Last year, I wrote this on the very same date as today (1/7):

“-8 degrees and -32 with the wind?  Whhhaaaattttt????

Yes, folks, we’ve been in a polar vortex.  As a lover of weather in general (my original career path was to be a meteorologist), I’m fascinated with all of the weather talk over social media. From the water main break in Columbus, Ohio, to unseasonably freezing temperatures in Florida…it seems as if most of the country is in the middle of a deep freeze.”

This year is not much different!  #polarvortexreturns! It’s bitterly cold today, with wind chills well below zero.  I just received a call that our local school cancelled classes tomorrow!  Well, happy anniversary…it’s a great night for a piping hot bowl of soup!

And, with 2015 in full swing, that means there are more gluten free  and Paleo eaters than ever before, and a delicious and safe bowl of soup can be a challenge to come by. 

I adapted this recipe from Sunny Anderson’s “Steak Soup” listing on Food Network’s website.  The recipe had 5 stars, so I thought I’d give it the ol’ GGF Gourmet try, and was I pleasantly surprised!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  The adaptation meets the GGF requirements of being gluten, grain, and soy free, as well as being simple to make, affordable, and delicious! It’s also dairy free!  Added bonus:  it has a nice spicy kick.  Not too much, not too little.

Remember to double check the labels of all of your spices for hidden gluten ingredients and manufacturing processes on shared equipment.  Please share the link to this post if you like the recipe!

GGF Gourmet Hearty n Spicy Soup

• Spices:
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder 
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt (check this, too…no dextros or maltodextrin allowed!)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Meat prep:
  • 1 pound London Broil steak, cut into cubes
  • 3 TB olive oil
• Soup prep:
  • 1 cup fresh green beans, cleaned and cut in half (or an 8-12 oz. pkg frozen green beans)
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3-4 cups vegetable broth or soup stock
  • 1/2-3/4 cup flat leaf spinach

Simple steps:

In a small or medium mixing bowl, combine all the spices (cumin, garlic powder, thyme, salt, ground black pepper).  Add the cubed London Broil (GGF frugal tip: If you aren’t strict about grass-fed beef (recommended), grocery stores often run meat sales buy one, get one free on roasts; then keep them in the freezer) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the meat cubes are coated with the oil and spices.  Set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until tender.  Add the green beans and saute everything together for a few minutes.  Add the vegetable broth and bring everything to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer.

While the soup base is simmering, place the seasoned London Broil in another pan and brown the meat until just golden brown on each side.  

Once browned, set the meat aside and allow the soup base to simmer for about ten more minutes. Stir the meat and spinach into the simmering soup base and allow it to simmer for just a few more minutes.  

Serve into bowls and enjoy!  For an added treat, make the GGF Gourmet’s mini bread rolls (click here for the recipe) to accompany your soup.  

~The GGF Gourmet