November 25, 2024

Italian Sausage Soup

September 25, 2013 by

Fall is here along with a busy schedule at my house which means time crock pot cooking. One of my family favorites is Italian sausage soup .  It is healthy and easy to throw together with a hectic schedule since I usually have most of the ingredients in stock.

 ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can of any beans you like, drained; I use Pinto
  • 1 pound of lean sausage, your choice cut into bite size
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 medium carrot, diced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta
  • grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

My kids and my husband love, love, love sausage – – any kind of sausage, and the greasier the better to them.  However, they will get a healthier choice when I cook for them.  I like using deer sausage which is leaner and more flavorful especially when lucky enough to receive some from a friend, who is an avid hunter.

sausage

 

 Here is the easiest part.  Throw everything into your Crockpot, even sausage precooked and cook 6-8 hours on low.

in crock pot

For the last hour, add your pasta and cook on high.  When pasta is tender, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and you are ready to go.

Final

 

This is a perfect meal on a cold night or a busy day when you don’t have time to stew in the kitchen.  It’s filled with lots of protein and fiber.  The carrots give one serving of a vegetable; however, you could add other vegetables such as zucchini or squash.  To add in a few more greens, I like to serve with a toss salad.

 toss salad

Italian Sausage Soup, it gives a kick to the name  soup and salad.

I can’t wait to share more recipes and tips on how to plan meals that are quick and easy for a busy schedule in my upcoming Weight Loss Teleclass.  Check it out and email me to sign up for my FREE ORIENTATION to learn more.

In Good Health,

Crystal

Filed Under: Coaching w/ Crystal Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Salad Nicoise

August 16, 2013 by

Salad Nicoise small

 

Salad Nicoise sounds fancy, doesn’t it?  It makes me picture Paris fashion, little bistros with snooty waiters, and dining on vin and fromage by candlelight.  In reality, Salad Nicoise is just a dressed-up tuna salad!  This is one of my favorite dinner salads, combining satisfying protein, crunchy vegetables, and a few extra surprises.

Nothing too exotic to buy at the store here.  You probably don’t have Nicoise olives at your store (I’ve never seen them grocery shopping around Los Angeles), but you can easily find a jar of juicy black Kalamata olives.  I use romaine lettuce (it’s my absolute favorite!) but you can use any green lettuce, and I’ve eaten this on baby spinach too.  You don’t want to use anything too bitter, though, so stay away from a salad mix that has a lot of frisee, arugula, or escarole.  I didn’t have any in my fridge, but a couple of teaspoons of minced parsley would be nice sprinkled over the top.  You can use this as a jumping off point, and add in other ingredients you like:  tomatoes, diced bell pepper, pistachios, or capers.  Let your imagination run wild, French-style!

Salad Nicoise

(Makes 2 dinner salads.  Serve with bread and white wine if desired.)

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or wine vinegar (red or white is fine) plus one tablespoon reserved for potatoes
  • a pinch of sugar or one drop of honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 5-oz. bag of salad mix or 2 heads of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
  • 3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 cans tuna, drained
  • 1 large red- or white-skinned potato (Russet potatoes aren’t as nice and fall apart – save them for baked potatoes)
  • 8 oz. fresh green beans
  • 1 jar kalamata or other large black olives
  • salt and pepper
  • optional:  minced parsley, basil or tarragon to sprinkle over top

Directions:

  1. Make the vinaigrette:  In a small container with a lid, add the mustard, 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, pinch of sugar, and olive oil, and shake to combine.  (The pinch of sugar offsets the mustard and vinegar – you don’t need to add it, but I think it mellows out the dressing a little.)
  2. Boil a large pot of water on the stove.  Wash the potato and green beans.  Chop the potato into one-inch chunks, and cut the green beans into one-inch pieces.  Add to the boiling water and simmer the potatoes for about ten minutes, then add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes more.  You should be able to just pierce a potato with a knife or a fork, but you don’t want the potatoes to break apart.  When the potatoes are done and just cooked through, drain the water, and sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of vinegar.  Set aside.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, make a bed of the lettuce in 2 large salad bowls.  Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice into quarters, lengthwise.  Drain the cans of tuna and flake with a fork.  Layer the tuna and eggs over the lettuce.
  4. Top the tuna with green beans, potatoes, and olives.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with the dressing and optional chopped herbs.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Watermelon – Arugula Salad

July 15, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Mondays are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  Starting today we are beginning a series on summer salads featuring in-season ingredients.  Our featured ingredient is watermelon and today’s recipe is for a Watermelon – Arugula – Feta Salad. This salad has such a range of flavors—citrusy vinaigrette, sweet watermelon, salty cheese, and peppery arugula—and it is so refreshing!  Almost everyone I know enjoys watermelon…how about you?  Watermelon is available throughout the summer nationwide.  In addition to being oh-so-yummy (a requirement here, y’know!), watermelon is loaded with healthy benefits.  This salad is a nice side dish to something on the grill…chicken, burgers, or fish.  Enjoy!

2013-07-10 18.36.29

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup grapefruit or orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Salad:
1/4 cup finely diced vidalia onion
6 cups baby arugula
3-4 cups seedless watermelon, (about 2# with rind)
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 ounce pine nuts

Directions:

For the vinaigrette: Pour all of the ingredients (except olive oil) into a bowl, and slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Set aside.

