Tag Archives: easy soup recipes

Black-Eye Pea and Kale Soup

Black-Eye Pea and Kale Soup

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We all know that soup is popular in the cold months, and for good reason! But I’m one of those who enjoys soup just about any time of year. So, it’s never off the menu for us.

Here’s a delicious soup that combines black-eye peas, rice, tomatoes, and kale…a wonderful combination of ingredients! AND it’s loaded with great nutritional impact. On top of that, I developed the recipe to be really simple to put together. So, it’s a win-win for anyone who opts to try it!

Below is a video link where I demonstrate how to make the soup. The written recipe is below the video. I hope this helps!

Enjoy!
Judi

Black-Eye Pea and Kale Soup
Makes About 10 Cups of Soup (5 Meal-Size Servings)

6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cups cooked black-eye peas (or 1 (15 oz can) black-eye peas)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (any type), with the juice
½ cup uncooked rice of choice
4 cups chopped kale
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
2 dried Bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large pot with a lid.* Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, until all vegetables are tender and flavors blended. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Leftover soup should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and used within 5 days. Extra soup may also be frozen, and will be best if used within 6 months.

* Optional step based on your preference. If preferred, you can first sauté the vegetables in 1 or 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Sauté them briefly, just until they start to soften. Then add the remaining ingredients and follow the directions from there. Or, you can add a little oil to the bowl as the soup is served, as a finishing touch. The added oil will give the soup a greater depth of flavor.

About Judi

Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.

Zucchini Pasta Soup

Easy Zucchini Pasta Soup

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This simple soup is a great way to use up some of that extra zucchini from the garden! If it’s not garden season for you, zucchini are usually available year-round in most grocery stores. This soup is easy to make and is very “forgiving” and flexible, so it can easily be tailored to your needs and taste preferences.

Below is a video demonstration of how to make the soup. The written recipe follows the video.

Enjoy!
Judi

Zucchini Pasta Soup
Makes About 4 Servings

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable stock, if preferred)
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
½ cup diced bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked beans of choice*
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried parsley
1 scant tsp sugar**
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 cups diced zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
½ cup uncooked elbow pasta*
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional topping

Briefly heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot with a lid. Add chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, broth, beans, basil, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring the mixture a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes. Raise the heat on the stove and add the zucchini and pasta. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta and zucchini are just tender, but not mushy. Serve. Soup may be topped with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*If desired, cooked meat of choice may be substituted for the beans. Or the beans (or meat) can be omitted, if preferred. In this case, if you want more filling in the soup, the pasta can be increased to 2/3 cup.

**The sugar in this recipe helps to cut any bitterness from the tomatoes. If preferred, it can be omitted.

Quick and Easy Soup for One or a Crowd

Quick and Easy Soup for One or a Crowd

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If you’re looking for a fast, easy and flexible soup recipe, you found it! This simple recipe can be made for one or two people and enlarged to make enough for a crowd. The ingredients can easily be changed to meet your needs and taste preferences. Below is a video demonstration. The recipe is below the video. Enjoy!

Judi

Quick and Easy Soup for One or a Crowd
(That’s Not Out of a Can)
Makes 2 Servings

This truly is an easy and fast soup to make. It’s ready in the time it takes to cook pasta!

The recipe can easily be adjusted to serve from 1 up to a crowd.

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups frozen vegetables of choice (ie California blend-cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)
½ cup frozen corn*
1 cup cooked beans of choice**
½ cup uncooked Rotini pasta, or any shape you have available
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced (¼ tsp garlic powder)
1/3 cup chopped fresh onion (or 1 Tbsp dried minced onion or 1 tsp onion powder)
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
1/8 tsp dried hot pepper flakes, or to taste

Place everything except the uncooked pasta in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add pasta. Cook uncovered until the pasta is tender, according to the time recommended on the pasta box. Enjoy!

* If you don’t have corn on hand, you could substitute one small potato, peeled and diced, or add another starchy vegetable of choice.

** If you prefer meat instead of beans, add 1 cup cooked, chopped meat of choice. Beef, chicken, turkey or sausage would work well in this soup.