Soup is for the Soul
As we get deeper into the fall/winter (even in LA weather) my body just craves a delicious hot soup.
One of the most wonderful parts of soup making is that there really isn’t much of a difference, in terms of effort, between making a small soup and a large soup. Preparing a double batch doesn’t take double the effort, and it really isn’t that much more strenuous. Whenever I cook up a soup there are two things I like to do.
- A) Make a double batch of soup and freeze half for later use. The brand Souper Cubes makes pre-measured silicone freezing trays that you can pour the broth into and freeze properly, until you want it for a future meal or to satisfy a winter craving. There is nothing like having a hearty soup on hand that you can heat up and have ready in minutes. Talk about a total dinner savior.
- B) If making a vegetable or chicken soup, I rummage through my fridge and pull out all the vegetables I have. Almost anything goes. If you have half an onion, extra parsley bits, or a bag of baby carrots, dump them in! Every vegetable adds to the hearty flavor of the soup and it’s a great way to use up the last bits of produce in your fridge.
Soup season is upon us and this recipe below is a fan favorite on my subscription service www.prepandrally.com . Become a member today and check out my book Prep + Rally: An Hour of Prep, A Week of Delicious Meals for lots more recipes and meal prep inspiration.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Serves 4-6
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 large carrots, diced
-2 celery stalks, diced
-1 small onion, diced
-1 tablespoon minced garlic
-2 tablespoons flour
-32 ounces chicken stock
-⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
-⅛ teaspoon ground sage
-1 teaspoon basil
-½ teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon salt
-Cracked black pepper
-16 ounces store-bought gnocchi
-2 cups prepared shredded chicken
-1 lemon, juiced
Creaminess Options
-1 cup prepped cashew cream
-1 can full fat coconut cream
Directions:
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the flour and saute for another minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and add the thyme, sage, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir continuously until it has slightly thickened.
Add the gnocchi, chicken, and lemon juice and cook for about 5 minutes until the gnocchi is cooked and heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Add either 1 cup cashew cream or 1 can full fat coconut cream and stir until completely combined. Bring to a simmer and stir again.
Serve immediately with fresh lemon slices and pepper if desired.
