Leek and potato soup is a lovely dish as the days start to turn chilly. It's hearty and filling.  It's also easy to make - you just have to be patient with allowing the various simmering times listed below. Enjoy! 

I'm not sure how anyone takes a good photo of leek and potato soup, but this was delicious. I ate every bite. And the leftovers. 

Leek & Potato Soup

Serves around 8, depending on size of soup bowls

Melt over medium heat: 

1/4 cup butter

Add and toss to cover well with the butter: 

3 leeks, sliced, cleaned, drained (and patted dry)

1 onion, sliced

3-4 small/medium size Russet potatoes, peeled and diced

Cover your pot. Lower the heat to low/low-med heat and let the vegetables cook for 15 minutes. No need to stir. 

Remove the lid and add: 

1 liter/4 cups chicken broth (if you use salt-free, then use less salt to season at the end)

2-3 tsp mushroom seasoning (or 2 tsp GF chicken bouillon)

1 tsp pepper

Raise the heat to medium heat, and let the soup return to a boil.  Once the soup is bubbling nicely, cover the pot, lower the heat to low/med-low heat and let cook 20 minutes. 

Remove the lid. With a potato masher, mash the soup thoroughly. Do NOT use a stick blender, or your soup will end up too gloopy (sort of sticky and not a great texture). 

Add: 

1 - 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp freeze dried thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

Allow soup to continue cooking uncovered an additional 5-10 minutes (raise the heat so it keeps simmering, if needed).  Mash with your potato masher a bit more every so often. 

After this additional simmer, add: 

1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove from the heat and serve! This is lovely with homemade fresh GF baguettes.  Enjoy!

Leek & Potato Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 We had the most delicious - and naturally gluten-free - salmon soup when we visited my brother in Finland earlier this year. I just had to recreate it after returning home! I've made it several slightly different ways now, usually varying up the vegetable slightly, and it's just delicious. It's perfect on a chilly day. 

Yummy Finnish-style Salmon Soup served with some homemade gluten-free baguette.

Finnish-Style Salmon Soup

In a large pot over medium heat, cook 4-5 minutes: 

1/4 cup butter OR 2 Tbsp oil + 2 Tbsp butter

1/2 - 1 onion, diced OR 1-2 leeks, sliced & washed

2 - 3 carrots, peeled & sliced

Add and cook, stirring regularly ~5-7 minutes: 

700 g / 1.5 lbs potatoes, diced (peeled, if thick-skinned)

1 sweet potato, peeled & diced (optional - not traditionally used, but I am always looking for ways to add veggies)

My girls would tell you to just leave it as carrots and potatoes - but I did add a small sweet potato to this particular batch of salmon soup. 

Add and bring to a low boil, simmer ~8 minutes: 

3 - 4 cups water

1 tsp GF chicken bouillon (optional)

1 - 2 Tbsp freeze-dried dill OR 1 bunch fresh dill

1 tsp parsley (optional)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Simmering - and smelling delicious with all that dill.

Add and return to boil: 

1 cup milk OR 10% cream OR heavy cream

If you'd like to thicken your salmon soup, you can - though this soup is a thinner, lighter soup naturally thickened slightly by the potatoes in the soup. It is not typically done, but if you'd like it a bit thicker, you can mix together in a small bowl the following, then stir into the soup: 

1/4 cup milk 

1-2 Tbsp cornstarch

Add and let simmer in the soup 10 min: 

3 - 4 salmon filets, diced (~1 lb / 500 g)

Simmering with the salmon filets. 

If desired, slice and serve alongside: 

1 lemon, cut into wedges

The soup is ready to serve! It's absolutely delicious with fresh gluten-free bread and butter. They had a neat egg butter in Finland, but I haven't quite made it to whipping that together yet. 

Yummm... look at that lovely salmon soup. I did not thicken this batch, so it's a lighter, thinner broth.

