November 15, 2024

Sweet Potato – Spinach Mash

February 10, 2015 by

Like many of you, I am sure, we have refocused our healthy eating lifestyle. Preparing and eating LOTS of soup in January was so helpful! One good habit we are working on is having half the plate (or more!) full of veggies. Often that works out just fine. And a side salad is always a good and simple answer. But I find myself desiring some ‘comfort food’ especially during these cold and snowy months. And most of the dishes that I consider ‘comfort food’ don’t easily fall into the ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy’ parameters. However, the other night a recipe came together that fit the bill perfectly!

Sweet Potato and Spinach Mash…oh, yeah!

2015-02-03 20.46.17

I think that this is a ‘non’-recipe…you know…a basic idea where you can tweak it using what you have on hand. Like this: the frozen spinach could be switched out for finely sliced fresh spinach or some baby arugula or kale. You could use ricotta or greek yogurt or even cream cheese for the goat cheese. Try some different spices…cinnamon or nutmeg would be good; even your favorite curry spice blend. And I used some leftover baked sweet potatoes…that made it super quick and simple! If you try this recipe, I would love to hear of your variations!  Enjoy!

ingredients:
12 ounce bag frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
1-2 teaspoons dried herbs (thyme or marjoram or tarragon)
6 small baked sweet potatoes, skins removed
additional 1/2 cup broth or milk (use if mixture is too dry)
sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
3-4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

2015-02-03 20.32.19

directions:

  • place the spinach and broth in a medium-sized saute pan with a lid; cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes
  • stir in the minced garlic, s&p, and herbs
  • add the sweet potatoes and mash the whole mixture together
  • cover again and simmer gently ‘til heated through
  • taste for seasoning, and add in the goat cheese
  • remove from heat and serve

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Napa Cabbage with Peas and Prosciutto

February 6, 2015 by

Napa Cabbage with Peas and Prosciutto

Punxatawney Phil, that old son-of-a-gun, just declared there would be six more weeks of winter.  Growing up in Southern California, it didn’t mean much to me—maybe a day or two of drizzle, or a heavier jacket if the temperature dipped into the fifties at night.  Now that we’re in Texas, winter is FOR REAL!  There are no good farmer’s markets, no fresh produce for cheap.  So when it’s the dreary days of February and you can’t plant your garden yet, it’s time to make the most of what you have.  This recipe for Napa Cabbage with Peas and Prosciutto can’t bring spring, but it can warm up your belly!

I had half of a head of cabbage left after making a batch of Stuffed Cabbage Soup and needed a recipe for it.  If you haven’t searched through Epicurious.com, please do.  I used the search function to find recipes for Napa cabbage, stumbled onto this one, and tried it.  Fantastic!  I followed the instructions, except I replaced prosciutto with bacon.  Warm, smoky, sweet, and salty.  Try it tonight!

Napa Cabbage with Peas and Prosciutto (recipe courtesy Epicurious)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 small napa cabbage, trimmed and sliced crosswise
  • 1 ounce prosciutto, chopped (I substituted 3 slices of bacon, minced, cooked, and drained)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or more, to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add peas, cabbage, prosciutto, and zest and cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage is wilted and tender.
  2. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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Mexican Rice (with a secret ingredient)

February 3, 2015 by

Intrigued?  What is the ‘secret ingredient’, you ask?  Cauliflower.  Yup! Cauliflower makes a great stand-in for traditional rice.  Oh yes, you can google cauliflower rice…but you better be prepared for the many-many-many recipes, healthy-living blogposts and articles that you will find!

2015-02-02 20.41.17

Cauliflower ‘rice’ fits so perfectly into our healthy-but-oh-so-yummy POV.  (Click here  to check out some nutritional facts about cauliflower.)  And here are links to a couple of articles I found so interesting…they will surely expand your vision of some of the myriad ways that you can use cauliflower as a substitute in some very appealing recipes!  Check ’em out!

How-To Substitute Cauliflower Deliciously….

