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    Tag: Food

    How to Make Tomato Chicken Soup under 30 minutes

    Main course, Recipes by louise

    As a little girl, my mother usually made soup almost every weekend in Ghana. We would usually have her soup with a fufu, a local starchy dough made from boiled plantain and cassava, and eaten by the people in Ghana. If we were sick, she would make light soup (also known as pepper soup). My all-time favorite soups were either peanut butter soup or palmnut soup which I am going to have to share one of these days.

    I still make some of these soups every now and then but if you’re looking for a quick and easy soup that is rich and tasty then you should try my creamy tomato mushroom chicken soup. It is great on cold nights and also nice to have on hot days.

    All you need are a few key ingredients. So without further ado, here is the recipe and video.

    Prep Time        Cook Time        Total Time

    5 mins                   25 mins                  30 mins

    (Serves:  4)

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp oil (olive oil or avocado oil)
    • 1/4 onion, chopped
    • 1 tbsp paprika
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 roma tomato, chopped
    • 1-2 cups baby bella mushrooms
    • 3-4 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup tomato puree
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 1 tbsp parsley & 1 tbsp dill
    • 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or shredded)
    • 1 spring onion, chopped
    • 1/2 cup cilantro
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    Wash your vegetables and prep your ingredients.

    Chop the onions, tomato, spring onion, cilantro, and cooked chicken.

    Slice your mushrooms. If you buy already chopped mushrooms, this can you save a little time.

    In a large pot, add the oil. When hot, add your onions, paprika and minced garlic.

    Add your tomato and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Pour your chicken broth and heavy cream. You can also use vegetarian broth and opt out of adding chicken to the soup. Blend until lightly creamy.

    Add rest of ingredients.  Simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

    Happy Eating!

    If you try this recipe, please leave a comment.

    RECIPE

    INGREDIENTS

    • 4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
    • 1/4 cup rice flour
    • 1. 5  tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup oil
    • 2 cups water (lukewarm)

    MAKES ABOUT TWO DOZEN TORTILLAS

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Mix dry ingredients together.
    • Add oil to mixture.
    • Gradually add in water and knead until consistency forms a soft dough
    • Let dough rest for 5 mins.
    • Cut dough and roll into small balls and cover with cloth to keep moist.
    • When ready to make, use rolling pin to flatten tortilla into a round shape.
    • Put on hot griddle for 1-2 mins on each side.
    • Wrap tortilla in a cloth to keep warm.  Serve when ready.
    My guilty little secret; having tortillas with honey! They really ARE YUMMY!

    Okay, I don’t always have honey with my tortillas.  Here is proof of how you can dress them up with about anything!

    If you like this post, subscribe to my website.

    Fresh & Easy Avocado Salad

    Appetizers, Recipes by louise

    What better way to celebrate the first day of Spring than to make a healthy and delicious avocado salad?

    For as long as I remember, I’ve always had salad in my diet; vegetable, fruit, or yogurt salad to name a few.  I simply love the vibrant colors and the added benefits of the nutrients you can get just from having a salad. The quick and healthy avocado salad is easy, flavorful, and refreshing. It is the perfect Spring-time snack and can be a complementary addition to your picnic tray.

    I urge you to try making this salad.  If you like the recipe, feel free to share it on Facebook.

    I urge you to try making this salad.  If you like the recipe, feel free to share it on Facebook.

    Recipe

    PREP TIME        COOK TIME        TOTAL TIME

    15 mins                    n/a                   15 mins

    (Serves:  6)

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole red onion
    • 1 whole avocado
    • 2 spring onions
    • 6-8 grape tomatoes
    • 1 English cucumber stick
    • 1/2 cup cilantro
    • 1-2 limes
    • 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
    • Pinch of salt and black pepper

    Instructions

    Slice avocados into squares.

    Slice tomatoes in halves.

    Chop up rest of vegetables into squares.

    Mix chopped ingredients together and squeeze lime into mixture.

    Add olive oil.

    Add salt and black pepper to taste.

    Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Main course, Recipes by louise

    It’s been a few months since I made some chicken tortilla soup, but as the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, all I crave is tea and soup.  Ginger or peppermint tea and soup! While Alex and I don’t always agree on all food choices, we do agree on soup (any soup except peanut butter soup, of course, which I love).  So this was the perfect weekend to make a delicious hearty tortilla soup.

