thai butternut squash soup

Fall is here.  And just what does that mean?  Soup!

I had a butternut squash to use up and one of my first thoughts was to make soup with it.  Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of butternut squash.  I like it but get sick of it pretty quickly... I think it's a bit too sweet for my natural taste preference.  Because of that, I wanted to offset the sweetness of the squash as much as possible, and Thai flavors are perfect for that.

thai butternut squash soup

Ingredients:
4 c. peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 c. vegetable or chicken broth
a big splash of dry white wine - about 1/4 c.
1 small or 1/2 of a large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1-2 T. sesame oil
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cayenne (optional)
1/3 plain yogurt
1 lime
finely chopped cilantro & peanuts for garnish
salt & pepper

Instructions:
In a large pot, saute onions, garlic, celery, and spices in the sesame oil over medium heat for a few minutes, or until the onions and celery are just starting to become tender.  Add the white wine and cook for a couple more minutes.  Add the butternut squash and broth and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.

Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove.  Puree the soup until smooth, either with an immersion blender, or by pouring it into a blender and then back into the pot.  Once the soup is pureed, return to the stove on low heat.  Stir in the plain yogurt until throughly combined.  Add more broth or water if soup is too thick.

Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Serves 4-6.


adapted from this recipe

a quick lunch

Wow - it's been far too long since I've posted!  And just where have I been?  Having a baby and eating lots of food that other people have cooked for me!  While I do miss being in the kitchen some, it's very nice to know you have a meal already made for dinner when the baby decides he wants to be fussy or eat around 5:30, right when you need to be making dinner.  :)

Now, I have had to cook some of course, but snapping a picture and posting about it hasn't been a priority.  And I feel like most of what I've been making are desserts and sweet treats... the things I crave while I'm nursing a baby.
Things like this banana tres leches cake (with a few modifications due to lack of ingredients... like using all coconut milk instead of the other kinds).  But it was Delicious and I would highly recommend this dessert if you like banana at all.  Even if you usually don't like banana, you might be surprised by it... like my hubby.
And these cookies, to which I added chopped up candy bars (like snickers and baby ruth) in place of some of the chocolate chips.  Had to think of something to do with the leftover Halloween candy in the freezer.

But today we are going to talk about a quick lunch option... flatbread pizza.

The idea for the toppings on this pizza came from a friend, but of course you could use any you like.  The quick part is using a flatbread (or a pita bread) to make the pizza.

hummus, beet, and goat cheese flatbread pizza

Ingredients:
one flatbread (or pita)
hummus
beets
goat cheese
balsamic (I used a think balsamic glaze sauce)
pine nuts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400.  Bake flatbread for a few minutes until it is crispy.  Top with hummus, beets, and goat cheese.  Bake for a few more minutes until the goat cheese is soft.  Drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle with pine nuts if desired.

brussels sprout & fennel pizza

The name of this post sounds delicious and is enough to draw you in, right?  Who doesn't love brussels sprouts and fennel on their pizza?!  It was actually quite yummy and I was glad that Chad didn't even want to try it so I didn't have to share.  :)

I've recently just tried fennel for the first time (I know, I'm behind, but it always made me a little nervous because I don't like anise and that's what I heard it tasted like) ... but it's good!  The anise flavor is very mild and I'm not sure I would even say it tastes like anise.  The smell of anise is definitely stronger than the taste.  It's even more mild once cooked and blended in well with the brussels sprouts and feta on this pizza.

brussels sprout and fennel pizza

Ingredients
whole wheat pizza crust - I used 1/3 of the dough in the recipe found here
1 generous cup each of thinly shaved brussels sprouts and fennel - sliced with a mandolin
feta cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
olive oil
pine nuts
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Roll out dough into a thin crust.  Bake the pizza crust at 400 or 450 for about 10 minutes, or until starting to turn golden brown.  Spread garlic & a generous drizzle of olive oil over the crust.  Sprinkle with feta, fennel, brussels sprouts, and a little salt & pepper.  If it seems like there is too much fennel and brussels sprouts, that's good because they wilt down when baked.  Bake for another 10 minutes, or until crust is crispy.  Top with a handful of pine nuts before serving, if desired.  This pizza is also good with a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar after it's baked.

asian quinoa salad

Something light and asian flavored sounded good for dinner the other night, so this was my creation.  It's a little hard to post a recipe, as I used some sauces/dressing that you likely won't have on hand, but there are always ways to modify.  It was so light and tasty that I wanted to share it anyway.

