Creamy Broccoli Soup

 

 It's snowing! And nothing tastes better than a warm bowl of soup on a snowy day (except a hot toddy).

 This is first snow of the season and it's here to remind us that winter is just around the corner. There is probably 10 inches in my backyard, 12+ inches at work and more to come!! I'm sure glad I was able to get out and play this past weekend before the snow fell. Sunday my friend Tiara and I loaded up the pups and went on a cold and windy 6 mile hike to Round Lake. Boy oh boy were the cold winds of winter are rolling in fast. It super chilly hike and totally got me in the mood to break out the crockpot cook up some soup.

This was my first time making broccoli soup so I wanted to keep it traditional by using heavy whipping cream but next time I will try to use yogurt or coconut milk to make it vegan friendly. 

• 2 celery stalks
• 1 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 potatoes
• 4-5 cups of broccoli florets
• 4 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tbs coriander
• 1/2 tbs tarragon
• S&P
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Place the olive oil in the crockpot and turn on high. Place the celery, onion and garlic in a food processor and chop until extra fine then place in the crockpot and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and dice the potatoes into small chunks. Once the onion mixture is fragrant add the veggie broth, potatoes and broccoli florets to the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Using an immersion blender puree the soup. Once the soup is creamy not chunky add in the cream, tarragon, coriander, S&P and stir well. Cook on low for another 30 minutes. Top with cheese and chives and serve warm!

Crockpot Optional- Instead use a large pot and cook on medium heat. 

Pumpkin Curry

 

This summer was too much fun for me to even start thinking about the fall, none the less winter. I resisted pumpkin lattes for weeks but and finally gave in last week and accepted that fall is here, then out of no where 2 feet of snow!!! This cold weather totally puts me in the mood for warm hearty dishes.

Last weekend I picked up a Lady Godiva Pumpkin and decided I would make pumpkin curry. I had never eaten or made pumpkin curry so I knew it would be a fun task. 

Lady Godiva Pumpkin Seeds are naked! They are super YUMMY and puff up when they are baked. 

 There are quite a few ingredients and step but I promise it is worth the effort  This dish was a super yummy and  the longer it sat in the fridge the better it tasted.

                                       

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs ginger
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• 1 medium pumpkin (about 3-5 cups) cut into chunks
• 2 tbs red curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 1 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 2-3 carrots, cut into small chunks
• 2 cups snow peas, ends cut off
• 1 green bell pepper, shopped
• 8-10 oz tofu, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• S&P

Place a large pot on medium heat and add in the coconut oil . While this is heating up place the ginger, onion and garlic in a food processor and chop until fine then add it to the pot. Cook the onion mixture on medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant then add in the coriander, basil and curry powder.

Whisk the curry paste into the coconut milk until smooth. Add the coconut milk veggie broth,  and pumpkin into the pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling reduce to medium heat add in the curry powder, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Using an immersion blender carefully puree the pumpkin until it forms a think broth. 

Once the broth is nice and thick add in the carrots, snow peas, bell peppers, tofu, bay leaf and cilantro, cover and cook on low/medium for 15 minutes. Season with S&P. Serve warm over brown rice. 

Notes:

 If the broth is not super thick once you puree it try adding in cornstarch. Whisk 1/2 tbs of cornstarch in a small amount of water until smooth then add to pumpkin broth. 

Add in red pepper flakes and more curry powder for more kick. 

Whole Wheat Applesauce Pancakes

I'm loving this fall weather and fall produce! After a trip to Apple Hill I ended up with a ton of apples and quite a few pumpkins and squash.

 

As soon as I got home I bought a nifty apple peeler. It made making applesauce a quick and easy! I also picked up some amazing Apple Butter which inspired this morning breakfast. Whole Wheat Applesauce Pancakes with Apple Butter

Makes 4-5 pancakes

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats, blended in a food processor until fine powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce (click here for recipe)

Place the vanilla extract, almond milk and applesauce into a small bowl and whisk. In a large bowl place the wheat flour, oat flour, baking powder & sugar and mix well. Combine the the wet and dry ingredients and mix until all ingredients are moistened. Heat a non-stick skillet to a medium heat. Use a measuring cup and pour 1/3 cups poritons into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Fixins: 

Apple Butter!! I've never been a fan of apple butter until I tasted the real thing! Holy moly this stuff is great on apple pancakes!

