‘Soup’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Recipe: Copycat Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

November 7, 2017 · Narrative

Soup is the perfect comfort food, warming you from the inside out. Let’s dig into this delicious copycat of Panera’s Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.

Over the years, my oldest, Nick, has become my “soup kid.” With the exception of Split Pea Soup, and anything with seafood in it, he will try most any other kind, and loves them. He is particularly fond of any soup that Panera makes, and I don’t blame him.

Today our temps dropped below 40 degrees, and we were pelted with tiny bits of hail and freezing rain. In fact, as I type this, it’s still raining.

Which means two things.

One, our Fall season might actually be here (despite that the fact that it was seventy degrees over the weekend).

And two, SOUP WEATHER.

Soup is that perfect thing to take the chill off your bones and warm you up from the inside out. Add some light sandwiches or grilled cheese dippers, and you have the perfect easy yet filling meal.

Or we would if my youngest, Madeline, liked soup.

Completely opposite of her brother, she pretty much unilaterally hates all soup, whether she’s tried it or not.

What can I say? She’s a work in progress.

I’ve been working my way through finding a way to enjoy Panera’s soups at home. I already have a version of the Broccoli Cheddar one that I like, and the Black Bean one (to be shared soon). Today it’s about their Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. I’ve taken a few different versions I’ve found online and put together our favorite parts (more garlic, more chicken, no celery …) for this big pot of deliciousness. Nick and I can get a few dinners out of it, or a week’s worth of lunches. It’s hearty and filling, and weeknight-friendly, especially if you use rotisserie chicken.

Hungry for more soup recipes?
This Rustic Tomato Soup recipe from Oprah is delish, and Weight Watchers friendly (and I’m still in love with that picture).
Three Ingredient Cauliflower Soup hits the stove every few months – so easy to make, and so creamy, you’d swear there was dairy in it.
An awful photo, but a Split Pea Soup recipe I swear by.
This Beer and Cheddar Soup is an old favorite, and it made an appearance at a recent Soup Exchange that I hosted.

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Recipe: Rustic Tomato Soup

February 2, 2017 · Narrative

A clean-eating, tummy-warming soup that is a perfect lunch or, when coupled with grilled cheese, a comfort food-style dinner. This Rustic Tomato Soup has been making repeat rotations in our kitchen.

I was at Costco a few weeks ago, and spied Oprah’s new cookbook, Food, Health & Happiness. They’re not really her recipes, but rather recipes from her favorite six chefs and, since she’s on Weight Watchers right now, they are, of course, all Weight Watchers friendly.

I am not on Weight Watchers, and have seriously pared down my once-crazy cookbook collection, but despite this, the cookbook ended up coming home with me nonetheless.

Apparently resistance is futile.

It was hard not to be drawn in by the photography, the smell of the printed page (some paper used for printing have a distinct smell), and the rustic theme of the recipes. Also, after a quick scan of the various dishes throughout the book, I noticed that I could make many of them Whole30 or clean-eating friendly, which is kind of what sold me, because that’s where I’m at these days.

Focusing on continued clean eating with the occasional treat day.

And so here we are with this Rustic Tomato Soup. So simple to make, and so good for you. It’s absolutely the way tomato soup should taste. Like the tomato soup of your dreams. Now if you’re not eating clean, this begs to be topped with thick cut crispy croutons or eaten with grilled cheese dippers. Just sayin’.

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Review: The Original Soupman

May 3, 2016 · Narrative

Soup!

Ah man, is it ever the weather for it lately. We have had straight up rain, overcast, very grey days since Sunday morning, and we’re not supposed to see blue skies until Mother’s Day.

It seems rather fitting that we should have sun on Mother’s Day (hurrah!), but in the meantime… enough!

And with the gloomy weather, there has been a chill in the air that won’t quit. Although the 50 degree days are a welcome respite in the Winter, it seriously has me putting on the heat, wearing my not-Uggs boots, and having a chill that I just can’t get rid of.

Which means it’s totally soup weather.

Who would have thought it would be soup weather in May?!

A few months ago, the kind folks at The Original Soupman reached out to me.

