Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

I love the autumn! The air is crisp, my lawn is covered with crunchy leaves, and sweaters are on.  This season is the best, and it has me totally craving soups!  I love how they warm you up, and as a busy mom… I love that they are a one pot dinner.   This Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup is a fun twist on good old fashioned tomato soup.  It takes a little planning since you have to roast the veggies for an hour, but otherwise the soup comes together ultra fast.  I served it up with homemade sourdough bread my neighbor dropped by, and we ate the leftovers the next day with grilled cheese sandwiches.  Hope you enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Author: Mindy

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves


• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped


• 2 pounds tomatoes, quartered (can substitute 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes)


• 2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1/2 cup chicken broth


• 1/2 cup coconut milk (can substitute regular milk or cream)


• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt


• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


• 1/8 teaspoon paprika


• Optional: garnish with foccacia croutons (I get mine at Costco)

Instructions

1. Place garlic, onion, tomatoes, and red peppers on a cookie sheet and cover with olive oil.


2. Roast at 375 degrees for 1 hour.


3. Remove from oven, and allow to cool.


4. Transfer roasted vegetables to blender and blend until smooth.


5. Add blended vegetables, broth, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika to medium saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes to enhance flavors.


6. Garnish with foccacia croutons and serve.

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Quinoa and Vegetable Stir Fry

 

As you know, I am currently on the lookout for quick, easy and delicious GLUTEN free meals my whole family can enjoy! One of my friends sent me the link to the this recipe and it was perfect!!  It came together super fast and was so tasty!  We all loved it.  I served it with some fabulous grilled  teriyaki chicken that I will post soon:)  I was thinking that you could easily add some shrimp, pork or chicken to this stir fry for a one pan dinner!  Next time I will add shrimp--yum!

So are you all ready for summer?!  I can not believe that school is out for us tomorrow!  This year has flown by, but hopefully summer is slow!  I am so excited to have my boys home and have a relaxing schedule for a few months!  I am looking forward to days at the pool!  I have been working on revamping our summer chore chart though.  This one from last year worked very well, but I am thinking about a few changes for this summer.  I want my boys to enjoy their summer, but I also feel it is so important to require some work, you know?!  I really want to raise hardworking boys and I am finding that it takes a lot of effort and planning on my part,  without the farm responsibilities  the older generations had.  Life seems to require less and less work these days and I worry about that a little.  How do you balance work and play during the summer months?  Tell me here, I could use some fresh ideas:)

Quinoa and Vegetable Stir Fry

Author: Melanie

**Brown rice can be substituted for quinoa.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pre-rinsed quinoa


• 2 cups chicken broth (could use vegetable broth)


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil


• 1 cup finely diced carrots


• 1/2 cup minced green onions


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/2 cup frozen peas (thawed)


• 2 eggs, beaten


• Kosher or sea salt to taste


• 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (or Gluten-Free soy sauce, Tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos), more or less to taste

Instructions

1. Add the quinoa and broth, to a medium saucepan and turn to medium-high heat.  Cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate quinoa until cold, approximately two hours. I like to make the quinoa the night before or first thing in the morning.


2. In a large skillet, heat oils to medium-low heat, add carrots and green onions, cover and cook until tender, approximately 8 minutes.   Then add garlic and cook one additional minute.  Add quinoa and peas, cook until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.


3. If using eggs, push quinoa to the sides of the skillet, add eggs and scramble. Stir to combine scrambled eggs with quinoa mixture. Add soy sauce and cook just until heated, about 1 minute.

