Spicy Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Shredded Gruyere

I went a little heavy handed with my cave aged gruyere cheese (can you blame me?) But this soup was great! Really could taste the carrot but had some heat to it. Everyone liked it!

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
½ lb. parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
sea salt, to taste
1 ounce gruyere cheese (optional)

Instructions
Add chopped carrots, parsnip and quinoa to a large pot. Pour in vegetable broth or water. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 20-40 minutes until veggies are tender.
Remove from heat and let stand 3-5 minutes until cooled slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend the contents of the pot until a smooth even consistency is reached. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in your blender in small batches.
Return to stove top and add remaining ingredients. Serve immediately garnished with shredded gruyere cheese. Enjoy!

Curried Carrot, Sweet Potato, and Ginger Soup

Did you know that one baked, medium-sized sweet potato contains 438% of your daily value of vitamin A? Did you know that a white potato only contains 1%? Time to start eating more colorful! Orange it is! This soup is super easy to make and perfect for a cold winter afternoon.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
3 cups cubed peeled sweet potato
1 1/2 cups sliced peeled carrots
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add potato, carrots, ginger, and curry; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir in salt.

Pour half of soup in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with a dollop of fat free sour cream if you want.

Beef and Rutabaga Stew

 It's been snowing all day today. When you're working from home and you want a warm and hearty soup, this does the trick. Plus, the root vegetables make it low carb and super healthy!

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 cups peeled and diced rutabaga
1 pound beef stew-meat chunks
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste
3 teaspoons tomato paste

Make it:

Put everything in a slow cooker or a big pot; stir to combine.

Cover and cook 30 - 45 minutes on medium heat on the stove or for the crock pot do the low setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5, until the beef is tender and the rutabaga are just fork tender.

Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks, if possible. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Why rutabaga?

Potato vs Turnip vs Rutabaga

NUTRITION PER 100 GRAMS	WHITE POTATO	TURNIP	RUTABAGA
Calories	77	28	36
Carbohydrate	18 grams	6 grams	8 grams
Fiber	2 grams	2 grams	3 grams
Vitamin C	33% RDA	35% RDA	42% RDA
Glycemic Load *	8	2	3
Inflammation Factor **	-46	-1	-3

*Glycemic load is a way of expressing a food or meal’s effect on blood-sugar levels. Experts vary on their recommendations for what your total glycemic load should be each day. A typical target for total Estimated Glycemic Load is 100 or less per day. If you have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, you might want to aim a little lower.

White Turkey Chili

On a chilly night, this hearty dish hits the spot. The bulgur and the beans make this dish super hearty and the chiles give it a kick but not too much. Also, the green chiles kinda hide the zucchini. You could pass this off on squash haters easily!

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium zucchini, diced (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup bulgur *see Notes
2 tablespoons dried oregano
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
15-ounces canned no-salt-added white beans, rinsed
1 4-ounce cans green chiles, mild or hot
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth


PREPARATION
Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is starting to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add bulgur, oregano, cumin, coriander, white pepper and salt and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in white beans and chiles, then pour in broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and thickened and the bulgur is tender, about 50 minutes.

NOTES
Bulgur wheat is a whole wheat grain that has been cracked and partially pre-cooked. As a whole grain, it is a naturally high-fiber, low-fat, low-calorie vegetarian and vegan food ingredient. I found a 10 minute Bulgur at Trader Joe's and opted to use that. I didn't need to cook the chili down for 50 minutes, so that ruled. If you can buy that, it will save you some time.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 356 calories; 14 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 43 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 26 g protein; 10 g fiber

Crab bisque with Avocado, Tomato, and Corn Relish

I had a big bowl of this and now I am completely satisfied and in a seafood coma. I was reluctant on the salsa but the contrast of cool and hot was nice. The acid in the salsa and the creaminess of the avocado paired nicely with the richness of the bisque. I used 16 ounces of crab instead of 12 because that's how the container came. Plus, you can't really go wrong adding extra crab.

Makes: Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup soup and 1/4 cup relish each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
RELISH
1 small avocado, finely diced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tips) or frozen, thawed
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

BISQUE
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tips) or frozen, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced peeled russet potato
3/4 teaspoon sweet or hot smoked paprika (see Notes), plus more for garnish
1 cup dry sherry (see Notes)
2 cups seafood stock or broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups low-fat milk
12 ounces crabmeat (see Tips), drained if necessary
1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION
To prepare relish:
Combine avocado, corn, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl; gently toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the bisque.

