This afternoon I spent a few hours making some lunch/dinner options for myself. The H has a short business trip this week, so I made this curried cauliflower soup (spicy!) and a double batch of my beloved kale-quinoa to get me through most of the week without having to think too much about food prep. We had "House Chipotle"** for dinner, one of the little guy's favorites, which means 2) HE ATE SOMETHING and 2) I now have four more 2-cup portions of black beans in my basement freezer.
The dinner parts of our week will look like this:
Sunday - House Chipotle (**seasoned black beans, cilantro-lime rice, and shredded cheese...with diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and soft corn shells for The H and me)
Monday - tortellini in red sauce for the little guy, one of my soup portions for me with a hunk of naan
Tuesday - eggs on toast, fresh fruit, decaf coffee (after running group)
Wednesday - split pea soup with diced lean ham in the slow cooker
Thursday - GF pancakes for my men, one of my kale-quinoa bowls and an ahi tuna steak for me after running and yoga
Friday - GF pizza (excellent pre-long-run fuel!)
I've been enjoying real oatmeal with nuts, a fruit, chia seeds, and pure maple syrup for breakfast, but also bought a bag of spinach and some bananas so I can make a green shake to mix things up once in awhile. Happy eating!
Showing posts with label soup/stew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soup/stew. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Lentil and spinach soup
I might need to make a new tag for "hotel cuisine." We've made some pretty decent meals when we travel, thanks to our usually-amazing accommodations at the extended stay hotels we use. I was intrigued to find some recipes in this, my first-ever, issue of Consumer Reports Food & Fitness magazine. This one in particular comes from a section that focuses on how to reduce the salt, sugar, and fat in our daily diets. Sounds good!
This soup was a sort of experiment. First, I never make anything in this great a quantity when we travel, so finding storage containers for leftovers was a minor challenge. Bonus: I got to test its freezability at the same time. :) Also, the recipe doesn't call for any salt. For a family that's been eating at restaurants for 2 out of 3 meals for more than the past week, that could've come as a giant tastebud shock. Rather than possibly waste the whole recipe on my men for dinner one night, I made this for lunch. The little guy said he loves lentils ("they're so cuuute and tiny, right Mom?!"), but he needed to eat before it was done, so he had leftovers from dinner last night.
Lentil and Spinach Soup
from Consumer Reports Food & Fitness, March 2012
Serves 10
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (this is very hard to do with incredibly dull hotel knives)
2 cups uncooked lentils (Whole Foods had these on sale!)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 sprig (2-3 inches) fresh rosemary
1 (7-oz) package baby spinach
2 large tomatoes, chopped (heirloom ones were so pretty I couldn't resist!)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring often.
2. Add lentils, broth, water, and rosemary. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Stir in spinach and tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig and stir in pepper.
I love the natural light from our 19th-floor hotel room; much better than in my east-facing kitchen. :)
Since I prefer a thicker stew-like lentil soup, I only used 3 cups of the water called for. And since there isn't any other seasoning beyond the small quantity of pepper and rosemary, I more than doubled both and left the rosemary needles in. Without increasing those two ingredients, the soup would've been mighty bland. I was almost instantly regretting my choice of low-sodium broth as I taste-tested at the end of the cooking time.
Making this for my lunch(es) was the right choice. The H and little guy would've griped about it for sure. I added a hefty squirt of lemon and some Parmesan/Romano/Asiago curls from Trader Joe's to my portion. Those greatly improved the flavor and brightened up what could've been a giant waste of ingredients. If I were to make this at home, I'd probably add some chopped carrots when sauteeing the onion, and some kosher or sea salt at the very end.
This soup was a sort of experiment. First, I never make anything in this great a quantity when we travel, so finding storage containers for leftovers was a minor challenge. Bonus: I got to test its freezability at the same time. :) Also, the recipe doesn't call for any salt. For a family that's been eating at restaurants for 2 out of 3 meals for more than the past week, that could've come as a giant tastebud shock. Rather than possibly waste the whole recipe on my men for dinner one night, I made this for lunch. The little guy said he loves lentils ("they're so cuuute and tiny, right Mom?!"), but he needed to eat before it was done, so he had leftovers from dinner last night.
Lentil and Spinach Soup
from Consumer Reports Food & Fitness, March 2012
Serves 10
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (this is very hard to do with incredibly dull hotel knives)
2 cups uncooked lentils (Whole Foods had these on sale!)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 sprig (2-3 inches) fresh rosemary
1 (7-oz) package baby spinach
2 large tomatoes, chopped (heirloom ones were so pretty I couldn't resist!)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring often.
2. Add lentils, broth, water, and rosemary. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Stir in spinach and tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig and stir in pepper.
Since I prefer a thicker stew-like lentil soup, I only used 3 cups of the water called for. And since there isn't any other seasoning beyond the small quantity of pepper and rosemary, I more than doubled both and left the rosemary needles in. Without increasing those two ingredients, the soup would've been mighty bland. I was almost instantly regretting my choice of low-sodium broth as I taste-tested at the end of the cooking time.
Making this for my lunch(es) was the right choice. The H and little guy would've griped about it for sure. I added a hefty squirt of lemon and some Parmesan/Romano/Asiago curls from Trader Joe's to my portion. Those greatly improved the flavor and brightened up what could've been a giant waste of ingredients. If I were to make this at home, I'd probably add some chopped carrots when sauteeing the onion, and some kosher or sea salt at the very end.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Vegetarian coconut black bean soup
This is another recipe from my favorite meatless book, "OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian." It's a recipe that didn't catch my eye until this month, despite owning the book for over ten years. Funny how tastes can change; I literally never gave it a second glance until now.
The little guy and I took this soup to share with friends when they invited us to dinner a few weeks ago. Meals with this particular family are usually a cooperative effort--a little of what we have available combined with whatever they have on the menu--and although a bit chaotic considering their three kids and our mini monster, always leave me with a sense of peace and satisfaction. Good friends and real, wholesome, hearty food has that effect on me. We agreed this soup was a great base for future inspiration. The picture below shows it as my leftovers for lunch, with shelled edamame and cooked cilantro-lime shrimp added.