Finnish-Style Salmon Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 It's that time of year when the days are starting to cool a bit here, and things like a tasty tomato-basil soup with grilled cheese make a perfect dinner.  If you have fresh tomatoes, then check out one of my other tomato soup recipes - they're both delicious. One is a roasted tomato soup recipe, and the other is a fresh summer tomato & basil soup recipe.  Alas, this recipe came about because all my tomatoes are itty bitty (delicious, but not really soup tomatoes) but I did still have some fresh basil available. Enjoy!

A bowl of fresh tomato-basil soup, ready to eat with our open-faced grilled cheese. Yum!

Tomato-Basil Soup

Makes ~7 cups of soup

In a large pot, heat until bubbling:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter

Add and cook until just softened,
1 medium to large onion, chopped

Stir in, letting cook 1 minute:
1 large can (796 ml / 27 oz) diced tomatoes
2 - 3 tsp minced garlic

Add:
3 1/2 cups chicken stock (I often just fill the diced tomato can with water & add GF chicken bouillon or Asian mushroom seasoning)
2 - 3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp chili sauce or harissa paste *see below
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (I've often added this later, but it adds a wonderful depth to simmer along with everything)

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 minutes.  

Puree the soup with a stick blender to desired consistency.

Taste & season with additional salt & pepper, as desired.

Serve hot with fresh ground pepper & grilled cheese sandwiches! 

We often place slices of bread on a pan and top with sliced cheese, then just heat it all in the oven and eat these open-faced "grilled cheese" breads with our tomato soup.

Enjoy!


*A bit more about Harissa: This amount will add just a touch of depth to the taste, but not spiciness - add a bit more if you want more spice. Harissa is a hot chili paste that incorporate a few others spices as well. It tends to come in small containers, like a small jar.  If you don't have harissa, you can add a small pinch of cayenne powder or little scoop of any hot chili paste.

Tomato-Basil Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Pho-inspired Chicken Noodle Soup (Faux Chicken Pho)

 My family love getting GF Pho and other yummy dishes at Vietnamese restaurants.  Quite often, they have several GF options for us, which is great.  I think you'll love the flavors and the ease of whipping together something like this Pho-inspired chicken soup.  Once the garlic starts to simmer, it smells delicious! Enjoy!

A bowl of Pho-inspired Chicken Noodle Soup, garnished with fresh green onions

Pho-Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup

Over medium to medium-high heat, sauté 5-7 minutes: 

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp oil

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 large onion, sliced into thin strips

dash salt & pepper

Add: 

8 cups chicken broth (If I don't have fresh chicken broth/stock, I'll use water plus GF chicken boullion paste or water plus Asian mushroom seasoning) 

5 slices fresh ginger

1/2 - 1 tsp dried red chili flakes

2 Tbsp oyster sauce (or fish sauce)

Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer ~15 minutes.  

Soup simmering, almost ready to add the cooked chicken.

Add and cook another 5 minutes: 

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

While your soup is simmering, cook and drain in cold water, then toss with 1-2 Tbsp oil to keep from sticking: 

GF ramen noodles or GF rice vermicelli noodles or pho noodles

GF ramen noodles - I can regularly find them at Costco, but any GF ramen or thin rice noodle of your choice will work. 

To serve: 

Place your GF noodles in a bowl.  Spoon broth over your noodles (you can remove the ginger slices - or just don't serve them).  Garnish with: 

green onions, sliced

fresh mint leaves, optional

fresh thai basil, optional

fresh bean sprouts, optional

Pho Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free! 

This comforting creamy chicken & vegetable soup recipe is pretty versatile.   If you don't want to make your own rice, you can add a bag of pre-cooked microwaved rice (microwave it before adding it in).  You can use a drained can of cooked chicken instead of diced, roasted chicken.  You can use a bag of riced broccoli in place of the sliced/diced head of broccoli.  All sorts of variations to make life easier for those busy nights!  Enjoy! 

A yummy bowl of vegetable filled creamy soup with some salad on the side. 

