leftover bird + orzo soup

November 24, 2011Andrea

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I hope you are all enjoying a leisurely morning of coffee and cooking with loved ones. We are about to embark on our meal prep, after a bit of time invested last night. Oh, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is magical...in case you were wondering. :)

I have a day-after recipe for you this morning; a hearty, veggie-filled soup that uses your leftover turkey meat as well as the carcass. We're all about using the whole animal around here, and fresh stock is truly the best base for any soup you can make. So chop some extra onions, celery, and carrots today and stow them away in a ziplock bag in your refrigerator. You can even make the stock tonight to keep things really simple tomorrow. Because tomorrow is all about relaxation and dirtying as few dishes as possible, right? :)

Again, Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for so many things this year, including each one of you for continuing to read and share your comments here at Bella Eats. Have a wonderful holiday, all!!!

Leftover Bird + Orzo Soup

for the stock:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)

3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 ribs of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)

water

1 turkey or chicken carcass

for the soup:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)

3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 ribs of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 cups of stock (if you have less than that, add water. more, simmer it until it reduces)

2 bay leaves

3 large sprigs of thyme

(1) 15-oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups leftover chicken or turkey, chopped or torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup dried orzo

3 large handfuls of swiss chard leaves, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces

salt + pepper

method:

First, make the stock. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the bird carcass and enough water to mostly cover, about 16 cups. Bring everything to a boil and then drop the heat to medium-low, letting the stock simmer for 2-3 hours until full of flavor and reduced to 8-10 cups. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, and discard the bird carcass and all vegetables. Let the stock cool completely before refrigerating if you're not going to use it the same day.

Clean the pot, and start again with heating the oil and sautéing the second batch of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. After 3 minutes, add the stock, herbs, tomatoes, and leftover meat. Bring to a boil and drop to medium-low, letting the soup simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the orzo and continue to simmer until tender, another 10 minutes. Add the swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt + pepper and serve, being careful to remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

categories chicken, soup
tags chicken, leftovers, orzo, soup, thanksgiving, turkey

mexican meatball soup

February 21, 2011Andrea

We're so close, friends. Spring is just around the corner and making her presence known with sunny days and >50-degree temperatures. There are tiny yellow crocuses blooming in my backyard, and when I spotted them last Thursday I giddily ran inside to grab my camera. I've spent several mornings over the last week outside walking up a mountain and back...in short sleeves. I am even contemplating slipping sandals on today for my afternoon errands. Sandals! This incredible weather has me wanting to spend every moment outside, basking in the warmth and sights and smells of a budding new season. It has me thinking of gardening, the smell of the earth and the feel of dirt under my fingernails. We've ordered the seeds for our tiny plot (and a much bigger one...a project I am excited to share with you once it gets rolling!) and Brian and I have a big date next weekend weeding and mulching and amending.

One of the first harvests we'll have this spring will be cilantro. It really is the perfect opening crop because it compliments spicy fare so well. I tend to favor food with a little kick this time of year...I'm thinking it has something to do with the drastic temperature swings we see around here, with warm days sliding into very cool nights. A zippy soup that warms from within is quite welcome after the heavy, thick, potato-based stews we consumed to warm us all Winter. This recipe is a favorite, with spicy tomato broth and bite-size, cilantro-laced meatballs. It usually only takes a slight rise in temperature for Brian to request it on the menu, and it stays there until Spring slips into Summer.

PS: I am ignoring the fact that they are calling for sleet and snow tonight, choosing instead to concentrate on the lovely 60-degree hike I went on this morning in the sunshine. If I ignore it...it won't happen. Right?

This soup is quite quick and easy to throw together on a weeknight after work. The most time-consuming task is forming the meatballs, but even that doesn't take terribly long. To speed up the process make them the night before and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The soup itself keeps for a couple of days, but is best the day it is made. Over time the meatballs and rice tend to break down a bit.

Mexican Meatball Soup with Rice and Cilantro
from bon appetit december 2000, via the kitchen sink recipes
serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 3/4 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 small bay leaves
5 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa (medium-hot)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound bulk pork sausage
6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
Method
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 3/4 cups onions, 2 garlic cloves and bay leaves; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juices, salsa and 1/4 cup cilantro; bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine ground beef, pork sausage, cornmeal, whole milk, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, then remaining 1 cup onions, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well. Shape meat mixture by generous tablespoonfuls into 1- to 1 1/4-inch balls.
Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

categories soup
tags meatballs, mexican, soup, spicy, tomato broth

butternut squash + sweet potato soup

January 24, 2011Andrea

I think I owe you all this one. Something healthy, hearty, warming, and veggie-full. If I were you I'd be a little upset with me, returning after 3 months away with sticky buns. And empanadas. And cake. Especially with all of those resolutions floating around at the back of your mind, begging to be broken by a lemon-scented, butter and cream-filled dessert. That's just wasn't fair of me, was it?

So, here you go; my new favorite soup. A version of which I've been making for many years...but there is just something so right about this particular one. Perhaps it is the incredibly frigid winter we're having in Charlottesville; a January full of gray skies that threaten, but haven't truly delivered, a good snow. Cheerful orange soups are especially good during months like that. Or maybe it is the fact that I work out of my home office now, and that every now and then as I sit at my computer, blanket and cat warming my lap, fingers nearly frozen, I'll think "soup would be wonderful for lunch". And then I get up and go to the kitchen and make this one. Soup cooked under those circumstances tastes just a little better, I think, and I'm liking that perk of self-employment very, very much.

Even made in the evening this soup is a big hit. Smooth and rich without the addition of cream, hearty and earthy and rosemary-scented, quick and easy and made in one pot. What's not to like? Please try it, I'd love to hear what you think.

Butternut Squash + Sweet Potato Soup
serves 4

Ingredients:

(1) small butternut squash, about 1.5 pounds, diced (1/2-inch)

(2) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2-inch)

1 medium onion, diced

3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary

2 tbsp butter

6 cups vegetable broth

salt + pepper

Method:

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and rosemary and stir to coat. Cover pot and allow veggies to sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 10 minutes, add broth. Bring to a boil then drop heat to moderate simmer. Let soup simmer for an additional 20 minutes, until potatoes and squash are quite tender. Remove rosemary sprig. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree' soup until smooth and creamy. Salt and pepper to taste.

categories soup, vegetarian
tags butternut squash, potage, rosemary, soup, sweet potato, vegetarian

transition, through chowder

September 21, 2010Andrea

There's been a change in the air these last few weeks...have you felt it? Just the slightest shift in temperature, a chill in the evenings that makes sleeping with windows wide open not only possible, but pleasant. The breeze is changing, carrying with it the scent of a backyard grill, the sound of fallen leaves skipping along pavement, a smattering of goosebumps across a forearm. Afternoon light has a new quality, a dreamy, golden hue that elicits memories of high school football games, apple picking, the feel of a scarf wound loosely about the neck.

Autumn begins officially today, but I’ve seen signs of her impending arrival for most of September. I won’t deny my excitement, for this time of year is truly my favorite, but I will miss the bounties of Summer. There’s been an urgency to our visits to Charlottesville’s City Market each Saturday for three weeks now. A pressure to gather up one last load of roma tomatoes to roast, to pick up a dozen freestone peaches knowing they’ll be absent until next July, to seek out a few more ears of fresh corn before being forced to rely on the kernels stashed away at the back of the freezer.

I bought our first butternut squash just last week. It stood out in our market basket, a dull cloud against the sunset of tomatoes, peaches, and eggplant. Once home we roasted it to sweet perfection before pureeing it with celery, onions and carrots into an earthy potage. The recipe is an Autumn staple, one that will grace our table many times in the next few months. We loved the soup that night as we always do, but still, I wasn’t quite ready for it.

What I wanted instead was a chowder we’d made the week before, one that took advantage of the last of Summer’s produce while introducing the initial tastes of Autumn. Those final few ears of sweet corn, the bell and jalepeño peppers, the first potatoes and carrots of Fall, a cream base with heat that hits from the belly out, all come together to create a soup that perfectly represents this time. The transition from one season to another, from tank tops and flip flops to light jackets and closed-toe flats, embodied in a chowder.

A chowder perfect for those of us on the fence, clinging to Summer while welcoming Fall.

I mentioned, way back at the end of August, that I'd found a new trick to releasing corn kernels from their cob. Well, here it is friend. I introduce to you the bundt pan, a vessel so perfectly designed for handling fresh corn that I feel it should be marketed in that way. Sure, it also makes a pretty cake, but really, lots of pans can do that. The central tube fits the end of an ear of corn quite perfectly, and as you cut the kernels from the cob they fall neatly into the pan. No more corn kernels all over the counter and floor. I am probably the last to discover this handy trick, but wow, was I excited when I did. My dogs, however, miss the sweet kernels falling from above.

