As the weather gets cooler, people start to make all kinds of changes to prepare. Houses are decorated, wardrobes are changed, and even our cooking habits shift for a bit. In the summer, all I want to do is cut the oven off, but the cooler months rekindle the flame for food that warms the soul.
For us that kind of food is soups and stews. Now, we do eat them all year long, but I have to admit that something does feel a little different when there's a chill in the air and I grab my bowl of soup. We wanted to share with you our favorite five soups and stews for the fall season.
Tomato Basil Soup is probably my (Ieasha) favorite soup. Anytime I see it on a menu I order it. One day I decided to see if it was easy enough for me to make at home, and it turns out it was easier than I thought. I found this Creamy Tomato Basil Soup on CafeDelites blog. This one appealed to me because of the fresh vegetables, but most of all it did not require cream. I love cream in my soups and bisques, but it's not practical while trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle. No cream necessary and still delicious so I'm a fan.
The Puerto Rican Style Beans came from me searching for new and healthy recipes to try. I stumbled upon Immaculate Bites blog and when I read the ingredients list I was intrigued. The ingredients were easy to find but there was one ingredient that was new to me. I was familiar with regular and sweet paprika, and had used them before, but the smoked paprika was new to me and I was excited to try it. When all of these ingredients are combined your house will smell fabulous. This stew is vegan friendly if you use vegetable stock instead of chicken and it's hearty too.
The Southwestern Three Bean and Barley Soup is another vegan option that is a must try. Shawana and I ate vegan for thirty days several years ago to challenge ourselves a bit. We quickly realized we're not fans of meat and cheese alternatives, so we knew a whole foods approach would be easier to maintain. I saw this recipe on eatingwell.com and I wasn't sure of it at first because of the barley. Well once I had it, I've been on the hunt for more recipes using this grain ever since. While the original recipe uses dried beans, over time I began using canned beans (you'll also have to cut the liquid) for a faster process. It still tastes the same and it only gets better the more the flavors come together.
While none of these recipes are too labor intense, this Ultimate White Chili Chicken from plainchicken.com is probable one of the easiest. The shredding of the rotisserie will be the most work you have to do, but I wouldn't call that work. Outside of that, everything else is just dump and simmer. I love a good one pot meal that comes together quickly and this most definitely does in under thirty minutes.
Finally, the Loaded Cajun Baked Potato Soup. We love potatoes, but Shawana will tell you she REALLY loves potatoes. In fact she likes to say, "she has never met a potato she didn't love" so when potato soup became a dish she enjoyed, she had to find a recipe she loved as well. This recipe started with this crockpot potato soup at the slowroasteditalian blog. On it's own you can't go wrong, but Shawana took things to a whole new level by adding some andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning. The flavor is there, the kick is there, and the fact this cooks up in the crockpot seals the deal. This potato soup is hearty and delicious, and one you'll surely want to add it to your menu.
You can't go wrong putting any of these soups on the table, and the new season is the perfect time to experiment and try something new. These will take you through the fall and winter, and if you're like us they'll be welcome any time of year. So, which recipe will you be trying and tell us a soup or stew of yours you think we should try. We would love to know.
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