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Blog

Filtering by Category: soup

curried cauliflower + chickpea stew

Andrea

I know what you're thinking...this isn't a very exciting way to kick off 2012. A mash-up of cauliflower, tomatoes + chickpeas served over rice...what's the big deal? The deal is, I have consumed this dish forty-two times in the last week, or close to it, and am still not tired of it. This mildly spicy recipe is fast, healthy, cheap, and makes a TON of leftovers. I've wanted to share it with you for, oh, nearly 3 years now, but have never been able to get a decent photograph to share. Finally, I've accomplished a task that has been on my list for far to long. And THAT, my friends, is an excellent way to kick off the new year.

We usually have the canned ingredients in our pantry, and pick up a cauliflower every few weeks when I know we're going to have some busy nights on the calendar. At this time of year when we're all working towards goals of healthy habits and more quality time with our families, recipes like this one are so valuable. The stew isn't too spicy, but if you're not a fan of heat I would use regular canned tomatoes rather than those laced with green chiles. We like to serve the stew over brown rice.
Curried Cauliflower + Chickpea Stew
serves 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2-½ cups chopped onions
  • 5 tsp curry powder
  • 6 cups small cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)
  • (2) 14-oz cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
  • (2) 14-oz cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • (1) 14-oz can unsweetened, light coconut milk
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (I rarely have this and so usually leave it out)
Method
  1. Heat oil in a large (really, large!) skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes.  
  2. Add curry powder and stir for 20 seconds.  
  3. Add cauliflower and garbanzo beans and stir for 1 minute.
  4. Add diced tomatoes, then the coconut milk, and bring the entire mixture to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and boil gently until cauliflower is tender and liquid thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 16 minutes.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stir in cilantro and serve.

categories soup, vegetarian
tags cauliflower, chickpea, curry, mild spice, stew, tomatoes

leftover bird + orzo soup

Andrea

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I hope you are all enjoying a leisurely morning of coffee and cooking with loved ones.  We are about to embark on our meal prep, after a bit of time invested last night. Oh, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is magical...in case you were wondering. :)

I have a day-after recipe for you this morning; a hearty, veggie-filled soup that uses your leftover turkey meat as well as the carcass. We're all about using the whole animal around here, and fresh stock is truly the best base for any soup you can make. So chop some extra onions, celery, and carrots today and stow them away in a ziplock bag in your refrigerator. You can even make the stock tonight to keep things really simple tomorrow. Because tomorrow is all about relaxation and dirtying as few dishes as possible, right?  :)

Again, Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for so many things this year, including each one of you for continuing to read and share your comments here at Bella Eats. Have a wonderful holiday, all!!!

Leftover Bird + Orzo Soup

for the stock:
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 ribs of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • water
  • 1 turkey or chicken carcass
for the soup:
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 ribs of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 10 cups of stock (if you have less than that, add water. more, simmer it until it reduces)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 large sprigs of thyme
  • (1) 15-oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups leftover chicken or turkey, chopped or torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup dried orzo
  • 3 large handfuls of swiss chard leaves, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
  • salt + pepper
method:
  1. First, make the stock.  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the bird carcass and enough water to mostly cover, about 16 cups.  Bring everything to a boil and then drop the heat to medium-low, letting the stock simmer for 2-3 hours until full of flavor and reduced to 8-10 cups.  Strain the stock through a fine sieve, and discard the bird carcass and all vegetables.  Let the stock cool completely before refrigerating if you're not going to use it the same day.
  2. Clean the pot, and start again with heating the oil and sautéing the second batch of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.  After 3 minutes, add the stock, herbs, tomatoes, and leftover meat.  Bring to a boil and drop to medium-low, letting the soup simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add the orzo and continue to simmer until tender, another 10 minutes.  Add the swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt + pepper and serve, being careful to remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

categories chicken, soup
tags chicken, leftovers, orzo, soup, thanksgiving, turkey

mexican meatball soup

Andrea

meatball soup-4.jpg

We're so close, friends. Spring is just around the corner and making her presence known with sunny days and >50-degree temperatures. There are tiny yellow crocuses blooming in my backyard, and when I spotted them last Thursday I giddily ran inside to grab my camera. I've spent several mornings over the last week outside walking up a mountain and back...in short sleeves. I am even contemplating slipping sandals on today for my afternoon errands. Sandals! This incredible weather has me wanting to spend every moment outside, basking in the warmth and sights and smells of a budding new season. It has me thinking of gardening, the smell of the earth and the feel of dirt under my fingernails. We've ordered the seeds for our tiny plot (and a much bigger one...a project I am excited to share with you once it gets rolling!) and Brian and I have a big date next weekend weeding and mulching and amending. 

One of the first harvests we'll have this spring will be cilantro. It really is the perfect opening crop because it compliments spicy fare so well. I tend to favor food with a little kick this time of year...I'm thinking it has something to do with the drastic temperature swings we see around here, with warm days sliding into very cool nights. A zippy soup that warms from within is quite welcome after the heavy, thick, potato-based stews we consumed to warm us all Winter. This recipe is a favorite, with spicy tomato broth and bite-size, cilantro-laced meatballs. It usually only takes a slight rise in temperature for Brian to request it on the menu, and it stays there until Spring slips into Summer.

PS: I am ignoring the fact that they are calling for sleet and snow tonight, choosing instead to concentrate on the lovely 60-degree hike I went on this morning in the sunshine. If I ignore it...it won't happen. Right?

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This soup is quite quick and easy to throw together on a weeknight after work. The most time-consuming task is forming the meatballs, but even that doesn't take terribly long. To speed up the process make them the night before and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The soup itself keeps for a couple of days, but is best the day it is made. Over time the meatballs and rice tend to break down a bit.

Mexican Meatball Soup with Rice and Cilantro

from bon appetit december 2000, via the kitchen sink recipes

serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 3/4 cups chopped onions
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 5 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa (medium-hot)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/4 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup long-grain white rice

 Method

  1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 3/4 cups onions, 2 garlic cloves and bay leaves; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juices, salsa and 1/4 cup cilantro; bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine ground beef, pork sausage, cornmeal, whole milk, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, then remaining 1 cup onions, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well. Shape meat mixture by generous tablespoonfuls into 1- to 1 1/4-inch balls. 
  3. Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. 
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
meatball soup-5.jpg
categories soup
tags meatballs, mexican, soup, spicy, tomato broth

butternut squash + sweet potato soup

Andrea

I think I owe you all this one. Something healthy, hearty, warming, and veggie-full. If I were you I'd be a little upset with me, returning after 3 months away with sticky buns. And empanadas. And cake. Especially with all of those resolutions floating around at the back of your mind, begging to be broken by a lemon-scented, butter and cream-filled dessert. That's just wasn't fair of me, was it?

So, here you go; my new favorite soup. A version of which I've been making for many years...but there is just something so right about this particular one. Perhaps it is the incredibly frigid winter we're having in Charlottesville; a January full of gray skies that threaten, but haven't truly delivered, a good snow. Cheerful orange soups are especially good during months like that. Or maybe it is the fact that I work out of my home office now, and that every now and then as I sit at my computer, blanket and cat warming my lap, fingers nearly frozen, I'll think "soup would be wonderful for lunch". And then I get up and go to the kitchen and make this one. Soup cooked under those circumstances tastes just a little better, I think, and I'm liking that perk of self-employment very, very much.

Even made in the evening this soup is a big hit. Smooth and rich without the addition of cream, hearty and earthy and rosemary-scented, quick and easy and made in one pot. What's not to like? Please try it, I'd love to hear what you think.

Butternut Squash + Sweet Potato Soup
serves 4

Ingredients:

  • (1) small butternut squash, about 1.5 pounds, diced (1/2-inch)
  • (2) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2-inch)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • salt + pepper

Method:

  1. Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and rosemary and stir to coat. Cover pot and allow veggies to sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. After 10 minutes, add broth. Bring to a boil then drop heat to moderate simmer. Let soup simmer for an additional 20 minutes, until potatoes and squash are quite tender.  Remove rosemary sprig.  Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree' soup until smooth and creamy.  Salt and pepper to taste.

categories soup, vegetarian
tags butternut squash, potage, rosemary, soup, sweet potato, vegetarian

transition, through chowder

Andrea

There's been a change in the air these last few weeks...have you felt it? Just the slightest shift in temperature, a chill in the evenings that makes sleeping with windows wide open not only possible, but pleasant. The breeze is changing, carrying with it the scent of a backyard grill, the sound of fallen leaves skipping along pavement, a smattering of goosebumps across a forearm. Afternoon light has a new quality, a dreamy, golden hue that elicits memories of high school football games, apple picking, the feel of a scarf wound loosely about the neck.

Autumn begins officially today, but I’ve seen signs of her impending arrival for most of September. I won’t deny my excitement, for this time of year is truly my favorite, but I will miss the bounties of Summer. There’s been an urgency to our visits to Charlottesville’s City Market each Saturday for three weeks now. A pressure to gather up one last load of roma tomatoes to roast, to pick up a dozen freestone peaches knowing they’ll be absent until next July, to seek out a few more ears of fresh corn before being forced to rely on the kernels stashed away at the back of the freezer.

