Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Avocado Soup

The weather is warming up and summer is upon us. What better treat to try for an easy dinner on a hot, summer evening than chilled avocado soup? The soup is not boring at all, it has a pleasant spiciness that isn’t overwhelming. It can also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for several days (for a lunch item, perhaps?).

This recipe is something I adapted from an avocado soup recipe in Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables. That recipe looked pretty good, but mine is both gluten-free and casein-free which makes it even better if you have food allergies!

Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Avocado Soup (My Rating = 100 Thumbs Up!)

2 ripe avocados

1/4 cup chopped green onions, including 1/2 of dark green stalks

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 cup canned coconut milk

3 cups vegetable broth

1. Put all ingredients in food processor fitted with a metal blade or a blender. Cover and process until smooth.

2. Chill for at least 1 hour, prior to serving.

3. Serve in small cups or bowls. Garnish with crumbled bacon or more sliced green onions, if desired.

Serves: 6 (1 cup servings) or 12 (1/2 cup servings).

Chicken Taco Soup

After my success with the tortilla soup, I thought I’d try another soup recipe for my son.  He generally refuses to eat soup, but once again – he liked this one a lot! We can’t eat tortillas right now, so this was a good substitute that included all the ingredients on his “approved” list. It was inspired by “Tricky Taco Soup” in The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine.

Chicken Taco Soup (Nicholas Rating = 300 Thumbs Up!)

 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium onion, pureed or very finely chopped

(2) 6-oz cans of Tomato Paste

(2) 14-oz cans of reduced-sodium Chicken Broth

½ cup water

½ cup butternut squash puree*

½ cup roasted red peppers, pureed

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 tsp fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Guacamole, dairy-free cheese, dairy-free sour cream for garnish

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Cook onions until they are slightly translucent, and then add tomato paste, red pepper puree, butternut squash puree. Stir to combine.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken and simmer for another few minutes.
5. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from heat and ladle into individual bowls.
7. Garnish as you choose!

*Directions for making purees –

• Butternut Squash: cut off the stem, cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Roast halves on cookie sheet, flesh-side down, at 400 for 45-50 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and puree in food processor or blender for about 2 minutes.
• NOTE: I often make large batches of purees and package them in Ziploc quart freezer bags in 1/4 or 1/2 cup size amounts. Then, you can simply thaw them out for a recipe and snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze the puree out of the hole into a bowl. Very easy and efficient!

Stockpiling Moms: Gluten Free Tortilla Soup

I’ve posted this week’s new recipe of Gluten Free Tortilla Soup at Stockpiling Moms. This is an excellent spicy soup that was a big hit with Nicholas. He rarely ever enjoys eating soup at all, yet he gobbled this up happily! It’s also a great way to take advantage of avocados that are becoming more plentiful in the grocery store right now.