Roasted Cauliflower Soup

{Meatless Monday}

The other day I was going through some old recipes I had pulled out of magazines, but never gotten around to making.  I had actually saved one page for a French Onion soup recipe, but then I saw the recipe for this soup and it looked really yummy and it said it was "Low Cal"...so I put it on my menu and I'm so glad I did.

I just have to say that roasting vegetables is amazing!!  It completely transforms the flavor.  In fact, I am thinking I am going to have to roast me up some Brussel sprouts because then they might actually taste good!!  ; )

I also loved this recipe because it is very simple.  There are not a lot of ingredients and I actually used Fat-Free Half and Half, so it was even MORE Low-Cal and also low-fat, since the only fat was from a little olive oil...and that's the good kind, anyway, right??

Here's what you'll need:

1 large head cauliflower (3 pounds) cut into florets
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, each halved (I just used 2 tsp. minced garlic from my fridge)
2 T olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (I just used about 3 1/2 cups of bouillon)
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. chopped thyme
1 cup half and half (I used Fat-Free, though I wish they just sold a reduced fat...maybe mixing the regular with the Fat-free would be perfect for me!)

Heat oven to 400*.  In a large bowl, toss cauliflower, onion slices, and garlic with olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

In large saucepan, combine veggies with chicken broth, water, bay leaf, and thyme.  Cover and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and using blender, puree soup in batches.  Return to pan and stir in half and half.  Cook over medium heat until heated through...about 5 minutes.  Serve with fresh chives on top.

I served this with some homemade rolls.  Everybody ate the soup...not everyone LOVED it, but with the help of a roll everybody ate their portion.  My daughter and I both loved it.  In fact, when she left for school this morning, I made sure she was OK with me eating the leftovers for my lunch.
I made a double batch of rolls, because tonight we are trying another new recipe for Southern-Style Vegetable Sliders.  We'll see how they turn out and I'll let you know next week! ; )

What I love about the soup is how much flavor came from the roasted cauliflower and onions and also how CREAMY it is with VERY little fat and cream in there!

For your information:  using regular Half and Half, it says that there are 98 calories per serving (this makes 8 servings) and 9 g fat.  But I figured out using Fat Free, you would save about 20 calories and 4 g fat per serving.  That makes it an extremely healthy soup...and it is SO yummy.

My husband doesn't even like cauliflower...actually, he dislikes it...and he still liked the soup.


Hope you love it as much as I do!!

Spring Break

We are on a little vacation for the rest of the week...not too far from home, but it's still a break.  The kids are loving the TV...and the pool. 
Tomorrow we head off for a day in SLC...looking forward to some great FREE things to do! 
Tonight I made Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomatoes.  This has become my new absolute favorite recipe!    It is so yummy and you can throw it all together in the time it takes to boil the noodles.  Yum!  Easy and yet something new for our family to enjoy.  I will be posting it soon! 

Have a good week.

Smoky Split Pea Soup

{Meatless Monday}...cheater version ; )


OK...I made this soup the other night and took all my own photos...but NONE of them look anywhere near as good as the photo from the magazine!
This is theirs:

And this is how mine ended up looking:
(But I don't have a profession food designer working at my house, right?)

They don't even look like the same soup!!  ; )  Oh well....

So I just thought I would give you the link to this recipe:  Smoky Split Pea Soup 
I found it in Vegetarian Times...I think a friend had given me a couple of her old issues.

 It is a VERY healthy soup.   I have always loved split peas...so if you don't, this might not be for you!  I had a hard time getting my split peas as soft as I wanted, so I would recommend letting them soak all day and overnight and then use them the next evening for your soup.  Next time I make it, I am going to try blending a little bit of the soup and then stirring it back in for a more creamy texture.  My blender was all taken apart for cleaning yesterday, so I didn't want to bother.

This soup is very easy...you just have to remember to start your peas soaking the DAY BEFORE you want to use them.  I just put them in a bowl, covered them with water, and then left them alone!

One more note:  I would recommend topping with parmesan cheese (that's what we did).  It just gives it a little extra flavor.  Oh...and DON'T lick the spoon that you use to scoop up your chopped chipotles 'cuz those things are HOT!  ; )

April Fool's Cupcakes

I am not much for practical jokes (unlike my hubby who sported a "black" eye all day and told everyone he had been in a fight with another teacher!  ; )

But when I saw the fun cupcakes over at Our Best Bites... I knew my kids would love them.  They were super easy and so fun.

It is just piped on frosting (colored slightly yellow) with a Ferrero Rocher and raspberry jam warmed up a tiny bit to make it runny.  My little boy thought these were hilarious.

 

They were supposed to have shaved Almond Bark on the top (like Parmesan cheese), but I forgot to pick some up at the store.

Mushroom Poblano Enchiladas

{Meatless Monday}

This was a stretch for me...mostly because it called for Tofu, and I have never cooked with tofu before!  My husband has, but I have steered clear of it until now!  (Although a friend has a recipe for Tofu Parmesiana that she says it amazing and I am planning on trying it soon!)

