Lemony Tuscan Artichoke Soup

Lemon + artichoke lovers are going to be in pure bliss with this bright, zesty, beautiful soup!

Hot soup is very filling and cozy year-round.

Soup helps to stretch the family grocery budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients you have carefully chosen yourself.

Thanks to the fresh lemon zest and the artichokes, this soup is bright and light enough to enjoy throughout the springtime and summer months.

I make soup of some sort at least once a week, year-round; it’s quick, easy, nourishing, budget-friendly, and my family always loves it.

Soup is especially great to keep on the stovetop throughout the evening when we have different family members (teenagers and young adults) rolling in at various times after their work, sports, and activities.

I often double or triple my batch so that we have future meals. Soup is ALWAYS better the next day once the flavors have more time to develop.

With full-time working parents + 6 adult/teenage kids at home, I am ALL about the FAST and easy dinner ideas throughout the week. After a long day the very last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen!

The fresh lemon zest really elevates and brightens your soup! Don’t skip it!

ALWAYS use freshly squeezed lemon juice from an actual fresh lemon. Bottled lemon juice from the store will give your soup a strange metallic or overly acidic taste. We want this to taste super bright and fresh.

Want to get the most juice possible from each of your fresh lemons & limes? Of course, we do! Here’s a quick trick:

On your counter or a cutting board, press and roll the lemon back and forth very firmly with your hands.

The rolling loosens and breaks down some of the citrus membranes and makes the outside a little more pliable. This makes it easier to squeeze, which also means you’ll likely get more juice from your squeeze.

Let me know how this works for you!

Since you’re only using one pan, clean-up is easy too!

Lemony Tuscan Artichoke Soup can easily be made plant based/vegetarian by using vegetable broth and unsweetened coconut milk or cashew milk.

More Protein:
Add cooked chopped chicken or flaked salmon.

Use ANY milk of your choice. My personal preferences for this soup are unsweetened coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened cashew milk.

How To make your own Ghee

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

Leftovers stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days.

8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, unrefined organic coconut oil, or ghee
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 ribs celery, sliced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
• large pinch red pepper flakes
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 x 14 oz jars artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsps capers, drained
• 6 cups chicken bone broth
• 2 cups milk of choice
• 1/4 cup Arrowroot powder, gluten-free flour, or cornstarch
• 2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups freshly chopped kale or spinach

optional toppings:

• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• lemon wedges
• red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Heat your oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Saute your onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and red pepper flakes for about 5 minutes.

Add in the diced potatoes, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and chicken bone broth. Bring your soup to a boil then slightly reduce the heat and allow it to gently simmer for 15 minutes, or just until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the Arrowroot/flour with 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Then pour this slurry over the rest of your milk and stir to combine well.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drizzle in the milk mixture while stirring and continue to simmer until your soup is creamy, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the fresh kale or spinach, fresh lemon zest and juice then season with sea salt and pepper, to your taste.

Top with freshly grated parmesan, lemon wedges, and additional red pepper flakes if desired.

Enjoy it while it’s hot.

Rachel

The post Lemony Tuscan Artichoke Soup first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Lemony Chicken Rice Soup

Currently at our home in Salt Lake City, it’s starting to feel like an in-between season.

You might know what I mean; it’s definitely still winter, but there are more sunny days lately, and an occasional *almost* warmer one…so spring is just starting to fill my thoughts.

Our Bright Lemony Chicken Rice Soup is so perfect for this “in-between” season! We still want warmth and comfort in the evenings, but maybe desire a bit lighter brighter soup that somehow reminds us that spring really is around the corner.

This soup is filling and satisfying thanks to the brown rice + high protein chicken – but it’s also very fresh and zippy tasting! You’ll feel energized after eating a big ole bowl!

There’s just something ultra-satisfying, and extremely comforting about a big stockpot of homemade soup sitting on the stove:

Your kitchen smells delicious, soup is often more affordable, and it’s great because dinner is ready even if you’ll have a few stragglers who arrive home later after work or sports.

Soup helps to stretch the family dinner budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients that you carefully choose yourself.

I often double up soup recipes because it tastes even better the next day, and also freezes very well.

So, after dinner, dish up your lunch containers for tomorrow and stash them in the fridge, then freeze the rest for the next time you’re craving this DELICIOUS soup!

As with most soups – they taste even better the next day, so double or triple your batch while you’re at it, and your future self will thank you!

