Roasted Sweet Potato Fries and Guacamole

Some of you know that for the past 30 days I have been doing the Whole30 diet.  I have LOVED it and will definitely be doing it in the near future. (But I gotta celebrate my birthday first!!)  You see, this girl has a really hard time with her sugar habit!  It's hard to break.  During the 30 days you don't consume added sugars of any kind, no sweets, treats or even "healthy" treats. (And there's other stuff too.)

While some may think it's super restrictive, which it kind of is, that totally works for me.  You see I just finished reading Gretchen Rubin's, Better Than Before, which is mainly about habits.  There are basically two kinds of people when it comes to habits; moderators- those who are good with having just a little, which keeps them from going overboard, and abstainers-those who, if they have just a little, it will push them overboard, leading them to overindulge.

I am an abstainer, that is why this works for me.  I also know it's not forever.  It's meant to be a reset diet, to help target food sensitivities, heal the gut and break free from a bad relationship with food.  Although I am done with my first round, I'll definitely be back for more.  I don't think my body is done yet, but I do need to take a break for a while.  Hopefully in the meantime I can keep up most of the habits, while still being flexible.

So, are you wondering what the heck this has to do with sweet potatoes and guac?  Well this is probably one of my most favorite things I made during Whole30.  The fact that fat was not the enemy and I could eat LOTS of avocado totally made me happy! This guac is out of this world.  And, what's not to like about sweet potatoes?  Granted, they're not crispy like regular fries.  In fact they're kind of floppy and I actually ate them with a fork.  But that may be because I can't cut fries worth a darn, HA! So, Whole30-ers or not, there's nothing not to love about this combo.



Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole
for the sweet potatoes:
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into wedges
olive oil
salt
smoked paprika

for the guacamole:
3 good-sized avocados, halved, pitted and peel removed
1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. Restaurant Style Salsa  (or your favorite, fresh is best!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
*1 Tbsp. jalapeño, minced (In you choose a different salsa and need a little more kick.)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat, if desired. In a mixing bowl, toss sweet potato wedges with a couple drizzles of olive oil, a few dashes each of salt and smoked paprika, until well-coated.

Lay out evenly on baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. About halfway through, take them out, loosen them with a spatula and give them a little shake.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, mash the avocados and place them in a serving bowl.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, allow to cool slightly.  Serve warm with guacamole.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from No Crumbs Left

Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage

After all the kitchen failures I've had, it's nice to have something work out once in a while.  I didn't even know I was going to make this, let alone blog about it.  But it was SO good, I couldn't NOT post it.

This was my first attempt at cauliflower rice (as far as I can remember, lol!) and I have to say I'm a huge fan.  I love that it's just like rice in that it'll take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with; so it's very versatile.  I also love that after eating a big bowl of it I don't feel like I just ate a brick because it's all VEG! That's a big score in my book.

We love jambalaya in our house so this was right up our alley.  The flavors are spot on, just enough spice to give it a good kick but not too much you can't taste anything else. I used Aidells Organic Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Chicken Sausage, which is nitrate free and has no added hormones. But feel free to use any kind of Cajun style sausage you can find. I served the cauliflower rice with Cajun seasoned tilapia and steamed asparagus.  It was perfect!

Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage
1 head cauliflower, thick core removed and chopped into florets 
1/2 onion, diced 
olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced 
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced 
1 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. ground black pepper 
1/4 tsp.  cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. dried thyme 
1 Tbsp. dried oregano 
1/2-1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped


Place cauliflower florets in a food processor with a chopping blade and pulse until finely chopped.  If necessary, chop in batches. Prepare the rest of the veggies because cooking will go quickly.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent; 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and sauté another 3-4 minutes, then add sausage and cook until browned.  Add the cauliflower, spices and seasonings and chicken broth and simmer until veggies are tender but not mushy; about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley.

SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Always Order Dessert
 

Skinny Broccoli Soup with Sourdough Croutons

This winter has been the longest, snowiest and coldest winter we've had in a LONG time! I walk around my house with layers of clothes and still freezing.  I am really looking forward to spring and wearing less clothes! In the mean time, I've been making lots of soup to keep me warm.

My middle daughter started asking me to make broccoli soup a few weeks ago. It kind of caught me off guard because I don't remember her ever actually eating or wanting broccoli soup.  I don't know where she got the idea that she liked it.  Buuuuut I was gonna take FULL advantage of that.  You know when kids even think they might like something, it's so much easier to get them to eat it! 