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Recipe Source: Skinny MS

 

5 Bean Soup (Gluten Free)

My very sweet neighbor Cindy brought this wonderful soup over after Bridger and I got home from Vanderbilt last week. (By the way, it was a success this time around! I posted about it here. We could not be happier to have our little boy's heart fixed! Thank you again for all the prayers and encouraging messages/comments! We have the best readers/ friends in the world) We had just spent a long 3 days in the hospital and been through a nerve wracking 6 hour heart procedure. I was exhausted both physically and emotionally. I came home to several friends and neighbors offering to bring warm meals. What a blessing! There is something so comforting and wonderful about a warm meal that you didn't have to make yourself. It is nourishing for the body and the soul, I tell you! I am very blessed with kind people in my life. Anyway Cindy told me that this soup is not only GLUTEN FREE (good news for my Celiac boys) but that it is also very tasty and that even her children LOVE it! She was right, my boys loved it too, even with all those beans:) She had included the recipe, which I know I will making again and again in the future! I love healthy recipes that come together quick and taste like you slaved at the stove for hours! Thank you Cindy! She told me this is family favorite. She got the recipe from her Aunt who cut it out of a Good Housekeeping magazine in the 70s! An oldie, but a goodie, for sure!

5 Bean Soup (Gluten Free)

Author: Melanie

Ingredients

• 2 TB oil


• 2 medium onions, chopped fine


• 1 garlic clove, pressed into onion


• 1 can kidney beans


• 1 can pinto beans


• 1 can lima beans, well drained


• 1 can garbanzo beans, well drained


• 1 can white northern beans


• 28oz can petite diced tomatoes


• 1 c chunky salsa


• 1 tsp each basil and oregano


• 1 c grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Sauté onion in oil until tender.


2. Add other ingredients and simmer 30+ minutes.


3. Add water for desired consistency (beans will thicken)


4. Just before serving stir in cheese until melted.


5. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos on top and more grated cheese, if desired. Freezes well.

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Posted with Blogsy

Greek Quinoa with Avocados

This is such a great quinoa salad.  It is packed with nutrient rich ingredients and full of flavor.  Perfect for the sunny spring days we've been having this week!  You could even add some diced or shredded chicken and make a meal out of it.  Either way you'll love it!

Greek Quinoa with Avocados
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 small avocados (or 1 large avocado), pitted, peeled, and sliced (or diced)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, tomatoes, spinach, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Mix with quinoa. Place on plates with avocado slices and quinoa (or just dice the avocado and sprinkle it over the top). Sprinkle with feta. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe Source: Fitness Magazine May 2009

Pumpkin Lasagna

Now this is one pumpkin recipe you have never tried! Talk about unique! My friend Aubrey Petersen shared it with me. She is always finding the coolest recipes that I have never heard of, I love it!  Don't be tricked into thinking this has a similar taste as lasagna though.  Traditional lasagna is spicy, cheesy, and has a lot of robust flavors.  This pumpkin lasagna is very rich and creamy with mellow pumpkin and sage flavors.  It's really wonderful and different. Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Lasagna
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 pounds Swiss chard, tough stems removed, leaves washed well and chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 cups canned pumpkin puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
1/2 cup milk
9 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high and add the chard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until the chard is wilted and no liquid remains in the pan, 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups of the pumpkin, 3/4 cup cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

Pour the milk into an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Top the milk with one third of the noodles, then spread half the pumpkin mixture over the noodles. Layer half the Swiss chard over the pumpkin and top with a second layer of noodles. Repeat with another layer of pumpkin, Swiss chard, and noodles. Combine the remaining 1 cup of pumpkin and 3/4 cup of cream. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the lasagna, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan, and dot with the butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Cilantro, Lime, Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad

We've been eating this salad almost constantly lately in an effort to use up all those yummy garden tomatoes.  We seriously love it.    This salad is simple, healthy, and oh-so-good.  And best of all, it comes together fast! My dad and husband crack me up telling me over and over again that it is one of their favorite dips.  I keep reminding them that it is a salad, but they kind of won me over when they talked me into "garnishing" my salad with tortilla chips.  Turns out, this salad can stand on its own two feet as a dip, as well.  And honestly, I'll let my husband call veggies anything he wants as long as he eats them, right?