For the salad: Using a melon baller, scoop out watermelon balls into a bowl.  Place arugula and onion into a large salad bowl. Toss with approximately 1/2 of the vinaigrette.  Add watermelon balls, cheese, and nuts.  Toss again.  Serve immediately, offering the rest of the vinaigrette to add to taste.

Substitutions:
For the feta cheese, you could substitute ricotta salata or another salty cheese.
For the pine nuts, sliced almonds would be a wonderful alternative.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bacon and Peach Salad

May 24, 2013 by

 

Bacon Peach Salad

When it’s hot, I crave a nice cool salad.  This Bacon and Peach Salad would be great, with some sweet and spicy barbecued chicken, perfect for your Memorial Day BBQ!  My husband brought home some ripe avocados and sweet little peaches from the farmer’s market this past weekend.  If you can’t find peaches yet, give it a few weeks – this salad is worth the wait!

For the dressing, you can use any mild vinaigrette you have in the fridge, or use my recipe below.  I used romaine lettuce, but I bet spinach, or even arugula, would be tasty too.  This salad is based on an Emeril Lagasse recipe, and he adds feta.  I didn’t have any, but next time I make it, I’ll sprinkle on a little feta or crumbled goat cheese.  And this dish was so delicious, there WILL be a next time!

Bacon and Peach Salad

Makes four small starter salads or two larger side dish salads

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 slices bacon
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
  • 1 ripe peach, diced
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1 tablespoon crumbled feta for each plate

Directions:

  1. Dice the bacon and cook until crispy.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.
  2. While the bacon is cooking, add the vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil in a small container with a lid, and shake vigorously to combine.
  3. To serve, divide the lettuce among the plates and top with bacon, peach, and avocado.  Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with feta.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

At Home with GCH: Caprese Salad

May 6, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This week I am sharing a dish that I often prepare for gatherings—Caprese Salad, aka Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad.  Here we are thick in the season of bridal showers and graduation parties and Mother’s Day  and Father’s Day celebrations.  Today I made this for a bridal shower, and so I multiplied the recipe 4X.  It served over 40 ladies as a side dish on the salads table.  If you are preparing this in advance, add the vinegar and olive oil just prior to serving.

IMG_0222

Caprese Salad

8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
basil * (fresh is best); if using dried, 1/2-3/4 teaspoon)
kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I use ‘white’ balsamic)
1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

IMG_0220

Easy-peasy!  Depending on the size of the fresh mozzarella you have bought, you might need to cut the balls of mozzarella into small, bite-size pieces; halve the tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.  Thinly slice the basil*.  Add the sliced basil to the seasoned tomatoes and cheese.  Pour a small amount of olive oil and some of the balsamic vinegar over and gently mix. Taste; add more vinegar and olive oil, if necessary.  Serve immediately.

*tip: stack 3-4 basil leaves; tightly roll-up (like a tiny cigar!); then carefully slice into very thin slices. You have now accomplished the technique known as ‘chiffonade!’  You are amazing!  🙂

 

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

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

At Home with GCH: Greek Salad

January 18, 2013 by

Greek Salad

We are big salad eaters at my house.  (And when I say “we”, I mean my husband and I.  My girls won’t go near the lettuce unless it’s shredded in a sandwich, and even then it’s touch and go!)  We’ll have a big salad for dinner at least once a week, sometimes more.  I’m always on the lookout for ways to eat healthier, get more veggies, and eat less refined carbohydrates.  This Greek Salad really fits the bill!

If you’ve made this salad before or had it at a restaurant, you know it’s fresh, bright and simple.  The two things that make it spark and give it that clean taste are the dressing and the cheese.  The dressing is maybe the easiest vinaigrette around—all you need are dried oregano, lemon juice, and olive oil!  Taste it, add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to taste, and you’re done!  The cheese is a crumbly white cheese called feta.  It tastes sort of like goat cheese, but it’s a little saltier, a little drier in texture.  It’s also very low in calories, so feel free to add a few tablespoons to your salad.

We had this salad last night, in huge bowls, with braised chicken.  If you want to make it a one-dish meal, add diced chicken or grilled shrimp right to the salad.  Healthy and delicious—it’s what’s for dinner!

Greek Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced in half, then into half-moons
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced as thin as possible
  • 1/4 cup black olives (I like Kalamata; make sure you buy pitted olives – I hate spitting out the pits!)
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

  1. Make the dressing:  In a small Tupperware cup with a tight-fitting lid, mix together the oregano, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.  Set aside – this gives the oregano time to “bloom” in the lemon juice and release it’s flavor.  If you add the oil too soon, you coat the oregano and it’s flavor won’t be as strong.
  2. Cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and wash well.  To compose, fill a large bowl with the lettuce, then top with bell pepper, cucumber, onion, olives, and feta.
  3. Add the oil to the oregano and lemon juice, shake well to combine, and pour over salad.

Notes:  This recipe makes 2 big salads, or  4 side salads.  Many people add tomato to a Greek Salad, and I encourage you to try it out—in the summer, when they are in season.  If you have leftover salad ingredients, this makes a great wrap—just roll it all up in a tortilla and eat like a burrito – especially great with chopped, cooked chicken! 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

Please visit me at Frugal Girlmet for more unique recipes!

If you would like to send Dana a private message in regards to this recipe, please email her at: Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page