The Wellness War

Until I'm back...

2012-02-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

The newest cookbook I'm really excited about:

Rustic Chik'n Pot Pie

2012-01-24T14:08:00.000-08:00

Phew-I have been gone a long time! Sorry about that. And I'm about to be gone again. Bear with me please. Things are getting crazy around here.

Anyway, I made this delicious meal a few weeks ago & couldn't wait to share it with you. But then I lost the recipe I had written down. I just found it. So I'm gonna hurry up & post it before I lose it again.

(These pictures are from the old camera, sorry they aren't great)

This one was a big hit. Even Bubba ate it, which as you know is no small victory.

In a skillet, saute your diced onion for about 3 minutes.

Add celery leaves, shredded carrots, sweet potatoes, edamame, peas, S&P, garlic powder & butter.

Saute for about 8 minutes. Stir in the tenders.

Clear room in the middle to add the 'sauce' ingredients:

dijon, milk, greek yogurt, condensed soup, tarragon, thyme

Mix together, then slowly mix in the rest of the pan ingredients

When all mixed well, let warm through. Then spread into a 9X13 pan evenly.

Top with the biscuit halves.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Enjoy!

Rustic Chik'n Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Quorn tenders

1/2 c. shredded carrots

celery leaves from one bunch, chopped

1 10 oz. bag frozen organic sweet potatoes

1 onion, chopped

1 T. butter

1/2 C edamame

1 11oz. box condensed mushroom soup (Trader Joe's)

1/3 c. milk

3/4 c. non-fat Greek yogurt

1 C frozen green peas

1/4 C Dijon mustard

1 T. tarragon

1 T. thyme

S&P

garlic powder

1 can buttermilk biscuit dough, each sliced in half horizontally

Directions:

In a skillet, saute your diced onion for about 3 minutes. Add celery leaves, shredded carrots, sweet potatoes, edamame, peas, S&P, garlic powder & butter. Saute for about 8 minutes. Stir in the tenders. Clear room in the middle to add the 'sauce' ingredients: dijon, milk, greek yogurt, condensed soup, tarragon, thyme. Mix together, then slowly mix in the rest of the pan ingredients. When all mixed well, let warm through. Then spread into a 9X13 pan evenly. Top with the biscuit halves. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

While its no School Night Supper, this dinner comes together pretty quickly. This could easily be made into individual portions also with a biscuit topping each. It is certainly full of vegetables, which as Bubba can attest, you can't even tell they're in there! Which is good for everyone with veggie-resistant kids. Or husbands.

Noticeable difference...

2012-01-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

I hope you're all enjoying your weekends. I just wanted to stop in & say I got a new camera! The difference is HUGE in quality. Considering it only cost $30 more than the old one I bought in 2009, clearly the new brand is way better. Wait till you see the new pictures of the delicious recipe I made today! See you soon...

Vegetarian Pantry Chili

2012-01-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

With a well stocked pantry you can make anything! Even when mine's not so well stocked, I threw this together in no time. Therefore, I did not have to go out in crappy weather. How nice is that?

I have to apologize-I don't have a picture. I dropped my camera on Christmas morning & now it works only sometimes. And zooming is no longer an option.

Vegetarian Pantry Chili

Ingredients:

Lentils red split - dry measure, 1 cup

Kidney Beans, Red or Light Red, 1 can

Salsa Verde - 1 jar 16 oz.

V8 Vegetable Juice- 1 1/2 cups

Quorn Tenders, whole package

Vidalia onion, 1 medium, chopped

Trader Joe's Organic Tomatoes Diced & Fire Roasted, 1 can

EVOO

chili powder

S&P

garlic powder

onion powder

True Lime

red wine vinegar

paprika

Directions:

Saute onion in 1 Tbsp. evoo. Add in tomatoes, salsa verde & all seasonings. Cook together. Add in the remaining ingredients & simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.

Serving Size: Makes about 10 - 1 cup servings

Top with desired chili toppings & enjoy! And I've even included the nutritional information for you!

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 173.1

Total Fat: 2.4 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 908.7 mg
Total Carbs: 25.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.1 g
Protein: 9.2 g

Catching you up

2012-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday season! I know I did. I didn't overindulge & therefore felt pretty good the whole season. Now I just need to get back on my Pilates machine & up my veggie intake. I'm going to Florida in the near future & would like to get a little healthier before I leave. I know that trip will be nothing but indulgence!