( I would probably chop all the ingredients a little smaller if I were serving it as a dip).

Cilantro, Lime, Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups of grape tomatoes cut in halves
1 ripe avocado, chopped
2 cups of corn (fresh off the cob is best)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime (~3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper

Combine the tomato halves, chopped avocado, corn, and chopped cilantro in a bowl.  Set aside.  Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Drizzle over salad, then gently mix (to avoid mashing the avocados) until well coated.   Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes prior to serving to allow the flavors to mingle.

Lemon Pasta

Since I am a big fan of lemon, I absolutely love this dish.  It is perfect for a light and quick summer dinner and equally great as a side to  chicken or fish.  The lemon is so bright and refreshing with the pasta.  I love how this recipe is so simple and easy to adjust to your taste and needs.  In the above picture I used whole wheat pasta, which has a stronger flavor and texture than regular pasta, so I used a little more lemon juice. To be honest I prefer regular pasta, but alas, the wholegrain variety is so much healthier that I usualy opt for it.  Sometimes I use basil, but other times parsley,or I leave out the greens altogether depending on what I have and my mood:)  I have even added a chopped garden tomato, and grilled vegetables before with great results.  This is such a versatile dish, it can be prepared for a fancy dinner party or  in a pinch when you want a tasty meal in minutes.  It is a year round favorite of mine!  Hope you enjoy.

Have your children gone back to school yet?  Mine have and today was monumental, by youngest started kindergarten!  The first time n 15 years I have not had little people home with me most of the day.  Since, I may just have some free time this year,  I have a little request to make of you, our sweet readers...if you have a recipe that you think is awesome,  send it my way at melandboys@gmail.com.  I love to try new recipes and that should keep me busy and my mind off missing my little guy:)   I will be sure to credit you if posted!  THANK YOU and have a happy week!

Lemon Pasta
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

 2/3  cup olive oil

2/3  cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2  cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

3/4  teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 pound spaghetti (or other pasta of your choice)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

Optional additions:
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup pinenuts

In a large bowl, whisk the oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and ¾ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper to blend. Set the lemon sauce aside. (The sauce can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the spaghetti to the lemon sauce, and toss with the basil, lemon zest and pinenuts (if using). Toss the pasta with enough reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Panzanella Caprise

The classic Panzanella salad was created by Italians to use up leftover bread, but I think it is so good, that I actually buy bread just  to make it:)  I tried this combination of the classic panzanella and the Insalata Caprise salads (a favorite of mine--recipe here) last week and it was fantastic! The crunchy-on-the-outside-and-chewy-in-the-middle homemade croutons that perfectly soak up the tasty vinaigrette,  the garden vegetables, and fresh mozzarella came together for the perfect summer dinner! Obviously, this salad is very flexible.  Throw in whatever vegetables you like.  Sweet pepper would be wonderful. You can swap out the fresh mozzarella for Parmesan or whatever cheese you love.  Also--you could try different vinegars in the dressing to change the flavor a bit.  For fun twist next time, I think I will add some crisp  bacon for a Panzanella BLT salad!  My boys would love that!

I can not believe that our summer is coming to an end.  My boys (all 5) start school next week!!  I am a little sad, but we have had a great summer, so I can't complain.  I finally posted all about our trip to Boston, and Palmayra New York on Melandboys here and here. Have you been to those places?   It was a fantastic trip.  How has your summer been?  Has it gone by too fast or not fast enough?

Well, I have to admit that I am not wanting to say goodbye to the slow and easy days of summer!  At least we have all the wonderful garden bounty to enjoy for awhile:)  This dish is definitely summer in a bowl, don't you think?!  Hope you enjoy!

Panzanella Caprese
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 6 cups)
3 TB olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 small ball of fresh mozzarella, cubed
15 large Basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Vinaigrette
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 TB White Balsamic vinegar (you could use regular--it will just darken the dressing)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan.  Add the bread and salt;  cook over low to medium heat tossing frequently, for 10-15 minutes or until nicely browned.  Add more oil if needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mozzarella, and basil.  Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about a half an hour for the flavors to blend.

