Chicken Vegetable Soup

I know it is cliché, but chicken soup really is good for the soul. When I am not feeling well I crave chicken soup.  I am not sure if it is physical or psychological but chicken soup definitely makes you feel better, no matter what ails you. Actually, it is not just when I am not feeling well, I love chicken soup at anytime.

At a recent doctor’s appointment, she told me to go home, rest and eat some chicken soup. I came home, looked through the fridge and created this chicken vegetable soup. You could definitely add noodles or rice if you wanted to; but they are really not necessary.

First, the aromatics. I chopped three onions and diced an entire bulb of garlic. You can never have enough garlic in my opinion. Especially when I am not feeling well, my taste buds demand its strong flavor.

In my favorite dutch  oven over medium heat, I melted one tablespoon of butter and added one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté until they just begin to get translucent.

Add in two large boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs would be fabulous in this soup, however, chicken breasts are what I found first in the freezer. Cook for four minutes or so  per side until slightly browned and remove to a separate plate.

Rough chop and toss a generous handful of shiitake mushrooms into the dutch oven and sauté until browned. Do not salt yet!!!! The mushrooms will not brown nicely if you salt them. Any other mushrooms could be substituted here as well.

Look at these beautiful kohlrabi!!! I could not resist them at the farmers’ market. I remember the first time I saw them thinking “what on earth are these funny looking things”. I really have learned to love this strange root vegetable. Kohlrabi has a nice mild and slightly sweet flavor. Feel free to replace it with turnips, parsnips, or even potatoes. I cut four of them up into small cubes.

Next, some colorful sweet peppers. Feel free to use whatever sweet peppers you have on hand. I was fortunate enough to have all these great colors in the fridge. I love cooking with a lot of color. I find it makes eating more fun if you savor your food with your eyes first. Rough chop four sweet peppers.

Next the kohlrabi and peppers get added in. See what I mean about color? It really makes you want to devour your food! At this point season well with salt and pepper.

Chop the chicken so it is roughly the same size as the vegetables and add in back into the dutch oven. Stir to combine.

Rough chop a handful or two of kale. This is going to look like a lot of kale, but remember, it shrinks!

Add in the kale, mix well to combine.

Add in six cups of unsalted chicken stock and stir well to combine. It is starting to look like soup! Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.

Allow to simmer for at least thirty minutes until the vegetables are tender, the chicken is cooked all the way through, and the flavors have married nicely. Adjust seasonings as necessary. I seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and fresh parsley.  If you are not ready to eat right away turn the heat all the way down to low and continue simmering.

Ladle into your favorite bowl and enjoy! This soup is hearty enough to be served all on its own; the only thing I might add is some nice crusty bread.

Spicy Mushroom Tofu Soup

The hubby and I had this dish for lunch today and even though I forgot to take my usual amount of pictures we enjoyed it so much I decided to share it. I did remember the most important picture, the completed dish! This soup has the perfect balance of spicy and sweet. It is a nutritionally packed and a well-balanced meal all in one bowl. It is also prepared in one pot. Minimal dishes required!

Now, I know some of you are not tofu fans, but when treated right it adds a delicious flavor, texture and nutritional punch to dishes. My current favorite is Wildwood Organics Sprouted Extra Firm. It is perfect just the way it is, no need to press. When in doubt, always press to get rid of the extra moisture so you do not have mushy tofu. Mushy is not the texture you are going for.

To start, get a couple of tablespoons of sesame oil warming over medium heat in your favorite soup pot. Once the oil is warm grate in a two-inch piece of ginger and four cloves of garlic. Next, generously sprinkle in chili powder and chili flakes. Fresh sliced Serrano would be good as well but there was none in the house. How generously? That is up to you! Add in the chili to your taste. We like a little spice so I am heavy-handed.

Meanwhile shred half of a small cabbage and two bok choy. Napa cabbage would work really well here as well. I used plain old cabbage because that is what we had in the fridge. Once the aromatics have released their oils and the kitchen smells amazing, drop in the cabbage and bok choy.

Sauté until the cabbage is beginning to get tender. Then add in one pound of sliced mixed mushrooms. Use whatever you have on hand. Sauté until the mushrooms are nice and brown. Once brown, add in six cups of unsalted vegetable broth, two cups of water, one-half cup of mirin, and a few tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce. Season to taste with white pepper, black pepper and salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer. Once you turn the heat down, add twenty ounces of extra firm tofu cut into small cubes. Allow to simmer around thirty minutes until the flavors marry nicely. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with sriracha for a little extra heat.

Not only is this soup hearty and filling, but it will help clear your sinuses as well! Especially if you add in as much sriracha as I do!