Here's what's been up!

Very clean!

Baking with my girl

Santa's coming

Lots of fires

Nutcracker

We met some ballerinas

And lastly, we rang in the New Year with a big fish!

See ya soon...

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

From my family to yours~

have a happy, healthy holiday!

See you in 2012!

Rustic Winter Minestrone

2011-12-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

Whilst lounging at the Lake watching Food Network holiday specials, I was inspired by Giada. She was in Aspen for Christmas & made a delicious sounding minestrone. I realized I had never made minestrone, so I couldn't wait to try it. I adapted her recipe to my own vegetarian needs & tastes, but its pretty much the same. Its a northern Italian version, which is where my family is from, so I knew it would be delicious & hearty. Its an easy one pot meal that really warms you up!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound swiss chard or baby spinach stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 (28 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig (2 if you like it strong)
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
1 (32 ounce) carton low-sodium beef broth or vegetarian broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind or shredded Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor or blender until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese or rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)

Garnish with a sprinkling of Parmesan & serve with some warm crusty bread. Enjoy!

Tree Trimming

2011-12-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

Upstairs Downstairs

If you know me in real life, then you are probably aware that EarthFare opened right by my house. They opened Wednesday the 7th. I was there twice that day. And again the next. I managed to stay away on Friday, but Saturday I was back again! Its starting to be embarrasing. (maybe I should apply for part time employment) And Sunday I was at the Nutcracker with BabyGirl or I'm sure I would ran up to get my free bag of Organic Sugar with $5 purchase and Free brie. I've got my eye on some new foundation powder, so ya know, I need to go there anyway.

Ok, moving on. Saturday before we decorated the tree(s) Brian & I ran some errands & conveniently EarthFare was right there. I had my mind set on a certain dinner, so Giant Eagle was not going to cut it. Not that I'll never go back, my wallet will not allow that, but I knew EarthFare would have exactly what I needed.

Now what I'm going to say next may surprise you. Possibly even shock you!

But on Saturday, I ate pork. Gasp! I know. I don't know what came over me, but I just had to have pork tenderloin with mustard horseradish sauce & green beans. Really.

Here's another surprise for you. Every single one of us, including Bubba, declared the meal amazing. Not just good, amazing. So, I must say I'm glad I chose to partake, or I might have missed the amazingness.

Wanna make your own amazing dinner? Here it is in non-recipe format.

Pork Shoulder Roast with Mustard Horseradish Sauce

I got an organic pork roast from the butcher counter and asked him how he would prepare it. He said in the crock pot. I said I don't have that kind of time. He said in a dutch oven then. Ok.

Rub your pork with EVOO, granulated garlic, onion powder and S&P.

Place into your dutch oven & sear all sides.

Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and a little water. Quarter an apple and an onion & throw in. Cover and cook on medium low for about 2 hours (depending on the size)

After cooking, remove from pan & let rest.

Mustard Horseradish Sauce

While your meat is cooking, make your sauce so it has time to marry in the fridge.

In a bowl combine 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 T. prepared horseradish, 1/4 cup stone ground mustard, 1 T. Dijon mustard, a sprinkling of garlic powder and S&P. Mix well & refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Haricot Vert with Mushrooms & Tarragon

My haricot vert (green beans) come frozen from Trader Joe's. I love them the best. And honestly life's too short to be snapping fresh beans. Plus they're not in season.

In a large skillet, over med-high heat, saute 1 lb. mushrooms (your choice) in a little EVOO. Do not salt!

Let those cook up all nice & brown. Add 1 T. chopped shallots & soften. Add your frozen beans & cover. The ice should turn to water & gently steam them. When cooked thru, add 2 T. of butter & 1 1/2 T. dried tarragon, a sprinkling of garlic powder, & the zest of 1/2 lemon or a pinch of TrueLemon. Toss all together & cover. Prior to serving I added toasted pine nuts, but its not imperative. I just wanted a little crunch.