Coconut Black Bean Soup
by Lauren Butts
serves 4-6
2 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz) can lite coconut milk
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 (14.5oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used beans I'd cooked myself, about 3 cups)
1 cup cooked corn kernels (I used frozen white corn)
1 cup cooked white rice (brown rice or quinoa would work fine, too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. In a large heavy pot, combine water, coconut milk, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.
2. Add black beans, corn, rice, and salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir well and serve. This soup is best if served the next day, so flavors can thoroughly mingle, but it's still fine to make and eat at once.
The little guy and I took this soup to share with friends when they invited us to dinner a few weeks ago. Meals with this particular family are usually a cooperative effort--a little of what we have available combined with whatever they have on the menu--and although a bit chaotic considering their three kids and our mini monster, always leave me with a sense of peace and satisfaction. Good friends and real, wholesome, hearty food has that effect on me. We agreed this soup was a great base for future inspiration. The picture below shows it as my leftovers for lunch, with shelled edamame and cooked cilantro-lime shrimp added.
by Lauren Butts
serves 4-6
2 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz) can lite coconut milk
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 (14.5oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used beans I'd cooked myself, about 3 cups)
1 cup cooked corn kernels (I used frozen white corn)
1 cup cooked white rice (brown rice or quinoa would work fine, too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. In a large heavy pot, combine water, coconut milk, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.
2. Add black beans, corn, rice, and salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir well and serve. This soup is best if served the next day, so flavors can thoroughly mingle, but it's still fine to make and eat at once.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Minestrone Monday
Monday marked Day 6 of our roofing job, and unfortunately not the last. Our house isn't all that big, folks, and the weather wasn't bad until Sunday. Big sigh. And is it a requirement that all construction workers must smoke? Yuck.
On a brighter note, since I was home anyway, I decided to make my planned dinner, minestrone soup, for lunch--much more time to putter when the little guy is at daycare! It made a giant batch, so I stuck one in the fridge and three more in the freezer. One of those is a "family size" portion that we'll have for lunch one day when The H is working from home. Even though I've been eating lots of fruits and vegetables for a number of years now, it still tickles me to know that I've eaten a giant portion like this in one sitting. Nerdy, right?
This recipe is from a book I bought in college, during my stint as a vegetarian. It's a very down-to-earth book; the author was a teenager when she wrote it as a result of the research she did to convince her parents to let her adopt a vegetarian diet. When I was flipping through it last weekend I was reminded how many great-sounding recipes there are in it! I've made this soup many times, but today was the first time I made it gluten-free by using corn pasta.
Minestrone Soup
from OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian by Lauren Butts
serves 6-8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery (including the leaves, if you have them), chopped
2 carrots, chopped (I used about 12 baby carrots)
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic (I used two fresh cloves, minced)
1 potato, diced
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (a little more is ok)
1 can (14-16oz) diced tomatoes, plus the juice
1 cup water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (20oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup orzo, alphabet noodles, or other small pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato, stirring often until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and cook for a few seconds.
2. Add water and tomatoes and their juice; bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add broth and beans. Return to boil and sprinkle pasta over the surface.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with grated cheese before serving (optional).
I also added zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh mushrooms when adding the beans, plus a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after I tasted it. The pasta I used was Sam Mills lasagna corte, and it held up remarkably well for a GF pasta. The picture above is a reheated portion, served with gluten-free dinner rolls--recipe forthcoming!
On a brighter note, since I was home anyway, I decided to make my planned dinner, minestrone soup, for lunch--much more time to putter when the little guy is at daycare! It made a giant batch, so I stuck one in the fridge and three more in the freezer. One of those is a "family size" portion that we'll have for lunch one day when The H is working from home. Even though I've been eating lots of fruits and vegetables for a number of years now, it still tickles me to know that I've eaten a giant portion like this in one sitting. Nerdy, right?
This recipe is from a book I bought in college, during my stint as a vegetarian. It's a very down-to-earth book; the author was a teenager when she wrote it as a result of the research she did to convince her parents to let her adopt a vegetarian diet. When I was flipping through it last weekend I was reminded how many great-sounding recipes there are in it! I've made this soup many times, but today was the first time I made it gluten-free by using corn pasta.
Minestrone Soup
from OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian by Lauren Butts
serves 6-8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery (including the leaves, if you have them), chopped
2 carrots, chopped (I used about 12 baby carrots)
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic (I used two fresh cloves, minced)
1 potato, diced
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (a little more is ok)
1 can (14-16oz) diced tomatoes, plus the juice
1 cup water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (20oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup orzo, alphabet noodles, or other small pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato, stirring often until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and cook for a few seconds.
2. Add water and tomatoes and their juice; bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add broth and beans. Return to boil and sprinkle pasta over the surface.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with grated cheese before serving (optional).
I also added zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh mushrooms when adding the beans, plus a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after I tasted it. The pasta I used was Sam Mills lasagna corte, and it held up remarkably well for a GF pasta. The picture above is a reheated portion, served with gluten-free dinner rolls--recipe forthcoming!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Kid-friendly beef vegetable soup
This recipe is another Squeaky Gourmet gem. While I can't post the recipe, I can tell you this: watching the little guy eat several bowls of this (twice--it makes a lot!) without complaining about the veggies is more than worth the cover price, had I actually paid for this book. He claims to not like zucchini, onions, or mushrooms, all of which are in this soup, but once I had him close his eyes and eat it, the complaints ceased and all I heard was "YUM! I LOVE it!"
