Tortellini Vegetable Soup

It's still soup season! I'm loving the warmth of soup right now, especially ones like this that are full of veggies & have a flavorful tomato based broth.

This soup came together so quickly. While it's simmering, you have time to make a salad & slice some bread for with it. It's filling & hearty, especially due to the tortellini, but yet light enough to not weigh you down.

We had some snow early this week, which was perfect soup weather, but now it's getting warm again. I hope we get a few more cold spurts before the end of winter. I want all the bugs to freeze & the germs to die so we have less colds & flu going around!

Plus, cold weather means more time for eating soup. :-)

 

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded & minced

6-8 white button mushrooms, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 c. water

4 c. vegetable broth

16 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables*

1 T tomato paste

1/2 tsp. sea salt

12 oz. bag of frozen cheese tortellini

In a large pot, cook onions & jalapenos over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, stir, and then add tomatoes, water, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add frozen vegetables and tomato paste. Simmer for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Add sea salt (taste first - the amount you need will depend on the saltiness of your tomatoes and broth). Stir in tortellini and cook for the length noted on the package directions (mine said cook for 3-5 minutes). Serve immediately.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator & reheated either on the stove or in the microwave.

*I used the Hanover brand of frozen vegetables for soup, which included peas, corn, potatoes, carrots, okra, rutabaga, green beans, lima beans, onions, & cabbage.

Tomato, Mushroom, & Ravioli Soup

If you like ravioli with tomato sauce, this is the soup for you! It's the soup version of the pasta dish, perfect for warming you up on a cold winter day & filling you up without you feeling heavy.

Several years ago (before we became vegetarian) I made this soup as the original recipe is written, with the ground beef. I hadn't thought much of it since, because though we liked it, it wasn't vegetarian. This week, however, we remembered it, & I thought I'd adapt it to be meatless.

The result is a hearty, flavorful soup that we loved. It would be a good tomato & mushroom soup even without the raviolis, but they put it over the top. The recipe makes plenty of soup, so this would be a good one to make when you're having guests. It's quick & easy, with minimal chopping required. While it simmered, I prepared a green salad to go with it. The whole meal came together in 45 minutes!

Enjoy & stay warm!

Tomato, Mushroom,& Ravioli Soup

Adapted from Taste of Home

Serves 8-10

1 1/2 c onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced

1 6 oz. package baby portobello mushrooms, diced

2 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

2 1/2 c water

1 1/2 T dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 package (9 oz.) frozen bite size cheese ravioli

grated Parmesan cheese for topping, optional

In a large pot, saute onion, jalapeno, & mushrooms until soft & fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except ravioli & parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer & cook for 30 minutes. Add ravioli & cook another 5 minutes, or until raviolis are heated through. Serve hot, topped with parmesan cheese if desired.

Fall Veggie Chili

You probably don't need me to tell you that it's been pretty chilly lately. Fall is definitely here! I love the brisk air & it calls for warming foods.

We don't want to turn on the heat yet. In the early summer, we got new windows & we're testing them out to see how much better they retain the heat than our old ones. So far they are doing a great job! It's been about 63-67 in our house all week. Chilly, but right in the temps that kept the heat all last winter. I'm sure once it's consistantly below freezing outside that we will need to turn on the heat, but not yet!

In the meantime, I'm making more soups & using the oven. We've been roasting lots of veggies, plus making new treats like the Baked Polenta Fries, pictured with the chili. This was my first time making them, but it won't be the last! They're crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, & full of cornbread-ish flavor. I think it will be fun to play around with the flavors a little - maybe add some herbs & spices to match the meal. These were perfect dippers for our chili!

The chili was warm, slightly spicy, & filling, just as chili should be. It's the perfect fall chili because it uses up the last bits of zucchini & tomatoes, but still has the flavors of a hearty winter chili.

Enjoy!

Fall Veggie Chili
Inspired by Ashley's Cocoa Chili
Serves 6-8

1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 small or 1 large stalk of celery, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeds removed, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 small-medium tomatoes, chopped
6 c vegetable broth
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 14oz can black beans (or 1 1/2 c cooked)
1 T tomato paste
2 small zucchini, sliced & quartered
1 small summer squash, sliced & quartered

In a large pot, cook onions over low heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add peppers, celery, and jalapenos, increasing heat to medium. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, then add tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add beans and tomato paste & cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and summer squash, cooking until soft, about another 20-30 minutes. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get. Once it is the consistancy you like, ladle it into bowls and serve.

Red Lentil & Roasted Chestnut Soup

I'm taking a poll (over on the right sidebar) to see what percentage of people actually like V8 Juice.

Anyone?

That stuff stinks. Everytime I smell it, I think it will somehow smell better, but no. Occasionally, I take a tiny sip from the Bup's glass, forgetting how bad it was the last time. It's always horrible. I just can't handle drinking something savory.

