Lentil, Kale, Zucchini and Sweet Potato Stew

Are you feeling the bloat in your belly that comes like clockwork this time of year?
I Sure am!
To put it lightly... it's Un-comfortable.

So in preparation of the belly breaking holiday meals behind and ahead of me. I went in search of a recipe that would lighten me up and at the same time taste good.  Is it even possible?

BCD Soon Tofu Soup Starter

Do you ever crave Korean Soon Tofu Soup?  I most certainly DO!!!

I was introduced to BCD Tofu House a couple of years ago when visiting LA (thanks Dustin) and though I have eaten many soon tofu soups since. I have not had one as good as BCD.

BCD in my opinion makes the best or at least the best Soon Tofu Soup that I have ever had. Custardy tofu in a bubbling stone pot with beef and seafood. This simple bowl of soup was so memorable that we all went back 2 nights in a row. Truth be told, we would have gone back for round three if we didn't have to head back home. It left such a memorable impression that I've been craving it ever since and that was back in the summer of 2013.

Korean Spicy Bean Sprout Soup

Korean Spicy Bean Sprout Soup

Though I have cooked and eaten many Korean soups. I have never eaten or attempted to make Bean Sprout Soup.  To be honest, it just looked boring.  How can this soup be tasty when all it has are bean sprouts?  “Where’s the Beef”?  So, you’re probably wondering why I decide to make it.

Spicy Pasta and Bean Soup “Pasta e Fagioli”

“Pasta e Fagioli” is one of my husband’s favorite soups because it’s light, yet hearty and goes well with just about any sandwich. He prefers it to be more on the brothy side, whereas I prefer it to be more hearty, either way it’s delicious.  I wrote the recipe “my way” which means that every spoonful is piled with sausage, beans and pasta. 

Lindsey's Shin Noodle Bowl

My daughter Lindsey is a big fan of the Shin Noodle Bowl and could easily eat them every day if I let her.   Shin noodles are a type of very spicy instant ramen.  Like any instant ramen it can be ready for consumption in, not 3, but more like 8 -10 min. (you do have to wait for the water to boil). 

What Lindsey loves about this instant meal is of course the instant part.  But what she craves is the spicy broth.  I always assumed that she ate the noodles and left the broth behind (that's what I do), but I was wrong.  I cringed the day I witnessed her drinking the broth, scolding her and telling her how unhealthy it was.  I could feel the sodium overload coming on!  That's when the shin bowl got the boot.

Beef Kielbasa and Kale Soup

Winter is soup time and this hearty, yet light tasting soup is packed with flavor and textures, as well as, fiber from the addition of cabbage and kale.  Sausage can be a soup makers best friend when adding flavor with very little effort.  So, keep that in mind when you see a sausage at the store and remember that sausages are not just for breakfast and bbq's.

Corn Egg Drop Soup aka Egg Flower Soup

Happy New Year!!!  It’s 2012 the year of the Black Dragon so what better way to start off the year than with a steaming bowl of Chinese soup.

Soup 101

Hawaiian Style Portuguese Bean Soup

As the weather starts to change it makes me think of soup more than I have in the past few months.  So I thought it would be a good time to post on the general idea of soup making.

Portuguese Bean Soup

If there is one soup that represents Hawaii it would be the infamous Portuguese Bean Soup, a richly flavored ham broth kicked up several notches with the distinctly unique flavor of Portuguese sausage and laced with a light tomato flavor. If that’s not enough to get your taste buds tingling, how about the addition of onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, kidney beans and cabbage? This is definitely a soup, but could easily be mistaken as a stew, because of all the hearty chunks of goodness in it.

Chinese Pigs Feet Soup

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This dish falls into the category of comfort food. Not like macaroni and cheese but more like one of those dishes that you grew up with and love but would have a hard time convincing others to feel the same way about it unless you all grew up in the same place. I can’t explain why I suddenly got a craving for a dish that I haven’t had for years but this is one of those times.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli cheese soup is a relatively new idea that is only about 30 years old.  I’m turning 50 this year which means that I probably never heard of or tasted broccoli cheese soup until I was in my 20’s, possibly 30’s. 