I actually made two attempts at broccoli soup.  The first one, a pretty simple and classic recipe, bombed!  My kids wouldn't touch it.  So I decided to tempt fate and try again.  Inspired by this Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup, I tried again and scored!!  They were brave enough to try it again and liked it. And as a bonus, this one is much much healthier.


Skinny Broccoli with Sourdough Croutons
olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups zucchini, choped
3 cups broccoli, chopped
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1-2 cups cashew milk (in the carton)
salt and pepper, to taste
 parmesan or cheddar cheese for topping, optional

for the croutons:
1 sourdough loaf or boule
butter

In a large pot heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute about 7-8 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic for another 60 seconds then add zucchini broccoli and saute another couple of minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes; until veggies are very tender.  Remove from heat and add spinach.  Stir to wilt.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup, or working in batches, puree in blender.  Add milk and more broth, if desired.  Add salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.   Top with cheese, if desired, and sourdough croutons.

To make croutons, cut about half of the sourdough loaf or boule into 1-inch cubes.  Melt 1-2 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan, add croutons and toss to coat.  Season with a few dashes of salt and cracks of black pepper.  Saute on medium high heat until they start to turn a light golden brown.

Skinny Zuppa Toscana

I know that really the "official" start of winter was only like a month ago but seriously, this winter is already dr...a....g..g....i...n...g!  It's been the coldest and snowiest we've had in Utah for a LONG time. Needless to say, I'm always looking for something to warm me up.  I walk around the house in warm fluffy socks, slippers and a jacket and always drinking some warm tea.  I'm also always looking for warm comfort food to get me through the nights.

 It's been a while since I've had Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. In fact I don't know if I've ever eaten it at the restaurant, my husband and I swore it off years ago.  I enjoy the soup but the original is not so calorie friendly, with all the potatoes, pork sausage and heavy cream.  I was so happy to find a recipe that is not only much more healthy but exploding with flavor.  This soup doesn't miss a beat and satisfies every warm comfort food craving I had. 

Skinny Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in to bite-sized pieces
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and small-diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cashew milk
4 cups fresh kale, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Remove sausage from casings and add to frying pan along with onions. Cook until sausage is no longer raw and both sausage and onions are light golden brown.  Toss in the garlic the last 60 seconds.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a stock pot, then add cauliflower and potatoes.  Cook until tender; about 5-8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the cauliflower and potatoes and puree in a blender with a little stock.  Return to pot. 

Add turkey, onions and garlic back to the pot as well the kale, parmesan, milk and red pepper flakes.  Heat through, until the cheese is melted, making sure not to boil.  Taste for seasoning then add salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve immediately.


SOURCE: Adapted from With Salt & Wit

Perfect Pot Roast

 Nothing says Sunday dinner like pot roast! We don't eat much red meat, and roast maybe once or twice a year.  But boy do I love it!  And my girls are actually old enough that they are beginning to enjoy it as well. I hadn't had much experience with cooking roast, except in college when I threw it in a crock pot with a can of cream of mushroom soup.  Good, but I don't like using canned soups anymore.  Luckily many years ago Pioneer Woman came into my life.  If anyone knows how to cook beef it's her.  So when I first saw her recipe for pot roast I knew it would be good.  And she's right, it is perfect!!  I absolutely love it this way and don't think I'll change.

Perfect Pot Roast
1 whole chuck roast, 4-5 lbs.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, quartered
6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch slices then halved or quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup red wine (or extra beef broth)
2 cups beef broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  When hot but not smoking, add the onions, browning on each side.  Remove to a platter then do the same with the carrots.

Generously salt and pepper the roast.  Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot, if necessary, then add the roast.  Sear on all sides, about a minute on each, until it's browned all over. Remove to a plate.  Deglaze the pan with about a cup of red wine (or red wine vinegar or beef broth), scraping bits off the bottom with a whisk.  Place roast back in the pan, arranging the onions around it.  (You can add carrots now but I usually add them the last hour.)  Add enough broth to cover the meat about half way.  Add rosemary and thyme.  Cover with lid and roast in the oven 3-4 hours, until fork tender and falling apart. This would be delicious served with mashed potatoes.  Use the juices from the roast to make gravy to go with the potatoes.

SOURCE: Pioneer Woman

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Lemon Pesto

So, this is one of those pasta dishes that is so easy and takes just minutes more than the time it takes to boil the pasta to make.  There's almost no prep either, unless you make your own pesto (which can be done ahead of time anyway).  No chopping, slicing or dicing, just pretty much dumping.  Just the kind of thing I'm loving lately.  I got the idea for this dish from The Simpler, The Better, a pasta cookbook I have and love.  And because tomatoes and spinach were just about the only veggies I had left lying around.