Stays great refrigerated for 3 or 4 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsps grass-fed butter or ghee, divided
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tsps Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 cup brown rice
• juice of 2 fresh lemons
• zest of 1 lemon
• freshly chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions:

Pat your chicken dry using a paper towel then generously season the chicken with sea salt and pepper.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Sear your chicken until golden brown on both sides, then set aside on a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and sauté the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic for 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Stir in your broth and your brown rice then return the chicken back to the pot.

Bring your soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through and falling apart.

Remove the chicken and bay leaf from the soup and carefully shred chicken with a fork. Discard the bay leaf.

Return your shredded chicken back into the soup then stir in your fresh lemon juice, zest, and parsley.
Serve soup while hot and enjoy!
Rachel

The post Lemony Chicken Rice Soup first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Creamy Chicken + Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Stovetop, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot directions below!

Warm up those bellies with a DELICIOUS hot Chowder tonight!

DAIRY FREE! There is NO dairy milk or cream of any type added to this chowder recipe.

We blended a small portion of the finished soup, then added it back in the pot to achieve creaminess without needing any additional ingredients.

Our family has been in “comfort food mode” this past month and trying to hibernate inside while the temps are very COLD.

We’re making everything from scratch, while using up a lot of food items we already have rather than venturing out in the snow as often.

We’re really enjoying hot, creamy, and hearty meals like this one to stay warm.

There’s just something ultra-satisfying, and extremely comforting about a big stockpot of homemade soup sitting on the stove:

Your kitchen smells delicious, soup is often more affordable, and it’s great because dinner is ready even if you’ll have a few stragglers who arrive home later after work or sports.

Soup helps stretch the family dinner budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients you carefully choose yourself.

I often double up soup recipes because it tastes even better the next day, and also freezes very well.

So after dinner, dish up your lunch containers for tomorrow and stash them in the fridge, then freeze the rest for the next time you’re craving this DELICIOUS soup!

As with most soups and chowders – they taste even better the next day, so double or triple your batch while you’re at it, and your future self will thank you!
Stays great refrigerated for 3 or 4 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsps grass-fed butter, ghee, avocado oil, or olive oil

• 1 1/2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken breast

• 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped bite sized

• 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 2 cups frozen organic corn

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

Garnish:

• a small handful of fresh chopped parsley

• crispy cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)

Slow Cooker Method:

Heat oil or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Season your chicken breasts with sea salt and pepper to taste, then cook in the skillet until seared on both sides, about 4-5 minutes until nicely browned but not cooked through.

Place the chicken into your slow cooker together with the remaining ingredients. Stir, then cook on HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6. I prefer LOW for best results.

Once your soup is done, take the chicken out, set on a cutting board, and shred it using 2 forks. Add about 1/3 of the soup into a blender and process until smooth.

Return the pureed soup and shredded chicken back into the pot and stir to combine.

Garnish with parsley or bacon if desired and enjoy while hot!

Stove-top Method:

Heat oil or ghee in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Season your chicken breasts with sea salt and pepper to taste, then cook in the skillet until seared on both sides, about 4-5 minutes until nicely browned but not cooked through.

Add garlic, onion, sweet potatoes, corn, bone broth, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

Once the soup is done, take the chicken out and shred it on a cutting board using 2 forks.

Add about 1/3 of the soup into a blender and process until smooth.

Return the pureed soup and shredded chicken back into the pot and stir to combine.
Garnish as desired and enjoy while hot!

Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Method:

Turn your Instant Pot ON and set it to the sauté mode. Add in your oil and heat until hot.

Season your chicken breasts with sea salt and pepper to taste, then cook in the pot until seared on both sides, about 4-5 minutes until nicely browned but not cooked through. Stir all of your remaining ingredients into your pot.

Secure the lid and lock, setting the valve to the sealing position. Cook on ‘soup mode’ for 20 minutes. Once the pot beeps, set the valve to the venting position for a quick pressure release.

Unlock the lid and carefully remove the chicken onto a plate. Shred the chicken with the help of two forks on a cutting board.

Add about 1/3 of the soup into a blender and process until smooth.
Return the pureed soup and shredded chicken back into the pot and stir to combine.

Garnish as desired and enjoy while hot!