Creamy Vegetable & Chicken Soup

In a large pot over medium-heat, sauté 3 - 5 minutes:

1 - 2 Tbsp butter

1 - 2 Tbsp oil 

1/2 - 1 onion, finely diced

1 - 2 carrots, finely diced

1 - 2 stalks celery, finely diced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp freeze-dried or dried parsley

1/4 tsp dried sage or 1 - 2 tsp fresh sage, minced (optional)

1/4 tsp dried rosemary or 1 - 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (optional) 

*This recipe also works well with a holiday blend of vegetables (finely diced sweet potato, butternut squash, onion, celery, carrot with the sage and rosemary addition)*

Add and cook an additional 3-4 minutes: 

1 large head broccoli, sliced and diced

Add: 

1 can GF cream of chicken soup *see comment at end if you can't find this*

2 cups water

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp GF chicken bouillon paste

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  

Add the following, returning briefly to a boil before serving: 

1 - 2 cups cooked white Jasmine rice (make sure your rice is cooked!)

1 cup roast chicken, diced (Canned, drained chicken will work well in this recipe, too)

This is a nice all-in-one meal, but you can serve it with a side of GF crackers or GF garlic bread, whatever you're in the mood for!  Enjoy! 

A pot of soup, ready to eat!

*** If you cannot find a can of Gluten-Free cream of chicken soup, then this is my recommendation (and yes, I've done this)

Add an extra cup of chicken broth before you simmer your soup.  

After the 10-15 minutes of simmering, whisk the following together in a small bowl:

1/3 cup cold milk

1/4 - 1/3 cup cornstarch

Add to your soup and stir, bringing to a boil just to let it thicken a bit. 

And that'll be your work around! 

Creamy Vegetable & Chicken Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

The Best Homemade Seafood Chowder!

The wonderful thing about making seafood chowder at home is that you can use whatever fresh, local (or not-so-local) seafood that is in season.  The recipe here is for a delicious vegetable-packed chowder filled with lobster, scallops and haddock.  You can easily add shrimp, salmon, or other types of fish in addition to or as a substitute for these.  You can even add in mussels, too.  The pictures here are of a chowder I made while visiting Nova Scotia. It was filled with fresh, local scallops, lobsters, and haddock fillets.

Wonderfully delicious homemade seafood chowder, packed with lobster, haddock and scallops.  This version is packed with vegetables, too, and packed with flavor. 

The Best Homemade Seafood Chowder
Serves 6-8

Saute in a large pot over medium heat for 4-5 minutes:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 carrots, sliced
dash salt and pepper

Add, and saute, stirring regularly for 5-7 minutes:
1.5 lbs potatoes, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 - 3/4 cups diced fennel bulb
3-4 cloves garlic, minced OR 1/4 - 1/3 cup garlic scapes, sliced (if in season)

Add and cook an additional 1-2 minutes:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp Old Bay Seasoning (adds spiciness, so use less if you prefer less bite)
3-5 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano

I like to saute the vegetables for a longer period in the pan, then they can simmer for less time in order to really bring out the flavors and taste.  

Add, then simmer vegetables for ~7-8 minutes:
~3 cups water (just until top of veggies)
1 tsp GF chicken bouillon seasoning (optional)

Add:
1 cup 10% cream OR milk (lactose-free works great)

Mix in a small bowl:
1/4 cup 10% cream OR milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Once you've mixed the flour/cream together, you want to add it a little at a time to the bubbling soup.  Stirring and returning soup to a low boil to adjust thickness after you add each 1-2 Tbsp.  I prefer a less thick chowder, and so would recommend just a bit being added.

Here's the chowder after being thickened a bit.  I prefer a just barely thickened creamy soup to the thick chowders sometimes served.  In this picture the soup is ready for seafood to be added. 

Once you've achieved the desire chowder thickness and returned your soup to a boil over medium heat, add the following and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally:
8 large scallops, diced (or equivalent amount of small scallops)
3 haddock fillets, diced

Taste test the soup at this point to adjust with salt and pepper, as desired.  The Old Bay Seasoning has quite a bit of salt, so I usually just add a dash of pepper.