I bought our first butternut squash just last week. It stood out in our market basket, a dull cloud against the sunset of tomatoes, peaches, and eggplant. Once home we roasted it to sweet perfection before pureeing it with celery, onions and carrots into an earthy potage. The recipe is an Autumn staple, one that will grace our table many times in the next few months. We loved the soup that night as we always do, but still, I wasn’t quite ready for it.

What I wanted instead was a chowder we’d made the week before, one that took advantage of the last of Summer’s produce while introducing the initial tastes of Autumn. Those final few ears of sweet corn, the bell and jalepeño peppers, the first potatoes and carrots of Fall, a cream base with heat that hits from the belly out, all come together to create a soup that perfectly represents this time. The transition from one season to another, from tank tops and flip flops to light jackets and closed-toe flats, embodied in a chowder.

A chowder perfect for those of us on the fence, clinging to Summer while welcoming Fall.

I mentioned, way back at the end of August, that I'd found a new trick to releasing corn kernels from their cob. Well, here it is friend.  I introduce to you the bundt pan, a vessel so perfectly designed for handling fresh corn that I feel it should be marketed in that way.  Sure, it also makes a pretty cake, but really, lots of pans can do that. The central tube fits the end of an ear of corn quite perfectly, and as you cut the kernels from the cob they fall neatly into the pan. No more corn kernels all over the counter and floor. I am probably the last to discover this handy trick, but wow, was I excited when I did. My dogs, however, miss the sweet kernels falling from above.

Spicy Potato Corn Chowder

adapted from Gourmet, July 2008 serves 4 as a first course Ingredients:
  • 3 ears corn, shucked
  • 1 quart water
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 1.75 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (3.5 cups)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 jalepeño peppers, minced (no seeds unless you want your soup really spicy)
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 2 California bay leaves
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups milk (1% or 2%)
  • 3 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Method
  1. Cut corn from each cob.
  2. Bring cobs, water, broth, potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large pot. Boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard cobs.
  3. Meanwhile, cook onion, carrot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add bell pepper, jalepeño, corn, thyme, bay leaves, and one ladle of liquid from potato/corn pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
  5. Stir in potatoes with water/broth and cream and gently boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in milk.  Be sure not to allow soup to boil after this point, as milk will curdle. Heat through, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
  7. Use an immersion blender to pureé some of the vegetables, to thicken soup.  Be sure to leave some large chunks of potatoes, peppers, and corn. If you don't have an immersion blender, ladle two scoops of soup into a regular blender and pureé, then add back to soup pot.
  8. Stir in scallions, white pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste, then serve.
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categories dinner, lunch, soup
tags chowder, corn, soup, summer

finally, a piece of NOLA

Andrea

July.  What a busy month this has been.  I know I've said that a lot these last few months, remarked often about the quick passing of time and my inability to sit behind my computer to put words on this digital page of mine.  Are you tired of that yet?  I sure am.  So, rather than dwell on my mile-long 'to do' list I've decided to share with you one of my favorite places. A city that my mind escapes to when life gets hectic and all I want is a cool spot in a shady courtyard, an ice-laden cocktail in my hand and notes of jazz wafting on the breeze. Am I procrastinating? Maybe a little.  But "write a flippin' post for Bella Eats!" is definitely on my list, so I AM accomplishing something...

It is difficult to explain the draw that Brian and I have to New Orleans.  It just...is. We feel it as soon as we step off the plane, a bubbling of emotion from deep within, a giddy excitement that manifests itself as raised hairs along goose-bumped arms. Neither of us have ever lived in the city, we have no family in the area, our first visit together occurred just seven years ago. Yet after that initial stay in the Big Easy we were hooked. Completely and totally.

NOLA is so much more than Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras and frozen drinks in phallic cups. The city has soul, and to find it one needs only to spend a few hours walking slowly down her cracked sidewalks. Underneath the peeling paint, the sagging balconies, the leaning cottages, and the rusty ironwork is a humble elegance steeped in history and perseverance. She keeps her chin up and dances to her own soundtrack; a mix composed of melancholy notes from a jazz clarinetist on Royal, the rumble and clang of a street car on Saint Charles, the clink of an oyster shell tossed on a pile behind a bar, a “what can I getcha, baby?” from the busy woman behind a restaurant counter.

Her natives are loyal, devoted to the place they’ve called home for most, if not all, of their lives. They are drawn to her magic, held hostage by an appeal that keeps them coming home even after high waters threatened to wash that possibility into the Gulf. Sit down at a table in any well-established restaurant and learn that your waiter has worked there for 40+ years. He loves his job and has been well taken care of for all that time, because that's how they do things in the Big Easy. Filter in and out of shops and restaurants in the French Quarter and be thanked not only for visiting that particular address, but for visiting New Orleans. “Come back soon, y’hear? This city needs you.”

We do go back, as often as we can. With each visit we try to experience new places, new food, new music; but it is difficult to stray from those that have become favorites. It just wouldn’t be a weekend in NOLA without a black ham biscuit, beignets and cafe au lait at midnight, a muffaletta, blackened Louisiana drum, Fritzel’s, Doreen. Tell any lover of New Orleans that you’re planning a visit and watch their eyes light up as they rattle off their own list of places you must see, meals you must eat.  But most of all, they'll be excited that you're going to New Orleans, and that the city will have another set of fans to add to her list.

We last visited NOLA in May.  You might remember me mentioning our trip and making promises to share recipes inspired by the fabulous meals we had while there. Oh, and photographs...I promised those too. I also mentioned the stifling heat we experienced during our stay and my relief that we'd be spared from such temperatures in Virginia for another two-ish months.  Ha. If only I had knocked on wood after hitting 'publish' on that post...

The record-breaking temperatures have kept us from doing much cooking in our kitchen, as even the thought of turning on the stovetop raises a bead of sweat at my hairline. I'd just about given up on the idea of sharing red beans and rice with you anytime before October when I read this article on The Kitchn about slow-cooking in the summer. I know that it seems counter-intuitive to pull out the Crock Pot in the middle of a heat wave, but it actually makes quite a bit of sense.

For this recipe, which I adapted from a traditional stovetop variation, all of the preparation was completed in the morning before work when my house was cool and the setting sun wasn't blaring through the west-facing kitchen window. The ingredients were tossed in the Crock Pot, I turned the heat to low and out the door we went.  When we arrived home that night the house smelled amazing and dinner was ready without either of us laboring over a hot stove.  We ladled up the beans, poured ourselves cold cocktails, and settled into our dark den. Not exactly a shady New Orleans courtyard, but a respite all the same.

These beans were really fantastic; smoked and earthy with just a hint of spice.  My ingredients are very close to Chef Prudhomme's; it was really just the process and the color of the bell peppers that I altered. Also, Brian and I don't have quite the tolerance for spicy heat that most native New Orleanians do, so I knocked that back a bit as well.

Red Beans + Rice with Andouille Smoked Sausage

recipe adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen serves 6 Ingredients
  • 1 pound dried red kidney beans
  • water
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 2 cups diced red bell pepper
  • 2 large smoked ham hocks, about 2.5 pounds total
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
  • 1 pound andouille sausage links
  • salt to taste
  • Basic Cooked Rice (recipe below)
Method
  1. The night before, place the dried red beans in a large saucepan and cover with water 2-inches above the beans. Let soak overnight.
  2. The next morning, drain the red beans and rinse thoroughly.  Refill the saucepan with fresh water to cover the beans by 2-inches.  Bring to a brisk boil and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the beans from the heat and drain.
  3. Place the boiled beans in a slow-cooker (crock pot) and add ten cups of water over top. Add everything but the andouille sausage, salt and Basic Cooked Rice to the pot and stir well.
  4. Set the slow-cooker to the 'low' setting and let cook for 6 to 7 hours, until the beans are tender and just starting to break apart. (I came home for a late lunch to check on the beans, and turned the slow-cooker to the 'warm' setting for the remaining 4 hours of my work day).
  5. Add the andouille sausage links (split in half or quarters, depending on the size of the links) to the slow-cooker and continue to cook for 1 additional hour.
  6. Salt to taste.
  7. Serve over Basic Cooked Rice.
***UPDATE***

Thank you to InternationalRoutier for bringing to my attention the fact that dried red kidney beans cooked in slow cookers have been known to cause food poisoning!  You can be protected from this possibility by soaking the dry beans for at least 5 hours, and then boiling the beans briskly for at least 10 minutes prior to adding them to the slow cooker.  I've modified my recipe above to reflect this change.