Spicy Potato Corn Chowder

adapted from Gourmet, July 2008 serves 4 as a first course Ingredients:

3 ears corn, shucked
1 quart water
1 quart chicken broth
1.75 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (3.5 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 jalepeño peppers, minced (no seeds unless you want your soup really spicy)
2 thyme sprigs
2 California bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk (1% or 2%)
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Method

Cut corn from each cob.
Bring cobs, water, broth, potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large pot. Boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard cobs.
Meanwhile, cook onion, carrot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden, about 10 minutes.
Add bell pepper, jalepeño, corn, thyme, bay leaves, and one ladle of liquid from potato/corn pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Stir in potatoes with water/broth and cream and gently boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in milk. Be sure not to allow soup to boil after this point, as milk will curdle. Heat through, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Use an immersion blender to pureé some of the vegetables, to thicken soup. Be sure to leave some large chunks of potatoes, peppers, and corn. If you don't have an immersion blender, ladle two scoops of soup into a regular blender and pureé, then add back to soup pot.
Stir in scallions, white pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste, then serve.

categories dinner, lunch, soup
tags chowder, corn, soup, summer

to satisfy all cravings

April 17, 2010Andrea

My heels hit the pavement with a muffled thud that keeps time with the music streaming in my ear. I've been fussing with the wire to my headphones, trying to rearrange the line moving down the inside of my shirt to the iPhone in my hand without losing my balance and accidentally stepping out in front of a car. Frustrated, I finally pull the plugs from my ears and wrap the cord around my wrist, content to let my feet provide base to accompany the chirping birds' melody as I finish my jog.

I’ve only recently started running again, pounding the pavement on my neighborhood streets as much for the fitness benefits as for the opportunity to get outside and absorb the beauty of my environment. Running and I don’t really get along (you can read a bit about that here, from the old Bella Eats) so my mileage is pretty light and my pace is fairly slow. I typically try to distract myself either with a talkative buddy or a good Pandora station on my iPod, but lately have found that my surroundings are distraction enough.

In the last few weeks I’ve witnessed the transition of dry, yellow lawns into luscious, chartreuse carpets speckled with sunny dandelions and dusty purple violets. I’ve waited patiently for the lilac bush at the top of one long, steadily-sloped hill to come to bloom and finally, just last week, was able to stop for a few deep inhales of oh-so-sweet perfume from its clumps of delicate blossoms. As my feet pad-pad-pad the concrete sidewalk I’ve found my head spinning in all directions to absorb freshly-mulched flower beds that first showcased crocuses in mid-March, revealed daffodils two weeks later and tulips two weeks after that. The ethereal quality of each April day is enough to entice me to lace up my shoes and walk out the door, always excited to see what’s changed in the few days since I last plodded around the neighborhood.

As I peak the last small hill before the intersection one block from my house I am hot and sweaty, my skin bright pink and glistening with tiny beads of moisture. I reach the corner and slow to a walk, raising my hands to the top of my head and taking in a few deep, slightly ragged breaths. The breeze picks up just then, sweeping through the branches overhead to send a cascade of browning cherry blossoms swirling towards the ground. This is the last of them, the white and pink flowers have been slowly pushed out by darkening green leaves over the last couple of weeks. I’ll miss the bright, cottony treetops, but now we have floppy dogwood blossoms and bright fuchsia azaleas to admire. And after that there will be wild sweet peas and multiflora rose, both lending the air surrounding Charlottesville with the sweetest scent you can imagine, making the deep, ragged breaths at the end of a run a bit more tolerable.

The sun is setting now, giving the golden evening light a hint of green as beams filter through the new growth on our backyard trees. I stretch on the back deck for a few minutes, sinking my hips deep into a lunge as the Spring breeze brushes over my still-damp skin, sending a little smattering of goosebumps up my cooling arms. It’s going to get chilly overnight, despite the mid-day temperature of 65-degrees.

This is so typical for Charlottesville this time of year - daily temperatures that swing from the 30's to the 70's and back in just 24 hours' time. It calls for a little planning in the morning, a layering of clothing to be sure you're warm enough when you walk out the door but not too hot when you step out for lunch. It means watching the forecast carefully to be sure that those plants that spent the Winter indoors and "just want a little sunshine!" on the back deck are brought in before the air turns too cool. It also means preparing meals that satisfy a plethora of cravings, from light and bright to comforting and warm.

As I finish my stretching and head inside my nose absorbs the scent of chicken braising in a bath of milk, lemon, sage and cinnamon. There is soup too, a zippy puree of Winter-Spring veggies. I am glad that I thought to start dinner prior to my run, because although standing in a hot kitchen prepping dinner sounds miserable right now, in thirty minutes the cool air slipping through our windows will have me wanting a warm and comforting meal. A warm and comforting meal that is, at the same time, light and bright with the promise of Spring.

This soup is perfect on these Spring days with nights that feel closer to Winter. The parsnips are strong, so if you're looking for just a hint of the root I'd reduce their amount to 1/2 pound and up your potato count to 3. Be sure to add the squeeze of lemon at the end, it really makes the asparagus shine.

Creamy Asparagus and Parsnip Soup

serves 4 Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced to 1-inch chunks
about 3/4 pound parsnips, peeled and diced to 1-inch rounds
1/2 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed, chopped to 1-inch pieces
1 cup white wine
4-5 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 lemon

Method

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, parsnips, onion, garlic, and asparagus and stir to coat with butter. Cover pot and let veggies sweat for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes and parsnips are slightly tender.
Add white wine to pot and stir to deglaze bottom of pan if there are any bits of veggie stuck. Add the chicken broth, enough to just cover all of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes and parsnips are fully tender, another 10 minutes or so.
Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the vegetables until you have a smooth, creamy consistency devoid of any chunks. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, to taste.

This chicken is everything that everybody has raved about. Moist and flavorful, it is wonderful on its own dressed simply with the sauce created from the braising liquid.

Braised Chicken in Milk

recipe from Jamie Oliver via Whitney in Chicago and The Kitchn serves 4 Ingredients

3-1/2 pound organic chicken
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of butter
olive oil
cinnamon stick (mine was about 3 inches in length)
handful of fresh sage leaves, removed from stem
zest of 2 lemons
10 cloves of garlic (I removed the skin)
1 pint milk

Method

Preheat your oven to 375*.
Rinse and thoroughly dry your chicken.
Rub your chicken down with sea salt and black pepper, evenly and thoroughly. Heat a large oven-proof pot on your stove top and melt the stick of butter and a glug of olive oil together. Place the chicken in the pot, breast-side down, and fry until golden brown. Turn bird to all sides to get even, golden color. This should take about 10 minutes.
Remove the bird from the pot and place on a plate. Discard the remaining butter and oil. Put the bird back in the pot (don't mind all of the little brown bits at the bottom of the pot, they will add tremendous flavor to the final sauce) and add the rest of your ingredients. Place the pot in the oven, covered, and cook chicken for 90 minutes. Baste with the cooking juices whenever you remember (which I did 2 or 3 times). If you think about it, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking, so that the skin will crisp up a bit. If not, no biggie.
To serve, pull all of the neat from the bones and divide amongst 4 plates. Be sure to siphon up the juices in the pot including the curds, which I know look weird but add so much flavor to the sauce. I put the sauce in a jelly jar and shook it really hard, to help incorporate those curds into the liquid so that they didn't look so funny on my chicken. Spoon the sauce over the pulled chicken and ENJOY!

Be sure to fish out all of the garlic cloves from the pot when the chicken is done. Spread them over thick slices of chunky bread, and swoon!

categories chicken, dinner, soup
tags asparagus, parsnips, potatoes, roasted chicken, soup

on a whim

March 18, 2010Andrea

As Spring quickly approaches, I’m finding that the evening meal has become a very relaxed affair. With daylight extending itself to an hour that allows for chatting with a glass of wine on the back deck after work, thoughts of dinner don’t start to cross the mind until the sun dips behind the trees and the temperature drops to a point that requires either a move inside or the addition of a lightweight sweater. It is only then that we notice the clock (and our bellies!) telling us that it is past 7pm, and time to pull something together in the kitchen.

I haven’t been planning our meals very far in advance, something that is unusual to my character. Typically our weekly menu is fully laid out by Saturday afternoon, neatly written in bright-white across our pantry doors coated with black chalkboard paint. I consider the menu carefully before finalizing my grocery list, receiving feedback from Brian and swapping days according to the longevity of ingredients to be purchased. The planned meals may vary slightly after Sunday’s trip to the store, when I discover that there are perfect golden beets that I hadn’t counted on calling my name, or that red cabbage has been particularly popular lately, and therefore its typical spot in the produce department is empty save for one sad, wilted purple leaf.

Lately our trips to the grocery have been more rushed than usual, the product of two very busy schedules finding only slivers of overlap in which to make the drive to and wander the aisles of the market. Oftentimes we wind up stopping in on our way to or from other errands, on days not typically designated as ‘grocery days’, leaving me standing in the middle of the produce department, overwhelmed and without a list. And so we rely on stand-by ingredients, items we purchase most weeks religiously, and add in whatever else looks or sounds good at that moment. I quickly assemble meals in my head, substituting ingredients in and out of pastas and soups, making sure that we’ll be able to use whatever we purchase and not be left with a bag full of yellow brussels sprouts at the end of the week. It still happens occasionally, but at least I try.

Which brings me back to the weeknight, post-7pm. Brian and I stand in our kitchen, him ravenous and me a little chilly, peering into the pantry and refrigerator, pulling out ingredients to assemble a spontaneous meal together. Our preferences are changing with the season, moving from heavy and hearty to light and bright. 'Quick' is a new requirement now that we’re getting started on preparation later in the evening, and 'warm' still plays a role for me after having been outside, barefoot and sweater-less, after the sun has set. The results have been fantastic; pasta tossed with leftover chicken, local ham and a light parmesan broth; a mélange of roasted chickpeas, potatoes and brussels sprouts; an on-a-whim creamy soup of potatoes, parsnips and asparagus.

The best part has been creating these recipes, together, according to our own at-that-moment preferences rather than the recommendations of a book, magazine or blog. It is easy, when I have a plan, to lose myself in the kitchen to the preparation of dinner, excusing Brian to take care of one of the many items on his ever-growing ‘to do’ list. But when there is no plan, and the task is to create quickly, we come at it from both sides, each tossing in our own suggestions to make a dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts.