Just before serving, add:
cooked lobster meat from 2 large lobsters, diced (I remove and use the tail, claws, knuckles)

This flavorful seafood chowder is wonderful served alongside garlic bread.  A few breads we enjoy eating as garlic bread are: a tasty GF French-Style Bread, GF white bread, GF naan bread, and homemade GF sourdough bread.

In my opinion, the perfect accompaniment to a fresh seafood chowder and garlic bread dinner is a homemade apple crisp.  If you can find Cortland apples, you'll truly be in heaven.  Enjoy!

A homemade GF apple crisp made with local Cortland apples - yum! 

Delicious Roasted Tomato Soup

While the most delicious tomato soup is best with fresh from the vine tomatoes in the fall, the ever-increasing varieties available year-round allow for some delicious roasted tomato soup to be whipped up in the winter, too!  This creamy (dairy-free) tomato soup is a favorite with all my kids and extended family, too!  Thanks to wonderful PEI chef Morgan Palmer for sharing her wonderful recipe with the Heartbeet Organics Veggie CSA.  Delicious!  Enjoy!

Oven-roasted tomato soup with toasted cheese-topped bread

My youngest enjoying her fresh roasted tomato soup.

Delicious Roasted Tomato Soup
based on a recipe by PEI chef Morgan Palmer

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Arrange on a large baking pan:
3 - 3.5 lbs fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I like to use a variety of types, including heirlooms, for flavor)
2 onions, coarsely chopped
6-10 cloves garlic (depending on the size of the cloves)

Drizzle the tomatoes, onions and garlic with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Bake at 400 F for 45 minutes, until tomatoes are caramelizing. (Keep everything on one pan, unlike what I did in the picture below, to avoid any burning of the liquids - the tomatoes were so pretty, though, I had to include the picture).

I separated the tomatoes out onto two pans, but I'd recommend using just one, even if it seems like they're packed closely together.  It helps avoid the burning of juice on the pans. Yes, I've made it roasted all on one pan, I just forgot to take pictures. 

In a large pot, bring to a boil:
4 cups chicken broth (or water + Asian mushroom seasoning)
2 Tbsp butter, optional, but adds a wonderful depth to the flavor
tomatoes, onions & garlic from the baking pan, including the liquid

Reduce the heat and simmer for ~20 minutes.  Remove from heat and use a stick blender to puree the soup.

Stir in:
1/2 cup canned coconut milk, thick part only

Return to low heat and cook for a few minutes, seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

You can also add dash of maple syrup to your bowl for a little sweetness.

Absolutely wonderful served with homemade GF grilled cheese sandwiches! Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold, snowy winter days are a nice time for a hot bowl of soup.  A hearty homemade chicken noodle soup is wonderful in wintertime.   In order to be able to whip this together, I always try to have cooked chicken available. When I roast chicken (or turkey), I freeze leftovers so I have chicken available in order to whip together this tasty soup.  My kids all love it, veggies included!   We eat it on it's own, or with fresh bread, toasted.  Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, ready to eat! 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves ~6

Saute about 7 minutes over medium-high heat, until carrots are softening (you want to make sure your carrots are diced very finely because they will be the last vegetable to soften, if they're nice and small they'll be mostly cooked during the saute and then finish up during the boiling):
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 carrots, diced very small
1/2 - 1 onion, diced very small
2-3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup small turnips, diced very small (I had mini ones that I finely diced - leave them out if you don't have any on hand)
~2-3 stalks celery, diced (I used a handful of very thin purple celery stalks)

Add and bring to a boil:
~7 cups homemade chicken broth/stock (or GF chicken bouillon)
1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, diced
1-2 Tbsp fresh dill, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
dash turmeric

Add and boil soup 13-15 minutes, until pasta is cooked:
1 1/2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
1/2 package GoGo Quinoa vegetable noodles (they're tiny and circular, perfect for this soup, or you can use small GF noodles of your choice)

Adjust salt & pepper, as desired.  Serve and enjoy!