Basic Cooked Rice

from Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen makes about 6 cups of rice Ingredients
  • 2 cups uncooked rice (I used brown rice)
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 tbsp very finely chopped onions
  • 1 1/2 tbsp very finely chopped celery
  • 1 1/2 tbsp very finely chopped bell pepper (the recipe calls for green, I used red because I love them)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • a pinch each of white pepper, ground red pepper (cayenne), and black pepper
Method
  1. In a 5x9x2 1/2-inch standard loaf pan, combine all ingredients and mix well. Seal pan snugly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350º until rice is tender, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Serve immediately.*
* I made the rice the night before.  If you are planning to do the same, DO NOT use green bell peppers, as they tend to sour quickly. Reheat the rice in a skillet with a bit of melted butter.

We can't even begin to imagine the affect that the explosion of the DeepWater Horizon oil drilling rig will have on the Gulf, the coast, the country, the world. The stories and images are devastating. If you are able and would like to help the recovery, I've provided links below to organizations that would appreciate your contribution.

Greater New Orleans Foundation National Wildlife Federation International Bird Rescue Research Center
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categories beans, dinner, grain, lunch, soup
tags andouille sausage, baked rice, ham, new orlean, red beans

to satisfy all cravings

Andrea

My heels hit the pavement with a muffled thud that keeps time with the music streaming in my ear.  I've been fussing with the wire to my headphones, trying to rearrange the line moving down the inside of my shirt to the iPhone in my hand without losing my balance and accidentally stepping out in front of a car.  Frustrated, I finally pull the plugs from my ears and wrap the cord around my wrist, content to let my feet provide base to accompany the chirping birds' melody as I finish my jog.

I’ve only recently started running again, pounding the pavement on my neighborhood streets as much for the fitness benefits as for the opportunity to get outside and absorb the beauty of my environment. Running and I don’t really get along (you can read a bit about that here, from the old Bella Eats) so my mileage is pretty light and my pace is fairly slow. I typically try to distract myself either with a talkative buddy or a good Pandora station on my iPod, but lately have found that my surroundings are distraction enough.

In the last few weeks I’ve witnessed the transition of dry, yellow lawns into luscious, chartreuse carpets speckled with sunny dandelions and dusty purple violets. I’ve waited patiently for the lilac bush at the top of one long, steadily-sloped hill to come to bloom and finally, just last week, was able to stop for a few deep inhales of oh-so-sweet perfume from its clumps of delicate blossoms. As my feet pad-pad-pad the concrete sidewalk I’ve found my head spinning in all directions to absorb freshly-mulched flower beds that first showcased crocuses in mid-March, revealed daffodils two weeks later and tulips two weeks after that. The ethereal quality of each April day is enough to entice me to lace up my shoes and walk out the door, always excited to see what’s changed in the few days since I last plodded around the neighborhood.

As I peak the last small hill before the intersection one block from my house I am hot and sweaty, my skin bright pink and glistening with tiny beads of moisture. I reach the corner and slow to a walk, raising my hands to the top of my head and taking in a few deep, slightly ragged breaths. The breeze picks up just then, sweeping through the branches overhead to send a cascade of browning cherry blossoms swirling towards the ground. This is the last of them, the white and pink flowers have been slowly pushed out by darkening green leaves over the last couple of weeks. I’ll miss the bright, cottony treetops, but now we have floppy dogwood blossoms and bright fuchsia azaleas to admire. And after that there will be wild sweet peas and multiflora rose, both lending the air surrounding Charlottesville with the sweetest scent you can imagine, making the deep, ragged breaths at the end of a run a bit more tolerable.

The sun is setting now, giving the golden evening light a hint of green as beams filter through the new growth on our backyard trees. I stretch on the back deck for a few minutes, sinking my hips deep into a lunge as the Spring breeze brushes over my still-damp skin, sending a little smattering of goosebumps up my cooling arms. It’s going to get chilly overnight, despite the mid-day temperature of 65-degrees.

This is so typical for Charlottesville this time of year - daily temperatures that swing from the 30's to the 70's and back in just 24 hours' time.  It calls for a little planning in the morning, a layering of clothing to be sure you're warm enough when you walk out the door but not too hot when you step out for lunch.  It means watching the forecast carefully to be sure that those plants that spent the Winter indoors and "just want a little sunshine!" on the back deck are brought in before the air turns too cool. It also means preparing meals that satisfy a plethora of cravings, from light and bright to comforting and warm.

As I finish my stretching and head inside my nose absorbs the scent of chicken braising in a bath of milk, lemon, sage and cinnamon.  There is soup too, a zippy puree of Winter-Spring veggies.  I am glad that I thought to start dinner prior to my run, because although standing in a hot kitchen prepping dinner sounds miserable right now, in thirty minutes the cool air slipping through our windows will have me wanting a warm and comforting meal.  A warm and comforting meal that is, at the same time, light and bright with the promise of Spring.

This soup is perfect on these Spring days with nights that feel closer to Winter. The parsnips are strong, so if you're looking for just a hint of the root I'd reduce their amount to 1/2 pound and up your potato count to 3.  Be sure to add the squeeze of lemon at the end, it really makes the asparagus shine.

Creamy Asparagus and Parsnip Soup

serves 4 Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced to 1-inch chunks
  • about 3/4 pound parsnips, peeled and diced to 1-inch rounds
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed, chopped to 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 4-5 cups chicken broth
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 lemon
Method
  1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes, parsnips, onion, garlic, and asparagus and stir to coat with butter.  Cover pot and let veggies sweat for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes and parsnips are slightly tender.
  2. Add white wine to pot and stir to deglaze bottom of pan if there are any bits of veggie stuck.  Add the chicken broth, enough to just cover all of the vegetables.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes and parsnips are fully tender, another 10 minutes or so.
  3. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the vegetables until you have a smooth, creamy consistency devoid of any chunks.  Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, to taste.
This chicken is everything that everybody has raved about.  Moist and flavorful, it is wonderful on its own dressed simply with the sauce created from the braising liquid.

Braised Chicken in Milk

recipe from Jamie Oliver via Whitney in Chicago and The Kitchn serves 4 Ingredients
  • 3-1/2 pound organic chicken
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 stick of butter
  • olive oil
  • cinnamon stick (mine was about 3 inches in length)
  • handful of fresh sage leaves, removed from stem
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 10 cloves of garlic (I removed the skin)
  • 1 pint milk
Method
  1. Preheat your oven to 375*.
  2. Rinse and thoroughly dry your chicken.
  3. Rub your chicken down with sea salt and black pepper, evenly and thoroughly.  Heat a large oven-proof pot on your stove top and melt the stick of butter and a glug of olive oil together.  Place the chicken in the pot, breast-side down, and fry until golden brown.  Turn bird to all sides to get even, golden color.  This should take about 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the bird from the pot and place on a plate.  Discard the remaining butter and oil.  Put the bird back in the pot (don't mind all of the little brown bits at the bottom of the pot, they will add tremendous flavor to the final sauce) and add the rest of your ingredients.  Place the pot in the oven, covered, and cook chicken for 90 minutes.  Baste with the cooking juices whenever you remember (which I did 2 or 3 times).  If you think about it, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking, so that the skin will crisp up a bit.  If not, no biggie.
  5. To serve, pull all of the neat from the bones and divide amongst 4 plates.  Be sure to siphon up the juices in the pot including the curds, which I know look weird but add so much flavor to the sauce.  I put the sauce in a jelly jar and shook it really hard, to help incorporate those curds into the liquid so that they didn't look so funny on my chicken.  Spoon the sauce over the pulled chicken and ENJOY!
Be sure to fish out all of the garlic cloves from the pot when the chicken is done.  Spread them over thick slices of chunky bread, and swoon!
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categories chicken, dinner, soup
tags asparagus, parsnips, potatoes, roasted chicken, soup

on a whim

Andrea

As Spring quickly approaches, I’m finding that the evening meal has become a very relaxed affair. With daylight extending itself to an hour that allows for chatting with a glass of wine on the back deck after work, thoughts of dinner don’t start to cross the mind until the sun dips behind the trees and the temperature drops to a point that requires either a move inside or the addition of a lightweight sweater. It is only then that we notice the clock (and our bellies!) telling us that it is past 7pm, and time to pull something together in the kitchen.

I haven’t been planning our meals very far in advance, something that is unusual to my character. Typically our weekly menu is fully laid out by Saturday afternoon, neatly written in bright-white across our pantry doors coated with black chalkboard paint. I consider the menu carefully before finalizing my grocery list, receiving feedback from Brian and swapping days according to the longevity of ingredients to be purchased. The planned meals may vary slightly after Sunday’s trip to the store, when I discover that there are perfect golden beets that I hadn’t counted on calling my name, or that red cabbage has been particularly popular lately, and therefore its typical spot in the produce department is empty save for one sad, wilted purple leaf.

