carrots

Warming Winter Vegetable Soup

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It’s been more than a while since my last post. There were many times when I prepared some food, took some pictures and wanted to write, but different seasons brought different prioritites and, well, just plain life happened.  But a constant has been my passion for yummy, whole and healthy foods and the art of preparing it.  Yes, art. No, I’m not a chef that prepares lovely food delicately plated to impress, but rather I love simple, earthy real food and it’s a creative outlet for me.

Over the years I have developed a list of well-being practices. I try and do at least one thing from my list each day to cultivate wholeness and self care.  Some days I’m lucky if I check one off the list and other days I’m able to fit in several.  One of the items on my list is cooking, chopping and shopping for ingredients.  It’s soul care, it brings me joy and life and I consider it a spiritual practice.  So on a busy day when I’m at home making up a quick meal, I try and stay present and enjoy the process.

This particular soup I made on a very snowy afternoon and chopping the vegetables and pulling out the dried herbs reminds me of the life that will come in the spring, but also grounds me in the present warmth and slowness of winter.  This is my favorite soup to make because it’s so versatile and you can literally make it your own and use what you have on hand.  I make it different every time.  It also freezes well and I eat this for lunch often.

Ingredients

olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes

5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

dried Italian herbs to taste

3-4 carrots, chopped

parmesan cheese rind (optional) or use 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

misc vegetables- I like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, peas

1 can of beans if desired

pinch of hot pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Sauté the onion and garlic (along with salt and pepper) in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Add dried herbs to release the flavor.  Add the tomatoes, stock, carrots and parmesan cheese rind (or grated parmesan cheese) if using and simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours (or until carrots are tender).   Remove the cheese rind. Add other vegetables and beans if using and simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Add red pepper flakes or drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to serve.

Massaged Kale Salad

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It’s Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer.  I LOVE summer for so many reasons, but for me it can be a time of indulgence.  Vacation and summer is synonymous with seasonal favorites and tasting the local cuisine when traveling.  From the ice cream at the beach to the fresh blueberry pie in Maine, I had my share of indulgence this summer. The summer “vacation” mentality along with the fact that I am training for a marathon and logging a lot of hours running per week (which makes me very hungry) has not helped with the overindulgence!  I don’t believe in total deprivation. I believe there is a season for enjoying these treats and giving yourself grace when you’ve had more than you intended 🙂 But there is also a season for being more strict and taking in real, healthy foods and saying no to the sugar and treats that can weigh you down.  Now that school is back and September is here, it’s time to get back to clean eating.  I feel so much better when I eat real food and little to no sugar and wheat. I feel more energized and focused.  With my marathon only 6 short weeks away, I need to be more strict about how I am fueling my body.  I made this salad to have for lunches this week and have planned out a couple of dinners and snacks for the week so I can stay on track.

I love this salad because it is so versatile and easy!  It will take you minutes to whip up.  Use the ingredients listed or use what you have on hand and make it your own.  Add some chickpeas, chicken or avocado to make it more substantial.   The key to making a kale salad delicious is to massage the kale with olive oil. Don’t skip this step, it makes it so much better!

Ingredients:

4 cups of kale, ribs removed and chopped and massaged with olive oil

olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 carrot, shredded

drizzle of honey

dried cranberries

raw pumpkin seeds, toasted

 

Toast the raw pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant and slightly browned (watch is carefully, they can burn very quickly).

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Rip the kale from ribs, chop and place in a bowl.  Drizzle the kale with olive oil and massage and “knead” the kale with the olive oil for a few minutes.  This gives a less chewy texture and less harsh and bitter taste to the kale.  Massaging the kale makes a huge difference!  Add the lemon juice, a drizzle of honey, the grated carrot, toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries and mix to incorporate.  This is a great side salad or lunch and it keeps in the refrigerator for days.  Add more olive oil, honey and lemon juice as needed after refrigerated.

 

 

Cabbage, Apple, Walnut and Carrot Salad

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I am absolutely in my glory with all of the wonderful, local produce in season. We don’t have the need to go to the grocery store as much this time of year, which I love.  We have found other sources or our produce, eggs, cheese, meat, etc.  Our CSA, garden and farmers markets provide most of what we need.   This is a very simple salad that is a go to for lunches and or a quick snack.  This is another adaptation from the book, The Family Cooks by Laurie David.  The cookbook has a wonderful apple, walnut and carrot salad and I added the cabbage. Sometimes I add kale or goat cheese.  We got some cabbage in our CSA and it is so plentiful and cheap this time of year.  I used Savoy cabbage, which is more tender and less “rubbery” than green cabbage.  It is has a milder, sweeter taste as well.

cabbage saladIngredients:

Walnuts, roughly chopped

Carrots, grated (if you buy organic, no need to peel)

Apples, peeled and chopped

Savoy Cabbage, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

To make things really easy, I just use equal parts of the walnuts, carrots, apples, cabbage and then add the lemon juice and salt.  If you have time, toast the walnuts the oven (350 degrees for 7-10 min) or in a skillet.  I just used raw walnuts here, and like the taste that way.  This salad will last for several days refrigerated.  Place in jars for a great lunch on the go! Enjoy!