Lemony Chickpea Soup with Frizzled Shallots & Herby Oil

and a reflection on this time last year

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, thoughts, and faves in your inbox every Tuesday!

REMINDER: PAID TIER IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS UNTIL JANUARY 2023!

During this hiatus, your membership will remain paused and you will not be charged until the beginning of January when I resume. The free, Tuesday weekly edition of this newsletter will still continue!

Thank you for understanding, and I look forward to coming back next year better than ever!

CATCH UP!

First off, I want to make sure no one missed last week’s newsletter, “The Ultimate 2022 Gift Guide!" This gift guide is broken down into 9 categories based on type of person:

• The Foodie

• The Home Obsessed

• The Stylish Lounger

• The In-Laws

• The Person Who Buys Themselves Everything

• The Minimalist

• The Outdoorsy Eco-Conscious

• Dad

• Mom

I spent a lot of time on the guide, so I hope it’s helpful!

I know it’s not quite December yet, but I’m already reflecting on this year. I feel like so much has happened in 2022, for me at least. I bought a house. I got married. I got a dog. I think I might be an adult now, maybe?!

It’s funny to think I’ve only been making videos for a year now, and this time last year I was SO down on myself and my work. I felt so insecure about working with a new format and having to adjust, and I’m really proud of myself for pushing through that and starting a new work routine. I feel a lot more at ease, and now that I’m getting the technical stuff down, I feel like I can finally start playing with creativity a bit more too.

I have yet to think about what I want to accomplish out of 2023, but one thing I’ve already started doing is journaling again. For me, it’s the best way to release all my thoughts and work through things, and it had been over a year since I touched mine. Going back to my thoughts a few weeks ago, I think this will be a great way to get back in touch with my deeper self.

Time is flying, but I will NOT skip quickly past holiday season into January yet! I have a bad habit of jumping ahead, but I’m ready to enjoy December!

THINGS I’M LOVING!

I went years without owning a Dutch Oven, and now I’m confused how I ever lived without one? I’ve been using my Made In Navy Dutch Oven SO much, especially with all the soups I’ve been making. I particularly like this one because it’s less than half the price of a Le Creuset but the quality is still AMAZING. Add this one to your holiday list!

I have always been a Converse girlie, and I am one to wear them any time of day, but I figured it was time to get a new pair if I wanted to dress them up a bit more. Enter the Platform High-Top Converse! I love these because they fulfill my unshakeable requirement to be comfortable while also looking ~cool~ thanks to the double-stacked sole.

Honestly, it’s pretty rare that I become so brand loyal, but I just love Ilia so much. I use their products for the majority of my makeup, but I just added in a new product: the Ilia Lip Balm in Wanderlust! I wanted something a little darker for all the special events I have been going to, and I love how it looks (see pic below). Also, it truly feels hydrating which is my main issue with lip color generally.

RECIPE!

This soup is a riff on Avgolemono, Greek Lemon Soup, where you use lemon and egg yolks to make a creamy broth. I added some fennel for some extra flavor, and topped the whole thing off with some crispy shallots and a beautiful green herb oil.

For the oil, I used basil, parsley, and chives, but you can experiment with whatever herbs you have on hand. You’ll have enough to save for later — I fried my eggs in it for breakfast the next day, and it was a little hack to get some green nutrients in.

Lemony Chickpea Soup with Frizzled Shallots & Herby Oil

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

• 1 cup finely chopped carrots (about 2 medium/large carrots)

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 yellow onion)

• 3/4 cup chopped fennel (about 1/2 head)

• 4 large cloves garlic, minced

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4-5 small lemons)

• 3 egg yolks, whisked

• Salt & pepper

Shallots

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

Herb Oil

• 1 cup herbs (I used chives, parsley, and basil)

• 2/3 cup olive oil

• Salt

1. Start by frying your shallots. Add olive oil to a small pan on medium heat, and add the shallots. Fry until shallots turn golden and crispy on the edges, about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning (I struggle with this part lol). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil, and set aside.

2. To make herb oil, prepare an ice bath by putting water and ice in a medium bowl. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the herbs, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute or until herbs darken in color. Remove immediately and add to the ice bath to let cool. Once cool, squeeze to remove water, and add to a blender along with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend for 2-4 minutes or until oil turns a rich green color. Once it has darkened, stop blending, and set aside.

3. To prepare soup, add olive oil to a dutch oven or pot. Add the carrots, onion, and fennel, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté for 7-8 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Stir in the garlic, and cook for an additional minute. Add in the vegetable broth and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Add chickpeas, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add a splash of the hot soup to the whisked egg yolks, and then mix the egg yolk into the soup.

4. Serve topped with the frizzled shallots and a few drizzles of the herb oil. Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.

Don’t miss out on any posts!!! Become a subscriber and get posts like these every Tuesday directly in your inbox!