Lately our trips to the grocery have been more rushed than usual, the product of two very busy schedules finding only slivers of overlap in which to make the drive to and wander the aisles of the market. Oftentimes we wind up stopping in on our way to or from other errands, on days not typically designated as ‘grocery days’, leaving me standing in the middle of the produce department, overwhelmed and without a list. And so we rely on stand-by ingredients, items we purchase most weeks religiously, and add in whatever else looks or sounds good at that moment. I quickly assemble meals in my head, substituting ingredients in and out of pastas and soups, making sure that we’ll be able to use whatever we purchase and not be left with a bag full of yellow brussels sprouts at the end of the week. It still happens occasionally, but at least I try.

Which brings me back to the weeknight, post-7pm. Brian and I stand in our kitchen, him ravenous and me a little chilly, peering into the pantry and refrigerator, pulling out ingredients to assemble a spontaneous meal together. Our preferences are changing with the season, moving from heavy and hearty to light and bright.  'Quick' is a new requirement now that we’re getting started on preparation later in the evening, and 'warm' still plays a role for me after having been outside, barefoot and sweater-less, after the sun has set. The results have been fantastic; pasta tossed with leftover chicken, local ham and a light parmesan broth; a mélange of roasted chickpeas, potatoes and brussels sprouts; an on-a-whim creamy soup of potatoes, parsnips and asparagus.

The best part has been creating these recipes, together, according to our own at-that-moment preferences rather than the recommendations of a book, magazine or blog.  It is easy, when I have a plan, to lose myself in the kitchen to the preparation of dinner, excusing Brian to take care of one of the many items on his ever-growing ‘to do’ list. But when there is no plan, and the task is to create quickly, we come at it from both sides, each tossing in our own suggestions to make a dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts.

I’ll admit that this egg drop soup is a recipe that has been in our repertoire for years, but it is so simple and satisfying, and we nearly always have its ingredients in our kitchen, that it is perfect for a spontaneous lunch or dinner.  It is not enough on its own, which lead to the creation of the vegetable fried rice variation below, on a whim.

Egg Drop Soup

serves 2 Ingredients
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
  • chunk of fresh ginger root, 1/4-inch thick by 1-inch diameter
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh scallions
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
Method
  1. Reserve 3/4 cup of the broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Add the salt, ginger and scallions, and bring to a rolling boil.
  2. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and the cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle the egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. The egg should cook immediately.
  4. Once all of the egg has been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

This dish was nearly spontaneous, the only forethought being that I made extra brown rice a few days prior, so that it would be ready and waiting in the fridge for some version of fried rice that had yet to be determined.  It just so happened that the night we decided to make egg drop soup was also the night that the leeks were starting to look a little haggard, and I wanted to use the brussels sprouts before they reached that same state.  Thus, a new star was born.

Fried Rice with Leeks and Brussels Sprouts

serves 6 Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil, divided
  • 2 medium leeks, sliced thinly
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, ragged outer leaves removed, sliced thinly (a food processor is a wonderful tool for this task)
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 cups steamed brown rice, cold (ideally, leftover from the night before)
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Method
  1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sliced leeks and brussels sprouts, and saute' until tender and bright green, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Wipe skillet clean, then heat over high heat, until a drop of water vaporizes upon impact.  Add the remaining 1 tbsp peanut oil, swirling to coat pan evenly, and heat until just starting to smoke.  Add eggs, tilting pan and swirling eggs to form a thin, even layer, and cook for 30 seconds.  Add rice and stir-fry, breaking up eggs and letting rice rest several seconds between stirs, until rice is hot, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the brussels sprouts and leeks, stir-frying to combine and heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
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categories dinner, eggs, grain, lunch, soup, vegetarian
tags brussels sprouts, eggs, fried rice, soup

a backdrop of falling snow

Andrea

Last Saturday another ten inches of snow fell across Charlottesville, blanketing my city in delicate drifts of sparkling white. I awoke in the wee morning hours, just as soft gray light started to seep through the cracks between the blinds over the bedroom window. Aside from the soft snores of the dogs nestled at my feet, all was quiet. The typical sounds of tires meeting asphalt, wind rustling tree branches and birds chirping from their power line perch were nonexistent, lost in the insulation provided by a muffling snow.

I slid out of bed, thankful that I'd kept socks on my feet and wouldn't have to endure the cold hardwood floor against bare skin. Padding out to the kitchen I paused at a window to peek outside and was greeted with an idyllic view. Three inches of snow does wonders for an imperfect ground, provides each and every limb of surrounding trees with sugary peaks along their length, silences a high-trafficked road. I couldn't deny that I enjoyed this scene - my outside world painted white; bright and shiny and devoid of mud. I stood there, mesmerized by my transformed street and the plump flakes still spiraling down from a silver sky, and made up with Winter.

Finally, the promise of a cup of coffee and a long kitchen agenda were enough to pull me from my trance. To have an entire Saturday with no errands, no obligations, no sunshine-filled sky tempting me to leash up the dogs for a hike in the woods, seemed luxurious. Despite the snowflake-clogged air, the light pouring through our windows was clear and bright, the ground having become a natural reflector as I slept. My camera screamed at me to get started, to not waste a single, brilliant moment. I simmered and sauteed and baked and photographed all day, stopping every once in awhile to marvel at the still-falling snow that had gifted me this time.

This soup emerged with perfect timing, the kale softening just as Brian came in from shoveling our sidewalks and driveway. Hearty with potatoes and greens, flavored by bright leeks and spicy sausage, it promises to warm the coldest of bodies and satisfy the grayest of minds. You can't help but to be thankful for Winter as the thick broth slides down your throat, the heat of the sausage spreading from inside out, a sensation not necessarily welcome during the Summer months but oh so tasty against a backdrop of falling snow.

This soup is very easy to make, coming together in just 45 minutes. The hot Italian sausage is a key player, infusing the broth with wonderful flavor and heat.

Spicy Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

serves 6 Ingredients
  • 2 large leeks, rinsed and sliced to 1/4-inch strips (about 3 cups total)
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 3 large Russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (leave about 1/2 the skin on the potatoes)
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 pound of hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
  • 3 cups of chopped kale (stems removed)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper
Method
  1. Melt butter in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onions and potatoes and stir to coat with butter.  Cover pot, reduce heat to low and let vegetables sweat for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove cover and add broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Drop sausage in small chunks into soup.  Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Remove 2 cups of soup from pot, avoiding large chunks of sausage.  Puree those 2 cups in a blender until smooth.  Add back to soup pot and stir to incorporate evenly.  Add kale and cover pot, allowing to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
  4. Remove cover and lower heat.  Add heavy cream and stir to incorporate.  Heat through, but don't let the soup simmer again or the cream will curdle a bit (as in my photos).
  5. Salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe, and Bella Eats,  made its debut on SuzySaid - Charlottesville on Monday. I have been asked to contribute a recipe each week to the site, and am so excited to be part of such a wonderful online resource for women in my city.  If you're from Charlottesville or the surrounding area, check out SuzySaid - Charlottesville for information on upcoming events and local businesses.  And tune in each Monday for a new recipe from Bella Eats!

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categories dinner, soup
tags double h farm, kale, leeks, potatoes, sausage, soup

heart and soul-warming

Andrea

Brian and I met when we were 18 years old, as freshmen in college. We were introduced by a mutual friend at an evening lecture in our first few weeks of school and hit it off immediately. Although we were both in long-distance relationships with high school sweethearts, we had a connection that couldn’t be denied. At least not by those around us. WE denied it, Brian and I did, despite the two years of friendship and flirting and soul-bearing conversations that followed. pc soup-4 We were both architecture majors, and each semester arranged our schedule so that we had all of our classes together. On the first day of school we’d get to our studio early to ensure that our desks would be located next to each other in the space where we spent most hours of our days and nights. We’d put a disc-man between us, load it with mixed CDs and plug in a pair of split headphones so that we could listen to the same music as we worked all night long on projects for the next day’s review. Our friendship continued to grow as we saw each other through relationship elation and heartache, as well as the highs and lows of life as a student of architecture. But still we denied any feelings we had for each other, insisting to those around us that we were just friends, never anything more. pc soup-3 The end of the second year of architecture school brings a make-it-or-break-it moment for its students - a pin-up presentation that shows your best work to a panel of your professors so that they can decide whether or not you show enough promise to proceed in the program. It is terrifying - a time when you search your soul to decide if you are truly made for architecture, and debate possibilities for what you might change your major to if you are not chosen. You are given roughly 36 hours, the time between when your last project of the semester is complete and the pin-up judgement begins, to put together a 4-foot by 8-foot board that expresses who you are as a designer. Brian and I, of course, spent those 36 hours together, holed up in his apartment working round-the-clock with no sleep. At one point, around hour 30, I was exhausted to the point of tears and hungry for anything other than pizza or Chinese delivery. And so, Brian made me soup. pc soup-6 It took a few more months and the demise of our high school relationships for me to outwardly admit the feelings I had for Brian but, looking back, I believe that the moment he handed me that bowl of piping-hot potato cheese soup amidst the biggest deadline of our lives thus far was the moment I knew that there was something more between us. This soup is still, to this day, my absolute favorite thing that he makes in our kitchen.  It has morphed over the years, adjusting with our tastes and food values, but at its core is still the creamy, delicious, heart and soul-warming meal that he made me so many years ago. Brian's Potato Cheese Soup serves 4 Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion, 1/2-inch dice
  • 3 stalks celery, 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced to 1/2-inch
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 6-8 cups chicken stock (we use better than bouillon no-chicken base)
  • 4 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 oz gruyere cheese, 1/2-inch cubes
  • salt + pepper
  • 4 mini bread bowls
  • parsley (for garnish)
Method:
  1. Heat butter over medium-high heat in large soup pot.  Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and saute' until the onions are just translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and saute' another minute.  Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium (a low boil) and cook until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.  Remove from heat.
  2. Put the cheese cubes into a blender.  Pour 2-3 ladles of hot soup on top of cheese in blender.  Puree' the mixture until smooth.  Whisk the cheese puree' back into your soup pot.
  3. Salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve in a sourdough bread bowl, if desired.
pc soup-5