To prepare bisque:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add corn, onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onion and pepper have softened, about 5 minutes. Add potato and paprika and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add sherry and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add stock (or broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Working in two batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the puree to the saucepan; stir in milk, crab and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve each portion of bisque with about 1/4 cup relish; sprinkle with additional paprika, if desired.

TIPS & NOTES
Ingredient Notes: Smoked paprika is made from ground smoke-dried red peppers. It’s available in some large supermarkets with other spices and at tienda.com.
Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.
Tips: To remove corn kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on one end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife.
Crabmeat (already removed from the shell) can be purchased canned, in shelf-stable pouches, frozen or pasteurized. Pasteurized usually has the best flavor; look for it in the fresh seafood section of the market. Crabs from both the U.S. and Canada are considered good choices for the environment.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 230 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 35 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 4 g fiber; 441 mg sodium; 719 mg potassium.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

It's not quite summer yet. I'm trying to get in my hearty winter soups before it's ridiculous for me to make them. This one is getting better every time I make it. I think I've nearly perfected the recipe! And to all you on Weight Watchers, one serving is 6 points...even with CREAM! Say, what!? Giddy up!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons fake butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup diced carrots
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup light cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
5 to 6 sage leaves

Directions
Melt 2 tbsp fake butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot and stir in wine and cream. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Take 1 tbsp fake butter and fry sage leaves. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fried sage. 6 WW points. Original recipe makes 4 servings.

Turkey Kielbasa, Kale and White Bean Stew

I had some leftover kale and thought a nice stew would be good. I found this recipe online and it was very good - and good for you. It reminded me of navy bean soup with the beans and the onions but the kale was a great addition and the turkey kielbasa was salty and hearty. It was hard only eating 1.5 cups!

Ingredients
4 cups uncooked kale, roughly chopped
6 servings Turkey kielbasa ring rope, chopped into bite size pieces
4 cups chicken stock
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp table salt
2 tsp mixed cracked pepper
5 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp minced garlic

Instructions
In a non stick skillet, saute onion and garlic in cooking spray. Add keilbasa and cook for an additional 4 minutes. In a large soup pot, bring chicken stock, kale , italian seasoning and white beans to a boil. Add onions, garlic and keilbasa and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for an additional 35 minutes. Yields about 8 servings at 1.5 cups each. 5 points per serving.

Healthy Potato Leek Soup

Had some leeks in the fridge and was wondering how to prep them. A friend of mine made potato and leek soup and posted about it on Facebook and it inspired me to do the same. This is hands down stupid easy to make. Very filling too. You can begin a meal with it or add a sammy with this.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon EVOO
3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced (3 cups) - use mostly white parts and some of the green
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 pounds all-purpose potatoes, (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan or stockpot over low heat. Add leeks, and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in broth and add potatoes. Increase heat to medium and cook about 20 minutes until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and add to blender. Puree. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Return to low heat and heat until hot, but not boiling. Serve hot or chilled.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 162 calories; 4 g fat ( 2 g sat , 1 g mono ); 13 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 206 mg sodium; 507 mg potassium.

Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Ok. I had noooo idea gumbo took over four hours to make. I started this dish around 4 pm and just finished it. It's 9 pm. Mother of .... This seems like a great dish to make when you want to cook all day. hahaha I didn't make the rice (yet) since Superbowl is tomorrow. Also, I have SO MUCH of this. I'm afraid I might be eating it for weeks. Hopefully everyone devours it! The dish is really creamy (like a comforting familiar stew) with a hint of creole spice. The hand pulled chicken is tender and hearty while the andouille packs a punch in diced up nuggets. The flavors build on each other (as they better! They've been cooking all day!). This should be a winner for New Orleans' Superbowl Sunday!

Make it:

1 1/2 gallons water
1 (4-pound) chicken, cut up (My chicken was about 6 pounds)
5 bay leaves
5 parsley sprigs
3 whole garlic cloves
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken, reserving broth. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken; set aside. Pour broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Measure 1 gallon broth, and return to stockpot.

