Spicy and Sweet Shrimp and Veggie Soup

Soup is not just good food, it’s great food, but for some reason people think soup is difficult to make.  In fact, it is one of the easiest things you can make and contrary to popular belief, it does not take long to cook. 

I have been known to cook up a soup for lunch the way some people would break open a can.   Canned soup is something I’ve given up.  It’s just too disappointing for me and you can give it up too.   Trust me and try it.  You can’t fail unless you add something crazy and frankly, I can’t think of anything too crazy for a soup. 

This soup is sweet, spicy, filling, delicious and good for you.  What more can you ask for?

Remember to put things together that make sense to you—flavors you think go well together and that you would enjoy.  Once you get your confidence up, experiment as much as you like. 

Kabocha Squash
Kabocha Squash is a prize in our house. It’s a small squash about the size of a cantaloupe. There is no need to peel it either. It has a sweet flavor with a texture like potatoes, not watery like many other squashes. Like most orange vegetables, Kabocha weighs in with a high percentage of Vitamin A.

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RECIPE

Shrimp and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

• Onion
• Red Sweet Bell Peppers chopped
• Green Cabbage (about a quarter or a little more)
• Kabocha Squash (I used one half)
• Fresh Green Beans with the tough end cut
• Carrots (2) ends cut and peeled
• Okra cut crosswise (discard tough end)
• Red cabbage (small amount for color)
• Two packs of Knorr Powdered Chicken Bouillon
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, Black pepper, Season salt (with caution—bouillon is already salty), red pepper flakes (if desired)
• Fresh or uncooked frozen shrimp (shelled and deveined) I used jumbo shrimp but cut them in two or three pieces
• 8 cups of water (the water should just cover the veggies.  Go too high and your soup will be thin and watery).

Directions:

•          Prepare vegetables and add to the pot. 
•          Fill pot with water just above veggies.  You don’t want your soup to be too thin and watery.
•          Add powdered bouillon and mix well (when I’m making a vegetable soup, I like to use chicken bouillon or a homemade chicken broth for a richer flavor.  Feel free to skip this or use a vegetable-based bouillon or broth.)
•          Season with garlic powder, black pepper, a little season salt and red pepper flakes (use with caution because they do intensify over time).
•          Bring to a boil and turn fire down to simmer.
•          Cover and let cook until all veggies are tender.
•          Add shrimp and let simmer until shrimp is pink (just a few minutes)
•          Turn off the fire and let the soup flavors meld together-if you can wait.
•          Stir once more to mix well.

Please note that soup is even better the second day.

Enjoy!

Got questions?  Fire away!