Local

Virginians...check out the Virginia Chutney Festival next weekend in Sperryville, VA!  I wish I were going to be in town, because their picnic menu looks amazing!  It includes all locally raised and produced food - a true celebration of local flavors.  For more information, check out their website at www.virginiachutney.com.
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categories dinner, soup
tags cheddar, gruyere, potato, soup

bella terra: tomatoes, part 1

Andrea

You might remember that peaches claimed the number one spot on my "favorite summer produce" list.  But I must say, it was a close, close race.  In fact, Brian and I agreed that the attributes we loved most about both peaches and tomatoes were mostly the same. Both taste infinitely better during their season than at any other point in the year.  The personal acquisition of each (peaches from the orchard, tomatoes from our garden) guarantees a freshness and minimization of the bruises that these fragile fruits usually have when gathered from the grocery store, not to mention warm + fuzzy memories of time spent with your honey.  And finally, both peaches and tomatoes are so very summer.  In the end, I think it was my sweet tooth and Brian's lack thereof that determined each of our favorites. tomatosoup1 (1) The ripening of tomatoes in our garden is a bittersweet time for me.  Sweet, because we look forward to the juicy yellow, orange and red fruits from the time we plant the seedlings in mid-May, and bitter because it signals the beginning of the end - the downward slide of summer into fall.  Especially this year, when our harvest season has been cut so short by the blight claiming tomatoes across the Northeast.  Brian and I noticed it early this year, the slow yellowing then browning and shriveling of the lowest branches on our plants.  Eventually, the plants become skeletons of their former selves, with sad tomatoes hanging desperately to branches for as long as they can.  We learned this year that there is no way to avoid the fungus, especially since we have a strict no-spray rule, and if we want a full harvest season next year we need to plant a succession of tomatoes every 4 weeks starting in May and ending in July.  Lesson learned. tomatosoup merge 1 Despite the blight, we have had way too many tomatoes to handle all at once, just not enough for all of the canned sauces and salsas we had planned.  We've had countless tomato mozzarella salads, tomato + hummus + ham sandwiches, roasted tomato pastas and just plain tomato slices sprinkled with salt and eaten while standing over the kitchen sink, juice dripping from our hands.  Friends and neighbors have been lucky recipients of our extras - and in fact our guests last weekend claimed our house as the best "bed and breakfast" they'd stayed at as they loaded their car with a bag of heirloom tomatoes and a jar of homemade jam.  In return, they shared a recipe for Heirloom Tomato Soup that was not only delicious, but a great way to use up large quantities of our bounty. tomatosoup merge 2 We made it the next night, and I was pleased after my first taste to find that it was reminiscent of a favorite tomato basil soup I enjoyed at a local Greek restaurant while in graduate school - rich and creamy, with a nice spice that hits the back of your throat after each bite.  It was wonderful with fresh heirloom tomatoes from the garden, but I also look forward to trying it with canned tomatoes in the winter when I need a little reminder of warmer days.   For me, tomato soup has no particular season - I'll take it any time of the year. tomatosoup06 (1) This soup is the grown-up version of a childhood favorite, and pairs perfectly with grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches.  We made ours with a fresh french baguette, jarslberg cheese and salty soprassata - but feel free to use whatever soft cheese and cured meat makes you happiest. Creamy Heirloom Tomato Soup I adapted this recipe from a friend's adaptation of a Cooking Light recipe.  The original didn't use any cream, which I'm sure would be good, but the cream makes it oh, so delicious... serves 4 for dinner with a salad or sandwiches Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional - use more or less to suit your tastes)
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
  • 6 large heirloom tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 2 (28oz) cans whole tomatoes, if you make this in any season other than summer)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 large slices good quality bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup light cream
  • salt and ground pepper, to taste
Method:
  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, thyme, basil and red pepper flakes, stirring until onions are translucent.
  2. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down.  Using wooden spoon, mash tomatoes against side of pot to release juices.
  3. Stir in sugar and bread, stirring occasionally until bread starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer soup to a blender in batches and puree' until smooth and creamy (if you have an immersion blender, feel free to use it in the soup pot).  Return soup to pot and stir in chicken broth and cream.  Reheat, and add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Serve with mini grilled jarlsberg and sopressata sandwiches, if desired.
tomatosoup09 (1) We've been eating a LOT of tomatoes in our house, so stay tuned for more Bella Terra: Tomato posts... SRtomatoes-1-2 And, the Bella Eats Jam winner is...JENNY (comment #7)!  Send me an email at bellaeats[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll get your jam out to you this week.  If I don't hear from Jenny, I'll select another winner randomly in my next post. Other Bella Terra posts this season: Bella Terra: Preparation Bella Terra: Chives Bella Terra: Herbs Bella Terra: Sugar Snaps Bella Terra: Red Beets Bella Terra: Kale Bella Terra: Cucumbers Bella Terra: Blackberries
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categories dinner, garden, soup
tags basil, soup, tomato

better than take-out

Andrea

My dear readers...I've missed you!  I won't apologize because you all were so kind to point out after my last absence that I have no reason to, but I will say that life has been, in one word, busy.  The kind of busy that comes with having a house guest for two full weeks.  The kind of busy that sends you to Florida for an unexpected family emergency.  The kind of busy that keeps you in the office until 3am to meet a deadline.  The kind of busy that leaves you with little time to cook, let alone time to write about what you cook.  minestrone-1 And, in the midst of all of that busyness, I've become completely obsessed with this book.  And this one.  So, the little spare time I've been able to find over this last week (you know, like when I should be sleeping), I've spent engrossed in the world of Edward and Bella.  Its been so long since I've read a romance, let alone a fantastical one involving vampires and werewolves, that I'd forgotten how nice it is to step out of my own busy world for chunks of time to get lost in a fictional one.  I don't know how I managed to resist the inexplicable pull of the saga for so long, especially with all of the hype the movie created last fall (which I finally watched last weekend in Florida with my stepsisters and which led to my buying the first book in the airport on the way back home) but the escape has been welcome.  I feel a bit silly, especially when I read reviews that state "teens will relish this newest adventure...", but as a friend pointed out, there's just something about a good vampire romance that the female population can't resist, no matter how juvenile the books may be.  And this female can't disagree. minestrone-2 When life gets hectic Brian and I try to plan meals that are quick to prepare and last for days.  Our crock pot comes in handy on these occasions, acting as our own personal chef slaving away while we're at the office.  This particular soup was the result of us running home on our lunch break to read a chapter of Twilight let our dogs out and discovering while hastily making sandwiches for lunch that we had some veggies in the fridge that needed to be used up. Knowing that there would be no time after work to prepare dinner (this was to be the 3am night), I pulled down the trusty crock pot and got to work.  In one hour's time Brian and I ate lunch, made dinner, cleaned the kitchen AND I got a little reading in.  Talk about productive. minestrone-5 That evening I hurried home, ladled soup into pyrex bowls, grabbed a bottle of wine and our dogs and got back to work.  Even though dinner was eaten while sitting in front of my computer it felt good to know that it was homemade and healthy, so much better than the take-out that is usually consumed on such late nights.  This week will be busy as well (I had to work this weekend to prepare for it) but hopefully things will be back to normal soon.  And, I'm halfway through the Twilight saga, for which my kitchen (and my husband!) will be grateful, I'm sure. minestrone-8 Obviously this recipe can be modified in many ways to suit different tastes.  I personally think that adding a bit of spice to the broth would be delicious.   Crock Pot Minestrone serves 6, or 2 for three meals Ingredients:
  • 1 large zucchini, or 2 small, diced into bite-size chunks
  • 2 summer squash, diced into bite-size chunks
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped ham
  • 28-oz can of diced tomatoes (I used the kind with basil)
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh oregano
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup dried cannellini beans
  • 1 cup Israeli cous-cous, or other small pasta
  • 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
Method:
  1. Put the chopped zucchini, squash, bell pepper, ham, tomatoes, beans, bay leaves and fresh thyme in the crock pot.
  2. Heat oil over medium heat in saute' pan.  Add onion and saute' for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and fresh oregano and saute' an additional minute.  Add mixture to crock pot and put pan back on heat.
  3. Add chicken broth to saute' pan to de-glaze the pan.  Pour into crock pot.
  4. Cook soup on high for 6 hours.  When the beans are tender, add the cous-cous or pasta and fresh spinach.  Place lid back on crock pot and continue to cook until pasta is tender and spinach is wilted, about 15 minutes.
  5. Salt and pepper to taste.  (be sure to remove thyme stems and bay leaves before serving)
minestrone-7
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categories soup
tags crock pot, minestrone, quick, squash, tomato, white beans, zucchini

