Guest Contribution by Shannon Blair
Soup is the ultimate comfort food this season, but there are benefits that extend beyond the coziness steaming hot bowls of broth provide:
- Budget friendly.
- Delicious and nutritious.
- Waste conscious.
- Convenient.
- Versatile.
This list showcases a couple beloved soups, along with seriously tasty spins from Charlotte chefs. Two members of the leadership team for Charlotte Food Bloggers spice up Alton Brown’s traditional lentil soup. Chef Joya shows us a vegan approach to the Food Network’s traditional tomato soup, while food writer Kathleen Purvis presents us with a smoky take from popular food truck Papi Queso.
Not so creative in the kitchen? A savvy way to gather fresh ideas for old standbys is to host a soup-off, similar to a chili cook off but with, well, soups. This Thai version of classic chicken soup is my adaptation of the winning recipe from a “Soup-Off” I once hosted.
1) Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
As a certified nutritionist, I tweaked it until the veggies were amped up at almost twice the original level and the sodium was reduced by at least half. Anyone can give soup a healthy makeover using just those two tips — along with others, such as replacing part or all of the meat called for with hearty plant-based ingredients like beans, legumes like lentils, peppers, or mushrooms. You can also opt for a less fat-laden cut of meat like ground turkey in lieu of pork sausage. Soups are excellent slow-simmering vehicles to tenderize tough, less expensive cuts of leaner beef, too.
2) Lentil Soup – Food Network’s version
3) Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup
Peanut Blossom’s Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup – Tiffany Dahle, cookbook author and Charlotte-based food blogger, serves up family-friendly dishes at her blog. She is also director of the Charlotte Food Bloggers leadership team.
4) Sausage, Lentil, and Spinach Stew
Roast ‘n Relish’s Sausage, Lentil, and Spinach Stew – Also part of the Charlotte Food Bloggers leadership team in the capacity of social media manager, Kate McGee is an assistant principal by day and owner of CLT Charcuterie. She blogs about all things delicious at her site Roast ‘n Relish and on her social channels. This stew is no exception, and better yet, it’s made with the ease of a slow cooker.
5) Tomato Soup – Food Network’s version
6) Papi Queso’s Smoky Tomato Soup
Papi Queso’s Smoky Tomato Soup – Kathleen Purvis reported on this soup for Our State Magazine in 2017. We think it’s worth a second serving here.
7) Vegan Caramelized Tomato Basil Soup
Chef Joya’s Vegan Caramelized Tomato Basil Soup – Adjoa Courtney, known in the culinary world as “Chef Joya,” shows how simple it can be to transform almost any comfort food into a vegan version.
What is your go-to soup for winter, along with any fun versions you like to make? We’d love to get the scoop from you, too.
Shannon Blair is a freelance writer and former English professor who believes in lifelong learning. She can be caught reading, practicing yoga, exploring outdoors with her family, and trying to figure out which story to tell next. As an ISSA certified nutritionist and personal trainer, Shannon also enjoys developing recipes that are both nutritious and delicious and helping clients set and achieve realistic wellness goals. You can follow her professional pursuits and gain some kitchen inspiration at shannonblaircreative.com.
