soup Archives - Ari's Menu

Crockpot Spicy Sausage Split Pea Soup

December 12, 2014 · by Ari · 2 Comments

This post is sponsored by Swanson®. All opinions are my own.

Crockpot spicy sausage split pea soup is a warm, comforting and hearty winter soup. Surprisingly healthy, this is the perfect dish for entertaining out of town family and friends.

There is a chill in the air (yes, even in Phoenix), Christmas music is starting, and the holiday displays that have been out since before Halloween are starting to expand and take over. Basically it’s my (and many others’) favorite time of year!

This year we have company coming in for Thanksgiving weekend, so I’m busy planning not just Thanksgiving dinner, but an entire weekend of entertaining. Phoenix has an amazing food scene, but eating out for every meal gets expensive, and sometimes I just want to show the people I love a great time at my house with food, wine, and lots of time to catch up.

I am beyond grateful to own a house with a guest room and, in my opinion, a pretty great kitchen that I can open to my friends and family year round, but especially around the holidays. There is nothing I love more than sharing my space with the people I love, and cooking them delicious food. I’m an extrovert to the max.

When Swanson® approached me about creating some holiday dishes, I knew immediately that I wanted to create something comforting and filled with flavor. I use chicken broth all the time, but the new Flavor Infused Tuscan Chicken just takes it to the next level–it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the split pea soup, but it is perfectly spiced so that you don’t end up with bland soup.

Split pea soup is traditionally made with a ham hock, but I wanted to change things up, so I started with some garlic (obviously) and spicy turkey sausage. I just love the flavor that turkey sausage brings to a dish, plus it beefs up the protein content, and turns split pea soup into a hearty and filling meal that won’t leave your hungrier guests asking “Soup? For dinner?” Trust me. I am the hungriest of all.

All you have to do is heat the garlic in a little olive oil, then brown the meat and layer everything in your slow cooker, and let that baby cook off on low heat for 8-10 hours. You can cook it on high for less time, but I’m a firm believer of low and slow. The result is a fragrant, home-y, and impressive home cooked meal that will leave your guests happy and satisfied.

Crockpot Spicy Sausage Split Pea Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 9 hours

Yield: 8-10 servings

Crockpot Spicy Sausage Split Pea Soup

Spicy sausage split pea soup is a warm, comforting and hearty winter soup. Surprisingly healthy, this is the perfect dish for entertaining out of town family and friends.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
20 ounces spicy turkey sausage, casings removed
2 cups split peas
1 cup chopped carrots
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 cups Swanson® Tuscan Chicken Flavor Infused Broth
~1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add turkey sausage, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Transfer cooked sausage and garlic to your slow cooker. Layer split peas, carrots celery, onion, parsley and bay leaves on top. Pour broth on top and add hot sauce if desired. Do not stir. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until peas are very soft, and melt into the soup. Remove bay leaves, stir and serve. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

http://www.arismenu.com/crockpot-spicy-sausage-split-pea-soup/

This blog post is sponsored by Swanson®.

Crockpot Curry Soup with Sweet Potato, Chicken & Kale

September 28, 2014 · by Ari · 19 Comments

Rich, creamy, warm and comforting curry soup with sweet potatoes, chicken & kale is incredibly easy to make in your slow cooker with NO prep time! Healthy, paleo, gluten-free & dairy-free.

Can we talk for a second about trying to make curry soup look pretty? I mean, it’s YELLOW and the sweet potatoes I used were yellow. Side note: I totally prefer the lighter colored sweet potatoes, you? The first time I used them I thought they were mislabeled because for most of my life I knew nothing about vegetables. Anyway, I love them, and I think they are sweeter and softer than the orange ones.

Oh, and ummm cooked kale? The ugliest. If this soup weren’t so freaking delicious, I would have said F it, called it quits, and just pouted while sadly eating straight from the crockpot. Seriously, it’s super fun to live with a food blogger who gets super grouchy when things don’t go her way. The other night I had a melt down because I took like 5 zillion pictures of steam coming off my mac & cheese only to realize the wine glass I had set in the background was still empty. Life is hard sometimes.