striking a balance

Andrea

March is a big birthday month in our household.  We kick it off right with Brian's at the very beginning, end it with mine and have a whole slew of friend and family celebrations in between.  I've never attempted to actually calculate the numbers, but if I had to guess I would say that 30-40% of the birthdays we actively celebrate fall within March.  That means a lot of cake and cocktails, which, following a winter of heavy comfort foods makes the whole month seem like a last hurrah for indulgent eats before the panic of a looming swimsuit season sets in.   soup-1 The mostly dreary weather of March has put a damper on my running habit as well.  Although the coldest temperatures of the month are typically much higher than those in January and February, the occasional 60* teaser days make the moderately cold ones completely unbearable.  I have a hard time motivating myself to tie my shoes and hit the road on a 40*, overcast evening (which in February would have felt downright warm) when my previous run had me in shorts and a tank top. soup-2 And now here I am on the eve before the start of April, my legs sore from last night’s run after the prior week’s hiatus, my mouth craving a sweet because its become a daily habit and, dare I say, my body a couple of pounds heavier than it was just one month ago.  I started this blog originally to hold me accountable in my healthy eating and exercise habits, but found (along with an amazing community of people and many new friends) that the creative aspects of photographing and writing about food were more compelling for me than the keeping of a food diary. soup-3 Its been about a month since I switched formats, and although the timing may have been poor what with all of the celebrations that March holds, I think the changes I've seen in my daily habits prove a point.  Food diaries work.  At least for me they do, which is why I'll be keeping a closer tab on myself starting tomorrow.  But don't worry, I won't be switching things up on you again.  I really love the direction the blog is heading and from the positive feedback I've received, I think you do to.  What you will be seeing are some lighter, healthier, simpler and hopefully more economical recipes popping up on Bella Eats this month, starting with this one. soup-4 This soup was delicious.  So good that Brian and I haven't been able to stop talking about it for two days.  Its very simple, using ingredients that we always have on hand - carrots, celery, onion, canned beans, canned tomatoes, dried mushrooms, dried grains, good olive oil and fresh herbs are staples in our kitchen.  The mushrooms added such a wonderful earthiness to the broth that I don't know if I'll ever be able to make vegetable soup without mushrooms again.  And the infused olive oil adds so much depth.  Please - please - don't leave it out.  You won't be sorry. soup-6 Mushroom White Bean Soup with Rosemary recipe inspired by keep it simple foods and the new york times Ingredients:
  • 1/2 oz porcini mushrooms, dried
  • 6 cups veggie or chicken broth (I used chicken)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut in half and sliced into 1/4" pieces
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced into 1/4" pieces
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves,  minced
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (15oz)
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
  • 2 cans cannelini or navy beans (15oz each), drained and rinsed
  • salt and pepper
Method:
  1. First make infused olive oil, recipe below.  It will need to sit for 2 hours before serving, so be sure to plan ahead.
  2. Boil 2 cups of water.  Place dried mushrooms in a glass bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Let sit for 30 minutes.  Place a fine mesh strainer over a separate bowl.  Lift mushrooms out of water and squeeze over strainer, collecting liquid in second bowl.  Rinse mushrooms in strainer with cold water and squeeze out excess over sink.  Chop mushrooms and set aside.  Pour the mushroom soaking water through the strainer into the second bowl.  Add water as necessary to make 2 cups.  Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom soup pot.  Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute' for 5-7 minutes, until starting to tenderize.  Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and saute' an additional 30 seconds.  
  4. Add the chicken broth, mushroom liquid, chopped mushrooms and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a heavy simmer and add the barley.  Continue to simmer for 12-15 minutes until the barley is tender.  Add the beans and salt + pepper to taste.
  5. Serve immediately with rosemary + porcini oil drizzled on top.
Rosemary and Porcini Infused Olive Oil recipe modified from bon appetit Ingredients:
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 whole garlic clove
  • 1/2 oz porcini mushrooms, dried
Method:
  1. Place mushrooms in a strainer.  Rinse under hot water and drain well.  Pat dry.  
  2. Combine mushrooms, oil, rosemary and whole garlic clove in small, heavy saucepan.  Cook over low heat until thermometer inserted into oil registers 180*F, about 8 minutes.  (I am currently without a thermometer so left my oil on for 9 minutes, just in case).
  3. Remove from heat, cover and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
  4. Oil can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
soup-5 Thank You All for the great comments you write on my posts, they really make my day!  Welcome to my new readers who have found your way here from Tastespotting and Foodgawker, I look forward to hearing from more of you and to sharing some simple, healthy recipes with you this month.  Enjoy!
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categories dinner, soup
tags barley, mushrooms, olive oil, rosemary, soup, vegetable, white bean

lentil chili with cumin, corn and green onions

Andrea

I'm a sleepy girl again tonight, and trying my best to be in bed at 11pm.  Thanks for all of your feedback on how much sleep you all get...it sounds like none of us are getting enough!  Its sad that the things that are good for us - sleeping, working out, cooking - are typically the first things to slack on when we get busy with life.  But that is why there are food blogs out there, to show us all that it IS possible to lead a busy, HEALTHY lifestyle.  I'm still working on mine...!  :)  I skipped out on my run this morning in favor of sleeping for an extra 45 minutes...these late nights are really screwing with my exercise plans! By the time I get home from work I'm too tired for anything other than yoga, so if I want to keep my running on track I've got to modify my schedule.  See?!? Busy = slacking on my good-for-me tasks.  Did I tell you all that I'm signed up for a 5K this weekend?!?  I don't think I did!  My hubb and I are running the Amnesty Valentine's Day 5K, in the neighboring town of Crozet.  I'm super-excited...this will be my first 5k!!!  I've run the Charlottesville Women's 4-miler twice, but never a 5K before. And, this race will be with my hubb, who has NEVER run a race before!  So fun.  Don't worry, I'll be telling you guys all about it on Saturday!  :)   On to some eats...I'm going to try keep it quick. I loved my breakfast this morning, it was so simple and hearty and delicious.  And it stuck with me for a full 4 hours.  Have I mentioned how much I love the Ezekiel sprouted wheat english muffins?  Because I do, I love them SO much and could easily eat one every single day.   Breakfast:  a toasted ezekiel muffin, 1/2 with TJ's crunchy PB and 1/2 with sour cherry preserves.  Also, 1 cup of red grapes. [440 cal] 090210-b1 Lunch:  leftover potato leek soup with kale, and a hearty oat biscuit. [437 cal] 090210-l2 090210-l1 Afternoon Snack: 6oz 0% Fage and one AMAZING Murcott Mandarin Orange...it was like eating an orange creamsicle dessert! [130 cal] 090210-l3 I planned to go for a run after work, so had my a pre-run snack at my usual 5pm time.  But, I wound up staying late at the office and got home too late for a run...I was just too beat.  And THAT is why I need to get to bed earlier...so that I can get my bootie out of bed for my morning run!  Its just so hard to stay motivated to work out at the end of the day, I'd much rather come home and get dinner going so we can start winding down. Afternoon Snack #2:  Clif chocolate chip ZBar...my fave.  I love these little guys! [130 cal] 090210-s1 Dinner tonight was quick, simple and DELICIOUS.  I found a recipe for Lentil Chili with Cumin and Green Onions in the February 2008 issue of Bon Appetit.  I planned to follow it exactly, but found that we were out of a couple of key ingredients, Chili Powder and Tomato Puree.  So instead I modified it slightly, substituting Ancho Chili Pepper, tomato sauce and tomato paste.  I also added frozen corn at the last minute and am so glad that I did. The corn cut the heat of the chili with a lovely, mild sweetness, really increasing the depth of flavors.   090210-d1 090210-d2 090210-d4 Lentil Chili with Cumin, Corn and Green Onions [adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2008] made 2 dinner servings and 1 small lunch serving 362 calories, 7.6g fat, 1.4g sat fat, 58g carbs, 18g fiber, 19g protein Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp ancho chili pepper
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 cups water, plus extra
  • 1 cup dried green lentils
  • 8oz tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
Method:
  1. Heat oil in large sauce pan on medium.  Add onion and saute' for 2 minutes.  Add garlic, saute' for 30 seconds.  Add ancho chili pepper, cumin, cayenne, and oregano, stir for 30 seconds.
  2. Add water, lentils, tomato sauce and tomato paste.  Bring mixture to a boil and drop heat to medium-low.  Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Add water as necessary by 1/4 cup at a time.  [I added about 1 cup total].
  3. Add frozen corn, and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until lentils are soft.
  4. Stir in scallions, reserving a few for garnish.  Season to taste with salt + pepper.
We also had sauteed kale, prepared using my favorite method. 090210-d5 Chop kale into large bite-size pieces.  Rinse well.  Saute' 2 garlic cloves in 2 tsp olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute.  Add drained kale, with water still clinging to leaves.  Stir, allowing the kale to wilt slightly.  Cover the saucepan and let kale steam for 2-3 minutes.  Remove lid and stir, tossing kale for about a minute.  Squeeze 1/4 of one lemon on kale, and sprinkle with sea salt.  SO GOOD. Dinner:  lentil chili, sauteed kale and a hearty oat biscuit. [630 cal - eek!  a little high tonight, especially since I didn't get my planned run in...] Alrighty, I'm off to bed, with 8 minutes to spare!  WooHoo!!!  I hope you all have a great night...get some sleep!!!  :)
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags Clif, chili, corn, cumin, fage, kale, lentils, running, vegetarian

