Creamy Potato Leek Soup: Warm and Soothing

Here is a recipe for a quick and easy homemade soup! 

Creamy Potato Leek is an all time healthy favorite. I use organic red potatoes, organic onions and organic leeks in this filling, satisfying, and soothing soup. It's a perfect choice for chilly nights. Serve it with a salad or an entree.

Would I make this soup for Thanksgiving? 

Why not? It's delicious, gluten free and vegan- 

If you are having guests, chances are that someone has special eating needs and can't eat this or that. This soup meets most allergy needs. ( GF, DF, Nut Free, egg free, vegan). It is a good standby,

I used a combination of leeks and onions in this recipe. Leeks add a rich flavor to the soup and make it taste extra special. However, leeks can also be pricy. So, if you want to cut down on the price ( and don't mind sacrificing a little of the flavor ) , you can just use an additional large onion to the recipe and skip the leek! If you are not ready to make it today- don't forget to pin it for later!

My recipes require very little prep

The recipe is easy to make and the prep is fast, calling for only a few main ingredients. I love recipes that make my life easier while at the same time providing healthy nutrients!  The onions, garlic, and leeks provide protective immune building antioxidants.A generous batch of this recipe usually allows for some leftovers to be frozen for another meal.

Additional Time Savers

• Frozen leeks will work fine 
• Frozen garlic cubes work fine ( I get mine in Freezer at Trader Joe's- Dorot Brand)
• This soup freezes well, so you can freeze some for another meal.

Why I don't usually make this soup

I'm going to admit, I don't usually make this soup. I don't usually buy potatoes because I personally don't do well eating too many carbs in my diet.  I usually only buy potatoes when I'm cooking for company. However, my CSA grows beautiful organic red potatoes of which I am entitled to my share,  and I don't want to refuse them!

Instead, I surprised my husband with two delicious recipes to enjoy the wonderful potatoes. First, I prepared this delicious soup. Second, I made him really easy homemade potato chips ( Recipe in a few days)! Needless to say he was in heaven ( as he has no difficulty eating carbs and his weight) and he enjoyed every bite !

This vegan soup has no cream, but it is creamy

Just for the record, this is not a creamed soup although it is creamy. There is no added milk or cream. The creaminess comes from the potatoes as they begin to disintegrate while cooking. Finally, the immersion blender can be used to make it as creamy as you like. We like ours a little chunky, so I just use the immersion blender very quickly. If you truly love a milk based soup , you can swirl cream or a non dairy milk of your choice to the bowl before serving. As always all the ingredients in my recipes meet gluten free standards!

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 10-12 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 large organic red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into bite size pieces ( no need to peel)
1 large leek, cleaned chopped (white part only)
1 cup chopped onion
1 and 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 single clove garlic, chopped

5 cups water
5 cups vegetable broth
Cracked pepper to taste
** do not add salt as the vegetable broth is usually somewhat salty
2 shakes of 21 Salute  - (a salt free herbal mix I get a Trader Joe's - Mrs. Dash is similar)
1/4 cup of olive oil or olive oil spray

Directions:

Add onion, garlic, leek, potatoes and 1/4 cup of soup broth to a soup pan and sauté, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes tossing the vegetables to prevent burning. Add the water, the remainder of the broth, and the seasonings. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a medium simmer. Cook uncovered for about 25 minutes until vegetables are tender and potatoes begin to fall apart. Use an immersion blender to blend to desired consistency. I like to leave mine a little chunky.

I use only the white part for the soup.
The tender part of the green leaves (not the tough part) can be
saved and chopped into a salad

I garnished the soup with some 
uncooked chopped kale for a nice color contrast!

                                                             

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Butternut Squash Skewers + Dip

     

Squash Skewers are a simple, yet clever, way of serving butternut squash especially for the fall holidays. It makes a great appetizer and eating the squash off a skewer is fun and easy to eat.

My friend Laura mentioned to me that she likes holiday recipes that can be eaten at room temperature so she doesn't have to keep heating and reheating to try to get the timing right for the meal. Roasted butternut squash tastes great at any temperature.

Whether served hot out of the oven, eaten an hour later at room temperature, or finished off the next day cold right out of the refrigerator, it's always delicious!

I bought my wooden skewers at my local supermarket ( they came in two sizes and were inexpensive- about $1.59) and roasted the winter squash first and then slid the roasted squash cubes on the skewers. My photo shows the basic idea, yet you could serve it with many variations.

Some additional ideas to assemble the skewers



Some additional ideas to assemble the skewers

1. Alternate the butternut squash cubes with sweet red grapes on the skewer.

2.  Slice up oranges and lay the squash skewers on top of the orange slices to absorb the citrus flavor.

3. Sprinkle the roasted squash with cinnamon

4. Alternate the butternut squash with blueberries or cooked cranberries.

5. Serve and dip into some flavored vinegar ( I had black cherry- amazing) in a dipping bowl

6. Serve with any dip of your choice

7. Alternate squash with chunks of cheese and grapes

This is a great side dish for any fall meal and especially appropriate for Thanksgiving. If you are making appetizers, these skewers would be great with a dip!

In addition, I'm always looking for healthy snacks for my grandkids! How delicious and fun would a cold butternut squash and grape skewer be for an after school snack. ( Yes, they taste that good!!)