Rachel

The post Creamy Chicken + Sweet Potato Corn Chowder first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Chicken Vegetable Packed Soup (Stovetop and Slow Cooker Instructions)

Protein packed + VEGGIE packed nutrient dense (and EASY!) soup for those cold days ahead.

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

It’s cold and flu season!

There are many ways we can be proactive during these winter months in staying healthy.

# 1 Water: hydrate with lots of pure water every day!
# 2 Get outside for a few minutes to be active and get some vitamin D when the sun peeks through.
# 3 Choosing healthy foods + avoiding processed food as much as possible.

This soup is EXCELLENT for cleaning out the fridge and using up any veggies you may have on hand. Add them in!

You can easily adapt soup recipes to fit your personal tastes. I often add extra meat and vegetables, depending on what I need to use up in the fridge.

I love the high protein + veggie combo here! Hope you love it too!

This also works well using leftover turkey instead of chicken. Simply shred your leftover turkey into large pieces and add it into your pot.

Hot soup is very filling and cozy, especially throughout the colder months.

Soup helps stretch the family dinner budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients you carefully choose yourself.

I often double up soup recipes because it always tastes even better the next day, and also freezes very well.

So right after dinner, dish up your lunch containers for tomorrow and stash them in the fridge, then freeze the rest for the next time you’re craving this DELICIOUS soup!

Soup always tastes even better the next day. This chicken soup stays good refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe:

makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs

• 2 Tbsps olive oil, ghee, or avocado oil

• 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

• 4 medium size carrots, peeled and diced

• 4 celery ribs, sliced

• 2 bell peppers, colors of choice, seeded and diced

• 1 large red or yellow onion, diced

• 2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, chopped bite-sized

• 3 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets, bite-sized

• 1 (15oz.) jar tomato sauce

• 6 cups chicken bone broth

• 1 cup water

• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

To serve:

• fresh parsley, chopped

• fresh lemon wedges

Instructions:

For Stovetop:
Pat raw chicken dry using a paper towel and set aside on a plate.

Heat your oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add in your carrots, celery, bell peppers, and onion then continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until onion is translucent and veggies are slightly tender but firm.

Next, add in the chicken, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper to taste, then cook until mixture starts to bubble about 5 minutes.

Stir in your broth and water, cover and let simmer on LOW heat for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Shred your chicken using 2 forks and return to the pot.

Stir in cauliflower florets and green beans then continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Remove from the heat and ladle into bowls.

Garnish with parsley, serve hot with fresh lemon wedges.

For Slow Cooker:

Pat raw chicken dry using a paper towel and set aside on a plate.

Rub the chicken with Italian seasoning, minced garlic, sea salt and pepper to taste.

In a heavy skillet, heat your oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook flipping once, 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is nicely browned.

Transfer the chicken together with all the drippings from the skillet into a 6- quart or larger slow cooker.

Top with all veggies.

Pour in your bone broth, water, and tomato sauce along with a tiny pinch of sea salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for about 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

Once finished cooking, remove the chicken from the cooker and place it on a plate or cutting board and shred it using two forks.

Place your shredded chicken back to the cooker, cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and ladle into bowls.
Garnish with parsley, serve hot with fresh lemon wedges.
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post Chicken Vegetable Packed Soup (Stovetop and Slow Cooker Instructions) first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Chickpea Soup with Turkey Meatballs

Loaded with bright flavors and crave-worthy homemade meatballs, this soup is every bit as delicious as it is good for you.

Hearty meatballs, flavorful veggies, fiber-packed creamy chickpeas, and a touch of freshly squeezed lemon juice + zest to keep it bright!

Ground turkey was on sale this past week, plus I had a few cans of chickpeas (garbanzos) in the pantry, so Chickpea Soup with Turkey Meatballs was created and will forever be a go-to family soup recipe when we’re hungry for something just a little different than the usual.

These past several years I’ve been focusing on becoming extra creative with less expensive (more affordable) foods.

How can I create delicious meals or dishes for less money? You too?!

I think it’s a necessity these days to keep our family budget in check without compromising our health and FLAVOR!

Soup always tastes even better the next day. This meatball soup stays great refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Rachel’s Notes:

Use ANY milk of your choice. My personal preferences for this soup are unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened cashew milk.

ANY broth works GREAT here! Use vegetable broth OR add chicken bone broth to increase the protein and nutrients.

Homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas are full of protein, fiber and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Canned or pouches of chickpeas or garbanzo beans are readily available at local grocers and online retailers such as Amazon.

