Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Soup

"White broccoli" as Braelyn would call it is sooooo good! Although it is still a feat to try to get her to eat raw vegetables, I can usually get her to eat steamed or cooked veggies pretty well. Two of her favorites are broccoli and cauliflower.

Before she was diagnosed with Celiac we had gone to a soup and sandwich restaurant where she tried a Wisconsin cheddar cauliflower soup. She loved it! We went back shortly after her being diagnosed and I had to tell her that she couldn't have that same soup anymore; it had flour. She was devastated! I promised her that I would make her her own special cauliflower soup later. And that promise I kept!



This Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Soup is robustly flavored with just the right hint of garlic and veggies. You could easily turn it into a cheddar soup by adding shredded cheese. The best part about this velvety creamy soup??? No cream and it's made with skim milk. You would never guess based on the richness. Go ahead and eat an entire bowl!

 

Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

7 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 cup skim milk

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 can white navy or great northern beans, rinsed and drained (15 oz.)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Place cauliflower and garlic cloves on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

 

 

2. Chop remaining vegetables. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add onions, celery and carrots. Sauté for 10-12 minutes until onion is translucent and slightly tender.

 

3. Once veggies are tender, add 2 cups broth to pot. Add roasted cauliflower. Remove skin from garlic cloves and add paste to the pot. Add rinsed and drained navy beans, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

 

4. In two batches, puree pot mixture in a blender until completely smooth.

 

5. Return pureed mixture to pot. Add 1 cup skim milk. Heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste.

 

6. Garnish with chopped bacon and toasted pecans. Gorgonzola or feta cheese also pairs nicely with the flavors.

 

Serves 4-6

Fajita Baked Potatoes with Creamy Cilantro Ranch

Deep breath, in then out. Sigh...okay, that was well needed. I tell you, some nights just need to be simple, easy and tasty. No extra hoots and hollers, no mess of ingredients, no parade of a fancy feast. That pretty much describes this week. Between planning a birthday party, preparing materials for church lessons and driving Braelyn back and forth to doctor's appointments, there wasn't time for much else. So this week was full of what I consider quick and easy, yet fresh and nutritious meals for our family.

What is the first meal that comes to mind when I am looking for something simple? Baked potatoes! I love baked potatoes because they are a base vehicle for anything and everything you have in the fridge from leftover meat to veggies you need to get rid of to little bits of remaining soup. Really you can do anything with a nicely cooked baked potato.

 

I decided to try something new with this fajita inspired baked potato, and we may have found a new favorite. Who would have thought that you could go Mexican with a baked potato?! People, it was delicious! Between whipping up a Creamy Cilantro Ranch sauce and topping it with my Simply Guac, this recipe was a true winner. Plus it ended up being a substantial vegetarian meal. You could definitely add in some grilled steak or chicken, but it stands strong in flavor and texture even without the meat.

 Fajita Baked Potatoes with Creamy Cilantro Ranch

 

Ingredients:

4 large or 6-8 medium/small baked potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, sliced thin

1/2 golden bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cob corn, kernels cut off

2 tablespoons lime juice, divided

1 heaping tablespoon McCormick taco seasoning

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 to 2/3 cup shredded fiesta blend  or sharp cheddar cheese

1 recipe Simply Guac

 

Dressing:

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tomatillo, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup tightly packed cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/2 packet or 1 1/2 tablespoons Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes. Pierce 4 times each with a fork. Place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until soft when pierced with a fork.

 

 

2. Meanwhile begin making your dressing by coarsely chopping all vegetables. Add buttermilk and mayonnaise to a food processor along with chopped vegetables. Add lime juice and ranch seasoning. Puree until smooth and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

 

 

3. Prepare vegetables for fajita topping by slicing peppers and onion lengthwise in thin strips. Cut corn off cob and mince the garlic. Slice the mushrooms. Rinse and drain beans.

 

 

4. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine onions, peppers, corn, 1 tablespoon lime juice and taco seasoning. Mix to combine.

 

 

5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot enough for veggies to sizzle, pour into skillet and cook for 7 minutes stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes more until mushrooms are tender. Add black beans and remaining tablespoon of lime juice and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

 

 

6. Assemble potatoes by cutting open and pinching insides out with fingers. If using small potatoes, each person may need two. Layer with cheese, fajita mixture, a scoop of salsa, a scoop of guacamole and cilantro dressing around or on top of the potato.