The right tool makes your job easier

If you have the right kind of peeler , peeling the squash is a cinch! I use and OXO Good Grips Y Peeler which just slips the skin right off without any struggle. It only takes me 5-8 minutes to peel, scoop out the seeds, and chop the squash into pieces.

I then toss the squash in just enough olive oil to coat the pieces and place it on a rimmed cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper ( I use a brown non chlorinated parchment)

Try This Time Saver

• If you are pressed for time, most supermarkets sell packages of butternut squash in the produce isle already cut up and no additives- It cuts down on a little time and the mess.
• Trader Joe's usually has some packages at reasonable prices and fresh!

I bought a fig jam and served it as a dip for the squash !

How many times do you have a pot that needs scrubbing - well here is an easy solution that I found on Youtube using dryer sheets! 

One of my Fabulous Finds- No More Scrubbing!!

Watch this Youtube for an easy way to 

clean dirty pots and pans!

            
                












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Paleo Butternut Apple Cranberry Bake

This is a fabulous Paleo side for your Thanksgiving table! It's colorful, festive, and incorporates a variety of delicious fall seasonal fruits and vegetables. The sweet roasted butternut squash mixed with roasted apples and slightly tart cranberries not only makes a beautiful presentation, but are healthy to boot!

Allergy Friendly 
It's a great choice for a Thanksgiving side because it will satisfy vegans, vegetarians, and those who are gluten free, Paleo diets, nut free diets, and egg free diets. So matter who is coming to dinner, and no matter what his/her dietary preference, this recipe is a winner!

The combination of ingredients is a sweet treat, but with no added sugar. In fact, my husband thought it was as tasty as an all natural pie filling.

My CSA farm share is still active through November. I got sweet potatoes, leeks, lots of varieties of greens, garlic, onions, cauliflower, and butternut squash this week. The local farms are ripe for apple picking too. Hence the recipe because I've got lots of butternut squash and apples! I love using seasonal fruits and vegetables in recipes!

The advantage of this type of recipe is that although it is intended to be consumed hot, it also tastes good at room temperature. So, if it's on the table longer than expected, it will still be delicious!




























 Easiest and Fastest Peeler that I highly recommend

I have a really good peeler that can slip off the skin of a butternut so fast that it's a cinch to peel.
Owning the right tool really does make a difference.  I have two peelers that look almost identical.  One is the OXO Good Grips Y Peeler.and the other looks just like it- but is another brand.

I've tried both peelers and the OXO Good Grips Y Peeler wins out for ease every time!

It just seems to slide the skin right off! Believe me I wouldn't make a big deal about it if it wasn't such a difference! I always struggled with other peeler and would often give up peeling a butternut squash or just avoid it altogether.

If you really don't like to peel,- then buy the packages of pre chopped squash. I've seen them at Trader Joe's and most supermarkets. It usually is in the fresh produce isle and does not contain additives.

Author: Judee Algazi from Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 
1 med/large butternut squash, peel, scoop seeds, and chop ( or buy a pre cut package)
4 medium organic apples, cored and sliced ( I didn't peel)
1/4-1/2 cup of olive oil
1 cup of organic cranberries
optional: 1/2 cup of sliced red grapes
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Cinnamon to taste

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide the oil in half. Toss the chopped butternut squash in the oil and then the apples in oil. Using two covered cookie sheets ( covered with parchment paper), place the apples on one and the butternut squash on the other. Roast the squash for 30-40 minutes; the apples for 20 minutes.
While the apples and squash are roasting, put the orange juice and cranberries into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries from the juice and set aside.
Mix the roasted squash, roasted apples, and cooked cranberries in a pyrex dish. Add a tablespoon or two of the orange juice to the casserole. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste.

Cut in bite size pieces before roasting

Sometimes I add roasted kale for some variety 

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Skinny Zucchini Pasta ( Spiralized)

Skinny Zucchini pasta ( spiralized zucchini)  is a delicious substitute for a regular bowl of high carb/ high calorie pasta . Remember, even gluten free pasta is also high in carbs and calories! I find that spiralized pasta made from a zucchini is the way to go. It's low calorie and low in carbs making it the perfect and delicious meal!

Many zucchini pasta recipes serve the zucchini noodles raw; I like to lightly saute mine. I love the zoodles ( zucchini noodles)  prepared this way. It satisfies me as much as real pasta. In fact, I like it so much, I usually make it for lunch or a side dish at least two or three times a week. It's versatile and lends itself to many variations. Don't overcook it or it will become watery!!

This is such a fast and easy recipe! Basically, you just need to spiralize your zucchini, which takes about one minute.

If you are not familiar with how to do this, go to my zoodles post which explains in detail

This is a simple vegan and gluten free recipe. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 medium onion, sliced in half moons
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2-3 cups of spiralized zucchini noodles
olive oil spray
1/4 cup of marinara sauce

Directions:
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil spray until soft. Add the zucchini and toss a few times for about 30 seconds. Add the marinara sauce, stir and remove from flame and serve immediately. It tastes best when eaten immediately!

Additional Variations : 

•  Add 1/4 -1/2 cup of ricotta cheese when you add the sauce to the recipe for a lasagna like  taste- 
•  Add 1/4-1/2 cup of any grated cheese when you add your sauce.
•  Jen at  Driftwood Gardens suggested topping with nutritional yeast for another vegan variation

This photo is without marinara sauce. The plate is about 50 years old and 
belonged to my mom!

                 This post will be shared and linked on daily blog carnivals

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