I have also never bought Poblano peppers before...so I had to ask the produce guy about those ones! ; )

Here's what you need:

6 oz. firm tofu
1 small poblano pepper
Vegetable oil
1 8-oz. pkg. sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup dairy sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese (4-oz.)  **I recommend Pepper jack...it just needed a little more kick to it.  The flavors weren't really  strong enough for me!
8 corn tortillas
Chopped tomato and green onion (optional)

Drain tofu; cut in cubes. 

Stem and seed poblano; cut in strips. In skillet heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add tofu, peppers, mushrooms, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. 

Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms and peppers are tender, turning occasionally. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Preheat broiler. Lightly oil 9 X 13 pan, set aside. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds or until warm and softened. Spoon mushroom filling into tortillas; fold over and place in prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with tomato and green onion. Makes 4 servings.

Note:  I actually made these ahead in the afternoon and covered them with foil in the fridge.  I baked them, covered, at 350* for about 20 minutes and then removed the foil and broiled them for 2-3 minutes.  

 By the way...this is my new favorite salad dressing!!  Inspired by the Pomegranate Vinaigrette that you get at Wendy's with their Apple Pecan Salad (TO. DIE. FOR.), but since I can't afford it every day...I went to the store in search of a good substitute and this is IT!  It is delicious...and unfortunately, my two little ones love it too!  In fact, the other morning while I was neglecting my son busy getting acquainted with my new little toy (iPad!!), I came out into the loft to find him trying to clean up a lovely little spot of this dressing in my carpet. He had filled a bowl with spinach, absolutely drenched it with this dressing, and then brought it upstairs...grrr. Luckily, it came out fine! (I know, I know...I really should keep an eye on my son!)  

Not only does this dressing taste fabulous...it only has 5 grams of fat per serving which is easily half what normal dressings have.  Now I just have to pray that Wish Bone doesn't discontinue it.  I swear, whenever I fall in love with something...it stops getting made!!

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans

Well, since I didn't have a Meatless Monday this week, I thought I would post this amazing popcorn that I stumbled across about a year ago.  (It is from Our Best Bites.)It is my favorite popcorn treat!  It has so many wonderful flavors and is always a huge hit at the girls' get-aways that I've made it for.  I have never just made it for my family, because then I would eat half the bowl and gain 5 pounds! ;  )

Here's what you need:

12 c. popped popcorn (I have always used more like 16 cups...as a rough estimate)
1 c. pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. Karo syrup
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

3-4 squares Almond bark

Stir popcorn and pecans together in LARGE bowl.  In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, karo, and butter.  Microwave for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and baking soda and stir.  Combine with popcorn and stir to coat.  Spread on baking sheet and bake at 250* for 30 minutes, stirring half way through.  Allow to completely cool and then drizzle with melted almond bark.  Cool until hardened. Then eat your heart out! ; )

Mushroom and Lima Bean Stew

{Meatless Monday}

OK...I'm not gonna lie to ya...this soup is uber-healthy!  I actually saw it in my Whole Living magazine and then a month or so later when my whole family was sick, I thought, "Wait a minute...didn't I see an article about certain recipes that help you fight off certain sicknesses?"  And sure enough...this soup was recommended for the flu.

It tasted so good to me.  Probably because I was sick and my body craved these good things.  

So while I am sure there would be a mutiny if you made this on a regular basis...just tuck it away in your memory for the next time you are down with fevers, chills, and body aches.  It was wonderful food "medicine".  And I am a definite believer in the power of food to aid in the healing of our bodies!

Serves 6-8 Makes 10 cups

1 cup dried lima beans (I used canned beans--I am challenged when it comes to soaking beans!)2 Tbsp. extra-vrigin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 oz. shitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced ( I used Cremini--COULD NOT pay the 12.99/lb.for the shitake!)8 oz. portobello mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces (this is easy!  trust me!)1 bay leaf
8 cups low-sodium vegetable stockFreshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch kale (8 oz.), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced (6 cups) (I love kale!)Kosher salt

Soak beans overnight in water. Drain. (Or just use canned beans!!) Heat oil in a large pot over medium flame. Add onions and garlic. Cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Turn heat to medium-high. Working in batches, add mushrooms; cook until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and add more oil to cook remaining mushrooms. Return mushrooms and onions-garlic to pot and add squash, beans, bay leaf, and stock. Season with pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover partially. Cook until beans are just tender, about 50 - 60 minutes. (If you use canned beans, just boil until squash is tender, about 30 minutes.)  Stir in kale and cook until tender, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt.

I know that this soup doesn't look especially yummy...but that broth was exactly what we needed!  I could have sipped a gallon!  So the next time you are sick, MAKE THIS SOUP...you'll thank me, I promise!! ; )

Per Serving: 302 calories; 1 g saturated fat; 6 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg chosterol; 49 g carb; 138 mg sodium; 17 g protein. Source: Whole Living Magazine ~ December 2010 issue