Roasted Veggie Pasta

One of my favorite things about summer is all the fresh, delicious, local vegetables available at our farmers’ market. Since these vegetables have been winning my heart, I have been creating simple dinner dishes highlighting them.

For this dish, I used four large tomatoes, one large zucchini, one large yellow squash, three banana peppers, two onions, and four cloves of garlic. The larger vegetables got quartered and sliced. The peppers and garlic just got sliced. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet.

Next I picked a few handfuls of parsley and oregano from the herb garden and tossed the whole leaves over the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper and your prep work is done.

After thirty minutes in a 375* oven, the veggies are still slightly crisp but roasted nicely.  .

In less time then it took the vegetables to roast, I cooked a package of quinoa pasta according to the package directions. When the vegetables come out of the oven, toss  with the cooked and strained pasta. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

All that is left is to enjoy the flavors of the season, and we certainly did!

Ginger-Garlic Marinated Tofu

Lately, I have been trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into our diet. Not that we don’t already eat healthy, we do. This is just one more step.

So, the other night, I decided to marinate some tofu. I know some of you are thinking, tofu? Yuck. When prepared and cooked properly tofu is exceptionally yummy! Really, it is.

Slice a twenty ounce package of tofu into quarter-inch slices. Depending on the type of tofu, you may need to press it. I prefer Wildwood Organic because the texture works without pressing.

For the marinade I combined one-half cup of low sodium soy sauce, one-half cup of mirin, one-quarter cup of harissa oil, six sliced cloves of garlic, three inches of ginger sliced, salt and pepper to taste. Allow the tofu to marinade overnight.

The tofu will absorb most of the marinade. If there is still a lot of liquid remaining, transfer the tofu to another dish. If it is too wet it will not get crispy on the outside.

Once transferred to a dry dish, the tofu bakes in a 375* oven. Flip tofu every ten minutes. My original plan was to grill the tofu but Mother Nature had other plans!

After thirty to forty minutes the tofu will be browned nicely and crispy on the outside. This is when you will know it is done. The marvelous aroma of ginger and garlic will also give you a hint.

Once done I plated with some fresh veggies from the farmers’ market. Combined, the tofu and veggies made for a nutrient packed and delicious meal!

Farmers’ Market Frittata

A trip to our local farmers’ market yesterday provided me with some much-needed inspiration. Before we get to today’s blog post, let me apologize for my absence the past couple months. Life threw me some punches and my blog suffered while I rolled through them.

Now, onto our fabulous brunch inspired by yesterday’s market. After yoga, we strolled the farmers’ market and we were starving by the time we reached home! So, I threw together this quick frittata with ingredients we picked up while there.

A twelve inch skillet is heating up on the stove top over medium heat while the first of the veggies are getting prepped. Two fresh sweet onions, two fresh cipollini onions, four fresh garlic cloves, a half cup of broccoli florets, and a half cup of cauliflower florets are rough chopped and tossed into the skillet with two turns of extra virgin olive oil. Salt well and sauté until the veggies begin to get tender.

While those veggies are sautéing, rough chop a good size handful of kale and swiss chard. Once the other veggies begin to get tender, add to the skillet.

Continue to sauté the veggies until the greens wilt. While the greens are wilting, whisk together twelve eggs and one-half cup of unsweetened almond milk seasoned with salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture over the veggies. Using a spatula, continue to go around the edge of the pan moving the eggs toward the center until they begin to set.

Once the eggs begin to set, move to the oven, which has been preheated to 400*. Cook about ten minutes until the edges begin to brown.

Once the edges are brown, sprinkle a quarter cup of non-dairy mozzarella cheese over the top.

Once the cheese is nice melted, about five minutes later, pull the frittata out of the oven and let rest for another five minutes or so.

Slice the frittata as you would a pie, into eight nice size servings. I served it along side some sliced avocado and ezekeil toast. After we ate, we decided to deliver some to our local farmers as a thank you for providing the delicious veggies!

Easy Cioppino

During lent, I try my hardest to remember to make seafood dishes on Friday for my Catholic husband. I must admit, some weeks it works out better than others. For Good Friday, I decided to try my hand at a quick and easy cioppino. This is one of my favorite rustic italian dishes. Best part? A healthy and nutritious one pot meal that can be on the table in around thirty minutes!

To start, the aromatics. One medium onion, two shallots, and five cloves of garlic.

Roughly chop the onion and the shallots. I left the garlic whole to put through the garlic press. If you prefer, the garlic could just as easily be diced or grated.

The onion and shallot go into my favorite dutch oven with about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. My favorite olive oil right now is Arbequina because it has such a rich buttery taste.

Once the onion and shallot start to get tender, press in the garlic. Add dried oregano, basil, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. In the summer, I would definitely use fresh basil and oregano. Sadly, this time of year, I didn’t have any on hand. Saute two to three minutes until fragrant. By now, the smells of the spices wafting through the house will make your mouth water.