I always keep them in my pantry because I don’t always plan ahead to soak my own beans, so the canned ready-to-eat option shaves a lot of time off prep!

That being said, cooking your own dried chickpeas or beans at home is more cost-effective, and you’ll get to choose and control what is added such as salt or herbs.

Using dried chickpeas or beans (not canned):
The package of dried beans/chickpeas will have directions for you to soak and cook them at home, you’ll just need to plan ahead the day before you’re going to follow my soup recipe below.

When I’m using dried chickpeas (or beans!) I usually soak them overnight with PLENTY of water because they will expand.

After an overnight soak, I’ll rinse them off, then add fresh water to the pot.

Simply cook them over a low simmer for around 2 hours.

Your chickpeas can be cooked all by themselves or with garlic cloves, onion pieces, carrots, celery, bay leaves, sea salt, or even broth added to the pot for flavor.

Don’t overcook them, as we still want a firm texture much like canned chickpeas.

Allow to cool and dry completely, then follow the directions for the recipe below.

6 servings

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2 Tbsps olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 3 large carrots, chopped

• 4 celery ribs, finely chopped

• 4 fresh garlic cloves, pressed or minced

• 1 Tbsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

• 2 Tbsps tomato paste

• 2 x 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

• 6 cups chicken or turkey bone broth

• zest and juice of one fresh lemon

optional:

• freshly chopped herbs of choice

• dollop of plain Greek yogurt

For the meatballs:

• 2 slices Ezekiel bread or gluten-free bread, well toasted

• 2-3 Tbsps milk of choice

• 1-1/2 lbs ground turkey or chicken

• 1 large egg

• 2 tsps smoked paprika

• 1 tsp onion powder

• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

• 2 Tbsps olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions:

To make your soup:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat your oil over medium-high then add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.

Saute until vegetables soften. Stir in the oregano, chili flakes, tomato paste, and chickpeas.
Pour in your bone broth, together with the lemon zest and juice, and stir to combine.
Simmer the soup over low heat for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

To make your meatballs:

Meanwhile, to make the meatballs, prepare a medium bowl and a large bowl.
In your medium bowl, soak your toasted bread with the milk. Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes.

In the large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, and spices and combine very well.
Drain and discard the milk, then squeeze the moisture out of the bread.

Add the soaked bread to your bowl with the meat. Thoroughly mix to combine, then form into even meatballs, making about 12-14.

Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in meatballs and cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides and just cooked through.

To finish your soup:
Carefully transfer your cooked meatballs into the soup. Continue to simmer for a few minutes more.

Serve the soup warm with freshly chopped herbs of choice.
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post Chickpea Soup with Turkey Meatballs first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Hearty Swedish Meatball Soup

I have a REALLY good feeling that this will become your NEW FAVORITE soup recipe throughout the fall season!

The only possible downside here? You’ll be making it A LOT because once your family tastes this soup, they’ll request it often!

There’s a ton of flavor in this soup thanks to all the seasonings and simple ingredients that you likely mostly have on hand already.

The ONLY thing more comforting than Swedish meatballs? Meatball Soup!

This Swedish Meatball Soup is everything we love about Swedish meatballs in a bowl of cozy hot soup that feels like a hearty hug for the soul.

Meatballs are always SUPER POPULAR and well-received with my 6 teenagers/young adults…if meatballs are cooking in the kitchen, the kids seem to make their way down and hang out, hoping for a sample.

Not sure what it is about meatballs that just make everyone happy at my house!

We LOVE soup at our house! It’s warming, filling, and ready-to-eat wherever you are! I ALWAYS double my soup recipes because soup makes wonderful future meals!

These past several years I’ve been focusing on becoming extra creative with less expensive (more affordable) foods.

How can I create delicious meals or dishes for less money? You too?!

I think it’s a necessity these days to keep our family budget in check without compromising our health and FLAVOR!

Soup always tastes even better the next day.

This meatball soup stays great refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Rachel’s Notes:

Use ANY milk of your choice. My personal preferences for this soup are unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened cashew milk.

ANY broth works GREAT here!

Use vegetable broth OR add chicken bone broth to increase the protein and nutrients.

Homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

Try this Swedish Meatball recipe too!