I’ll admit that this egg drop soup is a recipe that has been in our repertoire for years, but it is so simple and satisfying, and we nearly always have its ingredients in our kitchen, that it is perfect for a spontaneous lunch or dinner. It is not enough on its own, which lead to the creation of the vegetable fried rice variation below, on a whim.

Egg Drop Soup

serves 2 Ingredients

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
chunk of fresh ginger root, 1/4-inch thick by 1-inch diameter
2 tbsp chopped fresh scallions
¼ tsp salt
4 tsp cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Method

Reserve 3/4 cup of the broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Add the salt, ginger and scallions, and bring to a rolling boil.
In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and the cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle the egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. The egg should cook immediately.
Once all of the egg has been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

This dish was nearly spontaneous, the only forethought being that I made extra brown rice a few days prior, so that it would be ready and waiting in the fridge for some version of fried rice that had yet to be determined. It just so happened that the night we decided to make egg drop soup was also the night that the leeks were starting to look a little haggard, and I wanted to use the brussels sprouts before they reached that same state. Thus, a new star was born.

Fried Rice with Leeks and Brussels Sprouts

serves 6 Ingredients

2 tbsp peanut oil, divided
2 medium leeks, sliced thinly
1 pound brussels sprouts, ragged outer leaves removed, sliced thinly (a food processor is a wonderful tool for this task)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups steamed brown rice, cold (ideally, leftover from the night before)
sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced leeks and brussels sprouts, and saute' until tender and bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Wipe skillet clean, then heat over high heat, until a drop of water vaporizes upon impact. Add the remaining 1 tbsp peanut oil, swirling to coat pan evenly, and heat until just starting to smoke. Add eggs, tilting pan and swirling eggs to form a thin, even layer, and cook for 30 seconds. Add rice and stir-fry, breaking up eggs and letting rice rest several seconds between stirs, until rice is hot, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the brussels sprouts and leeks, stir-frying to combine and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

categories dinner, eggs, grain, lunch, soup, vegetarian
tags brussels sprouts, eggs, fried rice, soup

a backdrop of falling snow

February 03, 2010Andrea

Last Saturday another ten inches of snow fell across Charlottesville, blanketing my city in delicate drifts of sparkling white. I awoke in the wee morning hours, just as soft gray light started to seep through the cracks between the blinds over the bedroom window. Aside from the soft snores of the dogs nestled at my feet, all was quiet. The typical sounds of tires meeting asphalt, wind rustling tree branches and birds chirping from their power line perch were nonexistent, lost in the insulation provided by a muffling snow.

I slid out of bed, thankful that I'd kept socks on my feet and wouldn't have to endure the cold hardwood floor against bare skin. Padding out to the kitchen I paused at a window to peek outside and was greeted with an idyllic view. Three inches of snow does wonders for an imperfect ground, provides each and every limb of surrounding trees with sugary peaks along their length, silences a high-trafficked road. I couldn't deny that I enjoyed this scene - my outside world painted white; bright and shiny and devoid of mud. I stood there, mesmerized by my transformed street and the plump flakes still spiraling down from a silver sky, and made up with Winter.

Finally, the promise of a cup of coffee and a long kitchen agenda were enough to pull me from my trance. To have an entire Saturday with no errands, no obligations, no sunshine-filled sky tempting me to leash up the dogs for a hike in the woods, seemed luxurious. Despite the snowflake-clogged air, the light pouring through our windows was clear and bright, the ground having become a natural reflector as I slept. My camera screamed at me to get started, to not waste a single, brilliant moment. I simmered and sauteed and baked and photographed all day, stopping every once in awhile to marvel at the still-falling snow that had gifted me this time.

This soup emerged with perfect timing, the kale softening just as Brian came in from shoveling our sidewalks and driveway. Hearty with potatoes and greens, flavored by bright leeks and spicy sausage, it promises to warm the coldest of bodies and satisfy the grayest of minds. You can't help but to be thankful for Winter as the thick broth slides down your throat, the heat of the sausage spreading from inside out, a sensation not necessarily welcome during the Summer months but oh so tasty against a backdrop of falling snow.

This soup is very easy to make, coming together in just 45 minutes. The hot Italian sausage is a key player, infusing the broth with wonderful flavor and heat.

Spicy Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

serves 6 Ingredients

2 large leeks, rinsed and sliced to 1/4-inch strips (about 3 cups total)
2 cups diced onion
3 large Russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (leave about 1/2 the skin on the potatoes)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound of hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
3 cups of chopped kale (stems removed)
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

Method

Melt butter in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onions and potatoes and stir to coat with butter. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and let vegetables sweat for 15 minutes.
Remove cover and add broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Drop sausage in small chunks into soup. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove 2 cups of soup from pot, avoiding large chunks of sausage. Puree those 2 cups in a blender until smooth. Add back to soup pot and stir to incorporate evenly. Add kale and cover pot, allowing to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove cover and lower heat. Add heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Heat through, but don't let the soup simmer again or the cream will curdle a bit (as in my photos).
Salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe, and Bella Eats, made its debut on SuzySaid - Charlottesville on Monday. I have been asked to contribute a recipe each week to the site, and am so excited to be part of such a wonderful online resource for women in my city. If you're from Charlottesville or the surrounding area, check out SuzySaid - Charlottesville for information on upcoming events and local businesses. And tune in each Monday for a new recipe from Bella Eats!

categories dinner, soup
tags double h farm, kale, leeks, potatoes, sausage, soup

heart and soul-warming

October 18, 2009Andrea

Brian and I met when we were 18 years old, as freshmen in college. We were introduced by a mutual friend at an evening lecture in our first few weeks of school and hit it off immediately. Although we were both in long-distance relationships with high school sweethearts, we had a connection that couldn’t be denied. At least not by those around us. WE denied it, Brian and I did, despite the two years of friendship and flirting and soul-bearing conversations that followed. pc soup-4

We were both architecture majors, and each semester arranged our schedule so that we had all of our classes together. On the first day of school we’d get to our studio early to ensure that our desks would be located next to each other in the space where we spent most hours of our days and nights. We’d put a disc-man between us, load it with mixed CDs and plug in a pair of split headphones so that we could listen to the same music as we worked all night long on projects for the next day’s review. Our friendship continued to grow as we saw each other through relationship elation and heartache, as well as the highs and lows of life as a student of architecture. But still we denied any feelings we had for each other, insisting to those around us that we were just friends, never anything more. pc soup-3

The end of the second year of architecture school brings a make-it-or-break-it moment for its students - a pin-up presentation that shows your best work to a panel of your professors so that they can decide whether or not you show enough promise to proceed in the program. It is terrifying - a time when you search your soul to decide if you are truly made for architecture, and debate possibilities for what you might change your major to if you are not chosen. You are given roughly 36 hours, the time between when your last project of the semester is complete and the pin-up judgement begins, to put together a 4-foot by 8-foot board that expresses who you are as a designer. Brian and I, of course, spent those 36 hours together, holed up in his apartment working round-the-clock with no sleep. At one point, around hour 30, I was exhausted to the point of tears and hungry for anything other than pizza or Chinese delivery. And so, Brian made me soup. pc soup-6

It took a few more months and the demise of our high school relationships for me to outwardly admit the feelings I had for Brian but, looking back, I believe that the moment he handed me that bowl of piping-hot potato cheese soup amidst the biggest deadline of our lives thus far was the moment I knew that there was something more between us. This soup is still, to this day, my absolute favorite thing that he makes in our kitchen. It has morphed over the years, adjusting with our tastes and food values, but at its core is still the creamy, delicious, heart and soul-warming meal that he made me so many years ago. Brian's Potato Cheese Soup serves 4 Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, 1/2-inch dice
3 stalks celery, 1/2-inch dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced to 1/2-inch
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
6-8 cups chicken stock (we use better than bouillon no-chicken base)
4 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2-inch cubes
4 oz gruyere cheese, 1/2-inch cubes
salt + pepper
4 mini bread bowls
parsley (for garnish)

Method:

Heat butter over medium-high heat in large soup pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and saute' until the onions are just translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and saute' another minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium (a low boil) and cook until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat.
Put the cheese cubes into a blender. Pour 2-3 ladles of hot soup on top of cheese in blender. Puree' the mixture until smooth. Whisk the cheese puree' back into your soup pot.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in a sourdough bread bowl, if desired.

