Green soup: Revisited

Old blog friends from way back when I was "Mom's Diner" may remember that I made this "green soup" waaaay back in February 2010. It was good, but I wasn't eating gluten-free, vegan, or anti-inflammatory then. Today I bring you

Green Soup: Revisited

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c green lentils, soaked overnight (or as long as possible)
• 1/8 c barley (your preference of style)
• salt & spices to taste
• 2 c. chopped kale
• 1 sm zucchini sliced into rounds and quartered
• 1 c fresh or frozen peas
• 1 c (4-6 "heads") Brussels sprouts
• 1 T chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin and sauteed to brown (yummmmmm)
• water

Directions:

1. Rinse lentils and put in small pot (i used my rice pot!) with enough water to cover by triple.
2. Cook at a hard simmer/low boil for 30 minutes, then add rinsed barley and spices.
3. Cook an additional 10 minutes until barley begins to cook, adding water as needed to maintain "soup" consistency.
4. Add remaining veggies EXCEPT ONIONS, and continue to simmer until all is tender.
5. Spoon out and top with some of the sauteed onions..

OMG SOOOO GOOD!!!

Vegan Leek and Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large leeks (white part plus 1/3 of the green, diced)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried green lentils (picked over)
• ¼ cup barley
• 7 cups vegetable stock
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) tomatoes, chopped not using because they aren't on my anti-inflammatory diet
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. fine chopped herbs
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Sauté leeks, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes in large stock pot.
2. 
   
3. Wash and drain lentils. Add lentils, barley and vegetable stock to soup pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45m-1 hr or until lentils and barley are cooked.
4. 
   
5. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, bay leaf, herbs, salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.
6. 
   
7. Add parsley and simmer another 5 minutes. Add parsley and simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings

Three Pepper Black Bean Quinoa

So I've been trying to decide how to cook the quinoa I bought almost 2 weeks ago and while browsing the frozen veggies I found a "Three Pepper & Onion Blend" by Pictsweet. SCORE! So I came home and made this.  DH and I love dit, The kids picked the peppers out.. eh, can't please everyone!

The big things to remember are:

1. Quinoa is cooked at a 1:2 ratio (Quinoa : Liquid)
2. Quinoa, like rice, will taste like what you cook it in. Choose wisely!
3. Quinoa has a natural insect-repellent it produces called saponin. Though quinoa is washed before going to market, this powdery like substance will remain on the seeds. (Yes, quinioa is a seed.) TO remove it just rinse quinoa until the water runs mostly clear.

Three Pepper Black Bean Quinoa Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetable broth (I made my own here!)
• 1 cup quinoa
• salt to taste (taste the broth... that is essentially what your quinoa will taste like!)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 bag Pictsweet Three Pepper Onion Blend . (If you can't find it, use 1/2 each of a small onion, red, yellow, and green bellpeppers... I'm all for convenience till the Farmer's Market opens!!)
• 1 tsp minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
• 12 oz canned (or homemade) black beans rinsed & drained.

Directions:

1. First RINSE! RINSE!! RINSE!!! Drain in a fine mesh strainer and "bounce" until most of the water seems removed.
2. (OPTIONAL) Dry roast it in a DRY, non-stick skillet STIRRING CONSTANTLY over medium heat until seeds are dry and begin to "pop". (5-6 minutes) This will give it a subtle nutty flavor.
3. Put quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over low heat. When boiling, cover, reduce to simmer, and cook 15-20 minutes - until all liquid is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, in the non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat and saute the pepper blend and garlic until they begin to lightly brown, then remove from heat.
5. When quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes then fluff with fork.
6. Gently stir pepper blend and beans into quinoa, then recover while you finish up the rest of your meal. this will heat the beans enough. (If your beans were fresh cooked and refrigerated, toss them when you let it sit for 5 minutes)
7. Serve! YUM!!

Seven bean & barley soup

OK so I got about a pound of Whole Food's bulk 7 bean & barley mix. I rinsed the mix really good & drained it. Then I sauteed 1 cup chopped onions & 1 tsp garlic.. Then I tossed it in the Crockpot on low over night with:

• 2 cups chicken stock (ok. not EXACTLY on the diet, but better than consuming a pound of meat that hurts to digest...)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp of regular Mrs. Dash

At about noon today I steamed:

• a few handfuls of kale (stems off and leaves broken into small pieces) and 
• 1 cup of chopped broccoli

Then I threw that in and turned it up to high for 4 hours.

Final result: An amazing soup that even George liked (though he said it needed meat... damned carnivore husband!), Kaelyn asked for seconds, and I froze half so I wouldn't eat it all tonight LOL!

Healthy eating can be yummy!! I PROMISE!!!!

 

Anti-inflammatory Diet Recipes: Veggie, Barley, & Legume Soup

Veggie, Barley & Legume Soup

Getting brave here....And can anyone think of a shorter name??? LOL!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 c. frozen seasoning blend
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1 small yellow squash, diced
• 1 small zuccini, diced
• 1 c. broccoli florets
• 1 c. fresh green beans, cut into 1" pieces
• 6-8 c. water or vegetable broth
• 1/3 c. pearled barley, uncooked
• 1/4 c. fresh dry lentils
• 1 can beans OR 1 c. dry beans, pre-soaked if dry
• 1/3 cup tomato paste, sauce, or crushed tomatoes
• salt & pepper to taste (I used Mrs. Dash instead of pepper.)
• 1/8 tsp celery seed (optional)
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• (optional) 2 large handfuls of kale, ribs removed, chopped spoon-sized. ADDED LAST.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
2. Saute seasoning blend and parsnips until onions beginto color & soften.
3. Add squash and continue to saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add broccoli, green beans, liquid, barley, lentils, beans, tomato product, and spices.
5. Cover, reduce heat to medium low.
6. Simmer for about an hour or until all grains & legumes are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Add Kale about 30 minutes into your simmer.
8. Simmer until all ingrediients are tender.