Here's the sauce lineup:

We ate the quinoa salad at room temperature over romaine lettuce for dinner, but the leftover quinoa salad was good either warm or cold - I ate it both ways.

asian quinoa salad

Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
sweet chile sauce (any brand)
1 c. dry quinoa
1 T. seasoned rice vinegar (the kind used for making sushi rice)
juice from one lime
1 T. toasted sesame oil
a small bunch of grilled asparagus (about 1 c. cut up)
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 - 1/3 c. edamame
2-3 T. Gyoza sauce (or soy sauce or hoisin)
3-4 c. finely chopped romaine
lemon ginger sesame salad dressing, or other asian flavored dressing
handful of roughly chopped peanuts
black sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:
Bring 1 1/2 c. water to a boil.  Add quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  Pour the rice vinegar, sesame oil and lime juice over quinoa and stir until combined.  Put in a separate bowl.

While the quinoa cooks, heat a grill pan to medium high heat.  Butterfly the chicken breast by cutting the thick part in half, but not all the way through the chicken breast so it is still one large piece.  Coat one side of the chicken with the sweet chile sauce.  Place the coated side down on the grill pan once it's hot.  Coat the other side of the chicken breast with chile sauce.  Cook the chicken for ~5 minutes or until there is there is a good seer on it.  Flip and cook other side.  Once the chicken is done, brush each side with a little more chile sauce.  Remove from grill pan and let rest before slicing.

After the chicken has been removed from the grill pan, place the chopped carrots where the chicken was cooked so that the carrots can be coated with the browned chicken bits and chile sauce.  Cook for a couple minutes then add to quinoa.

While the carrots cook, add the asparagus stalks to the other side of the grill pan and drizzle with Gyoza sauce (or other sauce).  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Cut into 1" pieces and add to quinoa.

Slice the chicken into thin strips and add it, along with the peas and edamame, to the quinoa.  Stir until combined.  Add a little more Gyoza or soy sauce if desired.

To assemble, place romaine in two bowls.  Drizzle with ginger dressing and toss to coat.  Top with quinoa salad and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.

Note:  This recipe just has enough romaine for two salads, but it can be increased to make more salads.  There is enough quinoa for four salads.

gorgonzola burgers

I know I keep talking about my pregnancy cravings and what has been sounding good to me... and I'm going to do it again. :)  Burgers.  I always like them, but after looking at just one picture, I have been in the mood for them ever since.  Meat.  Cheese.  Bread... yum!

These burgers are full of gorgonzola cheese, but you could use any cheese you like.  Gorgonzola is pretty strong, so it was the predominant flavor of the burgers, which I thought was tasty but wouldn't always want my burger prepared that way.  The arugula and basil mayo helped offset the gorgonzola and it all blended into one nice big flavorful burger.  And don't forget to toast your bun! ...either on the grill or in the toaster.  Chad has taught me that one of the keys to a great burger is a toasted bun.

gorgonzola burgers with arugula and basil mayo

Ingredients:
burgers:
1 lb ground beef, or other ground meat
1/3 c. gorgonzola cheese
1 T. steak sauce (I used A-1)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 whole wheat buns, toasted

basil mayo:
4 T. mayo
1 T. freshly chopped basil or basil pesto
1 T. fresh lemon juice
a little salt & pepper

toppings:
arugula
thinly sliced red onions
banana peppers

Instructions:
Mix the ground beef with other ingredients and form 4 patties.  Grill (outside or inside on a grill pan) over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.  If you cook them on a grill pan, make sure it is really hot before cooking the burgers to get a nice sear on them.  

Spread basil mayo on the top and bottom of each bun (1 T. per bun).  Add the burger and toppings of your choice.

Makes 4 burgers.

pinterest recipe: creamy veggie pasta

Ok, so I wanted to do one new pinterest recipe a week.  It's been a little over a week, but I'm going to blame it on Chad being out of town and me going back to work last week. :)

I pinned this recipe for creamy veggie pasta with garlic brown butter breadcrumbs that intrigued me... especially the bread crumbs.  I did not have panko breadcrumbs, so used regular bread instead.  They were still very tasty and added a nice garlicky kick to the dish, but I'm thinking the panko ones would have been a little crisper and added a nice texture contrast.  So next time I make it I'm going to make sure I have panko breadcrumbs on hand.

