Autumn Minestrone Soup

Today is the first official day of winter break! I stuck to my typical schedule of going to boot camp class at 5:45 am because I figured it was good for me.  I know I'm a little crazy.  However, it was a nice way to start my day and now I have the whole day ahead of me!  

What is really weirding me out is the fact that it is raining...on December 21st...in Chicago.  What???

So, I figured it would be lovely to share this soup recipe with you all because it is a soup kinda day.  

I made this soup as part of Bri's and my vegetarian Thanksgiving.  This was just a dinner for the two of us where I went all out and made a ton of delicious vegetarian things.  This Autumn Minestrone was super easy to make and it was amazing!  If anyone else out there is looking out the window and thinking today is going to be one dreary Monday, make this soup!  It will totally brighten your day!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:

15 baby carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable broth

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed sweet potato, peeled first

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed butternut squash

1 zucchini, quartered

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cinnamon

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups kale and spinach mix

1 14.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan for topping

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium and add in the carrots and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2. Add in the vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork.  

3. Add in the kale/spinach and the kidney beans.  Cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve with parmesan if you want!

Enjoy :)

Light Cauliflower Cheese Soup

A while ago. while running, some cab driver who was pulled over on the side of the road clapped for me and told me he was proud of me as I ran by.  It was so strange, but also pretty nice to hear.  I guess if you are a cab driver at 5 a.m. you have to entertain yourself somehow!

I think its pretty cool how many people will say "hi" or "looking good" or "keep it up" while running with my group on Saturdays.  It's nice to hear and it motivates me to keep going.  This Saturday, I really needed that.  I completed the 15 mile run (the longest I've ever gone), but it was tough.  The support of my group and the other runners was much needed and it made me grateful to have met such amazing people who are also embarking on this quest of completing a marathon.  Next week, it is a 16 mile run, and while I am nervous, I know that I can do it.  I just gotta keep putting one foot in front of another...right?

Today I wanted to share a yummy soup recipe.  I became pretty into soup this past year because it is so simple to make and its a great way to have a healthy lunch or dinner.  This soup was inspired by Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I just added some stuff to make it my own and incorporate some flavors that love.

Light Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Ingredients:1 head of cauliflower, cut away the stem and break up into 1 inch pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup skim milk
6 oz sharp white cheddar, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
dash of paprika (optional)
dash of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the onion and garlic and cook until onion starts to become translucent.  Add in the cauliflower and toss to coat in the oil.  Cook until cauliflower starts to brown.  Pour in the vegetable broth, thyme, and rosemary.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the blended mixture back into the pot and heat over medium.  Stir in the shredded cheese and milk until melted and combined.  Season again with salt and pepper.  Add in the paprika and hot sauce if you are using.

Enjoy :)

5 Courses to Celebrate 5 Years

August, 3rd: Bri and I had a really great year.  One year ago, we moved into our apartment and celebrated our 4-year anniversary.  Now, we have been living together for a year and are on year 5 of our relationship!  It has been really great and I am so appreciative for all the amazing times we have experienced together.  To celebrate year 5, I thought it would be cute to cook dinner together and have 5 courses in honor of 5 years.  We shared this amazing meal and watched a movie and it was a quiet and lovely anniversary.

Zucchini Soup

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Feta and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Toasty Parmesan Tomatoes

Creme Brûlée Cupcakes

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup
(adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients: 
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
3 tbsp nonfat, plain greek yogurt
cornstarch (optional)

Directions:
1. Place broth, zucchini chunks, onion chunks, and minced garlic into a large pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer and cover and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour back into the pot and stir in the greek yogurt.  If the mixture is too watery, add about a tsp of cornstarch and stir until it thickens.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy :)

Healthy Vegetarian Soup

Oh my! It has been a while! I became super wrapped up with camp and running!

Today is the last day of camp! I could not have asked for a nicer summer.  Everyone I work with has been great and camp has run super smoothly.  All the kids are so much fun! Just yesterday, I played dodgeball so much that now my arm hurts! Today I am brining in Inception Cookies for all the staff members to thank them for one awesome summer!

My marathon training is also off to a great start.  This weekend I am running 13 miles (a half marathon) and I am officially entering week 9 of my 18 week program.  I have been running my long runs on weekends with a group called CARA.  This group has really helped me to have fun and run better because of it.  I am running with the 10:00 minute mile pace group.  Every Saturday, we meet at 6 a.m. and run as a pack.  It's great because we get to chat about our lives/running/whatever and it makes the runs go so much faster.  Plus, since we start early, we beat the heat and get home with our whole Saturday still in front of us.  I can't believe I'm already halfway through the training and I know it is going to get pretty intense here on out.  I will keep you posted!

Today I am sharing a really great healthy, vegetarian recipe.  I have been trying to shed a few pounds this summer and get in shape and this soup helped me to do that! Plus, it is great to make a huge batch of because the leftovers are awesome and I like having something planned out to take in for lunch.