Local

Virginians...check out the Virginia Chutney Festival next weekend in Sperryville, VA! I wish I were going to be in town, because their picnic menu looks amazing! It includes all locally raised and produced food - a true celebration of local flavors. For more information, check out their website at www.virginiachutney.com.

categories dinner, soup
tags cheddar, gruyere, potato, soup

bella terra: tomatoes, part 1

August 18, 2009Andrea

You might remember that peaches claimed the number one spot on my "favorite summer produce" list. But I must say, it was a close, close race. In fact, Brian and I agreed that the attributes we loved most about both peaches and tomatoes were mostly the same. Both taste infinitely better during their season than at any other point in the year. The personal acquisition of each (peaches from the orchard, tomatoes from our garden) guarantees a freshness and minimization of the bruises that these fragile fruits usually have when gathered from the grocery store, not to mention warm + fuzzy memories of time spent with your honey. And finally, both peaches and tomatoes are so very summer. In the end, I think it was my sweet tooth and Brian's lack thereof that determined each of our favorites. tomatosoup1 (1)

The ripening of tomatoes in our garden is a bittersweet time for me. Sweet, because we look forward to the juicy yellow, orange and red fruits from the time we plant the seedlings in mid-May, and bitter because it signals the beginning of the end - the downward slide of summer into fall. Especially this year, when our harvest season has been cut so short by the blight claiming tomatoes across the Northeast. Brian and I noticed it early this year, the slow yellowing then browning and shriveling of the lowest branches on our plants. Eventually, the plants become skeletons of their former selves, with sad tomatoes hanging desperately to branches for as long as they can. We learned this year that there is no way to avoid the fungus, especially since we have a strict no-spray rule, and if we want a full harvest season next year we need to plant a succession of tomatoes every 4 weeks starting in May and ending in July. Lesson learned. tomatosoup merge 1

Despite the blight, we have had way too many tomatoes to handle all at once, just not enough for all of the canned sauces and salsas we had planned. We've had countless tomato mozzarella salads, tomato + hummus + ham sandwiches, roasted tomato pastas and just plain tomato slices sprinkled with salt and eaten while standing over the kitchen sink, juice dripping from our hands. Friends and neighbors have been lucky recipients of our extras - and in fact our guests last weekend claimed our house as the best "bed and breakfast" they'd stayed at as they loaded their car with a bag of heirloom tomatoes and a jar of homemade jam. In return, they shared a recipe for Heirloom Tomato Soup that was not only delicious, but a great way to use up large quantities of our bounty. tomatosoup merge 2

We made it the next night, and I was pleased after my first taste to find that it was reminiscent of a favorite tomato basil soup I enjoyed at a local Greek restaurant while in graduate school - rich and creamy, with a nice spice that hits the back of your throat after each bite. It was wonderful with fresh heirloom tomatoes from the garden, but I also look forward to trying it with canned tomatoes in the winter when I need a little reminder of warmer days. For me, tomato soup has no particular season - I'll take it any time of the year. tomatosoup06 (1)

This soup is the grown-up version of a childhood favorite, and pairs perfectly with grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches. We made ours with a fresh french baguette, jarslberg cheese and salty soprassata - but feel free to use whatever soft cheese and cured meat makes you happiest. Creamy Heirloom Tomato Soup I adapted this recipe from a friend's adaptation of a Cooking Light recipe. The original didn't use any cream, which I'm sure would be good, but the cream makes it oh, so delicious... serves 4 for dinner with a salad or sandwiches Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional - use more or less to suit your tastes)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
6 large heirloom tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 2 (28oz) cans whole tomatoes, if you make this in any season other than summer)
2 tsp sugar
2 large slices good quality bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup light cream
salt and ground pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, thyme, basil and red pepper flakes, stirring until onions are translucent.
Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down. Using wooden spoon, mash tomatoes against side of pot to release juices.
Stir in sugar and bread, stirring occasionally until bread starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
Transfer soup to a blender in batches and puree' until smooth and creamy (if you have an immersion blender, feel free to use it in the soup pot). Return soup to pot and stir in chicken broth and cream. Reheat, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with mini grilled jarlsberg and sopressata sandwiches, if desired.

We've been eating a LOT of tomatoes in our house, so stay tuned for more Bella Terra: Tomato posts... SRtomatoes-1-2

And, the Bella Eats Jam winner is...JENNY (comment #7)! Send me an email at bellaeats[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll get your jam out to you this week. If I don't hear from Jenny, I'll select another winner randomly in my next post. Other Bella Terra posts this season: Bella Terra: Preparation Bella Terra: Chives Bella Terra: Herbs Bella Terra: Sugar Snaps Bella Terra: Red Beets Bella Terra: Kale Bella Terra: Cucumbers Bella Terra: Blackberries

categories dinner, garden, soup
tags basil, soup, tomato

striking a balance

March 31, 2009Andrea

March is a big birthday month in our household. We kick it off right with Brian's at the very beginning, end it with mine and have a whole slew of friend and family celebrations in between. I've never attempted to actually calculate the numbers, but if I had to guess I would say that 30-40% of the birthdays we actively celebrate fall within March. That means a lot of cake and cocktails, which, following a winter of heavy comfort foods makes the whole month seem like a last hurrah for indulgent eats before the panic of a looming swimsuit season sets in. soup-1

The mostly dreary weather of March has put a damper on my running habit as well. Although the coldest temperatures of the month are typically much higher than those in January and February, the occasional 60* teaser days make the moderately cold ones completely unbearable. I have a hard time motivating myself to tie my shoes and hit the road on a 40*, overcast evening (which in February would have felt downright warm) when my previous run had me in shorts and a tank top. soup-2

And now here I am on the eve before the start of April, my legs sore from last night’s run after the prior week’s hiatus, my mouth craving a sweet because its become a daily habit and, dare I say, my body a couple of pounds heavier than it was just one month ago. I started this blog originally to hold me accountable in my healthy eating and exercise habits, but found (along with an amazing community of people and many new friends) that the creative aspects of photographing and writing about food were more compelling for me than the keeping of a food diary. soup-3

Its been about a month since I switched formats, and although the timing may have been poor what with all of the celebrations that March holds, I think the changes I've seen in my daily habits prove a point. Food diaries work. At least for me they do, which is why I'll be keeping a closer tab on myself starting tomorrow. But don't worry, I won't be switching things up on you again. I really love the direction the blog is heading and from the positive feedback I've received, I think you do to. What you will be seeing are some lighter, healthier, simpler and hopefully more economical recipes popping up on Bella Eats this month, starting with this one. soup-4

This soup was delicious. So good that Brian and I haven't been able to stop talking about it for two days. Its very simple, using ingredients that we always have on hand - carrots, celery, onion, canned beans, canned tomatoes, dried mushrooms, dried grains, good olive oil and fresh herbs are staples in our kitchen. The mushrooms added such a wonderful earthiness to the broth that I don't know if I'll ever be able to make vegetable soup without mushrooms again. And the infused olive oil adds so much depth. Please - please - don't leave it out. You won't be sorry. soup-6

Mushroom White Bean Soup with Rosemary recipe inspired by keep it simple foods and the new york times Ingredients:

1/2 oz porcini mushrooms, dried
6 cups veggie or chicken broth (I used chicken)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, cut in half and sliced into 1/4" pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced into 1/4" pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (15oz)
1/2 cup quick cooking barley
2 cans cannelini or navy beans (15oz each), drained and rinsed
salt and pepper

Method:

First make infused olive oil, recipe below. It will need to sit for 2 hours before serving, so be sure to plan ahead.
Boil 2 cups of water. Place dried mushrooms in a glass bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit for 30 minutes. Place a fine mesh strainer over a separate bowl. Lift mushrooms out of water and squeeze over strainer, collecting liquid in second bowl. Rinse mushrooms in strainer with cold water and squeeze out excess over sink. Chop mushrooms and set aside. Pour the mushroom soaking water through the strainer into the second bowl. Add water as necessary to make 2 cups. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom soup pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute' for 5-7 minutes, until starting to tenderize. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and saute' an additional 30 seconds.
Add the chicken broth, mushroom liquid, chopped mushrooms and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a heavy simmer and add the barley. Continue to simmer for 12-15 minutes until the barley is tender. Add the beans and salt + pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with rosemary + porcini oil drizzled on top.

Rosemary and Porcini Infused Olive Oil recipe modified from bon appetit Ingredients:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 whole garlic clove
1/2 oz porcini mushrooms, dried

Method:

Place mushrooms in a strainer. Rinse under hot water and drain well. Pat dry.
Combine mushrooms, oil, rosemary and whole garlic clove in small, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until thermometer inserted into oil registers 180*F, about 8 minutes. (I am currently without a thermometer so left my oil on for 9 minutes, just in case).
Remove from heat, cover and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Oil can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Thank You All for the great comments you write on my posts, they really make my day! Welcome to my new readers who have found your way here from Tastespotting and Foodgawker, I look forward to hearing from more of you and to sharing some simple, healthy recipes with you this month. Enjoy!

categories dinner, soup
tags barley, mushrooms, olive oil, rosemary, soup, vegetable, white bean

a seasonal dinner

February 09, 2009Andrea

Good evening, lovelies! Have you all hopped over to Meghann's blog to check out the Blogger Bake Sale? There are some amazing-looking baked treats up for sale, and all proceeds go to a wonderful cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Bidding ends at midnight for Day 1 so be sure to get over there and place your bids before your favorite items get snatched up! I've got two items up for sale, chocolate chip cookies and my own banana apple bread. This morning I woke up feeling really yucky. I was nauseous and light-headed, and would have put-off work for a few hours had I not had so much to do at the office. I dragged myself up, took a shower, made my breakfast then went straight back to bed. After about 30 minutes I felt a little bit better and got moving again, and my hubb brought me a glass of OJ to get something in my stomach. I wound up packing up my breakfast and taking it to the office with me, eating it once my stomach felt not-so-flippy. Breakfast: 8oz of OJ, a toasted ezekiel muffin with TJ's crunchy peanut butter and sliced apples. [446 cal] 090209-b1

My hubb was such a sweetie and made me this gorgeous salad for lunch, complete with homemade vinaigrette! He even took pictures...can you believe him?!? I also was craving some soup, so I ran across the street to Revolutionary Soup for their Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup...YUM. I must learn how to make this. Lunch: fresh salad and spicy peanut tofu soup, along with a small whole wheat roll. [salad = 200 cal, soup = ???, whole wheat roll = ???] 090209-l1

