Now that we are at the height of cool weather and a fast-spreading Omicron variant, soup season is definitely a must. Soup these days doesn’t only mean a warm bowl of comfort to combat the cool weather but the flu as well!

I grew up having soup as a start to every meal. That habit has stayed on and I do the same at our home. It’s soft on the tummy and aids digestion, it’s a lovely start to any meal and has so many healing properties when done right. Also, the choices are endless.

You can whip up the most simple of soups or make it elaborate depending on how much time you have. You can also make use of whatever vegetables you have left in your chiller. A quick roast or sauté of your produce and pantry staples as your soup base can be an exciting start to any meal sometimes even a main course in itself.

Today I share two recipes that have added nutritional value for soup season this year that still has us in a pandemic.

Orange Kamote, Carrot & Potato Surprise

Ingredients

3 medium-size orange kamote cubed

3 medium-sized carrots cubed

1 potato cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 orange (juice & zest)

2 tsps curry powder

2 tsps ground or fresh turmeric

6-8 cups good chicken stock

1/3 cup good cooking cream

1 tbsp butter

Procedure

Sauté onions in a little extra virgin olive oil till translucent.

Add kamote, carrots, and the potato.

Stir for a few minutes, then add the orange zest, curry powder, turmeric, and orange juice.

Stir very well and slowly add your chicken stock. Bring to a boil then lower your fire till vegetables have softened.

Once softened, add your cream & butter and season with salt & pepper according to taste.

Lastly, blend it all together using an immersion blender or Osterizer.

Heat through, serve warm.

Country Style Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp EVOO

3 big trunks leeks sliced in rounds

3 big stalks of celery sliced in rounds

3 big carrots cubed

1 whole chicken breast (2 pcs)

10 cups chicken stock (made from chicken bones is best)

1/2 cup rice (white, brown, red mountain, or Adlai)

Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish. If you have fresh basil that will do too.

Salt and pepper to season.

Procedure

Sauté your leeks, celery, and carrots in really good EVOO.

Start with your leeks, then the celery and carrots. Add your chicken breast, stock and rice, salt and pepper then boil till chicken is cooked through.

Adjust your seasonings then turn the fire off. Move your pot out of the heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred to your liking, be it thick chunks or a thinner shred.