Tag Archives: healthy eating

Chicken(less) noodle soup – the veggie version!

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Going meat-free doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the classics. I have been delightfully surprised at how easy it is to omit meat from the majority of my meals. Case in point – chicken noodle soup. I made this last year and corey absolutely loved it so when he requested it a couple weeks ago I feared it wouldn’t taste the same without the chicken in it. I made it with all of the same ingredients (including chicken stock so it’s not entirely vegetarian) but I have to say, it turned out great, if not better, than before. Plus, I was able to make a huge pot of it so I had leftovers to bring to work with me for a week! And it never got old! Unfortunately I forgot to take step-by-step pics :(

Ingredients (use as much or as little as you like – no measurements needed)

  • Broth
  • Your choice of whole wheat noodles
  • carrots, diced
  • celery, diced
  • onion, diced
  • garlic
  • S&P
  • Thyme
  • Two bay leaves
  • Optional – lemon juice, dill, basil, parsley or sprig of thyme

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package

2. Saute veggies and garlic until softened, season with S&P

3. Toss veggies and noodles into big soup pan and add broth. Season with additional thyme, bay leaves and S&P (some lemon juice, dill or basil are some other optional ingredients). Simmer for about an hour to allow the flavors to mature.

4. Remove bay leaves and pour into soup bowls and garnish with parsley or a sprig of thyme.

In other news….

I have an exciting announcement! I am starting another blog! I started to notice myself including things like DIY’s, home decor and other topics unrelated to health and cooking and decided that I should keep them separate. So, hopefully starting in December I will unveil, Little Miss 312! It will be a culmination of fashion, lifestyle, home decor, DIY’s, fitness, and events in and around Chicago.

I’m heading to Minnesota this coming week so hopefully I’ll stock up on some great recipes to share with you!

 

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Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

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Well if you haven’t caught on yet, I like soup. A lot. A great homemade soup is so awesome on a chilly day. And there are always leftovers which last several days, perfect to pack and bring to work. This was also very easy to make, a must here on Dishin’ About Nutrition :)

Cauliflower & Smoked Cheddar Soup – Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 4 cups chopped cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)
  • 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk, divided (I used almond milk)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, 2 cups milk, water, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is soft, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl. When the cauliflower is soft, remove the bay leaf and stir in the milk mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the soup has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese and lemon juice.

And the random photo of the day….

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Zucchini Fries with Romasco Sauce

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I rarely share much about my personal life on this blog because well, I either A) am not doing much other than cooking (which you see) or working (which is boring). Or B) I forget to take pictures – and let’s be honest, pictures make reading the content worth while, am I right? In the event I actually do remember to take pictures, I will inevitably find something wrong with them (i.e fat arm, double chin, eyes closed – you get the idea) and delete them immediately. However, I do have a few pics to speak of from last weekend. My best friend Cathy from high school came to visit with her boyfriend Brian and I was SO excited to show her Chicago since she had never been here before. I took work off and we walked around – no joke – the ENTIRE city ALL day. Of course I only have a few pics so here you have it…

If you come to Chicago, you gotta check out the new(ish) Marilyn Monroe statue. We also walked down Michigan Ave, went to “the bean” in millennium park, Buckingham fountain and navy pier but those are on her camera, lo siento. Corey and I fixed dinner at our place Friday night and went to our favorite pizza joint, Piece, for dinner Sunday night (they were at her cousins wedding on Saturday – in case you were wondering :P )

Presh :)

When I got home from work on Monday I had a gift waiting for me on the counter! As luck would have it, she saw how much I enjoy cooking nowadays and picked me up these fabulous spices at a local spice shop aptly called The Spice House (which I am dying to go to now!). And a fabulous bottle of wine, which I may or may not be enjoying right now ;)

Anywho, upon a few requests and by popular demand on other blogs I have decided – or rather – will do my best to share more of my personal life with you on here. For now I will share a fun appetizer recipe with you that we made for Cathy and Brian during their visit.

Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:

  • 3 small zucchini
  • ¼ cup Grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 3 eggs for dipping
  • Spices – your choice of paprika, salt, pepper, red pepper flake, garlic powder, oregano, basil, etc. or all of the above!

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Trim, wash and cut off the ends of the zucchini. Cut into long sticks even in length, about 1/4 inch thickness.

3. Combine herbs, cheese and Panko in a small bowl and set aside. Place eggs in a pie plate.

4. Use tongs (or your hands if you don’t mind getting a lil’ dirty) and dip zucchini first into the egg mixture, coating it completely, then into the panko mixture. Lay on baking sheet, sprinkle remaining Panko mixture on top to coat the zucchini.

5. Bake until golden brown, turning halfway through (not mandatory but highly recommended).  Serve with Italian marinara sauce or Romesco sauce below.

Romesco Sauce

  • 2 green ancho chilis
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4 pieces of jarred roasted red pepper
  • 1 cup of almonds
  • 1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 Tbls red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp sugar (I used NuNaturals stevia)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbsp broth (or olive oil)

Directions:

1. Blend ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and pour into bowl.

(P.S I made a few without panco crumbs because Corey doesn’t like them…so dramatic….)

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