25 Of the Best Cauliflower Recipes on Pinterest

Here in our home we have enjoyed <really enjoyed!> ‘riced’ cauliflower as the pinch-hitter in fried rice, rice pudding, Cauliflower&Veggies and, most recently, in Mexican Rice.  This Mexican Rice would be a nice side dish to the recipe Dana shared with us last week… Veggie Burritos.  Season this ‘rice’ dish in the ways that your family would enjoy…toss in some finely diced jalapenos or add a can of chipotle in adobo or simply add a tiny bit of crushed red pepper for some spiciness!  Enjoy!

Mexican Cauliflower Rice

2015-02-02 20.47.44

ingredients:
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, “riced” **
2 tablespoons olive oil (or fat of your choice)
1 cup bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder (I used chipotle)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used Rotel brand)
assorted toppings: diced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole

directions:

** to make “riced” cauliflower, break the head of cauliflower into florets cutting off large stems (save for soup!). place the florets in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it breaks down and resembles pieces of rice (this only takes 10 or so ‘pulses’). or you can simply use a cheese (box) grater. always process the cauliflower for “rice” while it is still raw.

  • heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat
  • add onion and sauté for 5 minutes
  • add diced peppers and continue to saute for additional 5 minutes
  • lower heat and add chopped garlic and seasonings; stir constantly for 1-2 minutes
  • add in the “riced” cauliflower and stir to mix all veggies and seasonings together
  • stir in the tomato products and broth; raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil
  • cover and lower heat to a simmer
  • cook ‘til liquids have been absorbed (20-25 minutes)
  • taste (carefully!) for additional seasoning

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Veggie Burritos

January 30, 2015 by

veggie burrito

Despite what restaurants would have you believe, a burrito (or taco, for that matter) doesn’t have to be the same boring combo of meat, rice, and beans.  Believe it or not, you can make burritos or tacos with whatever you have.  I have a great cookbook by Rick Bayless, who despite his gringo name, is one of the preeminent Mexican chefs in America.  His book has recipes for mushroom tacos, squash tacos – you name it, you can make it into burrito or taco filling.  Following his lead, I steered clear of the meat-rice-beans set-up and created my own version of the Veggie Burrito!

Of course, you can use whatever veggies you like, and please feel free to add or subtract vegetables from my recipe.  This one features toothy black beans (instead of the heavy refried beans you usually find plastered to the inside of a tortilla), onions, chopped mushrooms and sautéed kale.  Then get crazy with the accoutrements:  salsa, cheese, diced avocado, sour cream (or Greek yogurt in my case).  Need something a little more filling?  Replace the boring rice with quinoa!  You get more protein that way.

If you have leftover veggie mix, you can just heat it up and serve with a fried egg on top for a healthy breakfast, or make a burrito bowl:  veggie mix, quinoa, avocado, salsa – basically everything but the tortilla!

Veggie Burritos (Makes 2 burritos)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chopped kale, washed
  • 8 ounces mushrooms (white or cremini), sliced
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tortillas
  • salsa, grated cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped avocado, cooked quinoa – your choice of any or all

Directions:

  1. In a large frying pan with a lid, add the butter, salt, and chopped onion.  Cook over medium for about five to ten minutes to get a little color.  Don’t let them burn!
  2. While the onions are cooking, prepare the kale – wash and spin it.  It doesn’t need to be dry, since a little water will help it steam and get tender.  Slice the mushrooms.
  3. Stir the washed kale into the onions in the frying pan and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Then remove the lid and add the mushrooms.  Cook for five to ten minutes, until most of the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are cooked through.  Add the black beans and stir for another minute.
  4. Put the two tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp dish towel.  Microwave for 30 seconds, then fill with a heaping scoop of the veggie mix.  Top with salsa, cheese, et cetera, and fold tortilla to close.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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SoupPalooza 2015 Ham {Not Split Pea} Soup

January 28, 2015 by

Final week of SoupPalooza 2015!  Oh…i really wanted to wow you with some extravagant, lucious, inspiring bowl of yumminess!  I thought of doing a Norwegian-style fruit soup…but couldn’t find just the perfect fruits at this time of year.  I thought of doing a gluten-free, grain-free paleo version of Chicken and Dumplings…but had to ‘dump’ the dumplings (still working on that!).  And then I ran across a great deal on a nice, big ham…and was going to make split pea à la Gramps (my dad)…but then when I made this oh-so-full-of-flavor ham stock (who knew?!?), I thought ‘Just keep it simple, coleen…’  This is a good soup to round out SoupPalooza 2015.  It is simple, hearty, flavorful, adaptable.  And I can tell you…the guy who has enjoyed soup every day this month was very thankful to come home to a steaming mug-full of this!  (He told me to tell you that he hopes you enjoy it just as much!)