6 servings

Ingredients:

Swedish Meatballs:

• 3 slices Ezekiel bread or bread of choice, very well toasted

• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk of choice

• 1-1/2 lbs ground chicken or turkey

• 1 large egg

• 2 tsps smoked paprika

• 2 tsps dry mustard powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Soup:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 2 Tbsps ghee or clarified butter

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 3 Tbsps Arrowroot powder or cornstarch

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos, tamari, Braggs liquid aminos, or low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 x 15 oz unsweetened coconut milk or milk of choice

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup brown rice

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 Tbsps minced fresh parsley, to garnish

• red pepper flakes if desired

Instructions:

In a medium bowl soak your well toasted bread with the milk. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, spices, and seasonings very well.

Drain and discard the milk, then very gently squeeze the moisture out of the bread. Add the soaked bread to your bowl with the meat.

Thoroughly mix to combine well (I use my hands for this), then form into small meatballs, making about 14-16.

Heat your oil and ghee together in a large Dutch oven or stockpot, over medium heat.

Add in meatballs and cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until nicely golden on all sides and mostly cooked through.

Add in the onion, then continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently and carefully not to break the meatballs.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the Arrowroot/cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the broth until smooth with no visible lumps. Add in the coconut aminos and mustard then whisk until combined. Set aside.

Add your remaining bone broth to the soup, together with the milk, vinegar, and brown rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Very gently stir through the bottom of the pot every now and then, to avoid the rice catching on the bottom of the pan.

Once your rice is cooked, add in your Arrowroot/cornstarch mixture to your soup and stir well to combine.

Allow your soup to simmer on LOW for about 5 minutes, the Arrowroot/cornstarch will help it thicken up a bit.
Season your soup to taste and garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes.
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post Hearty Swedish Meatball Soup first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Lemony Chicken Vegetable Soup

The perfect quick soup recipe to support us in the transition from summer to fall.

Packed with lots of fresh veggies so it’s filling and comforting, but thanks to the fresh lemon juice and zest it’s still bright and cheerful too!

We’re using all those ripe garden veggies like zucchini that are overflowing this time of year.

Our evenings are already getting a lot cooler here in Utah and we’re experiencing a lot of rain.

While it’s officially still summer, it sure is beginning to feel like fall!

You can easily adapt soup recipes to fit your personal tastes. I often add extra meat and vegetables, depending on what I need to use up in the fridge.

I love the high protein + veggie combo here! Hope you love it too!

Soup helps stretch the family dinner budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients you carefully choose yourself.

This soup in particular is an EXCELLENT way to save some money while creating another meal from a previous one.

Once we’ve already enjoyed roasted chicken or turkey and there’s some meat left, use this recipe to create a flavorful and super nutritious soup for the new week ahead!

I often double up soup recipes because it always tastes even better the next day and also freezes very well.

So right after dinner, dish up your lunch containers for tomorrow and stash them in the fridge, then freeze the rest for the next time you’re craving this DELICIOUS soup!

Once again, this year, I’m making it a HUGE focus of mine to keep our family food budget in check. We’re making simpler meals and ALWAYS shopping the sales.

What does shopping the sales mean?

For me, it means that I have a few ideas for recipes I’d like to make that week, BUT I’m VERY flexible.

When I’m making a soup like this, I choose whatever veggie is on sale at the store or something that I need to use up at home (OR farmers market…or possibly ready in the garden).

The same goes for protein.

As I’m walking through the store, when I see something is discounted that week…well, that then becomes our protein of choice.

It’s always a balance between making GOOD choices while also not overspending on items that aren’t as affordable at the time.

Add more of any ingredients you love, or have on hand…it’ll turn out great!

We LOVE soup at our house! It’s warming, filling, and ready-to-eat wherever you are! I ALWAYS double my soup recipes because soup makes wonderful future meals!

These past several years I’ve been focusing on becoming extra creative with less expensive (more affordable) foods.

How can I create delicious meals or dishes for less money? You too?!

I think it’s a necessity these days to keep our family budget in check without compromising our health and FLAVOR!

Soup always tastes even better the next day. This chicken soup stays great refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Rachel’s Note:

ANY broth works GREAT here! Use vegetable broth and skip the chicken to keep this vegetarian, OR add chicken bone broth to increase the protein and nutrients.

Homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth:

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe:

The fresh lemon zest really elevates your soup game! Don’t skip it!

ALWAYS use freshly-squeezed lemon juice from an actual fresh lemon.

