Crockpot, or not, Albóndigas Soup

Winter started out in the Fall this year with pipe-bursting temperatures.  Although mother nature has been kinder to us with the new year in the Northwest, I still crave steaming pots of bubbling soup when I come home from a full day of classes.  I have become a bit of an expert at whipping out my crockpot at 5 o'clock in the morning.  I chop my ingredients with a knife in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in another.  It takes some planning ahead but it is worth the effort.  This allows me to spend time relaxing and catching up with my family as soon as I arrive home in the evenings without having to worry about dinner preparations.


Albóndigas soup is one of my husband's favorites.  I use to make it regularly in the early years of our marriage.  It's been at least fifteen years since the last batch--way overdue. This Mexican meatball soup bursts with warm spices and colorful vegetables.  Don't let the long list of ingredients chase you away from making this delicious Latin dish--it's not hard to make and a lot of the prep-work can be done ahead of time.  I have posted two methods for you to choose from: simmer it slowly in the crockpot for 8 hours or for 30 minutes on the stove-top if you are short on time.  The choice is yours but either way it's sure to please everyone at your table. 

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Crockpot or not Albóndigas Soup  (serves 6) Here's how to save time:  Chop and prepare all the vegetables the night before and refrigerate until ready to use.  I like to use my food processor and pulse a few times to chop each one finely.   1 stick cinnamon, cut in three pieces 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp ground cloves 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for the meatballs) 3 cups red cabbage, finely chopped 4 stalks celery, finely chopped 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped  2 turnips, peeled and diced 4 rose skin potatoes, diced (makes 2 cups) 1 cup delicata or butternut squash, diced 1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef 1 large egg, beaten 1/2 cup basmati rice, uncooked 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp oregano 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste 1 tsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped (optional) 32 oz  chicken or vegetable broth 15 oz fire roasted tomatoes, chopped + juice Optional toppings for Serving:  Chopped cilantro Pepitas Diced avocado Crushed tortilla chips Crockpot Method:                   Printable crockpot recipe Cooking time may vary depending on the make and model of your slow-cooker.  You may need to adjust the cooking time according to manufacturer's instructions.                                      Place a large pot under medium heat, and saute the cinnamon, cumin, ground cloves, and coriander seeds for a minute or two until fragrant.  Place in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.  Set aside for now. Using the same pot, heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.  Add the onions mixing occasionally until they start to soften.  Add the cabbage, celery, bell pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt and continue sauteing for another five minutes.  Transfer to the crockpot.  Add the potatoes, turnips, and squash and mix together. In a large bowl, combine the meat, egg, rice, 1/4 cup of chopped onion previously set aside, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and two teaspoon of the spice mixture.  Mix until thoroughly combined.  Form meat mixture into golfball sized meatballs and set aside. Add the remaining spice mixture along with the chipotle (if using), the broth, the tomatoes as well as the bay leaf into the crockpot  and mix well. Heat remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in the pot under medium heat.  Brown the meatballs in batches until each one is golden brown on all sides.  Transfer into the crockpot.  Gently mix into the broth-vegetable mixture.  Set your crockpot on low temperature and cook for at least 8 hours.  If you have a timer, you can set it so that it stops cooking after 8 hours but still keeps it hot for your dinner. Serve with bowls of various fun toppings at the center of the table and enjoy! Stove-top Method:               Printable Stove-top recipe Place a large pot under medium heat, and saute the cinnamon, cumin, ground cloves, and coriander seeds for a minute or two until fragrant.  Place in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.  Set aside for now. Using the same pot, heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.  Add the onions mixing occasionally until they start to soften.  Add the cabbage, celery, bell pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt and continue sauteing for another five minutes, stirring often.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Then add to it the potatoes, turnips, and squash and mix together. In another large bowl, combine the meat, egg, rice, 1/4 cup of chopped onion previously set aside, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and two teaspoon of the spice mixture.  Mix until thoroughly combined.  Form meat mixture into golfball sized meatballs. Heat remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in the pot under medium heat.  Brown the meatballs in batches until each one is golden brown on all sides.  Return all the meatballs to the pot.  Add broth, all the vegetables, tomatoes, bay leaf, remaining spice mixture, and chipotle (if using).  Gently mix together and bring to a boil.  Cover and lower the heat to a simmer.  Continue simmering for 30 minutes.   Serve with bowls of various fun toppings at the center of the table and enjoy!

A Warm Winter Meal: Roasted Kabocha White Bean Soup

Some vegetables are fascinating in their odd appearances. You have to wonder what treasures rest inside, safely hidden by the strange exterior. Once you scratch the surface of these specimen of nature, beauty often emerges in many unexpected shapes and forms. Celery root is one good example and a personal favorite.  The hairy okra is another.  But today I am all about the Kabocha squash.



This pumpkin-like japanese squash is dull green and warty--well, at least bumpy.  It would stand little chance of winning the National Pumpkin Beauty Contest-- then again maybe it would...