A hot bowl of delicious homemade GF chicken noodle soup

Chicken & Rice Soup

I came up with this yummy soup quite by accident.  We had family visiting and I needed something that could be eaten late at night when they arrived.  It turned out so flavorful and delicious, everyone loved it!  My kids both wanted seconds!  This is a great recipe if you have leftover roast chicken (or even turkey).  The only thing I realized is that it's next to impossible to take a nice picture of soup - but it's packed full of chicken, veggies and rice, and a nice, quick meal.  And, the only one I remembered to get a picture of is when I was being lazy and threw in a bag of grated carrots I had purchased on a whim instead of dicing the carrots.  They look a little funky, but the taste was still great.  Enjoy!

A picture at last!  Only it looks a little odd made with grated carrots. Sometimes it's just good to use what is available in the refrigerator. :) 

Chicken & Rice Soup

Serves 8-10

Put in a large pot:

3 ½ - 4 quarts chicken broth (or water + GF bouillon. Use ~ 1 tsp/cup water *see note below)

½ - 1 tsp ground turmeric

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (OR 1 Tbsp freeze dried or dried)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (OR 1/2 - 3/4 Tbsp freeze dried or dried)

Salt & pepper (use sparingly now - season more towards end)

2-3 cups mix medley of diced veggies (carrot, onion, celery, potato, turnip, celery root, fennel bulb & greens)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil 

Bring to boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes, uncovered.  (* If you would like, you can saute the vegetables in olive oil for 5 minutes before adding chicken broth and spices, then bring to a boil and simmer an additional 5 minutes.  Either method of cooking will work well!!! *)

Add:

1 – 1 ½ cups basmati rice (rinse the rice & make sure it’s the cook in 15-20 minutes kind)

Simmer (uncovered) ~ 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 

Add:

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

Season with additional salt/pepper, to taste.

Serve with chopped fresh parsley (optional).

Enjoy!

*Note: There is an Asian mushroom seasoning that is gluten-free, MSG-free, and absolutely delicious to use as a substitute for chicken bouillon. It’s my absolute favorite.  I find it adds a depth of flavor, but doesn’t add a ‘mushroom’ flavor.  It was recommended by our Vietnamese friend (and absolutely fabulous cook), Nam. I love it!

Another lovely picture of my strange looking soup made with grated carrots.  For a more normal looking soup, just slice or dice them. ;) 

Chicken and Rice Soup by Successfully Gluten Free!

Chili - with multiple veggie options

My go-to chili recipe, in time for chilly weather!  I tend to vary things up when I'm making chili, throwing in different types of veggies depending on what I have on-hand, or what sounds good at the moment.  I've given a number of options here - and just written 'optional' next to them.  You can throw things in that you like and leave out things you dislike.  A win-win for everyone! We like to eat it with a variety of things -  homemade cornbread, tortilla chips, over baked potatoes, on top of nachos, with GF crackers or bread.  This version isn't too spicy - but I tend to just add an extra pinch of cayenne powder, and use a heaping Tbsp/tsp of chili powder and cumin if I want a spicier chili. Enjoy!

Chili made with sweet potato & corn, topped with cinnamon-sour cream, fresh cilantro & green onion. Mmmm... 

Fresh chili in the pot - almost ready to eat! Made with local corn, onions & purple celery!

Chili - with multiple veggie options

Serves 4-6

In a medium-large pot or large high-sided frying pan, heat over medium to medium-high heat: 

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Add and let cook 2-3 minutes: 

1 onion, chopped

Add in, cooking until browned:
1 lb. ground beef 

Add in a variety of the following veggies, and cook 3-5 minutes, until veggies are tender, but not soft: 

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 sweet potato, peeled & diced in small pieces (optional)

1-2 stalks celery, diced (optional)

1 green pepper, chopped (optional)

1 small zucchini, chopped (optional)

1 small yellow squash, chopped (optional)

Add: 

1 large can diced tomatoes

1-2 cups beef broth (add more/less depending on thick you like your chili)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and let simmer ~20 minutes.  Check to make sure the sweet potato is softened.  I like to cut them into very small pieces, so they cook quickly. If it's not, continue simmering a few extra minutes.  

