Mushroom Soup with Parmesan Crisps

There ground cover of snow outside seems to be growing rather than melting away. Hence, a nice bowl of soup is in order.

I've always enjoyed the hearty and earthy flavors of mushrooms. The use of a variety of mushrooms adds to the depth of flavor this healthy soup.

White Bean and Spinach Soup

January in Colorado means we're not yet past the possibility of wintertime snow storms. Cold weather always inspires me to make a big pot of soup! And I was craving a healthy veggie soup.

The great thing about making this soup - it's E-A-S-Y! And healthy too!

Perfect for supporting a healthy lifestyle. Can't get much better than that.

White Bean and Spinach Soup
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine

Ingredients: *Serves 6
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 c. vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can tomato puree
1 15 oz. can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. brown rice, uncooked
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 c. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
3 tbs. shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large non-stick skillet, sauté onions in oil until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. In a large pot, combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in onion and garlic.
3. Cover and cook on medium heat, to a slow simmer, for 2 1/2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, stir in spinach and garnish with cheese. Dig in and enjoy!

Vegetable Wellington

This dish is a healthy creation of the otherwise indulgent beef version that contains excessive butter and a pastry crust. The vegetable version is also quicker to cook. The result is fork tender vegetables in a light, yet flavorful, gravy sauce.

Ingredients: *Serves 6
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 lb cremini mushroom
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 medium yellow onion
1 large shallot, diced
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1/4 c. flour
2/3 c. red wine
1/2 tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 tbs. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 c. chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
8 sheets filo dough
1 egg white plus 1 tsp. water, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In medium Dutch oven, heat oil on stovetop on medium heat. Chop potatoes, mushrooms and onion into 1 inch pieces. Halve Brussels sprouts and dice shallot. Add vegetables and butter to pot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to large bowl and set aside.

Return Dutch oven to heat and add wine, using whisk to deglaze bottom of pot. Add vinegar, bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add broth and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Salt and pepper vegetables to taste. Add flour and stir until coated. Transfer to pot and remove from heat.

Prepare egg wash. Gently place filo sheets across top of Dutch oven, brushing with egg wash every 2 sheets. Finish crust by gently tucking under edges of dough and sealing with egg wash on rim. Transfer to oven for 30 minutes.

Serve hot in shallow bowls and enjoy.

Happy holidays friends and foodies alike!

Broccoli Challenge: Roasted Butternut Squash and Broccoli

For the third week of my Broccoli Challenge, I am embracing the change of seasons with a roasted vegetable dish. It’s hearty and healthy and can also offer a lot of flexibility. Throw in whatever root vegetables you have on hand – parsnips, sweet potatoes or carrots.

1 butternut squash
2 broccoli crowns
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted
2 tbs. olive oil
2 parsley sprigs
S&P

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut broccoli florets at stem. Cut onion into quarters and then in half again. The goal is to have the veggies approximately the same size pieces for even cooking time. Crush garlic cloves and combine with vegetables in roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil and juice from one half lemon on veggies. Mix until veggies are well coated. Salt and pepper as desired. Cover pan with foil and roast for 20 minutes.

During cooking time, finely chop parsley and combine in small bowl with cheese and toasted nuts. Add juice from remaining half lemon and stir. Set aside.

Remove foil from roasting pan, stir, and continue roasting uncovered for another 20 min or until veggies are tender to the fork. Remove from oven. Discard garlic cloves and transfer to serving dish. Top vegetables with nut and cheese mixture. Serve hot and enjoy!

There is still one more week to join the Challenge – click here for more info. In case you missed them, click here and here for the previous Broccoli Challenge posts. See you again next Wednesday for another Broccoli Challenge report.

Also, check out the colorful brown bag lunch with broccoli at Healthy Eating Starts at Home.

Garlic dill fries

I’ve always loved French fries. They are my weakness (well, one of them, anyway). And fries accompanying a good, juicy burger is even better. But since I enjoy a healthier lifestyle than that of greasy burgers and fries, I often make them at home – oven-fried style. This time, I used sweet potatoes and seasoned with garlic and dill for something different. I’d never tried this flavor combo before and I have to say, I quite liked the earthy flavor of the dill with the sweetness of the potato.

1 large sweet potato, peeled
1-2 cloves garlic, freshly pressed
Olive oil
Dill
Parsley
S&P

Peel potato and cut lengthwise. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season generously with dill, parsley, salt, pepper and fresh garlic. Mix thoroughly. Spread on baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. *Baking time will vary depending on thickness of cut fries. Crisp up by broiling fries for 2 minutes per side but keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Roasted Accordion Potatoes

I'm always on the lookout for recipes good for entertaining. My general criteria for such recipes includes: moderately simple preparation, nice presentation and flavorful yet still on the healthy side of the cooking spectrum.

I recently found a new addition to my entertaining repertoire, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen – one of my favorite food blogs. Trying the recipe meant I would have to use a mandolin for the first time. From the many accounts of mandolin induced injuries I’ve heard, I was especially careful and methodical as I sliced my potatoes. I am happy to report that my mandolin use was injury-free – hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself for next time!

Other than creating my own recipe name, I mostly followed Smitten Kitchen’s recipe. I altered the recipe only slightly as I did not have any shallots on hand. Instead, I thinly sliced a yellow onion and layered within the potatoes slices. I also omitted the red pepper flakes and opted for freshly cracked pepper. Upon tasting, I was equally pleased with the presentation as I was with the taste.

Need a bigger helping?:
Smitten Kitchen