Italian Sorghum Soup

This is such a very easy & simple soup, yet it's quite hearty & satisfying at the same time.

Prior to learning that I have celiac disease & going gluten free this was "Italian Barley Soup".  I really loved barley in soups, but can no longer eat that.  I purchased some whole grain sorghum (actually by mistake, thinking I was ordering sorghum flour online!) & cooked it up & realized the texture is much like barley.  So I now use sorghum in soups in place of barley.  It's perfect in this recipe!  If you are not gluten free, feel free to use pearl barley instead.

Italian Sorghum Soup

6 cups broth
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup whole grain sorghum
salt & pepper to taste
garnish: chopped basil or parsley

*bring broth & water to boil
*add tomatoes, sorghum, salt, & pepper, combine well
*simmer 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally

Vegan Crock Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup

Your house will smell amazing while you cook this & it tastes just as good as it smells!

Vegan Crock Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup

2/3 Cup dry black beans
2 Cups water
1 white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Vegetable broth powder or paste
1/2 Cup corn kernels
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

*place all ingredients in crock & stir to combine
*cook on HIGH 6 hours or LOW 12 hours

Lentil Soup

This has also been a favorite of mine for over 20 years.  When I am under the weather this is the soup I always find myself craving.  I almost never order lentil soup in restaurants because it just doesn't compare to my own.  The only exception to that is a middle eastern restaurant near my home that has a lentil soup I am dying to find the recipe for.  But it is a completely different type of lentil soup, so I still love mine & their's both.

LENTIL SOUP

2 Tablespoons chopped onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons chopped celery
2 Tablespoons chopped carrot
1 Cup canned tomatos with juice, chopped
1/2 lb (1 1/4 Cup) uncooked lentils
4 Cup broth
salt/pepper

*saute onion in olive oil & butter, add celery & carrot
*add tomatoes & juice, simmer 25 minutes uncovered
*add lentils, broth, s/p
*cover, cook 45 minutes

Note: if you omit butter & use veggie broth this is easily a vegan dish

Condensed Soup

As I said in an earlier blog I try to avoid processed foods.  I am also very picky about ingredients that are in prepared food items that I buy. 

This post goes along with the crock-pot theme.  A lot of crock-pot recipes call for a can of condensed soup.  It is extremely rare that I can find a condensed soup with acceptable ingredients.  I had always thought those recipes were for lazy people, but I now realize that with a crock-pot the condensed soup is used simply because it is condensed.  It is easy to end up with too much liquid in a crock-pot if you aren't careful & condensed soup is an easy way to keep lots of flavor with minimal liquid.

At first I was a tad irritated because I was passing up a lot of recipes simply because they called for a condensed soup.  But then I decided to go on a search for a recipe for condensed soup.   This recipe is SUPER VERSATILE, simply by changing the cup of liquid & seasonings used you can do A LOT with this simple recipe.

CONDENSED CREAM SOUP

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour (I use sorghum or sweet rice or a combo of the two)
8-12 oz liquid (water, milk, broth, wine, or combination of these)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or other seasoning

*melt butter
*add flour & poultry seasoning, & wisk
*add liquid & stir well
*heat over medium heat 5-10 minutes, or until thickened
*remove from heat & let sit a few minutes & then use in recipe as directed
(tastes best if you don't let it come to a boil)
OPTIONS:
CREAM OF CHICKEN: 2 T-1/4C diced chicken; add it to cream soup as it's cooking
CREAM OF MUSHROOM: 2 T-1/4C diced mushrooms; saute & then add to cream soup
CREAM OF CELERY: 2 T-1/4C diced celery; saute & then add to cream soup


CONSENSED TOMATO SOUP

8 oz. tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

*mix ingredients together & use in recipe as directed