Add: 

1 can kidney beans and/or black beans, drained

1 cup frozen corn kernels (optional)

Let chili simmer ~10 minutes after adding beans and corn.  Serve hot with your preferred side and/or toppings. Enjoy!

Topping ideas: 

grated cheddar cheese

sour cream (add a pinch of cinnamon to the sour cream for something a little different)

fresh cilantro

sliced green onions

Side ideas: 

tortilla chips

nachos

homemade GF cornbread

homemade GF breads and/or crackers

(Hearty Jalapeno-Cheddar bread is delicious!)

baked potatoes

Chili topped nachos! (still steaming)

Leek & Potato Soup

 I fell in love with leek & potato soup while living in England.  (Leeks seemed to be plentiful over there).  It's a rich, creamy soup that is just perfect for chilly weather.  I find that locating leeks where I live can be hit or miss.  Luckily, our organic veggie CSA grew some lovely leeks this fall and we put them to use in a soup that was absolutely loved by everyone.  I had no idea it would be such a hit with the kids, but they inhaled it and asked for more.  I also love that while the soup is rich and creamy, it actually has no cream in it. Enjoy!

GF Leek & Potato Soup - My son inhaling his leek & potato soup

Leek & Potato Soup
Based on a recipe from Comfort Foods by Bridget Jones (this happens to be my favorite cookbook of all time)
Serves 6-8 

In a large pot over medium-high heat combine:
1/2 cup butter
~3 cups chopped potatoes (use thin-skinned, washed potatoes)
2 large leeks, sliced thinly & rinsed (don't use the very bottom or the dark green tops)
2-3 medium onions, chopped

Wait until the mixture is bubbling nicely.  Put on the lid, lower the heat to low and let the veggies steam for ~15 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high.  Remove lid and add:
6 cups chicken broth
2 tsp salt
3/4 - 1 tsp ground pepper

Bring soup to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling, cover and lower heat again.  Let simmer ~20 minutes.

Blend with a stick blender.  You don't want to over-blend or the soup can get a bit too thick.  There will be some smaller pieces of veggies in the soup, but this is okay.

Wonderful served with fresh GF cornbread, made on a cookie sheet so the pieces are nice and thin for dipping.  Enjoy! 

We've had SO many wonderfully beautiful tomatoes lately, courtesy of our veggie CSA Heartbeet Organics. They grow all these amazing varieties.  This soup was just lovely, filled with plenty of fresh tomato taste.  You can even freeze leftovers, too! My friend Julie suggested freezing soups and broths in glass canning jars - leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion. Such a great idea, and it makes it easy to defrost soups or broths in your refrigerator, too!   I prefer tomato soup with fresh grilled cheese - here we used extra old cheddar from COWS (a PEI ice cream & cheese place) and some homemade white sourdough bread. Enjoy!

Beautiful tomatoes of all shapes, sizes and colours! 

Fresh summer tomato & basil soup, served with a hot grilled cheese. Yum! 

Fresh Summer Tomato & Basil Soup

Based on a recipe from Best Ever Comfort Food edited by Bridget Jones
Makes ~7 cups of soup

In a large pot, heat until bubbling:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter

Add and cook until just softened,
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

Stir in, letting cook 1 minute:
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Fresh tomatoes, garlic cloves & onions

Add:
3 1/2 cups chicken stock (or use Asian mushroom seasoning + water)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp harissa paste *see below
salt & pepper

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Cover the pot halfway with your lid so you don't have too much evaporation.  

Remove from heat.  Add:
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves.

Puree the soup with a stick blender to desired consistency.

