up it goes really quickly. He prefers that I not peel any vegetables, so I just wash them really well and chop them up. I couldn't find actual bay leaves at the grocery the other day, so I sprinkled a small amount of dried chopped bay leaves, since I wasn't sure how strongly it would change the flavour. I rarely use canned broth, I tend to use enough of both vegetable broth and chicken broth that I have the cardboard refrigerated containers on hand, and I just measure out the right amount. In this case, to get 14.5oz, it's a little more than 1 and 3/4 C. I also didn't bother to cut up the whole tomatoes, once the soup had been brought to a boil, I just pressed the spoon hard to the center of each tomato and they broke apart in the pot. I know there's a lot of notes for this one, but it was a simple recipe and went over very well. He really liked it, actually scarfed down two full servings real quick.

Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

• 1 large onion
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large potato
• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 C water
• 1 (15oz) can ready-cut tomatoes
• 10 strands uncooked spaghetti
• 1/4 C fresh or frozen (not thawed) peas
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• dash salt
• 1 large egg
• grated parmesan cheese

1. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Heat the oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. While it is cooking, peel the potato and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Add the potato to the pot and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potato will begin to soften, and the onion will be very soft. While the potato is cooking, wash the zucchini, trim and discard the ends and thinly slice.
3. When the onion/potato mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, add the zucchini, water and all but 4 chunks of the tomatoes, leaving these pieces and the juice in the can for use later in the recipe.
4. Break the spaghetti into 2 inch pieces, add to the pot and stir. Return the soup to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. While the peas are heating, peel and finely chop the garlic and add to the tomato chunks and juice in the can. Add the basil, black pepper, salt and egg to the can, beat thoroughly and set aside.
6. When the soup has finished cooking, add 3 Tbsp of hot soup to the can containing the tomato mixture and stir. Add the can contents to the soup. Heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until the soup thickens. Remove from the heat, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Robyn's notes: I had tomato soup today, but he really liked this. He doesn't like his potatoes peeled, so I left the skin on when I cut it up.

Baked Potato Soup w/ Broccoli & Cheddar

• 1 baked russet potato
• 1 1/2 C low-fat milk
• 1 C chopped broccoli, cooked or frozen
• 1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks and combine them with the milk in a blender. Process the mixture until smooth. Add the broccoli and process, pulsing the motor on and off, until the broccoli is coarsely pureed. You should still be able to see tiny broccoli buds.
2. Transfer the mixture to a heavy 2quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the soup from the heat, then stir in the Cheddar, salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Robyn's notes: this looked really nasty because it was kept in fridge overnight and reheated. So it had turned a murky purplish black colour across the top. But once stirred up that was no longer visible and he said it was really good, "make again" good. So I guess it must've been! For myself, I made Potato and Cheddar Soup, see August 16th entry, although this time I left out the onion. Only 3 stars because I have to make a whole separate version for myself, which is time-consuming.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Zesty Turkey Tomato Soup

• 1/4 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 C Mexican diced tomatoes
• 1/3 C uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper, optional
• shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1. In a large saucepan, cook the turkey, zucchini and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, pasta, basil, cumin, pepper and jalapeno if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 13-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Robyn's notes: I left the jalapeno pepper out because he and I are both of the opinion that too much spice in foods is just a way of covering up bad cooking. This was really spicy even without the pepper, so we were both glad I didn't use it. I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta because it was what I had in the house. There wasn't much liquid in the soup, but it was good anyway. And the liquid was the spiciest part.

Potato and Cheddar Soup

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 (8.5oz) pkg vegetable broth + same amount water
• 1 large potato
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
• dash black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Add the flour and stir constantly until it is fully absorbed. Add the broth and water and turn up the heat to high.
2. While the soup is coming to a boil, peel the potato and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the pot. It will take the soup a few minutes to return to a boil. When it does, turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to be mashed.
3. Turn the heat off, and mash some of the potatoes into the broth. The rest can remain in cubes to vary the soup's texture.
4. With the heat still off, add the cheddar cheese and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Season with black pepper and serve.


Robyn's notes: made this a second and third time without the onion, worked out very well. Not terribly exciting, but a good potato soup option for me, since I'm not allowed celery or onion. The third time I made it I sprinkled crumbled bacon on top, which makes it (obviously) not vegetarian but which added a nice flavour.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Chilled Avocado Soup

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, halved and pitted
• 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 C reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• dash cayenne pepper
• dash pepper

1. In a blender, process avocado until smooth. While processing, gradually add broth; process until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients; cover and process until blended. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

Makes 3 cups

Robyn's notes: this is very light and is best served alongside some bread or small sandwiches.  It's just not very substantial on its own.  It's difficult to get the avocado processed by itself, so I just give it a few bursts in the blender, then start adding the broth to really get it smooth.  It's greener than it looks in this picture, but still quite a light green.  I added a dollop of sour cream before serving.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Nutritional Information: Calories 125; Fat 10g; Saturated Fat 3g; Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 371mg; Carbohydrate 6g; Fiber 2g; Protein 4g