Bottled lemon juice from the store will give your soup a strange metallic or overly acidic taste. We want this to taste super bright and fresh.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsps olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

• 3 celery ribs, chopped

• 3 fresh cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsps dried thyme

• 2 medium zucchinis, chopped

• 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and chopped to bite-size pieces

• 3 cups cooked and chopped chicken

• 3 tsps turmeric powder

• 6 cups chicken bone broth

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed and chopped

• 1 fresh lemon, zest, and juice of

Optional:

parmesan, to serve

Instructions:

Heat your oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add in the onion, carrots, celery and saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme, then continue to saute for 1 minute.

Add the zucchini, green beans, cooked chicken, and turmeric powder.
Stir in your bone broth and bring to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to a low and simmer until the vegetables are tender-crisp, around 12-15 minutes.

Over the last couple of minutes, stir in your chopped kale, lemon zest, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Taste and season with sea salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot with parmesan cheese, if desired.
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post [VIDEO] Lemony Chicken Vegetable Soup 🥕🍋🧅 first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

The BEST Garden Veggie + Beef Chili

We’re making a BIG Ole pot of flavor-packed chili for the week and using all those fresh garden tomatoes and peppers that are ripe right now!

I absolutely adore chili and it’s a perfect meal this time of year as the weather starts to cool down.

A big pot on the stovetop for football parties or just a weeknight meal. It’s great because it stays good for hours on the stove while everyone in the family makes it home at different times of the evening during the busy school season.

It takes maybe 20 minutes to throw together then we let it simmer for at least an hour (but really as long as you want!) to get those flavors to meld and deepen.

Chili is only better the next day too! The flavor just gets tastier.

I also LOVE that this can be very budget-friendly if you shop the sales. It’s great to have some leftovers for future lunches and chili freezes very well.
Homemade Roasted Beef Bone Broth:

Want to cook your own dry beans at home? Here’s how:

Beans are loaded with good-for-your-gut fiber, something a lot of us struggle to get enough of.

They have been linked with health benefits including lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease, and they also can help keep you feeling fuller longer.

No matter what kind of legume you’re preparing, it’s important to make sure they are fully cooked before you eat them because the uncooked version contains “antinutrients,” which can affect both your digestive system and the absorption of other nutrients.

Enjoy beans in soups and stews, in salads, or in chili!

REFERENCES:

WebMD

HealthLine

Here are some of our other FAVORITE chili recipes:

CFC’s Famous Week ONE Beefy Beanless Chili

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Butternut Squash Chili

Buffalo-Style Chicken Chili

Spicy Pumpkin Chili

8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef or bison

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 2 large green or red bell peppers, seeded and diced

• 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced

• 6 fresh cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 Tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsps chipotle powder, or to taste

• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 x 15 oz cans black or red beans, drained and rinsed well

• 6-8 large garden fresh tomatoes, diced with their juices

• 1 cup beef bone broth

Chili topping ideas for serving:

• freshly shredded cheese

• plain Greek yogurt

• sliced green onions

• jalapeño slices

• fresh cilantro

• diced avocado

• Cotija cheese

• corn chips

Instructions:

Heat your oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add in the ground meat, onion, and peppers then cook, breaking the meat as it browns.

Drain any excess grease. Once the meat is no longer pink, stir in the garlic, and all of the seasonings.

Cook for another minute or two while stirring.

Add the beans, tomatoes, and broth then bring to a boil. Lower heat to LOW and loosely cover the pot.

Continue to cook over LOW heat for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Or transfer to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Once your chili is done, carefully ladle it into bowls and serve with desired toppings.
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post The BEST Garden Veggie + Beef Chili 🫑🫘🍅 first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

CFC’s Favorite Meals to Freeze

Life is BUSY right now, so there’s not as much time to spend in the kitchen every day. I can’t be the only one feeling that way, so I decided to put together this quick roundup of my freezer faves.

All these recipes freeze well, so you can make them on a free day, pack them up in air-tight, freezer-safe containers, then pull them out to thaw and reheat later when you don’t have the time or energy to make something fresh.

As you’ll notice, many of these recipes were soup or stew, and there’s a reason for that!

Soup tastes even better the next day, so it’s a perfect meal to make and freeze.

It also doubles well, is versatile, and is affordable.

But the other recipes are just as great for meal prepping! So, here are 20 of my freezer faves!