We called this "taco soup" because the seasoning is slightly reminiscent of Mexican food--and because tacos are fairly familiar to the little guy. Once he chowed his servings, I told him what was in there and said now he couldn't tell me he didn't like those things anymore. In addition to the zukes, 'shrooms, and onion, this hearty bowl contains ground beef, wild rice, grape tomatoes, and celery. That'll bring your veggie intake up for the day!
Since it does make so much, we had leftovers another day. I'm pleased to report that this freezes and reheats very nicely. I dumped a semi-thawed brick of soup into a slow cooker one afternoon before running group, and we came home to savory simmering goodness that was perfect for warming up on a chilly fall evening.
Since it does make so much, we had leftovers another day. I'm pleased to report that this freezes and reheats very nicely. I dumped a semi-thawed brick of soup into a slow cooker one afternoon before running group, and we came home to savory simmering goodness that was perfect for warming up on a chilly fall evening.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Who invited winter?
Two weeks ago (April 10th) it was 84* here in my corner of the mitten state. Last week (8 days later), we got 3 inches of snow. How is that fair?! The H took this picture out our upstairs bathroom window in the morning:
My poor blooming daffodils and hyacinths.
It melted by mid-afternoon, but this non-winter-lover wasn't very excited to see everything covered in white again.
Last Tuesday, the day after the snow picture above, was gray, blustery, and drizzly--even a little sleety--so the planned quinoa and black bean salad, which is quite summery tasting, got shuffled to later in the week in favor of a hearty, warm bowl of bean-and-potato soup. That's one of the (many) nice things about having a meal plan--you have everything you need to make your chosen recipes, so your plan can be adjusted as the day dictates.
This is one of those "no real recipe" meals. I started (around 1:30pm) by putting three pieces of bacon in a skillet to brown while I set to chopping whatever else struck my fancy: two medium red potatoes, two fat carrots, a handful of organic celery, three green onions, a medium sweet onion, a handful of baby portobello mushrooms, and two cloves of garlic. Once the bacon was crisp, I drained it, trimmed the fatty edges for the dog, and finely chopped the rest. I tossed it into a 4-quart slow cooker crock with the veggies, added four cups of organic chicken stock and a small jar of bean-cooking liquid from last week, and set it on high.
Before we left for running group (5:00pm) I tasted it, seasoned a bit using sea salt, pepper, and an herb blend from Penzey's, added the home-cooked equivalent of one can drained, rinsed navy beans, and switched it to low. When we got home (7:45pm), I tossed in a handful of German Tilsit cubes I had left from a party last week. It provided a nice extra bit of full flavor and creaminess. Of course, it would have been just fine--and a bit more clean-friendly--without. Either way, coming home to this in the CrockPot after a *super* windy, rainy run made me happy!
The leftovers made a great lunch, along with some gorgeous green grapes and veggie crackers. That book on the left is one of the many I'm currently reading, Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations about Food and Money, and one that I so far highly recommend. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and have really been enjoying the author's insights. A good book + a good lunch = rainy day perfection!
It melted by mid-afternoon, but this non-winter-lover wasn't very excited to see everything covered in white again.
Last Tuesday, the day after the snow picture above, was gray, blustery, and drizzly--even a little sleety--so the planned quinoa and black bean salad, which is quite summery tasting, got shuffled to later in the week in favor of a hearty, warm bowl of bean-and-potato soup. That's one of the (many) nice things about having a meal plan--you have everything you need to make your chosen recipes, so your plan can be adjusted as the day dictates.
This is one of those "no real recipe" meals. I started (around 1:30pm) by putting three pieces of bacon in a skillet to brown while I set to chopping whatever else struck my fancy: two medium red potatoes, two fat carrots, a handful of organic celery, three green onions, a medium sweet onion, a handful of baby portobello mushrooms, and two cloves of garlic. Once the bacon was crisp, I drained it, trimmed the fatty edges for the dog, and finely chopped the rest. I tossed it into a 4-quart slow cooker crock with the veggies, added four cups of organic chicken stock and a small jar of bean-cooking liquid from last week, and set it on high.
Before we left for running group (5:00pm) I tasted it, seasoned a bit using sea salt, pepper, and an herb blend from Penzey's, added the home-cooked equivalent of one can drained, rinsed navy beans, and switched it to low. When we got home (7:45pm), I tossed in a handful of German Tilsit cubes I had left from a party last week. It provided a nice extra bit of full flavor and creaminess. Of course, it would have been just fine--and a bit more clean-friendly--without. Either way, coming home to this in the CrockPot after a *super* windy, rainy run made me happy!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Slump-busting soup
The other day I was slumping around the house after a few days of not-so-hot eating habits, bemoaning the fact that I "had nothing to eat" in the fridge. Yeah, right.
I may not have had any frozen meals, junky snack foods, or leftover portions from previous dinners staring me in the face, but I had more than enough ingredients at my fingertips. I can't remember what led me to my Google Reader, or whether I searched for a certain term or just happened upon this post from Cook, Pray, Love, but that is immaterial now. The point is, I was inspired by the ingredients in this soup and got off my duff to make my own version. You can see the original recipe at the site I linked; it gave me a great start that I otherwise would not have thought of. Lame, right? You'd think by now I'd be a pro at throwing this, that, and the kitchen sink together. Ha.
How I Made My Curried Lentil Soup
inspired by Cook, Pray, Love
First I sauteed half a chopped onion, garlic (2 cloves), celery (2 ribs), and a big carrot in some olive oil. When the onion looked softened, I added curry powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) and cumin (1 teaspoon), then stirred in green lentils (1/2 cup), chickpeas (1/2 cup), water (3 cups?) and chicken stock concentrate, and some quick-cooking brown rice. Once it came to a boil I turned the heat down and covered it while I went to clean up after my run. The rice took 35ish minutes to cook, which was just perfect for the lentils, too. I tasted a bit of everything and added a dash more curry and cumin, as well as salt and pepper to my liking.
At the last minute, I thought I'd really put my veggie intake over the top for the day, and crammed in several cups of fresh spinach.
