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.

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!

Light Chicken Chili

My friend Stacey gave this recipe to me and it is great because it is light enough that you can add sour cream, cheese or salsa, if you choose, or just serve it plain. It is versatile and easy.

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup white onion
3 cups chicken breasts, cooked (sometimes I used canned chicken)
3 cans beans

Saute the onion in a little olive oil until tender. Then add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes or so and serve warm.

Blackbean Soup

This has become a staple recipe at our house. Even the kids like it, so we eat it quite a bit. I have to thank my sister Erin for passing this on to me. And blackbeans are high in antioxidants, along with the fiber!

2 tablespoons butter (I use olive oil)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons jalapeno, finely chopped (I've left this out before and it was fine)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 and 1/2 cups boiling water
2-15 ounce cans black beans, undrained
15 ounce can white beans
1/4 teaspoon salt (I omit this)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
juice of 1 and 1/2 limes
1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

In large stock pot melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the onion, celery, peppers and garlic. Cook until the onion begins to turn translucent. Mix the boullion and boiling water and add to the pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans, salt, cumin, brown sugar and black pepper. Stir well and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. In a small glass combine the cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water. Stir well. Add this mixture and the lime juice to the soup. Stir well.

Allow to simmer and thicken for about 10 minutes. You may now serve soup or turn the heat to low and allow the flavors to muddle until you are ready to eat. This soup keeps well for a few days in the refridgerator. The flavors will become deeper overnight.

(Sometimes I serve this over brown rice, or with tortilla chips and salsa, sour cream and cheese. It's delicious plain too).