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Soups and Chowders

Creamy Parsnip and Potato Soup

By Denise Pare-Watson

When I was a culinary student in Vegetable Cookery, we were asked if any of us had ever tried parsnip. I was surprised that there were only a few students in that class who raised their hand.  I grew up with parsnips as a staple in my parent’s garden, much like other root vegetables such as carrots or potatoes.  

Parsnips on a Board | urbnspice.com

James Beard thought that parsnips were one of the “most neglected” vegetables and I have to agree. My goal in this post is to encourage you to try parsnips, starting with this recipe.  Creamy Parsnip and Potato Soup is a humble soup created from simple ingredients that are made into a silky fragrant soup that is fancy enough to serve for a first course.   You will be amazed!

Parsnip Potato Soup with garnish | urbnspice.com
Creamy Parsnip and Potato Soup

The parsnip is closely related to carrot and parsley.  Parsnip originated in Eurasia where it was treated as a vegetable since ancient Roman times. It is interesting to note, before the arrival of cane sugar, parsnip was also used as a sweetener.  

Parsnip is most often cooked although it can also be eaten raw in salads or crudités. I recently read about a great recipe from Nik Manojlovich for Crunchy Salad with Apple using shredded raw parsnip, carrot and my favourite Honey Crisp apple with a Feta Cheese Dressing.  Delicious!

The health benefits of parsnips are impressive with significant levels of minerals, vitamins, fiber, water, protein and antioxidants.  Parsnips are also low in calories, carbohydrates and sodium.

Parsnips can be interchanged with carrots in most recipes (see additional recipe links below).  When a parsnip is roasted, it takes on a mild sweet taste that compliments many dishes such as roast beef stew or lamb.  If you do not already use parsnips in your vegetable repertoire, I would recommend that you give them a try.

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Filed Under: Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Savoury Garnishes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Gluten Free Recipes, Parsnip, Potatoes, Soups

Bacon, Mushroom and Toasted Brown Rice Soup with Aromatic Vegetables

By Denise Pare-Watson

I love reading cookbooks and food magazines so much – they are like novels to me. Some of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby is reading the narrative behind how each recipe or article is inspired.  I have a lot of  ‘ah-hah’ moments as I read through a vintage cookbook or modern cookbooks.  The new techniques that have been developed or the old tried and true methods that have long been forgotten are exciting tidbits to incorporate into my day-to-day cooking or baking. This is precisely what happened the other day when I was researching gluten-free thickening techniques. I came across this recipe, which has a very unique technique.  I have rewritten the recipe to simplify it (reducing the number of pots and pans used) and I also added bacon and aromatic vegetables.  I think that you will find this recipe for Bacon, Mushroom and Toasted Brown Rice Soup with Aromatic Vegetables to be a hearty, flavourful and very satisfying soup.

close up of Bacon Mushroom and Brown Rice Soup
Bacon, Mushroom and Toasted Brown Rice Soup with Aromatic Vegetables

Experience from my culinary training and working in a high volume restaurant environment has taught me to read a recipe from beginning to end before I start.  This is a process that I emphasized to my apprentices as it serves several purposes. You should be asking yourself a number of questions:

  1. Does the recipe make sense as you read it through to the end?   
  2. Do the steps in the method flow easily from the ingredient list?  I often find that the ingredients are out of order from the steps in the instructions.
  3. Do I have all of the ingredients before I start?  
  4. What is the yield of the recipe?  How many servings/portions?
  5. What is the amount of time required to make it (in my work, it often meant starting certain components of a dessert two or three days ahead).   
  6. Can I make any part of this recipe ahead?  
  7. Do all the steps in the method/instructions make sense?  
Bacon, Mushroom and Toasted Brown Rice Soup

This particular recipe is a prime example of why you need to ask these important questions.  You will note as you read the recipe that this soup uses brown rice in two ways – firstly, as a wholesome soup ingredient and secondly, as a toasted pulverized rice powder (See Method – Step 1 below and Chef Talk).  The toasted rice powder is added as a natural thickening agent to the rich broth as it simmers. 

Cremini Mushrooms | urbnspice.com
Cremini Mushrooms have a pleasant meaty flavour
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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Preservative Free, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Cremini Mushrooms, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Techniques, Mushrooms, rice, Soups, Vegetarian

Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup

By Denise Pare-Watson

URB’N’SPICE ULTIMATE RECIPE SERIES

The weather is starting to change where I live in the Okanagan.  Mornings are chilly and the day is shorter.  Time to make Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup!  This is what my family considers to be “real” tomato soup and this flavourful soup is a favourite requested for birthday dinners and family gatherings.

Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup is similar in style to French Onion Soup, where the finished soup is ladled into an individual baking dish, topped with a buttered and toasted crusty piece of French bread and covered with a thick covering of cheese. This soup can easily be adapted to a gluten-free,  dairy-free and vegetarian dietary option. We like to serve this soup with crispy grilled cheese sandwiches, cut into small strips (or ‘fingers’, as we call them) – perfect for dipping!

Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup | urbnspice.com

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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Soups and Chowders, Tomatoes, White Sauce

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urbnspice Series

Chowder is a rich and hearty style of soup that is typically made using fish and seafood, smoked bacon, potatoes, vegetables and corn niblets. In this recipe for Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder, I have substituted poultry for the fish and seafood to create a delicious soup that I know you will find flavourful and satisfying.  Skip to Recipe

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder | urbnspice.com

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder is a satisfying bowlful of comfort food.

My inspiration for this post is seasonal fresh Peaches and Cream corn, a tender, sweet and creamy tasting variety that is an excellent choice for this chowder recipe.  The corn niblets take this chowder to another level, but why stop there?  I also included the bare cobs in the ingredient list, which are used for a flavour enhancing technique. Serve this chowder with Potato Scones, hot biscuits, buns, or thick slices of fresh bread and butter for a meal that is fit for a king….

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Gluten Free Recipes, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Chicken, Cooking Techniques, Corn, Gluten Free Recipes, Soups and Chowders

French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup – A Historical Perspective

By Denise Pare-Watson

Soupe de Pois Cassés Jaune

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the founding of Sault St. Marie. The Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor reached out to me regarding French Food Ways of the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes. French Canadian cuisine played a significant role in the history and development of Sault Ste. Marie and given my French Canadian heritage and culinary interests, I welcomed the opportunity to write this article on my version of traditional French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup.French Canadian Pea Soup with Pancetta Garnish | urbnspice.com

French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup was a staple food and has its Sault Ste. Marie roots established in the voyageur trading routes, which extended from Montreal through the Great Lakes all the way through to the Grande Portage. Peas were a crop easily grown at trading posts such as Sault Ste. Marie and this made restocking of supplies possible. During the fur-trading era, the waterways were the roads and canoes were the means of transport. The Voyageurs (the French word for travellers) made the difficult 12 to 16-week journey to deliver their trading goods. One needs to understand the physical characteristics and demands on these men, and why their diet was so important. Voyageurs were required to be short in stature (approximately 5’, 4”) because the space in the canoe was needed for cargo. They had to be young, strong and healthy to endure the very fast-paced paddling, harsh conditions related to the weather or the terrain and their dawn-to-dusk workday….

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Beans and Legumes, Cooking Techniques, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders, Vintage Recipes Tagged With: Culinary Historians, Soups, Vintage Recipes, Yellow split peas

Cream of Cabbage Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits & Petite Crunchy Croutons

By Denise Pare-Watson

Cabbage is not commonly associated with cream soups. In this post, I will teach you how to transform this cruciferous vegetable into a silky, tasty bisque-like soup. When you try this recipe for Cream of Cabbage Soup with Crispy Bacon & Petite Croutons, you will find yourself serving it for special occasions. The gluten-free soup base is thickened with potato rather than a roux, which makes it a quick and easy dish that is ready in approximately 30 minutes.

Cream of Cabbage Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits and Petite Crunchy Croutons | urbnspice.com

Cream of Cabbage Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits and Petite Crunchy Croutons

Nutritionally, the lowly cabbage is a superfood that is low in calories and packs a powerhouse of nutrition and health benefits. Cruciferous vegetables tend to be high in Vitamin A (plays an important role in bone growth and maintaining the immune system), Vitamin C (which we all know protects our immune system, and benefits eye and skin health) and Vitamin K (regulates normal blood clotting, helpful for bone health by assisting the transport of calcium through the body), as well as being high in dietary fibre, linked to improved heart health, increased weight loss and a reduction in inflammation. After understanding all of the nutritional benefits of cabbage, you need to try this easy-to-make and flavourful soup. You will not be disappointed!