One sliced lemon (2 wedges for me, thanks) and a sprinkling of grated provolone later, I sat down to my lovely, hearty, made-from-nothing lunch. Don't you love my Polish Pottery soup mug? I used to work at a gourmet cooking store and PP shipments were *big* news. And big bucks. I got mine at TJMaxx on clearance. :D
I ate leftovers for two more lunches in the days following, and even convinced The H to take a portion to work. But I didn't tell him it had curry powder in it (surprise, H!) because 1) he thinks he doesn't like it and 2) he had a cold that day and likely couldn't taste anything anyway. He said it was good, so he was either lying to spare my feelings (which he doesn't usually do regarding food, or he knows he'll be stuck with it again), couldn't taste it, or really did enjoy it. I'm telling myself it was a combination of the last two.
I may not have had any frozen meals, junky snack foods, or leftover portions from previous dinners staring me in the face, but I had more than enough ingredients at my fingertips. I can't remember what led me to my Google Reader, or whether I searched for a certain term or just happened upon this post from Cook, Pray, Love, but that is immaterial now. The point is, I was inspired by the ingredients in this soup and got off my duff to make my own version. You can see the original recipe at the site I linked; it gave me a great start that I otherwise would not have thought of. Lame, right? You'd think by now I'd be a pro at throwing this, that, and the kitchen sink together. Ha.
How I Made My Curried Lentil Soup
inspired by Cook, Pray, Love
First I sauteed half a chopped onion, garlic (2 cloves), celery (2 ribs), and a big carrot in some olive oil. When the onion looked softened, I added curry powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) and cumin (1 teaspoon), then stirred in green lentils (1/2 cup), chickpeas (1/2 cup), water (3 cups?) and chicken stock concentrate, and some quick-cooking brown rice. Once it came to a boil I turned the heat down and covered it while I went to clean up after my run. The rice took 35ish minutes to cook, which was just perfect for the lentils, too. I tasted a bit of everything and added a dash more curry and cumin, as well as salt and pepper to my liking.
At the last minute, I thought I'd really put my veggie intake over the top for the day, and crammed in several cups of fresh spinach.
One sliced lemon (2 wedges for me, thanks) and a sprinkling of grated provolone later, I sat down to my lovely, hearty, made-from-nothing lunch. Don't you love my Polish Pottery soup mug? I used to work at a gourmet cooking store and PP shipments were *big* news. And big bucks. I got mine at TJMaxx on clearance. :D
I ate leftovers for two more lunches in the days following, and even convinced The H to take a portion to work. But I didn't tell him it had curry powder in it (surprise, H!) because 1) he thinks he doesn't like it and 2) he had a cold that day and likely couldn't taste anything anyway. He said it was good, so he was either lying to spare my feelings (which he doesn't usually do regarding food, or he knows he'll be stuck with it again), couldn't taste it, or really did enjoy it. I'm telling myself it was a combination of the last two.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Chicken & White Bean Soup
Also known as, "How to make a week's worth of lunches and clear out some leftovers at the same time"...
Last Tuesday before running group, I started a CrockPot full of white bean & leek soup from The Eat-Clean Diet
cookbook. Because I was so pleased with the rutabaga from this frittata, I thought I'd add one to the soup. More veggies = good, right? Well, only if you take into account the size/texture of said veggies, and give your recipe long enough to cook.
I did not.
Thus, we came home after running to find a slow cooker of delicious-smelling, hearty-looking, mostly-inedible soup. ::sad trombone:: The rutabagas were downright crunchy. I cranked it back up to HIGH while The H put the little guy to bed, after which the two of us raided the leftovers-for-lunch stash for our own dinners. Two hours later, the soup was ready. Too bad it was 11pm. The H had a small serving, declared it very good, and helped me portion out the rest for *more* leftovers.
This soup just keeps getting better. Yesterday when I reheated some for lunch, I added a sprinkle of Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes, a salt-free seasoning blend I got for Christmas. Next time I make the soup I'll add some of that to begin with! What a great complement. I was fascinated to see that the rutabagas turned more golden as the soup aged; they almost looked like butternut squash yesterday.
This was the perfect meal to have waiting for me after a frigid (-2 with the windchill) 6 mile run! I love refueling with filling, clean food.
Chicken and White Bean Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno
makes 12 cups
Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, whites and centers only, chopped (rinse very well and drain in a colander)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried sage
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
2 cups water
2 cups cooked white beans (I used cannelini)
2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz package frozen spinach, thawed and partially drained (I omitted this)
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks and onion. Cook 5 minutes, or until clear and softening. Add sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken, beans, and spinach. Continue cooking until heated through.
Nutrition info per serving:
Calories - 176
Protein - 22g
Fat - 4g
Carbs - 16g
Last Tuesday before running group, I started a CrockPot full of white bean & leek soup from The Eat-Clean Diet
cookbook. Because I was so pleased with the rutabaga from this frittata, I thought I'd add one to the soup. More veggies = good, right? Well, only if you take into account the size/texture of said veggies, and give your recipe long enough to cook.I did not.
Thus, we came home after running to find a slow cooker of delicious-smelling, hearty-looking, mostly-inedible soup. ::sad trombone:: The rutabagas were downright crunchy. I cranked it back up to HIGH while The H put the little guy to bed, after which the two of us raided the leftovers-for-lunch stash for our own dinners. Two hours later, the soup was ready. Too bad it was 11pm. The H had a small serving, declared it very good, and helped me portion out the rest for *more* leftovers.
This soup just keeps getting better. Yesterday when I reheated some for lunch, I added a sprinkle of Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes, a salt-free seasoning blend I got for Christmas. Next time I make the soup I'll add some of that to begin with! What a great complement. I was fascinated to see that the rutabagas turned more golden as the soup aged; they almost looked like butternut squash yesterday.
This was the perfect meal to have waiting for me after a frigid (-2 with the windchill) 6 mile run! I love refueling with filling, clean food.