Add and stir in:
1/2 - 2/3 cup thick part of canned coconut milk (OR 1/2 - 2/3 cup heavy cream)

Taste & season with additional salt & pepper, adding a touch more harissa if you want a bit more spice.

Serve hot with fresh ground pepper & grilled cheese sandwiches! Enjoy!


*A bit more about Harissa: This amount will add just a touch of depth to the taste, but not spiciness - add a bit more if you want more spice. Harissa is a hot chili paste that incorporate a few others spices as well. It tends to come in small containers, like a small jar.  If you don't have harissa, you can add a small pinch of cayenne powder or little scoop of any hot chili paste.

Fresh Summer Tomato & Basil Soup Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a great, tasty soup to whip up anytime.  It's packed with veggies, too!  I love that it's so full of flavor you can eat it plain, or pile on toppings if you're going all-out.  I like to purchase fresh, roasted chickens at the grocery store (since they don't add anything to them, no spices/oils, etc.), and then freeze extra chicken meat to use in recipes like this one! You can definitely add extra cumin or chili powder if you want a spicier soup, but since I'm feeding kids, I find the spice level as-is works best.   Enjoy!

Topped with shredded cheese and fresh cilantro. Yum!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 6-8

In a large pot over medium to medium-high heat, cook 3-4 minutes:
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 - 1/2 green bell pepper, diced

Add an continue cooking, stirring occasionally, just until onion looks softened:
1 small to medium zucchini, chopped

Add an mix in, cooking 1-2 minutes:
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Add in:
1 can tomato sauce (398 ml/14 oz)
1 can green chilies (127 ml/4 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (798 ml/27 oz)
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water + 2 tsp mushroom seasoning
1 can black beans, drained (398 ml/14 oz)
1 -2 cups cooked chicken, shredded/chopped

Simmer 30 minutes. Then add:
1/2 - 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Cook an additional 10 minutes.

In the pot, ready to be served. Look at all the lovely colors!

Serve with toppings of your choice and enjoy!

Topping ideas: (starred ones are recommended)
*fresh cilantro
*shredded cheese
avocado, diced
sour cream
tortilla chips
salsa

Would you believe my 8 yr old wanted leftovers for his lunch the next day?! Yum!

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

This is a wonderfully easy and gluten-free soup recipe to whip together for a meal.  It's packed with flavor, but make sure you use good quality cheddar cheese (I've used a mix of a mild cheddar and sharper white cheddar here). You can serve it with gluten-free rolls, garlic bread, homemade croutons, or plain (with a bit of extra shredded cheese on top).  Enjoy!

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Based on a recipe by Emeril Lagasse
Serves 4

In a medium-large pot over medium heat, cook until onions are tender (3-4 minutes):
2-3 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch nutmeg

Add and cook 30 seconds:
1/2 tsp minced garlic
pinch ground thyme

Add and cook 1 minute:
3 Tbsp Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Add slowly, stirring regularly to allow mixture to thicken:
3 cups chicken broth (OR 3 cups water + 3-4 tsp Asian mushroom seasoning)

Let soup come to a boil and thicken (4-5 minutes).
Add:
3 cups broccoli heads/tops

Let cook ~10-15 minutes, until broccoli softens. You may need to lower the heat to medium-low if it starts boiling too much.

Blend with a stick blender.
Mix into hot soup:
1-2 cups cheddar cheese

Serve with extra shredded cheese.

This easy recipe is one of our favorite chowders to whip together on a cold night.  The best part is, it doesn't have any cream so it's not too heavy.  We love eating this with garlic bread or rolls - pretty much any of the recipes I've posted will do.  It's great as leftovers, too! Enjoy!

Ready to pop in a bowl to eat! Yum!