I seriously made this dish on the fly.  I was running out of time to get dinner on the table in a timely manner and I needed something  FAST! The result is a fabulous, colorful, healthy and tasty meal, perfect for a busy weeknight. 

I used to think I didn't like cooked tomatoes very much but I've been putting these little cherry tomatoes on pizza and pasta lately and I have to say they're tasty.  They're very lightly cooked, so they still lend that fresh garden tomato flavor that I love. Of course if you have different veggies lying around, you could easily substitute them.  Asparagus, red peppers, even eggplant would be delicious.

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Lemon Pesto
1 lb. pasta (I used penne)
olive oil
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
1/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
juice of 1 lemon
fresh shaved parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  Set pasta aside.

Return pot to the stove over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add tomatoes and cook just until they start to split; about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add pesto, lemon juice, spinach and pasta.  Toss to coat well. Add enough reserved pasta water to loosen the pesto and make a light sauce.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Allow pasta to sit a few minutes until the spinach is slightly wilted. 

Serve warm with freshly shaved cheese.

Shredded Rainbow Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Have you ever seen Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution?  I love him and what he does with food.  This salad just screams Jaime Oliver; totally reminds me of him.  I ripped this recipe out of a magazine and I can't remember where it's from, but I absolutely love it.  It's just what I like in a salad.  Bright, colorful and very flavorful! My girls like cabbage.  I don't know if that's weird or not.  Of all the veggies they DON'T eat, they choose to like cabbage...whatever.  The first time I made this salad, my 2 year old asked to share it with me.  At first I thought she was going to take one bite and spit it out but she kept asking for more...she really liked it!  I was so surprised, but definitely happy at least one of my children is taking after my love of salads. 

This salad is great really any time of year as most of the veg is hearty and you can get it year-round.  Cabbage salads are high up there on my favorite salads list.  I think it has to do with that crispy-crunch.  And I especially like it with cilantro. The citrus dressing is the perfect pairing for this salad.  It's light and slightly sweet from the orange and just brings out all the different flavors.


Shredded Rainbow Salad
1/2 head red cabbage
2 beets, peeled (raw)
2 large carrots, peeled
2 apples, cored and peeled (if desired)
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
3-4 large kale leaves, chopped

To shred veggies, you can either use a food processor, with a shredder blade, or a regular cheese grater will work too.   Shred apple first and toss in with a couple spoonfuls of the vinaigrette (below) to keep from browning. Set aside.  Shred the carrots, cabbage and beets.  Make sure you saves the beet for last or everything will turn purple!

Toss veggies in a bowl with chopped cilantro and kale.  If you want to keep the apple from being colored by the beet juice, divide out salad portions and place a bit of shredded apple on top of each portion.  Otherwise, you can toss the apple right in with the rest. Serve with orange vinaigrette.


Orange Vinaigrette
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4-1/3cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Pinch if salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk together and store in the fridge, in a jar with a tight fitting lid; I like to use half pint mason jars with the plastic lids.

Tomato Vegetable Soup

'Tis the season for fresh garden tomatoes.  It's the time I look forward to every year! You can do so much with them.  I usually home can tomatoes in one way or another each fall (salsa, a variety of spaghetti sauces, etc.), but the past few years I've been doing more and more just plain or stewed tomatoes.  I do this mostly because I LOVE to turn them into soup.  My kids and I absolutely adore this fresh tomato soup, but sometimes I like to make something a little more calorie friendly.  Enter this soup.

I don't tend to like soups that are really thin, they just don't fill me up.  I like my soups thick and tasty. That's what this soup delivers.  It still has that fresh tomato taste but the flavor is punched up with some extra veggies.  I love to serve it up with some fresh artisan bread or even a heaping spoonful of this Southwest Cabbage Slaw (which really needs it's own post by now).

Tomato Vegetable Soup
6-8 cups tomatoes, blanched, peeled and cored
3 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
1 small onion, cut into 1-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika
 2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
handful of fresh basil (about 1/2 cup or so loosely packed), roughly chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

To blanch and peel tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a sink with ice water.  Score the tomatoes by making an "x" on them with a serrated knife. Drop about 4-5 tomatoes at a time in the boiling water for 60 seconds.  Remove from boiling water and immediately submerge in ice water.  Continue with remaining tomatoes.  Once tomatoes are cooled skins will slip off easily. remove core with knife or coring utensil.  Set tomatoes aside.

In a  large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil.  Add chopped onion, carrot and peppers and saute over medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes.   Add garlic and paprika and saute another 60 seconds, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.  Next add tomatoes by crushing them in your fist over the pot as you put them in.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are tender; about 10-15 minutes.