Shingled Potatoes
These easy to make potatoes are definitely impressive looking. Take your russet potato & peel only the top half. Then slice very thinly all across the potato to right above the peel on the bottom. Coat with EVOO & course salt & bake for about an hour. I brushed mine with melted butter & a little sea salt before serving.

The mustard horseradish sauce also pairs really well with beef. I've made it many times for prime rib & standing rib roast. I think it would also be delicious as a sandwich spread for roast beef sandwiches.

Let me know if you try this amazing meal. I hope you love it as much as we did!

Thanksgiving manicotti with buttermilk sage bechamel

2011-12-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Were you on the edge of your seat for the next Thanksgiving recipe? Well you should have been because its amazing! The bechamel sauce really puts this over the top. What's a bechamel you say? Well its shockingly easy. As a matter of fact, I have the 'recipe' memorized.

Melt 2 T. butter in a sauce pan
Add in 2 T. flour and brown for about 5 minutes
Whisk in 1 cup of milk (or buttermilk like I did) & heat thru for a few more minutes to thicken up.
That's it. Really. Fancy name for a very easy sauce. By the way, I threw in fresh sage leaves right after adding the milk. You would not believe how delicious that is!

Anyway, as you can see from the title, besides the bechamel, I made Thanksgiving (leftovers) manicotti. I boiled the noodles until they were just cooked. Then I let them cool & stuffed them with my leftovers mixture: shredded turkey, stuffing, roasted root vegetables, & gravy to bind.

I finished them off in the oven with the bechamel poured over.

I highly recommend you try this. At the very least, make the bechamel!

You just have to try it!

Sorry for the bad picture!

Thanksgiving Ravioli

2011-12-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Let's talk leftovers! Now the favorite around here is Thanksgiving in a Bowl & its quite possible that we all look forward to it more than actual Thanksgiving dinner. But this year, I was really excited to try something new. As a matter of fact, I came up with 2 new recipes.

The first, Thanksgiving Ravioli with sage brown butter sauce

Until I get these or this, I used wonton wrappers which worked just fine.

I cut up my turkey pretty small, mixed it with stuffing & my leftover roasted root veggies.

Then I spooned out 1 tbsp. per wonton.

Wet the edges with water to seal & put them in a pot of simmering water to cook the wrappers & heat the mixture inside.

While the raviolis are cooking, whip up your sage brown butter & fry the raviolis in it. Enjoy.

I have to say, this turned out as great as I thought it would! I think I might make Thanksgiving dinner all over again just to have this!

This is just the first recipe, you'll have to come back for the second.
I can't decide which I like better!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

Phew! What a great weekend! I am exhausted.

It was a great weekend with family. I hope yours was great as well!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I'll be back to share my leftover creations-I think you're going to love them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well my favorite holiday is finally here! Starting tonight, I'll be cleaning & prepping for Thursday. I think I've got the menu nailed down. Here it is:

Apps:
Veggie tray with ranch dip & white bean hummus
pepper jelly with cream cheese & crackers

Drinks:
Wine ( of course)
Beer
Cranberry Lime punch-I can't wait to try this out

Salad:
Fall Salad with pears & figs

Dinner:
Turkey & gravy
Cranberry & goat cheese Quorn cutlet for me
Stuffing-my sister's
Buttermilk mashed potatoes
Cheesy potatoes
Roasted root vegetables
Green bean casserole (my version, which I haven't made yet)
Roasted brussels sprouts
Buttered corn
Cranberry lime sauce
Rolls with butter

Dessert:
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Apple Caramel Pie-both pies are from Gray House Pies, which are AMAZING!

And I'll leave you with :

Chili Corn Casserole

2011-11-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

It seems my posts are getting further apart! Sorry about that. Life, as we all know, gets in the way. I'm really behind on everything.

But remember back to the Green & White Chili I made last month? I promised a delicious use for the leftovers. Well, here it is!

Chili Corn Casserole

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. Bag frozen corn
Kosher salt
6 scallions, chopped
3 to 4 cups leftover chili
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack or monterey jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 18-ounce tube precooked polenta, cut into 12 rounds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the scallions and cook until soft, about 1 minute.

Spread half the chili in an 8-inch-square baking dish. Top with half of the cheese followed by half of the corn mixture. Lay the polenta rounds on top, add remaining chili, then sprinkle with the remaining corn and cheese.