 

Serves 4

 

Lemon Basil Penne Medley

How is it that you feel like you need a vacation after every vacation??? From the moment we got back from our holiday travels all Ben and I have wanted to do was go on a date night. It didn't help that we spent our 10 year anniversary driving to Utah. Once we opened up a couple of restaurant gift cards for Christmas, we knew exactly how we were going to celebrate once we returned home. Free dinner! Can't beat that.

The weekend we got home we hit the town and went to one of our favorite restaurants (thank you Grandma Sawyer) and ordered our favorite meal, Steak Bryan. The. Best. On our way out we were raving to the hostess about how excellent the food was and she told us the sauce was so easy to make. Lots and lots of butter, lemon juice, garlic, basil and white wine. She had me lost at the "lots and lots of butter" but I figured I'd give a copycat recipe a go.

What happened tasted nothing like our divine dinner, however it was just as spectacular. From a delicious Steak Bryan came this zesty Lemon Basil Penne Medley, proof that sometimes it's a blessing when things don't quite turn out the way you planned.

 

This whole grain penne pasta is tossed with a tangy lemon basil sauce that lightly coats each little ridge. If that isn't lovely enough, I also mixed in freshly chopped basil, sweet salad tomatoes, tangy sundried tomatoes and real mozzarella chunks. And what isn't better than some shaved Parmesan cheese on top? Yes, a true pasta medley!

 

Lemon Basil Penne Medley*

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

1 1/2 cups snacking salad tomatoes, halved

*12 oz. whole grain Penne pasta (choose gluten free for a gluten free meal)

8 oz. fresh mozarella

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (I use the ones not packed in oil)

Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese for garnishing

 

Directions:

1. Begin boiling salted water for pasta. As water is heating, prepare ingredients by slicing tomatoes in half, chopping the basil and cubing the mozzarella into 1/4" cubes. Squeeze out lemon juice making sure to discard all seeds. Finely chop your garlic cloves.

 

2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. As pasta is cooking melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted add in garlic. Stir continuously for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

 

3. In a small bowl or measuring dish, add cornstarch to the chicken broth. Stir until dissolved. Add chicken broth mixture, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar to saucepan. Bring to a light simmer and stir continuously until sauce begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Add chopped basil and stir 2 minutes more. Add 2/3 of the sliced salad tomatoes and stir 2 minutes more.

 

4. At this point your pasta should be cooked. Drain pasta and set aside. Remove sauce pan from heat and immediately toss in warm penne, mozzarella chunks, remaining salad tomatoes, and sundried tomatoes. Stir to coat all pasta.

 

5. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

Serves 6



Whole Wheat Vegetarian Lasagna

I can't begin this post without paying tribute to my mom. If anything, lasagna is her signature dish. Forget the Italian "Mama Mia!" and just replace it with "Mama Melene!" In all honesty, she's probably made over 300 lasagnas in my 30 years of life. From feeding college kids to family members to community potlucks, this tried and true recipe has always been a winner.

After living on my own and figuring out ways that I could incorporate more whole grains and vegetables into my everyday diet, I realized this was the perfect recipe to play around with. I omitted the meat for a vegetarian option, switched out the traditional noodles for whole wheat lasagna noodles, and threw in whatever vegetables I had on hand. The result was just as flavorful and just as ooey gooey good as I had always remembered.

The great thing about this lasagna is that you can adapt it to your own vegetable preference. I usually add carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and onions. I have also tried it with diced butternut squash (mmm so hearty), green and red bell peppers, a handful of spinach, etc. Just experiment and have fun!

Whole Wheat Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

3 carrots, halved and cut about 1/8 inch thick

2 zucchinis, quartered and cut about 1/4 inch thick

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz.)

9 whole wheat lasagna noodles

2 cups cottage cheese

2 eggs

1 tsp. sugar

2 tablespoons dried or fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2-4 cups mozzarella cheese (depending on your ooey gooey preference!)

 

Directions:

1. Prep veggies and set aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.

 

2. Add onions and carrots to sauce pan and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook 3 minutes more. (Salt and pepper vegetables with each addition)

 

3. Add in spaghetti sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, begin cooking your noodles according to package directions. (I always cook whole wheat lasagna noodles 2 minutes longer than suggested for tenderness)

4. In a mixing bowl combine cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, parsley, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk all together.

 

5. Drain noodles and set aside.

 

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling lasagna. Layers are as follows: Put a very thin layer of sauce at bottom to prevent sticking, 3 noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 mozzarella, 3 noodles, 1/2 spaghetti sauce mixture, last 1/2 cottage cheese mixture (okay if it mixes into sauce as you spread over), last 1/2 of mozzarella, 3 noodles and last 1/2 of sauce to cover all noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 

7. Bake covered with foil for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy!