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Soups are often overlooked as a meal, but in many cultures, especially South East Asian, a hearty soup is the bedrock of family dinner time.
Soups are also great for these dark, cold winters when a warm, tasty soup can be the perfect food to curl up on the sofa with.
We’ve picked three of our most delicious soup recipes for you to try at home. Enjoy!
Chicken Noodle Soup
As everyone knows, when you’re feeling a bit under the weather, there’s nothing nicer than a bowl of chicken soup to make you feel better. And that’s not just an old wives tale!
Dr Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre in Omaha, found evidence that soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent a cold’s miserable side effects. This recipe adds some delicious flavour to the mix with chilli, Olivado’s sesame oil, and ginger.
Ingredients
- 250g (1 packet) Vermicelli or rice noodles
- 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp Olivado Sesame oil
- Olivado Natural avocado cooking oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp fresh sliced chilli
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 litres chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- Fresh coriander, sprouts and chilli to garnish
- A handful of sprouts
- 1 Chilli
Method
Put the vermicelli into a bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover and “cook” for 15 minutes.
To make the broth, heat both the Olivado oils in a large pot and fry off the garlic, chilli, ginger and spring onions on a slow-medium heat or until the spring onions soften.
Add the stock and fish sauce. Once the stock is gently simmering add the chicken to essentially poach in the stock for around 6-8 minutes. Skim off any fat or other “scum” that rises to the surface of your broth to ensure that you have a nice clear broth.
Drain the rice noodles and add these to 4 deep bowls. Add chicken to each bowl and then pour in the chicken broth. Garnish with coriander, extra chilli, bean sprouts to taste and serve.
Hearty Vegetable and Chorizo Soup
A good, hearty soup can easily replace a full meal, especially when there’s chorizo involved! This dish is easy to make with very little prep time, but needs a couple of hours to cook properly. Perfect for a slow cooker on a cold winter’s day.
Ingredients
- Olivado Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 chorizo sausages, cut into rounds
- 210g packet Soup Mix Hearty Vegetable
- 2L water
- ½ pumpkin, diced
- 425g tin butter beans
- 2 courgettes, diced
To serve: basil pesto and fresh bread
Method
In a saucepan, bring a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to medium heat. Once warm, add the chorizo to the pan and brown for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the contents of the soup mix packet into the saucepan, then add the water. Bring to the boil then cover simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and butter beans then simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Add the courgettes and simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Serve with a dollop of pesto and bread.
Pumpkin and Avocado Oil Soup
We’ve mentioned many times before about the extraordinary health benefits of avocados, but did you know pumpkins are surprisingly good for you too? Loaded with Vitamins A and C, one cooked pumpkin only contain 49 calories, so you don’t have to feel guilty about eating too much.
Pumpkins contain carotenoids, which function as antioxidants. These compounds are linked to lower risks of stomach, throat, pancreas and breast cancers.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized pumpkin
- 3 tbsp Olivado Extra Virgin Avocado Oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- Fennel
- 225g potatoes, diced
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1-litre vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper
- Marjoram or thyme leaves (garnish)
Method
Remove seeds, skin and cut into cubes. Peel and cube potatoes. Heat avocado oil in a large saucepan. Add chopped onion, fennel, potatoes, pumpkin cubes and cover. Cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, two-thirds of stock and seasoning. Bring to boil, simmer and cover for 45 minutes. Liquidise soup, sieve, return to pan and add remaining stock. Bring to boil, serve with marjoram or thyme as garnish.
Soup of the day – every day!
If you enjoyed these three soup recipes, don’t forget to check out our Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest pages for more recipes, special offers, and the latest news.
Along with the soup, we have plenty of starters, mains and desserts for you to try, all made with our delicious range of oils.
If you have any questions about us or our products, please don’t hesitate to contact us. One of our friendly and helpful staff members will be happy to help in any way they can.