**A few recipe notes--My basil plant died this year--so I used that fresh chopped basil in a tube.  Have you ever seen that over in the produce section by the fresh herbs?  I love it and keep a tube in my fridge all year long.  It is a great find.  It tastes great, but isn't as pretty as freshly chopped leaves.  Also, I was out of purple onion so I used a sweet white one.

Recipe Source:  Adapted a Barefoot Contessa recipe

Quinoa, Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

 I realize that it is not exactly corn on the cob season, but I made this salad when it was and then forgot to share it with you.  (oops)  I came across the picture and remembered how amazingly delicious it was! If you want to make it now,  I have noticed in the freezer section you can still buy corn on the cob.  Also, I used a grill pan to cook the corn indoors, which would be perfect for this time of year!  Another option is just leaving the corn out.  There were still lots of other ingredients to make a great salad without it.  I love that quinoa is so high in protein.  It makes it a great replacement for meat in a meal.  This salad makes the perfect lunch or dinner!  Yum!  I would suggest drizzling the vinaigrette on the amount you are eating and not storing it that way.  It is better to dress it right before eating, in my opinion.  The original recipe did not have quinoa in it, and I loved it.  So you could always try it both ways!  Hope you enjoy. :)

Quinoa Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
Submitted by Melanie~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups of cooked Quinoa (rinsed and cooked according to package directions)
5 ears of corn, husk removed, brush with olive oil and grilled, remove corn with sharp knife
2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning
2 cups tomatoes, red and yellow cherry variety or equivalent
1 small red onion, finely diced
¾ cups feta cheese, crumbled
1 ½ cups english cucumber, skin on and chopped small dice
2 TB of chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Add to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro Vinaigrette

6 T. Olive oil
2 T. Sherry vinegar
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 T. Fresh cilantro, minced
½ tsp. Salt
10 Grinds of fresh ground pepper

Add all of the above ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Shake really well. Taste and adjust seasoning as you desire.

When ready to serve salad, add the dressing and gently toss.

Recipe Source: adapted from authenticsuburbangourmet.blogspot.com

Rustic Cabbage Soup

Hello my friends! Guess what?  I am blogging from beautiful Hawaii today!  The trip started out a little rough with delayed flights, luggage that did not make it and a lost wallet, but things are looking up now and I am just so happy to be here!   Although it is sunny and warm here, I know back home we are quickly entering into soup weather, which I LOVE!  I made this rustic cabbage soup on a cold and blustery day last week and it was WONDERFUL!  I am usually not a big fan of cabbage but this recipe has won me over to the vegetable!  The soup was fantastic --warm, nourishing, healthy and delicious.  And it came together quickly whicih is always a big plus in my book!  I am sure this will be a regular on our menu this winter!  I am always looking for interesting and tasty ways to serve vegetables to my family and this recipe was a winner!  Thank you to Miss Hiedi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks!

Also, I have a goal to post something I am grateful for everyday this month on Melandboys!  It has been so fun to "live in Thanksgiving daily"  Do you want to join me?  Come on give it a try, you don't have to have a blog, just write it down somewhere every day--- it will be fun:)  Being grateful simply feels good!

Rustic Cabbage Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil


• a big pinch of salt


• 1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces


• 4 cloves garlic, chopped


• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced


• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock


• 1 1/2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)


• 1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons


• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.


2. Stir in the salt and potatoes.


3. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes -  uncover to stir a couple times.


4. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two.


5. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer.


6. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage softens up .


7. Now adjust the seasoning - getting the seasoning right is important or your soup will taste flat and uninteresting.


8. Taste and add more salt if needed, the amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your stock is (varying widely between brands, homemade, etc)...


