Sweet Potato, Spinach and Chorizo Stew

From Quick and Easy Paleo Comfort Foods: 100 + Delicious Gluten Free Recipes
by Mayfield

Hubby loved this!

Jillian's Sausage White Bean Spinach Soup

Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup

Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup
(Ladies Home Journal 2013)

***Susan's Note:  I used broken lasagna noodles for the pasta, as that was all I had, and grated Babybel cheese on top.  This is delicious, like a French Onion Soup with broccoli.****

Prep   20 minsStart to Finish   50 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound dry pasta, such as ditalini
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups beef broth
• Swiss cheese slices
• Cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. In a 6-qt pot or Dutch oven melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 min. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 min.

2. Increase heat to high and stir in sherry; cook 1 min. Add broccoli, bay leaves, salt, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until broccoli is just tender, about 10 min. Add pasta and pepper to taste; spoon into bowls, then top each bowl with a slice of cheese.

Anna's Perfect Green Soup (Readers' Digest)

Anna's Perfect Green Soup
(From Readers' Digest)

2 Tbs. Extra-virgin Olive Oil, plus more for garnish	1lb. Greens: Green Chard, Kale, Mustard Greens, or Beet Greens
2 Yellow Onions, chopped	14 c. Gently packed spinach (about 12oz.)
1 tsp. Salt, divided, big pinch of Cayenne Pepper	4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Arborio Rice	1 Tbs. Lemon Juice, or more to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 tsp. salt; cook, stirring, until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add 2 tbs. water, and cover. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are greatly reduced and have a caramel color, 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 3 c. water, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and rice in soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boel. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Trim ribs and tough stems from the greens and spinach; discard. Coarsely chop greens and spinach.

When rice has cooked 15 min. stir in greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook 10 min. When onions are caramelized, stir a little greens' simmering liquid into them; immediately add them to rice along with spinach, broth, and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook until spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 min. more.

Puree soup in pot with immersion blender until perfectly smooth, or in regular blender in batches. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with olive oil.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

**Susan's Note: This is delicious and comforting for a winter night.  NOTE: I did not steam the butternut squash, I roasted it for 40 min. at 425 degrees with a little olive oil.  I also omitted the olives.  Add a topping of sour cream to this soup and it gets even better.  I doubled the recipe and froze half to save for later!**

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.

Slow Cooker French Onion Beef Stew

Slow Cooker French Onion Beef Stew
From Woman's Day Dec. 2011


***Susan's Note: I used organic free range beef from Wegmans for this recipe, and I used applesauce instead of apple juice because that's all I had.  I also added a bag of pre-cut Mirepoix from Wegmans.    I am usually not a slow cooker user because I always have to have the food cook longer than it states on a workday because I am gone up to 10 hours during the day.  This cooked for 9 hours on low and it was delicious.

• 1 can(s) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup(s) apple juice
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-in. pieces
• 2  onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 pound(s) lean beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1/2-in. pieces
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
• 4  thick slices country bread
• 4 ounce(s) Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 tsp leaves

directions

1. Tie a piece of thread or kitchen twine around the thyme sprigs and place them in a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, apple juice, carrots and onions and mix to combine.
2. Season the beef with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper; sprinkle with the flour. Add the beef and any excess flour to the slow cooker and mix to combine. Cook, covered, until the beef and vegetables are tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
3. When the stew has 10 minutes left to cook, heat the broiler. Place the bread on a foil-lined broiler-proof baking sheet. Sprinkle with the cheese and remaining tsp thyme. Broil until the cheese starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the stew into bowls and top with the Gruyère toasts.

tips & techniques

To make ahead, refrigerate the stew for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw, if frozen, then reheat, covered, over medium heat. Make the toasts just before serving.

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder
Better Homes and Gardens July 2011

***Susan's Note: Yum! So delicious. I used 1 jalapeno and frozen corn kernels.

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in bite-size pieces
1-1/2 cups chopped red sweet pepper
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 to 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves


1. In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven cook bacon until crisp. Remove with spoon; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in pan.
2. Add chicken to pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Stir over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink; remove. Add sweet pepper and onion to pan. Cook and stir until tender. Add jalapeños and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or just until potatoes are tender; stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, corn, cream, cayenne, and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Top with bacon. Top with jalapeño slices, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.
nutrition facts
Servings Per Recipe 8 (1 1/2 cups) servings Calories396 Total Fat (g)23 Saturated Fat (g)12, Monounsaturated Fat (g)7, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)2, Cholesterol (mg)105, Sodium (mg)826, Carbohydrate (g)26, Total Sugar (g)5, Fiber (g)3, Protein (g)23, Vitamin C (DV%)85, Calcium (DV%)5, Iron (DV%)9, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup (Cooking Light)

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

****SUSAN's Note: Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!****

f the broccoli florets are large, break into smaller pieces at the stalk instead of chopping them; they'll cook more quickly. Count on having dinner on the table in about 40 minutes, and serve this soup the moment it's done for the best results. In fact, if you wait, you'll find it gets thicker with time. If you have leftovers, you will want to thin the soup with a little chicken broth or milk to the desired consistency.
Yield

10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients

* Cooking spray
* 2 cups chopped onion
* 1 cup presliced mushrooms
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
* 4 cups 1% low-fat milk
* 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
* 4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
* 3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
317
Fat:
12.3g (sat 6.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:
27.5g
Carbohydrate:
23.8g
Fiber:
1.9g
Cholesterol:
74mg
Iron:
1.6mg
Sodium:
723mg
Calcium:
179mg

Chicken & White Bean Soup with Spinach & Parmesan (Thanks CZ!)

Rocco DiSpirito's Chicken & White Bean Soup with Spinach & Parmesan
"To make soups and stews low-fat, skip the sauteing step. Instead, bring all the ingredients to a simmer together -- and serve." Makes 4 servings. From Fitness Magazine, Oct. 2008

Shopping List
FRESH: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts; basil; baby spinach; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
STAPLES: Crushed red pepper; low-sodium chicken broth; salt and pepper
PACKAGED: Pasta sauce; cannellini beans

Ingredients
3 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
6 ounces prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, and crushed red pepper to a simmer. Turn heat to low.
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add to broth. Gently poach chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. (The broth should barely simmer.)
Stir in baby spinach. Continue cooking soup until spinach is wilted and chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with grated cheese.

Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup

***Susan's Note: Since I try not to eat ground beef, I have made this with "vegetarian ground meat" such as Gimme Lean, and it is delicious. You could also use ground turkey or Light Velveeta.


Prep Time:
15 min
Total Time:
35 min
Makes:
6 servings, about 1 cup each

1/2 lb. ground beef
2-1/2 cups cold water
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, cut up
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley, uncooked
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up

BROWN meat in large saucepan; drain. Stir in water, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, barley, garlic and oregano.

BRING to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until barley is tender.

ADD VELVEETA; stir until melted.


Substitute
Prepare as directed, using VELVEETA Made With 2% Milk Reduced Fat Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.
Jazz It Up
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley just before serving.