I love soup, but I'm not a broth person. I like a thicker soup, so that I can have the broth in each spoonful instead of drinking it at the end.

The Bup would just drink broth. He has no trouble with drinking V8, plain tomato juice, or straight up broth. He'd probably love a Bloody Mary if he ever had the opportunity to try one. Me? I'll take a mimosa, thanks.

This soup tastes nothing like V8. In fact, if V8 tasted more like this soup, I might be able to drink it. The chestnuts add a hint of sweet to the soup & cut the tomatoes' acidity. The lentils add a thickness to the broth that I love. It's a very filling soup, perfect for warming up on a cold day.

A Few Notes:

• I used the chestnuts that I roasted & froze in the fall, but you can purchase roasted chestnuts at the store.
• If you don't want to buy fresh thyme or basil, you can use dried. I would use about 2 tsp. of dried thyme & 1 T dried basil. Start with a small amount & add more to taste.
• You can easily halve the recipe. It makes a lot!
• It would be delicious pureed as well, so if you like a smooth & creamy soup, cook according to the directions below & then puree using an immersion blender (after you remove the bay leaves!).

Red Lentil & Roasted Chestnut Soup
Adapted from Lidia
Serves 8-10

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 28 oz. can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
3 quarts water
8 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound roasted chesnuts, quartered
1 pound red lentils
1 T salt
freshly grated parmesan (optional)

In a large pot (at least 6 quart in size), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic. Stir & cook until the garlic is lightly browned & fragrant. Remove thyme leaves from stems & add to pot along with the bay leaves. Cook for a minute to release flavors. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a boil & allow to cook for 2-5 minutes, to concentrate the flavors.

Pour in the water, basil & chestnuts, & return to a boil. Partially cover the soup, leaving room for steam to escape, & simmer until the chestnuts soften, about 1 hour.

Rinse the lentils. Stir them into the soup. Add salt & return to a full boil. Turn heat down slightly, cover, & cook at a low boil for 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaves.

Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with cheese if desired, & serve! 

Birthday Dinner

A few notes & a cupcake recipe from my birthday:

1. Tuesday night was spent prepping cupcakes to bring to work. I finished this messy task at 10:15pm by splitting a giant-leftover batter-not quite baked through-chocolate chip cupcake topped with a whole lot of icing with the Bup. Yum!

2. It rained on my birthday. All. Day. Long. I went roller blading anyway & barely got wet. I'll show that rain!

3. The Bup left me notes on star shaped Post-Its. My favorite was on the door heading to the garage: "Wait! You forgot your halo!" O:-)

4. All 24 cupcakes disappeared before 5pm. Most were gone before noon. Guess my co-workers like cupcakes! (see below for recipe)

5. We had Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili, salad, and bread for dinner, prepared by the Bup. The secret's out, my love, now I know just how well you can cook!

6. After dinner, it was still raining. We went for a walk anyway & got soaked. I think the rain showed us this time.

7. Avocados were on sale for $1, so we made a trip to the store.

8. While we were out, we got ice cream, the perfect birthday treat!

9. There was some pumpkin to puree. Now I have 5 1/2 cups of puree in the fridge to eat! YES!

10. We saw Tangled for the first time & LOVED it. I think the Disney movies have been going downhill since all the Princess classics, but this one was excellent!

11. After all this cake & ice cream, I think I need to go back to green veggies & smoothies for awhile. I even found a great post for a great assortment of go-to healthy foods!

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner? 

Makes 24 cupcakes

3 c white whole wheat flour

1 ½ c granulated sugar

1 T + 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

8 T unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

4 T ground flax seed OR 4 T chia seeds, mixed with 3/4 c water* - let set for a few minutes before using

1 T + 1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line two 12 cup standard sized cupcake tin with paper liners.

Using an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter, applesauce, sour cream, flax/chia eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and continue to mix until no lumps remain. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Evenly divide the batter among the cups in your prepared pan. Bake until cupcake tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan carefully and let them cool on a wire rack.

*Note: You can use 4 large eggs instead, but then you lose the health benefits of the flax/chia.

Peanut Butter Icing/Filling

1 T butter, room temperature

1/3 c natural peanut butter

3 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 T milk, or more if needed

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter & peanut butter. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with vanilla & milk, until you reach desired consistency. It should be spreadable, not runny.

Chocolate Icing

4 T butter

1/2 c cocoa powder

3 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 T milk, or more if needed

　

Using an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add cocoa powder & mix in. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with vanilla & milk, until you reach desired consistency. It should be spreadable, not runny.