9. Serve drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous dusting of cheese.

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Recipe Source: 101 Cookbooks

Authentic Italian Red Sauce

 

This recipe is from my dear friend Karen, who comes from a big Italian family with fantastic recipes.  Another one of their recipes is 'Mama Filoso's Chicken Rice Soup'.  Anyway, Karen gave this recipe to me a long time ago, but unfortunately it got lost in my big recipe binder and I never made it until last weekend.  WOW it was INCREDIBLE--the best marinara sauce I have ever made.  This comes together quick and tastes amazing!  This is very similar to the  5 Minute Marinara Sauce  recipe, but I think better!

According to Karen, this sauce is good on everything from sauteed vegetables like zucchini, or thinly sliced cabbage to any pasta. I am thinking it would be good as a pizza base or to dip your Stromboli  or Calzone into.  I even thinned the leftover sauce with chicken broth( a little cream would have been good too:) for a quick tomato soup to dip grilled cheese into for lunch.  It was great--let me tell you-YUM!

Thank you Karen for another great recipe!

Authentic Italian Red Sauce
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

3-4 TBsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4-8 fresh garlic cloves (Karen says she uses 8 or more- I used 6)

1 (29oz) can of tomatoes (for a milder sauce add more)

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup fresh basil, or as much as you like (I left this out because I didn't have any)

1 tsp Better than Bouillon, beef flavor, or 1 bouillon cube

Mild cayenne pepper (optional)

Blend up tomatoes until fairly smooth.  Put olive oil in the pan with the minced garlic, just until the garlic starts to really sizzle.  Do not over cook the garlic.  Add tomatoes to the garlic and oil  and bring to a simmer.  Add tomato paste, bouillon, fresh basil, and cayenne.  Bring to a simmer.  Let cook a minute or two.  This does not need a long time to cook.  It will actually lose it's pungent flavor if you do.

ENJOY!!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad and a Winner!

The hot humid days of a Southern summer are here.  The furnace type weather and the fact that we spend all of our time at the pool for swim team combine and man I DO not feel like cooking at the end of the day!  Salads have become a favorite for dinner.  I have had fun experimenting with different flavors and ingredients.  This Mediterranean dish was a hit!  With the chickpeas (garbanzo beans) adding some protein and making the salad more substantial, you could serve it as the main dish.  Or if you are not a bean fan--leave them  out and serve with some grilled chicken or fish.  This really hit the spot for me!  I even loved it the next day for lunch-- the flavors seemed to come out even more!

Enjoy!

Winner of the Rhodes Cookbook: Lisa in Fort Worth

Mediterranean Orzo Salad
submitted by Melanie ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 1/2 cup orzo
1 (16 oz) can Chickpeas, drained
1 (6oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup scallions,  minced
1/4-1/2 cup fet cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Salad greens for serving

Dressing
1 large clove garlic
2 TB white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

While orzo is cooking, mince the garlic in a food processor or blender.  Add the vinegar, mustard, marjoram, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Process until well blended.  Set the dressing aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo, the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, parsley, feta cheese and scallions.  Pour the dressing over the salad, and gently toss to combine.

To serve, line a shallow baol or individual plates with salad greens.  Spoon the orzo salad onto the greens, and serve topped with the pine nuts.

Recipe Source:  adapted from Quick Fix Vegetarian by Robin Robertson

Mango Quinoa Salad

*Sigh*  I love summer.  We had a barbecue last night with fresh watermelon, marinated chicken, roasted cabbage, and this fabulous Mango Quinoa Salad.  Everything just tasted like summer.  It is so much easier to eat healthy when tons of fruits and veggies are available and in season, don't you think?  I am such a fan of quinoa, too.  Did you know quinoa is a plant source for complete protein? That means that it has all the amino acids in the correct proportions to support human life.  I don't know of any other plant sources of complete protein, do you? Well, back to the salad... it is pretty darn good with flavorful mangos, crisp sweet red pepper, a little green onion, and my favorite herb, Cilantro!  This salad definitely stands on its own two legs, but I think it would be awesome over chicken or even with some multigrain chips!