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Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
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Filed Under: Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Savoury Garnishes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Cabbage, Fast and Easy Dishes, Gluten Free Recipes, Soups

Blenditarian Hamburger Soup

By Denise Pare-Watson

Blenditarian Challenge Series

Everyone has their own favourite soup recipe, whether brothy or thick and chunky. My favourite at this time of year is the thick, wholesome variety. This Blenditarian Hamburger Soup is all of that and more. My version is chock-a-block full of mushrooms, aromatic vegetables and also includes lentils and barley for a hearty bowlful of comfort food – a complete meal in a bowl.Blenditarian Logo | urbnspice.com

To backtrack a bit: Blenditarian.Com has initiated a monthly challenge for anyone to incorporate their Blenditarian approach into interesting and fun themed dishes.  Just to clarify for my readers, a Blenditarian is “one who believes the mighty, meaty mushroom makes meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable.”  This approach stretches ground meat with finely chopped mushrooms to create a flavourful and more nutritious dish. The theme for the March Blenditarian Challenge is to cook up a “family favourite” dish and include ‘The Blend’. For this reason, I am sharing my recipe for Blenditarian Hamburger Soup, which is our family favourite.

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Blenditarian Hamburger Soup | urbnspice.com…

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Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Beans and Legumes, Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Preservative Free, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Blenditarian Recipes, Family Favourites, Gluten Free, Soups, Vegetables

Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup with Yogurt Drizzle

By Denise Pare-Watson

One of my most popular culinary teaching classes has consistently been my “Soups, Simplified” course.  The students always indicated in their feedback that they were blown away by how much they learned in this class.  As well, they pledged that they would never, ever dispose of vegetable scraps or peelings again after completing the course.  The class always included several treats for the students.  For example, this Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup with Yogurt Drizzle was a hit!  It was served at the beginning of the program as an amuse-bouche prior to starting the class discussion.  I thought I would share it this easy-to-make recipe with my readers since it is also very popular for Valentine’s Day,  as well as luncheons or bridal and baby showers.   This elegant gluten-free soup is served chilled and can be made in minutes with fresh or frozen strawberries.

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Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup | urbnspice.com…

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
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Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, Preservative Free, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Appetizers, Fast and Easy Dishes, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Small Plates, Soups

Cabbage Roll Soup

By Denise Pare-Watson

You may or may not know that this is National Soup Month and given the weather we have been experiencing, it can be a very welcome emphasis in our meal planning.  This is Anna Olson’s recipe from The Soup Sisters Family Cookbook.  Anna comments that making this hearty Cabbage Roll Soup is so much easier than making traditional cabbage rolls and it is every bit as tasty. Chunky soups such as this are always more delicious the second day. This soup also freezes very well.

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Cabbage Roll Soup | urbnspice.com

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Cabbage, Comfort Food, Cookbook Reviews, Family Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Soups

Tomato-Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic

By Denise Pare-Watson

For those who know me well, two things are quite clear.  One, I love cookbooks and have an extensive collection.  They are like treasured friends.  Two, making soup is something that I love to do – several times a week.  I welcomed the opportunity to review The Soup Sisters newest cookbook, “The Soup Sisters Family Cookbook – More Than 100 Family-Friendly Recipes To Make and share with Kids of All Ages”. I am pleased to share with you today one of their featured recipes called, “Tomato-Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic” which is an uncomplicated, fast and flavourful soup to make.

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Tomato-Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic | urbnspice.com

The recipes are categorized in the most interesting way:

  • Garden Grown:  Soups for all seasons where fresh vegetables take a starring role
  • Magic Beans: Soups made with pulses (split peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils & more)
  • Noodling Around: Soups stocked up with noodles and stuffed pasta
  • The Main Event:  Hearty Main Course Soups packed with chicken, beef, pork, fish or seafood
  • Chill Out:  Soups created to be eaten cold

Here is an example from each category:

  • Autumn Pear (or Apple) and Parsnip Soup
  • BLT:  Bacon, Lentil and Tomato Soup
  • Dragon Soup
  • Cabbage Roll Soup
  • Roasted Okanagan Tomato Gazpacho

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
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License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookbook Reviews, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Preservative Free, Refined Sugar Free Recipes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Cookbook Reviews, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Refined Sugar Free Recipes, Roasted Garlic, Soups, Tomatoes, Vegan

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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