Remove soup from heat, add fresh basil and puree to desired consistency.  You can either do this with an immersion blender or in a upright blender, blending by batches.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Feel free to add a splash of whole milk or heavy cream, although it's delicious without it.



SOURCE:  Adapted from Season with Spice

Caprese Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Silly camera is broken so today I bring you these peppers via iPad photo. That's just how we're rolling today.  Remember these peppers from last summer?  Well I had the same problem a few weeks ago....more peppers than I knew what to do with. I still love red peppers, although a couple of my children have fallen out of fondness with them (hopefully only for the time being).  So, it was up to my hubby and me to finish them off.

I don't have a "real" garden this year, but I managed to plant a couple tomato plants and some basil in our flower beds.  Tomatoes and basil are two of my most favorite things to eat in the summer, when produce is at it's finest. I try to eat it as much of it as I can, WHILE I can.  So these peppers, and anything else I can get my hands on, are stuffed with tomato-y basil-y goodness!  You'll love 'em.


*A note on the mozzarella and pesto: I like to use fresh buffalo mozzarella, or just whole milk mozzarella.  It can be pretty soft and hard to shred, so I just break it up with my fingers.  I also love making my own pesto, especially when I have my own basil plant, but sometimes I don't have a need for all of it at once.  If you need to store it longer than a week or two, you can freeze it in smaller containers (4-5 oz), or even in ice cube trays; just pop it out of the tray once it's frozen and put the cubes into a ziploc freezer bag.

Caprese Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken (or veggie) stock
4 sweet peppers (red, yellow or orange)
3/4-1 pint cherry (or grape) tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. basil pesto (use this recipe or use store bought)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping
fresh basil leaves, shredded, for garnish (optional)

Add quinoa and chicken stock to a medium-sized sauce pan.  I you have a fine sieve, rinse the quinoa first.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Slice peppers in half, lengthwise, and remove seeds. Place, cut side up, in a baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake, unfilled, for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove foil.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, stir together the cooked quinoa and the pesto.  Add in tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella and toss.  Divide mixture evenly between each of the pepper halves and top with about a tablespoon more of the mozzarella.  Cover again with the foil and stick it back in the oven to bake for another 10-15 minutes. I like my peppers more crisp-tender so I tend to bake for less time, but if you like your peppers soft bake longer and check for doneness.  Remove the foil the last 5 minutes or so for the cheese to brown a little bit.  Serve warm.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last blog post! I kind of feel like a slacker but not really.  I'm not even kidding, this summer is flying by. We have been so busy but having a blast.

Lately I've been finding the quickest and easiest recipes I can find for dinner because I'm either too tired or too busy to do anything more. Enter this cauliflower alfredo.

Confession: I don't make a TON of things with cauliflower, or even very many things, and I rarely buy it and just eat it fresh. But, a huge  head of it showed up in my CSA basket a couple weeks ago and after eating on it for a few days, I refused to let the rest go bad.  Luckily this recipe was not only quick and easy to prepare but it tasted fabulous!  No one had any inkling that the base of the sauce was cauliflower because it was so CREAMY!


Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
1 lb. fettuccine noodles
5-6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 medium head)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
6 cups chicken (or veggie) stock
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of nutmeg

In a small skillet, melt butter and saute garlic about 60 seconds, making sure it doesn't burn. Set aside.

Add cauliflower and chicken stock to a large pot and bring to a boil.  Boil about 7-10 minutes or until very tender.  In the mean time start your pasta water and cook according to directions. Drain cauliflower, reserving a cup of the broth.  Put cauliflower in a blender with reserved broth, milk, cheese and the sauteed garlic and butter. Puree until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.  Finish it off with a pinch of nutmeg and serve over warm noodles.


SOURCE: Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Easy Chicken Pad Thai

A few months ago for date night my husband and I went out to a local Thai restaurant.  We totally loved it!! Well I knew my husband already did, but I was smitten.  It was fresh and delicious and so flavorful. I ordered one of their most popular dishes, Thai Basil Chicken, and my husband ordered his standby at any Thai restaurant, Pad Thai.   All so yummy!

Since discovering that I love Thai food, my husband has been begging me to make it at home.  I've made this dish a few times and have improved upon it along the way.  I love adding the fresh herbs and veggies and all those brilliant colors! It definitely makes it taste better!

Make this Pad Thai at home and you won't be missing your usual take out.