a seasonal dinner

Andrea

Good evening, lovelies!  Have you all hopped over to Meghann's blog to check out the Blogger Bake Sale?  There are some amazing-looking baked treats up for sale, and all proceeds go to a wonderful cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Bidding ends at midnight for Day 1 so be sure to get over there and place your bids before your favorite items get snatched up!  I've got two items up for sale, chocolate chip cookies and my own banana apple bread. This morning I woke up feeling really yucky.  I was nauseous and light-headed, and would have put-off work for a few hours had I not had so much to do at the office.  I dragged myself up, took a shower, made my breakfast then went straight back to bed.  After about 30 minutes I felt a little bit better and got moving again, and my hubb  brought me a glass of OJ to get something in my stomach.  I wound up packing up my breakfast and taking it to the office with me, eating it once my stomach felt not-so-flippy. Breakfast: 8oz of OJ, a toasted ezekiel muffin with TJ's crunchy peanut butter and sliced apples. [446 cal] 090209-b1 My hubb was such a sweetie and made me this gorgeous salad for lunch, complete with homemade vinaigrette!  He even took pictures...can you believe him?!?  I also was craving some soup, so I ran across the street to Revolutionary Soup for their Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup...YUM.  I must learn how to make this. Lunch:  fresh salad and spicy peanut tofu soup, along with a small whole wheat roll. [salad = 200 cal, soup = ???, whole wheat roll = ???] 090209-l1 My salad had:
  • baby greens
  • spinach
  • cucumber
  • yellow bell pepper
  • dried cranberries
  • slivered almonds
  • 3 tbsp roasted garlic hummus
  • homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Sadly, my stomach got all weird again about halfway through my salad so I couldn't finish it.  :(  I had a couple of iffy hours where I was willing time to go by so that I could go home and lay down.  I decided to eat a granola bar to settle my tum around 5:00, and it actually helped quite a bit.  But not enough for me to feel up for yoga at 6pm...I'm so sad that I missed it. Afternoon Snacks:  A Quaker True Delights bar while at work, a dried fig while cooking dinner. [162 cal] 090209-s1 090209-s2 When we got home I knew I wanted something warm and comforting.  Luckily I had some soup on the menu...  This weekend I managed to fit in 2 long hot baths, complete with bubbles, vino and the latest Bon Appetit magazine.  I also had the February 2008 issue of BA, which I hadn't had a chance to read last year because I was deeply entrenched in my graduate studies.  I held on to all of my neglected foodie magazines so that I could read them this year, during their intended month to take advantage of the seasonal recipes always featured.  I read about yukon gold potatoes, kale, meyer lemons and leeks.  My reading left me craving a hearty winter soup...and a lemon drop martini.  I fulfilled the first craving tonight, the second will probably wait until the weekend.  :) 090209-d5 090209-d1 Tonight's dinner isn't a recipe from BA, unfortunately...it probably would have turned out a bit better if it had been.  It was good, the flavors were spot-on, but the texture of the soup was a bit, well, gluey.  For lack of a better descriptor.  I believe the reason for the extra thick creaminess was my use of yukon golds, which in hindsight I think would be better suited to a chunky soup than a pureed soup.  Lesson learned.  I will definitely try this recipe again, just with a different type of potato. Dinner:  potato leek soup with kale and hearty oat biscuits. [437 cal] 090209-d3 Potato Leek Soup with Kale 226 calories, 7.4g fat, 1g sat fat, 37.5 carbs, 4.9g fiber, 9.2g protein makes 4 servings Ingredients:
  • 2 medium leeks, chopped finely
  • 1/2 large onion, about 1 cup chopped
  • 2 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 3 potatoes (next time, I'll use russet)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups of veggie broth
  • 4 cups chopped kale, loosely packed
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Heat oil on medium.  Add leeks, onion, celery and potatoes, stir to coat with oil.  When veggies start sizzling, lower heat and cover pot.  Let the veggies sweat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally , until veggies are tender.
  2. Add veggie broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat back down to simmer and cover.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are starting to fall apart.
  3. Puree' soup in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Pour back in soup pot and keep warm on low heat.  Season with salt + pepper.
  4. Place chopped kale in large saucepan and cover with water.  Boil for 5 minutes, until kale is bright green and tender. Drain kale and add to soup.
090209-d2 I also made some hearty oat biscuits with the addition of sharp white cheddar cheese and scallions.  Again, flavors were great, but the texture was off.  The dough was wetter than normal...I'm thinking that in my slightly hazy/ill state I mis-measured something.  I'm going to hold off on sharing the recipe this time because I really want to work on perfecting it and I don't want to mis-lead you. 090209-d4 Dessert:  more beautiful grapes. [110 cal] 090209-d6 Alrighty, I'm feeling much better now but am ready for bed.  I really want to get up in the morning for my run so that I can keep my evening free for yoga, although that means I'll only be getting about 5.5 hours of sleep.  :(  There are not enough hours in a day!!!  How many hours of sleep do you get a night?  I feel really lucky if I get 7, but I'm usually closer to 6.  Not good... G'night!
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categories baking, breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags bread, ezekiel, kale, leeks, oats, potato, salad, soup

split pea + sausage soup

Andrea

Another busy day today, but lots of satisfying eats!  I'm going to keep it quick again, and I apologize.  I have so many things that I want to talk with you all about, but just don't feel like I have a coherent post in me tonight.  I know I've promised a few things, a post on photography, reviews of calorie counting websites, and I definitely owe you a training update.  But I've been using so many brain cells at work that I get home and my mind kinda turns to mush... Hopefully I'll have some time to think and write a bit more clearly this weekend.  And until then, thank you.  For continuing to read.  For commenting.  For being supportive.  I'm a very lucky girl to be involved with such an outstanding community.  :) Breakfast: banana, date, flax, almond butter oats...yum!  I woke up thinking about this breakfast, and it totally hit the spot.  I tried the Heart Healthy portion (3/4 cup) I've been seeing pop up in the blog world to see if it would make my bowl stick with me longer, but I was still hungry right at noon.  I think I'll stick with my standard 1/2 cup from now on, to keep my calories a little lower. [487 cal] 090205-b1
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1-1/2 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup mashed bananas
  • 1 tsp real maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1 chopped date
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
Lunch: 1/2 slice veggie lasagna and a bell pepper/cucumber salad [297 cal] 090205-l1 The lasagna was excellent reheated for lunch, just like it should be.  :)  My salad contained:
  • 1 cup red and orange bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1 tsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
Snack: 3/4 cup cottage cheese.  I didn't eat my apple, too busy and not hungry enough.  I also had 3 large green olives while preparing dinner with my hubb. [166 cal] 090205-s1 Dinner: the best split pea soup I've ever had!  And a slice of homemade honey wheat bread that I pulled out of the freezer. [502 cal] 090205-d3 I've never made split pea soup before, but it was so easy and so deliciously warming on this very cold winter night.  The hot italian sausage added the perfect amount of heat, just at the back of the throat.  It was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the peas and carrots.  And the rosemary?  Divine.  Just the right touch of earthiness. This soup has made its way solidly to our list of regulars, I feel certain. 090205-d41 Split Pea + Sausage Soup [inspired by the kitchen sink, adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen] makes 6 servings 375 calories, 15.4g fat, 5g sat. fat, 59.5g carbs, 23g fiber, 34g protein Ingredients:
  • 2.5 cups dried green split peas
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups of water
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 pound hot italian sausage
  • 2 medium leeks, diced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Rinse and drain peas.  Sort and pick out bad peas.
  2. Combine water, broth, peas, celery, rosemary, parsley and bay leaf in large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.  Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until peas start to split apart.
  3. Meanwhile, brown sausage in skillet.  Once browned, add too soup pot.
  4. Saute' leeks and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add to soup pot along with salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer (briskly) for about 20 more minutes, until peas get pretty mushy. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Daily Totals:
  • calories consumed = 1,452
  • calories expelled = none other than the usual...
  • net calories = 1,452
Goodnight!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes, soup
tags oats, salad, soup, split pea

mexican meatball soup + kashi coupons!

