Broccoli Stalk Soup

I’m coming in, just under the wire, with a soup recipe to round out January as National Soup Month!  It’s creamy, it’s Paleo, it’s as frugal as can be:  Broccoli Stalk Soup!

I seriously buy about ten pounds of broccoli a week, and I’m ashamed to admit how many stalks have gone to waste over the years.  My girls didn’t want to eat the tougher stalk and will only eat the florets, and to be honest, they do take a little more work to prepare if you want to serve the stalk together with the floret, since you have to peel off the tough outer layer.  But I couldn’t accept throwing all those healthy green vegetables into the compost bin, so I made a broccoli soup out of them.  Hooray – it is delicious and uses up nearly all the stalk.  So much less to compost!

If you don’t follow the Paleo diet, feel free to use one large or two small potatoes in place of the rutabaga.  But I really liked the rutabaga – I think it adds a sweetness, and contributes a creamy texture to the soup when you blend it.  And because you are blending it up, you don’t have to worry about mincing and dicing carefully – just chop up your veggies and cook them til tender.  You can serve this with some shredded cheese on top, or like I did, with a dollop of plain yogurt.  You can also add a little more chicken stock than I did if you want a thinner soup.  But I like it this way:  thick, warm, and truly satisfying!

Broccoli Stalk Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
• 1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 broccoli stalks, plus one head of broccoli
• 4 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable stock

Directions:

1. In a very large pot, heat the oil and add the rutabaga, garlic, onion and carrots.  Cook on medium, stirring to keep the garlic from burning, for about ten minutes.
2. While the other vegetables are cooking, prepare the broccoli.  With a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel the broccoli stalks.  Cut off the bottom half inch of stalk, and then cut the stalks into smaller pieces.  Chop the head of broccoli and separate the florets.  Add the broccoli to the pot and cook another five minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock and cover the pot with a lid.  Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Transfer soup to a blender – CAREFULLY! – in batches and blend until mostly smooth.  You can leave a few chunks if you like.  I used an immersion blender and it worked very well.  You can add a little more stock here if you want a thinner soup.
4. Serve soup hot, garnished with grated cheese or yogurt.

Roasted Chipotle Salsa

I planted my garden a little late this year, so my tomatoes are just getting ripe now.  My husband loves tomatoes in any form, in any dish.  As for me, the ONE food I don’t like is plain raw tomatoes.  I keep them off my sandwiches and salads.  Every other preparation is fine with me – ketchup, tomato sauce, anything with cooked tomatoes – and especially salsa!  And while I like raw tomato salsas a lot, I like this Roasted Chipotle Salsa even better!

Chiptole peppers in adobo sauce are easy to find – just check your local grocery store in the “ethnic” aisle with all the other Mexican food.  They’re cheap, and they are nearly pickled in the adobo sauce, so once you open the little can, you can keep the rest of the peppers and sauce in a small container in your fridge for months.  (A little Ball jar, or leftover jelly jar, is perfect for this.)  Then, if you find you love the smoky, mild heat of chipotles, use some of the others in your jar to make this dinner salad.  If you can’t find fresh cilantro at your store, you can leave it out, but it really adds a burst of freshness to this spicy sauce!

This recipe made a little more than a cup for me.  That said, my husband and I ate it all in one night!  It was “taco” night at our house, but we were using lettuce leaves instead of taco shells.  Ground beef with onions, avocado slices, and this salsa – delish!

Roasted Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

• 3 regular-sized ripe tomatoes (around 1/2 pound, or a little more)
• 1/2 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (or more if you like it spicy!)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• small handful cilantro, about half a cup
• 1/2 lime or lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to Broil.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Slice the tomatoes in half, removing any core or stem you don’t like.  Slice the onion into rounds.  Peel and smash the garlic cloves.  Lay these out on the baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Season with salt.
2. Broil the vegetables until they start turning brown and are very juicy – about 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.  Remove from the oven.  Pour the vegetables and any juices into a food processor.  Add in the cumin, chipotle pepper, cilantro, and hit start.  Process for a few seconds, then squeeze in the lime juice.  Process again – leave it chunky!  Taste for seasoning – maybe more salt or lime?  Process again until you reach your desired consistency.  I like mine to still have some texture and not be a puree.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  Tortilla chips, burritos, enchiladas – even over scrambled eggs – this stuff is yummy!

Zucchini Lasagna

This recipe came about, as many do, in my house:  I start with an ingredient and brainstorm what in the world I’m going to do with it.  I had a bag of summer squash from the farmer’s market – it was so inexpensive, I couldn’t pass it up.  But aside from making zucchini bread, I couldn’t think of how to use it.  That was when I stumbled upon a recipe for Homemade Ricotta, and it came to me:  Zucchini Lasagna!

The zucchini stands in for traditional noodles in this recipe, so if you are following a low-carb diet, or if you are avoiding gluten, you’re in luck!  If you are making ricotta, drain and squeeze it to keep any extra liquid out of the casserole.  Nobody likes a soggy lasagna!  Feel free to saute and add other veggies or herbs to the lasagna, too – baby spinach, bell peppers, black olives, or fresh basil would all be lovely!