My salad had:

baby greens
spinach
cucumber
yellow bell pepper
dried cranberries
slivered almonds
3 tbsp roasted garlic hummus
homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Sadly, my stomach got all weird again about halfway through my salad so I couldn't finish it. :( I had a couple of iffy hours where I was willing time to go by so that I could go home and lay down. I decided to eat a granola bar to settle my tum around 5:00, and it actually helped quite a bit. But not enough for me to feel up for yoga at 6pm...I'm so sad that I missed it. Afternoon Snacks: A Quaker True Delights bar while at work, a dried fig while cooking dinner. [162 cal] 090209-s1

When we got home I knew I wanted something warm and comforting. Luckily I had some soup on the menu... This weekend I managed to fit in 2 long hot baths, complete with bubbles, vino and the latest Bon Appetit magazine. I also had the February 2008 issue of BA, which I hadn't had a chance to read last year because I was deeply entrenched in my graduate studies. I held on to all of my neglected foodie magazines so that I could read them this year, during their intended month to take advantage of the seasonal recipes always featured. I read about yukon gold potatoes, kale, meyer lemons and leeks. My reading left me craving a hearty winter soup...and a lemon drop martini. I fulfilled the first craving tonight, the second will probably wait until the weekend. :) 090209-d5

Tonight's dinner isn't a recipe from BA, unfortunately...it probably would have turned out a bit better if it had been. It was good, the flavors were spot-on, but the texture of the soup was a bit, well, gluey. For lack of a better descriptor. I believe the reason for the extra thick creaminess was my use of yukon golds, which in hindsight I think would be better suited to a chunky soup than a pureed soup. Lesson learned. I will definitely try this recipe again, just with a different type of potato. Dinner: potato leek soup with kale and hearty oat biscuits. [437 cal] 090209-d3

Potato Leek Soup with Kale 226 calories, 7.4g fat, 1g sat fat, 37.5 carbs, 4.9g fiber, 9.2g protein makes 4 servings Ingredients:

2 medium leeks, chopped finely
1/2 large onion, about 1 cup chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 potatoes (next time, I'll use russet)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups of veggie broth
4 cups chopped kale, loosely packed
salt + pepper

Method:

Heat oil on medium. Add leeks, onion, celery and potatoes, stir to coat with oil. When veggies start sizzling, lower heat and cover pot. Let the veggies sweat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally , until veggies are tender.
Add veggie broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat back down to simmer and cover. Let simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are starting to fall apart.
Puree' soup in a blender until smooth and creamy. Pour back in soup pot and keep warm on low heat. Season with salt + pepper.
Place chopped kale in large saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 5 minutes, until kale is bright green and tender. Drain kale and add to soup.

I also made some hearty oat biscuits with the addition of sharp white cheddar cheese and scallions. Again, flavors were great, but the texture was off. The dough was wetter than normal...I'm thinking that in my slightly hazy/ill state I mis-measured something. I'm going to hold off on sharing the recipe this time because I really want to work on perfecting it and I don't want to mis-lead you. 090209-d4

Dessert: more beautiful grapes. [110 cal] 090209-d6

Alrighty, I'm feeling much better now but am ready for bed. I really want to get up in the morning for my run so that I can keep my evening free for yoga, although that means I'll only be getting about 5.5 hours of sleep. :( There are not enough hours in a day!!! How many hours of sleep do you get a night? I feel really lucky if I get 7, but I'm usually closer to 6. Not good... G'night!

categories baking, breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags bread, ezekiel, kale, leeks, oats, potato, salad, soup

weekend recap

February 08, 2009Andrea

How is it Sunday night already?!? This weekend went by WAY too fast. I hope that you all had as lovely weather as we had, I still can't get over how beautiful it was. I tried to get outside as much as possible, but had to work more hours than I had hoped so spent much of the weekend looking out of my window at the sunny sky. I did manage to fit in a nice long run, some yoga and a glass of wine on the deck with my hubb...all wonderful things. :) I've got some catch-up food posting to do because I decided to write about photography last night. I'll keep my words short... Oh! And if you've asked me questions on the photography post I will get them answered tomorrow sometime, so be sure to check back in. Also, things may be a little sporadic this week with my big deadline on Friday. Bear with me! I've got a great menu planned this week, I just hope I have time to cook it! Saturday Breakfast: banana, apple, crunchy PB oats [360 cal] 090207-b1

This yummy bowl contained:

1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt
1/2 mashed banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped dried apple
1 tbsp TJ's crunchy PB

I knew I would be working for a few hours and had a haircut at 2pm so packed up a lunch to keep me from getting distracted by downtown food options when hunger struck. Saturday Lunch: leftover split pea soup (last time, promise!) and 3 Back to Nature multigrain flax crackers (I saved the blood orange for later...) [505 calories] 090207-l1

I took clothes with me to the office so that I could run home after my haircut. It was such a gorgeous afternoon that I decided to push myself and take the long way home, about 4-1/2 miles. It was tough, I was dragging because I hadn't run more than 3-1/2 miles in the last couple of weeks with my foot injury. And, my foot was pretty sore when I was finished. :( It did feel great to be outside though, stretching my legs and soaking in the sun. Saturday Exercise: 4-1/2 mile run, 10 min/mile pace [-475 cal] Saturday Afternoon Snack: the other 1/2 of my Clif Iced Gingerbread bar and my blood orange, perfect re-fuel after my run. [193 cal] 090207-s11

I was wiped out when I got home, so the grocery trip my hubb and I had planned got bumped to Sunday. It also led to a very lazy evening during which cooking didn't really seem like an option, so we ordered in. If you've been reading my blog for long you know that Thai is our take-out of choice, and last night was no exception. :) Saturday Dinner: take-out pad thai and veggie spring rolls with pineapple spice dipping sauce. [about 525 cal] 090207-d1

We watched Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her...very good! Highly recommended if you like the vignette style of movie making. We really enjoyed it. Okay! On to Sunday... I slept in a little this morning so packed this up to take to the office with me for a few more hours of work before yoga. Sunday Breakfast: 6oz 0% Fage, 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola, 1/2 a sliced banana, 1-1/2 chopped dates [328 cal] 090208-b1

Sunday Exercise: YOGA!!! At my normal studio. I've realized that the new studio that I bought an unlimited month pass to doesn't have many classes that work with my schedule, so I'll be continuing to join my normal Sunday class that I love love love so much. Today was no disappointment. I was a sweaty, leg-shaky pile of goo afterwards. [about -250 cal] Sunday Afternoon Snack #1: a Clif Nectar bar, consumed immediately after yoga. Thank goodness I had it in my purse. [160 cal] 090208-s1

My eating schedule always gets off on Sundays because I typically sleep later than normal then have yoga from 12:30-1:30, aka lunchtime. Today I had to go back to the office for another hour then went grocery shopping, so lunch slipped right by me. Needless to say I was famished while grocery shopping (bad, bad idea) and gave in to these Mi-Del Lemon Snaps. 090207-d3

I of course ripped into them as soon as I got in the car. They are SO GOOD! Just a hint of lemon with the same crunch as a classic ginger snap. They are dangerous... When I realized that I could easily finish the whole bag on my way home, I quickly reached behind me for the bag of grapes and noshed on them instead. Sunday Afternoon Snack #2: 5 Mi-Del Lemon Snaps and a handful of red grapes (recreated for your viewing pleasure...). [250 cal] 090208-s2

I had big plans to make dinner tonight, but when I opened the fridge I realized that we still had some leftovers to use up. So...another repeat. Sunday Dinner: leftover Pad Thai and a big ol' salad. Also, a glass of cab (which was actually started while sitting on the back deck with my hubb and our pupps, enjoying our amazing weather). [salad = 225 cal, thai = about 350 cal] 090208-d2

My salad contained:

mixed baby greens
spinach
yellow bell pepper
celery
cucumber
red grapes
slivered almonds
Annie's Goddess Dressing...which I'd never tried before! I had no idea what to expect, but I liked it!

Sunday Dessert: 2 lemon snaps and another bunch of grapes...they just looked so good when I was taking their picture for the snack re-creation. [155 cal] 090208-s3

This post has taken forever for me to write because I'm watching the Grammy's at the same time. :) And now, its just about bed time. But first, a big reminder that tomorrow starts the Blogger Bake Sale!!! Be sure to check out Meghann's blog so that you can get bids in for your favorite items!!! I've got a couple things that will be listed... :) G'night!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags Clif, fage, lemon snaps, oats, running, salad, soup

split pea + sausage soup

February 05, 2009Andrea

Another busy day today, but lots of satisfying eats! I'm going to keep it quick again, and I apologize. I have so many things that I want to talk with you all about, but just don't feel like I have a coherent post in me tonight. I know I've promised a few things, a post on photography, reviews of calorie counting websites, and I definitely owe you a training update. But I've been using so many brain cells at work that I get home and my mind kinda turns to mush... Hopefully I'll have some time to think and write a bit more clearly this weekend. And until then, thank you. For continuing to read. For commenting. For being supportive. I'm a very lucky girl to be involved with such an outstanding community. :) Breakfast: banana, date, flax, almond butter oats...yum! I woke up thinking about this breakfast, and it totally hit the spot. I tried the Heart Healthy portion (3/4 cup) I've been seeing pop up in the blog world to see if it would make my bowl stick with me longer, but I was still hungry right at noon. I think I'll stick with my standard 1/2 cup from now on, to keep my calories a little lower. [487 cal] 090205-b1

3/4 cup rolled oats, 1-1/2 cup water, pinch of salt
1/3 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp real maple syrup
1 tsp ground flax
1 chopped date
1 tbsp almond butter

