11.21.2010

3 things for Winter

With winter comes stews and soups. And I have a soup for you to try.
pumpkin chili.
there are so many recipes out there... try one! you won't be disappointed.
I loved the silkiness the pumpkin provided and the velvety cannellini beans.
Use plenty of cumin for that smoky flavor and top with greek yogurt for added protein.
With winter comes being more mindful what what we eat.... so we don't feel so bad about eating a dozen holiday cookies, that fourth helping of turkey and taters, and drinking 3 cups of hot chocolate at midnight. Lucky for you, I have an awesome salad you need to try.
Sizzling Shrimp Salad
they make a version of this at work and it is a huge hit.
Its simple and makes a typical salad an awesome dinner you'll look forward to.
start with shrimp. remove the tails and cut each in 3 pieces.
sautee them in olive oil, black pepper, and (lots of) garlic.
while shrimp is sizzling away, combine ranch with milk and whisk.
Pour over a bowl full of spinach, romaine, mushrooms, steamed cold broc, and carrots.
stir to coat and toss in croutons.
enjoy. and then go grab dessert.
With winter, comes root veggies. Less fresh options are available, so it's time to shake up the traditional potatoes.
Roasted veggies
Dice them along with sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, brussel sprouts, green beans, etc and lightly coat with evoo and s&p. extra pepper. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. eat them alone or in soup. I know you will be surprised how flavorful and sweet they become after the oven.


11.14.2010

Roasted Root Veggie and Kale Soup

the unseasonably warm weather we've had lately has been wonderful. but, I secretly got a little excited when I saw chillier temps for this weekend. it's about time for soups, stews, and wintry treats!

I had a clump of kale and a handful of potatoes that needed to be eaten so I whipped up this soup. I was surprised how how easy and quickly it came together!

  • cube root veggies. (I used 4 small red potatoes and 3 large carrots) try sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, rutabaga, etc!
  • coat veggies with 1 T olive oil, salt, and lots of pepper. transfer to pan and roast at 400 for 20-40 minutes (depending on the amount of veggies you end up with).
  • after 20 minutes of roasting... sautee 1 med sweet onion and garlic in olive oil.
  • add roasted veggies, 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, and 1.5 tsp cumin. simmer.
  • pepper again :)
  • add 1 bunch of kale (torn into small sections and rinsed well) and cook for 10 minutes.
  • serve. with crusty bread, course :)