So I was introduced to Italian Wedding Soup through East Side Mario’s in Vancouver back in 2009. Went out for dinner with a friend and his pals and since East Side Mario’s was my hands down fav restaurant, it was a no brainer to just try the damn soup. So yesterday the local grocery store had Italian Wedding Soup on their lunch run. Like French Onion Soup, I MUST try it everywhere I go. So let me tell you this – I am disappointed. I had this understanding that this light soup should contain a chicken or turkey meatball, not beef. This might be a personal preference considering that I honestly just don’t understand mixing beef meat with chicken broth. Am I wrong? I don’t know, but I don’t really care. My soup won’t have beef balls in it, thanks.
So, here is where I tell you that I decided to make a clean version of the soup. I have control over sodium and I have control over the spinach content of it too. So here goes:
NOTE: Clean eating means that you’re using unprocessed foods and ingredients. So read the labels to products like veggies, beans, etc. You’d be surprised what’s being thrown in there.
For The Soup:
- 7 cups chicken broth (Will link recipe for broth soon!)
- 3 cups water
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (optional)
- 2 stalks of celery, sliced
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 5 cups of kale (or other greens)
- 1 Tbsp dried fennel (optional)
For The Meatballs:
Meatballs-
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/3 cup finely diced onion
- 3 big sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Steps:
Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to a big pot and toss in the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, fennel (if you’re using it) and quinoa. Cook over medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions just start to soften and the quinoa is slightly toasted.
Add the broth, water, and pepper. Bring it all to a gentle boil. While the soup mixture is heating up, you can begin cutting the kale into small pieces and adding it into the liquid try scissors if you want more control of cutting it. Don’t use stems or tough parts.
Once the soup is boiling, reduce to a simmer. In a medium bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix well. Just use your hands. Honestly, it feels gross but mixes nicely this way.
Roll mixture into mini meatballs and drop them into the pot. (If the mixture seems too dry and the meatballs won’t stick together, add a splash of egg whites.) After about every 10 or so meatballs, use a spoon to push them down into the soup. You might need to add a little extra water or broth if there’s not enough liquid to submerge them all.
Once the last meatball is in the pot, increase the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, the veggies are tender, and the quinoa has little curls. Serve garnished with a bit of extra parmesan cheese if desired.
Per 1-cup serving – 143 Calories (40 Calories from Fat), 4g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 26mg Cholesterol, 160mg Sodium, 14g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 12g Protein, 118% DV Vitamin A, 51% DV Vitamin C, 10% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron.
A Fat Girl's Guide to Life. 