Mango Quinoa Salad
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups prepared quinoa (This is 1/2 cup dry.  I like it better cooked in chicken broth)
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (I use 2T, but I really like lime!)
salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.  Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.  In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.

 

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

 

 

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa

I love love love this quinoa dish.  It is healthy, easy, on the hearty side, and just so tasty that I almost couldn't stop eating it.  And I usually don't have an issue with overeating the side dish. :)  In fact, I usually don't crave side dishes either, but after I made this recipe the first time I immediately started craving it again.  So I made it twice in one week and even brought some to a friend who had broken her arm - poor thing!  The original recipe called for two cans of black beans, but I think I like it better with just one.  I didn't have sweet white corn the second time I made this, so I used regular corn from my freezer. I thought it was just as good.

FYI: My husband is a huge rice fan.  When I realized that he was a quinoa fan, too, I couldn't help comparing the nutritional facts between the two.  It was interesting.  I'll let you see for yourself, but I just want to add one more thing... rice doubles in bulk when it cooks, but quinoa quadruples!  So 1 cup of dry rice makes 2 cups cooked rice, and 1 cup of quinoa makes 4 cups of cooked quinoa... gotta love feeling like you get to eat more! :)

Whole Grain Quinoa (1/4 cup dry):
Calories: 170
Fat: 2.5g
Total Carbohydrates: 30g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Protein 7g
Iron 10%

Long Grain Brown Rice (1/4 cup dry):
Calories: 160
Fat: 1.5g
Total Carbohydrates: 35g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Protein 4g
Iron 4%
Thiamin 10%
Niacin 10%

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth.  Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans.  Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.  Serve warm or chilled - it is delicious both ways!

Recipe Source: www.melskitchencafe.com

Wonderful Split Pea Soup

I know, I know, poor split pea soup has a bad rap. I'll admit it does have an unfortunate color but honestly, it doesn't deserve the rest of the ridicule heaped on it! This one is utterly wonderful (hence the title), to the point that I end up scraping every last bit from the bowl whenever I make it. It is so flavorful and has a very creamy texture. I have been putting off posting this recipe for a loooong time primarily because taking a picture of it proved to be an insurmountable task. I decided that was a ridiculous reason to keep this yummy recipe to myself... so here is my best shot, in all of it's unglory. :) Please don't judge this yummy soup by it's cover... or the pathetic photo! From the window-sill-setting to get the only light here in Seattle, to the minuscule portion! (I had to beat my family off to even save this much for a picture! Seriously!!) All you skeptics and haters out there... I dare you to make this recipe and not like it. I double dare you! :)

Wonderful Split Pea Soup
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots, chopped (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/2 cup green split peas
4 cups chicken broth (homemade recipe here)
1 tsp seasoning blend *see note
salt to taste

In a pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until tender and onion is translucent. Stir in split peas, seasoning, and chicken broth. (I have used 4 cups water and 3 bouillon cubes instead of broth before- tastes great still!) Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 hours. Puree with a blender or food processor. Return to pot and heat through before serving. Makes 3-4 servings.
**note: The seasoning blend I have always used is: Western Sizzle Wild River Trout Seasoning. It is not salt-free and has all kinds of spices including orange and lemon peel. I bet your favorite seasoning blend would be good though - even seasoned salt.

Breakfast Burrito--vegetarian and oh so good!