I made a few other adjustments, but overall it was a very tasty dish.  I liked the creamy avocado and garlic from the breadcrumbs, with a little heat from the red pepper flakes.  I went back for seconds, and would be excited to eat the leftovers for lunch.

I also used all frozen veggies, so it was very quick to make.  The asparagus in the original recipe sounds delicious in it, but asparagus is expensive this time of year, so I rarely buy it.  I opted for broccoli, peas, and edamame, all of which I had in the freezer.

creamy avocado pasta and garlic breadcrumbs

Ingredients:
8 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 c. peas
1/2 c. edamame
1 - 2 c. broccoli
1 avocado
1/2 c. chopped ham
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
2 T. cream cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
red pepper flakes

bread crumbs:
1/3 c. panko or regular bread crumbs (1 slice of bread)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. butter

Instructions:
Bring water to a boil in a pot and cook noodles 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain noodles, reserving 1 c. of the pasta water.

If using frozen veggies, thaw in the microwave (don't cook, just thaw) and set aside.  If using fresh broccoli, saute with olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

For the cream sauce, mash 1/2 of the avocado with the cream cheese until fairly smooth.  Add yogurt and 2-3 T. of reserved pasta water.  Stir until combined.

To make the breadcrumbs, combine breadcrumbs and garlic in a small bowl.  Melt 1 T. butter and pour over the breadcrumbs (I didn't take the time to brown the butter).  Stir to combine and set aside.

Heat skillet to medium and add garlic, 1 T. olive oil, and veggies.  Cook for a couple minutes to warm the veggies.  Add the avocado cream sauce and ham and stir to combine.  Add in the pasta, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 c. of the pasta water.  Stir until creamy, adding more pasta water if needed.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Cut remaining avocado in slices.  To serve, top pasta with avocado slices, breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes.

Serves 3-4.

kale & butternut squash pizza

In keeping with our homemade pizza tradition (which we usually make every week or two), this past weekend I made a "traditional" pepperoni pizza for the hubby, and a "more unique" pizza for myself... but of course I snagged a couple slices of his pizza, as I always do.  Because let's face it, while I love the unique kinds I make for myself, there is always something tempting and delicious about a more traditional meaty pizza... or maybe that's just the pregnancy talking. :)  I have had many cravings for sausage/pepperoni/salty meats lately!

I usually don't plan our pizzas too much in advance (although I have a pizza cookbook with some very delicious looking pizzas I need to use), so whatever we have on hand is what gets used.  This time I had kale, roasted butternut squash, and parmesan cheese, so kale & squash pizza it was!

Verdict:  I liked it, but it did need a bit more flavor, so I found it much more tasty with just a little extra sprinkle of salt on the top after it baked.  I'm a big fan of leftover cold pizza for lunch or a snack, and it was very tasty like that too.



kale & butternut squash pizza

 Ingredients:
whole wheat pizza dough for 1 small pizza
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 c. roasted butternut squash
1 c. baby kale leaves
parmesan cheese
dried basil & oregano
pine nuts

Instructions:
I had the roasted squash leftover in the fridge, but to roast it just coat cubes of butternut squash with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until for tender.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (if you want) after its done baking and stir until evenly coated.

For the pizza, heat the oven to 400.  Roll out the dough as thin as possible (if you want a crispy crust) and bake for about 10 minutes, or until it just starts to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic.  Spread the olive oil and garlic over all the crust and sprinkle with a little salt & pepper.  Top with kale leaves (uncooked), butternut squash, and cheese.  Bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is brown and crispy.  Sprinkle with dried basil/oregano, a little more salt & pepper and pine nuts.  Eat up!

Serves 1-2.

creamy mushroom pasta

Ah... this dish combines all my favorite flavors - outside of pregnancy, but especially during pregnancy.  Mushrooms.  White wine.  Parmesan.  Pine nuts.  Arugula.  It's creamy, in a fairly healthy sort of way, but the arugula adds a nice lightness that cuts the richness of the dish.