I love it because of its incredible velvety texture, its wonderful color, and its fine nutritional pedigree: Vitamin A and C, calcium, folic, iron, potassium, and list goes on. It's a little tough to cut through and peel, so you'll need a good knife. The effort is well worth it and this soup is simply superb.

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Roasted Kabocha Squash & White Bean Soup (6-8 servings) You can replace the Kabocha for a cooking pumpkin or a butternut squash but the texture the Kabocha imparts is well-worth seeking it out.  The pears and coconut milk work really well to create a memorable soup. 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed 1 medium zucchini, diced (2 cups) 5 cups prepared kabocha squash, diced 1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated 1 tsp sea salt 2 cups Bosc Pears, peeled, cored and diced 1 large potato, peeled and diced 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 3 cups white beans, cooked 1 piece Kombu seaweed (about 2" long--optional) 1 tsp ground turmeric 8 cups water 1 cup light coconut milk 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (for garnish) Preheat the oven to 400F.   Place the first 7 ingredients on an oiled cookie sheet and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking process. Transfer roasted vegetable to a large soup pot. Add all the other ingredients except for the coconut milk. Mix well. Set on medium to high heat and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes covered. Add the cup of coconut milk and heat for another 3 minutes. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro in each bowl. Printable Recipe

Serving Suggestion: Serve with some homemade cornbread.  You can use your own recipe or a GF cornbread mix and then add:

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup pepitas
• 1 tablespoon of roasted pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup mexican or cheddar cheese

Bake according to packaging. Enjoy!


More Soups:
Velvet Butternut Squash and Lima Bean Soup
Tofu Vegetable Soup with Miso

Soup Dilemma: To Dunk or Not to Dunk?

I grew up eating unadulterated soup. Crackers or bread were not part of this heart warming ritual. At the most, we would add a spoon-full of creme fraiche to cool off a cream of vegetable soup.

I like to end the day, especially in Fall and Winter, with a nice bowl of soup. I pair it up with homemade bread, muffins or crackers whenever possible. It adds another dimension to the meal. The sweet creaminess of butternut squash goes especially well with parmesan crackers. I added some pumpkin seeds to the recipe for some added crunch. Now, that you have the perfect recipe, all you'll need is to decide whether it's appropriate to dunk or not.



I am all about playing with my food, so I say: dunk, dunk, dunk.

Parmesan, Pumpkin-Seed Crackers This recipe works well with all purpose flour. If you are not concerned about gluten or wheat, omit the xantham gum and use 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose instead of flours called for in this recipe. 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1/4 cup sorghum flour 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour 1/2 cup brown rice flour 1/4 teaspoon xantham gum 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup lowfat milk 1 large egg, beaten Egg Wash: 1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, beaten In a mixer, combine all the dry ingredients. Then drizzle in the olive oil. Turn mixer on for two more minutes. While the mixer is going, prepare the egg in a bowl and mix with the milk. Drizzle in to form a batter. Mix well for about 3 minutes. Wrap the batter with a piece of parchment paper coated with some oil. Store in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350F. oil a cookie-sheet Spread a thin coating of gluten free flour onto a board and a rolling-pin. Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. With a knife cut strips 3/4" wide. Gently take the strip and shape them into a twig. You can be as creative as you would like with the shape as long as it is fairly thin. I pinched and twisted mine to make them look as organic as possible. Arrange them onto the cookie sheet. Baste them with some egg-wash and bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the pan every 10 minutes or so. The cracker sticks should be golden. Serve with your favorite dip or soup.

Velvet Butternut Squash and Lima Bean Soup (serves 10) 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cups sliced leeks, whites only 8 cups cubed butternut squash 16oz frozen Lima beans 2 teaspoon dried sage leaves 2 teaspoon sea salt 8 cups water 1/4 cup light sour cream salt to taste In a large pot, heat the oil and then add the leeks. Saute on medium heat until translucent. Add the butternut squash, beans, sage leaves and salt. Mix well and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until squash and beans are really soft. Add sour cream. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and let cool for ten minutes. Blend until really smooth. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve with bread or crackers.

More related recipes:
Daring Bakers Lavash Crackers
Miso Soup

The Comfort of Miso Soup

There's something so comforting about a bowl of hot miso soup. It warms you up so deliciously the instant it touches your lips. It soothes your tummy when it aches. It clears your sinuses when you have a cold. It brightens the gloomiest rainy day... Miso may well be a cure-all in a bowl.

My kids are big soup fans. Even when we lived in sunny California, they would get excited when soup was on the menu. I use to make a lot of cream of vegetable soups back then, minus the cream. Nowadays, my repertoire has a wider range. I have been playing around with my own recipe for a hearty miso soup. I love ending my day with such a comforting meal. This one has it all: a little vegetable, a little tofu, a little rice pasta and a creamy salty broth that is flavored just right.



The key to getting a soup from just warm liquid to "wow" is creating a compilation of harmonious flavors. I started with a low-sodium clear vegetable broth, then added fresh ginger, cilantro, lime slices and green onions. This was only the beginning as this flavorful canvas still needed some added pizzazz to become the perfect soup. Flavorful vegetables, tender tofu, slippery pasta, rich miso and fragrant toasted sesame oil were then added in to help make this a meal to remember.

I'm sending this miso soup to Lisa over at Food and Spice who's hosting this month's No Croutons Required event. This steamy bowl is perfect for her event and fits the bill as a hearty bowl of soup.

Tofu Vegetable Soup with Miso (serves 6)



12 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 slices lime
1 1" piece ginger, peeled
12 springs fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sliced green onions (about 2-3)
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots (about 4 medium size)
1/4 cup mild red pimiento, sliced into rings (optional)
14 oz firm organic tofu, diced small
1/2 cup mellow white miso
4oz of thai rice pasta sticks
1 tsp of GF soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine (for garnish)


Bring broth, ginger, cilantro, green onions to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, covered. Add broccoli, carrots, pimiento, tofu and bring back to a boil, cover and then simmer again for 5 minutes. Add the miso and mix well to combine. Bring back to a simmer and add the pasta, stir, cover and turn the heat off. Leave alone for 10 minutes or until pasta is soft. Finish with the soy sauce, sesame oil and cilantro garnish.

All gone...


Here's another soup recipe for you drink up...
Black Lentil Soup with Kale and Turnip Chips

Vacation, Booboos and Apricot Soup

Sometimes, a simple meal feels luxurious. I just came back from spending two glorious days cabin-camping on a beach on the banks of the Puget Sound. The weather was pretty ideal--not a given in this part of the world. The view was peaceful and delightful. We spent time with our friends, ate well, relaxed and even managed only one trip to urgent care-- which is pretty good considering the seven children we have between the two families. One of my twins tried but failed to jump over a low stone-wall and cut open her leg. In my rush to get to her, I manage to tumble over the same wall (klutziness is in our genes-- I'm only safe in a kitchen) and rolled onto the grass next to her, cursing out my pain for a fraction of a second, until the adrenaline rushed through me enough to forget my own booboos and deal with hers.

A trip to the local hospital and some skin-glue later (that's great stuff), we were back at camp for more Summer fun. Everyone had a great time. We were too exhausted when we got back home to consider cooking a "real" dinner. Light and fast was the recipe du jour. I pulled out the blender and whipped up a velvety apricot soup with blueberries.





We warmed up some of the "Almost Challah" and plated some fine cheeses. The meal was rounded up by a big salty, crunchy bowl of edamame. It was the perfect finale to a most perfect couple days (minus the bruises, cuts and other gross details that don't belong in a food blog).

I am passing this recipe on to Dhanggit of Dhanggits Kitchen for her perfect party dishes event. This dish will be great for her daughter's first birthday party because of its simplicity, visual appeal and wonderful refreshing taste.




Velvety Apricot Soup with Blueberries (serves 4)

I don't add any sugar or honey to this soup. However, I make sure that the fruit is really sweet and my lemon yogurt has fructose in it as well. The almond butter ties it well together and adds a wonderful richness to this dish. However, you can omit it if you would rather not invest in a jar. I live on the stuff and always have one in my fridge.

In a blender combine and blend until smooth:
6 large ripe apricots, pits removed (a little over 1 lb)
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of orange juice
6 oz of lemon flavored yogurt (use soy yogurt for a vegan dish)
1 tablespoon of almond butter

To serve:
Serve the soup chilled. Divide the soup among four bowls and add some whole blueberries to garnish.

Cream of Black Lentil Soup with Kale and Turnip Chips

I love soup. Lucky for me, no matter what the weather is outside, my family is always excited at the idea of having it for dinner. This one combines some of my favorite ingredients: lentils, Kale and some home-made turnip chips.

Black Lentil Soup with Kale and Turnip chips

for the soup:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup of finely chopped onions
1 cup of finely chopped celery
1 cup of diced carrots
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp ginger powder
2 cups of kale leaves cut into thin strips (julienned)
8 cups of chicken broth (vegetarian broth okay)
2 cups of black lentils, picked over and rinsed
salt to taste
1/2 tablespoon garlic mustard (dijon is fine)
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley

for the turnips:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 or more small turnips, cut into paper-thin slices
salt to taste

In a large size pot warm the olive oil for the soup. Add the garlic, until oil becomes slightly fragrant. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute under medium heat, stirring once in a while, until mixture caramelizes a bit (light brown color) and add the cumin and ginger. Combine with a spatula. Add kale, chicken broth, black lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add 1/2 tablespoon of garlic dijon mustard (plain dijon is fine too). Carefully taste and adjust for salt. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until desired consistency.


In a nonstick pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is ready, add the slices of turnip in batches. Cook each batch until the turnip starts to golden on the edges. Turn them over for a minute or so on the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and salt to taste. Those chips add a wonderful flavor to this soup-- You might want to make some extra ones for any leftover soup.

Serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with the turnip chips and some fresh parsley on top.