To stuff the cupcakes

Note: You will probably have leftover icing. I had about 1 cup of peanut butter icing left over. You can freeze it to use at another time. Or eat it with a spoon. Your choice, I won't judge! :-)
: Fill a pastry bag with peanut butter icing. Stick the tip into the middle of the top of the cupcake and gently push down. Squeeze out icing as you pull up until you see it peak out the top. Then ice the cupcake with chocolate icing either with the icing bag or using a knife.

 

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

I love fall.

I can't say it enough! There's just something about this time of year that sings to me.

Sunshine

Crisp morning air

Leaves crunching under my feet

Warm colors

Cinnamon scents

Raking leaves

Pumpkins everywhere

We had warm fall weather this weekend but I'm still craving soup. This soup combines the flavors of summer with the cooler fall weather. Our tomato crop is starting to wind down, so we're eating them as much as possible before they're gone. The basil leaves are getting cold spots on them, so the first frost must be coming soon.

In other interesting news, one person found my blog by doing a google search for "пиво и девушка." I wonder what they were looking for...I hope they found it.

Hopefully you're enjoying fall as much as I am! Take some time to go for a walk and admire the changing leaves and breathe in the fresh autumn air. Then come home and warm up with the last flavors of summer in this easy to prepare soup.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 4-6

12-15 fresh tomatoes, any variety (should be 6 c once pureed)
1/2 c fresh basil, packed
1/3 c nutritional yeast
1 small onion
1 T minced garlic
1/2 c raw cashews
1/2 c water
1 T Italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
sucanat, to taste (or substitute sugar)

Measure cashews and cover with water. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes or overnight. Quarter tomatoes and remove the white stem/core. Fill VitaMix/blender with tomatoes and process until smooth. If all of the tomatoes did not fit in the blender, hold the rest for later. There should be no skins or seeds visible at this point - they should be blended together with the juices. Add basil, nutritional yeast, onion, and garlic. Process again until smooth. Transfer to a medium pot and heat over medium heat. At this point, if there are any tomatoes remaining, blend those and add to pot. Drain the soaked cashews and blend with 1/2 cup of water in the same blender (no need to wash it in between) until it reaches a creamy consistency. Once the soup comes to a low simmer, add cashew cream, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let cook on medium low for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to develop, stirring occasionally. Taste the soup. If it is bitter, add sucanat, 1 teaspoon at a time. Ladle into bowls and serve!

Note: If you do not have nutritional yeast on hand, substitute parmesan cheese for a similar flavor.

Note: I find that making the cashew cream is well worth the effort. Not only does it provide additional nutrients & healthy fats, but it also doesn't curdle like dairy would. You can use milk or cream, but be cautious and do not allow soup to boil.

Foods We've Been Loving

Apple Pie

Behold, my very first 2 crust pie!

It's a little shaggy around the edges, but the taste & texture are what pie is all about. Everyone says the crust is the worst part of making pies, but if you ask me, it's all the chopping/peeling. As you can see if you look closely at the picture, many of my apple slices still had peels on them. I did a haphazard peeling, mostly because I hate doing it, but also because the skins hold so many of the nutrients. I hate to throw them into the compost!

I followed a Betty Crocker recipe from an old cookbook I got at our church bazaar. The apples came from trees around our cabin. Most of them got made into applesauce for a grand total of 65 pints & 6 quarts of applesauce.

[Almost Chipotle Burritos]

Enchiladas

After my Chipotle burrito remake last week, I was still hungry for more beans & tortillas. I had a link saved for Roasted Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas from Daily Garnish that I was anxious to try, so I made it for dinner with my parents. I made a few changes & additions, as usual, but not as many as I do for some recipes. These were SO good. All of the textures & flavors just blended together perfectly. The prep time was long, with cutting & roasting the squash & cooking the sauce, but it was completely worth it!

Green Smoothies

Our kale crop is seriously out of control, and this is the fastest way of ingesting it (kale chips rank right up there, though!). Kale is pure health food, nourishing our bodies in so many ways. Just a few examples include Vitamins A,C & K, manganese, fiber & calcium. With the addition of the VitaMix to our lives, we're especially loving these thick & creamy smoothies.

Fresh Tomato Soup

The tomato crop is slowing down, but they're still coming in. With all the rain we've had lately, they're a little ragged & split, so I've had to use them quickly. The best use we've found so far is tomato soup. We can't stop eating it! I've made it several times already, with plans to make it again this weekend. I just chop & core the tomatoes, add a few handfuls of basil, and puree it in the VitaMix. (Can you tell I'm obsessed with this thing? It's crazy!)

Recipe coming soon!

What are you loving right now?

Curried Pumpkin Quinoa Soup

Even though it was hot and humid the other day, we wanted soup. It was gray and dreary and by the time we started the soup, it was pouring down rain.