Healthy Vegetarian Soup
(adapted from Favorite Family Recipes)

Ingredients:
2 containers of vegetable stock
3 cups low-sodium V-8 juice
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 onion, copped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 cups fresh green beans, chopped
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups shredded cabbage (I used red)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large frying pan, sprayed with olive oil spray, sauté the chopped onion with the garlic over medium heat.  After about 5 minutes, add in the carrots and mushrooms.  Continue cooking over medium heat until vegetables soften (about 5 minutes).
2. In a large crock-pot, pour in the vegetable stock and V-8 juice.  Add in the sautéed vegetables and the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the cabbage has softened.

Enjoy :)

Healthy and Vegetarian: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know I've been a little MIA lately, but I just had to post something to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  Also, I had to share my latest soup recipe since a bunch of people have been asking for it.  So here it goes!

My Valentine's Day has been lovely so far.  I seriously underestimated the amount of giant stuffed bears I would see in a 24 hour period.  High school was crazy today! I handed out Hershey Kisses to my students to honor the day, but other than that it was a normal school day.  I did wake up to a cute card from Bri sitting on my computer.  Then, I came home to him cleaning the apartment and getting dinner ready! It was so sweet.  We decided to do Valentine's day at home since neither one of use loves going all out for the holiday.  However, it is our first Valentine's Day where we are actually together! I guess that is exciting!  I got him two puzzles of the Chicago skyline to put together and then hang up in our new place.  He got me a great box of chocolates (he customized it to make sure I would like all the candies!). He also got me a "mystery gift" since it hasn't arrived yet.  I'll have to keep you posted! For dinner, he's making Quinoa Risotto and for dessert, I made my Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Cheesecakes!  I am writing this and just drooling at all the smells coming from the kitchen.

Now, onto that soup recipe.  This is what I had for lunch today since I knew I would want something healthy to balance out all the sugar I would most likely be consuming.  It ended up being a great idea.  This soup was simple and amazing.  It makes a huge batch since I wanted leftovers, but you can cut the recipe in half if you want.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
(adapted from Chow)

Ingredients:

3 lbs. broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
4 cups water
10 oz light shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

Directions:
1. Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces so that the green part is separated from the stalk.  Place half the green pieces in a large bowl and the other half in a medium bowl.  Also cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces and add to the large bowl.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the large bowl of broccoli pieces, the cubed potato, the vegetable broth, and the water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes have softened.
3. While cooking, cut the other broccoli pieces into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Once pot is cooked, blend the mixture in batches until you have a pureed broccoli mixture.  Place back into the pot and heat over medium.  Stir in the rest of the broccoli pieces and let cook for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the cheese and greek yogurt.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy :)

Now it's time to eat...

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

I've been really into soup lately.  It is great to have when it is so freaking cold out and it is a super easy lunch for me to take to school.  Since Bri is a vegetarian and since I am always so busy, I have started looking for vegetarian soup recipes that I can make in my crock-pot.  This way, it is a low maintenance meal and we end up with tons of leftovers.

Minestrone soup is one of my favorites and this recipe is just like the Olive Garden minestrone.  It is vegetarian and the noodles and beans make it a filling meal.  Plus, you can make it in a crock pot!  It is perfect!

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
32 oz vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups small shell pasta, whole wheat
5 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained rinsed
14.5 oz can green beans, drained
2 cups packed baby spinach
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Add vegetable stock, water, diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar to your slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans, cannellini beans, green beans, and spinach.  Cook for another 40 minutes on high or until pasta is tender.  Season more with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: "Green Foods" for St. Patrick's Day

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is back with Eco Natural Soaps!  This week you can win from our sponsor, Alicia, at Eco Natural Soap.  Alicia is giving away 5 items ($29.95 retail value!).  Winners may select two bars of bath & body soap, one Dry Skin Balm, one Lip Balm, and a Cuticle Relief Balm!  This is a great giveaway! Just follow the rules and link up your green recipes! Also, host favorites will be featured on Daily Dish!  This week I'm linking up Cream of Asparagus Soup, Green Veggie Risotto, and Green Bean Almondine.

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Charleston, SC Day 4

Happy 2013 everyone!  Last night I got to celebrated New Year's Eve with my family and Bri in Charleston.  It was a lovely evening where we had a lot of good food and a lot of fun.  It was a great way to welcome the new year!

But first, we spent the morning lounging around (after I ran), and then, my mom and I went grocery shopping because today (New Year's Day) we are going to be making dinner for everyone.  We decided to stay in today and eat yummy appetizers and snack foods since it is a big football day for the boys and then, of course, the Rosebowl is tonight!  Wisconsin is playing Stanford and I can't wait to watch the game!  On the menu is Crab Dip, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Grilled Cheese Sliders, Poached Salmon Sliders, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie!  Get pumped for some great new recipes to celebrate the new year!

After our grocery shopping trip, we all went to lunch at Five Loaves Cafe.  This place was on Yelp as the best place for lunch in Mt. Pleasant and the reviews did not lead us astray.  The food was fantastic!  Everything was fresh and light and we had an amazing lunch.  They had soups, salads, and sandwiches.  The portions are generous and we were all quite pleased.   Plus, you can order half sandwiches, half salads, and cups of soups if you want to mix and match! I got the half salmon salad that was on special and a cup of tomato tarragon crab soup.  It was great!