Easy Chicken Pad Thai
serves 4-6
for the sauce:
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. hot chili sauce 

for the noodles:
6 oz. rice noodles
*2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, julienned
1 cup red pepper, julienned

for the garnishes:
peanuts, roughly chopped
fresh basil, chopped
fresh mint, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh lime wedges

To make the sauce, whisk all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook rice noodles 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Made sure everything is chopped and ready to go.  Once the cooking gets going, it goes pretty fast.

The key to making this work well is to only cook 1-2 servings at a time.  Heat 1-2 tablespoons light olive oil (or vegetable oil) in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add about 1/3 of the chicken and stir-fry until half cooked. Add 1-2 tablespoons of sauce and one garlic clove, minced. Stri-fry about 30 seconds.  Add about 2 ounces of noodles  (a large handful), and 1/4 cup sauce to the pan and stir until the noodles soften and are well-coated.  Add a little water if it starts drying up. Push noodles to the side and crack an egg in the pan.  Let it cook about 10 seconds then toss it around in the noodles to finish cooking.  Add 1/2 cup of bean sprouts to the pan along with a couple tablespoons of chopped peanuts. Stir-fry another minute then remove from heat and slide out onto a serving plate.  Top with veggies and garnishes.  Serve warm.

Repeat two more times with the rest of the ingredients.  For the pan I used, I found it helpful to deglaze the pan in between batches.  Simply add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and bring it to a boil.  Scrape anything off the inside of the pan then pour it out and wipe it off. 

*Feel free to add one more chicken breast if you're feeding more people or like more meat.  I tend to load up on the veggies and use less meat.


SOURCE: Adapted from Use Real Butter

Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup

I remember reading about this soup sometime last year, maybe end of summer or fall.  It's from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She called it "life-changing soup" because it's luscious and creamy without the cream! I bookmarked it for later but didn't think of it again until I got a recommendation from my sister who had made it and who's whole family loved it. That's all the push I needed to finally make it myself.  I mean, anything that's "life-changing" good has got to be worth it right?

If you have a garden and grow zucchini, this soup recipe will be your best friend.  I mean, there's only so much you can do with zucchini before you get tired of eating it.  ZUCCHINI is the secret ingredient in this soup that makes it silky creamy without the cream.

Now, I realize I'm posting this before most of you have even planted your gardens this year, but it's really a soup for any season.  It's delicious warm, but it is also yummy room temperature or even chilled, like a gazpacho. So make it now and eat it throughout the summer and fall.


Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup
serves 4-5

Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste


In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and saute about 5 minutes, until nice and tender.  Add the garlic and zucchini and saute another minute or two.  Add the broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat and cook until zucchini is very tender and falling apart; about 8-10 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and add spinach.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Alternately you can work in batches pureeing the soup in a blender.  Check for seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir in fresh basil.

Serve warm with baguette or homemade bread.


SOURCE: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone

Now I realize that we have just entered into what is now officially spring and here I am posting about soup.  But spring in Utah is CRAZY!  You never know what you're going to get any given day.  And seriously the weather can change so quickly.  When I was living in Logan, many years ago, I remember it SNOWING on June 6th!!  That's practically summer.  We had a garden that year and I remember frantically going down to cover all the plants as quickly as we could so they wouldn't freeze and die.  We get it all this season, wind (and lots of it), rain, sun, snow and just about anything else. So, I'm not counting anything out just yet.

I'm a huge Ina Garten fan.  She is so classic and classy and she's got impeccable taste.  I trust any recipe of hers.  When I stumbled upon this recipe I immediately wanted to make it and knew I wouldn't have to tweak a thing to get the right taste.  And I was right.  Spot on.  If you think soup is boring or flavorless, you're going to be WOWed by this soup.  It has a very rich hearty taste and the fresh spinach and pesto at the end really finish it nicely.

Don't give up on soup just yet. We've still got plenty of chilly spring days that nothing but a warm bowl of soup can remedy.



Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone
serves 8-10 generously

good olive oil
4 oz pancetta (I had some diced ham in the freezer so I just used that)
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups  (1/2-inch) diced carrots (about 3)
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (about 3 stalks)
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) peeled diced butternut squash
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic, about 4 cloves
1 tsp. dried thyme
28-oz. diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup small pasta shapes, such as tubetti or ditalini
8-10 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. basil pesto

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add pancetta (or ham) and cook until slightly browned.  Remove to a plate.  Add another drizzle or two of olive oil (1-2 Tbsp.) then add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic  and thyme  and cook about 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.  (I like to cook my onions about 8-10 minutes before the rest of the veggies so they are good and caramelized.)

Add tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, chicken stock 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse and set aside.