This fits well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy point of view—full of veggies, full of flavor, low-fat.  I hope you follow Robert’s lead and enjoy some soup!

2015-01-25 18.51.38

 Ham {NOT Split Pea} Soup

ingredients:
1 leftover hambone (with a decent amount of meat attached)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
6-8 ounces mushrooms (I used Baby Bellas), diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2# red or yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (I used baby Yukon gold)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup petite frozen peas
1 teaspoon each dried thyme and tarragon
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
meat from leftover hambone

directions

  • place hambone into your largest stockpot and add enough cool, filtered water to cover the bone halfway (for me this was about 8 cups)
  • cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so; remove hambone
  • allow to cool slightly and skim off any nasty business from the surface 😉
  • cut away and set aside all the meat from the bone; discard bone
  • heat olive oil in another stockpot over medium heat
  • add onions and mushrooms; saute just ‘til mushrooms are beginning to caramelize
  • add diced carrots and potatoes; saute for additional 5 minutes or so
  • add chopped garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute
  • stir in ham stock, beans, corn, peas, and seasonings
  • bring back to a boil; cover and reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes; remove bay leaves (discard)
  • add ham pieces; mix in thoroughly and continue to simmer ‘til heated through, 2-3 minutes
  • serve hot and steamy

    ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

    God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

    ♥  coleen

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GF Brownies

January 23, 2015 by

GF Brownies

Guilt-free?  Gluten-free?  Girl friends?  Yes, all the above!  As usual, I have taken a recipe, tweaked some things here and there for my family, and made a treat that’s gluten-free, nearly guilt-free, and sure to please all your girl friends!  Here are my GF Brownies!

The three ingredients you’ll need to shop for are coconut flour, almond flour, and coconut oil.  You know what?  You can even trade in the coconut oil, if it’s not your thing, for half a stick of butter.  Now just pick up some coconut and almond flours, use what you need, and store them indefinitely in the freezer.  Frugal!

These are fudgy but not pasty.  There’s a difference!  They’re chewy but they don’t become glue in your mouth.  Super easy.  Let’s go!

GF Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips – the higher the cacao percent, the better!  (These were 64%)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (or use butter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (or you could use brown sugar)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • butter or coconut oil to grease the pan

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Grease an 8×8 square pan.
  2. In a large pot, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  When the mixture is smooth, remove from heat.  Whisk in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
  3. In a smaller bowl, beat the four eggs together.  Slowly whisk them into the chocolate mixture (make sure it’s cool enough so you don’t make scrambled eggs!)  Whisk in the maple syrup.
  4. A little at a time, whisk in the almond and coconut flours.  Whisk thoroughly, so you don’t have lumps.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased pan.  Bake at 350*F for 25-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool for about an hour.  Slice into 16 squares (2×2 each).  Hide the pan from your kids!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce

January 16, 2015 by

Toum

My sister had an addiction.  Drugs?  Alcohol?  Gambling?  No.  She was addicted to toum.  Toum is the thick, creamy garlic sauce she was eating at her favorite Mediterranean restaurant.  She talked about it.  She bought tubs of it to take home and put on home-cooked food.  And when she moved to a different city, she craved it.  She just sent me a recipe for it on Facebook this week, and I decided to try it.  I present to you Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce!

The original recipe is here, and there is a lot of information and background on the sauce.  Unfortunately, the recipe makes a huge quantity, and I didn’t want to commit to using 4 cups of oil on a recipe I’d never tried before.  So I made my own, much smaller batch, which is what I’m listing here.  There are only four ingredients, and you probably have all but one in your house right now.  Use fresh cloves of garlic, fresh lemon juice, sea salt or Kosher salt (not iodized table salt), and grapeseed oil.  Grapeseed oil is readily available and not expensive.  It is very pale in color and has a very mild taste.  (Some comments in the original recipe mentioned that olive oil can make a bitter sauce, so I think it’s best to avoid it.)

