So as you can imagine this soup excited me plenty. Ever reach for the processed filled not-real-food snack in your cubicle on a Thursday afternoon. Stand up for the first time in 6 hours and hear your legs creak like an 85-year old then get on the over-crowded subway to have people cough on you- you get out at that dive bar in the East Village and drink watery beer? I know and I have. And it doesn't make me feel healthy. (As I write this out I can almost hear my I-live-in-a-town-that-has-a-much-higher-quality-of-life friends shake their head with that satisfaction. I geeeeet it.)
Okay, sorry, distracted, the reality TV boy of the moment is about to realize he's gay. And there those friends go. The friends who don't own TV. The friends who write, "TV, what's that?" on their Facebook TV show interests (And don't get me started on the friends who don't even have Facebook to begin with.) Whatever, Alayna is flipping between "NYC Prep" and "16-and-Pregnant" right now. I know what you're thinking, "16-and-Pregnant!" That's too far! That's unethical! Whatever. Okay. I'm getting off point.
Soupie contest! It's going on for another week. Alayna and I just didn't have the time to go through all our soupie submissions. Now that we're famous in Dubai those are starting to roll in in addition to our United States fan base. And Alayna and I are like, Shoot, now we have to translate Arabic. So anyways, if you, say, didn't have time to submit your entry about your favorite soup today is lucky your day because you have another week! And trust me the prize is going to be awesome!
...Oh my gosh, the 16-year old is actually having the baby. Right now. Alayna looks like she is about to cry but she keeps turning back with this sad-like-amusement. "Sad-like-amusement," really, actually, sums up the way I see most things. Ohhh, you and your TV-less satisfication head shakes are endless.
Regardless of where and how you live friends, hope you're in the mood for a bowl of fiber filled natural health. Salud.
Your Bowl of Feel-Better-Ness
- First, put 2 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms into hot water and let soak for about half an hour while you start up the rest of the soup
- Peel and chop two sweet potatoes and a handful of red potatoes into bite-sized pieces and boil in a separate pot
- Roughly dice 6-8 cloves of garlic and saute in olive oil until translucent with some hot pepper
- Add a handful of carrots, chopped, and cover
- Add the leaves of a full bunch of kale to the pot
- Slice 2 yellow squashes and halve the pieces and add to the pot
- Add a handful of shitake mushrooms, sliced, and a box of baby bella mushrooms
- Once everything is getting soft, add the strained porcini mushroom juice (you might want to squeeze out excess juice... they are delicious) and cover the rest of the veggies with chicken (or vegetable) broth
- Simmer until things are getting soft, adding the potatoes when they are easy to put a fork through
- Blend and serve!
We were so excited about health we broke our blender. Over our heads. Holla.
That's how Amal looks when she is really excited about Health.
There you go. A bowl of 10 more years to your life. Enjoy.
I love how healthy it is! I am going to have to try this one for sure. And here's my recipe submission, fingers are crossed that I win the contest (with so much competition and all, yikes!) It's more of a wintery soup, because it's super hearty, and one bowl is definitely a meal but I always end up eating two because it's so yummy.
ReplyDeleteItalian Meatball Soup:
Heat olive oil in a soup pot over high heat and cook one onion, 4 chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped celery rib, and two chopped carrots, stirring occasionally, until onions are pale golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in 5 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil, covered. Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet and saute 20 meatballs (you can make your own or use refrigerated or frozen meatballs - do not thaw before cooking if frozen), turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Add meatballs to soup along with 2 14-oz cans of small white beans (any kind will do) and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender and meatballs are heated through, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1 bag of chopped baby spinach, 1/2 cup finley grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered unitl spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
This recipe is also delish with Italian sausage instead of meatballs. I also sometimes throw a Parmesan rind in with the broth while it's cooking to give it some extra flavor.
Oh Lauren, bless your heart! I think you'll do great in the competition!
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