Lunch: 1/2 slice veggie lasagna and a bell pepper/cucumber salad [297 cal] 090205-l1

The lasagna was excellent reheated for lunch, just like it should be. :) My salad contained:

1 cup red and orange bell pepper
1/2 cup cucumber
1 tsp grapeseed oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard

Snack: 3/4 cup cottage cheese. I didn't eat my apple, too busy and not hungry enough. I also had 3 large green olives while preparing dinner with my hubb. [166 cal] 090205-s1

Dinner: the best split pea soup I've ever had! And a slice of homemade honey wheat bread that I pulled out of the freezer. [502 cal] 090205-d3

I've never made split pea soup before, but it was so easy and so deliciously warming on this very cold winter night. The hot italian sausage added the perfect amount of heat, just at the back of the throat. It was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the peas and carrots. And the rosemary? Divine. Just the right touch of earthiness. This soup has made its way solidly to our list of regulars, I feel certain. 090205-d41

Split Pea + Sausage Soup [inspired by the kitchen sink, adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen] makes 6 servings 375 calories, 15.4g fat, 5g sat. fat, 59.5g carbs, 23g fiber, 34g protein Ingredients:

2.5 cups dried green split peas
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
5 cups of water
4 cups of chicken broth
1 pound hot italian sausage
2 medium leeks, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
salt + pepper

Method:

Rinse and drain peas. Sort and pick out bad peas.
Combine water, broth, peas, celery, rosemary, parsley and bay leaf in large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until peas start to split apart.
Meanwhile, brown sausage in skillet. Once browned, add too soup pot.
Saute' leeks and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes. Add to soup pot along with salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer (briskly) for about 20 more minutes, until peas get pretty mushy. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Daily Totals:

calories consumed = 1,452
calories expelled = none other than the usual...
net calories = 1,452

Goodnight!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes, soup
tags oats, salad, soup, split pea

a few thoughts...

January 28, 2009Andrea

First of all, I want to welcome my new readers! I've seen a lot of new names pop up in the comments these last couple of weeks...keep it up! I love hearing from you. In fact, if you haven't commented before, please do! Don't be shy... I try to respond to all questions and suggestions as soon as possible, but sometimes it takes me a couple of days...I'm sorry! If you ask me a question, be sure to check back for an answer within a day or two. :) Secondly, there are some exciting things happening in our little community right now that I want to mention.

Meghann's training for a marathon! Not only is she training, she's raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Please check out her blog to keep up with her progress and to donate if you can! Also, she will be hosting a blogger bake sale the week of February 9th (I'll be selling some goods!) so be sure to check in and bid on some tasty treats to support a great cause!
BSI is back!!! Thanks to Biz over at Biggest Diabetic Loser for reorganizing the fun last week! She's picked Sarah over at Tales of Expansion to host this week's contest...DATES!!! I'm very excited. :)

And last, I've been a bad little calorie counter. Which means that little things probably slip into my mouth during the day that don't get tallied in my head or recorded on the blog. :( In fact, I know this happens, and I want to keep better track and hold myself more accountable for what I am consuming. ESPECIALLY since my exercise has been less then stellar what with my sad foot and crummy weather. I did so well with accountability my first month having the blog, then the holidays arrived and I just never really got fully back on track. I saw improvements in my body and how I felt that first month but I've definitely plateaued since then, and I'm ready for more loss and more toning! :) I don't plan to take pictures of every little thing because I work 10 feet away from my boss and I'm not willing to tell him about the blog yet. I try to take care of all photography in the morning and after work because I like consistency and I like the backdrop my table provides. :) But I do plan on at least telling you about all eats and keeping a running calorie count on my posts. I'll try to keep it simple and un-annoying...you might not even notice it. And, for the record, I haven't been keeping things from the blog purposefully, I just sometimes forget to mention something. Its never big...a dove chocolate here, handful of Kashi there...but as we all know, the small things add up. :) I don't plan to calorie count forever, but I do find that it helps me to gain perspective on what I am consuming. Now, on to today's eats! I tried something new with my oats this morning, something I've seen Kath and many others do...I added wheatberries to my oatmeal. And...I LOVED it!!! Breakfast: banana, PB, wheatberry + dried apricot oats. [470 cal - higher than I would like. i'm going to start having only 1/2 a banana in the oats to get it closer to 400 cal] 090128-b1

This DELICIOUS bowl contained:

1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 small mashed banana
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp wheatberries
1 tbsp natural PB
3 small turkish apricots

Seriously, this may beat my banana, PB, fig + flax oats...or at least equal it. The wheatberries added such a wonderful chewy crunch! Lunch: leftover veggie tofu stir fry on 1/2 cup jasmine rice and 1/2 cup wheatberries. [499 cal] 090128-l1

Afternoon Snack: 1/2 cup plain Fage 0% and one tangelo. [132 cal] 090128-s1

Extras: 3 Dove dark chocolate hearts [126 cal - I should try to skip these tomorrow], 10 Annie's Honey Bunnies [54 cal] 090128-s2

Dinner: saffron tomato fennel soup [recipe] and "grilled cheese". [262 cal (soup) + 220 cal (grilled cheese)] This is one of my favorite soups, we make it several times a year. I added wheatberries this time and substituted thyme for basil because its what I had. I just realized that I had wheatberries with every meal today...versatile little things, aren't they?!? My substitute for the classic gilled cheese I normally enjoy with tomato soup was a broiled ham + cheddar sandwich on whole wheat sourdough bread. 1 slice bread, 1oz cheddar, 1/2oz sliced ham. Exercise: I went for a run!!! FINALLY! It felt great to be back out on the road, stretching out my legs. I had my new inserts in my shoes and I have to say, they hurt my feet a little! I'm hoping its just because my feet aren't used to them yet. I'm going to give it a few more runs and see how they feel. My toes have been all weird and tingly tonight too. They felt like they were asleep when I finished my run, and now they are red, a little puffy, and hurt to the touch. Strange! I've never had that happen before, and I'm hoping it will pass quickly! So other than my weird feet issues my 3-mile run felt great. I'm still hoping to train for the race, and am planning on getting a 5-6 mile long run in this weekend. I'll re-evaluate my training schedule after that. [3 miles, 10-min/mile pace, -318 cal] Total Calorie Count:

consumed 1,884 cal
expelled 318 cal
net 1,564 cal

I try to net between 1200 and 1300 calories/day when I am striving to lose weight, so I was way over tonight. This is what I love about calorie counting, if you had asked me before I counted, I would have told you that I did pretty well and was close to 1200 net calories. Wrong! Counting really helps me to keep perspective, and it makes me want to workout more so that I don't have to be as strict with my eats! Tomorrow my goals are to lower my breakfast and lunch cals and reduce my "extras". I also want to get up for some yoga in the morning and make sure to get a run in tomorrow evening. Do any of you count calories? What service do you use? I use myfooddiary.com, but you have to pay for it and I'm hoping to find a free service. I've got some work to do, then I'm planning on a hot bath with my book. :) G'night!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags fage, fennel, oats, sandwich, soup, tomato

there will be cookies

January 19, 2009Andrea

I didn't have a food blog in the summer of 2008, so I feel like I missed out on the David Leite's Chocolate Chip Cookie fun that I've read about in the archives of a few of my favorite blogs, like Orangette and The Kitchen Sink. Now, I love a good chocolate chip cookie. Who doesn't? But I've seen plenty of recipes out there claiming to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, so I was skeptical that this one would be any different from all the rest. I was intrigued, however, by the large amount of chocolate in the recipe...1-1/4 pounds for only 18 cookies! That, my friends, is a lot of chocolate. Also, the recipe called for the sprinkling of sea salt on the tops of the cookies just before baking...hmmm. I am a big fan of sea salt caramels, so this seemed like a touch that would agree with me nicely. 090119-cookie-1

Typically I would take a recipe like this and try to healthify it, using natural sweeteners and substitutes for the refined sugar, oil and white flours. But it had been awhile since I'd made a full-fat, high-cal decadent cookie, and this seemed just the recipe to indulge on. And it helped to know that I would be sharing the 18 resulting cookies with 12 friends and co-workers tomorrow during the inauguration ceremony. I followed David Leite's instructions almost completely, but did have to make two substitutions. The first was to use ghirardelli chocolate bars chopped into 1/2" pieces instead of chocolate disks. The second was to replace the cake flour. I scoured the shelves on the baking aisle at Whole Foods and found no such flour. I decided to substitute the whole wheat pastry flour I had at home and hope for the best. 090119-cookie-2

A warning: the dough requires 24 hours of refrigeration before baking. I made the dough last night and of course sampled it, which made me all the more excited to come home from work tonight to bake the cookies. Its kind of nice, the phasing of the recipe. You get all of the mess out of the way the first night and are left with the simple pleasure of balling dough and pulling perfectly golden cookies from the oven the second night. 090119-cookie-3

These cookies are worth the 24-hour wait and the extensive blogger hype. Totally worth it. They are perfectly crisp around their golden edges, soft and chewy in their centers. The sea salt adds an unexpected depth that heightens the flavor of the chocolate while at the same time reducing its richness...a quality that makes it even easier to finish the entire 5" mammoth cookie all at once. In case you missed the link above, here is the recipe and the article it accompanied. So tomorrow, as we welcome our new president and toast the changes to come with a group of friends, there will be cookies. I can't think of a better way to celebrate. 090119-cookie-5

Here's a recap of my other eats for the day, although who wants to read about them now that I've introduced cookies to the mix?!? Especially when its a day full of repeats... Breakfast: the standard oat bowl. I know, I know. But I love it and its very filling and that's good enough for me. 090119-b11

1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, dribble of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon
1 mashed ripe banana
1 tsp ground flax seeds
1 dried fig, chopped
1 tbsp natural peanut butter

Lunch: leftover veggie soup, 3 Back To Nature Multigrain Flax flatbreads, 2 tbsp hummus. 090119-l11

Snacks: my Oikos is back!!!!! 1 blueberry Oikos and a tangelo. Sadly, I didn't actually eat the Oikos 'cause I just wasn't hungry enough. The tangelo was excellent though. 090119-s11

Dinner: leftover veggie soup with some bulgur added to it and a hearty oat biscuit. So good, and this is the last of it. :) 090119-d1

Dessert: a cookie. Of course. :) And I'm off. Have a great Tuesday, everybody! Happy Inauguration!!!

categories baking, breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags chocolate, cookies, oats, soup

kashi coupon winners!