Andrea

I've had such a wonderful, relaxing weekend!  It was just what I needed after a week of traveling and holidays.  I hope that you all feel refreshed and ready to get back to work / school! We had a fantastic time with our friends last night.  Dinner was amazing, roasted chicken breast with onions, garlic and carrots, a side of steamed broccoli and savory grits.  All accompanied by two glasses of cabernet and finished with a medley of cheesecakes that we all sampled.  I was so disappointed that in my rush to get out of our house yesterday I forgot to grab my camera, so I have no evidence of our fabulous eats.  After dinner we just hung out and chatted for a few hours, but had a little break in the middle to play Rockband!!!  So so so fun!  :)  I'm REALLY disappointed that I don't have pictures of that! I was awakened early this morning by one of our pups, and after dealing with her was unable to get back to sleep.  So I got up and made myself a pre-breakfast snack (the hubb had big plans for an egg breakfast and I didn't want to ruin it for him). Snack:  1 cornmeal muffin spread with cranberry "ketchup", 1 clementine and a cup of green tea. 090104-b3 After being up for a couple of hours it became clear that the hubb still wasn't ready to roll out of bed so I decided to go ahead and have breakfast without him. Breakfast:  A 6oz cup of 0% Fage topped with 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola and a sliced banana. 090104-b2 Ahhhhhh...Greek Yogurt, how I missed thee.  I still prefer Oikos because it is organic, but until they work out their manufacturing problem and get it back on my Whole Food's shelves the Fage will suit me just fine.  Plus...its cheaper!  :) Sadly, my hubb emerged from the bedroom just after I finished my breakfast.  I snagged a cup of coffee and a piece of his bacon while sitting with him through his meal. 090104-b1 At lunchtime I went to my favorite 75-minute Vinyasa Yoga class at Studio 206.  It had been three weeks since I'd been and it felt great to be back.  Man oh man, Hilary kicked my bootie!  It was a wonderful, intense class that had me drenched by the end.  I was worried that I would be too sore from my run yesterday but the yoga really helped to loosen me up.  I love the combination of running and yoga and what it does for me both mentally and physically. My hubb picked me up at 2pm and I was ravenous so I helped him finish the french fries he'd picked up while running errands.  Once home I made myself a quick, late lunch before heading out into the yard to plant some bulbs. Lunch:  1/2 an almond butter and sour cherry preserves sandwich on whole wheat bread and a sliced pear. 090104-l1 I planted 150 spring bulbs in hard Virginia clay for 2+ hours this afternoon.  I really hope that they come up, they should have gone in the ground a month ago but I just never got around to planting them. The bulbs I planted two years ago are already peaking up above the mulch, so we'll see what happens with my newbies.  The yard work was another workout in itself...2+ hours digging in hard Virginia clay will leave you t.i.r.e.d. Snack:  I was starving again when I came in just before dark (its been such a snack-filled day!) so I grabbed this Kashi Cereal Bar sample I got in the mail the other day. 090104-s1 I've seen these on the my grocery store's shelves but they are kinda pricey so I haven't picked any up yet. It was pretty good...reminded me of a Fig Newton or Nutrigrain bar.  The blackberry filling was quite tasty, and the texture of the bar was nice and soft. 090104-s2 090104-s3 It only contains 110 calories, but just 2g of protein so I know it wouldn't stick with me long for breakfast.  But as an afternoon snack I think it could be very satisfying.   Along with the sample I received a stack of coupons that I'm supposed to share with friends... Would anybody like a couple of Kashi Cereal Bar $2.00 off coupons?  I can send two coupons to two separate people. Leave me a comment if you're interested by 8pm tomorrrow (Monday) and I'll have my magic number generator (a.k.a. my hubb) pick a random number.  I'll announce the winners on tomorrow night's post. For dinner tonight the hubb and I made Mexican Meatball Soup.  I first saw this recipe on Kristin's blog, The Kitchen Sink.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet you really should.  She makes beautiful meals and baked goods and has absolutely gorgeous photography. 090104-d7 The recipe is originally from Bon Appetit.  Kristin made a few changes, and I made a few more.  This soup is delicious and hearty.  The hubb and I enjoyed it VERY much.  There is just one change that I will make the next time this meal meets our table and I've indicated it below.  Warning:  This soup requires a LARGE pot.  I started it in my standard soup pot and had to transfer everything to a large stock pot when the meatballs went in to prevent it from overflowing.   Mexican Meatball Soup inspired by The Kitchen Sink, originally from Bon Appetit Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1-1/2 medium onions, chopped, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • 2 small bay leaves 
  • 2 quarts beef broth 
  • 1 quart chicken broth 
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice 
  • 1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa (medium-hot) [next time we will omit the salsa and instead spice the soup up with some ancho chili powder, to taste]
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 8 tablespoons yellow cornmeal 
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
  • 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
Method:
  1. Start the brown rice on the stovetop.  Follow directions on package and let cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Heat oil on medium heat in LARGE pot.  Add one of the chopped onions, 2 garlic cloves and bay leaves; sauté 5 minutes.
  3. Add broths, tomatoes with juices, salsa [or ancho chili powder] and 1/4 cup cilantro; bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. 
  4. Meanwhile, combine ground beef, ground sausage, cornmeal, buttermilk, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, then remaining 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well.
  5. Shape meat mixture by generous tablespoonfuls into 1 to 1-1/4 inch balls. 
  6. Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
broth simmering broth simmering meatballs forming meatballs forming 090104-d2 We used more meat than the original recipe called for so we of course had a few extra meatballs.  The hubb took care of these by pan-frying them in a little olive oil. 090104-d4 Dinner:  A bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup with 7 meatballs, a side of roasted veggies (carrot, brussels and broccoli), two additional pan-fried meatballs and a cornmeal muffin. 090104-d5 The soup is soooooooo filling.  I am still completely stuffed and oh so happy.  :) 090104-d6 Whew!  That was a long post.  I was planning to bake tonight but don't know if I have it in me.  The bathtub and a book may be calling my name instead... Have a great night!  :)
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags coupons, fage, granola, kashi, meatball, soup, yoga

butternut squash potage

Andrea

Good evening!  As promised...a semi-quick post. Breakfast:  Two Kashi Go Lean blueberry waffles with 1 tbsp almond butter and a sliced banana, all sandwiched together.  Yum.  :) 081215-b2 081215-b1 Morning Snack:  Dark chocolate covered strawberry!!!  They were delivered to us this morning from a dear friend in North Carolina.  Of course I dug right in while my lunch was heating! 081215-s2 081215-s1 Lunch:  Spinach salad and TJ's Veggie Lentil Soup.  My salad consisted of spinach, hearts of palm, orange bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts, dried cranberries and light ranch dressing (I know you've seen a lot of the light ranch lately...I'm trying to use up the bottle!). 081215-l1 081215-l2 Afternoon Snack:  Peppermint Eggnog Scone and a cup of Sugar Cookie Sleighride. This is the last of the scones, I sent the others to the office with Brian.  They were way too tempting (as evidenced by my last few posts...)!!! 081215-s31 Dinner:  Butternut Squash Potage (recipe follows) and a spinach salad with yellow bell pepper, black beans, fresh currants and light ranch. 081215-d4 081215-d6 081215-d5 This soup is so easy and perfectly creamy, without any cream!   I made a variation a few weeks ago here.  I've been thinking about using the potage method to make a butternut squash soup for awhile now, and am so glad I did!  I have an old favorite squash soup recipe that uses 1 cup of cream, and I couldn't even tell that the recipe I made tonight didn't have any cream!  Healthy and yummy...perfect. Butternut Squash Potage makes 4 servings calories: 267  fat: 3.2g  sat fat: 1.9g  carbs: 54.8g  fiber: 5.9g  protein 8.5g Ingredients:
  • one small butternut squash (1-1.5 pounds), peeled and diced into 1" pieces
  • one medium-large onion, diced
  • 4 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and diced into 1" pieces
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 cups chicken or veggie broth (I use Better Than Bouillon no chicken base...love it!)
  • salt + pepper
Steps:
  1. Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat.  Add chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add diced potato, squash and broth.  Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes and squash are soft.
  3. Strain veggies from soup and reserve broth.  Puree the veggies in a food processor or blender using some of the reserved broth as needed.
  4. Add all broth and pureed veggies back to saucepan and heat through.  Season to taste.
081215-d1 I love the Better Than Bouillon line.  We keep the no-chicken base in our fridge at all times...its so much better than having cans and boxes taking up room in our teeny pantry! 081215-d2 Alrighty...I'm off to continue with Christmas holiday/travel/baking/gift prep.  Have a fabulous evening and Tuesday!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags kashi, salad, scone, soup, squash