100th Post!! Tomato Basil Soup

Can you believe it!?

With your help we have collaboratively shared just under 100 recipes (a few of my posts have been no recipe posts) since July 2011. I think that is incredible and couldn't have gotten so many recipes without all of your contributions. Please keep sending them my way!

(Picture from Everyday Occasions.)

For our 100th post, this recipe comes from Vanessa H. She found it at Everyday Occasions.

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 - 14 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes
• 2 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons of fresh basil, julienned
• parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute - being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes. Add the whole tomatoes one at a time, squeezing them into the pan to break them up. Add the juice from the whole tomatoes, as well. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook the soup on medium at a simmer for 10 minutes.

To finish, reduce the heat to low and stir in heavy cream and basil. Serve topped with parmesan cheese or a grilled cheese sandwich. Get the recipe for The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich here.

Orange Cashew Rice

This recipe comes from Vanessa B. She found it at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1/2 cup roasted cashew pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped red peppers
• 3 green onions, minced
• 1 (8-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained well

Directions:

For the rice, in a 2-quart saucepan, bring the water, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil and salt to a boil. Stir in the rice. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat to a gentle simmer, simmering the rice for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has totally evaporated. Let stand, covered, off the heat for 5-10 minutes.

Scrape the rice into a large bowl. Add the cashew pieces, peppers and green onions. Season with salt and pepper and add the drained orange segments to the rice, folding them in gently to prevent the oranges from breaking.

Serves 4

If you don’t have basmati rice on hand, you can try substituting long grain white rice since it has the same basic rice-to-liquid ratio. Also, if your cashews are untoasted/unroasted, simply scatter them in a skillet and toast them for a few minutes on the stovetop for a few minutes until golden.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used long grain rice and thought it turned out great.

Baked Cauliflower Poppers

(Picture from Delighted Momma)

This recipe was sent in by Katie M. She says she is completely sold on the idea that any veggie would be improved with roasting. She also says she especially loves this dish because would make a great side dish but is also a super yummy finger food/snack. She found this recipe over at Delighted Momma.

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off and discard the stem. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower pieces and thoroughly coat each piece.
4. Place cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. The browner they are the better.
5. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Sauteed Kale

(Picture from squidoo.com)

This recipe was sent in by Liz D. She found it at Food Network. Please note, the above picture is not the sauteed kale, but fresh kale...just in case some of you weren't sure what it looked like. (Before I started doing more veggie meals, the only time I had ever seen kale was when I worked at a college cafeteria and used it to decorate the ice by the condiments; I had no idea you could actually eat it.)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Low Protein Disclaimer

This is a disclaimer post. I am going to start labeling recipes that qualify as low protein recipes, with the help of my good friend Katie M.

The disclaimer part of the post is this--just because it is marked as a low protein recipe please make sure you take the time to calculate the nutritional information to decide if it meets your specific dietary needs! Also, if it has a low protein label there will most likely be a second label that lists the low protein alterations you need to make.

Hopefully this addition to the blog will be helpful to some of you using this blog!

Stuffed Eggplant

Due to an awesome vacation to see family over the holidays and 1st trimester yuckies, there has been a serious lack of posting. However, vacation is now over and I'm heading out of the 1st trimester soon so this means more regular posting!

This recipe was sent to me by Katie M. It was inspired by this recipe on Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• olive oil
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced fine
• 2 large garlic cloves, diced fine or pressed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4-1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  

Directions:

Cut eggplant in half length wise, scrape out insides and place scrapings in a large bowl. You want to scrape the eggplant as close to the skin as possible while still leaving the skin intact. Place the shells in a 8x8 baking dish and bake for 10 min at 375. Remove and set aside.

While the shells are baking give the eggplant scrapings a rough chop. Heat up a large skillet and saute onions and garlic in some olive oil for a few minutes until they begin to turn soft. Add bell pepper, chopped eggplant, and sliced mushrooms and saute until tender. Mix in Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Scoop eggplant and mushroom mixture into eggplant shells. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 min.

Two-Bean Vegetable Soup

This recipe was submitted by Katie M. She found it at Tasty Kitchen. Katie is a PKU Mom and thought this recipe was great because she took out a portion for her son, then added the beans to the rest. She says, "It was nice to not make something separate for him." So for any other PKU parents out there, this would be a great recipe to try!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces, weight cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 whole medium onions, diced
• 4 whole medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 whole large stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh minced rosemary leaves
• 1 Tablespoon fresh minced thyme leaves
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 16 ounces, weight can of diced tomatoes, with juices
• 5 cups hot water
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 whole soft vegetable-flavored bouillon cubes
• ½ teaspoons salt
• ⅛ teaspoons black pepper
• 16 ounces, weight can of dark red kidney beans (no salt added), rinsed and drained
• 16 ounces, weight can of cannellini beans (no salt added), rinsed and drained

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a lidded 5-quart pot; add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery; cover the pot and cook until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in the tomatoes, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, salt, and pepper; turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down slightly, cover the pot, and cook until the veggies are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the beans and cook 2 minutes more.

