Veggie Tales: Spicy Tomato Soup

It must be fall because today I had the inexorable urge to cook a big pot of soup.  I was intrigued by the scrumptious looking Trader Joe's roasted red pepper and tomato soup but deterred from buying it due to the high sodium content and amount of unnecessary additives including added sugar.  So I made this incredibly delicious September starter that's low in salt and high in yums.  

Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup
{makes approx. 10 medium servings}

1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large can whole plum tomatoes
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 jar roasted peppers, drained (I like the tri-color ones from Trader Joe's because they don't have added sugar)
3 cups chicken stock
juice from one lemon
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tsp each - garlic powder, dried thyme, ancho chili powder, and onion powder
1 or 2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more or less to taste)
1/4 cup whole milk or half & half
salt and pepper

Saute the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes until translucent, add the garlic and a little salt and pepper and cook for another 2-3  minutes.  Add the tomatoes (with the liquid), paprika, and peppers.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Puree the mixture in the food processor in small batches and return to the pot.  Add the chicken stock, lemon and herbs/spices and return to a boil.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.  Remove from heat and add the milk, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and some crushed red pepper flakes (Mike's idea!) to make it even creamier and spicier.

Veggie Tales: Slightly Sweet Sauté

I've already told you about my quest to eat more vegetables and how it has transformed my eating habits.  What I should also mention is that my skin, my attitude towards food, and my energy level have been equally transformed.  I've solved a myriad of minor health problems I never realized I had (swelling of the ankles and knees, non-hormonal acne, occasional indigestion and heartburn) and I'm now all about the green stuff. 

Tonight I marinated a pork tenderloin and Mike grilled it like a boss when he got home.  It needed accompaniment, we needed vegetables, and I needed something other than salad or broccoli.  So I threw together this super easy, super delicious green thing that complimented the pork oh so nicely.  Check it out. 

Spinach and Artichoke Sauté

Makes about 6 servings

5 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb. frozen spinach

10-12 oz. frozen artichoke hearts

1/3 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup golden raisins

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Use a cast iron skillet if you've got one, just because those things are awesome and they distribute the heat infinitely better than anything else.  Pour some olive oil into your pan and sauté the garlic for about a minute.  Add the artichoke hearts and let them brown up for a bit. (Next time I'm going to try roasting the artichoke hearts in the oven and then adding them at the end because they are so yummy roasted.) Once they're softened and browned, mix in the spinach little by little, allowing it to cook down.  To your veggies, add the pepitas and raisins.  Heat everything through and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to your liking.  Basic, beautiful, and nourishing.  

Veggie Tales: Green Lemonade

Over the last few months, I have been actively consuming more vegetables.  I should probably say A LOT more vegetables; between Mike and I we go through over two pounds of greens and at least five pounds of other vegetables a week.  This new trend in my diet was brought on by an incredibly decadent holiday season filled with too much meat, way too many potatoes, and an absurd overdose of sugars that left me reeling upon return to school in January.  Now, several months in, I have entered into a complete hippy-like health food obsession, and a big facet of said obsession has been juicing.  

If you don't own a juicer I seriously recommend that you consider the investment.  I could never have imagined how much I would value one extremely heavy kitchen appliance.  I have this one courtesy of my awesome Uncle Joe.  I've also heard really good things about the single-gear nutrition center, but it is really crazy looking and I'm glad mine is a little less conspicuous.  A good juicer is costly but well worth the price. The concoctions I make with mine are delicious and jam-freaking-packed with nutrients.  Buy a high-end model that does the work slowly (omega is really the undisputed best brand) to make the best and most nutritious juice.  Mostly, I make vegetable juices, but I have also become accustomed to occasional fresh mimosas with Sunday brunch. Seriously, they are infinitely better than the ones made with tropicana.  

My favorite juice to make is green lemonade.  It sounds gross, I know, and to most people it probably looks gross as well.  

HA can you see Lols in the background? 

But it is so yummy.  Here's what you'll need to make two servings:

Bunch of kale

4 celery stalks

1 small cucumber

1 lemon

1 apple

3-4 sprigs of mint or a 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger

Cold water

Make sure the kale is washed thoroughly and throw your ingredients into the juicer in the order listed.  I add the cold water into the juicer at the end and then mix it all up before I pore it into glasses; that way I get every last drop of juice out of the machine.  Leave the stalks on the kale, the skin on the apple, cucumber and lemon, and leaves on the celery.  There are vitamins and nutrients galore in these parts.  If you've got a decent juicer, there's no need whatsoever to even core the apple.  