Maple Syrup - the real stuff! It's a little pricey for the real stuff but a little bit goes a long way!

Chopped Almonds - add these for a little extra crunch

Whipped Cream - Have a big sweet tooth? Go for it!! 

Potato Soup with Radish Greens

Don't be weirded out by the radish greens there are no actual radishes in the soup. This is basically potato soup with greens and any greens can be used like spinach, kale, chard or collard greens. I just so happened to have a ton of radishes in my garden and could not let the beautiful greens go to waste. 

• 5 cups radish greens, chopped
• 2 large russet potatoes, skinned and chopped
• 2 tbs. olive oil (you can also use sunflower or coconut oil)
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced (i love me some garlic)
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 4 oz. heavy cream (vegan- sub almond milk)
• 2 tbs. sour cream (optional)
• 1 qt. vegetable broth 

Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the potatoes reduce to medium heat and cook for about 25 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tbs of oil in a saucepan and add the garlic. Cook the garlic on med/low heat 2-3 minutes or until fragrant then add the onions and the greens. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until greens have wilted. 

Once the potatoes are done drain the water and let them cool. Place the potatoes, greens/garlic/onion mixture, heavy cream and sour cream into a food processor or blender and pulse until potatoes are smooth. Add a little bit of broth if needed to thin out the mixture. Pour this mixture into a pot on medium heat, add the remaining broth and whisk until mixed evenly. Season with S&P. Serve warm. 

Notes: I don't know about you but I like a decent amount of salt with my potatoes. Season and taste as you go to get a flavor that you like. Also, be careful not to add too much broth to your blender because the thinner the soup the more likely it is to start leaking out of the blender. (Yep, I made that mistake- what a mess!)

Roasted Red Pepper & Chickpea Dip

This yummy dip can be served with pita chips, crackers or even used a a spread on wraps or sandwiches. It is super easy and taste great!

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters & seeds removed
• 1-2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1-3 tbs olive oil
• Seasonings: red pepper flakes, S&P

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the red peppers on a non-stick baking pan and spray or brush olive oil onto the bells and bake at 400 for about 20 minuets or until the skin starts to crinkle. Remove from pan and let cool. 

Meanwhile, place 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs red wine vinegar and the chickpeas into the food processor. Pulse this mixture until smooth, adding the rest of the vinegar and oil as needed. Once the bell peppers have cooked and cooled add them to the food processor and pulse until mixed well with chickpeas. Season with red pepper flakes, S&P to your liking. 


Notes: You can serve this right away or refrigerated and serve cold.

Polenta Bruschetta with Eggplant & Mozzarella

With so many ripe tomatoes from my garden I absolutely had to make some bruschetta. Unfortunately i didn't ave time to bake a baguette so I decided to use polenta, which was a GREAT idea. I also had an eggplant laying around and decided it would make a great combo! 

Bruschetta Topping

• 4- 5 medium tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 5-6 basil leaves
• S&P

Heat a small sauce pan on med/low heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot add the garlic and cook for about 4 minutes or until fragrant. Reduce to lowest setting and let it sit for 10 minutes. While this is infusing chop the tomatoes and basil then place into a small mixing bowl. Add the infused olive oil to the tomato basil mixture, season with S&P and set aside.

• 1 tube of pre-cooked polenta, sliced into disks  
• 1 Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut oval and circle disks 
• 4 oz of buffalo mozzarella, sliced thin ( small enough to fit on polenta disks)

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the polenta into disks and place on an oiled non-stick baking pan. Place a slice of mozzarella on each polenta slice then place the eggplant. Brush or spray the eggplant with a touch of olive oil and bake for 20 minutes. 

Remove from the oven, top with bruschetta topping and serve immediately.  YUMMM! 

Notes: The eggplant skin can become quite hard during this cooking process so peeling the eggplant is the way to go. You can use regular eggplant but Japanese eggplants make smaller rounds for the polenta.

White Bean, Chard & Sundried Tomato Veggie Burger

I'm starting to really enjoy making veggie burgers. The combinations are endless!! These burgers are quite delightful!!

