Easy Minestrone Soup

I like to play a game called, "use-up-what-you-have-before-you-go-shopping-again." Well, I happened to have some cabbage and I felt like soup, so I made minestrone for lunch. Here's my version of minestrone that is easy, healthy and perfect for these cold winter days.

Easy Minestrone Soup

1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 T. olive oil
2 t. minced garlic
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 can bean with bacon soup (or pork and beans)
4 teaspoons chicken base (or 3 cubes chicken boullion)
Italian seasoning
dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

In large stockpot, saute onion and celery in olive oil until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Add carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, canned soup, chicken base and seasonings and 3-4 cups water (can add more as it cooks off). Bring to boil and let simmer at least 20 minutes.

Tofu Oat Burgers

I used to buy frozen veggie burgers to have on hand in case I needed something fast to augment lunch or dinner. These burgers are great because they're fresh, they're inexpensive to make (our dollar store sells tofu!) and they taste really good (in my opinion). Make them and let me know what you think.


Tofu Oat Burgers

1 container firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1/2 cup oats
1 carrot, grated
2 tbsp instant potato flakes (I use regular breadcrumbs)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

Mash together all ingredients until well combined. Form into patties. Fry in oil on both sides until lightly browned.

Spaghetti with Lentils

I read somewhere, a while back, about using lentils in place of ground beef in spaghetti. It actually is a great substitute and turned out better than I expected. Even the Mister thought it was good, which is 1) rare with my "weird food" dishes, and 2) saying something because he usually prefers meat over beans and the like.


All you do for this dish is in place of cooked ground beef, add cooked lentils. Use your usual sauce and noodles. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

So I have to admit, this recipe is a personal creation, but it's pretty tasty. It could top a myriad of dishes, from tofu or chicken, to vegetables or crackers. I love roasted vegetables so it was easy to like this one.

3 red peppers, halved, cleaned out and roughly chopped into 2" cubes
olive oil
salt and pepper
pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chicken base

Lay peppers on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix to coat. Roast peppers in 425 F oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Place in food processor and pulse until peppers are thoroughly crushed. Add a few pinches of sugar, oregano and chicken base. Pulse until at desired texture. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Can also add water to make it thinner.

Trainer Momma's Power Granola

This stuff is so good, with a mild orange-y taste. I love it.


photo and recipe

2 cups regular oats
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine orange juice, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in oil and vanilla.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in a thin layer onto cookie sheet coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 300° for 10 minutes; stir well. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon granola into a bowl; stir in dried cranberries. Cool completely.

Makes 4 3/4 cups. Each serving is 1/4 cup at 93 calories.

Easy Sauteed Tofu

I really do like tofu, but it has to be prepared right, with enough seasoning, or it tastes too bland for my palate. I got this idea from this Dinosaur Meat recipe, of simply breading the tofu in s+p and whole wheat flour, then pan frying it, and it has become a weekly staple for me. You could easily use this breading method with alot of protein sources, like chicken, beef, seitan, and of course, tofu.

14-ounce package firm tofu
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 pinches seasoning salt
2 tablespoons oil

Slice the tofu into 1/2" wide cubes. Fill a baggie with flour and salt and shake the tofu around. Heat a pan with two tablespoons of oil and sprinkle off the excess flour mixture as you put the tofu in the pan. Fry till golden on all sides.

Veggie Bean Tacos

I like to combine cooked vegetables and beans for an easy, one-pot filling for tacos or just by themselves. There really is no end to the possibilities of veggie/bean combinations. Though I like to start by sauteeing a diced onion in olive oil, if you don't have any onions, you can just make it without.

1/2 onion, diced

olive oil

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 large zucchini, diced

1 can beans, drained (i.e. pinto, garbanzo, black-eyed peas, black)

seasoning salt

pepper

Heat a few splashes of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the diced onions and saute over medium-high heat until they start to soften. Add the pepper and zucchini and saute until zucchini just barely turns translucent. Add the beans and turn to medium-low, then add several dashes of seasoning salt and pepper, to the taste. Simmer for five minutes.

Can serve with grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomato and/or avocado.

Creamy Bean and Green Chile Enchiladas

I have been craving Mexican food for a few days and kept mulling over what I wanted. I decided on enchiladas. Mine usually turn out dry and I wanted these moist. I wanted an almost chile-relleno-like texture. I considered steaming them like tamales, but then decided against it. But that's the moistness level I was going for. I also wanted something meatless. And usually I don't eat cheese or sour cream, but I was feeling like treating myself. So, these aren't vegan, but they are meatless and I think they tasted pretty darn good. My kids asked for seconds and thirds (Finn called it lasagna). Little did they know they were eating something containing zucchini and beans! At any rate, like usual, feel free to tweak to your preferences.


