Recipe: Healthy Ham and Potato Soup (Gluten Free & Grain Free!)

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Hello, my name is Kristy and I am pathetic when it comes to cold weather. 

No seriously. I'm currently wrapped in a blanket, delaying my morning walk until the sun starts shining and the temperature rises a few degrees. 

You'd think I lived in Siberia... but I actually live in Sydney... where it's generally only 20 degrees celsius (68F) and not actually freezing like I so commonly say it is. 

But there are a few good things about cooler weather. 

Things like; 

snuggly puppy dogs

cosy blankets 

fluffy slippers 

hot cups of tea 

steaming bowls of oatmeal

fireplaces 

decreased social activity*

*I kid... kind of.... I'm actually a really social person... just not in winter time because I turn into a massive grump thanks to S.A.D 😜

And soup. Soup is a majorly good thing. 

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Thankfully, whilst my parents are kind of weirdos and never thought of soup as "dinner food", Jesse is very much aboard the soup loving train - and every time the temperature drops just a little bit lower, he starts asking for it. 

This Creamy Ham and Potato Soup is a relatively new recipe that I made on a whim. It was inspired by my Healthy Creamy Potato and Leek Soup Recipe, only I didn't have any leeks and I had some leftover ham that needed to be used up - so I decided to make a Ham and Potato Soup instead. 

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When I first mentioned it to Jesse, he wasn't convinced. 

He gave me this weird look and said "well.. it could be good... but it could also be really weird.. I'm not sure how it will go". 

Luckily, I totally ignored his distrust of the soup and went ahead and made it, because it's now one of our all time favourites!

It's a flavour packed soup that is so easy to make and healthy to boot! 

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

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Easy Creamy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

makes 4 servings of soup that are low fat, gluten free, clean eating friendly,

sugar free, nut free, soy free, dairy free option

1 white onion, peeled and diced

3 large ribs of celery, diced 

1/2 cup chopped ham 

1 tbsp butter or oil

6 cups diced raw potato (peeled)

3 cups chicken stock 

1 cup milk of your choice*

2 tbsp cornflour 

1/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese*

Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve: Additional ham, cracked black pepper and chopped chives

• To Make This Recipe on the Stove: 
• Place your onion, celery, ham and butter/oil in a large saucepan.
• Saute your onion mixture over a medium-high heat until your onion and celery have softened.
• Add in your diced potato and stock and bring your mixture to the boil. 
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer your soup until your potato is soft. 
• Remove your soup from the heat and blend with an immersion blender or carefully transfer your soup to a food processor or blender.
• Blend until the soup reaches your desired consistency (we usually only pulse it once or twice to break up any big chunks).
• Mix your cornflour with your milk to create a slurry and add it to your soup mixture. 
• Place your saucepan back on the stove over a medium heat and cook until it reaches your desired thickness. 
• Add in your cream cheese, stirring to melt and incorporate all of the ingredients. 
• Season to taste and serve with some extra ham, cracked black pepper and chopped chives. 
• To Make This Recipe in a Cuisine Companion/Thermomix** 
• Place your onion in the bowl, fitted with the ultrablade. Process your onion on speed 12 for 30 seconds to 1 min to finely chop, pausing and scraping down the sides in between to ensure everything is chopped.
• Turn on the P1 slow cooker function and add your ham, celery, butter/oil and a splash of water. Saute your onion mixture for 5 minutes (on 130C) on the P1 program without the stopper. 
• Add in your potato and chicken stock and cook on P2 set to 100C for 20 minutes without the stopper until your potatoes are soft. 
• Mix your cornflour into your milk to create a slurry, ensuring no lumps remain.
• Add your cornstarch mixture to soup and reset your machine, cooking on P2 at 100C for 10-20 minutes, or until thickened.
• At the end of cooking time, add your cream cheese and place the stopper on top of your lid. Pulse to blend the soup - processing just enough to break up any big lumps.
• Season to taste and serve with some extra ham, cracked black pepper and chopped chives. 

*You can leave out the cream cheese completely if you prefer. If you require a dairy free version, use non dairy milk and a dairy free cream cheese (or leave it out). 

**I'm not sure about the exact programs on the Thermomix, however, adapt the recipe to follow the same directions you'd use for any similar soup. 

But tell me, what's your go-to winter/cold weather comfort food?

And are you a soup fan? What's your favourite?

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