When soup is ready, remove from heat, remove bay leaf and add the pasta, beans and spinach leaves.  Toss like a salad to mix in spinach leaves and let it sit until they begin to wilt. Stir in pesto and taste for seasoning.  Add more salt and broth as necessary.

Ladle soup into large bowls and serve warm.


SOURCE: Ina Garten

Kalua Pork

Out of all the kitchen tools and gadgets I have, my crockpot is one of the most severely underused that I have.  I don't know why I use it so little, most of the time it just doesn't even cross my mind.  But I know many people use it tons and and  love it.

In a few months time my crock pot is going to me by best friend on the weekends and I need to get reacquainted with it.  You see our church meetings on Sundays are soon going to be letting out at 6pm!!  So LATE! My kids go to bed early (most of the time) so having dinner just about ready when we get home is going to be key.  So between now and then I'm going to have to start gathering recipes that we can use for those late nights.  It's either that or eat pancakes....which isn't entirely all that bad either.

I've had this recipe in my notebook for probably 6 years and made it a time or two.  (As far as giving credit for the recipe, I'm not sure there is anyone in particular because the recipe is everywhere on the internet.)  We just love it.  Not only is it the easiest thing to throw together, with a whopping 3 ingredients, but the flavor is delicious!  My husband and kids like to call it kalua pig just to say they're eating pig.  Pork, pig, whatever. It's still yum.  We just throw the pork on slider buns, with or without the cabbage,  and serve it with some fresh fruit and veggies.  Quick and easy and super tasty.


Kalua Pork and Cabbage
3 lb.  pork shoulder roast
1 1/2 Tbsp. liquid smoke
2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded

Place roast in crockpot and rub it down with the liquid smoke and sea salt.  Turn it on low and let it cook a good 8-12 hours. For larger roasts, err on the longer cook time, even up to 14-16 hours. Overnight is great.  Don't add additional liquid, the fat from the pork will be enough.  When finished cooking, cool and shred with two forks.  Serve warm, on buns or over cooked rice.

To make the cabbage, take a few tablespoons of the liquid from the crockpot and add it to a frying pan.  Heat over medium high heat.  Add cabbage and saute until crisp-tender.

Veggie Frittata

I really hope Mother Nature isn't fooling us because it seems so hard to believe we've had such nice, warm weather the past week or so.  The end of February, c'mon, seems too good to be true.  I'm just waiting for it to turn again before it's here to stay.  Utah weather is kind of unpredictable, so I totally wouldn't be surprised.  However, I'll take any warm weather that comes our way!  I spent the last three months with a miserable sinus infection, which has finally cleared up, YAY!  I'm feeling like my old self again.

Savory breakfasts are my husband's favorite.  Too bad he's not home for breakfast more often because he doesn't have a chance to enjoy them much.  This morning I was actually craving something savory for breakfast and knew this would be right up his alley.  I usually just do eggs and toast, when I go that route. They are simple and quick, but I wanted a little more.  So, I decided to empty out my fridge of the last remaining veggies and fresh herbs before I went grocery shopping for the week.  I also tend to pick up random cuts of cheese at the deli so it was a good way to use that up as well. 

I loved everything about this frittata; the flavors, the brilliant colors and all that VEG! Frittatas are highly customizable so if you have different veggies on hand or different cheese, no prob!  Just throw it in there.  This makes for a nice weekend breakfast or Sunday brunch with family.


Veggie Frittata
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large roma tomato, diced
1 heaping cup baby spinach, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
6 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk, half and half, or cream
1 cup sharp white cheddar, shredded
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Heat a large oven safe frying pan over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium to medium low, drizzle a good bit of olive oil and add sliced onion.  Let saute until they start to caramelize, about 7-10 minutes.  Add garlic, asparagus, and bell pepper.  Add a pinch of water if necessary if pan become too dry.  Saute 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine eggs, milk, cheese salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk.

Make sure any added water has just about evaporated and add tomatoes and spinach and basil.  Then pour egg mixture over the top of everything.  You may need to jiggle some of the veggies back down.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 8-10 minutes, or until eggs are almost set. 

Turn on broiler.  Remove lid from frying pan.  Finely shred some Parmesan cheese over the top, if desired, and place under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes.  Keep an eye on it!  Remove from oven-DON'T FORGET TO USE AN OVEN MITT TO GRAB THE HANDLE, IT WILL BE HOT! Loosen edges of frittata and slide it onto a serving platter.  Serve warm.

