I'm trying to get excited for fall and my favorite, warm soups, but it's still 95 degrees here, which makes it alittle hard. No matter, we just cranked the AC up and enjoyed our warm and savory soup while it felt like summer outside. This is a spin off from our old favorite
Potato Leek Soup and it turned out great. I used lean Canadian bacon rounds instead of bacon and a tiny sprinkling of jack cheese instead of cheddar. We loved the rich green color from the kale and creamy texture without the cream. The real test...both my big boys asked for seconds! Enjoy!
Recipe: (serve 4-6)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
8-10 small round slices of Canadian bacon, diced and divided in half (or 2-3 slices regular bacon)
1 large bunch kale leaves, chopped, thick stems removed
6 cups Organic low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds small golden potatoes such as Yukon, cubed
Directions:
1. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, melt butter and add HALF of the diced Canadian bacon, cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly brown and rendered.
2. Add chopped kale leaves and continue cooking until wilted, about 5 minutes more. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan (wash off all the tasty bits)
3. Add thyme, garlic powder, salt and potato cubes and cover with remaining chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until potatoes are very soft.
4. Using an Immersion Blender puree the soup right in the pot being sure to keep your stick blender at a slight angle. Or if you are using a traditional blender or a food processor, work in batches pureeing the soup until smooth then return it to the pot. Season to taste.
5. Warm the remaining Canadian bacon, dice and use as a tasty garnish. Serve topped with remaining diced Canadian bacon and shredded cheese {and a hunk of french bread or gluten free bread}
...click here for the recipe!
We have been experimenting with a few new recipes lately and this one was a hit, the kid's asked for seconds and thirds! As I was fishing for some dinner ideas a friend suggested we try a blend of ground turkey, quinoa and roasted broccoli adding any seasonings or sauces that we'd like. Well we tried it, with our own twist, and loved the roasty, toasty fall flavors of this hearty dish that can be a side or stand alone as a main dish. Throw in whatever veggies you like best and make it your own. Enjoy!
Recipe: (serves 8)
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
~1 pound ground turkey
~2 cups raw broccoli florets
2 large sweet potatoes, diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cored and diced
olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions: Preheat oven to 425'F.
1. Place quinoa, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small pot and bring to a boil, quickly reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, brown the ground turkey over medium heat, breaking it up into chunks, ~10 minutes or until no longer pink and cooked through. Set aside.
3. While your turkey and quinoa are cooking, spread all the veggies on a rimmed baking sheet {experiment with any veggies you like}. Lightly drizzle the veggies with olive oil and Italian Seasoning (or whatever seasoning you like) and bake in a 425'F oven for 15-20 minutes, gently toss {move around} veggies with a spatula a couple times during cooking, until cooked through but not charred.
4. In a baking dish, combine quinoa, turkey and roasted veggies, stir gently to combine. Place baking dish in 425'F oven for about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired, serve hot topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
...click here for the recipe!
Welcome to another weekly menu plan! Do you plan a weekly menu? Since we started intentionally menu planning, we are buying less, spending less, wasting less, eating out less and loving how easy our weeknight dinner preparation has been! Here's our gluten free menu for the week with some fun fall flavors like pumpkin! Pumkin is a great mild way to infuse savory fall flavors without being overpowering. We're also trying a few new ideas. What are you eating this week? I'm always looking for more ideas!
WEDNESDAY: Fall Vegetable Saute over Millet {recipe coming soon, if we like it}
THURSDAY: Potato Kale Soup {going to try and swap kale instead of leeks in our
Potato Leek Soup recipe}
&
...click here for the recipe!
Here's a fun meatless dinner idea! In the spirit of trying out some new recipes I gave these a try. I blended half the mixture and left half in it's whole form, which gave the burgers great texture. They have some savory mushrooms in them too, which gives them a great depth of flavor. We enjoyed ours on our favorite
Udi's Gluten Free Buns. Although flavorful, ours came out a bit soft, be sure to cook out most all of the moisture in your mushroom mixture and bake a touch longer if needed. I think these would be super yummy without the bun as a topping for a crisp green salad too! Try them for dinner tonight. Enjoy!
Recipe: (serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 cup fresh grilled corn kernals (or frozen corn)
cooking spray
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350'F. In a small pot, over high heat, combine 1/2 cup dry quinoa with 1 cup water, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is soft and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. In a pan over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms in olive oil for about 5 minutes until soft. Add 3/4 cup of the black beans, 3/4 cup of the cooked quinoa, garlic powder, steak seasoning and 1 cup water to the pan, cook for another 10-12 minutes until nearly all the moisture is cooked out.
3. Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor and blend for 2 minutes, until very smooth, scrape down the sides as needed.
4. In a bowl, combine the pureed mixture, remaining 3/4 cup whole black beans, remaining 1 cup cooked quinoa, corn kernals and stir to combine. Season to taste.
5. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, scoop out the mixture and form into patties, place on a baking sheet that's been sprayed with cooking spray. You should get 6-7 patties. Lightly spray the tops of the patties with cooking spray as well. Bake in 350'F oven for 35-40 minutes, flipping once half-way through, or until crispy and hold their shape. Place on your favorite bun with all the fixings.
...click here for the recipe!
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