Sausage and Cabbage Soup

Oh this one is a keeper. It’s rich tasting, nutrient dense and really, can be a whole meal in one bowl. I love how easy it is to make in an instapot but if you don’t have one, no worries, just cook it for longer on the stove top until everything is tender.

900 grams Italian pork sausages (remove the casing)
1 cup onion (diced small)
1 ¼  cup fresh fennel bulb (diced small)
7-8 cups cabbage (roughly chopped)
⅔ cup carrot (diced)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups beef bone broth
1 cup plain tomato sauce
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 ½ teaspoons fennel seed
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons fresh dill (Add once cooking is complete)

Method

Turn the instapot on sauté, add the olive oil, remove the casing from the sausage and cook the sausage by breaking it up with a spoon. Once the sausage is almost cooked, you can remove most of the fat if you want. Then add the spices, onions, garlic, fennel bulb and carrots.

Sauté for a couple of minutes and then add in the rest of the ingredients except for the fresh dill. Turn off sauté mode, replace the lid and set on pressure cook for 8 minutes. 

Once the soup is done, turn the pot off and release the steam. Open the lid (only once all steam has been released), add the fresh dill and season with salt and pepper.

If you do not have an instapot, follow the same instructions but just simmer the soup on the stove top for about 20-25 minutes with the lid on or until everything is tender.

Thai Red Curry Coconut Soup

I looooove a good Thai soup and I always thought it was complicated to make but low and behold, it is not. It does have a lot of ingredients but in my opinion they are all a must, that is what gives it that beautiful depth of flavour.

YIELD 4-6 bowls

4 1/2 cups chicken broth 
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
4 tablespoons red *Thai curry paste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari (Light and gluten free)
1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
2 Thai chili fresh (optional)
1 tablespoon honey
3” piece lemongrass (sliced in half)
2 cups shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
1 cup organic firm tofu (diced)
3 cups baby bok Choy (sliced)
1 cup onion (sliced)
1 lb or 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (sliced into 3-4 slices)
1-2 lime for juice (extra for serving)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Ramen noodles

Method
Cut the chicken thighs into 3-4 pieces and toss with ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the Thai red curry paste and set aside.
In a large soup pot, melt the coconut oil and add the onion, sauté the onion until soft.
Add the chicken and brown for 2-3 minutes
Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shiitake and the remainder of the Thai red chili paste. Sauté for a couple of minutes
Add the broth, coconut milk, honey, sesame oil and tamari.
Simmer for 25-30 minutes covered
Remove the lid and take it off the heat. Add the tofu, bok choy, lime juice and cilantro. 
Serve immediately over cooked ramen noodles and extra lime wedges
I love to pour my soup over cooked  millet/brown rice Ramen noodles. You can add whatever vegetables or protein you would like to this, I just wanted to make it as simple as possible. 

*I use Thai Kitchen Brand for my curry paste

Autumn Pear and Butternut Squash Soup

This soup breaths cooler fall nights, it is THE perfect soup to get you connected to your local seasonal produce. The hazelnuts are ready to pick, the butternut squash are curing in the fields and the pears are freshly picked off the tree. The roasted rosemary and hazelnut topping is a big hit, it adds beautiful texture and enhances the flavours of the pear and squash. If you wanna get serious, you could always roast the pears first, this will give another depth of flavour and add some more sweetness to the end soup.

Ingredients

665 grams or 6 cups butternut squash (cubed)
1 ½  cups onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 can full fat coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons Red curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
2 yellow pears (ripe, halved and cored)
3-4 cups chicken broth or veggie broth (add more if needed after blending)
¾ teaspoon salt *You may need to add more salt at the end

Roasted hazelnut and rosemary topping
½ cup hazelnuts (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
⅛-¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
Sautée the onion, squash and garlic in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the  spices, cook for 1 minute, add the rest of your ingredients, bring to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from the stove, allow to cool a bit before blending, season if needed

For the hazelnut and Rosemary topping, toss everything together in a bowl and bake at 325 °F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Leek and Chickpea Soup

This is my go to soup for any clients that have adrenal fatigue, digestive problems or that are going through chemotherapy. This leek and chickpea soup is so grounding and comforting and those that suffer from adrenal fatigue especially, crave comfort. It is also easy to digest, so instead of the bodies energy being wasted on breaking food down and digesting, the energy can be spent on healing the body and help bring it back to homeostasis. It also contains sulfur; which supports the liver, helps balance the body in stressful times and can help fight cancer.
The LOVE comes from the creaminess that you achieve in this soup, not from 35% cream (although delicious) but from the potatoes and chickpeas. Pure deliciousness!