Spinach, Tomato & Goat Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Quite a while back my mom brought me some garden spoils and I have to admit this squash sat in my pantry for longer than I'd like to admit!  I almost never cook spaghetti squash just because I never think about it and I'm pretty sure my girls would stick their noses up at it.  Luckily it's a hard winter squash and lasts just about forever.

As I have been cleaning out my pantry the past couple of months, I decided it was time to use up that squash.  It kept making me feel guilty every time I would open up the pantry door and see it there on the shelf. So I cooked it up with some of my favorite ingredients and it turned out fabulous.  The spaghetti squash seemed to cook a bit quicker than other winter squashes so this dish makes for a quick and healthy dinner that's pretty no-fuss.


Spinach, Tomato & Goat Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
serves 2-4

1 medium spaghetti squash
olive oil
about 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
few slices of red onion
2-3 oz. goat cheese
2 Tbsp. pepitas
4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
smoked paprika
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Split squash length-wise, scrape out seeds and place, cut side down, on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until squash starts to shred when a fork is scraped across it's flesh.

Flip squash over so cut side is now facing up.  Scrape through most of the squash with a fork creating shreds of squash but leaving it in the peel.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika.  Over each half of squash crumble goat cheese, chopped spinach, tomatoes and some red onion.  Drizzle another  bit of olive oil over the top, sprinkle salt and pepper and more paprika, if desired.  Return to oven and bake another 10-15 minutes.

While squash is baking, toast pepitas with a pinch of salt in a small frying pan over medium heat until they start popping and turn golden brown in color. Set aside.

Once squash is done baking, remove from oven and top with fresh basil and toasted pepitas.  Serve warm.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from BS' In The Kitchen

Thai Steak Salad

It is very seldom that we eat beef, even less that we eat steak.  I absolutely love this salad though and thought this weekend would be perfect for a little splurge.  I have had the original version of this recipe for probably almost 10 years.  It was in one of my most favorite Cooking Light Cookbooks.  What attracted me at first was the beautiful picture in the cookbook.  The bright purple cabbage and orange carrots contrasted against a bed of lovely greens. 

This salad also has three of my favorite fresh herbs: basil, cilantro and mint.  While I have eaten them and love them separately, they are amazing all together in this salad.  It is a HUGE burst of flavor going on in your mouth! The dressing uses a bit of Thai fish sauce which adds great flavor in small amounts.  If you're not a fan of fish sauce or can't find it, this Ginger Lime Dressing is a good substitute.  It is my all time favorite dressing and use it on my Asian Slaw whenever I make it.


Thai Steak Salad
for the marinade:
1 flank steak (or ribeye or sirloion)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. red cooking wine (can also use sherry or red wine vinegar)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil

for the salad:
1 small nappa cabbage, shredded
1/4 small red cabbage, shredded
2-3 cups baby spinach
2 large carrots, peeled and small-diced (julienned or shredded works too)
1/2 (or more) fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup (or more) fresh basil leaves
1/2 (or more) fresh mint leaves

for the dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1-2 limes depending on how big and how juicy)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. fresh minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Sriracha (sweet chili sauce)

garnish:
chopped peanuts


Combine marinade ingredients and place in a ziploc bag along with steak and marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Combine salad dressing ingredients and set aside. 

In a large salad bowl, combine salad ingredients and set aside. 

When you are ready to cook the steak, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large grill pan and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook steak about 4-5 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove from heat and let rest at least 5 minutes.  Slice steak across the grain in thin slices.

When ready to serve, toss the salad with a little bit of the dressing.  Divide salad between plates and top with sliced steak and chopped peanuts.


SOURCE: Adapted from Cooking Light and Pioneer Woman

Chicken Fajitas

Ohhhh!  I forgot how much I LOVE fajitas. I love ordering them in restaurants where they come sizzling to the table in their own personal skillets, warm tortillas on the side.  Then topping them with a healthy dose of guac and sour cream, maybe even some fresh pico de gallo.  MMM! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

Fajitas can be pretty versatile and generic, so getting the marinade right is key.  The marinade for these fajitas is delicious and bursting with flavor!  I got the recipe from my sister ages ago and our families just love them.


Chicken Fajitas
for the marinade:
juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
pinch of onion powder

for the fajitas:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (about 2-3), butterflied
1 small onion, julienned
3 colored peppers, julienned
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. soy sauce
juice of half a lime
salt & pepper
6-8 8-inch flour tortillas

Garnishes:
sliced avocado
guacamole
sour cream
diced tomatoes

In a mixing bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.  Pour into shallow baking dish, add chicken and cover with plastic wrap or place marinade and chicken in a zip top bag, pushing out the air as you seal it.  Refrigerate and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

When you're ready to prepare the fajitas, chop and gather veggies and preheat either indoor grill pan or outdoor grill.  Remove chicken from marinade and place on the grill*. Cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes per side.  Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Slice.

