Spring Nettle Soup

Spring Nettle Soup - Image Credit An Irish Village Pantry

I first learned about nettles from Do Chara in my Soup Recipes from the UK post, and most recently when I conducted a link rundown for St. Patrick's Day on The Huffington Post. Stinging nettles, as they are traditionally called, are a weed that is grown throughout Ireland that is also enjoyed in numerous dishes such as in soup. An Irish Village Pantry, who was also featured on Huff Post for her Ancient Irish Leek and Oatmeal Soup, recently shared with me this unique spring soup recipe that was created as an act of revenge of sorts after the wild-growing nettle plants took over her rose garden. In her post, she also recounts how her Great-Grandmother used to make this soup all the time who told the family about its rich nutritional properties like vitamins A and C, iron and even some protein. 

Sheelagh's recipe is a great addition to try a new soup this spring, which includes onions, potatoes, stock, milk, creme fraiche, and of course the stinging nettles. Sheelagh also notes that those concerned about the nettles should take note the formic acid (what gives the nettles its sting) is killed through the cooking process but you should also wear gloves through out the preparation of the soup to avoid being stung. Enjoy!

Spring Nettle Soup by An Irish Village Pantry

Ingredients:
(serves 2)
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium potato chopped
250ml chicken / vegetable stock
150ml milk
60g young nettle tops
50ml cream / creme fraiche
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tsp butter
1 tsp rapeseed or olive oil
salt and pepper


Directions:

Peel and chop the onion and potato. Put a small to medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat with the oil and butter. Add the chopped onion and potato and gently cook without color for 3 minutes.
In the meantime, wash the nettles in a colander using a fork - or wear gloves! Add the milk and stock to the onion and potato and cook for another five minutes or until soft. Add the nettles and parsley and cook for another two to three minutes until the nettles are wilted but still retaining a green color. Puree in a blender or food processor and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and garnish with cream or creme fraiche and crispy bacon bits or lardons.



To read more Irish recipes, please visit: An Village Pantry

Turkey Barley and Sweet Potato Soup

Amazing Delicious Turkey Barley and Sweet Potato Soup by Skinny Kitchen

One of the greatest aspects about working on Soupy (other than making the soups themselves) is the amazing opportunity to meet - both in person and online - so many passionate home cooks and chefs. One blogger that I have admired and really hope to meet one day is Nancy Fox. As the creator of Skinny Kitchen, a website devoted to healthy eating and cooking tips, Nancy creates weekly recipes that include Weight Watchers points, a list of healthy alternatives and nutritional information so that you can compare recipes. For this guest post, Nancy shared her Amazing Delicious Turkey Barley and Sweet Potato Soup recipe that uses turkey instead of chicken, celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and pearl barley to create a full-bodied soup with great texture. I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy-to-prepare soup and stay tuned for more contributions from Nancy in the next couple of weeks.

Guest Post: by Nancy Fox of Skinny Kitchen

 
Amazing Delicious Turkey Barley and Sweet Potato Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour

Ingredients:
1 (32 ounce) container reduced-sodium chicken broth (we like Swanson’s Organic reduced-sodium.)
1(14oz) can reduced- sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup dried pearl barley
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon from a jar)
1 ¼ cups carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup onions, chopped (~1 small onion)
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (~2 sweet potatoes)
1 ½ cups cooked turkey breast (skin removed), diced
Fresh ground pepper to taste


Instructions:
1. In a large pot add the chicken broth and barley.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, in a pan add the olive oil, garlic, carrots, celery, onions,  and  sauté until vegetables are soft (~ 5 minutes)
3. Add the sautéed vegetables to the broth.  Cook uncovered for 30 minutes
4. Add the sweet potatoes and season with pepper.  Continue to cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Stir in the cooked turkey and cook 10 minutes longer.
Makes 8 cups

Food Fact:

Barley dates back to the Stone Age.  The ancient Greeks relied on barley to make bread and athletes attributed much of their strength and physical growth to their barley rich diet.

Healthy Benefit:

Pearled barley in high in cholesterol- lowering fiber and is low in fat.  A single serving offers 11% of the RDA of iron and has a fair amount of folate and niacin.

Shopping Tip

You can find dried pearl barley in the supermarket aisle with the dried beans.


Substitution Tip:
If desired, substitute chicken for the turkey.

Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 4

SKINNY FACTS: for 1 cup
162 cal, 2g fat, 10g protein, 26g carbs, 5g fiber, 418mg sodium, 5g sugar

FAT FACTS: for a regular cup of Turkey, Barley and Sweet Potato Soup
260 cal, 8g fat, 10g protein, 26g carbs, 4.8g fiber, 1074mg sodium, 5g sugar

Skinny Kitchen is your fun guide to healthy yet decadent-tasting foods. Each week we share skinny recipes, cooking tips, food finds, nutrition facts and WW POINTS on every recipe. Join Nancy Fox for the recipes and more at http://skinnykitchen.com/.