This is a small casserole, so we ate it with a big salad for dinner.  You can easily double or quadruple this recipe to serve more people.  Hope you like it!

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 zucchinis or other summer squash, about 3/4 pound
• cooking spray
• 1/2 pound sausage
• 1/2 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (I used fire-roasted canned tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs, or oregano
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup Homemade Ricotta, or store-bought
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Chop the zucchini into thin coins – about 1/8″-thick.  Lay out on the baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.  They don’t need to be cooked through at all – you just want to dry them out a little bit.  Remember, no one likes a soggy lasagna!
2. While the zucchini is drying out, dice the onion, and mince the clove of garlic.  In a large pan, brown the sausage with the onion and garlic.  Drain any fat that accumulates.  Add in the drained tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper, and heat through.
3. In a casserole dish, spray a little cooking spray so nothing sticks.  Layer half the zucchini slices to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.  Spread half the ricotta over the zucchini, then spread half the sausage mixture over the ricotta.  Repeat with the rest of the zucchini, then ricotta, then sausage.  Cover with the shredded mozzarella.
4. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and bake for another ten minutes, until the cheese is golden and melty.

Roasted Chicken and Broccoli with Raisin Sauce

Wait, wait, where are you going?  This isn’t a joke!  Raisin sauce!  It’s real, and it’s delicious!

Let me back up a bit.  We love roasted broccoli at our house.  We eat it two, sometimes three times a week.  And while I enjoy it, I really do, there came a day (last week) when I wanted to add a little something new to our dinner repetoire.  Google is my friend, and I quickly came across several different recipes for Broccoli with Raisin Sauce.  Well, if so many other people thought it good enough to make, photograph, and write about, it must be worth a try.

And it was an unmitigated success!  This simple sauce has it all – sweet and spicy, with a little bite from the vinegar.  I served this with roasted chicken thighs, and the raisin sauce was amazing with those too!  For an easy dinner, roast the broccoli on one sheet pan, chicken thighs on another, and make the sauce when they’re done.  Be bold, try something new, and surprise yourself with a funky, fun new recipe!

Roasted Broccoli and Chicken with Raisin Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 large bunches of broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 9 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup raisins (I used golden raisins, but use what you like)
• 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line two cookie sheet pans with aluminum foil.  On one pan, lay out the chicken thighs, making sure there is room between them; don’t crowd.  Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper (and a little garlic powder is nice too).  Place in the oven on the top rack.
2. On the second sheet pan, spread out the broccoli florets and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of oil.  Sprinkle with salt and place in the oven on the bottom rack.
3. While the chicken and broccoli cook, make the raisin sauce:  combine remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, raisins, vinegar, and cumin in a blender or food processor.  Blend until relatively smooth – until the raisins are broken down and saucy.
4. The chicken is done when a thermometer reads 160*F, and the broccoli is done when it’s getting some crispy brown spots.  Serve both with the raisin sauce!

Sweet Potato Pizzas

Everyone has their weaknesses, their diet-busters, their evil temptresses.  One of mine, as you may have guessed, is popcorn.  Unfortunately, since I am striving to lead a Paleo lifestyle, popcorn is a no-go.  (Still searching for a good nut-free Paleo cracker recipe.  If you find one, please pass it on!)  The big temptation for my husband is pizza.  He is a pizza fanatic.  So when he pointed this recipe out to me online, he asked me to make it for him, hoping to scratch the pizza itch in a healthier way.

To be honest, I thought it sounded gross.  The ingredients didn't sound like they'd combine into something I wanted to eat.  Thankfully, I was a good wife and made him what he wanted.  I tried a bite ... and LOVED it!  So happy I trusted him!  These Sweet Potato Pizzas are not the same as a crispy-crusted calorie bomb from your favorite pie shop, but they are a tasty dish nonetheless.  And if you are craving pizza but don't want the gluten-and-grain crust, here is a good place to go to feed your need.  Find my recipe at GCH.

Strawberry Shortcake (Gluten-Free)

I made this coconut flour cake for my 2 year-old's birthday last weekend and it was a big hit.  Really sweet strawberries are at the farmer's market now! If you are eating Paleo (and can spare a little wiggle room for honey), if you are avoiding gluten, or if you just want a healthier, updated version of the old comfort food favorite, read on, at GCH!  

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Bacon!  Do I have your attention?  Make sure everyone eats their greens by combining them with bacon!  My Mom made this for nearly every summer barbecue, and I'm sure it will quickly become a favorite for your family too.  Make it your own and change out the raisins for dried cherries or cranberries, or sub almonds or cashews for the sunflower seeds.  Many happy returns, at GCH!