16 corn tortillas
canola oil, for frying
1/2 sweet onion, diced fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 zucchini, shredded fine
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
few dashes cayenne pepper
4-ounce can diced green chiles
2 green onions, diced fine
1/2 cup green chile sauce
15-ounce can white cannellini beans, drained
15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
2 cups sour cream, divided
2/3 can Campbells' cheddar cheese soup
1 bag shredded colby-jack cheese


In nonstick skillet, heat oil and cook tortillas in it on each side until browned (about 20 seconds per side). Set aside.

In same large nonstick skillet, saute onion, garlic and zucchini until onion is translucent and mixture loses its juices. Add coriander, cumin, seasoning salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add diced green chiles, green onions and green chile sauce. Saute over medium-high heat until heated through and incorporated, about 3 minutes.

In large mixing bowl, mash cannellini and pinto beans with potato masher until creamy. Add 1 cup sour cream, cheddar cheese soup, colby jack cheese and 2/3 of chile mixture in skillet. Mix to incorporate. Can add more seasoning salt, pepper and/or cumin, to taste.

In small mixing bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream and remaining 1/3 chile mixture. Mix well.

Assembly: In 9x13 pan, spread 1/2 of the sour cream/chile mixture on bottom of pan. Take one of the tortillas and spread about 1/4 cup of bean/sour cream/cheese mixture in the middle, then roll up and place seam side down in prepared pan. Repeat until the pan is full. Spread remaining sour cream/chile mixture over enchiladas. Then cover with remaining colby jack cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 335 F for 40 minutes. Take the foil off and broil on high for 3 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Serve with chopped lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and salsa, if desired. Also, makes a great accompaniment to this Spanish Rice.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes


I love sloppy joes. I always have. And I was not about to stop eating them just because I resolved to eat less meat. So, I played around with sloppy joe mixes and sauces, rice and beans, and came up with a pretty good alternative to the meat version. As always, feel free to substitute and tweak according to your tastes and/or what you have on hand.

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained
1-15 ounce can pinto beans or black beans, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 packet sloppy joe seasoning mix or 1 can sloppy joe sauce
1 can tomato paste (if using seasoning mix)

In a medium sauce pan, warm the tomato paste, water and seasoning mix according to package directions. Or, pour sloppy joe sauce into pan, if using that instead. Mix in the beans and rice, heat through and serve on whole wheat buns. Alternative cooking method: crock pot.

Easy peasy!

Note: I prefer homemade sloppy joes, rather than using flavoring packets, but I have yet to find a homemade recipe that I like. So, if you have a good one, please let me know. I would love to try it.

Pecan-Crusted Trout

This was so good. I felt like I was eating at a gourmet restaurant. And it was easy to make, too. I used halibut instead of trout and it was great. The notes also mention you could use cod or catfish as well as halibut.

1/4 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided

4 (6-ounce) rainbow trout fillets, halved

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place pecans in mini chopper or food processor; pulse until pecans are finely ground. Combine pecans and panko in a shallow dish. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge tops of fish in nut mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place half of fish, breading side down, in pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned. Turn fish over; cook 4 minutes of until fish flakes easily with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove fish from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining fish. Yield: 4 servings.

recipe from Cooking Light, October 2009, page 84 (subscribe here)

Chickpea Croquettes with Greek Salad Topping

These tasted alot like falafels, but were very tasty in their own right. I had some leftover dill yogurt sauce from making falafels earlier in the week, so I served them with that instead of the Greek Salad Topping and the flavors went really well together. I froze the leftovers to eat for lunches during the week. They're almost like chickpea pancakes, if you can imagine. I liked the soft texture of the cooked batter mixed with the firm, dense texture of the chickpeas.

Topping

1 cucumber, quartered and sliced (1 cup)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled low-fat vegan feta cheese, optional

Croquettes

1 cup chickpea flour

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 15-0unce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

To make topping: Toss together cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice and oil in bowl. Gently stir in feta crumbles. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.

To make croquettes: Whisk together chickpea flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup hot water. Stir in remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Scoop four 1/4-cup dollops of chickpea mixture into skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden. Flip with spatula, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with remaining chickpea mixture. Serve each Croquette topped with 1/4 cup topping.

recipe from Vegetarian Times, October 2009, page 32 (yes, I'm a subscriber)

Greek Pasta with Spinach, Olives, Tomatoes and White Beans

Greek Pasta with Spinach, Olives, Tomatoes and White Beans

****************************
Greek Pasta with Spinach, Olives, Tomatoes and White Beans

Ingredients:
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 (14.5 ounce) cans plain diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can small white beans, rinsed well and drained
1 cup olives, pitted (canned okay)
black pepper to taste
About 4-5 ounces (about 4 cups) fresh spinach
1 lb penne or other similar pasta

1/2 to 3/4 cup (3-4 ounces) crumbled or cubed feta cheese

Directions:
1) Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
2) Add tomatoes, olives and beans, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes while the pasta cooks.
3) Add the spinach to the sauce, combine well, and continue simmering for 1-2 minutes. Let spinach wilt a bit, but not too much.
4) Place cooked pasta into shallow plates or bowls, add sauce on top of the pasta. Crumble feta cheese on top.

