Sunday Soup #32: 5-Ingredient Pesto Chicken Soup

This past Sunday was Mother's Day, and we had a lot going on in our family, being that I have a terrific wife (who is the mother of my kids) and a mom of my own (duh!). My mom came out from Monterey, we took a nice trip to the Campbell Farmers' Market, we shared a Mother's Day brunch, and we generally just spent the better part of the day in pleasant pursuits. Happy (Belated) Mother's Day to all the mothers who may be reading this...!

So, when it neared dinner time, I wanted to make a soup (hey, it was Sunday!), and I really didn't have the energy for any type of big production... But, then I saw it: a recipe named "5-Ingredient Pesto Chicken Soup!" Sounded like a winner... But would it be any good?

This recipe came from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/5-ingredient-pesto-chicken-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - Picture from https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/5-ingredient-pesto-chicken-soup-recipe/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: With only five ingredients, there really wasn't much to fiddle with. I used a store-bought pesto instead of using the author's homemade pesto recipe (I wanted easy, remember?), but that was my only deviation from the original recipe.

General Thoughts: Well, truth in advertising here, people... The soup really did have only five ingredients (unless, of course, as previously mentioned, you choose to make the author's homemade pesto recipe, as she suggests). Consequently, it was extremely simple and easy to prepare. From the time I decided that this was the soup I would make, I was able to go out to the store, buy everything I needed, and have it completely ready to serve in under an hour. Admittedly, I bought pre-shredded cooked chicken from the deli, but still... How often do you find a soup that can be homemade with so few ingredients, in so little time, and it still comes out hot and delicious?! If I already had everything I needed in my pantry, I would say the prep/cooking times listed on the recipe (Total Time: 15 minutes) would have been right on, so this is one to remember for a hectic weekday dinner, for sure.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

So, it was quick, but was it yummy? Yeah, pretty much... I can't go overboard and say that it established my new ultimate definition of "tasty soup," but it was solid. The pesto imparted the overriding flavor, and there was no doubt that it was meant to give this soup its character. With that said, pick a quality pesto; either make the author's homemade pesto recipe or buy a brand you know and trust!

The other ingredients worked well, and everything seemed to fit together quite nicely. I found myself wishing I had added a bit of black pepper, and maybe even a dash or two of Italian seasoning (if not, an extra spoonful of pesto), to make the flavor pop a bit more. Also, I'd like to have scooped out two or so cups of the beans and puréed them with an immersion blender (and added them back in) to make this soup feel a little less "brothy" and more substantial.

The texture was a little odd, as well, as I found myself thrown by the little bits of crunchy pine nuts (from the pesto).  Also, next time I may withhold the spinach, and add it with  the pesto instead of at the beginning, so that it doesn't get quite so soft. However, these things were minor complaints.

Polling the Fam: For me, flavor-wise, this soup was good and definitely hit the spot, but didn't set the world on fire. However, with as easy as this one was to make, I could forgive its few shortcomings, make the few the alterations I suggested, and definitely eat it again. Hunter really liked it initially, but I think he got a little sick of the pesto flavor by the end. He said he'd definitely eat it again, but probably wouldn't specifically ask for it.

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)

Sunday Soup #31: Yellow Curry Chicken Soup (Paleo)

My friend Whitney asked me to make this soup, and I agreed to give it a whirl this weekend, since it looked yummy and was described as "Paleo" (which matches my diet at the moment).

This week's recipe comes from Chef Toddy Fineberg, a local chef who Whitney just turned me on to (described as "Chef. Culinary Instructor. Consultant. Caterer. Lover of food." and many more cool things).  She does not appear to have a website, but she is active on social media (Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cheftoddyfineberg/, and @cheftoddyfineberg).  I don't normally like to link directly to FB posts because they are a little mercurial, but I will this week in order to bring you my take on this great recipe.

This recipe came from: https://www.facebook.com/cheftoddyfineberg/posts/1128741740570719

*Pic 1 - Chef Fineberg's picture from https://www.facebook.com/cheftoddyfineberg/posts/1128741740570719

My Variations from Recipe as Written: Just a couple... I used extra virgin olive oil rather than the algae oil suggested by Chef Fineberg. And, I used O Organics chicken broth rather than making my own bone broth.

General Thoughts: Wow... So much to talk about with this one!

I have to admit, not being a chef myself (remember, I'm just "a guy who loves soup"), I spent half the recipe thinking, "How can this be a curry soup without any curry powder?!"  But, that is why Chef Fineberg is (clearly) awesome and I am not, because she put together a super simple recipe that provided a great curry taste through its other ingredients (like turmeric, salt, and coconut milk), without having to resort to using curry powder.  Which brings me to my next point...

If you haven't made anything with turmeric before, consider this your warning... It stains! It is very tasty, and has great health benefits (such as being an anti-inflammatory), but if you use any kind of porous cooking tools/implements (such as, let's say, a plastic/rubber white Pampered Chef spatula), chances are that it will wind up yellow.

As I mentioned above, Chef Fineberg billed this soup as "Paleo" and said that it passed (among other things) the "paleo wife test." The concept of "eating paleo" can sometimes be a little elusive, particularly for those just starting out, because it seems like there are so many different opinions about exactly what that means (e.g., which foods are paleo and which aren't, etc.).  For example, in the majority of books and resources that I follow to guide my paleo diet, white potatoes are not considered strictly paleo; they are considered to be a "clean" starch, which can be eaten in moderation (particularly on days of high activity - like gym days). I have, however, seen other resources that include white potatoes on the list of "paleo-legal foods" that are permitted as a matter of course. I am not mentioning this to dicker with anyone about whether or not white potatoes should be included on a paleo diet (if you comment in that vein, you'll be wasting your time because I won't respond), but rather just to point out that if you are eating strictly paleo, you'll need to decide whether the potatoes in this recipe are right for you. Moving on...

It didn't take long for this soup to start smelling terrific, and once I added the turmeric, garlic, and ginger to the onions, I knew this was going to be great!

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The soup was definitely filling, pleasantly thick and hearty. All of the vegetables were cooked to perfection, the chicken seemed the perfect amount, and whether I took a bite full of chick/veg or simply slurped at the broth, every bite packed wonderful flavor. For those that don't love super spicy, have no fear... As written, this recipe is very flavorful but not really spicy.  I spiked each of my bowls with lime (as Chef Fineberg suggested) and some Sriracha (because I love spicy), which made it good to the last drop!

Polling the Fam: As if you couldn't tell, I really enjoyed this soup. I think it is my favorite curry soup I have ever made at home, and it was so easy, I would not hesitate to make this again.  Hunter really liked it as well, saying it was his new favorite curry soup, and adding that he felt the mushrooms were essential to his enjoyment of the recipe.  My mom, Debbie, who is a healthy soup aficionado and curry buff, likewise tried it and found it quite yummy.

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)