As you can see, I made it by hand with my mortar and pestle.  Whew, what a workout!  If you have a small and powerful blender, use that.  I have a large food processor that is great at mixing up dough, and not good at making small batches of anything.  Either way, it’s all about technique:  just like when you make mayonnaise, you MUST add the oil a tiny bit at a time, or else your emulsification will break and you’ll have a sad, oily mess.

This sauce is friendly and gets along with all savory foods.  Yesterday I took a spoonful, shook it up with another spoonful of olive oil, a little lemon juice, and a drop or two of honey and made a delicious salad dressing.  Last night I made a wrap with grilled chicken and lettuce, and used the garlic sauce instead of mayo.  This morning I put a dollop of this garlic sauce in my breakfast bowl of fried eggs and roasted broccoli.  Right this minute I am eating the last of the batch of garlic sauce, mixed in with leftover quinoa, chicken, and vegetables.

Quinoa with Toum

…and now it’s gone.  I think I see why my sister buys it by the tub!

Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

  • six large cloves of garlic
  • half of one lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup grape seed oil

Directions:

  1. Cut the hard root end off the cloves of garlic, and cut out any bruises, brown spots, or sprouts.  Get the prettiest cloves of garlic you can find!
  2. In a mortar and pestle, mash them up.  If you are using a small and powerful blender or food processor, mash them up!
  3. Add a sprinkle of salt and a little squeeze of lemon and mash some more.  Then add about a teaspoon of oil.  If you are using a blender, you can keep the blender running as you let the oil in the top, in a very fine trickle.  If you are using a mortar and pestle, add a teaspoon and mash until it’s blended in.
  4. Take it slow.  Add a sprinkle of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a touch more oil.  Alternate oil with salt and lemon.  Slower!
  5. Eventually, it should all come together into a creamy, fluffy blob of sauce.  If it just won’t come together, or you feel like you have too much oil, you can add another clove of garlic and another squeeze of lemon.  But if you take it slow, you’ll get it.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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Ginger Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes

January 13, 2015 by

Soup-Palooza 2015 continues!   Have you been enjoying any soups with your loved ones?  This week we’ve had Chicken Noodle (gluten-free), Mediterranean Fish Soup, Dana’s Tom Kha Gai soup, and this one…Ginger Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes.

Oh! My!  The combination of fresh orange and gingery goodness with the saltiness of the crabcakes…just delicious!  I perused quite a few crabcake recipes (since I didn’t have one of my own) and have included links (down below!) to two gluten-free/paleo recipes. Perhaps you have your own incredible crabcake recipe (share, please!) or you could even serve these with some of the delicious frozen ones available in your grocery store.  Whichever direction you decide to go…just do it ‘cause this flavor combination is not to be missed! Enjoy!

2015-01-09 20.53.35

Ginger-Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes

ingredients:

soup

1 large butternut squash (3#), peeled and seeded, cut into 2″ cubes
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
1 large sweet onion, chopped small
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 orange, zested and squeezed (about 1 cup juice) —set zest aside
2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup water
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
fresh greens (baby spinach, kale, arugula), sliced thinly

crabcakes

http://blogs.prevention.com/living-well-gluten-free/2013/03/06/gluten-free-crabcakes/

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/3635746431/paleo-krabby-patties

directions:

  • preheat oven to 400
  • line large baking sheet with parchment paper
  • use just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash and season well w/ s&p
  • pour seasoned squash onto the baking sheet
  • roast until just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes; remove, set aside

meanwhile…

  • in a 6 quart stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onion for 8-9 minutes over medium heat (or ‘til softened and translucent)
  • add ginger and garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute stirring constantly
  • add roasted squash, orange juice, chicken stock and water
  • bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes
  • remove about 1 cup of squash to serve in bowls
  • using an immersion blender**, puree soup until smooth
  • season with salt and pepper; stir in orange zest
  • place a handful of sliced greens and some of the reserved squash in bottom of bowl; fill with soup
  • serve topped with crabcake(s)

**also can be pureed in a standard blender being very careful and pureeing in batches

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

God loves you!   ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Stuffed Cabbage Soup

January 9, 2015 by

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

In the dead of winter, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup.  With this Stuffed Cabbage Soup, you get all the flavors of a delicious, labor-intensive meal, without all the hard work!