Add four cups of unsalted seafood stock. If you don’t have seafood stock clam juice or vegetable stock would work nicely as well. Whichever stock you choose, I recommend sticking to unsalted so you control the sodium in the recipe. Also add in one thirty-two ounce can of chopped san marzano tomatoes.

Now for the seafood. This can be varied according to your preference, what looks fresh, and what inspires you at your local seafood monger. I decided on one pound of cod, one pound of oysters, one pound of scallops and one pound of shrimp. Confession time. I bought the preshucked oysters. Less work and still fresh and delicious! The cod gets cut into roughly one inches cubes, while everything else stayed whole. I completely forgot to take pictures of the rest of the seafood, but I am sure you get the idea.

Add in a handful of chopped fresh parsley, the cod, scallops and oysters. Are you drooling yet? I was at this point! Cook for approximately three minutes.

Now it’s time to add in the shrimp. Had the scallops been on the small side, I would have waited to add them until now as well. Simmer, covered for an additional four minutes or so until the shrimp are a beautiful shade of pink and fish flakes nicely. Most important word of advice? Do not over cook the seafood!

At the last-minute, add in another handful of fresh chopped parsley.

Enjoy with some nice crusty bread. My only regret with this meal? That we do not have larger bowls!

Home Brew Beef Stew

That’s right, I said home-brew! I am fortunate enough to have a hubby who brews his own beer and mead. This recipe includes one of his home-brewed beers and I was very pleased with the flavor it provided. In the bitter cold of winter, nothing warms me up quite like a good stew.

Start by coating one pound or so of stew meat in seasoned flour. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Whatever seasonings you want to include will work though.

Next, in batches, brown the meat over medium-high heat right in the dutch oven you will use to build the stew. The browned bits left behind will provide another layer of flavor.

Once browned, remove the stew meat to a paper towel lined plate to drain. This will make for a non-greasy stew.

While the stew meat is browning, prepare all of the aromatics. Peel ten cloves of garlic and leave whole. Rough chop two onions, two parsnips, two carrots and two celery stalks. I include the leaves from the celery stalks as well.

Once all of the stew meat is browned and resting, start sauteing the aromatics. Saute until they begin to get tender. At this point grate in the garlic using a microplane or garlic press.

While the aromatics are sauteing, chop four potatoes. I had some plain old russet potatoes on hand. Red potatoes would work nicely as well.

Once the aromatics are beginning to get tender, add the stew meat and potatoes in. Looks and smells fabulous already.

This is where the home-brew comes in. Of my choices in the pantry, I decided to use on of my hubby’s Everyday IPAs. Everyday IPA is a moderately hoppy IPA. Perfect for in my stew. If you are not lucky enough to have a hubby who brews his own beer, twelve ounces of your favorite beer will work.

Pour the beer into the stew and stir well. Take a moment to admire the beautiful caramel color and the bubbles the beer brings to the stew. Be sure to scrap all the lovely brown bits off the bottom of the pot. They will add an incredible depth of flavor.

At this point, add in thirty-two ounces of beef stock, a handful of bay leaves, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the stew to simmer for several hours until the vegetables are all tender and the meat falls apart in your mouth. Stir occasionally.

After several hours of simmering, the stew will thicken considerably and become a beautiful deep brown. The house will smell amazing as well. This is how you know the stew is done.

This stew requires no accompaniments. It will fill you and warm you to the core all on its own.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

During the long, cold, dreary months of winter there is nothing better to me than a nice, warm, hearty pot of chili. Just the smell of it cooking on the stove warms the soul. When it is ready it warms the body as well. This chili is one of my favorite meatless versions. Don’t let the fact that it is meatless fool you, it will stick to your ribs and fill you up nicely!

To start, warm a tablespoon or so of your favorite extra virgin olive oil in a dutch oven or other soup-like pot over medium heat. Dice one large onion and one entire head of garlic.

Peel and dice two large sweet potatoes.

Add the onion, garlic and sweet potatoes into the dutch oven with the extra virgin olive oil. Salt well and saute until the onion is translucent.

No chili is complete without peppers. For  this batch I used two red italian peppers, three green bell peppers and one purple bell pepper. Rough chop them, no need to be precise. I like my food rustic looking. Add the peppers into the dutch oven and continue sauteing until they begin to soften.

Once the peppers begin to soften, add in four cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once the potatoes begin to soften, add in two cans of unsalted diced tomatoes.Season well with salt, pepper, cumin, cilantro, ancho chile powder and chipotle morita flakes. Simmer thirty minutes over low heat.

Rinse and strain two cans of low-sodium black beans. Add into the chili and continue to simmer an additional fifteen minutes or so until the potatoes are soft.