Confetti Pasta Salad

My kids loved the corn chowder. I got sooo many veggies in them because I called it Confetti soup! SO today CONFETTI PASTA SALAD! As I type this they are scarfing it down!

Make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken.... if its for a hard core "no dairy" vegetarian... I dunno what to do LOL!

• 1 lb tri-color (garden) pasta
• 1/2 c seasoning blend
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 1 small cucumber seeded and diced small
• 8 oz fat free plain yogurt
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/4 c Italian dressing
• 1 can chicken breast (12 0z) drained
• Fresh and/or dried herbs and seasonings to taste
• 1 cup cheese blend

Add-ins if you have/want it (we used all of this!):

• 1 sm. zucchini, quartered and sliced thin (steam with veggies)
• Grape/cherry tomatoes sliced in half (do not cook)
• 4-5 small radishes grated
• Raw shredded carrots for crunch

Preparation:

1. Cook noodles, drain, and cool
2. Saute seasoning blend and cool
3. Steam mixed veggies and zucchini together and cool.
4. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix gently.
   

I'd say it was about.. $5?? Give or take a little, I had a lot of stuff hanging about ijn the freezer & pantry... and there is a bowl full left. I'll probably use it for a side tomorrow.

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This week's Meal Plan

Mom's Diner Corn Chowder

After tons of searching I couldn't find one chowder recipe I liked so I got a list of some basic ingredients and created my own. It was absolutely amazing and looked like a bowl of confetti!

Corn chowder is a dish you can make vegitarian if you wish, see alternate instructions below if you prefer a vegetarian meal.

feel free to put little hands to work stirring, grating, and pouring on this one. Both of mu girls (11 & 3) helped with this one which made eating it that much more rewarding for all of us!

Be sure to teach any children you'll have in the kitchen what they need to know about safety before asking them to help.

• 1/2 lb bacon chopped small
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup seasoning blend
• 2 medium coarse shredded carrots
• 3-4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 c 2% milk
• 2 c chicken stock
• 2lb bag frozen corn kernels
• 3 medium shredded potatoes
• 1/2 t dry parsley or 2T fresh chopped
• salt, pepper, Tony's to taste
• 1 T cornstarch + 1 T water (slurry)

Directions:

1. Render down the bacon until crispy and set aside on napkins to drain.
2. Remove bacon drippings from pan, reserving 1 T of the "grease".
3. Add butter, seasoning blend, and carrots, sauteing until vegetables are tender 5-7 minutes.
4. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaves, milk, and stock.
5. Watching carefully, bring just to a boil then turn heat down low enough to maintain a slow simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add potatoes, parsley, and seasonings.
7. Stir in slurry and allow to simmer another 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
8. If too thick you can add water, too thin add another slurry repeating 5 minute simmer if you do so.
9. Add corn and crisped bacon then simmer another 10 minutes.
10. Serves well with garlic bread, croutons, or crackers.

For a vegitarian version skip the bacon, use 1T butter in place of the bacon renderings, and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

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This week's Meal Plan

Halie's Broccoli Soup

This meal is more prep than cooking.

As a matter of fact you NEVER want this to come up more than a very light simmer. A boil runs the risk of separating your dairy products into a gritty mess. I cool it on medium at the beginning and on the lowest setting after adding the veggies.

I use a process I call "micro-steam" for my veggies. After chopping/dicing/etc I put them in a bowl (separately) with a few tablespoons of water and seal tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave 5-7 minutes until tender, sometimes potatoes take a little longer. The important part is that you will not be boiling the soup, so the vegetables must be cooked before adding.

You'll notice that every thing is finely chopped, diced, and processed... that is because that is the way Halie likes it :)

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/2 c seasoning blend, ran through food processor
• 1 1/2 c half & half
• 4-6 cups 2% milk (depending on thick you want it)
  
• 24 oz broccoli florets thawed & finely chopped
• 2-3 cups potatoes diced small
• 2 cups shredded cheese (whatever you like)
• Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, Tony's
  

Directions:

1. Create a light blond roux with the oil and flour.
2. Warm the cream & milk slightly then add to the roux to create your sauce base.
3. Saute seasoning blend in a small pot if you prefer, or add to broccoli in next step.
4. Micro-steam the broccoli until tender, leave water if only a tablespoon or so, and add to pot.
5. Separately micro-steam the potatoes until tender, drain any water, and add to the pot.
6. Season to taste.
   
7. Allow this to set over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour on your lowest setting so the flavors will blend.
8. If it is too thick, add a bit of water (1/4 c at a time)
9. Add cheese and stir gently until melted, this will thicken the sauce again.
10. Check again for seasonings, add if needed.
    
11. Allow to set another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure cheese is melted in and blended well.
12. Serve with grilled chicken, alongside crackers, or bacon sprinkled over the top.

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