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large celery rib, chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 chicken bouillon cubes
Add sausage and next 5 ingredients; simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat; gradually whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is a dark caramel color (about 20 minutes). Stir into sausage mixture, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

And then...

1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir in chicken, salt, and red and black pepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Skim off fat.

And then...

1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon filé powder (this is Sassafras leaves - which I couldn't find. I used 1 teaspoon of Blackened Creole seasoning)
Hot cooked rice
Stir in green onions and parsley; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in filé powder. Serve over hot cooked rice with hot sauce, if desired.

Kale Tomato Soup

Needed a detoxing lunch. Made this. It was surprising really good for all little that was in it. I would make it again for sure. Super quick and really healthy - just veggies and spices.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, washed, stripped from stem, and chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes

1 cup cherry tomatoes
4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp crushed red chili pepper

1 packet Goya Sazon seasoning

Preparation:
Heat broth in large pot, sprinkle herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Add kale, followed by tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Tomatoes may have popped on their own, if not gently mash. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve.

White Turkey Chili

 Go figure. I plated 4 beautiful bowls and forgot to take photos. You get a photo of the chili in the tupperware before it hits the fridge. Oy! I made this chili tonight and to my surprise my dinner guests had never had a white chili before. I was pretty happy to serve them up something new - although my sous chef said this was soup - not chili. Yes, I added about 1/2 cup more of chicken broth than I should have (I used 4 cups instead of 3 1/2), but I didn't think it was soup at all. You guys make it and get back to me on what you think. I garnished with chopped cilantro and fat-free sour cream (not pictured).

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired), minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
31/2 cups chicken broth (fat-free)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound ground turkey
1 can cannellini beans (15.5 ounces), drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
Garnishes, such as lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream, and grated cheese

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, oregano, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beans and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, while mashing some of the beans against side of pan to release starch. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper; garnish as desired.

Cook's Note:
Mashing some of the beans during cooking gives you the texture of a slow-cooked sauce without adding to your kitchen time.

Healthy Lobster Bisque

 This is my first time making a lobster bisque. So - what do I do? I try and make this one healthy! I found a really good recipe in Prevention magazine and I kind of blended it with other ideas from other low fat recipes (which - there aren't many). A unique twist here is adding sherry vs. white wine to the soup. Everyone thought this had a kick and they loved it. In fact, one of my dinner guests asked for bread to eat up the yummy broth!

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups fish, vegetable, or chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 lobsters, shells removed and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
First - cook those lobsters. Bring a pot of salted water up to a rapid boil and drop both in for 4 minutes total. Remove from pot. Discard water. Rinse pot.
In pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Stir in the broth, tomato, sherry, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use a hand blender and blend up the soup a bit. Get the tomatoes nice and blended but leave a few chunks for the soup. Break down lobster and remove meat from shell. Save juices.Add the lobster and juices to pot and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with chopped parsley.

Bouillabaisse

Oh hell naw... You don't even know about this yummy concoction. I can't say how happy I am about this dish. I'm jumping out of my pants excited! You MUST make this!

For dippin':
12 to 16 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved

For soup
1 (1- to 1 1/4 -lb) live lobster
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb boiling potatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds (sometimes called anise)
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 cups white fish stock (or store-bought)
1 pound white fish fillets (such as monkfish, turbot, red snapper, striped bass, porgy, grouper, and/or cod), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound cockles or small hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
1 pound cultivated mussels, scrubbed and any beards removed
1/2 pound large shrimp in shells

Preparation:

Make croutons:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.

Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.

Make soup:
Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.

Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, lobster, including juices, and remaining fish and simmer, covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.

Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Healthy Cream of Asparagus and Carrot Soup

I looooove soup. This one was so super tasty (thanks to my NEW hand blender). AND it was good for you! How about that? It's not everyday you get a creamy soup that's good for you. Merry Christmas!

Ingredients
3 cups (1/2-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Dash of ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

Preparation
Combine asparagus, carrot, broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Place asparagus mixture in a blender; process until smooth.
Place flour in pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add puréed asparagus and ground nutmeg; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon thyme, butter, salt, and lemon rind.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 117, Fat: 3.5g. Word.

