My passion for soup intensifies every time I come up with a new way to blend different veggies. Since I’m usually always stirring in some kind of dairy into my soups- whether it’s milk, heavy cream or creme fraiche, this recipe is one I’m especially happy to show you because there is a secret ingredient in it that removes any need for dairy- perfect for vegans or those who are lactose-intolerant. Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the Saffron Roadhalalbroths, whether it’s the vegetable, chicken or lamb broths. So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an immersion blender, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets to use when making my soups. I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of olive oil on top, but you could add more liquid- more broth or some water added to the broth. On the side, I love to serve this soup with Saffron Road’s Sea Salt Lentil Crackers, which are totally wheat free and a true gift to those who are avoiding wheat in their diets. For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like Saffron Road’s broth and lentil crackers (which are also gluten free) that pay attention to the special diet needs so many people have today.If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out my Instagram account on 11/30/17 where I’ll be giving away a week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons to one randomly-selected winner so there is no excuse not to give these fabulous products a try with your family.
Why is it that sweet potatoes only get love during Thanksgiving around here? They’re such a healthy food to incorporate into one’s diet and you can make so much more with them than just candied sweet potatoes as a side dish.
Those who know me know how much I love a good bowl of soup- and that I like to turn a lot of great vegetables into purees in order to eat them as a soup. It’s no different than with sweet potatoes. Yes, it takes time to peel the skin off of their non-uniform surfaces, but so what? A little peeling can be seen as kitchen therapy, if you take it that way. That could be considered a practice in mindful eating, for real.
To make this soup, it’s super easy. Just follow the directions below and if you want to freeze it, be aware that because it has dairy in it, you may want to be sure to consume it in under three months time. If you’re vegan you could try a coconut creamer instead of the milk- and coconut and sweet potatoes go very well together in taste so that should be nice, too.
To get some of the best flavor from the broth while you’re also in a hurry, use the high quality and super convenient Classic Culinary Vegetable Broth by Saffron Road in this recipe. It can be found in many grocery stores in the organic food section, but also online. Check out their store locator for more details on a store near you who carries it.
At this time of year, everyone talks about New Year’s resolutions. To top the list, it’s usually about getting fit and eating healthier. I think soups are one of the best kinds of dishes you can make at home to eat healthy, use up a lot of wonderful, delicious and seasonal ingredients and make great use of the money you spend on those ingredients. There’s no need to go to a restaurant just for a good soup, and those boxed soups just don’t cut it on the flavor and taste, in my opinion. Besides, you can control the amount of oils/fats and salt you use when making your own, which is something you’re not able to do when eating it elsewhere. Have I convinced you yet?
I know cooking takes time, and I am not an advocate of spending all your time in the kitchen. We all have lives to live and things to do, but planning ahead and cutting the work time in half by buying things already cut (i.e. riced broccoli; and a good quality vegetable broth like this one from Saffron Road, which is halal-certified and made with high quality ingredients).
*My top tip for this recipe is to boil or steam the broccoli ahead of time because it makes for a creamier soup in the end. If you don’t have time to do that, it’s fine, but just be sure to use a minced or riced broccoli so that it cooks thoroughly in around 20 minutes. Once you puree it, it’ll be easier to do and result in a creamier soup.
Want to try the Culinary Classic Vegetable Broth by Saffron Road for yourself? Enter to win our giveaway for a FREE coupon here.
One of the best ways I’ve found to make soups and stews richer and easier to make is by adding all sorts of broth and stocks: chicken, veal, beef, fish and lamb, in particular.
You can learn how to make your own broths with my recipes in the My Halal Kitchen cookbook and how to prepare the large quantities for the fridge or freezer by watching the video below.
Broth, or stock, is rich in vitamins and minerals and it’s a staple in the traditional cuisine of most cultures, for those reasons. Because most of the meats found in the grocery store today are void of any bones, we miss out on having those vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, in our diets. You must ask for the bones at your local halal meat store. Speak to the butcher ahead of time, as sometimes they need to order or ask specifically for them since they’re not used in cooking as much as before, unfortunately.
Eid ul Adha is a great time to make your broth since many families will be sacrificing the whole animal and thus have access to all the parts, much of which can be used to make beautiful broths, so I encourage you to make your own stock or broth with your Qurbani, if you can. There may be an even easier option by purchasing the broths from Saffron Road, in particular the Culinary Classic Chicken Broth, as it’s one of the best broth on the market I’ve ever found and it’s also halal-certified by IFANCA.
What should you do with all of those wonderful summer zucchini squash you’ve got from the local farmers market or your family’s backyard garden? Most people would say to make zucchini bread, which I think is an absolutely fabulous idea! But, I also think making soup is another great idea, too, and I mean a hearty one!
I love this type of weather we’re having right now near Chicago- that steamy hot and humid and wet summer is nearing its end (I hope) and it’s cooling down just enough so I can start to imagine wearing my favorite tall boots, turtlenecks and sweaters again. I just love wrapping myself up and having something nice and warm to eat like a bowl of soup, but not when it’s too cold so this soup is a great reminder that we’re still able to enjoy the hot summer vegetables, too. The addition of chicken makes it a real meal that can be satisfied by itself with a bit of rustic bread or tortillas on the side, whichever you like more.
It uses up about 3 large zucchini and makes about 8 servings, which is quite a lot. I add one Yukon gold potato because they’re soft and cook fairly quickly but they also add starch to the soup, which thickens it slightly.
To make it, I cook the chicken in a separate pan because it’s just easier and cleaner to pull out and chop that way. The first recipe I tested, I used split chicken breast pieces then once they were cooled I de-boned the meat and then shredded it with a fork. The next test I did differently and it was much better. I used boneless skinless chicken breast, boiled it and then once removed from the water and cooled, I chopped it finely with a knife.
The result is that it was so much better because in every bit of the soup there is a generous amount of chicken, which I know most people love. It’s also rich in broth because I used the water that I boiled the chicken in, AND a carton of the Artisan Roasted Chicken Broth by Saffron Road.
*NOTE ABOUT THE BROTH IN THIS RECIPE: It seems as though the Saffron Road halal chicken broth and other broths are not available, so you can replace it with an organic vegetarian broth like this one for this recipe.
The basic ingredients are simple and easy to get – in addition to what I mentioned, I also added garlic, frozen spinach, salt, pepper and a bit of fresh parsley. At the end, I topped it off with Parmesan cheese (you can find varieties that are suitable for vegetarians at Trader Joe’s stores), which I have to do because that satisfies the Italian in me… And so does this soup- it’s hearty and rich in flavor yet it’s inexpensive, easy to make and fairly quick. You could easily pre-chop al the ingredients (zucchini, garlic and potato) then come home after work and make it in no time. Seriously…that’s how good home cooking should be, right?
Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. 
But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the Saffron Road halal broths, whether it’s the vegetable, chicken or lamb broths. 
So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. 
It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an immersion blender, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets to use when making my soups. 
I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. 
I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of olive oil on top, but you could add more liquid- more broth or some water added to the broth. On the side, I love to serve this soup with Saffron Road’s Sea Salt Lentil Crackers, which are totally wheat free and a true gift to those who are avoiding wheat in their diets. 
For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like Saffron Road’s broth and lentil crackers (which are also gluten free) that pay attention to the special diet needs so many people have today.
If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out my Instagram account on 11/30/17 where I’ll be giving away a week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons to one randomly-selected winner so there is no excuse not to give these fabulous products a try with your family.