Baba Ghanouj (Eggplant Dip)

So ... the Paleo Challenge starts tomorrow.  D-Day for being photographed in my bikini and then performing a serious, muscle-shaking, face-reddening workout.  But I think I'm getting my Paleo diet dialed in and I will just have to be strong and face this challenge.  I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight, due to nerves, but I will carry on just the same.  Wish me luck!

It is a small comfort knowing I have some good snack options at the ready.  One is this recipe for baba ghanouj.  You've probably had it alongside hummus and pita at Middle Eastern restaurants.  It's surprisingly easy to make at home.  If you are grilling, I highly recommend you roast the eggplants on the grill - this will add another layer of smoky depth.  But I made mine in the oven and it is certainly snack-worthy!  And since, like the Paleo hummus, it's made entirely of healthy olive oil, sesame seed paste, and vegetables, you can nibble without fear of wrecking your weight loss efforts!  Ready?  Find it at GCH, and let me know what you think!

Crackers, pita, and pretzels are all very tasty dippers ... but not Paleo.

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Okay, don't recoil.  Stick with me here.  This isn't stinky, or sulfuric, or boiled to death.  Roasted cabbage might be a revelation for you.  If you are making Corned Beef and Cabbage or Colcannon this weekend for St. Patrick's Day, you might have some extra cabbage that you don't know what to do with.  Try this.  I bet you might like it!

You don't have to use the fennel or anise seeds, but I like the little crunch and burst of flavor it adds.  Also, the lemon squeeze at the end is optional, but if you've read this blog for a while, you know I try to put lemon on everything.  And you know what?  I never regret it!

So go ahead, take a chance, and try the Roasted Cabbage Wedges.  I eat several at a time, for lunch, when I can.  See the recipe at GCH ... scroll past the Colcannon, it's at the bottom.

Vegetable Pancakes

Most people know these as latkes, but Koreans make something similar, called "jeon".  Whatever you call them - haystacks, vegetable hash browns, tasty crispy circles of love - these are easy and delicious.  Check out my recipe as I guest-blog over at GCH!

Chinese Tofu Stir Fry

I have successfully reverse-engineered my favorite take-out dish from a nationally-known Chinese take-out restaurant.  Schmanda Express, you have been put on notice!  It's an easy recipe, it's infinitely customizable,  and it's healthy too.  Make some rice, crack open a fortune cookie, and check out my recipe at GCH tonight!

Spaghetti Carbonara

I love poached eggs.  They are nature's Sauce Bombs!  So I decided to see if I could replace the whipped egg sauce of Spaghetti Carbonara with a more-cooked, healthier helping of poached eggs.  Did I succeed?  In a word, YES!  Check out the recipe I posted at GCH:  Spaghetti Carbonara.

Greek Salad

I don't know about you, but I made a New Year's resolution to eat better, and so far, I'm doing a pretty good job of keeping it.  (I'm patting myself on the back right now!)  A big part of that is to eat more veggies and less refined carbohydrates.  This Greek Salad recipe is a wonderful place to start if your resolution is the same as mine.  Lots of fresh vegetables, different textures, and a light, bright vinaigrette keeps things interesting.  Want to give it a try?  I'm blogging today at Girlfriends Coffee Hour.  Follow me there for the recipe!

Happy Thanksgiving! Leftover Turkey Salad

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  I posted a recipe at Girlfriends Coffee Hour today.  It's for my favorite salad, and is a great way to use up turkey leftovers.  I always think of that scene in "A Christmas Story", when the narrator talks about all his favorite ways to eat leftover turkey - and none of them sound very light or healthy.  Try this one, with a fresh Mexican twist, for a great dose of veggies.  Enjoy, and God Bless!

The Korean Pantry

On Monday, my friend asked if she could come with us when I said I was going to the Korean grocery store.  She'd been toying with trying some Korean recipes, but didn't know where to start.  I said, Sure! We went aisle by aisle as I pointed out the staples that she'd need to make most dishes.  We had a great time, and my friend went home and felt ready to try something new!

So after writing a few Korean recipes here at Frugal Girlmet, I decided I'd put the cart before the horse for long enough.  Here is my quick and easy Korean primer (with bonus Indian recipe shopping tips).  If you've ever wanted to dabble in Korean food but were intimidated, please!  Don't be!  It's cheap to get started, the ingredients are pretty easy to find, and they last forever in your pantry and fridge.  Read the full article at Girlfriends Coffee Hour.  Explore, experiment, enjoy!

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

I'm honored and pleased to announce I'll be blogging on Thursdays for a website called Girlfriends Coffee Hour.  Under the category Recipes, you'll get a new one each day - some Southern favorites, some gluten-free recipes, and my contributions - I'm the "ethnic food" blogger!  So join me Thursdays for some Korean favorites, different Indian curries, maybe some Mediterranean and Thai, too!

This week's recipe is Moroccan Vegetable Stew.  It's a great choice for a fall day, with hearty lentils and festive butternut squash.  Check it out here:  http://girlfriendscoffeehour.com/2012/11/08/whats-on-your-plate-moroccan-vegetable-stew/  And enjoy!