Anyway, this soup was totally worth it, pretty or not. With the bold curry flavor, the creamy coconut milk and my very favorite food (sweet potatoes, in case you’re new here), you really can’t go wrong. The chicken cooks up perfectly in the crockpot with extra work involved, and the kale adds a little nutrient + flavor bonus. I love kale. I’m such a cliche.

This soup is perfect for the busy fall months when you want something delicious and warm waiting for you when you come home–it makes weeknight dinners a breeze, and it tastes way more indulgent than it actually is, so it’s a win-win!

Crockpot Curry Soup with Sweet Potato, Chicken & Kale

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Crockpot Curry Soup with Sweet Potato, Chicken & Kale

Rich, creamy, warm and comforting curry soup with sweet potatoes, chicken & kale is incredibly easy to make in your slow cooker with NO prep time! Healthy, paleo, gluten-free & dairy-free.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 large chicken breasts
2 small onions, diced
2 big handfuls kale
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 13.5 ounce cans coconut milk
32 ounces chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons curry paste
pinch ground ginger
sliced green onions and Sriracha for topping, optional

Instructions

Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Microwave for 2 minutes, (peel if desired, I didn't) then slice into 1" cubes.
Place all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Stir all ingredients together and serve. Top with green onions and Sriracha if desired. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

http://www.arismenu.com/crockpot-curry-soup-sweet-potato-chicken-kale/

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

November 11, 2013 · by Ari · 30 Comments

Warm, bold, and flavorful enchilada soup made easily 100% in your crockpot. All the flavors you love about decadent chicken enchiladas in a simple, easy and healthy crockpot soup.

Is it just me, or does a long weekend make anyone else feel more tired? I feel like I spend the entire time trying to get more done, rather than taking it easy. I did have a super fun Saturday night, however. It included maple whiskey and cards against humanity. Obviously my kind of evening. 😉

I spend a lot of the weekend trying to meal plan/prep for the week, and grocery shopping. Ummm, grocery shopping takes me like 2 hours. It starts off like this wonderful, fun experience, then I realize I still have 3 more stores to go to in order to get all my favorite specialty items, and I am totally over the whole experience since I just slowly made my way through Sprouts for the last hour and a half.

Reason # 984058085 that I am in total, unconditional love with my crockpot. I can toss some ingredients in when I’m getting ready in the morning with little-no prep, and I come home to bold, delicious and flavorful chicken enchilada soup. The chicken comes out perfect every time–by the time you remove it to shred it, it is practically falling apart on it’s own.

This soup is so simple and easy, and it also provides that warm fall and winter comfort we all crave this time of year. Mexican food is kind of my go-to. It’s always full of flavor, and it never disappoints, and this soup is no exception!

Crockpot Enchilada Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Crockpot Enchilada Soup

Warm, bold, and flavorful enchilada soup made easily 100% in your crockpot. All the flavors you love about decadent chicken enchiladas in a simple, easy and healthy crockpot soup.

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
32 oz enchilada sauce (make sure it's gf if necessary)
2 orange or red bell peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
16 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (ribs are optional and will lead to a spicier soup)
1/2 tbsp cumin

For serving:

Plain Greek yogurt
Fresh cilantro
Freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions

Instructions

Place chicken, enchilada sauce, veggies, beans and seasonings into your crockpot. Be sure liquid is covering your chicken. If chicken is revealed, add more sauce. Cook on low for 5 hours.
Remove chicken and shred. Return to crockpot and stir back into soup. Serve topped with Greek yogurt, cilantro, green onions and shredded cheese. Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.

http://www.arismenu.com/crockpot-chicken-enchilada-soup/

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

October 29, 2013 · by Ari · 38 Comments

Thick and creamy roasted cauliflower is the perfect, comforting, vegetarian fall dinner. Ridiculously easy, and so rich you’d never guess it was packed with veggies!