Chicken and White Bean Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno
makes 12 cups
Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, whites and centers only, chopped (rinse very well and drain in a colander)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried sage
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
2 cups water
2 cups cooked white beans (I used cannelini)
2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz package frozen spinach, thawed and partially drained (I omitted this)
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks and onion. Cook 5 minutes, or until clear and softening. Add sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken, beans, and spinach. Continue cooking until heated through.
Nutrition info per serving:
Calories - 176
Protein - 22g
Fat - 4g
Carbs - 16g
Thursday, December 23, 2010
CrockPot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Yes, this soup starts with a box mix. Don't stop reading just yet. I found it at Whole Foods in Alexandria and was sucked in by the big "GLUTEN FREE!" sign on the shelf. A packaged soup mix that is GF and low sodium? Must investigate!
I love that the ingredients list is so simple:
Really. Rice, veggies, spices (SALT-FREE, did you see that on the front?) and a bay leaf. A real, big whole bay leaf. I was impressed.
The only things I had to do in order to get this on its way was to put chicken breast in the crock, add some fresh chopped mushrooms (I used an 8oz package of button mushrooms, quartered), sprinkle the seasoning over all that, and add some broth and water. Brilliant.
This simmered away all afternoon, from about 2pm until we got home from running group to eat around 7:30.
After tasting the soup, I did add some sea salt based on my personal preference. I enjoyed mine with a few saltine crackers and some awesome dried apple slices from my mom. And then I had some Christmas cookies. :D I claim that *earned* those, after running the fastest 5 miles of my life--at an overall pace of 7:49/mile. For real, right?! It wasn't easy, but I'm thrilled that I could do it. The girl I ran with said she "had a goal for us." I was too scared to ask what it was.
This is some of my Garmin data:
ANYway, The H ate two large bowls of this soup, saying it wasn't as heavy as it looks. We had enough left over to make three large-lunch portions, one of which I think I'll try freezing. It's always good to know which recipes will last longer than a few days. Of course I could have made a GF chicken-and-rice soup without a boxed starter; people do it all the time. But it's nice to have an alternative when doing it all yourself just isn't feasible.
I love that the ingredients list is so simple:
Really. Rice, veggies, spices (SALT-FREE, did you see that on the front?) and a bay leaf. A real, big whole bay leaf. I was impressed.
The only things I had to do in order to get this on its way was to put chicken breast in the crock, add some fresh chopped mushrooms (I used an 8oz package of button mushrooms, quartered), sprinkle the seasoning over all that, and add some broth and water. Brilliant.
This simmered away all afternoon, from about 2pm until we got home from running group to eat around 7:30.
After tasting the soup, I did add some sea salt based on my personal preference. I enjoyed mine with a few saltine crackers and some awesome dried apple slices from my mom. And then I had some Christmas cookies. :D I claim that *earned* those, after running the fastest 5 miles of my life--at an overall pace of 7:49/mile. For real, right?! It wasn't easy, but I'm thrilled that I could do it. The girl I ran with said she "had a goal for us." I was too scared to ask what it was.
This is some of my Garmin data:
| Time: | 00:39:16 |
| Moving Time: | 00:39:05 |
| Elapsed Time: | 00:39:28 |
| Avg Pace: | 07:49 min/mi |
| Avg Moving Pace: | 07:47 min/mi |
| Best Pace: | 06:05 min/mi |
ANYway, The H ate two large bowls of this soup, saying it wasn't as heavy as it looks. We had enough left over to make three large-lunch portions, one of which I think I'll try freezing. It's always good to know which recipes will last longer than a few days. Of course I could have made a GF chicken-and-rice soup without a boxed starter; people do it all the time. But it's nice to have an alternative when doing it all yourself just isn't feasible.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Chickpea Soup
This recipe originally looked like this, but of course I made some modifications. Below is what I ended up with. Sorry, no pic (unless I update this tomorrow after lunch...), but just imagine a good, hearty chicken noodle soup, minus the noodles. It could easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the chicken.
Chickpea Soup
modified from this recipe on allrecipes.com
serves 6-8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 ribs celery, scrubbed and chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1-2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion, potatoes, and garlic until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
2. Add carrots, celery, broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, and paprika. Cover and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brown chicken in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Stir chickpeas into soup and taste for seasonings; adjust as needed.
5. Dish up individual portions, adding chicken to each bowl desired. Serve with clean eating whole wheat bread. Don't eat the bay leaves!
Nutritional information for the unaltered recipe can be found at the original link above.
Chickpea Soup
modified from this recipe on allrecipes.com
serves 6-8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 ribs celery, scrubbed and chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1-2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion, potatoes, and garlic until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
2. Add carrots, celery, broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, and paprika. Cover and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brown chicken in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Stir chickpeas into soup and taste for seasonings; adjust as needed.
5. Dish up individual portions, adding chicken to each bowl desired. Serve with clean eating whole wheat bread. Don't eat the bay leaves!
Nutritional information for the unaltered recipe can be found at the original link above.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Asian noodle bowls
Wednesday's dinner was this amazingly colorful not-quite-soup from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno. If you haven't had enough veggies during the day, this soup will set you right--broccoli, bell pepper, carrot, peas, green onion, and mushrooms, if you like (we liked). This is a very easy dish to make wheat-free, as long as you use wheat-free tamari and rice noodles.
Asian Noodle Bowls
from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno
serves 4
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (I used half olive oil, half macadamia oil)
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 package (8oz) dry soba noodles or Asian noodles (used Thai Kitchen rice noodles)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups broccoli spears
1/4 cup thinly sliced red pepper (used one small whole one)
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 generous handfuls of fresh spinach
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped.
1. Combine chicken, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Add noodles, peas, broccoli, and red pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, or until broccoli turns bright green. Stir in carrot and green onion.