Oh this was seriously so mouthwatering D E L I C I O U S that I could not wait to share it with you! I loved it so much that I actually made it twice last weekend. My little boys spent lots of time sitting at the bar "helping" me create these gems. In fact my 3 year old who loves to see what is going on in the kitchen at all times, has a problem with not paying attention and he somehow manages to fall off the stools daily--more than once this weekend--ouch! I think I need some of these adjustable bar stools that can sandwich his little legs snugly against the counter top so that he can't possibly flop to the floor no matter how animated his antics are. Luckily there were only a few tears and no real damage done--but we sure did enjoy these creations. And by the way--no my little boys did not want all of the veggies pictured in their burritos. Their burritos were a little plainer, but I LOVED it and hopefully my veggie eating example will rub off! They did have fun helping me whisk and chop everything though!

These were fantastic and I think they would make a wonderful week night meal or Saturday breakfast picnic. Yum!

PS Every Monday I post my Weekly Menu here

Breakfast Burritos
submitted by Melanie inspired by Sprouted Kitchen

1-2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
salt/pepper

4 large whole wheat tortillas (pictures are small ones and the goodness kept falling out--so go for the big size!!)
8 eggs
2-3 Tb milk
salt/pepper/red pepper flakes

grated pepper jack cheese/cheddar cheese
baby spinach leaves
fresh avocado slices

Start out with tossing the tomatoes and onion in olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 oven for 15 minutes. There is something amazing about roasting tomatoes. I think the flavor is wonderful with the caramelized onions.

While these are cooking start you scrambles eggs. Crack all the eggs in a bowl, add your seasoning and milk and whisk until well combined. pour into a saucepan and cook slowly at medium heat. Eggs cooked slowly have a wonderful texture and remember you have time with 15 minutes before your tomatoes are done! When the eggs are almost finished cooking remove from heat and they will finish cooking while you get the tortillas ready.

Heat the tortillas in a fry pan on the stove with a teeny tiny bit of butter, for just a few moments on each side. Then put the warm and toasted tortilla on a plate and put the desired amount of cheese down the middle. Spoon on some of your scrambled eggs, roasted tomatoes and onion, spinach and top with slices of avocado. Fold in the ends and roll up burrito style. Enjoy!!

Winter Vegetable Soup and Popovers

This hearty and unique soup is bursting with flavor. There all kinds of wonderful vegetables inside, including butternut squash, that make it deliciously perfect on a cold winter (or autumn) night. My husband and little 3 year old both love it. (my little guy really likes the "boats" aka popovers!) This is an adapted recipe of Martha Stewart's. Serve with some popovers fresh out of the oven and enjoy!

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

submitted by Brittany at www.thesisterscafe.com

printable recipe here

2 Tb olive oil

1 1/2 onions, chopped

3 celery stalks, cut on bias

3 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 pinches of red pepper flakes

coarse salt and pepper - to taste

7 cups chicken broth

1 small butternut squash (1-1.5 lbs) , peeled and cut into cubes

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes

1/2 head Chinese cabbage OR 2 cups spinach, sliced

1 15oz can garbanzo beans, drained

2 Tb fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried mint

1 tsp dried dill weed

Heat oil in large stock pot over med-high heat. Cook onions, celery, carrots, garlic and 1 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add squash and potatoes; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cabbage/spinach and garbanzo beans and return to boil. Stir in lemon juice and herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Popovers

makes 1 dozen

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

6 large eggs

butter, softened for pans

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together milk, flour and salt. Whisk in eggs. (Mixture will be lumpy.) Heat two 6-cup popover pans* in oven for 5 minutes, then quickly brush with softened butter. Fill each cup a little more than half way with batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes then turn out popovers. Serve warm.

*you can use Texas style muffin pans instead OR use 2 regular muffin pans - which will make 2 dozen then. If you are using regular muffin pans make sure you cut down the bake time by 5-10 minutes.

Spinach Stuffed Shells (freezer meal)

Ok I have another super easy and good freezer meal for you! Remember this post from my sister Erin? Well, she inspired me to get back to freezing meals for my family. I used to do that a lot, but I had fallen out of the habit. I have since been filling up my freezer with a variety of muffins for quick a breakfast, pizza dough rounds all ready for toppings, twice baked potatoes to go with flank steak that I froze in the marinade, cookies for lunches and various other meals. It feels so good to feed my family homemade goodness instead of fast food when we are short on time. Freezer meals are a life saver for me. And this is one of my favorites! Spinach stuffed shells are extremely simple but so tasty! My family loves them, they come together fast and freeze beautifully. What is your favorite freezer meal??