*To make this soup vegan, use tamari or soy sauce instead of Worcestershire; if you do so, you may want to reduce the salt a bit.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I made it according to the directions but used a vegetable base instead of the boullion cubes. I don't know if that makes much of a difference but I think I will use a bit more next time, or let it simmer longer as it tasted a bit weak the first day but was better the second day.

One Pot Pasta Primavera

I found this on The Vegetarian Tree blog, and she had linked it to the Vegetarian Times website. Pasta packed full of vegetables = yum. AND you only use one pot to do all the cooking! I served this with my favorite recipe of herb rolls, which I will post next!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 8 oz. fusilli pasta
• 2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Start pasta water to boil. Combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Add squash and bell pepper 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

3. Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, oil mixture, and reserved cooking water. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I just picked whatever kind of whole wheat noodles I wanted.

2. I only used 1 1/2 of the yellow squash, a red pepper instead of orange, and I used 1 head of broccoli (which I think ended up being more than 8 oz.)

3. I totally forgot to add my basil. It was still yummy, but I think adding the basil would make it even yummier.

4. Make sure to only cook until the tomatoes are just hot if you want them to maintain their shape and still have a bit of crunch. The longer you let them heat up the mushier they get. Still yummy, just a different texture.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

This recipe was submitted by Anne J. She found it years ago in high school. She serves it as a main dish with fruit or salad. She says, "It doesn't sound super special but man is it good. All the flavors just come together, and it's a great way to get a lot of vegetables in one delicious sandwich." I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 pound eggplant cut into 1/4" slices
• 1 medium zucchini, cut on diagonal into 1/4" slices
• 1 medium yellow squash, cut on diagonal into 1/4" slices
• 3/4 t. salt
• 3/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise
• 1 t fresh rosemary chopped
• 8 slices Italian bread (or any other bread you prefer)
• 1 cup arugula
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese shaved
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray the eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash lightly with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil (4 inches from the heat, on a baking sheet) until tender and browned, about 8 minutes. Turn the veggies over at 4 minutes so they get browned all over. You can also use and indoor grill or panini press, just be sure to oil and season the veggies.

Meanwhile chop the rosemary and combine with the mayonnaise. Spread on 4 slices of the bread. Layer grilled vegetables over the bread. Top with arugula, tomatoes, and onion. Lay shaved Parmesan on top and cover with remaining bread.

Sweet Potato Minestrone

This recipe was submitted by Katie M. She found it at Allrecipes.com. She says she and her husband have been "LOVING" it and that it makes plenty for leftovers.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 celery stalks
• 3 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cans (28 ounces total) diced tomatoes
• 5 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 8 ounces green beans, cut
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  

Directions:

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, with the juice, broth, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Add pinto beans near the end.

Notes about this recipe:

I might try garbanzo beans, or some other white bean next time as I think the flavors might go well together.

Cinnamon Fried Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 to 2 Tb olive oil
• 3/4 tsp to 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oil and cinnamon in pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and stir until all potatoes have been coated with oil/cinnamon mixture. Cook until soft.

Portabella Mushroom Fajitas

This recipe and picture comes from Good Life Eats.

Ingredients:

For the Fajita Filling:
8 ounces small portabella mushrooms
1 yellow red bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 large purple onion
4-6 flour tortillas, warmed
For the Portabella Marinade:
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
For the Garnishes:
Restaurant Style Salsa
homemade guacamole
shredded cheddar, Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese
fresh cilantro leaves
sour cream

Directions:
Remove the stems off the mushrooms, reserving for a later use. Slice the mushrooms in 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick slices. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and whisk until well mixed. Add the portabella mushroom slices, tossing to coat, and let marinade for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the peppers and onions into strips half inch strips, discarding the seeds, stem and ribbing from the peppers and the skins from the onion.
Heat a large saute or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and peppers, cooking until the onions are slightly translucent - about five minutes. Stir frequently.
Then, add the mushrooms and half of the marinade. Cook until the marinade is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Fill warmed tortillas with vegetable mixture, cheese, sour cream cilantro, salsa, and guacamole.
Serves 3-4

Notes about this recipe:

1. I've never cooked with portabella mushrooms before, and didn't see any "small" ones. I used 2 large portabella mushrooms instead. Next time I'm going to try regular mushrooms (which are cheaper) to see if it alters the taste. I have a feeling they will still be tasty.
2. Instead of using red wine vinegar I used chicken broth. You could probably also use vegetable broth as well.
3. After eating this for dinner, I kind of smelled garlic-y, so you may want to reduce the amount of garlic.