January 05, 2009Andrea

Good evening! I have a couple of winners of the Kashi TLC Cereal Bars contest! My hubb picked two random numbers for me between 1 and 22 (the number of comments on the post). The lucky numbers are 6 and 13, making Carolinebee and Becca A. the winners!!! Congrats ladies! Email me your addresses and I'll get the coupons in the mail to you ASAP. So how did everybody adjust to the first day back to work? It was a pretty long day for me, mentally and in reality. I get to work at 8:30 am and today didn't get out until 7:15pm without leaving the office for lunch or errands. I hate being stuck inside for almost 11 hours!!! To be honest, the last hour was spent reading blogs as I was just waiting for my hubb to finish up in his office so that we could ride home together. But still, it was a long day. We did manage to go out for a run once we got home and changed, which I'm very happy about. The weather is supposed to turn nasty here for the next couple of days with lots of rain and ice, so the chances of getting out for a road run tomorrow or Wednesday are pretty slim. We just did 2-1/2 miles tonight, but I picked up my pace to keep up with my hubb so got a good workout in. He probably slowed down a little for me too...shhh. :) My eats today were tasty, but probably a bit boring for you... Breakfast: A bowl of oats! Mornings that include oats are my favorites...unless they include pancakes. :) 090105-b1

This delicious bowl contained:

1/2 cup Irish oats, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon
1 very ripe mashed banana
1 tsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp almond butter

Breakfast was earlier than normal because I had a dentist appointment before work, so I knew that I needed something hardy to hold me over 'till my normal lunch time. This bowl of oats almost did the trick, keeping me satisfied for 4 hours. I had a small handful of mixed nuts to hold me over the last hour. Lunch: Leftover Mexican Meatball Soup and roasted veggies. 090105-l1

I thawed out a loaf of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread that I made last month to take to our friends this weekend in appreciation of them having us over for dinner, but forgot it in our rush out the door. So, instead, I sliced it up and brought some in for my co-workers. 090105-s1

Snacks: One slice of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with 1 tbsp almond butter and two clementines. 090105-s2

And I may have had a couple of dark chocolate covered potato chips...but I don't have any pictures to prove it. :) I just love coming home to leftovers! I know you all are probably getting tired of seeing this soup on the blog, but I am definitely not getting tired of eating it. Its just so delicious! And it was especially helpful tonight to have dinner ready to go for us with minimal prep since we didn't get home from our run and stretch until about 8:30. Dinner: Another bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup and a lovely salad. 090105-d2

My salad consisted of:

spinach
broccoli
red bell pepper
celery
1-1/2 clementines
cranberry ketchup [this stuff is great on everything!!! email me if you want the recipe]

And for dessert: three Nairns Stem Ginger Wheat-Free Biscuits. I LOVE these cookies/biscuits. I'm pretty sad that my Whole Foods stopped stocking them on the shelves, but I dug around in my pantry and found one last little package. 2 cookies have just 80 calories, they are perfectly crunchy and have just enough gingery flavor. The Roughcut Oatcakes are really tasty too... 090105-d4

Alrighty, shower and bed time for this little lady. After my long run Saturday, intense yoga yesterday and speedy run tonight, this foodie's body is t.i.r.e.d. Have a great night and day tomorrow!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review
tags kashi, nairns, oats, pumpkin cranberry bread, salad, soup

mexican meatball soup + kashi coupons!

January 04, 2009Andrea

I've had such a wonderful, relaxing weekend! It was just what I needed after a week of traveling and holidays. I hope that you all feel refreshed and ready to get back to work / school! We had a fantastic time with our friends last night. Dinner was amazing, roasted chicken breast with onions, garlic and carrots, a side of steamed broccoli and savory grits. All accompanied by two glasses of cabernet and finished with a medley of cheesecakes that we all sampled. I was so disappointed that in my rush to get out of our house yesterday I forgot to grab my camera, so I have no evidence of our fabulous eats. After dinner we just hung out and chatted for a few hours, but had a little break in the middle to play Rockband!!! So so so fun! :) I'm REALLY disappointed that I don't have pictures of that! I was awakened early this morning by one of our pups, and after dealing with her was unable to get back to sleep. So I got up and made myself a pre-breakfast snack (the hubb had big plans for an egg breakfast and I didn't want to ruin it for him). Snack: 1 cornmeal muffin spread with cranberry "ketchup", 1 clementine and a cup of green tea. 090104-b3

After being up for a couple of hours it became clear that the hubb still wasn't ready to roll out of bed so I decided to go ahead and have breakfast without him. Breakfast: A 6oz cup of 0% Fage topped with 1/4 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola and a sliced banana. 090104-b2

Ahhhhhh...Greek Yogurt, how I missed thee. I still prefer Oikos because it is organic, but until they work out their manufacturing problem and get it back on my Whole Food's shelves the Fage will suit me just fine. Plus...its cheaper! :) Sadly, my hubb emerged from the bedroom just after I finished my breakfast. I snagged a cup of coffee and a piece of his bacon while sitting with him through his meal. 090104-b1

At lunchtime I went to my favorite 75-minute Vinyasa Yoga class at Studio 206. It had been three weeks since I'd been and it felt great to be back. Man oh man, Hilary kicked my bootie! It was a wonderful, intense class that had me drenched by the end. I was worried that I would be too sore from my run yesterday but the yoga really helped to loosen me up. I love the combination of running and yoga and what it does for me both mentally and physically. My hubb picked me up at 2pm and I was ravenous so I helped him finish the french fries he'd picked up while running errands. Once home I made myself a quick, late lunch before heading out into the yard to plant some bulbs. Lunch: 1/2 an almond butter and sour cherry preserves sandwich on whole wheat bread and a sliced pear. 090104-l1

I planted 150 spring bulbs in hard Virginia clay for 2+ hours this afternoon. I really hope that they come up, they should have gone in the ground a month ago but I just never got around to planting them. The bulbs I planted two years ago are already peaking up above the mulch, so we'll see what happens with my newbies. The yard work was another workout in itself...2+ hours digging in hard Virginia clay will leave you t.i.r.e.d. Snack: I was starving again when I came in just before dark (its been such a snack-filled day!) so I grabbed this Kashi Cereal Bar sample I got in the mail the other day. 090104-s1

I've seen these on the my grocery store's shelves but they are kinda pricey so I haven't picked any up yet. It was pretty good...reminded me of a Fig Newton or Nutrigrain bar. The blackberry filling was quite tasty, and the texture of the bar was nice and soft. 090104-s2

It only contains 110 calories, but just 2g of protein so I know it wouldn't stick with me long for breakfast. But as an afternoon snack I think it could be very satisfying. Along with the sample I received a stack of coupons that I'm supposed to share with friends... Would anybody like a couple of Kashi Cereal Bar $2.00 off coupons? I can send two coupons to two separate people. Leave me a comment if you're interested by 8pm tomorrrow (Monday) and I'll have my magic number generator (a.k.a. my hubb) pick a random number. I'll announce the winners on tomorrow night's post. For dinner tonight the hubb and I made Mexican Meatball Soup. I first saw this recipe on Kristin's blog, The Kitchen Sink. If you haven't checked out her blog yet you really should. She makes beautiful meals and baked goods and has absolutely gorgeous photography. 090104-d7

The recipe is originally from Bon Appetit. Kristin made a few changes, and I made a few more. This soup is delicious and hearty. The hubb and I enjoyed it VERY much. There is just one change that I will make the next time this meal meets our table and I've indicated it below. Warning: This soup requires a LARGE pot. I started it in my standard soup pot and had to transfer everything to a large stock pot when the meatballs went in to prevent it from overflowing. Mexican Meatball Soup inspired by The Kitchen Sink, originally from Bon Appetit Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 medium onions, chopped, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 small bay leaves
2 quarts beef broth
1 quart chicken broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa (medium-hot) [next time we will omit the salsa and instead spice the soup up with some ancho chili powder, to taste]
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
8 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice

Method:

Start the brown rice on the stovetop. Follow directions on package and let cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
Heat oil on medium heat in LARGE pot. Add one of the chopped onions, 2 garlic cloves and bay leaves; sauté 5 minutes.
Add broths, tomatoes with juices, salsa [or ancho chili powder] and 1/4 cup cilantro; bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine ground beef, ground sausage, cornmeal, buttermilk, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, then remaining 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well.
Shape meat mixture by generous tablespoonfuls into 1 to 1-1/4 inch balls.
Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice and meatballs are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

broth simmering meatballs forming

meatballs forming 090104-d2

We used more meat than the original recipe called for so we of course had a few extra meatballs. The hubb took care of these by pan-frying them in a little olive oil. 090104-d4

