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Soup in a Jar Mix Recipes

December 19, 2019 Jennifer Fisher
10 minutes
Serves: 10
Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter with Guacamole Herb Blend

Soup in a Jar Mixes are a frugal yet flavorful way to stockpile the pantry with the beginnings of an easy, wholesome meal that will warm up the family on blustery winter nights. Just add the contents of each jar to a stock pot, with a few extra ingredients, and voilà – you have “almost” instant soup! These soup starters are also well-received as thoughtful holiday or hostess gifts, layered up in pretty glass jars and tied up with a ribbon and gift label. Today, I’m sharing one more soup mix idea that can be meal prepped in minutes Garlicky Herbed Potato Soup Mix.

In the Soup in a Jar Mixes, I’ve relied on various freeze-dried herb blends from Litehouse Foods including the Italian Herb Blend, Poultry Herb Blend and Guacamole Herb Blend. These pantry staples add quick flavor to my meals and I appreciate the elimination of food waste (no more rotting fresh herbs in my fridge) and how the various herbs and spices in each blend are pre-portioned in the perfect ratio to remove the guesswork (and labor) of measuring out numerous of ingredients individually.

Glass canning jars, sealable plastic containers and even zip-top baggies will work for these Soup in a Jar Mixes – however, with the latter, the attractive ingredient layering will not be possible. To be Earth-friendly, I’ve chosen to use used Litehouse Dressing jars. These 13-ounce jars are easy to prep for reuse after the dressing inside has been used. Simply peel off the removable label from the jar (stick in the microwave for 3 seconds to warm the adhesive, if needed) and use a butter knife to pop out and discard the disposable liner that sits in the top of the lid. Run the jar and lid through the dishwasher and let completely dry before adding soup mix ingredients.

Layering a gift jar of Vegan Italian Bean & Lentil Soup Mix

Vegan Italian Bean & Lentil Soup: This hearty, colorful soup is suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets with a medley of white beans, red lentils, green split peas and vegetable bouillon. Litehouse Italian Herb Blend adds that signature old-world flavor featuring basil, oregano, garlic, red onion, red pepper, marjoram, rosemary and sage that are freeze-dried to optimize flavor.  To prepare the soup, all that is required is water and a can of petite-diced tomatoes.

Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter (for Beef): This stick-to-your ribs chili starter features the plant power of black beans, quinoa and freeze-dried veggies to balance with beef bouillon and ground beef that is added in later during meal-time preparation, along with a can of tomato sauce.  Not just for avocados, the Litehouse Guacamole Herb Blend, adds amazing southwestern flavor thanks to red onions, cilantro, lemon peel, tomato, red chili, garlic, and cumin seasonings.

Lemony Chicken Noodle Soup (for Chicken): This comforting, classic soup is a family favorite and workable with gluten-free diets thanks to rice noodles. “Nests” of dry rice noodles are stuffed into jars long with dried lemon peel, chicken bouillon and Litehouse Poultry Herb Blend, featuring onion, thyme, sage, marjoram, spring onions, garlic and rosemary. To prepare, add chopped shredded chicken or leftover holiday and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.

Soup in a Jar Mix Recipes

December 19, 2019 Jennifer Fisher
10 minutes
Serves: 10

Treat family and friends to an (almost) home-cooked meal thanks to our three hearty, healthy soup mix ideas. Layer ingredients up in pretty jars for gift-giving, perfect for the holidays, hostess gifts, new-neighbor gifts, or just to stock your own pantry!

Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter with Guacamole Herb Blend
Ingredients
    Vegan Italian Bean & Lentil Soup - For Mix:
  • 2 tbspLitehouse Italian Herb Blend
  • ⅓ cupDry Red Lentils
  • ⅓ cupDry Split Peas
  • ⅓ cupDry White Beans
  • 1 eaVegetable Bouillon Cube
  • Layer all these ingredients in a 13 to 16-ounce glass jar. - Added at Prep:
  • 6 cupWater
  • 1 ea14-oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes
  • Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter (for Beef)
  • ¾ cupDry Black Beans
  • ¼ cupDry Quinoa
  • 2 ½ ozDehydrated Vegetables (I used Karen’s Just Veggies brand)
  • 2 tbspLitehouse Guacamole Herb Blend
  • 2 tspChili Powder
  • 1 eaBeef Bouillon Cube
  • Layer all these ingredients in a 13 to 16-ounce glass jar. - Added at Prep:
  • ½ lbsLean Ground Beef
  • 5 cupWater
  • 8 ozcan Tomato Sauce
  • Lemony Rice Noodle Soup (for Chicken)
  • 4 ozRice Noodles (approximately 2 “nests”)
  • 2 tbspLitehouse Poultry Herb Blend
  • 1 tspDried Lemon Peel (store-bought on spice aisle or zested at home and dried overnight)
  • 1 eaChicken Bouillon Cube
  • Layer all these ingredients in a 13 to 16-ounce glass jar. - Added at Prep:
  • 4-6 ozShredded/cubed Cooked Chicken
  • 4 cupWater
Optional:
  • ½ eafresh juice of ½ lemon

Directions

Vegan Italian Bean & Lentil Soup
Remove wrapper on vegetable bouillon cube and add it, along with remaining contents of jar to soup pot.
Pour in 6 cups of water and 14-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes (with juice) and bring to boil over high heat.Reduce heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes, or until beans are tender and soup is thickened.Add more water, if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Serves 4.
Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter (for Beef)
In soup pot, brown ½ pound of ground beef and drain excess liquid.
Remove wrapper on beef bouillon cube and add it, plus all remaining ingredients in jar to soup pot.Pour in five cups of water and can of tomato sauce and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the beans are tender and the soup is thick, about 90 minutes, adding more water as necessary to soften the beans and maintain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Lemony Chicken Rice Noodle Soup
Remove noodle “nest” from jar and set aside.
Remove wrapper on chicken bouillon cube it to pot, along with remaining contents of jar, and 4 cups of water. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.Add 4-ounces of shredded or cubed cooked chicken and dry rice noodle “nests” to soup and simmer for an additional 3 minutes, stirring to loosen noodles up. Serve with a lemon wedge, if desired. Serves 2.

Litehouse products used

Freeze Dried Italian Herb Blend

Herbs

Guacamole Herb Blend

Herbs

Freeze Dried Poultry Herb Blend

Herbs
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