“Hi, would you like to try our soup?”

Um, YES?

I love soup. Of all kinds. Perfect tummy-warming food from the inside out, and even better with a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking.

And I have one kid who loves soup just as much. Nick will eat any kind of soup with chicken, or Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar.

Madeline wants no part of any of it.

She’ll come around.

So a huge box of soup arrived on our doorstep and we couldn’t wait to dig in.

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Recipe: Vegetable Stoup

October 14, 2015 · Narrative

Fall weather always means using the slow cooker more, and this recipe for Vegetable Stoup is just the thing to take the chill off.

Last week, I got a head start on cooking (and being organized!), and made Egg & Ham Cups, giving myself a week’s worth of breakfast.

Which means I forgot my lunch every. single. day.

I kid you not.

You know the struggle.

Getting everyone out of the house in the morning. On time. With everything that everyone needs.

If something is going to slip, better it be my lunch, instead of my coffee, the kids’ breakfast, or their homework.

So, priorities.

This weekend, I tackled a week’s worth of my lunches by way of this Vegetable Stoup.

Stoup. Thicker than a soup, thinner than a stew. I take no credit for the word (that’s Rachael Ray’s creativity), although the recipe is mine.

And it couldn’t be simpler.

Chop a bunch of things. Open a few cans. Put it all in the slow cooker.

Four hours later, and you’re rewarded with lunch for the week.

Or a light dinner or five.

Depends on how you roll.

It’s the perfect recipe to take advantage of some Fall veggies. And get a good solid boost of fiber by way of the beans.

To make it easier for me in the mornings, once the Vegetable Stoup is done, I portion it out into a bunch of containers, so it’s a super simple case of grab-and-go.

Although the stoup is delicious by itself, it makes a great vehicle for toppings too.

A dollop of sour cream. Diced avocado. Shredded cheese. Even a few crumbled tortilla chips.

Go crazy.

It’s pretty healthy, after all….

Recipe: Bean and Barley Soup

January 27, 2015 · Narrative

Super healthy, super simple, and most of all, a delicious Bean and Barley Soup. It’s pretty much what winters were made for.

I have been on a soup kick lately, working my way through Split Pea Soup, Cauliflower Soup, a knock-off of Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup and, most recently, this Bean and Barley Soup.

Repeat.

Besides being the perfect thing to ward off those cold Winter temps, this soup is also great to portion off into small containers with individual servings for lunches for the week.

Which is exactly what I did.

Would you believe this was my first time cooking (and eating!) barley? The recipe calls for quick-cooking barley, which I couldn’t find anywhere. If you run into that same problem, just buy the regular barley, cook it separately, and then add it in.

Fennel, beans (I used small white), tomatoes, spinach, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Although there is a little bit of simmering timing, outside of cooking the barley, it is a pretty quick recipe to make. And easy! Basically adding a bunch of things to a pot, chopping only a few, and letting the soup do its thing.

Which is my favorite kind of soup.

The low maintenance, doesn’t-really-need me kind.

Quick enough to make on a weeknight, and paired with a salad and a loaf of warm, crusty bread, you have a delicious and filling dinner.

Or lunch for days.

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Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Soup {Panera Copycat}

January 12, 2015 · Narrative

Warm, cheesy velvety soup studded with bits of fresh broccoli and carrots. This tummy-warming soup is the perfect thing to take the chill off the Winter weather.

Truth be told, when I go into Panera, my eyes often turn straight to their salad section, and I pay attention to little else. And even then, I stick to two salads, their Thai Chicken Salad and the BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad. But their soups are equally awesome. Nick is partial to their various chicken soups, and although I think I have gone through each one of the different soups that they make, I think their Broccoli Cheddar is one of my top favorites.

And so here we are.

Although Madeline doesn’t really LOVE soup, she has warmed up to Tomato Soup lately, so we have gotten into a weekly routine of having soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.

Comfort food at its best.

And one of these days, we’re ALL going to like the SAME soup to make dinner time a little easier.

The newest soup in my rotation is this knock-off version of Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar soup.

Very easy to make, I love that it’s a lightened version, so you only have to feel a little bit guilty.

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