While chicken is cooking, heat a large saute pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add onions and mushrooms and saute about 4-5 minutes, then add peppers and soy sauce and continue cooking until peppers are crisp tender.  Remove from heat, squeeze lime juice over the top and salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, place chicken and veggies in a warm tortilla and top with garnishes of choice.

*Alternately you can slice the chicken before it's cooked and marinate it, then saute it in a frying pan before you cook the veggies.

Thai Butternut Soup

If you haven't started making soup, it's time to get on that!!  We're having it at least once a week by now and I love it.  Soups are generally "soup-er" (haha) easy to make, take few ingredients and stretch a long way.  Plus, they can be pretty cheap as well.  This meal was literally pennies to make.  My mom gave me the squash, I used my own homemade stock and already had most of the rest of the ingredients already.   I only had to spend about $2.50 on the coconut milk and fresh lime. I also served the soup with some Artisan Bread, which is also pennies to make, which made for a delicious and very filling meal!

If you like curry even a bit, you're going to love this soup!  This is reminiscent of some of my most favorite curry dishes and so quick and easy!!


Thai Butternut Soup
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1-2 Tbsp. red curry paste
2-3 cups veggie stock
1 medium butternut squash, roasted
1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

garnishes:
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts or dollop of natural peanut butter
splash of fish sauce


*Do ahead.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Chop squash in quarters and rub with a little oil (I used coconut). Place on a silicone-lined baking sheet and bake until soft; about 25-30 minutes.  Cool, then scrape out the flesh and set aside.  Discard skins.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil and add onion.  Saute until soft and starting to turn brown and caramelize, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir and cook another 5 minutes or so.  Add in squash and about 2 cups of the stock and increase the heat a bit.  Bring to a low bubble and simmer about 5-10 minutes. 

Use an immersion blender to puree soup, otherwise use an upright blender working in batches to puree a bit at a time.  Return puree to pot and add coconut milk, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until well-incorporated.  Check for seasoning and add more stock if necessary.

Serve warm.  Garnish as desired.



SOURCE:  slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Grilled Ratatouille Polenta Stack

Most of what you see here is either from my garden or was given to me from a friend's garden.  Gotta love it!  I wish my garden were bigger, I wish I could grow everything I wanted and I wish I could have my own tomatoes the whole year long.  But alas, 'tis not so.  So, for now I'll take what I can get.

Last summer I played around with ratatouille a bit and really enjoyed the flavor profile.  I also started liking eggplant a little more.  When my friend brought me three eggplants a while back I immediately knew I wanted to do something ratatouille-like but wasn't sure what.  Then I got inspired and pulled this dish off.

This totally hit the spot and was a great meatless meal.  I was a little nervous at the lack of seasoning (other than salt) on the veggies but I forget just how delicious grilled or roasted veggies are by themselves.  They were anything but flavorless.  Then the marinated fresh tomatoes and herbs up the anti even more.  All that sat on top of a creamy polenta cake, giving the dish both flavor and substance.


Grilled Ratatouille Polenta Stack
for the ratatouille:
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced 1/2 inch thick
salt

for the polenta:
3/4 cup polenta/corn grits/cornmeal
3 cups chicken broth or water
3/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

for the marinated tomatoes and herbs:
3-4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste


Slice eggplant and zucchini.  Place on a wire rack fitted over a cookie sheet.  Alternately you can place them on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet as well.  Sprinkle with salt and let sit about 10 minutes to draw the water out.  Flip, salt again and let sit another 10 minutes.

Dice tomatoes and place in a bowl with vinegar and olive oil.  Add chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until ready to plate and serve.

Bring chicken broth or water to a boil. Gently whisk in polenta.  Reduce heat and simmer 7-15 minutes.  Cook time will depend on coarseness of the grain.  If you are using a fine cornmeal, it may only take 4-5 minutes.

While polenta is cooking, preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan and grill zucchini, eggplant and peppers on both sides until tender.

When polenta is finished cooking, remove from heat and whisk in cheese and cream.  Pour into an 8x8-inch pan, buttered or sprayed with cooking spray.  Allow to set until firm.  You can briefly refrigerate it if necessary.  Cut into 6 squares. 

To assemble, place polenta cake on a plate.  Layer with about 2-3 slices each eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper.  Top with marinated tomatoes and herbs and some of the liquid.

Serve warm.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Project Domestication