Makes 4 burgers.

• 1 can white beans, rinsed (navy or white kidney)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped rainbow chard (3 small leaves)
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced (1/3 cup)
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg white (optional)
• olive oil

Seasonings: Thyme, S&P 
Fixins: Manchego Cheese, Avocado ,Tomato, Ground Mustard

Preheat the oven to 425. In a small pan, saute the garlic and onion until they soften then add the chard. Saute for 2-3 minutes on med heat or until the chard is wilted then remove from burner.

In a food processor add the beans, sundried tomatoes &1 tbs of olive oil and pulse until the beans are mostly smooth(leave a few beans whole). Place mixture in a mixing bowl and add the chard mixture and season with a dash or two of thyme and S&P to taste. Taste the mixture before adding the egg to make sure you like it. 

Next add the egg and bread crumbs. Stir the mixture so everything is evenly coated. Shape the mixture into 4 burgers and place on non-stick baking pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, flip the burgers and bake for another 5 minutes. 

Notes: 

• I enjoyed these without a bun with only the manchego cheese but throw the burger on a bun and add some of the yummy fixins listed above and it will be even more yummy! 
• If you are adding cheese add it before you take the burgers out of the oven so it melts nicely. 
• Vegan? Leave out the egg! It may not be as moist but still super yummy!

Whole Wheat Banana Bran Bread Muffins and Bread

Each year we visit my boyfriend's parents in Hawaii and for breakfast his mom always has a loaf of whole wheat banana bread ready to go. It is dense, tasty and packed with all kinds of goodness that will help you power through the day. Her recipe varies each time she makes it and I love it every time! On our last trip I just had to ask her for her recipe. I made a few tweaks to it because I wanted to make it my own and of course the bananas in Hawaii are much better than what we get in Tahoe but this version still turned out pretty delicious. You can use this batter to make muffins or slice as bread and my favorite served with freshly ground peanut butter. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups wheat flour
• 1 cup wheat bran
• 1/4 cup raw sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites plus 2 eggs, beaten 
• 2 cups, very ripe mashed bananas

• 1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts or macadamia nuts) 
• 1 cup raisins or cranberries (soak in water for 15 minutes)

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl combine the first 6 ingredients and stir. Next add the wet ingredients stir until evenly mixed using a mixer. Last add the nuts and raisins. Pour your batter into either bread pans or muffin pans and bake. Once the bread is ready let it cool before you serve.

Muffins: 20-25 minutes

Bread: 30-35 minutes

Notes:

This batter in the recipe will fill two small bread pans or one large bread pan and one six-muffin pan.  

Baking time will depend on your altitude, so your a tooth pick and check after 20 minutes.

Freeze half the bread once it is cooled and defrost when you are ready for it. 

Smoothies and more Smoothies!

Here are some yummy smoothie recipes. Just add the ingredients in a blender and there ya go! If it seems too liquidy just add more ice (yes i know liquidy is not a word, but it works in this sentence) 

Antioxidant Protein Smoothie

6oz Plain Greek Yogurt (1 small container)
1/2 cup Pomegranate Juice
1/2 cup Coconut Water
1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries or Mixed Berries

Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie

1/2 cup Coconut Water

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1 Banana

1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

Green Smoothie #1

3/4 cup Coconut Water

1 Banana

1/2 cup Frozen Peaches

1/2 cup Frozen Strawberries

1 Banana

1 Tsp. Spirulina

Spinach Pear Smoothie
1/2 cup Coconut Water

1/2 Cup Almond Milk

1 cup Fresh Spinach

1 Banana

1 Pear, chopped

1 cup of Ice

Good For You Pancakes for Two

3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
3/4 Cup Wheat Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tbs. Sugar

1 Mashed Banana
1 Egg (Vegan? Leave out the egg, the recipe still works)
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Tbs. Walnut Oil

Heat a skillet with Walnut Oil to medium heat. Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until smooth like flour. Place oats, banana, flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and mix. In a separate bowl/cup mix the egg, milk and vanilla, then add to the large bowl of dry ingredients. Once the skillet is hot use a 1/2 - 3/4 measuring cup pour the mixture on the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side. 

*Makes 4-6 pancakes