halal chicken broth Archives - My Halal Kitchen

Orzo Soup with Greens and Wholesome Chicken Broth

by Yvonne Maffei | Aug 5, 2016 | American, Greek, Halal-Certified Products, Italian, Mediterranean, Recipes, Soups

Over the early part of the summer when Ramadan was in full swing, I took advantage of the somewhat cooler weather and made soups for Iftar (meal that breaks the fast). The main reason for that was not only the fact that I love how soups really acclimate my stomach to food after fasting, but more motivation actually came from the beautiful fresh greens I began finding at a local farm stand run by Loyola University called the Loyola University Retreat Campus in Woodstock, IL. There’s a very nice farmer named Emily who runs the greenhouses, gardens and Friday farmsteads and I’ve come to familiarize myself with what’s there every week and try to plan my meals around what’s being sold, if I’m in town at the time. What has been constantly abundant and beautiful has been the Tuscan kale and the beets, which I actually buy more for the greens than the beet itself, although I do use both.

I’ve been making variations of this soup with orzo and greens like kale, beet leaves and broccoli all week. I got the produce from my local farm stand @gardensofloyola_woodstock and the freshness of their ingredients makes all the difference. I also added onions, garlic and chicken broth – it is so perfect for #Iftar. #ramadan2016🌙 #shoplocal #eatseasonal #eatclean #halalisabundant
A photo posted by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on Jun 30, 2016 at 11:27am PDT

I use these greens the same or the next day, usually. To keep them fresh and crisp I wrap them in paper towels and put them in a brown paper bag and don’t wash them until just before cooking. Once I do wash them, it’s always in cool water, leaving them in the water for a few minutes which really freshens them up even more.

A photo posted by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on Jun 17, 2016 at 4:07pm PDT

I love all the beautiful and bright colors, and the other thing about this soup is that you don’t have to strictly use the kale and the beet greens, but instead you can use just one. Also, you can add some fresh broccoli into it, too. It’s that versatile and so rather than just follow the recipe strictly use what you have or what is fresh and local and appealing and I’m sure it’ll come out tasting fabulous. Just take a look at this color- isn’t it simply inspiring?

A photo posted by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on Jun 20, 2016 at 7:13pm PDT

And the key ingredient, the key to making any soup nice and rich and healthy- is the broth. If you can, don’t just use water. Water is great and all, but in order to give your body the minerals and vitamins it may be craving to be healthy and strong, real beef, chicken or lamb broth is a wonderful ingredient to include. My go-to convenient, halal and healthy option if I haven’t had time to make my own is the Saffron Road variety. It’s spoiled me a lot (in a good way) to be able to grab a box at the store, know and trust that it’s completely halal, and wholesome.

I used the Artisan Roasted Chicken broth variety but you could also use their Culinary Classic Chicken Broth variety.

Now that Ramadan is way over, I’m still making soups over the summer, but I’ve also got a taste for trying new things- have you seen the new Fish Bowls from Saffron Road? How cool do those look? I have yet to try them, so let’s do it together!

I’m giving away one week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons so that you can try something new every day of the week– they have so many cool, convenient halal, gluten-free and Non-GMO products like frozen entrees, lentil crackers, lamb broth (trying finding another brand that makes that), and even desserts!

Here’s how this fun giveaway works:

U.S. participants only. I know, bummer. Sorry, guys and gals, but products are only available in the U.S., but anyone in the world can watch our Instagram feed once the giveaway is over and food pics are shared :)
Entrants must have an Instagram account that they will use to share pics with the Saffron Road products they buy from the coupons received.
To enter, go to the PRODUCTS section of Saffron Road and see the types of items they have.
Leave a comment about which one(s) you’d love to be able to try with your FREE coupons for FREE Saffron Road products.
Check back here and on my Instagram account for the winner, which will be announced on August 12, 2016. No more entries will be accepted after August 8, 2016. As a winner, you agree to post pics of the products (i.e. shopping, packages, your dish, etc.) using the hashtag #mhksaffronroadfoodpics and tagging both @saffronroadfood and @myhalalkitchen on Instagram. Once that’s happening, anyone can follow the food pics using the hashtag #mhksaffronroadfoodpics!