Kale is the king of all vegetables; it is literally one of the healthiest things available on planet earth.  Most people don't like it and that makes me sad.  It cooks up beautifully in soups, stews, and casseroles when paired with the right flavors.  If you eat it raw it has an absolutely insane amount of good-for-you properties, but I can't imagine anyone ever doing that because it is so bitter.  Its juiced form, however, is mild and versatile.  When you sip this awesome stuff, you taste the lemon and mint, and just a hint of the celery (while the apple keeps the juice from being overpoweringly tart).   If you are apprehensive about drinking vegetables, you can replace the celery with another small cucumber, and I swear this will taste just like a subdued version of lemonade.  The thing you lose when you juice is obviously the fiber, but I get plenty of that in my salads.  More posts on my weird eating habits to follow.  Stay tuned.  

Super Simple Veggie Chili

I hate going to work without a lunch packed.  Last week, I kept forgetting/having no time to go grocery shopping, so I bought lunch (or forgot to eat) several days in a row.  Not a fan.  I like having something I  made myself so that I know what I'm eating.  Therefore, on my day off to celebrate a straight up genocidal murderer, I will make a big pot of chili that will last me the week.  My chili recipe has no meat, almost no salt, and is so healthy it's outrageous.  I make it in the crock pot (big surprise) but you can make it on the stovetop if you prefer.

Chili No Carne
Makes approx. 6 servings

2 small cans of diced tomatoes with chilis, drained (no salt added version!)
1 can crushed tomatoes (no salt!)
1 big onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
3 small cans of beans, drained and rinsed (any beans will work fine, I use a variety)
1 10-ounce bag of frozen corn
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste)
bunch of chopped cilantro or parsley
pinch of salt and black pepper

Mix ingredients together in crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours (if you do it on the stove, brown the onions first).  Add extra cayenne if you like it spicy. Most chili recipes call for tomato paste - it's completely unnecessary but you can add it if you want a stronger tomato flavor.  The packets that contain "chili seasonings" are mostly salt or msg and are absolutely terrible for you.  The spices themselves will season the chili perfectly with just a tiny bit of salt.  Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Easy as Pot Roast

Pot roast is my number one favorite meal of all time.  For basically my entire childhood, my Mom, Nana or Aunt Susie (or sometimes, all three!) would make me a pot roast dinner for my birthday, complete with mashed potatoes, carrots, and a ton of beef gravy.  For me, the smell of a roast slow cooking in the kitchen is unlike anything else in the world.  It's no surprise then, that every time chuck roast, beef shoulder, or round roast goes on sale at the grocery store, I simply have to buy at least one.  I usually bring it home and pop it in the freezer, for those inevitable times when this ultimate comfort food is in order.  I generally don't each much red meat (don't each much meat in general), but pot roast is the tantamount reason I will never, ever become a real vegetarian.

There are two secrets for a really good pot roast; slow and low.  It doesn't matter how you season it, you can use pretty much any herbs and flavoring agents you like, but if you cook it too fast, or on too high of heat, it will come out chewy and dry.  This can still be remedied by extra gravy to some degree, but it is totally avoidable.  The recipe below will make 4-5 dinner servings, or dinner for two plus 3-4 lunch portions.  It doesn't much matter what cut of beef you select, as you'll basically be cooking the crap out of it and even the toughest cut will get tender.

Extremely Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

    1 medium chuck roast, beef shoulder, or round roast (about 3 -3 and 1/2 pounds)
    1-2 tbsp. olive oil
    1 large onion, coarsely chopped
    3-5 cloves of garlic, minced or fine chopped
    1/8 cup dry minced onion
    16-25 oz. beef broth
    shot or two of red wine
    salt and pepper

Rinse the roast well and pat it completely dry with paper towels.  Lightly salt and pepper all sides.  Over medium-high heat, brown each side of the roast briefly in olive oil (you can use tongs and a big fork for leverage, but don't stick it in too far of you'll drain a bunch of juices).  Once all sides are evenly browned, transfer to your slow cooker.  In the same pan you used to brown the roast, saute the onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes (you might need to add a bit more olive oil, and make sure you give the onions at least 1 minute before adding the garlic or else it will burn).  You don't have to fully cook the onions, they just have the get brown.  Toss the onions into the crock pot with your roast.  Add 1/8 cup minced onions and mix by turning the roast and flipping it.  Add the red wine and enough beef broth to reach half-way up the roast.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  You can use the high setting, but you'll still need to keep it in for at least 6 hours to get it tender, and low will get you better results.

