Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Welcome to Day 2 of Soup Week! Today I'm going to share my version of Vegetarian Black Bean Soup. I started off thinking I could copy Panera's version, but I never tasted it myself. Hence, I can't replicate it at home exactly, so I came up with the next best thing. I've never made this kind of soup before as my family didn't particularly care for beans. But as my kids got older, and willing to try new things, I've been slowly incorporating them more into our diet. 

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup

Whether it's Winter or Summer, there is nothing like a nice bowl of hot soup on a rainy day! I started off making this Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup for lunch one afternoon. It looked fantastic with the chunks of roasted tomatoes, fresh wilted spinach and whole chick peas, but it tasted a little on the bland side. I didn't want to add salt or cheese, so I pureed all of the ingredients instead.

It's amazing how just pureeing something can give it an entirely new flavor. Everything blended nicely together and this recipe turned into a heart healthy, creamy soup I could put in a cup and drink instead; which is a HUGE time saver when I'm trying to do other things at the same time!

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach
and Chick Pea Soup

Prep Time:   15 minutes                        Yield: 5

Cook Time:  20 minutes                        Serving: 1 c. 

Total Time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Beefsteak or Heirloom Tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1-150z. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, rinsed, stems removed
• 2 c. Fat Free Vegetable Broth
• 1 c. Water
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until they start to soften. 
3. Heat the oil  in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the onion and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent. 
4. Add in the basil, spinach, chick peas and cooked tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
5. Stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. If you like a "brothy" soup, leave whole. If you prefer it blended (like I did), use your immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients together until smooth; approximately 1-2 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 94, Carbs 14.3g, Fat 2.4g, Protein 4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

Remember when I did a photo retake of one of my favorite recipes for Bruschetta last month? In that post, I also mentioned how bruschetta can be used for other dishes other than to top toasted bread as an appetizer. One of those suggestions was to mix it with pasta; which is what I did with the leftovers from my last batch. This Mediterranean inspired meal has so many wonderful flavors and the chick peas just add another dimension of texture to the dish; not to mention added protein! It is also a quick meal to throw together during a busy weeknight. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

1 lb. Spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
2 c. Prepared Bruschetta
15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, shredded
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain water reserving 1 cup to use in the pasta. 
2. Add the bruschetta and chick peas to the pot and allow to heat through for about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the pasta, pasta water and cheese; mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 441, Carbs 58.9g, Fat 14.2g, Protein 20.4g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugar 5.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

This will be my last new recipe post this week as the kids are off from school on their Spring Break. I'll be back with a new post on Monday, April 8th. In the meantime, take a look around the site and catch up on some posts you might have missed. There are also two giveaways happening so if you didn't enter yet, now's your chance!

• Spring Celebration KitchenAid Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a shiny, new, red KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Contest ends 4/23/13. 
• Catching Fireflies Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a $43 Gift Certificate. Contest ends 4/7/13. 

Enjoy the rest of your week! 

Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad

I generally don't like to eat a large lunch as I tend to eat my main meal late afternoon. Well at least I did for the last several months because we were so busy running around during dinnertime and it was hard to eat and drive! 

So instead, I like to make salads like this Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad for those occasions when I do like to eat a little something as it's very filling, tasty and healthy too. Not to mention colorful! 

I try to make a few different things to blog about on one day and the kids can't wait to come home to see what the new choices are. This particular salad I made last week and when Rachael came home from school she went right to the refrigerator. This salad automatically popped out at her and she couldn't wait to try it, the little one couldn't be bothered as it didn't have some sort of chocolate in it!  

I didn't eat many recipes with chick peas growing up, but over the last ten years or so, I've been incorporating them more and more into my diet.  According to Canadian Living, garbanzo beans, a.k.a. chick peas:

• Controls Hunger: Chickpeas are high in fiber and protein, and have a low glycemic index; which can also help control your weight. Eating a 1/2 cup of chickpeas per day can keep you feeling full and help you to consume fewer calories.

• Reduces Cholesterol: Eating 3/4 cup of chickpeas in your diet each day can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

• Versatile: Chickpeas can be used in salads, soups, curries, chilis and stews. Or consider roasting them with your favourite savoury spices. (See more recipe ideas below).

Rachael and the Hubby loved it as much as I did and I can't wait to add this salad to our summer salad repertoire! 

Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad
1-15oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained
2 c. Fresh Green Beans, trimmed
1/2 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, juice only
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions:
1. Steam the green beans over a double boiler until they are bright green and al dente. Cool; then cut in half. 
2. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Makes 4 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 165, Carbs 31.8g, Fat 1.3g, Protein 7.3g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugar 2.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Looking for more chick pea recipes? 

