Who Says Healthy Can’t Be Delicious? Try These Holiday Recipes!

Warming Winter Soups 

I wait all summer for “soup time!”  Here in Texas our summer seems to last forever.  We have finally settled into some colder weather and that means it is time to make some warming soup.  Here are a couple of my favorites!

Chicken Barley Corn Soup 

This is truly a winter soup to warm you up and very hearty and filling!

4 organic chicken breasts or skinless thighs

6 cups of organic chicken broth

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, minced

3 carrots, sliced

3 stalks of celery, sliced

6 sprigs of parsley, minced

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup barley, washed and drained (if gluten free use brown rice or quinoa)

4 cups of organic, frozen corn

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

In large soup pot heat olive oil and add onions.  Sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add 4 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil then add chicken, cook 20 minutes then remove chicken and cool and chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

While chicken is cooling place barley, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaf, basil, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper into broth and simmer for 30 minutes.  Place remaining 2 cups of broth in blender and add 2 cups of the corn, puree until smooth.  Add to chicken broth along with remaining 2 cups of corn and chopped chicken.  Simmer 10 minutes.

Serve topped with green onions.  Optional topping sour cream.

Serves 6

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

This is very filling and super yummy!

1 large butternut squash (or buy pre-cut squash) peeled, seeded and cut into 1” chunks

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced

2 organic green apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

2 Tabl. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 16oz. box of Organic Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth, Low Sodium Pesto

Organic Greek Yogurt

Preheat oven to 400

In large roasting pan (or two cookie sheets) toss squash, onions, garlic and apples with olive oil.  Season with salt and chili powder.  Roast for 30 minutes, stir well and roast 15 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and starting to brown.

Put half of vegetables with half of broth in blender and blend until smooth.  Repeat with second batch.  May need more broth or a little water to reach desired consistency.

Place in saucepan and heat.

Serve with a teaspoon of Pesto sauce and a Tablespoon of Organic, plain Greek Yogurt.

Serves 4

Minestrone Soup 

Nothing says winter warm like minestrone soup! 

2 Quarts of organic beef stock

1 can of organic kidney beans, drained

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 can of organic chopped tomatoes

½ cup chopped parsley

2 Tablespoons organic tomato paste

2 onions chopped

1 cup of celery, sliced

1 leek, sliced white part only

1 Tablespoon dried basil

2 zucchini, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup of red wine (cooking wine is fine)

2/3 cups of gluten free macaroni

Fresh Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Place beef stock in large pot and add garlic, tomatoes, parsley, tomato paste, onions, celery, leek and basil.  Simmer for one hour.  Add all other remaining ingredients except zucchini and simmer until macaroni is barely tender, then add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.  Salt to taste and top with parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

In health,

Chris Mckee

Certified Nutritionist at Achieve Integrative Health