Minestrone Soup

After a very long hiatus, I've decided to start blogging my food adventures again. It may not be every week but at least when I make something that stands out to me, I'll post it here. Yesterday I made minestrone soup for our community group with church. People asked for the recipe which inspired me to just post it. Enjoy! (PS, it was even better the next day!)

Minestrone Soup, serves 6 as a main dish (with some good sourdough bread on the side!)

1½ cups dried great northern beans, soaked at least 4 hours
2 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
6 carrots, sliced or diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch chard, leaves separated from stems and chopped 
3 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
½ tsp dried rosemary
5 cups chicken broth
5 cups water
1 oz piece of parmesan rind
 kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place soaked beans in large soup pot, cover well with water and boil until tender, about 1 hour. Drain beans and set aside. Rinse soup pot and return to stove. Add oil and heat through. Saute onion, carrots, celery and chard stems only about 10 mins or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add tomatoes with juice, rosemary, broth and water. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender, about 30 mins. Add parmesan rind, chard leaves, reserved beans and salt and pepper to taste and cook another 10 minutes or until chard is soft. Mash up some of the beans on the bottom with a potato masher or immersion blender. Stir well, taste for seasoning, and serve with some crusty sourdough bread.

(You can add bacon, potatoes and/or zucchini to this soup as well. Add bacon first, then use a slotted spoon to take it out after it's crispy and reserve until the end. Add potatoes w/the carrots and onion and add zucchini with the chard leaves).

Salmon with Sauteed Spigarello

One of my goals this year is to eat fish or seafood at least once a week. I think this was a goal last year too but somehow it didn't happen all that often. I love salmon (wild-caught) for the health benefits which most notably are the great protein and omega 3 fats. It tastes great too and even the kids love it!

Spigarello is a relative of broccoli and some people call it broccoli leaf. It is a thick, leathery green that I think tastes great. This preparation with the shallots, garlic, and lemon-honey is superb!

Salmon with Sauteed Spigarello, serves 2
for the salmon:
2 salmon filets, skin-on
EVOO
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Rub salmon with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat (skin side down first then flip half way through) until cooked to your liking. I like mine moist and pink so I do about 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of the filet. 

for the spigarello:
EVOO
1 bunch spigarello (would work with another hearty green such as kale), washed and dried
1 small shallot or about ¼ cup chopped red onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
red pepper flakes to taste
sea salt and pepper to taste
juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp raw honey or agave syrup for drizzling

Remove tough stems from spigarello and discard. Roughly chop leaves. Heat EVOO in medium skillet over medium heat. Add spigarello and sauté until beginning to soften. Add shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and continue cooking, stirring, until shallots are soft. Season with salt and pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of honey. Toss to coat.

Serve salmon and greens with couscous or quinoa if desired.

Quinoa Egg Veggie Bake

I made this for dinner but it works equally well as breakfast, so save your leftovers! This recipe is super versatile and you could use whatever veggies (or even meats) and spices you have on hand. Try a southwestern twist with jalapenos and jack cheese, or Denver omelet style with bell peppers, ham and cheese, or Italian style with greens, tomatoes, garlic and top with marinara. The variations are really endless!

Quinoa Egg Veggie Bake Recipe, adapted from Door To Door Organics, serves 6 (two muffins for each person)
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped sturdy greens, such as spinach or kale or chard
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used quartered grape tomatoes since I had them on hand)
6 eggs, beaten
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp dried oregano or basil
cracked pepper
grated cheese of choice for topping (optional, I used Romano)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups (should fill a normal sized 12-muffin pan). Bake at 400ºF for approx 20 mins or until lightly browned and set. Remove pan from oven, top muffins with grated cheese, return to oven and turn to broil. Broil for a couple mins, just until cheese melts. Remove and let cool a couple mins in the pan. Run a knife around each muffin to loosen and serve immediately.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

This is like a gourmet version of mac 'n' cheese. Even though it has lots of veggies, my two girls liked it. I guess that isn't saying a lot since they both tend to like vegetables, depending on the kind. For some reason they like mushrooms, even though that was the one food, as I can remember, that I didn't like as a kid. They must get it from their dad :)

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms Recipe, serves 4
10 oz mini penne or corkscrew pasta
2 Tbs butter or rendered bacon fat plus more if needed
1 large shallot (or half an onion), chopped finely
1 package sliced mushooms
1 Tbs tapioca flour or  2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
several turns of the pepper mill
a good grating of nutmeg (if you're using ground, about ¼ tsp)
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¾ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
2 cups chopped spinach (or other hearty green)

Cook pasta according to package directions, but drain a minute or two early so it's nice and al denté. Reserve about a cup of pasta water in case your sauce needs thinning.

Preheat oven to 400ºF and position rack in lower third.

Meanwhile, melt butter or lard in Dutch oven. When hot, add shallot and cook, stirring, until tender. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned and tender. Add tapioca flour and stir, cooking for one minute. Whisk in milk and add salt, garlic powder, pepper and nutmeg. Bring up to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately reduce heat to low simmer and cook until sauce is thickened. Add mozzarella and ½ cup of the Parmesan. Stir to melt and incorporate and remove from heat. Stir in spinach just to wilt. Add pasta and stir to combine everything. Top with remaining Parmesan and place in oven for about 10 mins, until everything is bubbly. Turn oven to broil and broil about 3 minutes, until cheese is nicely browned. Remove from oven and let cool in the Dutch oven a few minutes before serving.

