Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot, and Tomato Soup (2 ways)

This is one of those dishes that while I was eating it for the first time, I just could NOT stop saying "oh my gosh, this is SOOOO good." It is SO good! But, my kids still groan a little bit when I say that we are having soup for dinner. So the second time I made it, I add some raviolis to appease the masses. 

1st version - Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot, and Tomato Soup with Carrot Coins
Heat olive oil in your soup pot over low heat.
Prepare Veggies:

• Chop 1/2 onion (more if you love onions - it's soup which means you can always put more or less of what you like.)

• Peel and slice 4 carrots into thin "coins"

Drop veggies in your warm oil, turn up the heat, and cook for several minutes until they begin to caramelize.
While they are cooking add:

• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Tumeric (tasty and great to boost immunity and healing function)
• 32 oz. Organic Veggie Stock (you could do all stock or all water - or a combo of both to save money)

*** if you want to make the "saucier" variation of this skip ahead to Version 2. If you are sticking with the all veg version, hang in here.

Once the carrots are tender, add:

• 1 - 15 oz. can Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling;-)
• 1 - 6 oz. can Tomato Paste
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. Chili Powder (apparently 1 tsp. is too much for my 4-year old)
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin

Cook until warmed through and enjoy.

2nd Version - Pureed Pumpkin, Carrot, and Tomato Soup with Ravioli 

While the carrots are cooking, cook a package of Ravioli (or Tortellini of choice) according to the package directions.

Bring the carrots, onion, spices, and stock to a boil. Once it boils turn down heat and cook under the carrots are soft enough to blend. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or let it cool a bit and then blend in your traditional blender. It is dangerous to blend hot liquid in a blender with the lid on it. There is a little trick to blending hot liquid in which you take that little cap out of the top of the blender and cover the opening with a dish towel to make it safer.

Put the puree soup back into the soup pot and then head on up there to the list of ingredients above which include: pumpkin, tomato puree, and the spices. 

Ladle cooked Ravioli into a bowl, top with a ladle-full of the saucy soup, and enjoy.

Cabbage with Spaghetti and Asiago Cream Sauce

When I first heard about his combination I wasn't sure how it would go, but cabbage and spaghetti turned out to be a refreshing combination. This recipe is cheap, easy, and yummy. The cream sauce is reminiscent of Fettucinne Alfredo but of course healthier than the classic white sauce. Today's recipe is a remake of one of my older recipes, Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Cabbage and Walnuts. Cabbage is seasonal during fall and winter and this recipe is a great alternative to the traditional cabbage soup recipes you'll see floating around at this time of year. 

Prepare the Cabbage:

My family is good about eating their veggies so I go light on the spaghetti and heavy on the veg. You could switch it up if you know your folks will be looking for more pasta. Make a whole package of spaghetti and then just use a half a head of cabbage.

• Slice 1 small head of cabbage into thin ribbons

Prepare pasta:

• Cook (1/2 - 1) box spaghetti according to the package

Make the veggie saute: 

• Warm 1 Tb. olive oil  in a large skillet
• Season with a little salt and pepper
• Saute until the cabbage begins to soften 
• Add 1 Tb. apple cider or white balsamic vinegar and 1/2 cup of water to help steam the cabbage
• optional to add 1/2 - 1 tsp of fennel seeds
• Saute until the cabbage is tender

When the spaghetti and cabbage are cooked, combine them and keep them warm while you prepare the sauce. 

Prepare the cream sauce:

• In a large skillet melt 1 Tb. butter
• When the butter is melted, add 1 Tb. flour and stir the flour into the melted butter
• Add 1 cup of milk and 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• After several moments the sauce will thicken and you can grate 1/2 cup Asiago (or other hard cheese like parmesan) into the sauce

To serve:

• Combine pasta, cabbage and sauce
• Top with grated cheese, chopped walnuts, and/or a drizzle of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Holiday Cranberry Tea Muffins

This recipe is my absolute favorite breakfast item during the holiday season that spans Thanksgiving through New Years when you can easily snag some fresh cranberries. I adapted this recipe from a Martha Stewart Cranberry Tea Bread which is posted below. With my busy mornings I love having a hand-held breakfast ready for me as I pack lunches and brush teeth:-) Usually I like to make mini-muffins because I just don't eat that much first thing in the morning. But, these muffins are chunky so you need to use the regular tins. 

A note about the cranberries... being cooked in the muffins mellows them a bit but they are tart. I like them for the pick-up they give me. Dried cranberries are sweeter and would be a fine substitute.

This recipe makes 12 muffins

Preheat Oven to 350°

Coat muffin tins with oil, butter, or cooking spray so the muffins don't stick.