1. Creamy Tikka Masala Soup

The flavor here is huge, complex, and hits the spot! ‘Masala’ means a mixture of spices; you will love this aromatic and comforting soup. This soup refrigerates well for 3 days, and you can freeze it for up to 2 months.

2. Crockpot Chili with Bacon

Chili is a family favorite, especially in the autumn, so you’ll want to save this one for later months! And it tastes even better the next day, making it a great meal prep meal.

After freezing, the texture of the beans does come out a little different, and you might want to wait to make the bacon until you thaw the chili, but it’s still great! 

3. Moroccan Spiced Turkey Soup

Soup is a life-saver during the busy school season!

It’s economical and excellent because dinner is ready anytime, even if you often have a few stragglers coming home late after work or sports.

4. Buffalo-Style Chicken Chili

Anytime buffalo flavoring is added to a meal, I’m confident my family will LOVE it.

If you freeze this chili, make sure to wait until you’re ready to serve to top it with crisp celery and blue cheese, which perfectly pulls together all of the satisfying flavors!

5. Pesto + White Bean Soup

This soup is comforting, tasty, refreshing, and bright! It’s a fantastic time saver because it comes together fast and saves well. Plus, the beans are incredibly nutrient-dense and filling and loaded with antioxidants.

6. Spinach, Feta, and Rice Casserole

Baked egg casseroles freeze well for about 2 months, and you can reheat them in the oven or microwave.

This one, in particular, thaws and heats up nicely. It’s also the most flavorful, savory, hearty, creamy, nourishing, and comforting rice dish to add to your favorites.

7. Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Here’s a fun soup spin on the classic comfort meal of chicken pot pie.

The recipe is simple, but the flavors are satisfying! Definitely on the top of my freezer faves list.

8. Turkey + Veggie Skillet

You can freeze this turkey and veggie skillet meal, but the broccoli will be slightly soft when reheated.

The whole thing comes together in just over 20 minutes, and all ingredients are very interchangeable and customizable to YOUR taste preferences!

9. 3-Ingredient Crock Pot Pulled Chicken

This chicken is WONDERFUL for food prep and lasts 4-5 days refrigerated or six weeks frozen. And the best part is that if you have the chick on hand, the meal will only take a few minutes to prepare.

10. Sweet Potato + Lentil Soup

Sweet potatoes and lentils are both packed full of nutritional value. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and antioxidants, and lentils are a fiber powerhouse and can lower cholesterol and protect against diabetes and colon cancer.

11. Veggie Loaded Cauli-Mash Shepherd’s Pie

Delicious and full of health benefits, you’ll definitely want to make this shepherd’s pie for the whole family.

Typically, the tricky part about freezing shepherd’s pie is the mashed potato top layer, but this one uses mashed cauliflower, which is not only more nutritional but freezes better than mashed potatoes.

However, the texture will start changing around 2 months into freezing, so it’s best to only freeze it for a few weeks.

12. Southwest-Style Chicken and Corn Chowder

This chowder has all those flavors my family loves and also goes over super well with my large crew since they can each pile their own toppings on their bowls to create something they enjoy!

Overall this meal is incredibly filling, and these ingredients are usually quite budget-friendly.

13. Crock Pot/Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Crockpot and instant pot recipes are perfect for busy seasons because you can put everything together in the morning, then go to work or run errands, and come home to a fully prepared meal!

14. Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini has quite an impressive nutritional scoreboard – from high levels of potassium, B vitamins, dietary fiber, and antioxidants, all of which benefit our overall health.

And if you want to freeze this lasagna, the best way is to do it after you assemble it and then bake it after rethawing.

15.  Nourishing CFC Minestrone Soup

Thanks to its detoxifying properties, minestrone stimulates the purification of the liver and the entire body. Make a large pot, portion it into several air-tight containers, then freeze those to reheat individually through the next couple of months!

16. Japanese-Inspired Garlic Fried Rice

I purchase rice in bulk and find that this helps to stretch the family food budget tremendously.

I like to cook a bunch of brown rice, portion it out, then freeze it once it’s cooked. Cooked brown rice freezes very well, making it even easier to pull together this fried rice like this on a busy weeknight.

17. Crockpot Chicken & Lime Soup

This crockpot soup is one of my favorites! It’s super simple, filled with protein, ultra flavorful, satisfying, and budget-friendly. Make a giant pot for dinner, save some for the week’s lunch, and freeze the rest for the future!