4. When ready to serve, divide fresh spinach among serving bowls. Ladle soup into each bowl as evenly as possible. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition information per 2-cup serving:
Calories - 459 Protein - 46g Fat - 6g Fiber - 5g Sodium - 937mg Cholesterol - 69mg Sugar - 4g
Asian Noodle Bowls
from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno
serves 4
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (I used half olive oil, half macadamia oil)
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 package (8oz) dry soba noodles or Asian noodles (used Thai Kitchen rice noodles)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups broccoli spears
1/4 cup thinly sliced red pepper (used one small whole one)
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 generous handfuls of fresh spinach
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped.
1. Combine chicken, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Add noodles, peas, broccoli, and red pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, or until broccoli turns bright green. Stir in carrot and green onion.
4. When ready to serve, divide fresh spinach among serving bowls. Ladle soup into each bowl as evenly as possible. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition information per 2-cup serving:
Calories - 459 Protein - 46g Fat - 6g Fiber - 5g Sodium - 937mg Cholesterol - 69mg Sugar - 4g
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Is it *fall* where you are yet? Here in the mitten state, we can see our breath clouds outside in the morning, the heat has been turned on, and the leaves are becoming more colorful every day. It's the perfect time for a perfect pairing like grilled cheese and tomato soup!
This soup is loaded with vegetables, and is very flavorful. I was pleased to note that it wasn't as acidic as other tomato soups I've had. And don't worry about the curry powder if that's not one of your favorite flavors; it doesn't make the soup taste like Indian food, it just adds depth. I brought this to a boil on the stove, and then since we had to go to running group, poured it into a CrockPot to simmer while we were gone.
Tomato Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids
serves 8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2 sweet carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups fresh Roma tomatoes OR one 28-oz can plum tomatoes (I used a box of Pomi strained tomatoes, no salt added)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth OR veggie stock OR water
1 Tbsp dried basil, crumbled
1 Tbsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of curry powder (I used 1/4 tsp)
2 low-sodium chicken or veggie bouillon cubes (I used Trader Joe's stock concentrate packets)
1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add all chopped vegetables and saute until onion is soft and translucent.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, stock or water, basil, salt, oregano, curry, and bouillon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes (this is where I transferred to the slow cooker), stirring occasionally.
3. Using a hand-held stick blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency.
4. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with a scoop of low-fat plain yogurt or yogurt cheese.
We served these with grilled cheese sandwiches--on Udi's gluten free bread for The H (first picture) and Trader Joe's sprouted grain bread for me and the little guy.
Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 170
Fat - 3.5g
Protein - 1.5g
Carbs - 10.5g
Fiber - 2.5g
Sodium - 500mg
Cholesterol - 0mg
This soup is loaded with vegetables, and is very flavorful. I was pleased to note that it wasn't as acidic as other tomato soups I've had. And don't worry about the curry powder if that's not one of your favorite flavors; it doesn't make the soup taste like Indian food, it just adds depth. I brought this to a boil on the stove, and then since we had to go to running group, poured it into a CrockPot to simmer while we were gone.
Tomato Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids
serves 8
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2 sweet carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups fresh Roma tomatoes OR one 28-oz can plum tomatoes (I used a box of Pomi strained tomatoes, no salt added)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth OR veggie stock OR water
1 Tbsp dried basil, crumbled
1 Tbsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of curry powder (I used 1/4 tsp)
2 low-sodium chicken or veggie bouillon cubes (I used Trader Joe's stock concentrate packets)
1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add all chopped vegetables and saute until onion is soft and translucent.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, stock or water, basil, salt, oregano, curry, and bouillon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes (this is where I transferred to the slow cooker), stirring occasionally.
3. Using a hand-held stick blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency.
4. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with a scoop of low-fat plain yogurt or yogurt cheese.
We served these with grilled cheese sandwiches--on Udi's gluten free bread for The H (first picture) and Trader Joe's sprouted grain bread for me and the little guy.
Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 170
Fat - 3.5g
Protein - 1.5g
Carbs - 10.5g
Fiber - 2.5g
Sodium - 500mg
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Clean Eating Mag's Lentil Soup
Soup in the middle of August? Well...yeah. If your fridge and pantry are getting low and the temp drops below 80. Why not? This recipe is from the September/October 2010 issue of Clean Eating Magazine, in a feature about what the food editors themselves like to eat.
Hearty Lentil Soup
serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup dried red lentils (I used French green lentils)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I used a sweet one)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup brown rice (I increased this a bit--there's no way 1/4 would've even been visible)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (we added our own at the table)
Directions:
1. Rinse lentils and pick through to discard any debris or small stones; drain well.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add 4 cups water (I increased a little because of the extra rice), lentils, and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add salt, then stir and cook for another 30 minutes.
3. Stir in lemon juice before serving. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a week.
The H had two servings; I thought it needed more something but couldn't place what. Spice? Salt? I ended up using two wedges of lemon in my bowl and then it was ok.
This was the little guy's portion:
He ate exactly none of it. You win some, you lose some.
Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 290
Fat - 9g
Carbs - 41g
Fiber - 9g
Sugars - 4.5g
Protein - 14g
Sodium - 248mg
Cholesterol - 0mg
Hearty Lentil Soup
serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup dried red lentils (I used French green lentils)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I used a sweet one)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup brown rice (I increased this a bit--there's no way 1/4 would've even been visible)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (we added our own at the table)
Directions:
1. Rinse lentils and pick through to discard any debris or small stones; drain well.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add 4 cups water (I increased a little because of the extra rice), lentils, and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add salt, then stir and cook for another 30 minutes.
3. Stir in lemon juice before serving. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a week.
The H had two servings; I thought it needed more something but couldn't place what. Spice? Salt? I ended up using two wedges of lemon in my bowl and then it was ok.
This was the little guy's portion:
He ate exactly none of it. You win some, you lose some.
Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 290
Fat - 9g
Carbs - 41g
Fiber - 9g
Sugars - 4.5g
Protein - 14g
Sodium - 248mg
Cholesterol - 0mg
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Celery--who knew?