( Don't ask me why I have two different dates on my dishes even though they were made at the same time--oops:)

Spinach Stuffed Shells

submitted by Melanie (recipe from friend Lisa)

Printable recipe here

1 pkg jumbo pasta shells

1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce

1 pkg chopped spinach, thawed

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 lg carton cottage cheese

1 egg white

Thaw spinach and drain well. Cook shells according to package directions (I always slightly undercook them by a minute). Mix in a large bowl;cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach and egg white. stuff mixtre into shells and place in 9x13 baking dish (I usually use 2 smaller sized ones because my family does not eat a whole 9x13 for dinner). I spray the baking dish with cooking spray and pour a little bit of sauce in the bottom. Stuff mixture into shells and place into prepared dish (or dishes). Pour spaghetti sauce over shells. Cover and freeze or you can back it immediatly at 350 for 30-45minutes until heated thru. If you freeze it plan on adding an additional hour to your baking time. I love freezing this meal, but it is also a great recipe to make earlier in the day and keep in the fridge. Then all you have to do it throw it in the oven for dinner.

Spinach Tarragon Quiche

Our mom used to make this for us when we were growing up. I always loved it. It was extra special because she didn't make it that often. I remember requesting this for my birthday dinner when I was younger. It is delicious! Enjoy!

Spinach Tarragon Quiche
submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe
printable recipe

1 unbaked 9 or 10-inch pastry shell

1 small pkg cream cheese, softened (I use 8oz)

1 c. half and half

½ c. soft bread cubes, lightly packed

¼ c. shredded parmesan cheese

2 eggs, slightly beaten

about ¾ to 1 lb fresh spinach, finely chopped

4 Tb butter

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

½ lb mushrooms, finely chopped

½ tsp dried tarragon (I use a scant ½ tsp, but you can add more than ½ tsp if you want)

¾ tsp salt 

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Mash cream cheese with a fork and gradually blend in half and half. Add bread cubes, parmesan cheese, and eggs and beat with a wire whisk to break up the bread pieces. Take three large handfuls of spinach (that's my measurement for 1 lb fresh :) ) out of the bag and chop it up; set aside. (The original recipe she gave me said that it would be ~1 c. cooked.) Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and mushrooms until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the spinach, tarragon, and salt just before the vegetables become soft; leave on heat for a minute (or less) and then remove from heat. Blend the hot vegetables with the cheese mixture and pour into the pastry shell. Bake in a 400° oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden and knife inserted into the filling comes out clean. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Cut and serve.

Amazing Veggie Sandwich

I am not sure if this would be considered a recipe...but I had to share this delicious sandwich. I was trying to decided on a healthy lunch one day for me and a friend when I remembered reading about this little creation on someones blog. It was not a cooking blog, but the writer was so passionate about this lunch she created that she posted a picture and description. So from memory (I must have been hungry when I read about it) I recreated it for myself and my friend Celeste. It was sooo good! I think you should give it a try! So, here is how it goes in order:

Sesame bagel (fresh and soft)-sliced

Hummus (I used jalapeno & cilantro from Publix deli)-spread on both sides of bagel

Feta cheese--sprinkle crumbles on top of hummus

Cucumber slices

Tomato slices

a little salt and pepper, if you want

Purple onion slices

Fresh sprouts

Close it up and enjoy!!

I had this 3 days in a row, until the bagels were gone:)

Thank you so much to whoever came up with this delightful veggie masterpiece and blogging about it! I can't find the actual post, but it made quite an impression on me. If it was you--please let me know and I will give you credit! I loved it!