Serve all on its own, over rice or with some nice crusty bread. This meal is perfect for meatless Monday or sharing with a vegan friend. Although, I need no excuse to enjoy it!

Crock Pot Veggie Chili

While pondering what to bring in for a work pot-luck lunch, I came up with this recipe. One of my co-workers is vegan and I wanted to make sure that he would be able to eat at least one of the dishes. It also needed to satisfy the non-vegan crowd. Two other criteria, it needed to be crock-pot friendly and easily transportable. Most importantly, it needed to be delicious!

Start off with one nice size onion and a head of garlic. Yes, the whole head! It is good for you! Chop the onion. Peel the garlic and leave whole, so that it can be put through the garlic press.

Next chop three carrots and three stalks of celery. Unfortunately, I think the celery got buried under the carrots here!

I like my food to be colorful, so next I chopped two red peppers, two orange peppers and two yellow peppers.

This is the only part of the recipe where we stray from the crock pot. I like to saute my veggies a little first. This can even be done the night before to make the rest of the preparation easy in the morning. All the veggies go into a skillet over medium-high heat with some extra virgin olive oil. Saute until they just begin to get tender, three to five minutes or so.

Now, for the crock pot. First the veggies and two cans of unsalted diced tomatoes go in.

Next add in one can each of rinsed and drained pinto beans, white beans, and garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas).

Rough chop three zucchini, and a half pound each of shiitake and cremini mushrooms. The chopping is another step that can be done the night before. The mushrooms give the chili a meaty texture so that the non-vegans won’t miss a thing.

Also add in four cups of vegetable broth. Homemade is of course best, but unsalted store-bought works well in a pinch. It may not look like enough at first, but the zucchini and mushrooms will release some water as well.

Season with ancho chili powder, chipotle morita flakes, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Since unsalted tomatoes and broth were used, now is the time to get some salt in here.

Sorry for the blurry picture! Simmer on low for five to six hours or on high for two to three hours. This recipe fills a six quart crock pot to the rim! More than enough food to bring to a pot luck party, or to make at home and freeze half the batch.

Serve all on its own or over rice. Great toppings include diced avocado, non-dairy sour cream, non-dairy cheddar, or whatever your heart desires. I leave out some of the ancho chili powder, chipotle morita flakes and cumin so people can add spice if they like. I know I like mine hot!

Lovely Lamb Stew

Out of nowhere, last week I began craving lamb stew. So, over the weekend, I answered the craving. This lovely lamb stew is warm, savory and hearty. Just what you need to warm the soul as the colder weather is arriving.

The star of the show…the lamb! Go with whatever you can find on sale. Our local store had butterflied loins on sale so two pounds came home.

Cut the lamb into approximately one inch cubes. No need to be precise. The more rustic the better.

The lamb cubes go into a gallon size ziplock bag with a half cup of flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Shake well to coat all of the pieces evenly.

Heat two turns of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Brown the lamb on all sides and remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

See all those lovely brown bits??? They produce amazing flavor! Be sure to scrap them all up!

Dice one nice size onion and one head of garlic. Cut two leeks in half and then slice. Saute the onion and garlic in the dutch oven with the lamb drippings. Salt well to sweat the onion.

Get the leeks soaking in enough cold water to cover to clean.

Chop eight turnips into pieces roughly the same size as the lamb cubes.

Also chop six carrots.

Also, four turnips.

Also, eight potatoes. Last of the chopping, I promise! I grabbed a variety out of the potato basket. I think I had a few yukon gold, a few red and a few blue potatoes.

All of the root vegetables join the onion and garlic in the dutch oven. Saute ten minutes or so.

Strain the leeks and add them into the dutch oven as well.

Next I ventured out to the deck to see what fresh herbs I could round-up. Believe it or not, I still have options! I grabbed some oregano, parsley and thyme. Bundle them together and tie with butchers twine.

Add the herb bundle, one cup of red wine, four cups of beef broth, and the lamb into the dutch oven. Also season well with fresh ground sea salt and pepper. Let me talk about the wine for a moment. I am a firm believer that if you won’t drink it, you shouldn’t cook with it. I use whatever wine is in the fridge for drinking.

Bring the stew to a boil. Turn down slightly and allow to come down to a slow boil for about ten minutes to jump-start the cooking of the root vegetables.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for a few hours until the stew has thickened to your liking and the vegetables are tender. I did not promise this was a quick meal. I do promise that it is worth every minute!

When the stew is just about done, take a minute and slice up a loaf of your favorite bread. I picked up a loaf of organic honey wheat at the farmers’ market that was perfect for the occasion.

When the stew has thickened to your liking, remove the herb bundle and serve.  One bowl is more than a meal!