Over time I've come to realize that, while I don't really care for cucumbers as much as I think when I see them in the store, I really do like the taste of celery, especially when I find it in a meal where I wasn't expecting it. My photographer friend's Pad Thai is one of these meals--she snuck some celery in there last time I had it, and my tastebuds did a little dance when they tripped over that light and crunchy bite. The same thing happened when we enjoyed our stir-fry soup this week. Celery goes great in chicken soup! The crispy pieces in the middle of the soft noodles and tender chicken was just right. Springy and fresh!
Celery is sometimes called a "negative calorie food," meaning it takes more calories to chew and digest it than the food itself contains. The idea that celery is a staple of dieters who are severely limiting their calories is kind of off-putting to some people, which is maybe why I never remember that it's actually quite tasty AND good for you. It *looks* really boring, but it's so not!
Did you know that celery is actually a great source of vitamin C? Yeah, that vitamin found in oranges and bell peppers and broccoli--it's also hiding in those pale, unassuming stalks. No wonder chicken soup is so good when you're sick! Celery can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You can see more of celery's awesome credentials here, one of my favorite sites.
While the Clean Eating Machines don't eat a 100% organic diet, celery is one of the items I always buy organically. It is on the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list--a list of the 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies, which they recommend you purchase organically if possible. What makes celery so dirty? Its lack of skin or peel makes it highly susceptible to pesticides and chemicals used on conventional crops, which are hard to wash off with just soap and water. Buying organic celery ensures that your stalks are safer. You can see how the produce is rated here.
When I buy a bunch of celery, I try to wash and prep it right away, to keep it from getting limp. It's also a lot easier to add a handful to your soup, stir fry, or simple sandwich when it's already washed and cut! I like to cut one bunch (a package usually contains two) into sticks, which I store in a dish with water to keep the ends from browning; the other bunch gets chopped into smaller chunks.
Here are my favorite ways to enjoy this crunchy powerhouse:
--In my favorite Chicken Beet Salad, which I will make this week with beets from the farmer's market.
--Mixed with tuna, Greek yogurt, dill, chopped fresh tomato, and Dijon mustard for a tuna salad sandwich.
--In chicken stock or soup, Asian-inspired or not! This is a great way to use the celery you may have forgotten about and allowed to get a little soft... I won't tell.
--As a quick and crunchy side with burgers or other summertime fare, dipped into homemade Ranch (or other) dip made with plain yogurt.
--In this tabbouleh recipe from Clean Eating Magazine.
Is there a fruit or veggie you tend to forget about until you have it, then realize how much you enjoy it??
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Stir-fry soup
Monday's dinner was originally going to be chicken stir-fry with peas and green onion, but at the last minute I gave The H a choice between "chicken over rice" and "chicken with noodles" and he opted for the (rice) noodles. It turned out to be a great decision! The Asian Chicken Soup that resulted was pretty darn fantastic.
First, I soaked a half package of dried wild mushrooms in warm water. I've had this package of mushrooms for so long, I was glad to have a chance to use them. I thought they'd jazz up this otherwise-boring-looking soup. While those were rehydrating, I browned two sliced chicken breasts in grapeseed oil in the wok and got some broth boiling in a separate pot, to soak the rice noodles in.
The noodles only took 10 minutes to soak. Meanwhile, I threw a handful of chopped celery, about 2 cups of snap peas, some green onion, garlic scapes, and the rehydrated mushrooms into the wok. I seasoned it all with wheat-free tamari sauce, three cloves of chopped garlic, and some freshly grated ginger. I keep a knot of ginger in the freezer and just peel the skin down when I'm ready to use some--a Microplane is awesome for grating it, even when it's frozen.
Once everything was heated through and the noodles were soft, I dished some into our bowls.
It was good.
It was so good, in fact, that The H didn't even bother with his bowl when he got seconds.
He says the mushrooms added such a great depth of flavor. I was impressed with the colors they contributed to the bowl. I'll definitely be using them again. For as simply as this was seasoned, we were both pleased with how flavorful it was. No need to add salt (thanks to the tamari) or pepper, though you could certainly spice up an individual portion easily.
Good thing I set aside my portion for lunch before we sat down to eat; I don't think we would have had any left otherwise.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
This recipe, from the March/April 2010 Clean Eating Magazine (are you noticing a theme this week? This issue is fantastic!), is written for the stovetop, but since tonight is our running group night, I modified it to work in the slow cooker. I also cut it in half, not wanting a zillion portions of soup around to haunt me and The H for months, especially if it didn't turn out well. The original recipe follows.
Lentil Soup
from Clean Eating Magazine
serves 16
Ingredients:
2 cups dried green (French/Puy) lentils
3 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic, about 2 cloves
1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned or homemade)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp crumbled oregano
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
Instructions:
1. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and pick through to remove any bits of stone or dirt. Drain well.
2. Place lentils in soup pot with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30min or until lentils are no longer hard in the center.
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato sauce, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue simmering another 30min or until lentils are tender.
4. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature and store covered for up to five days in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Since I adapted this for the slow cooker, I just piled everything into the crock at once, and cooked it on low for about 6 hours. We did not use the lemon juice. I kept the quantities of veggies the same, for the most part, and used 6 cups of stock/broth.
This was my first experience with French/Puy/green lentils. I found them at my local health food store. They taste the same as regular old (brown?) lentils. In fact, I even tossed in about 1/4 cup regular lentils that I found in the pantry. It wasn't enough to do anything else with but they went perfectly in this soup.
The end result could've used some more pepper, but that's my fault and not the recipe's, since there is no quantity listed. When serving, we grated some fresh Parmesan into our bowls. We ended up with enough soup for dinner, plus three leftover portions. The H will have one for lunch, and I froze the other two for later.