I never thought I liked cauliflower. I mean I didn’t hate it, and it’s not like eggplant which I avoid at all cost (ew, weird, gross veggie–stay far, far away!), but I certainly didn’t go out of my way to seek it out. Then I had this ridiculously good fried cauliflower at Pita Jungle. Oooooomg, it’s like the stuff dreams are made of. But then I tried that cauliflower pizza crust that the entire internet seems to be in love with? Gag worthy. Seriously, just…no.

I was ready to give up on it again, but then I made this soup. I was craving broccoli cheese soup, and for some reason this seemed like a good alternative? Anyway, I was about to break up with cauliflower forever after that pizza crust, but (s)he? is back on my bff list because this soup? It’s totally dreamy–rich and creamy with not a single ounce of cream. It’s healthy, filling, and totally satisfying.

This is a simple, no fuss recipe that’s basically fool proof. Heat, stir, blend, serve, and voila! Oh, and don’t even get me started on the leftovers. Even THICKER, and the flavor develops more as the soup sits. This is a HUGE batch, so you will have delicious leftovers to keep your warm all week long. And I pinky promise–the veggie haters in your life will never know it’s cauliflower. I fooled a lot of people in my family with this one. 😉

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Yield: 8-10 servings

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Thick and creamy roasted cauliflower is the perfect, comforting, vegetarian fall dinner. Ridiculously easy, and so rich you'd never guess it was packed with veggies!

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
4 shallots, finely minced
1 extra large onion, finely chopped
7 cups vegetable broth
5 yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp honey dijon mustard
3-4 dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I use Chalulah)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated fontina cheese (or cheese of choice)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Add cauliflower and garlic to a very large baking dish. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Bake until browned and softened, about 30 minutes.
In a large pot, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and shallot, and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until tender and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
Add broth and potatoes. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add cooked cauliflower and garlic scraping baking dish well into the pot. Add mustard and hot sauce.
Puree using an immersion blender, high quality stand blender (will likely need to do in batches), or food processor (will also likely require multiple batches. Return to heat and stir in cheese. Add extra salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week

Notes

You could also make this in your crockpot--just add cooked cauliflower and garlic in addition to all remaining ingredients (except the cheese) to your crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Blend, then stir in cheese.

http://www.arismenu.com/roasted-cauliflower-soup/

Sweet Potato Bisque

February 1, 2013 · by Ari · 17 Comments

You guys you guys you guysssss!!!! I have so many exciting things to share with you!!

First of all, my birthday is on Wednesday, and clearly, I am turning 5. Maturity? Ehhh, not my thing. I have a major case of Peter Pan syndrome, and I have no plans to change in my *gulp* 28th year of life. Twenty eight. That is dangerously close to thirty. And it’s more miles than I have ever ran at once, and I just don’t really feel like I should be an age that is greater than my PDR.

Also, this week my buffalo deviled eggs were featured on Fox Magazine Online. Ummmm, WHAT?!?!?! When I got the initial email, I just assumed it was, like, the Phoenix chapter or something, and that’s why I was chosen. But then I went to the article, and there was my recipe DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH MY VERY FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGER!!!! And if that wasn’t awesome enough, I was beyond honored to be featured with a couple of my other favorite foodies.

As if this week wasn’t amazing enough, Steve and I booked our anniversary trip to New Orleans! On our first wedding anniversary, we spent maybe an hour together. Steve was back for a short trip from some work in California, and I was in the middle of rehearsals, and it was just…not a great way to spend our anniversary, so this year we plan to make up for it by going somewhere neither of us have been, and enjoying almost an entire week vacation. So freaking stoked. If you have any recommendation for things to do or, ahem, restaurants, TELL ME EVERYTHING.

As for this soup…It’s my favorite soup. I made it about a year ago for the first time, but never got pictures of it, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. It’s rich and creamy like you would imagine a bisque to be, but it doesn’t leave you with that heavy feeling afterwards. Steve claims to hate sweet potato soup, yet ate his entire bowl and went on to rave about it. The maple syrup and sriracha provide a great combination of sweet and spicy.