I made it for myself and didn't even try to share it with the rest of my family!  They probably would have eaten it and liked it, but I figured I would enjoy it the most, so I might as well eat it all. :)  It made for a nice lunch several days and was delicious every time I ate it.

creamy mushroom pasta

Ingredients:
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. dry white wine
whole wheat penne (I used about 1/3 of a box)
1 container sliced portobello mushrooms
2 laughing cow cheese triangles, any flavor (or 2 T. cream cheese)
3 T. plain yogurt
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
2 c. roughly chopped arugula
handful of pine nuts (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Caramelize the onions by cooking them over medium heat for a couple minutes (I like to use a nonstick skillet without any oil so that the onions start to brown), then add the white wine and minced garlic.  Simmer until all the wine is absorbed.  If you want to caramelize the onions even more, add a little water and cook until it is absorbed.  Repeat adding water until they are caramelized to your liking.

While the onions cook, in another pot, heat water to a boil and cook penne to al dente, ~ 8 minutes.  Drain, and reserve 1 c. of the pasta water.

In a skillet, saute the mushrooms in 1 T. olive oil and a little salt & pepper until tender.  Add the cheeses and yogurt and stir until creamy.  Add pasta and stir until combined.  Add pasta water, a little at a time, until desired creaminess.  Stir in chopped arugula, salt & pepper to taste, and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Serves 2-4.

pinterest recipe: protein snack balls

Who doesn't love the world of Pinterest and browsing it for new ideas for food, organizing, crafts, etc.?  I do.  However, I'm not great at following through on completing many of the projects/recipes I pin.  So... with the new year, I thought why not start trying to make one of those great recipes I pin once/week?  Hopefully posting the recipes I try on here will help keep me accountable to it.

I had a friend make a version of those yummy looking protein/snack balls that are floating around Pinterest.  Hers were delicious, so I thought that would be a great first recipe to try...  this is the recipe that I modified from Pinterest.  And let me just tell you that these are yum-o and dangerous.  They are just healthy enough that you don't really feel bad for eating them, but know that they are full of calories with all the almond butter, flax, and coconut oil.  They are the perfect little breakfast, after lunch dessert, afternoon snack, late night snack... ok, I eat them all day long.  My husband and son loved them too, so that helped me eat not quite all of them.  :)

protein snack balls

Ingredients:
1 c. almond butter (or peanut butter)
1 c. oats
1 c. shredded coconut
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. ground flax seed
1/4 c. peanut butter
3-4 T. coconut oil
1 scoop protein powder (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions:
Stir together the almond butter, peanut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.  Add more almond butter/oil if mixture isn't sticking together, or more oats/coconut if there seems to be too much almond butter.*  Roll into 1 - 1 1/2" balls and refrigerate.

* The mixture was kind of crumbly when I made them, but once I started rolling it into balls it stuck together, so I would recommend "testing" the mixture and see if it forms balls before modifying.

Makes 2 dozen balls.

brothy chinese noodles

When I saw this recipe in my Eating Well magazine, I knew it was a must try.  And I'm thankful I did.  It was super, super delicious.  Especially with a little hot sauce to spice it up.  If you have a love for Asian flavors at all, make this recipe.  It was one of those dishes that I wanted to keep eating and eating even after my stomach was telling me it was full, because the flavor is that scrumptious.  I will definitely be making this recipe over and over, especially during the cold winter.

I was much too excited to eat it to take a picture, so below is a picture from eatingwell.com and here's the recipe.  I modified the recipe just a tad (mostly the quantities), so I included my version below.  I think next time I will add even more cabbage, just because I love it and like my veggie to carb ratio to be high.

brothy chinese noodes
picture credit: eatingwell.com

Ingredients:
2 T. sesame oil
1 lb. ground pork or turkey (I used pork)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger
4 c. chicken broth (plus more if needed)
3/4 c. water
10 oz. bag of shredded cabbage (just because I didn't have bok choy and it's cheaper)
2 large handfuls whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles, broken in half
4 T. soy sauce
2 T. rice vinegar

Instructions:
Saute ground meat in 1 T. of the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger on medium heat until cooked through.  Drain off extra grease if needed and set aside.
While the meat cooks, in a separate pot combine broth, water, cabbage, noodles, soy sauce, vinegar and remaining 1 T. sesame oil.  You want the liquid to barely cover the noodles and cabbage so that the dish will have a little broth, but not as much liquid as soup.  Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 3-5 minutes, or until noodles are al dente.  Add the cooked meat and stir to combine.

The original recipe suggested serving with scallions and cucumbers, neither of which did I have on hand (this is what I get for not meal planning).  It was super tasty without them, but I'm thinking a little crunch from the cucumbers would be a nice addition.

Serves 4-6.