18. White Bean + Barley Stew

Fiber-full barley is excellent for healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It’s also got plenty of B vitamins and minerals like selenium, magnesium, and phosphorus. So this soup is not only simple and delicious but super healthy!

19. Beef + Cauliflower Stove-top Casserole

While this casserole does freeze well, the texture will be slightly different after thawing.

Even with that in mind, this casserole is fantastic and will make an impressive addition to the weekly menu!

20. Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Our Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe (as with most soup recipes) is very versatile, and you can leave things out or add extras and more of your favorite ingredients! Make this your own, and it’ll quickly become a staple in your house!

I hope this list is helpful and you find some new favorite meals that can save you time and energy in the busier times!

Anything helps when life feels chaotic, especially not worrying about coming up with something to cook every day and carving out time to dedicate. 

Let me know your favorite meal prep meals in the comments below!

The post CFC’s Favorite Meals to Freeze first appeared on Clean Food Crush.

Pesto + White Bean Soup

This soup is incredibly comforting throughout the colder winter months, yet bright and cheerful during the spring and summer, thanks to the addition of fresh pesto sauce.

This entire dish comes together FAST…I mean if you’re going to make your own homemade pesto (which I DO recommend!) that will take 5 minutes while your soup simmers.

So, in just 20 minutes from now, you’ll be enjoying a warm hearty bowl of ultra-flavorful soup.

Each time I make a batch of homemade pesto, I ask myself why I don’t make it more often?!!!

It’s just SO good and really brightens up any meal!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and it becomes one that you make and love throughout the upcoming fall and winter months because it’s such an easy and affordable idea anytime!
Homemade Pesto Recipe

We LOVE soup at our house! It’s warming, filling, and ready-to-eat wherever you are!

I ALWAYS double my soup recipes because soup makes wonderful future meals!

This is one of our newest FAVES!

These past several years I’ve been focusing on becoming extra creative with less expensive (more affordable) foods.

How can I create delicious meals or dishes for less money? You too?!

I think it’s a necessity these days to keep our family budget in check without compromising our health and FLAVOR!

So naturally, beans are always on the top of my list! Beans are incredibly nutrient-dense and filling.

I usually keep lots of canned beans in my pantry (stocking up when on sale) because they are AWESOME when I need to create a meal in a hurry.

And of course, I love using the even more budget-friendly dried beans whenever I think to plan ahead for soaking and cooking time!

This recipe is really really good! Satisfying and hearty while only using a few simple and affordable flavorful ingredients.

There’s just something ultra-satisfying, and extremely comforting about a big stockpot of homemade soup sitting on the stove.

Your kitchen smells delicious, soup is economical, and it’s great because dinner is ready even if you’ll have a few stragglers who come home later after work or sports.

Soup helps stretch the family dinner budget while filling up those bellies with fresh, whole-food ingredients you carefully choose yourself.

I often double up soup recipes because it tastes even better the next day, and also freezes very well.

So right after dinner, dish up your lunch containers for tomorrow and stash them in the fridge, then freeze the rest for the next time you’re craving this DELICIOUS soup!

Want to cook your own dry beans at home? Here’s how

Beans are loaded with good-for-your-gut fiber, something a lot of us struggle to get enough of.

They have been linked with health benefits including lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease, and they also can help keep you feeling fuller longer.

No matter what kind of legume you’re preparing, it’s important to make sure they are fully cooked before you eat them because the uncooked version contains “antinutrients,” which can affect both your digestive system and the absorption of other nutrients.

Enjoy beans in soups and stews, in salads, or in chili!

REFERENCES:

WebMD

HealthLine

Rachel’s Note:

ANY broth works GREAT here!

Use vegetable broth to keep this vegetarian, OR add beef or chicken bone broth to increase the protein and nutrients.
Homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe:

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced

• 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

• 3 x 15 oz cans white beans, rinsed well and drained

• 2 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable broth

• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup homemade pesto sauce, or to taste

• freshly shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

• fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges, to garnish

Instructions:

Heat your oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, or until soft.

Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.

Add in the beans, broth, and bring to a boil.

Once bubbling, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes, stir in your pesto sauce and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.

Serve with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil and lemon wedges.

I like an extra dollop of homemade pesto on mine!
Enjoy!
Rachel

The post Pesto + White Bean Soup 🌱🍋 first appeared on Clean Food Crush.