Next Day Turkey Soup

We don't eat a lot of leftovers in my house. I can pull over round 2 of Thanksgiving but then that's about it. Since I don't want to be wasteful, I'm usually finding ways to reinvent my leftovers. This is a BEYOND simple soup. It's classic and reminds me of winter days at grandma's house. Plus, it's a low calorie alternative to another round of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups vegetable broth
1 small onion, diced
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
2 c mini potatoes, cut in half
3 cups turkey meat, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups (or whatever you've got) leftover cooked Thanksgiving side vegetables (Brussels sprouts, green beans, lima beans, etc.)

Directions
In a large soup pot, heat garlic and onion in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add carrots, and celery. Sweat over medium-low heat until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes. Add chicken and vegetable broth. (I used canned chicken stock and vegetable bouillon -- it came out tasting wonderful!) Add the turkey and the potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Dice the leftover vegetables (here Brussels sprouts and green beans). When simmering, add Brussels sprouts and green beans to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer. Taste your soup. I did NOT add any salt to mine - it was perfect, but taste yours and add salt if needed. Turn the heat off and cover. Allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Let simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Curry Cauliflower Squash Soup

I decided last minute to make a soup for Thanksgiving. This was so easy to whip up and tasted delicious too! It also made me realize that I want a hand blender for Christmas. Pleeeease Santa? :)

Ingredients

1 small yellow squash
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups chicken stock
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
3 tablespoons butter
1 or 2 dashes of cayenne pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large stock pot, heat the butter and sauté the onions over low-to-medium heat until they’re translucent. Add the garlic, curry powder, and salt and pepper to the onion.
Add the squash and cauliflower into the pot along with the stock, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Puree the squash and cauliflower (along with the liquid) in batches in a blender. Return to pot and add the heavy cream. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup to bowls and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Saw this recipe online and thought it sounded amazing so I thought I'd make it. It came out great! I don't think I let it reduce enough - next time another 10 minutes should do it, but we were hungry! 

Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter (I used fake butter - Can't believe It's Not Butter Light)
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives (optional)


Preparation
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives (optional).

Cabbage Soup Diet

So a bunch of coworkers and I decided this was a good idea. The cabbage soup diet is pretty well known in the world of fad diets. I thought it would be a great way to jump start myself into a healthier diet. Was it worth it? You'll have to read to find out. Here we go! Here's the recipe (from online). I made minor adjustments to it since I made so much of it I wanted it to taste different each day.

6 large green onions (also called “spring” onions)
2 green peppers
1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole)
3 carrots
1 container (10 oz. or so) mushrooms
1 bunch of celery
half a head of cabbage
1 package spice only soup mix (In the US, Liptons is a good choice)
1 or 2 cubes of bouillon (optional)
1 48oz can Low Sodium V8 juice (optional)
Season to taste with pepper, parsley, curry, garlic powder, etc. (Little to NO SALT!)

Directions:
Slice onions, put in a pot on medium heat and start to sauté with cooking spray. Do this until the onions are whiter/clearer in color (about 4-6 minutes). Cut green pepper stem end off, then cut pepper in half to take out the seeds and membrane. Cut the green pepper into bite size pieces and add to pot. Take the outer leafs layers off the cabbage, cut into bite size pieces, add to pot. Clean carrots, and celery, cut into bite size pieces and toss them in. Add tomatoes now, too. If you would like a spicy soup, add a small amount of curry or cayenne pepper now. For seasonings, you can use a spice soup packet of your choice (no noodles!) or use beef or chicken bouillon cubes. These cubes are optional, and you can add spices you like instead (make sure not to add much salt, if any at all). Use about 12 cups of water (or 8 cups and the 48 oz of Low Sodium V8 juice), cover and put heat on low. Let soup simmer for a long time – about 2 hours or until vegetables are tender. Remember: This diet should only be followed for 7 days at a time, with at least two weeks in between.

I made Day 1 pretty traditional with the Low Sodium V8 and 2 vegetable bouillon cubes. I also used 1/4 white onion diced instead of green onions. Day One: Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks- unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and water. The soup was good but the cabbage was hard to eat because I cut it into strips. Note to self: cut it smaller next time! My coworkers did this detox/diet with me and we were all very sluggish by the end of the day. The lack of protein in this diet can do that. It says if you are really feeling like you're going to cheat on Day 1 that you can have one egg or one piece of cheese. I did soooo good until almost 9 pm when I caved in and had my one ounce of cheese. 