On the side, we had a fresh spinach salad (spinach, strawberries, crumbled local nitrate-free bacon, mushrooms, goat cheese, pine nuts, HFCS-free Ranch dressing) on the side. If we hadn't done this--if I had muffins or fresh bread to go along with the soup--I would have wilted some spinach into the soup before serving.
Nutrition information for an 8-oz serving:
Calories - 120
Total fat - 2.5g
Saturated fat - 0g
Carbs - 0g
Fiber - 4g
Sugars - 3g
Protein - 8g
Sodium - 450mg
Cholesterol - 0mg
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Chicken tortilla soup - quick and easy
This soup is quick and easy to make, and provides a bunch of delicious veggies... which is great, because I feel like my diet has been kind of fruit-heavy lately. I also think it makes a nice "transitional" soup as we move towards warmer temperatures but still might crave a hearty veggie-laden soup that isn't has heavy as a wintery stew. You can increase the heat (which is basically nonexistent as written) by adding more cumin or some cayenne to suit your tastes.
When I make this (several times since April 2009) I never make the tortilla strips, so I start my recipe at step 2, or the "add broth" part. I also add onion--green, white, sweet; depends what I have available. This would be perfectly satisfying without the chicken, so feel free to vegetarianize it if you want. We served it with homemade salsa (not the TJ's peach shown below) and Trader Joe's spicy soy and flax tortilla chips. Normally I try to make a slow-cooker meal on Tuesdays, but since I did all the prep for this soup before we went running, all I had to do when we got home was throw it in the pot and let it simmer. Brilliant!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
from Woman's Day Magazine
serves 4
total time: 15 minutes
4 corn tortillas, halved, then cut into narrow strips (I omitted this part)
2 cans (14.5oz each) chicken broth
1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4 - inch thick half-circles (I doubled this)
1/2 tsp each minced garlic and ground cumin (I used one large clove garlic and double the cumin)
1 cup corn (frozen is fine!)
1 can (16oz) red kidney beans, rinsed
1 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken (I pressure cooked mine this afternoon)
1 large ripe tomato, diced (I used about 15oz diced tomatoes in juice, leftover from this recipe)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Spray a large pot or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add tortilla strips and cook 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly toasted. Remove to cool on a paper towel or plate.
2. Add broth, zucchini, garlic, and cumin to pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 3 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender and still bright green.
3. Stir in tortilla strips, corn and beans; continue to simmer 2 minutes until tortillas soften. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, and cilantro and heat through.
Here is my version (on the right) next to the recipe card from the magazine:
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories - 309
Protein - 26g
Carbs - 36g
Fiber - 8g
Fat - 6g (1g saturated fat)
Cholesterol - 47mg
Sodium - 730mg
Monday, March 29, 2010
Chicken stock and humble chicken soup
Have you ever looked in your vegetable crisper and noticed some things that were bit past their fresh-eating prime? Perhaps few limp stalks of celery and some skinny parsnips from the time you bought 4 pounds, overestimating just how many things you'd make with them? One of the things I ordered during the last co-op shopping cycle was a package of chicken parts so I could make fresh chicken stock and use up my stash of sad veggies. I also ordered some sweet winter-dug carrots, which I was excited to use in this recipe. The colors in my 2 lbs ranged from white with green, to orangey-purple and pale peach to brilliant orange. So cool!
Even though the weather is warming up around here, comfort food like chicken noodle soup never goes out of style.
I made homemade stock one other time in my life, and it made enough of an impression for me to make a note in my cookbook (The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids) that it was worth the effort. So when I picked up my frozen chicken pieces mid-week, I put them right into the fridge to thaw so the stock could get made this weekend. If you decide to make this soup, allow yourself the weekend (or a similar stretch of time) because it is fairly labor-intensive, given the chopping, simmering, and cooling times involved.
Chicken Soup - Humble But Divine
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids by Tosca Reno
Yield: 10 cups
Ingredients for stock:
1 5lb chicken carcass
Water to cover the chicken, about 10-12 cups
2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
4 ribs celery, chopped (include leaves if you have them)
2 thick sweet carrots, cut into large chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
5 cloves garlic, whole
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp sea salt
Preparation for stock:
1. Place all ingredients in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat. Place lid on pot, allowing steam to escape, and simmer 2-3 hours over low heat. Let cool.
Place pot in the fridge for a few hours to allow the fat to congeal on top of the liquid.
2. Remove the congealed fat, return the stock to stove and bring to a boil. Once the gelatin has liquiefied, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and into another soup pot.
Discard cooked vegetables; remove meat from chicken bones to use in the soup.
Ingredients for soup:
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 ribs celery, cleaned and chopped
4 Brussels sprouts, chopped fine
1 cup orzo pasta
Handful fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 low-sodium chicken bouillon cubes
Preparation for soup:
1. Add chopped vegetables, orzo, and bouillon cubes to prepared stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender.
2. Correct soup flavor with sea salt and black pepper. Serve hot.
I started the stock on Saturday afternoon, chilled it overnight, and made the soup for our dinner on Sunday evening. Like I said above--give yourself time to make this one!
Using rice noodles in place of orzo, egg noodles, or other pasta makes the soup safe for The H (and anyone else with a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance). Breaking them inside a zip-top bag keeps your kitchen free of sharp noodle shards, which your bare feet will appreciate... trust me. I cooked them separately and added to the soup about 2 minutes before it was done.
I do not know why the greens (shredded sprouts and parsley) float at first. Rest assured, it all comes together and looks like real soup eventually!
I added 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning when I seasoned to-taste at the end. Even the little guy was into it. I added a scoop of precooked quinoa (from my lunch on Friday) to his bowl to help cool it down and give it a little protein boost. He loves quinoa!
He really did enjoy it--just preferred to eat it off his plate instead of from the bowl.
Nutritional information per 1 cup serving:
Calories - 119
Fat - 1g
Protein - 8.5g
Carbs - 20g
Fiber - 2g
Sodium - 500mg
Cholesterol - 10mg
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