Saturday, January 21, 2012

Hearty Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Image from the kitchn


If you haven't checked Big Lots, Odd lots for food items you are missing out! Some stores don't have a Grocery section, but the ones that I've visited I've found International Orange Fanta, biscoff cookies, a HUGE jar of Garam Masala spice mix for $2!! Yes $2!

There are also tons of no salt added, gluten free, organic and vegan packaged foods. Kashi is a brand I buy frequently but beware Kashi products tend to taste stale about a month before the expiration date.
Grab spices for $1 a pop for ~5oz of black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, no salt seasoning...  I don't remember all of them all but I'm sure there are at least 20 spices and mixes to choose from.

Cold weather always gives me a hankering to make some soup. Today, I was lazy and only made a PB&J sandwich. This post is about the last batch of soup I made because I got a steal on a bag of Bob's Red Mill Wild Rice mix for $3 at Big Lots. (It was the last one!) I was in the process of making my standard soup and I was just going to add the rice mix instead of pasta or potatoes. I spotted the wild rice and mushroom soup recipe on the back of the package and I decided to follow it.  I'm glad I did cause this soup tasted great! I make my soups a little spicy and it is the perfect warm winter lunch or dinner. This soup was gone in 3 days..Normally my soups last me over a week!

Many were very surprised that this soup is meatless. Its so hearty you really don't miss it. I only had two mushrooms that went into the large soup pot, so it really wasn't a mushroom soup until the second and third batches.  I added 2 bags of frozen veggies toward the end of the cooking because I don't like my veggies too soft but you can add them at whatever stage you want.

Modified Wild Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup
Here is my reduced calorie, increased veggie modified version

Ingredients:
3T  Butter 
2 large Garlic Cloves, chopped 
1 medium Onion, chopped 
1/2 tsp. Thyme or Rosemary
1 cup Wild Rice and Brown Rice Mix 
10 cups Chicken Stock (Or 10 water I normally add 2 chicken,beef or veggie bouillon cubes to taste)
1/2 pound Mushrooms, stems discarded, coarsely chopped 
1 tsp. Sea Salt 
1/2 tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper 
2 packages of frozen vegetable soup mix from Kroger* (Mix of carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, okra, green peas, celery, onions)
1 cup skim or 2% milk

Directions:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Add rice and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is tender but not over cooked. Add the vegetables with the rice or 20 minutes after the rice has been cooking. Add salt, pepper, and milk into soup and cook until heated through. After the milk is added be sure not to let the soup boil! Serve at once.

*for me its the okra, green beans and lima beans that really add to the soup.


Here is the original recipe:

Wild & Brown Rice Mushroom Soup 
contributed by Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
Ingredients:
    • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Butter 
    • 2 large Garlic Cloves, chopped 
    • 1 medium Onion, chopped 
    • 1/2 tsp. Thyme 
    • 1 cup Wild Rice and Brown Rice Mix 
    • 6 cups Chicken Stock 
    • 1/2 pound combination of fresh Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms, stems discarded, coarsely chopped 
    • 1 tsp. Sea Salt 
    • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper 
    • 1/4 cup Half-and-Half 
Directions:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Add rice and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is tender but not over cooked. Melt remaining butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute or until tender. Stir mushrooms, salt, pepper, and half-and-half into soup and cook until heated through. Serve at once.

Serves 6 to 8.


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories 240, Calories from Fat 90, Total Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 6g, Cholesterol 25g, Sodium 160mg, Total Carbohydrates 28g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 3g, Protein 11g.

Source: Found here!


2 comments:

  1. When I read the title of this post, my mouth watered. I've never made this soup, but it sounds so perfect!

    YES, I love the Big Lots food aisle! I was there today, actually, getting reduced decorations (90% off!). I love all the imported foods Big Lots carries, reminds me of the Aldi store. The only problem I've ever had is with some expired cinnamon I bought there once. But I'm thinking anyone could've looked at that plastic shaker and seen it was too old to buy. I cleaned them out of some birch beer once. =)

    Enjoy the rest of your soup, Kemi! I bet I would. =)

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  2. I wish I had leftovers! A friend made some chili for me on friday so I have a bit of that left to warm me up. :)

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