Everyday Mom's Meals: Whole New Soup
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Monday, January 9, 2012

Whole New Soup

If  you are looking for a warm, hearty, comforting meal for a cold winter's day, this recipe is for you. If you are looking for a new source for info on whole foods, or gluten-free living, this recipe, or more so, this post, is for you. If you are looking for new ways to include dark leafy greens into your diet b/c they are SO good for us, this recipe is for you! Wow, that's a lot of  "bang for your buck". My friend Amber started blogging her journey of switching her family to whole foods this past summer. Then a couple months ago, that journey took a drastic turn, when b/c of her daughter's health issues, the next step became living gluten-free. You can read all about this change, and see great ideas and tips on Amber's blog Whole Foods for Whole Families. Back in December she posted a recipe for a Chicken and Rice Soup that really caught my eye, and it wasn't b/c of either of those ingredients! The item that immediately drew me in was the kale. Why? Well,  I am always looking for ways to include dark leafy greens into our diets b/c they are packed full of nutrients, and kale happens to be one I don't have many recipes for. I took that recipe, and was off and running w/ ideas in my head, one of which was to include cream. The reason for this is quite simple. My favorite soup at Olive Garden, Zuppa Toscana, not only contains kale, but cream too. I love the flavor combination. In fact, that soup was the first dish I ever had kale in. So I figured why not include it here for an extra depth of flavor. The end result? A meal in a bowl that my family agreed was delicious! I will be honest, if you want a much healthier version, please visit Amber's blog and look over the original recipe. Either way, I hope this helps to warm your family's stomachs on a cold evening, very soon!

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
1 package chicken tenders
2 TBS olive oil, plus extra for chicken
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 TBS butter
4 medium carrots, diced
1 small onion, mined
3 ribs celery w/ leafy tops, diced
2 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS dried parsley
2 boxes chicken broth
1 (8.8 oz) package Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (microwave packet), cooked according to package directions
1 cup water
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
3 c. kale, washed and chopped

To prepare chicken, preheat oven to 400. Line a baking pan w/ foil. Place chicken tenders on pan, drizzle w/ olive oil and season w/ salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. Cool and shred or cut into bite sized pieces.

In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion, carrots and celery in 2 TBS oil and 1 TBS butter, until tender. Season w/ salt and pepper. Add chicken, thyme and parsley and cook for a few minutes more. Add broth water, and cooked rice.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes on low heat. Add kale and simmer about 10 minutes more until it's bright green and wilted. Add cream, stir and heat until back up to temperature, about 5 minutes.


Shared on Home Savvy Jan. 9, 2012
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Jan. 9, 2012 
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Jan. 10, 2012 
Shared on Chef in Training Jan. 10, 2012 
Shared on Naptime Creations Jan. 10, 2012 
Shared on This Chick Cooks Jan. 11, 2012 
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Jan. 11, 2012 
Shared on Gooseberry Patch Jan. 11, 2012 
Shared on A Crafty Cook Jan. 13, 2012 
Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 13, 2012 
Shared on Crock-Pot Ladies Jan. 28, 2012
Soup at Very Good Recipes
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8 comments:

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

First, terrific photo. Your food stylings are getting much better from when i first found your blog. And kale has become an important staple for me, but so far mostly I just make the baked kale chips for a snack. Love the idea of this soup. GF is such a challenge. I have a nephew that I feed on too rare occasions and am always on the look out for something special. Heading over to look in on your friends blog.

Dave

Krista said...

Thanks for the kind words. I try to get photos, but sometimes when Alex is pulling on my leg asking when we get to eat, they still aren't the best. Lol While it's not gluten related, my mom has many food issues and I know how hard it is to cook for someone like that, so I hope Amber's blog gives you some ideas.

Unknown said...

Oh heavens..Krista I think this is calling my name!

Soni said...

Lovely recipe1Healthy and wholesome!Thanks for sharing :)

Allison @ Alli 'n Son said...

I love creamy chicken soup. Yum!

Heidi @ CrockPotLadies.com said...

That looks delicious, thanks for sharing your soup recipe in our Super Bowl of Soup Challenge!

Tara said...

This soup looks excellent! Thanks for sharing on the Super Bowl of Soup Challenge!

Unknown said...

thanks for bring over two fantastic recipes today!! Wouldn't we all be dangerous if today wouldn't have been "virtual??" lol

Michaela

http://anaffairfromtheheart.blogspot.com/