Soup in the Summer? YES with The Splendid Spoon

At the Speciality Foods Show in June, I met Nicole Chaszar, founder and "Spoon Captain" at The Splendid Spoon. I was excited to meet Nicole and learn more about her soup company for two reasons. First, I had just moved to Greenpoint, Brooklyn and realized that Nicole and I were practically neighbors. She started her company locally in Brooklyn and is now shipping her delicious soups all across the country. Second, The Splendid Spoon soups are gluten-free, provide 3+ servings of vegetables in every container, and do not need to be heated up to be consumed. These are gluten-free, delicious, and portable. It's a win-win-win product if you ask me!

Sold in both bottles and pints, The Splendid Spoon soups come in flavors like market gazpacho (my personal favorite!), vegan bone broth, cauliflower coconut, strawberry rhubarb (think soup meets smoothie), butternut tumeric, and beans & greens. The soups change with the season and all vegetables are sourced from small farms within 200 miles of New York City.

While I enjoyed the Splendid Spoon soups over a few days, the soups are suggested for use as a 1-, 2, or 3-day soup cleanse featuring five soups per day. You can also buy a seasonal sampler as well as build-your-own-soup package. I have never done a cleanse, but these soups were filling enough that I would definitely consider a nutritious soup cleanse with The Splendid Spoon in the future.

If you are looking for a healthy snack, a soup cleanse, or a little bit of both, I highly recommend The Splendid Spoon! Learn more at: http://www.thesplendidspoon.com/

My personal favorite! 

Note: The Splendid Spoon sent me these complimentary soups for my review. Views expressed in this post are my own. 

Kettle Cuisine Winner!

As I sit here eating my Roasted Vegetable soup from Kettle Cuisine, I am excited to announce the giveaway winner chosen by Random.org.

Congratulations to ufg8trj! You are the winner!!

Click here to learn more about Kettle Cuisine soup.

National Soup Month with Kettle Cuisine and Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be sent six different flavors of Kettle Cuisine soup. Then this past weekend, I got to sample more Kettle Cuisine at the Gluten-Free Education Fair at Whole Foods Upper West Side here in Manhattan. I have to say, I am impressed. I am not usually a pre-made soup fan because I find them to be very salty. (When I make soup at home, I never add salt.) Kettle Cuisine wasn't too salty but had a nice balance of flavor. My favorite flavor so far is the Chicken Chili with White Beans which surprised me since I hate white beans. Guess I like them now! All of the soups from Kettle Cuisine are gluten-free and test at 5ppm of gluten or less, which is below the FDA's proposed 20ppm. Additionally, Kettle Cuisine is officially certified as a gluten-free manufacturer by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

Kettle Cuisine soups include:

• Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans GF, DF
• Chicken Chili with White Beans  GF
• Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles  GF, DF, LF
• New England Clam Chowder  GF
• Organic Mushroom and Potato Soup  GF, V
• Roasted Vegetable Soup  GF, V, DF
• Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder  GF
• Thai Curry Chicken Soup  GF, DF
• Three Bean Chili  GF, V, DF
• Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables  GF, V, DF

GF: Gluten-Free, V: Vegetarian, DF: Dairy-Free; LF: Low-Fat

Looking for a recipe to make using Kettle Cuisine soup? Try this Gluten Free Southwestern Nachos recipe (with Kettle Cuisine Three Bean Chili). I am definitely making this ASAP, although I would probably swap out the Fritos for some reduced fat corn chips.

9.25 oz. FRITOS® corn chips (1 retail bag)
1 bowl Kettle Cuisine Three Bean Chili (10oz) (thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
2 oz. Yellow Onion, diced fine
3 oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

1. Heat oven to 400°F
2. Arrange an even layer of corn chips in an oven-proof casserole dish
3. Spoon thawed chili evenly over chips (Chili may also be thawed in the microwave- pull back seal and microwave bowl for 2 minutes)
4. Sprinkle onion over the chili
5. Evenly layer both cheeses over top of mixture
6. Place in oven and heat until cheese melts and chili is warmed through
7. Remove from oven and top with optional garnishes and serve

CELEBRATE NATIONAL SOUP MONTH WITH KETTLE CUISINE!

Want to win your very own samples of Kettle Cuisine gluten-free soups? Simply leave a comment below telling me which flavor sounds the best!