Coconut Chicken Soup

  1. Mince or grate ginger, garlic and jalapeno. Transfer half to a large bowl and set the rest aside. To the large bowl, add the chicken, half of the chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands or a fork to fully combine but do not overmix. Use your hands to form 2-inch meatballs (about 2 ounces each).  
  1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs in a single layer and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on two sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Make sure not to overcrowd your pot so that your meatballs can evenly brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs, adding oil as needed. 
  1. Once all the meatballs are browned and out of the pot, add sliced mushrooms to the pot and begin to sauté until soften and lightly golden brown. If there is any residue from the meatballs that begin to get too brown with the mushrooms, add a bit of the broth to deglaze the pan. Add the reserved ginger mixture to the mushrooms and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, tamari and the remaining 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices from the plate, and simmer until the flavors come together and the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. 
  1. On a very low heat stir in the spinach and lime juice. Continue to simmer until the spinach has wilted. **Divide rice among bowls, then top with meatballs, broth and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. 

**optional: this soup may be served over forbidden or white rice 

Bean and Bison Chili

Brown the ground bison in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Once cooked, remove the bison into a strainer and place onto a bowl, allowing the fat to drip off.

Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the stockpot. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and peppers and cook until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes or until fragrant, stirring frequently with a spatula.

Add the bison back into the stockpot, along with the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, beans, beer, water, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Open the can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and discard the chipotle peppers, adding the remaining adobo sauce to the stockpot.

Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for one hour, stirring frequently.

Nutrition per serving: 360 calories; 7g total fat (2.5g saturated); 760 mg sodium; 46g carbohydrates; 12g dietary fiber; 10g sugar (0g added); 28g protein

Butternut Squash Soup with Feta Drizzle

In a small food processor, combine feta, yogurt, oil, and lemon juice. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the drizzle into a container and set aside in the refrigerator.  

In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-high and add garlic cloves, squash, and ginger to the pot. Cook for another 10-12 minutes until squash is softened, stirring occasionally. Add in curry powder and salt, tossing for with a spatula for 1 minute. Add coconut milk and stir, allowing the milk to reduce slightly, about 3 minutes. Dissolve miso into chicken stock and add the mixture to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and leave pot uncovered, cooking for an additional 10 minutes.  

Remove pot from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour all contents of the pot into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour contents into two bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of feta drizzle, basil leaves, and pine nuts.  

Nutrition per serving: 260 calories; 9g total fat (3g saturated); 430mg sodium; 41g carbohydrates; 7g dietary fiber; 11g sugar (0g added sugar); 7g protein 

Roasted Corn and Tomato Chowder

Preheat oven to 400°.  Toss corn kernels in 1 teaspoon oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast 5-10 minutes until lightly roasted.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in remaining oil, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and chile powder and continue to cook until onion is translucent.

Add celery, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf and broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf and puree 2 cups soup in a blender or immersion blender.

Return pureed portion to pot. Stir in tomatoes, corn and milk. Return to heat and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition per serving: 270 calories; 4.5g total fat (1g saturated); 200mg sodium; 49g carbohydrates; 8g dietary fiber; 16g sugar (0g added sugar); 9g protein

Autumn Butternut and Acorn Squash Chowder

Preheat oven to 450°.

Lay squashes cut-side up on a baking sheet and puncture with a fork a few times, in order to ensure steam can release. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Add onion, celery, and fennel and cook until translucent but not brown, 12-15 minutes. Add broth, cream, and nutmeg, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer.

Peel squashes and cut into small dice. Add to pot, and let cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened a bit, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. In a small bowl, combine sage-frying butter with flour and add to soup, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Ladle hot soup into warm bowls and garnish with fried sage leaves.

Classic French Onion Soup

Preheat oven to 400°.

Brush bread slices with oil. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, turning once, 10-12 minutes. Set aside. Increase heat in oven to broil.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Add onions and cook until browned, 20-25 minutes. Add sherry and cook until evaporated. Add broths, thyme, liberally season with salt and pepper, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Discard thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, divide bread between 4 soup bowls. Pour soup into each bowl. Divide cheese evenly between bowls. Place bowls on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 3 minutes.

Summer Berry and Watermelon Gazpacho

In a blender, add watermelon and process until smooth. In a large bowl, pour puree through a strainer, discarding pulp. Rinse out blender.

In a separate container, add cubed bread and 1/2 cup watermelon juice. Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. Once bread has become soft, add it to clean blender with almonds and puree. Add this mixture to large bowl of watermelon juice. Add lemon juice, vinegar, mint, onion, berries, cucumber, salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using, and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve in chilled bowls garnished with mint leaves.

Chunky Pork and Apple Stew

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add pork to pot over medium-high heat and sear on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a bowl. Repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pot. Add onion and fennel and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sage, garlic, ginger, mustard, cayenne, and nutmeg and cook until fragrant, stirring continuously, about 1 minute. Add broth and 1 cup cider. Scrape bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits.

Return pork and any juices to pot, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into remaining 1/4 cup cider, vinegar, sage, potatoes, and apples. Bring soup back to a boil, decrease heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add bacon and liberally season with salt and pepper. Pour into 8 soup bowls and garnish with tendrils from fennel fronds and mustard.

Tortilla Soup

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salsa, cumin, chile powder, oregano, cilantro, and lime juice and cook, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup tortilla chips and stir to combine.

Serve each portion topped with queso fresco, crema, avocado, green onions, remaining tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

Coconut Lentil Stew

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, or until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, curry paste, and turmeric. Stir often until fragrant and mixture starts to slightly darken, 1-2 minutes.

Add coconut milk, broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add carrots and greens and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, carrots are crisp-tender, and greens are wilted, another 10 minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir in fish sauce (or substitute) and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro.

*I use a different hearty green each time I make this. Kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, or mustard greens are all excellent options.

**To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce. For vegan and gluten free you can substitute tamari or liquid aminos.

Nutrition Information (will vary depending brands and varieties chosen, this is an approximate):

Nutrition per serving: 220 Calories; 5g Total Fat (2g Saturated); 500 mg Sodium; 36g Carbohydrates; 9g Dietary Fiber; 6g Sugar (0g added sugar); 10g Protein