Bake until the casserole is heated through and the top is golden, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Note: I found this barely fit in the 8x8 pan & I misread the recipe & only cut 8 rounds of polenta. They fit perfectly in the 8x8, so I'm not sure how 12 would. I think I might use a bigger pan next time. 9x13 seems the way to go.

Lemony Chicken Soup with Orzo

2011-11-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

I'm really under the weather. So much so that I ate meat. That's right, I had chicken noodle soup & I don't apologize for it. It did freak me out a little, but I put it out of my head and enjoyed this delicious soup! No faux meat was gonna cure my ill.

To poach the chicken:
1 pound organic chicken tenders
3 carrots
1 onion quartered
2 stalks celery
1 lemon quarterd
2 bay leaves
bundle parsley stems
S&P
garlic powder
onion powder

Dump all of the above ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to boil & simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove all items, separating out the chicken, bay leaves & lemon quarters. Let the chicken cool & shred with a fork. Save the poaching liquid-let the sediment sink to the bottom (don't use that)

Now, for the soup:
shredded poached chicken
1 pound carrots, however you like-I used frozen carrot chips since I had them
2 stalks celery, diced
14 cups water, including your reserved poaching liquid. (I used concentrated broth added to water, but if you're going to use regular boxed broth, just use 2 boxes in addition)
your reserved lemon quarters
your reserved bay leaves
3 Knorr's concentrated stock cups
1 Swanson Broth flavor boosts, vegetable
S&P to taste
parsley leaves
1/2 pound orzo, cooked

Add all the liquid, chicken, carrots, celery, bay leaves, lemon quarters, broth, & flavor boost back into the stock pot. Let simmer for about 20 more minutes. Remove bay leaves & lemons. Add the cooked orzo. Season with S&P and parsley leaves. Serve with Parmesan cheese or additional lemon juice if desired.

Bottom line: BabyGirl & I each had 4 bowls. And she said "I could survive on this soup!" I feel better already!

Chia Seed Pudding

2011-10-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

I thought everyone knew about this, but the few people I've mentioned it to were confused. The conversations went a little something like this:

THEM: What is that or what are you eating...
ME: chia seed pudding
THEM: what?
ME: chia seed pudding. ya know like the stuff that you grew in the 80's.
THEM: you're putting that in your mouth???
ME: Yes, its delicious. And they're really good for you!
THEM: The chia seeds that grew on a clay head?
ME: Yes.
THEM: Like, ch-ch-ch-chia.?? (you know the song)
ME: Yes.

And then I can feel them (through the phone) rolling their eyes about the crazy shit I eat. Sigh.

Anyway, I LOVE chia seed pudding & I bet you will too. Its a great snack & super filling so you don't have to eat a lot. Try it! If you don't believe me about how wonderful it is, check this out!

Ingredients:
2 cups milk (I used vanilla coconut milk)
3/4 cup chia seeds
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
healthy dash of pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well. Cover & let set in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Stirring if necessary.

It makes a ton, but this is an estimate of the nutrition profile. Serving size is about 1/2 cup.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 69.5

Total Fat: 4.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 2.7 mg
Total Carbs: 7.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.0 g
Protein: 2.2 g

pear & goat cheese paninis

2011-10-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

I realize I have been gone for quite a while. Since going on vacation, being back & trying to catch up has been rough! Not that I'm complaining.

Fall is definitely upon us here in Cleveland, especially today. The temperatures have dropped & its sweater weather!

Its also the season everyone is nuts about pumpkins & apples. I, myself, am a pear gal. Pears are my favorite fruit. My dad & I used to eat them for dessert covered in cottage cheese. I can still picture his giant yellow bowl filled to the top!

Anyway, if you don't know, my magazine addiction really gets fed come the November issues. (Not to be confused with The September Issue.)

I limited myself to just 4 while at the store. Although I can't make any promises I won't get more!

Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, EveryDay with Rachael Ray, & FoodNetwork.

So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that Food Network Magazine is loaded with pear recipes!

There's:

Pear Cocktail, Apple-Pear-Ginger Pie, even the advertisements have pear recipes! Chocolate Pear Brownie tart, anyone?

