Too Early for Two Soups?

Cheers to the First Day of Chilly Weather: Savory Eats

1) The weather forecast on my walk to work this morning read clear skies and 55 degrees.

2) This fabulously crisp weather calls for a celebration. The season of boots, scarves, trendy coats, soup, and pumpkin spice lattes has officially begun!

3) Thus, I bring you SOUP RECIPES!

Carrot, Chickpea, and Barley Soup

If you like carrots, carrot juice, and carrot cake...listen up! This soup is hearty, refreshing, nutritious, and most importantly, delicious.

Soup-gredients:
(makes 6-7 servings)

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cup carrot juice (I used Odwalla Carrot Juice)

• 1/2 cup barley, rinsed
• 4 cups diced carrots (to make your skin look like an Oompa Loompa)

• 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup Parmesan (or more to taste)

Recipe:

-In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, carrot juice, barley and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

-Add carrots and return to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low heat, cover, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. After those 15 minutes, remove from heat.

-Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove 3 cups of the solids (the cooked carrots/chickpeas) and place them in a medium bowl. Mash these solids with a fork. Return the mashed veggies to the saucepan - this adds a bit of thickness to the soup.

-Stir in vinegar, parsley, and pepper.

-Add salt to taste.

-Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

***NOTE: This soup is also great when chilled. Leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day!

Lasagna Soup

I found this recipe on Crackterest Pinterest...and it is definitely a keeper. One bowl of this delicious soup is a hearty, cheesy, rich meal in itself. Not quite as low-calorie as the Carrot Barley Soup, but when something tastes this good, it's very worth it.

Thanks for the recipe, Farmgirl!

Ingredients:

• Soup-gredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1.5 pounds of Italian sausage (I used Trader Joe's Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage...you can also try TJ's Spicy Italian Sausage)
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1, 28-ounce can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces mafalda pasta (I used whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Whole wheat mafalda pasta. It's a bit tricky to find, so try Whole Foods.

• Gettin' Cheesy:
• 8 ounces ricotta (I used low-fat)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe:

-Cut up the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a large pot and add the sausage. Brown the sausage for 5 minutes.

-Add onions to the pot and cook until soft (about 5 minutes).

-Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.

-Add tomato paste and stir. Cook for 4 minutes (until tomato paste is a rusty brown color).

-Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside.

-Cook the malfada pasta in a separate pot (as directed on the box) until al dente. Set aside as well.

...Onto the CHEESE!

-In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a touch of pepper.

...How you serve the soup is important...

-In each bowl, place a dollop of the cheese mix and sprinkle some mozzarella on top. Add some of the cooked malfalda pasta on top of the cheese. Then ladle the hot soup over the cheese and pasta...devour immediately!