Garlic and Greens Spaghetti Squash

This is adapted from Food Network Magazine's Great Easy Meals. Instead of using actual pasta, I opted for spaghetti squash which considerably takes down the glycemic load on your body (meaning you won't get the blood sugar spike that you would from traditional pasta). You could certainly try this with a low-glycemic pasta if you wanted to go that route.

I was shocked that the kids (ages 4 and 1½) gave this dinner rave reviews! They both cleaned their plates and asked for more! I knew that would happen if I had used real pasta but was very impressed that they both loved the spaghetti squash so much (and the greens)!

Garlic and Greens Spaghetti Squash Recipe, serves 4
1 small spaghetti squash
16 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup EVOO
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
sea salt
1 bunch hearty greens such as kale or chard, thick stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
cracked black pepper and fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for topping

Cut squash in half the long way. Scoop out seeds (I just discovered that my ice cream scooper works great for this!), place in baking dish, and bake in 375°F oven about 45 mins or until very tender.

When squash is almost done, begin with the rest of the recipe. Fry garlic in EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. You want a nice color beginning to form but don't over brown or the garlic will be bitter. Transfer garlic with slotted spoon to a bowl or plate. Pour off all but about 2 Tbs of the EVOO (reserve the garlic-infused EVOO for another use or for dipping crusty bread into - which I didn't feel bad about in the least since we were having spaghetti squash instead of actual spaghetti). Add onions and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook until onions are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 mins. Season to taste with salt. Add greens and sauté until just wilted, about a minute.

While the onions are cooking, you can remove the squash from the oven and shred into "spaghetti". Use a fork and scrape the flesh, across the short side, to form the strands. Remove all the strands and place in the skillet with the greens and onions and toss to coat, adding more EVOO if necessary. Top with fried garlic chips. Grate Parmesan over the top, do a final seasoning with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Swiss Chard

This recipe is adapted from Food Network Magazine's Great Easy Meals. This makes a great lunch or a light dinner. Polenta is coarse cornmeal. I generally use Bob's Red Mill brand.

Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Swiss Chard Recipe, serves 4
28 oz can plum tomatoes, drained, or 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 Tbs EVOO
sea salt
1 cup polenta
5 cups water
fresh ground pepper
1 bunch Swiss chard
4 Tbs butter
Feta or goat cheese, for topping
crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Toss tomatoes, EVOO and 1/4 tsp salt in large ovenproof skillet. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to caramelize, about a half hour. Turn oven down to 300ºF but keep tomatoes in until needed later.

Meanwhile, boil water in medium sauce pot. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stir constantly until mixture boils. Turn heat down to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened and creamy. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare chard: cut leaves from stems and roughly chop. Keep the stems and slice into 1/2" pieces. Remove tomatoes from oven and place over medium heat on stovetop. Add butter to skillet and swirl to coat. Add chard stems and cook until almost tender, about 5 mins. Add leaves and sauté just until wilted.

Divide polenta between 4 bowls. Top with tomato/chard mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Ham, Egg & Spinach Breakfast Sandwich

Here is a super nutrient-packed breakfast to start your day off right! This is one of our versions of homemade "egg mcmuffins". I love to make these on weekend mornings. You can add some Tabasco for a kick if you are so inclined :)

Start with one half of a homemade English muffin, toasted (for good carbs and some fiber, see recipe below)
Top with a fried egg (preferably from a pastured chicken, leave the yolk somewhat gooey so it's extra messy and delicious. This is your good fat and protein)
Pile on sauteed spinach (to get your greens in! You could also opt for raw baby spinach)
Top it all off with hickory smoked ham (for an extra hit of protein and flavor)

Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffin Recipe
The night before you make your muffins, mix together the following in a large glass bowl:
1/2 cup sourdough starter (at approx 100% hydration)*
1 cup milk or kefir or buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour (or spelt or another flour of your choice)
1 Tbs ground flax seeds
let mixture sit overnight, covered.

The next morning, add in:
1 Tbs honey or agave syrup
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
I find it easiest to mix with my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer with the dough hook.

Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, turn out onto a floured counter and flatten (stretch, roll, whatever works for you) until the dough is about 1/4" thick. Cut with 3" round cookie or biscuit cutter (or use a glass turned upside down, like I do). Place each muffin on a cookie sheet dusted generously with semolina flour (if you don't have semolina, you could use cornmeal, but the flavor of semolina is better in my opinion). Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 15 mins. While resting, pre-heat flat griddle or cast iron skillet (I find my electric pancake maker set on medium works best for the cooking phase). Grease with butter or coconut oil or lard or some sort of healthy fat. Cook muffins about 5 mins on each side. They will puff up quite nicely as you cook them. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, split with a fork. After splitting, I like to freeze my muffins so they stay really fresh and are super easy to take out and pop in the toaster in the morning.

*If you don't have sourdough starter, you can still make these! Just omit the starter and use buttermilk, kefir or watered down yogurt for the liquid.