And searching their site, I found:

Spiced Apple & Pear Pie & Hot Spiced Apple Pear Cider

This weekend, my love affair continued with homemade pear jam on toasted croissants with cream cheese for breakfast.

And for lunch, my pear & goat cheese paninis.

Butter your bread, I used Italian. Place butter side down on your press. Top with goat cheese.

Add pears, balsamic vinegar (I used white), and arugula. Press till bread is golden brown & cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Green & White Vegetarian Chili

2011-10-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

This all green & white chili is as beautiful as it is delicious. I wasn't sure how this would turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:

2 -8 oz. pkgs. tempeh, grated(I used 3 grain)
1 large white onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 -15 oz. can hominy
1 -15 oz.can great northern beans, drained & rinsed
1 1/2 c. veggie stock
6 oz. Recaito
2 -7 oz. cans salsa verde
1 small can diced chilies
celery leaves, a handful chopped
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. cumin
2 t. ground coriander
S&P (I used white pepper)
TrueLime
cilantro

optional garnish:
green onions
sour cream
tortilla chips
monterrey jack cheese

Directions:
In a dutch oven, sweat the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and S&P. After the pepper is softened, add in your grated tempeh, garlic powder, cumin & coriander. Let cook until the bottom of the pan starts to get brown. Add in the veggie stock. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add chilies, salsa verde, hominy, beans, Recaito, TrueLime & celery leaves. S& P to taste. Cover & let simmer for at least 1 hour.

About 5 minutes before serving, stir in a large handful of chopped cilantro and more TrueLime if you like. Cover. Serve topped with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips & green onions.

Wait until you see what I have planned for the leftovers! Well actually I need to double the recipe for leftovers with a 17 yr. old boy in the house, but I'm sure it will be worth it!

Miss me?

2011-10-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

I was on an actual vacation!

Be back soon!

HAPPY FALL!

2011-09-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

I took this picture in the Cleveland Metroparks in October 2009

southwest chick'n quinoa crock

2011-09-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

My crockpots are some of my favorite kitchen tools. They make my life much easier when things get a little hectic. And of course School Night Suppers are super easy with my Crocks! I love just throwing a mix of ingredients in & coming home later to a delicious smelling house and knowing dinner is just minutes away.

This meal takes very little prep work & delivers great flavor. You can prep everything the night before, refrigerate it & turn it on before you leave the house in the morning. (Don't forget!)

Cook 2 cups quinoa according to pkg. directions. Keep separate from the rest of the mix-it goes in at the end.

Add to your cold crockpot the following:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Quorn chick'n tenders (or real chicken tenders, chopped, if you like)
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 cups tomatoes (I used roasted cherry tomatoes since I had a ton! But canned would work great too.)
1 small can diced chilis, juice & all
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup 'cooking' salsa

And the usual 'taco' seasonings to your taste:
onion powder
garlic powder
paprika
cumin
ground coriander
S&P

Mix it all together & set your crockpot to low. Cook for 6-8 hours. If you start it in the afternoon (maybe you go home for lunch) you can cook on low for 3-4 hours.

When you get home, stir in some chopped cilantro, 1 lime's zest (or TrueLime) and your cooked quinoa. Replace the lid. Keep covered while you prep your garnishes, chopped scallions, lettuce, shredded cheddar, sour cream & tortilla chips.

This dish can be served as a lettuce wrap (yum), or in a bowl topped with all the delicious toppings! It also reheats really well & I'm betting it would freeze well too.

Holy Guacamole!

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy National Guacamole Day!

Did you know that existed? I sure didn't.

Avocados are actually quite good for you. So guacamole with a whole grain baked tortilla chip is a better snack than your regular chip & dip.

According to the FDA - eating too much fat, saturated fat,trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure. Health experts recommend that you keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol as low as possible as part of a nutritionally balanced diet.

Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are a great substitution for foods rich in saturated fat. Avocados also contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to the nutrient quality of your diet.

Good to know.

I love simple guacamole, but there so many delicious variations. Avocado Central has recipes for every taste out there.

Its Friday night, why not curl up with a good movie & a some chips & guacamole.

I know I am!