3 cups leeks (chopped roughly and washed well)
2 medium unpeeled russet potatoes (washed and roughly chopped)
1 can-398ml chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
5-6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
2 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly chopped)
1/4 cup fresh chives (chopped)
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh, real parmigiano reggiano 

Method
Cut and wash leeks well, and only use the light green and white part of the leek; the dark green parts tend to be very fibrous and bitter. It's great in your compost!
In a large soup pot, heat up the oil or butter and sautée the garlic and leeks for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the chopped potatoes, chickpeas and vegetable or chicken stock.

Simmer covered for 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then blend with a hand blender or blender.
*If the soup turns out too thick, just add some more stock until you have the consistency that you would like.

I like to add the cheese and chives to every individual bowl because it looks pretty but for real life, just add the freshly grated cheese and fresh chives after you have blended the soup.Season with Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper.

You can freeze this soup but when it defrosts it may not look so appetizing because it may separate. Don't worry, once it heats up, just whisk the soup and that creamy deliciousness will come back!



Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

800g or 6 cups frozen butternut squash
1 can or 400ml organic coconut milk (full fat)
2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 teaspoons fresh garlic or 2 cloves
3/4 cup onion (large cubes)
1-2 tablespoons Madras curry paste ( I use Patacks)
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
Juice of 1 lime

Method
Chop your garlic, ginger and onion coarsely. Everything is going to be pureed, so there is no need to make perfect cuts.
Heat a soup pot on medium and add the coconut oil.
Add the garlic, ginger and onion, sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add the remainder of the ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Allow the soup to cool down for 5-10 minutes before blending
Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Note- This is not strict low carb. If you use fresh butternut squash, add 3 cups of broth instead of 2 cups. 

Homemade Tomato Soup

The warmth and cozy feeling you get when you eat this soup comes from the LOVE, which is the little pinch of cinnamon and drops of fresh lemon juice.
Making your own homemade soup is a great way to get those extra nutrients that you may have missed on those busy days and you reduce the amount of sodium and preservatives that you would consume if you ate a soup that came from a can or box. I always make a double batch of soup so that I can freeze some for another week. Add some fresh spinach or kale to this soup right before serving to give your body some extra calcium, fibre and antioxidants. 

796 ml Organic diced tomatoes (BPA free can)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
A little pinch of cinnamon
3/4 cup carrots (medium diced)
1/3 cup celery (medium diced)
3/4 cup white onion (medium diced)
2 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly crushed)
1/2 cup white sweet potato (skin on, medium diced)
3/4 teaspoon chili flakes (I like it spicy, you can reduce the amount of chili flakes)
2 tablespoons organic olive oil or virgin coconut oil
4 cups organic chicken stock
Juice of half a lemon (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed)
1-2 tablespoons of fresh soft goat cheese (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed) 

Method
Note- Omit the maple syrup and you've got yourself a low carb soup
Chop all of your vegetables into a medium dice
Heat your soup pot and add your coconut oil
Add all of your vegetables, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and sautee for about 5 minutes or until they become a little soft and fragrant
Add your chicken stock, cinnamon, chili flakes, maple syrup and diced tomatoes
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes
Blend the soup with a good blender (like a Vitamix) until smooth and creamy like.
Optional: squeeze the fresh lemon and stir in the soft goat.

Red Lentil and Lemon Soup

Aaron and I just got back from Mexico and I really wanted to pack our fridge this week with lots of yummy whole foods. I was trying to think of some dishes that were quick, vegetarian and delicious. So I had a dream and this soup is what I dreamt of. Lentils are a great vegetarian source of protein and high in fibre. 

1 cup dry red lentils (rinsed under cold water)
2 teaspoons or 1 large clove garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
1/2 cup onion (small dice)
5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup carrots (small dice)
3 teaspoon Indian red curry powder
1/2 cup can diced tomatoes (BPA free)
1  tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
2-3 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 juice of a lemon

Method
Note- This is not considered strict low carb due to the lentils.
In a soup pot, heat the coconut oil and add your diced onion and carrot, cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Add your red curry powder ginger and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add your red lentils, diced tomatoes and vegetable stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the soup and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn off the heat and add your fresh lemon juice and cilantro.
Put the lid back on the soup without heat and just let it get cozy and tasty for another 5 minutes before eating.

Bon Appétit!