Have fun exploring some of those really great halal global cuisine products and share this with all the foodies you know!

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Cream of Vegetable Soup

by Yvonne Maffei | Jan 1, 2016 | American, Soups

I’m such a soup fan that I could eat it for lunch and dinner as a meal, especially when it’s creamy. With some rustic bread on the side, many soups can be quite filling and are a great way to feed a big family, usually by adding more water/cream/broth to easily increase the amount. We’ve just experienced a deep freeze- freezing, snowy rain that makes it hard to get out of a parking lot with anything less than snow tires. Once inside, who wants to leave? All I want to do is cozy up to a nice, creamy and steaming hot cup {or bowl} of soup. That’s why I made this easy cream of vegetable soup that I can make over and over again all winter. The only thing that takes up time is to cut the veggies, but if you’re snowed in, it might be quite therapeutic to do…

I get frozen organic vegetables when available and on sale (Costco has a great variety and large amount that shouldn’t be an issue in the freezer as long as you have the space); otherwise I shop for quality organic and non-GMO veg at places like Trader Joe’s or a local market that offers them. Everything gets rinsed off- even the frozen veg- with water and vinegar to kill off any bacteria that may be on them from handling.

Everything gets diced nice and small. Whatever veg you have on hand is what I would use. Some people prefer mushrooms and peas, for example, which are nice. I just didn’t have them on hand but made use of what I did have without going out for anything additional, new or exotic.

The toughest veg were cooked in oil first since they would take longer to soften. Once softened, I also add the dried herbs like oregano, parsley and thyme. You can add whatever dried or fresh herbs you like.

Then, I made a quick roux {paste to thicken the soup} right in the pan by adding butter…

…and then the flour.

Mix it in well to absorb all the flour.

Next, I add the milk and heavy cream as well as the halal, gluten-free and low-sodium chicken broth by Saffron Road. It’s great because it really gives the soup a rich flavor, but if you want a completely vegetarian version of this soup, use their Classic Culinary Vegetable Broth, which is also low-sodium.

Once that cooks for about 15 minutes on low, add the chopped green beans or peas, if you’re using them, since they’re soft and can get mushy easily.

Also add the remaining heavy cream.

Let it cook for another 5 minutes on low, uncovered, then serve immediately. If you like, add a bit of grated Parmesan cheese on top.

It’s lovely and really warms the heart, body and soul…

What’s in YOUR cream of vegetable soup?

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Chinese Hot & Sour Soup

by Yvonne Maffei | Apr 29, 2015 | Asian

I love really good, authentic Chinese food- don’t you? As with all restaurants that aren’t committed to serving halal dishes, if you dine at one you’ll have to ask a zillion questions about the ingredients to find out if there are any questionable or clearly non-halal ingredients. If you only eat dhabiha (slaughtered according to Islamic requirements) meats and their by-products, chicken or meat broth in foods may pose an issue for you, too. That’s why I love to learn to make my own globally-inspired recipes and share them here.

Another important addition is the broth.

I don’t recommend skipping the broth because I feel it needs some depth to it. You could try a vegetable broth, too, but chicken broth really works best in my opinion because it contains that healthy fat that gives the soup a silky taste. Use the halal-certified low sodium broths by Saffron Road and you’ve got a totally halal version of this restaurant-style soup.

This recipe for Chinese Hot & Sour Soup has turned into a family favorite soup when we’re craving Chinese food and want to create the restaurant-style experience at home with the other Chinese recipes I’ve got under my belt. What about you- what’s your favorite Chinese recipe you’d like to see made halal?

Check out the recipe below.

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