Mix These Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:

• 2 cups flour (I'm using Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend)
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom (cinnamon or nutmeg would be good substitutes)
• 3/4 cup Fresh Cranberries - cut in half
• 1/2 cup Walnuts - chopped
• 1/4 cup Crystalized Ginger - chopped fine

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs (vegans can use 1/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, smashed banana etc.)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or mild oil (I love using nut oils in my muffin mixes)
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (cow, rice, soy - all will do based on your diet needs)

Make a "well" in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mix and stir to combine. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. Bake in 350° oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Keep your eye on them. You'll know they are done when you insert a fork and it comes out dry.

http://www.wholeliving.com/132996/cranberry-tea-bread

Enjoy!

So after I posted this, I wondered, "is this really family food." Well hubby came home from work and had one and replied "that didn't really look that great but it was delicious." Then my 8-year old came home and scarfed down two of them. I had to smile when she asked for the second one. So yes, these are family-friendly. 

Chai Spiced Chocolate Chip Muffins

With a warm green chai latte, this is my favorite "breakfast"! 
(Really it kind of feels like dessert.)


I made 24 mini muffins with this recipe.
Preheat Oven to 350°
Coat muffin tins with oil, butter, or cooking spray so the muffins don't stick.


Mix These Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:

• 2 cups flour (I'm using Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom 
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs (vegans can use 1/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, smashed banana etc.)
• 1/2 cup sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or mild oil (I love using nut oils in my muffin mixes)
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (cow, rice, soy - all will do based on your diet needs)

Make a "well" in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mix and stir to combine. I use a large tablespoon of batter in each mini muffin cup. If you are using regular size muffin tins, fill the cup about 3/4 full. The muffins will pouf a bit.

The mini-muffins cook in about 8 minutes. Regular muffins will cook in about 10 - 12. Keep your eye on them. You'll know they are done when you insert a fork and it comes out dry.

Enjoy!

Better Than Chicken Soup

This soup is a sure-fire pick me up when you are feeling down. It's quick and easy to make with simple ingredients. With a base of packaged vegetable stock and hearty root vegetables, you can keep the ingredients on hand so that even if you don't feel well enough to go to the store, you'll have everything you need to treat yourself to a healing and nourishing soup.

Ingredients to have on hand:

1 box of vegetable stock - I prefer organic and low sodium

1 small onion

4 carrots

3 stalks of celery

2 large potatoes or about 6 medium new potatoes

Seasoning

• Put your soup pot on the stove and drizzle in a thin coating of olive oil 
• Finely dice 1 small onion, place the onion in the pot and turn the heat up to medium to soften the onion
• As the onion softens in the pot, peel and cut 4 carrots into coin-shaped slices and add to the pot
• Add 1 cup vegetable stock (water will work if you don't have stock) this will keep the veggies from sticking but will also allow them to get some direct heat to bring out their flavor
• Slice the celery stalks into half moon slices and add to the pot
• Chop potatoes into a dice that is similar in size to your carrot and celery slices
• Add to the pot and add the remaining stock
• Add seasoning* 
• For this soup, I used 1 tsp. celtic sea salt, 1/2 tsp. turmeric, and 1/2 tsp. cumin

*Different spices and herbs can have a different effect on each individual and in different situations. I'm guided by Ayurveda in many of my seasoning choices. Check out this link for an intro article on Ayurveda http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1722 and then maybe join them for their 7 day Ayurveda cleanse starting September 12 http://falldetox.yogajournal.com/. My daughter has a fever so I'm going a calm, cooling soup. Tumeric is a little heating but it's anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antiseptic are so powerful that I use it a bit. Read more about turmeric here http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78

Catching Up

Here it is, taking a holiday for me to catch up. Life has been very full since my last post. I enjoyed an end of summer vacation with my family, got the kids back to school, had to revamp my computer system, and ramped up my work schedule. There have been lots of yummy meals over the last month. There just hasn't been much time to edit and post the recipes. A few of the highlights were:

Have a Tea Party for Dinner
No-Cook Buffalo Artichoke Dip - definitely my new favorite healthy snack
Cabbage Wraps with Black Bean Sauce
Simple Tomato Gazpacho and Easy Cheesy Quesadillas

Buffalo-style Artichoke Dip (No Cook)

Oh My Gosh! This is a new favorite food. To keep up my cooking inspiration, I'm signed up to get a few food email newsletters. Martha Stewart has a few that drop daily recipes into your mailbox. This recipe was inspired by one of those and as usual, I worked to make the recipe more convenient for me. What I came up with was genius (if I do say so myself:-)

Combine the following ingredients and whirl up in a food processor:

• 4 oz. jarred artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup of feta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (feel free to use a garlic clove instead - I'm just a little bit garlic shy)
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto (My local grocery store sells the  Bella Sun Luci brand in the produce section. It's located near the jarred minced garlic. It is my favorite ready made condiment.)
• 1 - 2 teaspoons Buffalo-style Tobasco Sauce

This dip is excellent with everything! I had actually planned to serve it on toast for our Tea Party Dinner but my husband was the one who left the table to go get the celery dippers. The flavors are reminiscent of buffalo wings (without the meat of course). As I'm typing this, I'm thinking next time I'll try blue cheese instead of the feta. Hope you have a delicious day!