Summer Soups, Salads & Zoodles

Summer does not mean soups need to go away. Working in an air-conditioned office, I look forward to a warm and hearty lunch. And then, when I come home, a fresh salad and light pasta dish tops off the evening.

Ribollita – Tuscan White Bean Soup

Inspired by Feasting at Home

Olive oil

¼ pound Bacon (or Turkey Bacon)

1 large Red Onion, diced

1 cup diced Carrots

1 cup diced Fennel bulb

2 Tbsp. crushed Garlic

1 tsp. Black Pepper

1/4  tsp. Crushed Red Pepper flakes

1/4  tsp. Ground Sage

1/8 tsp. Oregano

1-2 tsp. Salt

1 can diced Tomatoes

4 cups chopped Lacinato Kale

Splash of White Wine

1 carton Chicken Broth

2 cans Cannellini Beans or Great Northern Beans

½ cup Parsley

Grated Parmesan

Rosemary Lemon Garlic Oil-

½ cup Olive Oil

zest of one large Lemon

2 Tbsp. crushed Garlic

few sprigs fresh Rosemary (or thyme, sage)

1. Make the Lemon Garlic Rosemary Oil - place all ingredients in a small jar or bowl and let sit on the counter (or make the day before, refrigerating).
2. Cook bacon in the oven, on a foiled-lined baking pan. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large soup pot, heat oil, and then add onions, carrots, fennel, garlic, saute 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Add the tomatoes, spices, herbs, and lacinato kale, and a splash of white wine, and continue sauteing and stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes.
5. Add the broth, beans, and bacon (NOTE: If you like a thicker soup, blend or puree 1 cup of the beans with a little of the stock, to thicken the soup.)
6. Bring to soup to boil, turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of the flavorful lemon oil, grated Parmesan, and crusty bread.

Sesame Cabbage Salad

Red Cabbage, thinly sliced

Green Onions

Red Bell Pepper

Carrots, diced length-wise

Broccoli, sliced

Fresh Cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped

Fresh Dill, diced

Cucumbers, diced (optional)
Sesame Seeds (black or white)

Dressing:

Olive Oil

Sesame Oil

White Vinegar

Lemon Juice

Fresh Ginger, grated

Crushed Garlic

Honey

Black Pepper

Salt

Top with crunched dry Ramen Noodles

Serve with Lemon Tumeric Chicken

Zoodles

Zucchini

Olive Oil

Salt

Spirialize the zuccini. Cut zoodles into smaller lengths. Sauce in a small amount of olive oil until just browned/tender. Sprinkle with salt.

Serve with sauted veggies (onions, peppers, broccoli), sausage, tomato sauce.

 

What happens when fruits meet vegetables, and other un-seasonable recipes

I am continually on the hunt for a healthy pancake recipe. Looking through Pinterest, I know they're out there, but I wanted something unique. So I created my own, and they turned out quite well, if I do say so myself. next is a creamy pesto with some rather unique ingredients. It's not my best concoction, but it was fun to make. And soup! I know it's still summer, but I was in the mood for a good soup, so I crockpotted (new verb?) a chicken last week to make some broth and bought all the right ingredients (at the same time not knowing what type of soup I was going to make--don't you love it when that happens?) Anyway, as if the weather knew my cooking plans, this week is rather chilly and damp. Perfect soup weather! The last recipe comes from my impromptu desire for fried rice. It's a rather odd combination of things, but it tastes pretty wonderful. Enjoy!

Strawberry-Zucchini Oatmeal Pancakes

2 servings (including two servings of fruit and vegetables)

2 eggs
1/3 cup. Oil
2/3 cup. Milk
2 tsp. Lemon juice
2 cups oats, ground in a food processor/blender so as to resemble flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
about 1/2 cup shredded Zucchini

5-6 Strawberries, diced

Butter or cooking spray

In a medium bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients on top and lightly sift. Stir well so that oats absorb liquid. Add strawberries and zucchini.

Fry in a buttered skillet. Serve with Butter or Jam.

Creamy Pasta with Zucchini-Kale Pesto

1 serving (includes three servings of vegetables)

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pasta

1 cup Milk

Kale

Zucchini

Onion

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Dried Basil

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

In a medium sauce pan, combine milk and pasta. Bring to a simmer and immediately reduce heat and cover for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is soft.

In a blender/food processor, combine onion, zucchini and kale. Chop finely. Add lemon juice, olive oil, spices and parmesan and blend once more.

Pour over pasta and enjoy!

  

White Bean and Kale Italian Soup

Multiple Servings (includes three servings of vegetables)

Olive Oil

Red Onion, chopped

Zucchini, chopped

Corn, frozen or fresh

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Black Pepper

Ground Sage

Marjoram

Parsley

1 can of Diced Tomatoes, no salt added

24 oz (3 cups) Homemade Chicken Broth

1 cup water

2-3 cups Kale, chopped

2 cups white Beans, either Cannellini or Great Northern (canned or dried and cooked the night before)

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tbsp White Vinegar

Parmesan or Romano cheese

In large soup pot, sauté vegetables in olive oil. Add spices and herbs and continue to cook until begins to brown. Add tomatoes, broth and water. Stir well. Add beans, kale and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Serve with Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Asian Apricot-Ginger Dirty Rice

1 serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

1/4 cup Rice

Sesame Oil

Onion, chopped

Asparagus, chopped

Carrots, chopped

Peas

Corn

Chicken, cubed

Garlic Powder

Ginger Powder

Paprika

Black Pepper

Oregano

Basil

1 Tbsp Apricot Jam

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard

1 Tbsp Butter

In a small sauce pan, cook rice according to package instructions.

Sauté vegetables and chicken in small amount of sesame oil. Add spices and herbs. Add rice and continue to cook until begins to brown. In the rice pan, combine apricot jam, lemon juice and mustard. Pour over rice mixture. Add butter (Why? Because it's delicious.) and serve.