Corn & Bacon Chowder

Serves 4-6

In a large saucepan over medium heat melt:
1/4 cup butter

Add and cook, stirring regularly, until onion has softened:
1 onion, chopped
1 package bacon (8 oz.), trim off the fattiest bits and chop coarsely (I prefer the nitrate-free kind)
2 tsp minced garlic

* You have two options for thickening the soup - you can add GF flour mix to thicken the soup now or add cornstarch to thicken at the end.
Option 1 for thickening soup: 
Once onion has softened, add and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute:
1/4 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Add and bring to boil over medium-high to high heat:
2 cups GF chicken stock OR 2 cups water + 3 tsp Asian mushroom seasoning
3 1/2 - 4 cups milk (lactose-free works great)
2-3 medium potatoes, chopped (peel potatoes if the skin is thick, wash and leave on if the skin is thin)
3/4 tsp. dried chives (OR you can add 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives just before serving)

Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, ~15 minutes, until potato is soft.

Add and bring back to boil/simmer:
2 cups frozen corn kernels OR 2 cups fresh corn kernels

If you did NOT add GF flour mix earlier, do the following now to thicken the soup.
Option 2 for thickening soup: 
While soup is reheating, mix in a small bowl:
2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold milk

Pour the cornstarch and milk mixture into your boiling/simmering soup, and stir 1 minute to thicken.
If you used fresh corn kernels, let simmer an additional 2 minutes. 

Add fresh chives now if you did not use dried chives.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Great served with toasted buttered GF bread or rolls.  Enjoy!

Corn & Bacon Chowder Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Pumpkin Soup

Would you believe we ate this all so quickly, I completely forgot to take a picture of it.  I had really been wondering if it was possible to make pumpkin soup using pumpkin puree, since I prefer to bake my pumpkins to cook them rather than fight the pumpkin to peel and chop it into chunks which could be boiled.   It was just my luck that the Food Network Magazine had a little blurb on making pumpkin soup using canned pumpkin.  I modified the recipe a bit, since I prefer to have a bit of onion and carrot in my fall soups, and this version turned out very nicely.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6-8

In a large pot over medium heat melt:
2 Tbsp. butter

Add and cook 3-4 minutes, until onion is tender:
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thinly

Add, and bring to a boil:
3 cups chicken broth OR 3 cups water + 3 tsp asian mushroom seasoning

Let the soup simmer 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are tender. 

Add and allow to simmer 2-3 minutes:
2 cups pureed pumpkin (canned or homemade pumpkin puree)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
salt and pepper

Add, if desired:
1/4 - 1/2 cup 2%-4% milk or cream (lactose-free milk works great)

Remove from heat.  Using a stick blender (or other blender), puree soup until it's your preferred consistency. I like to leave mine a little chunky, but it's nice thoroughly pureed as well. 

Serve with sliced and toasted garlic bread.  It's great with homemade white bread, sliced, buttered and with a bit of garlic powder sprinkled on top and heated in the oven until lightly browned. 

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ah, we do love a good butternut squash soup. And this is good! And easy!  Something important with kids around.  This soup is great on its own, but you could also serve it as an appetizer, or with toasted gluten-free bread or crackers.  Believe it or not, both my kids have enjoyed this soup from the time they were very small.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 4-6 servings

Melt in large saucepan:

2 Tbsp. butter

Cook in butter until onion softens:

1 onion, chopped

Stir in & sautee 5 minutes:

1 med-large butternut squash, chopped coarsely

(easiest to peel outside skin off w/ a veggie peeler, then chop, removing seeds)

3 carrots, peeled & chopped coarsely (OR 2 carrots + 1 parsnip)

Stir in:

6 cups chicken stock (can be made w/ bouillon cubes)

¼ - ½ tsp rosemary

¼ - ½ tsp nutmeg

¼ - ½ tsp salt (do not add extra salt if your chicken stock has salt)

¼ - ½ tsp pepper

Bring to a boiled while uncovered.  Simmer, still uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes until squash is tender.

Puree soup before serving – if you don’t have a stick blender, you can just use a blender.  You can put blended soup back in the pot to reheat slightly and to adjust salt/pepper if needed.

Nice served w/ a dollop of cream in the middle of bowl.