Here are a few more I've made:

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Fresh Spinach

Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad

Chick Pea Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Roasted Chick Pea and Leek Hummus

Chick Pea, Pumpkin and Cilantro Fritters

Roasted Chick Peas in a Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

Three Bean Salad with Feta

Roasted Fennel and Three Bean Chili

Enjoy! 

Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

For those of you who might have missed my FB update, I tore my calf muscle the other day doing nothing more than walking my dog and twisted funny. Lucky for me, I don't need surgery; but I do need to be off of my feet for the next few days (on crutches) and then go to physical therapy for the next month. I have a few more new posts for next week, but will not be able to fulfill the promise of 12 Days of Holiday Baking being that I can't stand without support so I think cooking/baking is out of the question for a while. I'll try to post when I can! xo 

And now for today's savory recipe...

I made this recipe for Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower last week and posted it on my Facebook page and the CEK fans went wild and couldn't wait for me to post this recipe. I love that it's so simple to prepare and if you're in a time crunch, I'm sure you could use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. 

Roasting garlic is SO easy, but it does take some time. If you are in a rush, consider roasting it the night before, then just heat it up so the pulp extracts easier. You can use roasted garlic in so many dishes, but my hubby's favorite is to just smear it on top of a nice, juicy steak. We really liked this recipe and my youngest, who REFUSES to eat cauliflower in any form, ate THIS and LOVED it! Tricky mom that I am told her it was garlic potatoes and she fell for it. ;)

Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
1 Head Fresh Cauliflower, steamed until soft
2 tbsp. Butter
3-4 tbsp. Milk
1 Head Roasted Garlic
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Add your cooked cauliflower to a bowl and add the butter, milk and garlic pulp. (Depending on the size of the cauliflower, you may need to adjust how much milk you add)
2. Using your electric mixer, mash the cauliflower until it is a creamy consistency. Serves 4. 

Roasted Garlic
1 Head Garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt


Directions:
1. Remove the excess papery skin from the garlic. 
2. Cut off the top of the head of garlic exposing the garlic bulbs. 
3. Drizzle on a little oil and sprinkle with salt. 
4. Wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. 
5. Remove from the oven and squeeze out the garlic bulbs, it will be spreadable like butter. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size  1 serving (170.1 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories  80 Calories from Fat  31

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.4g 5%

Saturated Fat  2.0g 10%

Cholesterol  9mg 3%

Sodium  72mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates  10.9g 4%

Dietary Fiber  3.8g 15%

Sugars  4.2g

Protein  3.9g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 115% Calcium 6% • Iron 4%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Speaking of my youngest daughter, today is her 11th Birthday, man does time fly. Happy Birthday Baby Girl...I love you! She loves to help me in the kitchen and if you're new to CEK, she also wrote her own blog post a few months back, and is still one of my more popular posts today! So in honor of her birthday, I'll share her recipe again for Homemade Gnocchi with Sausage Bolognese with you in case you missed it. She was VERY proud of it (as was I) and talks about her 5 minutes of blogging fame often. Love this little apple that didn't fall far from the tree! <3 

Pumpkin & Sage Risotto

It's Day 4 of Thanksgiving Recipe Week and today, I've got a great new side dish for you. This Pumpkin & Sage Risotto is the quintessential fall dish with wonderful flavors and lucky for us, it also has less than 5 ingredients! 

I made this recipe special to share this week as I wasn't sure if my family would like it, but when Rachael came home from school and saw the container in the refrigerator, she couldn't wait to try it (and then proceeded to eat half the container for dinner so I guess it was a hit). Risotto's are so easy to make and would make a great side dish on your Thanksgiving table.  


Pumpkin & Sage Risotto
1 tbsp. Butter
1 c. Arborio Rice
4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree
1 tbsp. Sage
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large, non-stick saute pan, melt the butter and add in the rice. 
2. Stir until the rice turns slightly brown, then add 1 cup of the vegetable broth. 
3. Allow the liquid to evaporate, then add the remaining broth 1 cup at a time, allowing the liquid to evaporate after each addition. 
4. When the last cup of liquid has almost evaporated, stir in the pumpkin and sage; mix well. Makes 5-1/2 cup servings. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 113 , Carbs 25.5g, Fat 0g, Protein 2.1g, Fiber 1.1g, Sugar 2.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Click here for more SIDES! 

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Tip
Plan out your menu in advance and keep it posted on the refrigerator until the big day. I like to do this at least 1-2 weeks ahead of time so that I can gradually purchase any specialty pantry items I may need. As you prepare items that can be made ahead of time, cross it off of your list.  It is also a good idea to go through each recipe to make sure you have a complete shopping list. And then, if your neurotic like me, you'll re-write the list so that all like items are together. :) I don't know how many times I've had to send my husband to the store the morning of a holiday because I forgot something.