I made Day 2 with one chicken bouillon and two Lipton Savory Herb and Garlic packets. I also blended it as I was reading several blog posts that said it was better that way - it IS!!! This was a favorite of almost all my coworkers. Day Two: Vegetables: Eat until you are stuffed will all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat leafy green vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. At dinner, reward yourself with a big baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit today. I felt sooo full after my baked potato (and I used fake butter instead of real butter). Oh, I technically lost 4 pounds but 2.5 of those were from me gorging myself over my birthday weekend. Still 1.5 pounds in one day? HOLLA! 

For Day 3 I added kale to the soup (read online about that - only do that though if you get vegetables that day!) I also added Goya Adobe seasoning, crushed red pepper and curry powder. I also lightly chopped it up in a blender. Day Three: Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want. No Baked Potato. I made spaghetti squash last night and I didn't eat very much of it because my baked potato filled me up. I also topped it with a tomato sauce and chopped cherry tomatoes. That was a very hearty lunch. If you do this diet, I would recommend this. Bad news - I'm getting sick! (Don't you feed a cold?)

Day Four: Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets. Woke up today and thought, "Yup. I definitely have a cold." Awesome. As a joke someone told me to make some soup. Very funny, Cathy! I was hoping the loss from Day 1 would be the same everyday. It's not. I never lost anymore weight. Also all the cabbage soup makes you super bloated. I didn't like this. I started this day half given up because of my cold. I made a few banana and skim milk smoothies but by dinner time I was done.

So, that's it. I made it four days without protein and fat and lost 1.5 pounds. While the soup isn't bad, you do get sick of it. My pros for me: I lost 1.5 pounds. My cons: Fresh fruit and veggies are expensive.   Also, making a ton of soup is time consuming (I made the soup for everyone and carried it to work every day). I had no energy and couldn't exercise. If you're interested in doing this diet, you can find the rest of the days online. IMO you're better off calorie counting and eating a balanced meal.

Kale and White Bean Soup

A friend of mine mentioned that she made this the other day and I thought I'd give it a try. I bought all the ingredients from the grocery store based on what I thought would go in this. When I got home I googled the recipe. I was a little off, but my version came out pretty good! 

I used 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 cloves garlic, chopped (recipe called for 4). I also used 1 small onion, chopped (recipe called for large). That's it. The recipe online suggested adding 2 stalks celery, sliced as well. I didn't have this in mine, but it was fine. Directions: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, celery, onion, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

My next steps vary a bit. The recipe says to add canned beans to the soup with the kale. I didn't do that. It also says to use water and I didn't do that either. First, I added chicken stock. 3 cans worth and then 1/2 a quart of water. Then I added 1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (8 cups). I let that cook for a few minutes. I spiced it up with a hint of crushed red pepper flakes. Then I added 1 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed. I also added 1 cup whole wheat penne. I didn't add any rosemary (which the recipe called for), but I did add a teaspoon of sea salt with truffle. Oh, I also found out you could add a Parmesan rind to this while it's boiling. What? I WILL do that next time!

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta and kale are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the Parmesan rind (if using). Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice (didn't do) and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan (also didn't do) before serving.

Pea and Carrot Soup with Hickory Smoked Bacon

I'm not a big fan of frozen veggies but this soup is amazing. My sous chef loves peas and I know how classic split pea and ham soup can be. This is basically like that but with carrots and asparagus to add more veggies to the bowl. The hickory bacon adds a smokiness to the soup that makes it perfect. Oh, don't mind the bunch of cilantro in my photo. I was picking it off the stems for another recipe.

Ingredients:
1 package frozen peas and carrots
1/2 yellow onion
4 pieces hickory smoked bacon, diced
1 cup diced asparagus
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Whatcha do:
Cook the frozen veggies, onion, asparagus, and chicken stock in a pot. Cook for about 25 minutes. Allow it to cool. In a separate pan, cook the bacon. Get it nice and crispy! Then blend everything into puree using a blender. Put back in the pot and add salt and pepper let it cook for another 10 minutes. Enjoy your soup .