Serves 5-6.

We had this tonight, it was super easy and good. We ate it over quinoa macaroni which is actually pretty good. Paired with a greek salad it was perfect. Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, olives, red onion, marinated artichoke hearts, feta cheese, olive oil, basil, and lemon.
**************************

Creamy Breakfast Oatmeal (Rice Cooker)

I usually have oatmeal for breakfast and I like steel cut oats best, but they take a long time to cook, plus they leave my stovetop super messy from all the bubbles spurting out. So I thought I would try some cooked in a rice cooker. They were so good. I just put them in my rice cooker and while I was feeding my kids, they cooked. It was so nice to have a hot breakfast with such little effort. I didn't add the dates or syrup and I used water instead of milk and they turned out great. It would be good served with chopped walnuts and any dried fruit (cranberries, dates, apricots).

2/3 cup steel cut oats
1 2/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch fine sea salt
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped dates

Place all ingredients, except dates, in cooker; stir gently to combine; sprinkle dates on top.
Close the cover, set on Porridge cycle.
NOTE1: This recipe is designed for a rice cooker with fuzzy logic - use the porridge setting. If you have a regular rice cooker, you will need to watch it to determine when the oatmeal is done, probably 25 to 30 minutes, depending on your cooker.
NOTE2: Steel cut oats vary slightly. With some brands I find I need to reduce the milk to 1 1/2 cup to get the right consistency.
NOTE3: You can substitute vanilla flavored soy milk for the milk plus vanilla extract.

original recipe

Easy Vegetable Coconut Milk Curry

At lunchtime today, I began preparing an old standby, stir fry with tofu, when I thought to myself, hey, why don't you switch it up a bit today, get adventurous, like add chicken broth to the vegetables instead of water? So I did just that. I sauteed my usual onion and celery, then added some carrots, asparagus, red pepper, broccoli and spinach. When all of the pan juices had cooked off, I added 1 1/2 cups of water mixed with a large chicken bouillion cube and let that simmer. Then I added 2 good spoonfuls of minced garlic and about a teaspoon of ginger paste I had sitting in my fridge. I added a few generous shakes of seasoning salt and pepper, and a few dashes of red pepper flakes (for some heat). Then I got the idea to make it into a curry, so I added half a can of coconut milk. Voila! It was really tasty, if I do say so myself, and it actually tasted like something one would find in a Thai restaurant. The nice thing is you can adapt it to whatever vegetables you have on hand, and it makes ordinary vegetables seem exotic and almost sweet. I will definitely be scarfing up the leftovers during tomorrow's lunch.

1 yellow Vidalia onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

seasoning salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 small head broccoli, florets only

1 bunch asparagus, hard ends snapped off

1 cup baby carrots

1 red pepper, diced

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

1 1/2 cups water

1 large chicken bouillion cube, or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

dash red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/2- 15 ounce can coconut milk

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add to that onions and celery. Saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add a few dashes of seasoning salt and pepper, then add the broccoli, asparagus, carrots and red pepper. Saute until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, adding the water and bouillion cube when the vegetables start to brown and the juices have evaporated. When the vegetables are tender, add the spinach and saute. Add the red pepper flakes and coconut milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Can serve alone or with brown rice.

Quinoa Vegetable Stew

Anyone who knows me well knows that I sometimes can take the term "pour it in the pot" a little too literally. I've had some good and not-so-good experiences cleaning out my fridge and combining everything into a meal. (Travis won't let my infamous barley crockpot dish rest). But, this, I can assure you, is not one of those disasters. I have made several different versions of this stew and it is delicious, if I do say so myself. You can't go wrong. Feel free to adapt the recipe according to what you have in your fridge. Just be sure to serve it with some good bread. Pictured here is Fire Bread from Whole Foods bakery.

1 yellow onion, diced small

3 ribs celery, diced small

Olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 large carrots, diced

1 can corn, drained

1 can kidney beans (or any bean of your choice), drained

1 red pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup dry quinoa

6 cups water

4 chicken or vegetable bouillion cubes

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot, saute onion and celery in olive oil until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and saute 1 minute. Add the carrots, corn, beans, pepper, zucchini, quinoa, water and bouillion cubes and stir well. Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium-low and cover to simmer for 30 minutes. Watch to make sure there is enough water and add water if it needs. Once the quinoa is cooked, add the spaghetti sauce and the salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite bread.