    I love how wholesome and comforting it is, and how incredibly full I get on all the rich vegetables, chicken, broth and tortilla strips.  It’s wonderful. Consider this my inspired version.

    I hope you guys love this tortilla soup as much as I do!  It is light, savory, delicious, comforting, and perfectly spiced.

    If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #louisemillen on instagram!

    RECIPE

    PREP TIME        COOK TIME        TOTAL TIME

    15 mins             40 mins                  55 mins

    (Serves:  4-6)

    Ingredients

    Toppings

    Instructions

    Blueberry Banana Bliss Smoothie

    Drinks, Recipes by louise

    This time of year is always filled with good food, holiday dinners, and social gatherings. It can be tricky to eat healthy with all of the sweet treats around. This blueberry banana smoothie recipe is easy to make, and so much healthier. It will satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with the honey, banana and plum, all while giving you the nutrients you need to start your day off right!

    Adding flax seeds to your smoothie is a healthy way to add fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to your diet and it will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. The fresh blueberries in this recipe gives added flavor to the smoothie. According to whfoods.com, new research has emerged with evidence that blueberries can improve memory with the consumption of 2 – 2.5 cups each day. Did you know even frozen blueberries do not lose its antioxidants?

    The best part is, your kids will love it, and they won’t even know that it is packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium! After all, they do say fruit is nature’s candy!

    Recipe

    Prep time                            Cook time                           Total time

    10 mins                                 5 mins                                   15 mins

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    Wash the fruits and cut up the banana and plum.

    Place the banana, plum, blueberries, strawberries, flax seeds, honey, yogurt, and water in the blender.

    Blend on high until smooth. Add ice to glasses and serve immediately.

    Enjoy!

    Serves: Makes 2-3 medium smoothies

    Cinnamon Persimmon Tea

    Drinks, Recipes by louise

    So what are your plans this halloween? I fancied being Maleficent this year, but a visit to the chaotic aisles at the department stores left me besieged and a bit out of luck.

    I used to think of the Disney classic, Sleeping Beauty as being scary and dark, but in recent years, I have come to view it as a fascinating piece of art and rather perspicacious in so many ways. My favorite is the movie Maleficent that portrays the story from the perspective of the antagonist, depicting her conflicted relationship with the princess Aurora, and the king of a corrupt kingdom.

    Maleficent’s spell in the form of an enchanting cinnamon tea with persimmon and pine nuts is the perfect warm treat for reigning in another year of Halloween fun. This recipe is simple to make, absolutely delicious, and a naturally refreshing alternative when you need something a little fancier than water, but still want to keep it nutritious. Persimmons are a delicious and exotic fruit with a wealth of health benefits packed inside them.

    You can dress your tea in ghoulish cups or keep it simple and use a regular cup. It’s possible the lighter cups could be more in line with Aurora…..yes? Thanks for keeping up with this tale of imagination.

    If you like this recipe, please leave a comment below or tag a photo #louise.millen on instagram. Stay safe this Halloween and make tea your brew of choice!

    Recipe

    Prep Time        Cook Time        Total Time 

     5 mins                                10 mins                             15 mins

    Ingredients

    (Serves:  3-4 cups)

    Instructions

    Tasty Ghana Rock Buns

    Desserts, Recipes by louise

    The wind carries an ever slight chill, a reminder that summer and her beautiful weather departs as Autumn has arrived. Late morning sunrise and rain drizzles from the sky, a subtle hint of Autumn slowly settling in for the next few months and breathing new life into old rhythm.

    Last weekend, in my haste to enjoy a light wholesome snack and after a visit from a wonderful guest from Ghana, I found inspiration to make one of my old time favorites – the Ghanaian rock buns; also known as rock cakes or scones.  They bring back happy childhood memories and I promise you they are delicious and tasty! To me, rock buns are the perfect snack. You may serve them for breakfast on their own, with milk, coffee, or tea. This recipe has been modified from the traditional version. You can also mix it up by adding pumpkin pie spice to the recipe to make each nibble a celebration of the new season.

    RECIPE

    Prep time            Cook time           Total time 10 mins                 20 mins                 30 mins Serves: Makes 12-14 rock buns

    INGREDIENTS

    INSTRUCTIONS

    Please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

    @LOUISEMILLEN