It also works really well in the crock pot–that’s how I made it the first time, but this time I was short on time, and didn’t prepare ahead of time, so I made it on the stove top. It is equally delicious both ways.

Sweet Potato Bisque

yield 6 servings

2 lbs sweet potatoes
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp sriracha (optional, but recommended)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork, then transfer to a large cooking dish. Roast for about 1 hour until tender.** Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove skin. Blend roasted and peeled sweet potatoes with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender) until smooth.
In a large sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together cornstarch and almond milk until combined. Add sweet potatoes, maple syrup, sriracha and spices whisking constantly until well combined. Continue to cook on medium heat until soup is hot throughout. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 week.

**Notes: If you’re short on time, you can bake your potatoes in the microwave in about 8-10 minutes. I’ve done this, and it’s not quite as flavorful as roasting, but it’s still great and works in a pinch.

To make in the crock pot, throw in all your ingredients, whisk together, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup with Roasted Corn

January 28, 2013 · by Ari · 7 Comments

The weather has been unusually cold and rainy here in Phoenix. Not that I’m complaining. We only get about 5 days a year of this, and so it’s kind of like a treat. I generally like to keep my schedule jam packed, constantly going from one thing to the next, but when the weather gets like this, it’s like one of life’s little reminders to slow down, cuddle up under a blanket with the puppies, and listen to the rainfall.

Oh, and eat my body weight in rich. creamy, hot soup. I could probably eat soup year round. I love it sososo much, but when it’s 115* outside, it sort of loses it’s luster, if you know what I mean.

Therefore, after December 25th, when I stop eating cookies for dinner every single night, I usually declare the month of January soup month, and cook pretty much only soup for the entire month. I’m sure my husband loves it, and never gets bored.

I’m such a creature of habbit. Have I ever told you I eat the same thing for breakfast every.single.day.? Pumpkin, Greek yogurt, chopped apple, chia seeds, spices, and cereal on top. It’s really….weird. But I love it. Steve makes fun of it. I find him rude. Also, when I find a lunch I’m into, I eat that every day as well. Lately, it’s a grilled sandwich with hummus, cheese, mustard, and lots of veggies. It’s delicious.

So, I’ve been enjoying my month of soup. I had a serious craving for broccoli cheddar soup, and then I went grocery shopping and saw that the ears of corn actually looked good. In January. I decided that was a sign that corn needed to make it’s way into my soup.

This isn’t your typical broccoli cheese soup. The corn makes it thick, and chunky, and it’s more creamy than cheesey, because I didn’t want to add an entire block of cheese. Right about the time it was ready, I got reallll nervous, and told Jason we might just be eating bread for dinner (I made some really delicious biscuits to go with it that I never doubted for a second), but I decided I would take pictures juuuust in case. Then I took a bite, and I couldn’t believe how much I loved it! It was different than what I was expecting with the initial broccoli cheddar feel, but I absolutely loved the rich creaminess with the texture of the broccoli and corn.

Cheesey Broccoli Soup with Roasted Corn

yield 6 servings

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 ears sweet corn
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
3 cups vegetable stock
1 lb fresh broccoli florets, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
dash hot sauce
4 oz freshly grated reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Place corn in a large baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and add salt and pepper if desired. Roast for 1 hour until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add almond milk and veggie stalk whisking together for 3-5 minutes.
Add broccoli, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook until broccoli is tender, about 40-50 minutes.
Remove pot from heat, and pulse with an immersion blender, until desired consistency (I like mine chunky, so I only pulse it through a few times. For a smoother soup, blend for longer, or transfer soup to a blender to blend completely).
Return pot to heat, turn down to low, and add cheddar cheese. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
When corn is finished cooking, scrape kernels off with a knife. Stir in corn and Greek yogurt, and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.