This recipe is easily adaptable for cooking in the oven or stovetop, but the crock pot version is just so simple and so tasty.  The extremely slow cooking ensures that when done, the meat will just shred up on its own.  You shouldn't have to slice it, it should just fall apart.  The liquid in the pot is a decent gravy on its own if you're short on time.  Serve with mashed potatoes and a seasonal steamed vegetable.  Perhaps another day I'll post my amazing recipe for mashed potatoes.  Seriously, they are unrivaled.

Almost Vegetarian Delight

I made an awesome dinner tonight.  I mixed up some stuff I bought at the supermarket today with some stuff I had lying around: the recipe is simple, delicious, and healthy.

Kale and Goat Cheese Quinoa 

makes 4 huge servings

1 cup quinoa

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 slice bacon

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms, any kind

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

big bunch of kale or swiss chard, leaves removed and coarsely chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, drained 

1 can cannalini beans, drained

4 oz. goat cheese, divided

Prepare quinoa as directed on the box.  Meanwhile, add bacon to a hot pan and cook until crispy.  Remove and set aside.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute in the bacon drippings, adding olive oil if necessary to coat.  Add garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about a minute.  Chop up the bacon and add it back.  Add greens and about a tablespoon of water.  Stir, cover, and cook until the greens wilt and become soft.  Add both cans of beans.  To the quinoa, add the balsamic vinegar and stir.  Combine the quinoa and the kale mixture in the pan.  Serve with goat cheese crumbed over the top of each bowl.  YUM. 

Mike left for London last night and I have been finding notes from him all over the apartment  Like this one, which he left in my top drawer.  

When he's gone I am more grateful for him than ever.  Not just because he walks the dog in the mornings and takes our the garbage, but because he is just so much fun to be around and I have come to rely on his company.  Lola and I will both be happy to have him home in a week.  

Leek and pancetta salad

Tonight, Mike and I are making dinner for my grandparents.  It has to be good because they are both world-class cooks who feed us mountains of gloriousness every time we come home.  Mike is making chicken parmesan over spaghetti and I'm making the salad.  This recipe is exceedingly good and is entirely mine, inspired by an Italian salad I once ordered.

Makes 3 servings to stand alone as lunch, or about 5 servings as a side.  

1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces
Bag of mixed greens/spring mix
4 oz. pancetta, chopped (I like 1/2 inch or so cubes)
1 trimmed leek, chopped at about the same size as the pancetta
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
few pinches of pepper

For the dressing, combine:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 tbsp honey

salt and pepper

Toast the walnuts in a 350 degree oven until fragrant, 5-10 minutes (keep an eye out).  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients well.  Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees until pancetta is beginning to crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes to crisp up some more.  Toss pancetta and leeks with the greens, walnuts, and vinaigrette (store bought is fine, and you can even just use oil and vinegar alone, but I like the sweet and citrusy combination above).  Serve immediately.

Almost Thanksgiving

My favorite day of the year is only three days away.  I'm making brussels sprouts (tripling the recipe below because I love them so much).  Thanksgiving combines my two favorite things on the planet: food and family.  The addition of football into the mix certainly doesn't hurt.  Happy almost Thanksgiving; I wish more people had as much to be thankful for as I do.

My brussels sprouts recipe:
-1 pound brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed, and halved at the stem
-4 ounces pancetta, chopped
-1-2 shallots, chopped
-2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-few tbs of olive oil
-salt and pepper
-pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cook shallots and garlic in a bit of olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add pancetta and a bit more oil and stir occasionally until cooked through.  Add a bit of nutmeg.  Blanch the sprouts for 2 minutes (timed carefully, and then drained and rinsed in cold water).  Add the sprouts to the pan with pancetta and shallots and stir all together. Transfer to baking dish and roast in the oven until the leaves begin to blacken and the pancetta is crispy, 20-30 minutes.

YUM.  If you don't eat pork use turkey bacon, they come out almost as good. Don't fall prey to the nonsense myth that Brussels sprouts are gross, because they're great.