Quick Cream of Vegetable Soup (using wilted lettuce)

Kitchen Tip: Use old lettuce (and other greens) to make soup.

Have you ever had a bag of wilting greens, lettuce, or coleslaw that you just hate to part with, but it’s getting a little TOO old? Use any old greens to make a quick and light Cream of Vegetable soup! I actually got this tip from a friend of mine who always has more lettuce and kale from her farmshare then she knows what to do with! (Hence, she eats tons of soup made from lettuce and other greens for lunch!)

I know, lettuce in soup sounds a bit strange, but we put greens into smoothies; why can’t we put lettuce into soups, too? When you blend broth, milk, and lettuce (and other greens),  the vegetables break down and blend together to make a wonderful medley of flavors! I especially love to use tons of garlic (3 cloves for a medium sauce pan), olive oil, all purpose seasoning, and a touch of white wine. Because I am trying to be health-conscious, this recipe also uses mostly milk and broth and can be made easily with almond milk or just broth. Why not use up old greens and maintain your figure while you’re at it? I am including the recipe I enjoyed yesterday (from my old greens), which included garlic, white wine, broth, milk, and only a touch of half and half. I ate a bowl of this with a piece of multi-grain toast. Mmmmm! Enjoy!

Quick and Light Cream of Vegetable Soup

1 cup of wilting lettuce

1/2 cup of wilting cole slaw

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen spinach

1/4 cup white wine

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 tsp olive oil

2-3 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp all purpose seasoning

cracked black pepper

optional: 2 tbsp heavy cream or half and half

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat one teaspoon of olive oil and garlic for 2 minutes. Add your greens and corn to the pan, and let saute for 5 minutes. Add the broth and seasoning, and let boil for 5-10 minutes. Now, add your milk and half and half and stir. Using an immersion blender or food processor, lightly blend your soup. Time to eat and serve!

Happy Mother’s Day! Citrus Southwest Roasted Chicken

New England, you’re killin’ me.

I was going to make Boeuf Bourguignon (a french beef stew made with red wine) for a memorable Mother’s Day dinner (in honor of my mom because I live on the East coast and couldn’t see her on Mother’s Day).

From Eli’s Lids.blogspot

But little did I know that most New England liquor stores don’t sell liquor on Sundays, and I didn’t have red wine on hand. Bah! I’m not even going to be drinking the Red Burgundy! I’m just going to be cooking with it! Unfortunately, I didn’t really have the time to drive and figure out if any liquor stores are open. Sigh.

From UrlyBits

However, all of this non wine upset led me straight to my $3 roasting chicken I bought on sale at Target. What a steal! An entire roasting chicken for my lunches for the week! Ugh, I was sp excited! But I was also hungry. I literally threw together this Citrus Southwest Chicken in 15 minutes. But hot d*mn, it was worth it! I just bought a Smokey Mesquite Rub for $2 at a kitchen outlet store (during our outlet shopping craze), and I decided to make an oven-roasted Southwest-style BBQ chicken. I also had an orange on hand–how about a citrusy southwest chicken? Yes please!

 

Close-ups of just the breasts. So juicy!

I basted the chicken with a peppery spiced sauce (oil, hot sauce, BBQ!) and roasted it on top of vegetables and a few orange slices. It turned out beautifully! I loved tasting the orange–it really came through and gave the chicken a nice, delicate sweetness. Happy Mother’s Day!

 

(Quick and Easy) Thai Coconut Curry Stew

As I mentioned before, I’m in reading-writing mode right now, and I have a Monday deadline. This means I’m either spending hours loafing at home (at my desk) or am out at a coffee shop. (Yes, I am one of those people who can–strangely enough–get alot done at a cafe while listening to music. In fact, I could argue that I wrote my entire Master’s thesis in Peet’s Coffee and Tea (after I got off work) while listening to albums by A Tribe Called Quest and Jurassic 5!!)

Photo from Florida's Educational Technology Clearinghouse

Because I was at home yesterday, I wanted to treat myself to homemade meals that didn’t bust my writing schedule (didn’t take too much time). I also wanted something that was wholesome and healthy. I’ve recently been trying to lead a more healthy lifestyle, and one way I’m going to do that is by simply eating more wholesome foods. Less processed food, less fast food, less sweets, and more whole foods. With wholesome (whole) foods, you don’t have to worry as much about portion size or being hedonistic, right? Overdoing it on broccoli is not exactly the worst offense. Plus, on an unrelated note, who doesn’t love the smell of home-cooked food wafting throughout the house while you work? I love the anticipation of eating something that smells delicious!

I looked in my pantry and saw that I had coconut milk, broth, fresh basil, and fresh ginger. I also knew I had frozen meat, tofu, and vegetables. How about Thai Coconut Curry Stew (with lots of beef, vegetables, tofu)?

My hearty Thai Coconut Curry Stew! This was definitely satisfying and rich.

Kickin’ Kale Chips

I’m feeling extra spicy today, so why not throw some heat into the standard Kale Chip recipe?

I am a Californian, and nothing reminds me more of home than a hot Mexico-inspired treat.

Kickin’ Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon Seasoned salt (Lawry’s)
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Chile powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 2 shakes of red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease with oil.
• With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt
• Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. You may want to toss the kale mid-baking time, so they will become evenly crisp!