Bri and I headed out on our own after this to go visit Genevieve again.  We got to see where she lives and walk around the property a bit.  It was amazing how she lives only a five minutes outside of Charleston and yet we felt like we were out in the countryside.  We walked down to the dock to look out at the water and it was beautiful.  After a nice visit, we headed back to the resort to rest up before dinner.

Dinner was at Anson Restaurant.  This place was recommended to us by my Aunt and her family who say it is their favorite!  My parents had been here before and claimed that it was the best.  It was pretty fantastic.  I, of course, took pictures of all the amazing food, but the lighting was so dim that they did not come out great.  Sorry about that!

She Crab Soup

Golden Beet Salad

Iceberg Wedge Salad 

My Dinner: Pan Seared Salmon 

Bri's Dinner: Handmade Pasta 

Mom's Dinner: Crisp Flounder 

Zack's Dinner: Lamb with Gnocchi 

Dad's Dinner: Duck

Creme Brulee

Pecan Pie

Chocolate Torte

Mile High Apple Pie

We had a late reservation to start with and so by the end of dinner it was already almost 10:30!  We decided to walk over to our little midwest bar, Mac's Place, and get a few drinks before midnight.  The bar was quite busy, but we were able to find a spot to stand near the bar.  We were also able to watch the New Year's Eve party in New York.  As the ball dropped, the entire bar counted down and we all had a champagne toast right at midnight.  I got to share my fourth new year's kiss with Bri!  It was all very fun and exciting and I can't believe that 2013 is finally here.  This is going be a big year for me.  I'll be graduating, hopefully getting a teaching job, and moving out on my own!  I can't wait to see where 2013 takes me!

Creme of Asparagus Soup

Soups on! Now that I've shared Chris' and my trio of appetizers it's time for the second course in The Dinner Party: Creme of Asparagus Soup!

This soup was super yummy, totally vegetarian, and we made it a week in advance and froze it until the day before where we moved it to the fridge to allow it to defrost.  It was great! Bri said it was confusing because it looked liked split pea soup, which he dislikes, but then tasted great! It was an awesome way to get more veggies in and people said they liked eating this soup better than plain asparagus.

But first, as I've been sharing these recipes, my week has continued fairly normally.  Yesterday, I was reminded of why I love exercise so much.  I had a great day at camp. Everyone was having a good time, kids were having fun, and counselors were awesome.  It was the second day of the second session and we have a ton of new campers, all fantastic.  But then, it was time for the kids to get picked up.  There are two camps, about 100 kids, who all get picked up at the same time in the same place.  Yes, it's slightly hectic and being the second day, a ton of parents haven't figured out the whole routine yet.  We had people parking in places they shouldn't and people walking between cars that were trying to move and it was a little bit of a mess.  The other site director and I have been talking to parents trying to explain why it's hectic and everyone has been understanding.  Except this one lady, who decided it was as well idea to scream at the other site director, in front of her child, that we were doing a terrible job and that it was completely unacceptable.  She suggested having a different pick-up spot (there isn't one) and moving faster (um...would you like me to throw children in the cars?).  The other site director stayed calm and attempted to explain why things were slightly crazy, but she wouldn't listen.  Anyways, it was frustrating to me to watching this 40-something year old woman scream at college kids who take care of her child all day.  I understand people get upset, but it is frustrating when people don't even attempt to listen to why something might not be working completely okay.

The other site director and I were super annoyed, and headed straight to the gym to work out and chat.  It was awesomely therapeutic and that is when I had an, "Oh, how I love exercise," moment.  I continued to make myself feel better by cooking my family a delish dinner (more on that later) and baking a TON of cookies for a pampered chef party.  Exercise and cooking...isn't it fantastic?  I ended the night feeling much better and my parents continued to reassure me that that lady was one of the few and that if that was the only camp complaint we got, we were doing pretty well.

So many cookies...

Creme of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:
2 lbs. green asparagus
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter
5-6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
shredded gruyere and chopped basil, to serve

Directions:
1. Trim the asparagus and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces.  If you want, reserve 12 tips for garnish.
2. Cook the onion in 2 tbsp of butter in a large stock pot over medium-low heat.  Stir until softened.  Add the asparagus and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring for 5 minutes.  Add 5 cups of broth and let simmer, covered, until the asparagus is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Puree the asparagus mixture in a blender until smooth.  You will have to do this in a few small batches.  Transfer the blended mixture to a large bowl and stir in the creme fraiche.  Add more broth if needed to thin the mixture and achieve a desired consistency.  season with salt and pepper.  Return to the large pot and bring to a boil.  Whisk in the remaining butter and add the lemon juice.  Place in containers to freeze, or serve if ready.
To serve: garnish with the asparagus tips, a little basil, and some fresh, shredded gruyere cheese.
Enjoy :)