Have a great weekend!

greens & beans stoup

2011-09-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

I know, what's 'stoup'? If you watch Rachael Ray you know! It actually makes sense, so I use it now too! Thicker than a soup, but thinner than a stew-stoup!

Saturday afternoon was beautiful! Sue stopped by for a quick bike ride and when we got back, I realized it was time to start dinner. This 'stoup' turned out much better than I expected. And the best part was it came together in no time at all, while Sue & I chatted. I was literally looking in my pantry & refrigerator & adding whatever looked good. The ingredient list looks long, but its really easy.

Greeens & Beans Stoup

Ingredients:
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
veggie base or veggie stock, enough to equal 4 cups
2 large tomatoes, diced
6-8 oz. pale ale, or light colored beer
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1 15 oz. can cannelini beans
1 lb. greens (I used my CSA mix which has kale, spinach, red cabbage, green onions & misc. other greens)
2 T. paprika
2 T. garlic powder
2 T. onion powder
1 T. coriander powder
1/4 c. grainy dijon mustard
1T. oregano
S&P
1 T. balsamic vinegar
nutritional yeast or parmesan for garnish

Directions:
In a dutch oven, add your onion & garlic. Saute till the onions are softened-about 5 minutes. Add in all the seasonings & veggie base paste. (If using stock, hold off till later). Cook for about 8 minutes till the flavors have developed. Add peppers & beans & heat through. Deglaze your pan with the beer & simmer for about 10 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add in mustard & if using-veggie stock-if using veggie paste, add in 4 cups hot water. Heat through & add in your greens & tomatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add in the balsamic. Taste for seasoning & adjust to taste.

Serve topped with nutritional yeast to keep it vegan or parmesan for vegetarian.

tomato bisque in cheesy bread bowls

2011-09-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

There is no shame in using canned or boxed soup. I have no issue with making my own soup sometimes, but for a quick dinner, some pre-made delicious soup does the job. And with a few added touches, your bowl of soup can go from simple to suburb in minutes.

Now up on Put in Bay, they have there famous Lobster Bisque, which you can get in a bread bowl. Yum. So of course, I thought tomato soup in a cheesy bread bowl would kind of be a cross between that and tomato soup with grilled cheese! How can that be bad?

Slice out the middle of your bowl. Mine are rectangular & I just followed the lines.

Stuff with shredded cheddar.

Bake till cheese is melted & bread is crispy on the outside.

Meanwhile, heat your soup on the stove.

Place your bread into a shallow soup bowl to catch the overflow. Pour in and around the bread and serve.

This dinner was a big hit all around. Albeit the bread was a little difficult to eat. Maybe a less crusty bread would be better. Its certainly not the healthiest, but for a quick dinner that everyone likes, its a hit!

Additions

2011-08-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

I went through my Dinner Plans page and added some of the quicker dinners to the School Night Suppers page. The ravioli link looked sad by itself. Now get cooking!

Ravioli with sage brown butter sauce

2011-08-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

First up in my new School Night Suppers series is a new 'recipe' for me. I had never made brown butter sauce before, but it certainly seemed easy enough. It takes just minutes for a rich flavorful sauce to develop and with these quick cooking veggie filled raviolis, this simple meal is on the table in less than 20 minutes.

Until I get these, I have to go with store bought. I found these beauties at Costco & thought they sounded delicious. (they were)

I knew I didn't want to smother these in just any sauce. They needed something special. The obvious choice was brown butter sauce. But I didn't know how to make it, so I did a little research & found that it is incredibly simple. For sage brown butter, its 2 ingredients-that's it! Sage & butter.

2 sticks of butter in the pan. When melted & sizzling, add in your chiffonade sage, I used a whole pkg, since I have none in my garden.

Then it just cooks until brown & foamy.

Brown-not burnt! It takes no time for this sauce-give it the attention it needs.

I pulled my raviolis out of the boiling water with my spider spatula & tossed them right into the brown butter.

It sizzled up & you could see the pasta absorbing the delicious sauce.

This is a really rich dish, so you really only need a few raviolis.

The sage is crispy & the butter is transformed into silky amazingness.

Served with some garlic bread (homemade or frozen-we LOVE the Alexia brand), this meal is on the table in less time than it takes to wait in line at the drive thru. And its a hell of a lot better.

Enjoy!