Roasted Eggplant Ratatouille

I have seen Disney's "Ratatouille," but have never actually had the stuff. I've always wanted to try it though, and when I came across Molly Wizenberg's version (of Orangette fame), I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. And, as I type this, I'm polishing off my second bowl of the succulent stuff. It is amazing. I made the recipe and then sauteed some firm tofu in breadcrumbs, flour and seasoning salt in an oiled pan, to serve with it. And, then I crushed some Melba Toast in place of the baguette. Heavenly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

(from A Homemade Life)

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound eggplant, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds

Olive Oil

1 pound zucchini, trimmed, halves lengthwise, and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt + more for seasoning

3 springs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Position rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees.
Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in s small bowl and brush onto eggplant. Flip the slices and brush the second sides as well, taking care that each has a thin coating of oil. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until lightly browned on each side. Remove from the oven and cool. Cut into rough 1-inch pieces and set aside. (This can be down a day or two ahead, refrigerating the eggplant until you are ready to use it.)
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove it from the pan, taking care to leave behind any excess oil, and set it aside.
If there is no oil left, add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, thyme, and bay leaf and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini, stir to incorporate, cover and cook until everything is just tender, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Meanwhile, butter the bottom of a 2 quart heavy saucepan. Add 11/4 inches water and 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar. (The acid makes the whites set faster.) Bring water to a simmer. Break one egg into a small bowl and slide into water. Poach at a bare simmer until egg whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.
After it is cooked, transfer egg with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Repeat with as many eggs as desired.
Return to the Ratatouille, taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Discard the bay leaf, and stir in the basil.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with addition salt for seasoning, and the poached egg atop. Also, crusty bread is necessary for sopping up all the wonderful juices at the bottom of the bowl!

Pasta Italia

Tom and his companions often made this on their mission. It has become a staple in our family; especially in the summer when we can use our fresh grown basil. I've purposely not included measurements, because it is best accommodated to each family's tastes.

pasta
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
chopped tomatoes
chopped mozzarella (fresh is best)
fresh or canned corn
chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

Cool your cooked pasta and splash the vinegar over top, so that it absorbs into the noodles, then splash a tiny bit of high quality olive oil over top, add lots of chopped tomatoes, cubed mozzarella, corn and basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir it up and serve it cold. It's best eaten outside!

Banana-y Banana Bread/muffins

I adore this recipe, and after making it tonight I just had to post it. While Banana bread can't exactly be called a health food, but hey! (I've inserted my changes in parenthesis.)

2 c flour (1 c. White Flour, 1 c Whole wheat)
1 tea. baking soda
1/4 tea. salt
1/2 c butter (I only use use 1/3 or less- you could probably use applesauce)
3/4 c brown sugar (1/2 c works fine, especially if you're going to add chocolate chips)
2 eggs (just use whites)
2 1/3 mashed bananas (be warned this is A LOT of bananas)
(opt. chocolate chips, dash of cinnamon, splash of vanilla)

Sift together the tried, beat together the wet, and combine! Cook at 350 for 60-65 min. Or put them in muffin tins for around 25min.

Apple Date Walnut Salad

Okay, okay, so you've probably had this a million times, but for those who don't have a recipe for this salad, here is my version of it (I always add a little of this and a little of that), but you'll get the jist of it here. I can't get enough of this salad. I added grated unsweetened coconut when I made it last week and it was the perfect addition. Feel free to add your favorite things, like dried cranberries, toasted pecans or even chopped dried mangos. That's the beauty of this recipe: versatility. And it doesn't hurt that it takes less than five minutes to make. P.S. My kids like it too (another plus).

3 apples, diced small
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 stalks celery, diced small
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup grated, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped dates

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and put in refridgerator until thoroughly chilled.

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Fontina-Mushroom Sandwiches

Travis found this recipe and made me this soup one year for Valentine's Day (right after the birth of Lucy). It was awesome. I was totally blown away. I love fontina cheese and mushrooms, so this hit the spot. If you're in a pinch, you can just use canned tomato soup too.

Tomato Soup

10 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Grilled Fontina-Mushroom Sandwich

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
8 slices country-style bread
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 pound fontina, grated

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place tomatoes in a large baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and the juices that have accumulated. Add the stock and fresh thyme and cook for 20 minutes. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat and cook until reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, strain into a clean saucepan over low heat, add the reduced cream, and cook for 5 minutes.
For the Grilled Fontina-Mushroom Sandwich: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan, add the mushrooms, and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the sage. Brush the bread on 1 side with the butter. Turn 4 of the slices over on a work surface. Divide the cheese among the slices then divide the mushrooms on top of the cheese. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread, butter-side up.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side.