Dinner: A bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup with 7 meatballs, a side of roasted veggies (carrot, brussels and broccoli), two additional pan-fried meatballs and a cornmeal muffin. 090104-d5

The soup is soooooooo filling. I am still completely stuffed and oh so happy. :) 090104-d6

Whew! That was a long post. I was planning to bake tonight but don't know if I have it in me. The bathtub and a book may be calling my name instead... Have a great night! :)

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags coupons, fage, granola, kashi, meatball, soup, yoga

butternut squash potage

December 15, 2008Andrea

Good evening! As promised...a semi-quick post. Breakfast: Two Kashi Go Lean blueberry waffles with 1 tbsp almond butter and a sliced banana, all sandwiched together. Yum. :) 081215-b2

Morning Snack: Dark chocolate covered strawberry!!! They were delivered to us this morning from a dear friend in North Carolina. Of course I dug right in while my lunch was heating! 081215-s2

Lunch: Spinach salad and TJ's Veggie Lentil Soup. My salad consisted of spinach, hearts of palm, orange bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts, dried cranberries and light ranch dressing (I know you've seen a lot of the light ranch lately...I'm trying to use up the bottle!). 081215-l1

Afternoon Snack: Peppermint Eggnog Scone and a cup of Sugar Cookie Sleighride. This is the last of the scones, I sent the others to the office with Brian. They were way too tempting (as evidenced by my last few posts...)!!! 081215-s31

Dinner: Butternut Squash Potage (recipe follows) and a spinach salad with yellow bell pepper, black beans, fresh currants and light ranch. 081215-d4

This soup is so easy and perfectly creamy, without any cream! I made a variation a few weeks ago here. I've been thinking about using the potage method to make a butternut squash soup for awhile now, and am so glad I did! I have an old favorite squash soup recipe that uses 1 cup of cream, and I couldn't even tell that the recipe I made tonight didn't have any cream! Healthy and yummy...perfect. Butternut Squash Potage makes 4 servings calories: 267 fat: 3.2g sat fat: 1.9g carbs: 54.8g fiber: 5.9g protein 8.5g Ingredients:

one small butternut squash (1-1.5 pounds), peeled and diced into 1" pieces
one medium-large onion, diced
4 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and diced into 1" pieces
1 tbsp unsalted butter
5 cups chicken or veggie broth (I use Better Than Bouillon no chicken base...love it!)
salt + pepper

Steps:

Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
Add diced potato, squash and broth. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes and squash are soft.
Strain veggies from soup and reserve broth. Puree the veggies in a food processor or blender using some of the reserved broth as needed.
Add all broth and pureed veggies back to saucepan and heat through. Season to taste.

I love the Better Than Bouillon line. We keep the no-chicken base in our fridge at all times...its so much better than having cans and boxes taking up room in our teeny pantry! 081215-d2

Alrighty...I'm off to continue with Christmas holiday/travel/baking/gift prep. Have a fabulous evening and Tuesday!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, soup
tags kashi, salad, scone, soup, squash

holiday bootie buster challenge

December 12, 2008Andrea

I'M SO GLAD ITS FRIDAY!!!!!!! Is it just me or was this the longest week ever?!? So I just discovered Run To The Finish's Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge and am super-excited to participate! I'm a few days late, but luckily I have a blog so I've got a good record of my exercise so far this week (although it doesn't amount to much yet...). Here's my count so far...

12.10.2008: run 2.7 miles = 2.7 points
12.10.2008: abs for 15 minutes = .5 points
12:11.2008: yoga for 50 minutes = 1.7 points

Total HBBC Points = 4.9 Its a bit of a slow start, but I'm hoping this challenge is just what I need to kick my exercise up a notch! This morning the hubb and I continued our new Friday morning breakfast tradition, meeting our friend Amy at our favorite breakfast spot, The Bluegrass Grill. This morning I felt like something salty instead of sweet, so I decided to go with a veggie omelet. Breakfast: Veggie Egg White Omelet with green pepper, green onion, tomatoes and black olives (no cheese), topped with salsa. Hashbrowns and the AMAZING honey wheat bisucuit on the side. I only ate 1/2 the potatoes and 1/2 the biscuit with a packet of strawberry jam on top. And a cup of coffee, of course! 081212-b1

Lunch: Leftover Butternut Squash, Kale + White Bean Soup and a handful of Kashi crackers. 081212-l2

Snack: A banana and 1/4 cup of Melissa's Trail Mix, plus a chocolate covered pretzel...I just couldn't leave him out! :) 081212-s1

Dinner tonight was quick and easy. Grocery day is tomorrow which means we are LOW on produce...as in we don't have any. We briefly thought about take-out but then I remembered that I picked up some pre-made ravioli at Trader Joe's on Tuesday...perfect dinner in a pinch! I also found some frozen spinach in the freezer...I've never cooked frozen spinach on its own, just put it in sauces etc, so this was a new experience. I just steamed it for 8 minutes, then sauteed some garlic in Earth Balance and added the spinach to the pot. It was just...ok. Dinner: TJ's Portobello Mushroom Ravioli with TJ's Vodka Sauce and steamed spinach on the side. Also, a GIANT glass of TJ's Shiraz...it was a TJ's kind of night! 081212-d2

I told ya...BIG glass of wine. It was a frustrating day at work, what can I say?!? Dessert: I made a sweet snack bowl with Annie's Honey Bunnies, TJ's pumpkin spice granola and 3 gingersnaps. It was a little dry (obviously) so I added a few spoonfuls of unsweetened applesauce after I snapped the pic. 081212-d3

Tomorrow ends Training Week #7 with a 3 mile run!!! I can't believe we've already finished 7 weeks!!! Crazy. I think the weather will be decent so the hubb and I are planning to meet the group at the UVA track. However, if group one is still run/walking on the track we're going out on the road on our own for several reasons. #1) We are planning to run the full 3 miles after our fabulous 2.7 mile run Wednesday. #2) Running 3 miles on the track sounds like the most boring thing EVER, except for maybe running 3 miles on a treadmill...! What are your weekend plans? I'm hoping to finish my Christmas shopping/making!!!

categories Uncategorized, breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags kashi, soup, trader joe's, trail mix, vino

rainy day = comfort food

December 11, 2008Andrea

What a dreary day we've had. I tried to stay inside as much as possible but had to run a couple of errands at lunch time...yuck. I did come home to a fabulous surprise in my mailbox though...my BSI Prize Trail Mix from Melissa!!! 081211-trail-mix

Melissa had the great idea of giving the winner of BSI: Sweet Potatoes a custom-made trail mix...she sent me a list of mixin's to choose from and this is what I decided on:

PB-filled pretzels
chocolate-covered pretzels
almonds
cashews
caramel bits
yogurt-covered raisins
dried cranberries
chocolate-covered banana chips
dried raspberries
raisins

It is soooooooooo good! Thanks Melissa!!! :) I had a big handful as soon as I opened the box!!! I had high hopes for another wonderful run this evening but just didn't feel like going out in the nasty weather. So instead I pulled out my favorite power yoga dvd...not the same as going to class but I went with it. 50 minutes later I was a bendy, stretchy, happy girl...I do love my yoga. :) Backtrack a little to my day's eats...another post full of comfort food. What is it about winter-time and the need for warm, filling meals...do all of you lucky Floridians with your 80* winters have the same cravings? I am so-in-love with the TJ's Pumpkin Spice Granola...I was craving it as soon as I got up this morning and thought it was a perfect opportunity to test out the new Siggi's yogurt that Whole Foods gave me as a consolation prize for eliminating my Oikos from their shelves. Breakfast: One 6oz container of Siggi's Icelandic Skyr, plain, with 1/2 cup TJ's Pumpkin Spice Granola and one sliced banana. 081211-b1

I must say...I am VERY impressed with the Siggi's. It is very thick but oh so creamy...Julz was right when she commented on my post awhile back that Skyr is like Greek yogurt on steroids! I LOVED it...too bad it is WAY out of my price range. $2.69 for 6oz?!?!?!? I don't think so. Morning Snack: 3 ginger snaps while knitting...is there anything better on a rainy, cold day?!? I went home around noon to let the pups out and realized that my lunch was actually at work (I didn't anticipate being able to leave the office today). So, I decided to actually take my full lunch hour and just hang out on the couch for 30 minutes and work on a Christmas present...I was happy and so were the pups. :) 081211-s2

Lunch: Leftover Chicken Veggie Soup and a handful of Kashi crackers (I actually took these photos this morning before going to work...poured the soup out of its gladware into the nice bowl, then back into the gladware after the picture. Yes, I'm becoming that obsessed with my food photography...). 081211-l1

Afternoon Snack: Another glorious pear. 081211-s1

Dinner: Homemade Veggie Pizza! Woohoo! We loaded a TJ's whole wheat pizza crust with:

TJ's pizza sauce
fresh spinach
onion
yellow bell pepper
broccoli
black olives
1/3 cup part-skim mozzarella on my 1/2, LOTS of cheese on the hubb's 1/2

Mmmmmm...yum. The crust needed a little longer in the oven, we typically bake it for 5-7 minutes before topping it but the TJ's instructions didn't say to do that so we stuck it in the oven raw with toppings. It was still a little doughy, but yummy all the same. :) I had another piece 1/2 the size of the piece above...which would mean about 3 of 8 slices of a 12" pizza. Dessert: A small cup of eggnog with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top...my holiday guilty pleasure! 081211-d5

I hope you all have a glorious night and Happy Friday!!!

categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review
tags granola, pizza, skyr, soup, trail mix

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