Easy Vegetable Soup

This is a very easy, hearty soup - really a stew without thickening, to serve in a bowl.

Brown meat over medium heat in 3 qt pot, breaking up meat as it browns.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil, adding just enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender and barley is done.

*an old French herb combination you can make yourself.

**Savory Herb Pepper adds a special flavor that is hard to duplicate.

Yield: 8 one cup servings

Yield: 12 generous 1 cup servings

Variation 1: Substitute cabbage for all or part of kale. If using only cabbage, add some chopped fresh parsley at the end for color.

1 can (4 oz) shrimp, drained
1 can (8 oz) whole oysters, drained, halved

1 cup celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
3-4 mushrooms, chopped (optional)
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or canned (optional)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
½ tsp dry mustard
1-2 tsp dill weed
½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
Pepper, to taste

Sauté celery, onion, and other vegetables in oil and butter until crunchy tender (5 minutes).

Sprinkle flour over celery mixture and stir. Add milk, broth, and seasonings and cook until bubbly and thickened. Add some more broth or milk if you like it thinner.

Add the shrimp and oysters and heat gently. Serve immediately when oysters are warm.

Yield: 2 generous servings

Good served with Apple Salad

Variation: Omit shrimp. Instead of dill weed and salt, season with 1/2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, and Thai Fish Sauce to taste (both are salty).

2 lb meaty pasture-fed chicken pieces (breasts, legs, thighs)
2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
8 oz fresh mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp snipped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp Herb Pepper
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1 bay leaf

2 cups home-made chicken broth (thin broth if concentrated)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks (1 1/2 cups)
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1 inch chunks (1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

In large Dutch oven brown chicken pieces in oil for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, turning to brown evenly. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add next 6 ingredients to Dutch oven and sauté 4-5 minutes until tender.

Stir in chicken broth and wine. Add carrots and parsnips. Return chicken to Dutch oven. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is tender and vegetables are tender.

Using a slotted spoon remove chicken pieces. Remove bones, cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Include the skin as it is a source of valuable nutrients if the chicken was properly raised. Return meat to pot. Discard bay leaf.

Combine water and flour into smooth paste. With spoon push meat and vegetables to one side and stir in flour mixture. (Tip pan to combine most of broth with flour mixture.) Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Simmer gently, stirring often, for another minute or so. Add parsley and stir in. Serving immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is fabulous with leftover turkey and gravy (omit chicken and broth, thin at needed with water).

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

200 grams (1 1/2 cup) sweet potato; peeled, cubed
1 cups leeks or onions; sliced or chopped
2 teaspoon butter
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1 dash white pepper
1 dash ground nutmeg
2 tablespoon sour cream

Sauté sweet potatoes and leeks in butter in sauce pan about 5 minutes.

Add broth and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Mash with potato masher or puree in blender or food processor until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Garnish with chopped leeks if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
140 calories
6 gm protein
16 gm usable carbs
5 gm fat

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This delightful recipe has a distinct Thai flavor. Visit you local oriental grocery to find Thai fish sauce and tamarind.

1/4 cup onion; chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green beans cut to 1 inch lengths
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 clove garlic; chopped
2 slices ginger; sliced thick
shredded lime peel from ½ lime
1 sprig lemon verbena from your garden pot
1 ½ cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup cooked chicken
1/2 can coconut milk (canned)
2 teaspoon tamarind sauce
to taste Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon rapadura sugar or Sucanat (optional)
to taste Tabasco Sauce
juice from ½ lime
1/2 cup mushrooms; sliced, or 4 oz can, drained

Sauté onion, celery and green beans in oil until soft.  Add garlic and sauté until golden.
Add ginger, lime peel, verbena and stock and bring to boil over medium heat.
Stir in the chicken and return to boil. Boil for 1 minute and stir in coconut milk. Return to a boil.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until tender. Remove Verbena stem. Serve.

Yields 2 servings