My daughter Lindsey’s favorite vegetable is broccoli which makes this soup one of her favorites.  The best part is that it’s very easy to make.  I use frozen chopped broccoli to make this soup and it works well retaining its bright green color in addition to giving the soup a bit of texture because of all the stems that are chopped along with the florets.

Soup is a great way to use up what is left in the fridge. I had a leek and a shallot in the fridge and used it in place of the onion and garlic.  Either way it's delicious. 

"Jook " Chinese Rice Porridge

T

his soup is my family’s version of chicken noodle soup.  In Hawaii it’s known as “jook” but outside of Hawaii its better known as congee. Jook is Chinese rice porridge that has a thick creamy consistency simply flavored with chicken and ginger.

• Whole chicken jook makes the best jook and as a bonus it also makes the broth for the soup. The back bone, wings and legs add a lot of flavor to the soup.

• Jook made with parts also makes delicious jook, but you will need the assistance from canned chicken broth.

Wonton Soup

My family loves wontons and whenever I make a batch it becomes a family event where everyone pitches in to help with the folding.  After taking a count as to how many wontons each person wants for our meal, I‘ll freeze the rest for a later date.

Pacific Broiler Black Bean Soup

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This soup dates back to Hawaii in the early 1990’s when the Pacific Broiler was serving up delicious meals at the Koko Marina Shopping Center over looking the marina.

Their black bean soup was packed with the flavors of fresh vegetables, black beans and the meatiness that came from the ham bone all simmered together slowly to perfection. All of those wonderful ingredients then got pureed into a creamy mixture that was packed with a melody of flavors that woke up your mouth. But that wasn’t the finished product. The soup was then topped with a dollop of sour cream, salsa and a sprinkling of green onions. Now that is a real stick to your ribs soup!

Pork & Long Green Squash (opo) Soup

What do you do with a long green squash? 

Potato Leek Soup

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This soup reminds me of creamy garlic mashed potatoes in the form of soup.  A deliciously simple soup that is satisfying on its own with a sprinkling of chives or green onions and a handful of garlic croutons or it can be jazzed up by adding broccoli at the same time as the potatoes to make Potato Broccoli soup and grated cheddar cheese at the same time as the cream and make it a Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup. 

I used a hand held immersion blender to puree the soup (but not everyone has one).  Your other options are to puree in a food processor or a blender in batches.  And if you don’t have any of those gadgets, a potato masher will also work leaving behind a few lumps, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Olive Garden "Zuppa Toscana"

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Years ago when we ate at the Olive Garden my daughter ordered the soup and went on and on about how yummy it was. All I could think of is, “that is such a simple soup”? I can make that.

Spicy Korean Beef Soup

This is my favorite Korean soup. I ate it at least once a week for 10 years at my local Korean Restaurant until it closed; I was devastated, it was like a drug that I couldn't get anymore. I needed it, but every other Korean restaurant in town didn't make it right, or anywhere near the same.

I was on a mission. I needed to figure out how to recreate this soup. I have done endless research, and have had many unsuccessful attempts until now.

This recipe is as close as I have gotten. If you love spicy then you will love this soup. It takes more time than expertise, but well worth waiting for.

Vegetable Bean Soup

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It all started with the leftover kidney beans I had in the fridge and wondering what to do with them. Being that it was a cold day I decide to make soup. The trick to this soup is to puree the stewed tomatoes and one can of cannellini beans in the blender to naturally thicken the soup. It’s a hearty well balanced soup that has lots of flavor without the addition of meat.

Chicken Corn Soup

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I got this recipe from my friend Bonnie. It immediately became one of my daughter Lindsey’s favorites.
This soup is light and hearty. It has the right balance of seasonings to make it an everyday soup. The cumin makes it savory, and the corn lends a gentle sweetness, while the white pepper and hot sauce adds a light spicy-ness.