I based this soup on a dish your Polish grandmother might make—called galumpkis—meat, rice and vegetables rolled up in soft cabbage leaves and baked in a savory tomato sauce.  Don’t have a Polish grandmother?  Never fear!  This soup comes together in half an hour and is very forgiving.  No green onions?  Garnish with dill!  Don’t eat rice?  Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt!  You can use ground beef, pork, or even turkey here.  Or do what I did and use leftover meatloaf or hamburgers.  See?  Easy!

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or bacon fat
  • 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
  • 2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
  •  2 cups water
  • 1 pound cooked ground beef (I used last night’s leftover meatloaf and broke it into small pieces)
  • 1/2 cup minced carrots
  • 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds (or use ground fennel or anise)
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • rice, to serve

Directions:

  1. In a very large pot, sauté the minced garlic in the oil for one minute.  Add the sliced cabbage and stir.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the stock and the water.  Crumble the meat into the soup and add the carrots.  Stir to combine.
  3. Add the tomatoes, paprika, and ground fennel.  Turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 15 minutes.
  4. To serve:  Ladle soup into a big bowl.  Add a scoop of rice and sprinkle with minced green onions.  Eat hot!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

 

 

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Roasted Butternut and Apple Soup

January 7, 2015 by

Did you know that January is National Soup Month?  That is a fact that my husband does not let me overlook.  He loves soup…and would eat soup every single day!  Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! segment of the At Home w/ GCH blog, we are celebrating our third annual Soup-Palooza!  Each week this month we will feature soup, soup, soup...and soup!  Use the search feature here on our website to explore other soup recipes that Dana and I have posted in the past.

This week’s recipe spotlights three ingredients that are good for you, and really yummy, too: butternut squash, organic chicken meatballs, and baby kale. Interesting combination, you say? You betcha! I do believe this soup would be equally delicious without the chicken meatballs…making it perfect to serve as a vegan dish.  This soup also freezes (and defrosts) beautifully!  A note on the chicken meatballs: There are a number of brands out there to choose from.  These are the ones that I use…they have no preservatives, no filler, and are organic.  This company offer quite a variety of products—meatballs and sausages.

Enjoy…see you back here next week with another soup!

2015-01-05 12.51.20

Butternut-Apple Soup with Chicken Meatballs

ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
cinnamon
1 teaspoon EACH sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pkg chicken apple meatballs, cut in quarters
1 small onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, thin slices
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
1-2 teaspoons herb medley of your choice (thyme, tarragon, crushed rosemary, marjoram)
1-2 large apples, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup apple cider
1+ cups water (optional)
baby arugula
finely shredded sharp Cheddar (optional)

directions:

  • preheat oven to 4002014-12-31 17.26.48
  • line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • cut butternut squash in half; clean out seeds
  • peel the skin; cut the squash into 1+1/2″ cubes
  • place in large mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a couple of good shakes of cinnamon, and the seasonings; mix together and pour onto lined baking sheet
  • roast for 20 minutes or so ‘til the butternut yields easily when you pierce with a knife; remove from oven and set aside

meanwhile…

  • heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in medium stockpot
  • add cut-up chicken meatballs and saute ‘til lightly browned (6-7 minutes)
  • remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrot; cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are starting to get soft and caramelized
  • add herbs, apple chunks, garlic, season w/salt and pepper saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly
  • add stock, water and cider; stir to bring together
  • bring to a boil and add roasted butternut squash
  • reduce heat to medium low and let simmer about 30 minutes
  • using immersion blender (or carefully in a blender/mixer), puree about half the veggies, leaving the rest whole
  • adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking, adding up to 1 cup of water (or additional broth) to thin it out if you prefer
  • add in the browned chicken meatballs and heat through

to serve:2014-12-31 18.57.10

  • put a bit of raw baby arugula (I put in a small handful) in the bottom of your mug or soupbowl; ladle the finished soup on top
  • taste for additional seasoning (arugula will make it peppery!)
  • finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, if you like

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

God loves you!   ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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