Kale and White Bean Soup

This is my first week of summer vacation . . . and 65°F has been the highest temperature. And it has been raining. Wonderful.

When I think of summer foods, I think of fresh fruits and vegetables, bright salads, delicate cakes, and chilled smoothies. Kale and White Bean Soup doesn't really come to mind. However, if you're having a cold and rainy week like we are, this soup would make an excellent lunch. Pair it with some fresh whole-wheat bread and you have yourself a satisfying, nutritious lunch. I made two batches this week, and paired the second with King Arthur's No-Knead 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

This recipe is from the Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook, which is filled with recipes that are "crazy delicious" and "good to the Earth and great for your bod." Yay for veganism!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 cup (130g) peeled and chopped carrots

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 cup (75g) peeled and cubed potatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups (1.4 l) water

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups (135g) chopped kale with the hard spine removed

1 (14 ounce/400g) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Pinch of Pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about four minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, and tomato paste until the ingredients are well combined. Add the water, white miso, cumin, coriander, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add the kale, white beans and thyme and simmer another half hour. Garnish with basil and pepper before serving.

Cal: 150 Fat: 5g Sat Fat: 0g Carb: 21g Fib: 5g Pro: 5g

Notes:

• This recipe makes six servings.
• I chopped up everything at the beginning.

Weekend Cooking: Saturday Soup

Winter weekends are made for soup. This week's offering comes from Wegmans, my favorite grocery store. I've been making this spinach lentil soup for years.

Spinach Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian Classics Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 jar (16 oz.) Food You Feel Good About Salsa
• 1 1/4 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• 6 cups water
• 1 pkg (10 oz.) fresh spinach, stemmed

Directions:
1. Heat oil in soup pot on LOW.  Add onion and carrots; cook, covered, on low for 5 minutes.

2. Add salsa, lentils, spinach, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to LOW and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes until lentils are tender.

My notes:

• I used organic green lentils.
• Instead of 6 cups water, I used 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water. (Margaret would have preferred vegetable broth or just water)  
• I also waited until the last 10 - 15 minutes to add the spinach.

Visiting Wegmans website this morning, I noticed the recipe has been updated to include matchstick carrots and Goya red lentils. The new recipe can be found here.  Matchstick carrots would make the soup seem even heartier, and I'm willing to give red lentils a chance, too. I wonder if they have a different taste...

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.

Weekend Cooking: Minestrone Soup

Soup and my slow-cooker are winter essentials.  There is always homemade soup in the refrigerator, and my crockpot is busy at least three times a week.  On Friday, I tried a slow cooker recipe for minestrone soup.

It comes from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea.  If you have a crockpot, you need this cookbook. I borrowed it from the library, renewed it twice, and finally purchased a copy of my own. We have tried at least a dozen recipes and all except one has been a hit.

CLEAN-OUT-THE-PANTRY MINESTRONE

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans canned beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes, and their juice
1 (15-ounce) can corn and its juice
2 cups chopped vegetables (fresh or frozen)
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
kosher salt
black pepper

Directions: 
Use a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Open the cans and dump the contents into the stoneware. I drained the bean goop only, and kept the tomato and corn juices. Add the chopped vegetables.  This is a good recipe to use when you've got a mishmash of past-prime vegetables in your crisper drawer. Slightly wilted celery or browned cauliflower is fine to toss in. Pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 4 to 5 hours.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes:
I used one can each of dark red kidney beans and canellini beans. I also threw in diced carrots, slightly wilted celery, a small onion, and some broccoli.  Margaret would have preferred a vegetarian version, but I used the chicken broth we had in the pantry. We also sprinkled parmesan cheese on top before serving.

It just doesn't get any easier than this, folks! The soup is delicious and I'll definitely make it again.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.

Butternut Squash Soup

There is nothing like homemade soup on a cold winter day. At this time of year, I always have soup on hand that's ready to be warmed on a moment's notice. Thanks to my new favorite cookbook, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow, most of the recipes I've tried lately are simple to prepare in a slow cooker.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow
by Stephanie O'Dea

The Ingredients:

1 butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 small onions, diced
2 small apples, peeled and cubed
1  1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

The Directions:
Use a 6-quart slow cooker.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise.  This is terribly hard to do, but if you microwave the entire squash for 2 to 5 minutes on high, the skin will soften a bit.  Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.  Brush the olive oil on the inside of the squash and roast in the oven cut side up at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the skin peels away from the flesh.

Plug in the slow cooker and turn to high.  Add the broth, onions, and apples. Stir in the salt, pepper, and spices.  Cover to let heat.

When the squash is finished roasting, add it to the pot.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours.  Mash slightly, then carefully blend with handheld immersion blender.

Our Verdict:
This soup is deliciously creamy... it's hard to believe there is no butter or milk in the recipe!  My husband and daughters thought it was perfect, but the spices seemed a little overwhelming to me. I would cut back slightly next time.

Cooking notes:
I followed the recipe exactly, but thought the microwaving and roasting of the squash made it more difficult to handle. Another time I would peel, seed, and cut up the raw squash, then add it to the slow cooker in the beginning with the apples and onions.

Weekend Cooking: Three-Bean Turkey Chili

Are you looking for a quick, great-tasting fall meal? It doesn't get much easier than this crock-pot chili recipe adapted from Kraft's Food & Family magazine. Perfect for game day or a busy weekday, it even combines my three favorite beans!

King Arthur Flour's Maple Cornbread is the perfect accompaniment. My family loves this variation on a traditional recipe.

Three-Bean Turkey Chili

1/2 lb. ground turkey

2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained

16 ounce jar salsa (I used Tostito's chunky salsa - mild)

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Cook the turkey until no longer pink, stirring occasionally - about 10 minutes.

Add to slow cooker, along with all remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.