While we were cooking it, the Bup said he thought we should invite my parents to have some with us. It was already dinner time so we figured they were already cooking and didn't call. All of a sudden, they appeared at our door, asking for some tomatoes. Mom was making Roasted Tomato Sauce and needed a few more. But they hadn't started far enough that they didn't say yes when they smelled the soup! 

So this soup attracts guests. It's just perfect for a late summer day that's bordering on fall weather. Especially if you're starting to be hungry for pumpkin and apples and all those fall foods. Try it!

Curried Pumpkin Quinoa Soup
Serves 8

1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped
3 T curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 quart (4 c) pumpkin puree
2 1/2 c cooked quinoa
1/2 c coconut milk (from can)
5 c water
2 c chopped kale

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno, cooking about 2 minutes. Mix in curry and cumin, toasting lightly for 30-45 seconds. Slowly pour in pumpkin puree, coconut milk, and water. Stir well, then add quinoa. Cook for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to combine, stirring occasionally. Do not allow soup to come to a full boil. Add kale, stir, and cover with lid. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until kale softens. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, before serving.

Hummus and Sandwiches

It is entirely possible that nothing is better than homemade bread.

Except maybe when you toast it and add tomato sauce, lettuce & avocado.

And pair it with Up In Smoke Hummus from Gena at Choosing Raw! This stuff is addictive.

Hummus is mostly chickpeas and tahini, so it's full of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Check out this source for more details!

I liked it best with the celery but the Bup liked it with carrots and Trader Joe's baked blue chips.

We had a little leftover Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup. I think I stretched my stomach last night eating this soup. I was stuffed but it was sooooooooo good! Tonight the Bup decided it was good as a dip, too, and starting dipping veggies and chips into it. I could've made it thinner but really, there's something about eating dip by the spoonful and not feeling guilty cause you know it's healthy. :-)

This loaf of bread looks innocent enough, but it's actually so huge that we had to cut it in half just to fit it into a bag. Even then, I had to use a grocery bag because the gallon size baggie was too small. The recipe was for Crusty Wheat Bread from Food and Wine magazine. It took 24 hours to make and it was worth every minute.

Does anyone else like avocado on their sandwiches? I think it's way better than cheese!

Thawing out

We spent yesterday driving up to Vermont to ski for the week. At home, the thermometer in the van said 16. It dropped, degree by degree, to a beautiful low of -6. It may have blinked lower when we weren't looking. 

This morning we dressed in a suitcase full of clothes and headed out to ski. In case you're interested, that included 3 pairs of long underwear/pants and 6 tops, wool sweater, underarmour and a fleece included. Before the ski pants and jacket. I was feeling like a marshmallow.

The first time we checked the thermometer it was -20.

It got up to -2. Whew, that was a relief. It was almost balmy!

So tonight we're having chili. Ahhhh...  I think I can feel my toes again.

Mmmm cake!

Some days you just need cake. 

So I made some. Excuse: My parents are coming for dinner tomorrow.

In my defense, I invited them to come tonight but they had meeting and chiro appointments and all that silly stuff. I forgot to tell them about the cake or they might've cancelled all that.

Sorry Mom & Pops, I tried to stop him. We had to dig in without you. At least I convinced him to let me cut it first. We'll try to save you a few pieces.

Here it is: dense, moist, & oh-so-chocolatey with a hint of sweet. Enjoy!


Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
adapted & changed from bread to cake from Carrotsncake.com

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 flax egg (1T ground flax + 2.5 T hot water)
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Preheat the oven to 325*F. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans. Mix flax egg and let sit for about 5 minutes. Combine all ingredients in bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely before icing and stacking.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 T almond milk

Beat together first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer until combined. Add milk 1 T at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

 We did eat dinner first. Chili, a quesadilla twist on these, and carrot sticks. The Bup is scraping and shining our dining room floor so we took dinner into the living room. I don't love eating on tables that are level with my chin, which is what always happens when I sit on a couch with a tray table. The food was still good but the movie we followed it with wasn't. Sleeping With the Enemy was creepy. I was proud of Julia Roberts' character for getting away but her husband was eerie. I hate thinking that people live with abuse like that.

Earlier I made the Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger from Orangette. 

It was super easy, aside from chopping the ginger. Man that stuff is sticky!

I made muffins instead of bread because the Bup like muffins for breakfast best. He's spoiled, what can I say.

  

Free Time?

This is what football looks like at our house.

Or at least dinner during the Steelers game.

Homemade baked beans, hummus, a big salad, and beer. Mine with apple slices instead of oranges. Still delicious!

And this is what the Bup's day off looked like.

I got home and found him doing this in the basement.

So I brought a glass down and joined him.

I have a new love for rice noodles! I guess I should've broken them up a little before I cooked them though... 

We had Pho Soup for dinner. It was delicious, quick and light. Thanks for the recipe Mama Pea!