queennubian: commanderbishoujo: mangosteel: Keeping this FOREVER. All look awesome and all are or can be vegan-ized. tortoisehare: CREAMY Creamy Spinach Soup Put 1 chopped onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 3 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add 10 ounces chopped spinach and 1/2 cup parsley leaves; cook until the spinach is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Greek-style yogurt and purée. Garnish: A spoonful of Greek-style yogurt and chopped parsley. Squash-and-Ginger Soup Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic and 4 cups chopped butternut squash for the spinach (it will take longer to soften). Skip the parsley and substitute half-and-half or cream for the yogurt. Garnish: A spoonful of cream. Curried Cauliflower Soup Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic, 2 cups cauliflower florets for the spinach (they will take longer to soften), 1 tablespoon curry powder for the parsley and coconut milk for the yogurt. Garnish: Chopped cilantro. BROTHY Vegetable Broth With Toast Put 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped onions, 1 small chopped potato, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 garlic cloves, 10 sliced mushrooms, 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine), 10 parsley sprigs, 1/2 ounce dried porcini, 8 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 30 minutes or longer. Strain and serve over toasted good bread. Garnish: Chopped celery leaves. Egg Drop Soup Beat 4 eggs. Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add the eggs in a steady stream, stirring constantly until they’re cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Skip the bread. Garnish: Chopped scallions. Rice-and-Pea Soup Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add 3/4 cup white rice. Cook until tender, then add 2 cups fresh or frozen peas; cook for a minute or two. Skip the bread. Garnish: Grated Parmesan EARTHY Bean Soup Put 1 1/2 cup dried beans, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and 6 cups water in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the beans are soft, at least 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil. Chickpea-and-Pasta Soup Substitute chickpeas for the beans and rosemary for the thyme and add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine). When the chickpeas are almost tender, add 1/2 cup small pasta. Cook until the pasta and chickpeas are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: A few chopped rosemary leaves. Spicy Black-Bean Soup Use black beans and substitute fresh oregano for the thyme. When the beans are done, add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 dried or canned chipotle and the juice of a lime. Garnish: Cilantro and sour cream. HEARTY Minestrone Sauté 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped celery rib and 1 teaspoon minced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups cubed potatoes and salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) and 5 cups water. Boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped green beans; simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish: Chopped parsley and grated Parmesan. Mushroom Soup Substitute 1 1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms (preferably an assortment) for the potatoes; sauté until they brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Substitute ½ cup white wine for the tomatoes, skip the green beans and add a fresh thyme sprig with the water. Garnish: A few thyme leaves. Tomato-and-Garlic Soup Use 2 tablespoons minced garlic and substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste for the celery. Skip the potatoes and green beans; use 3 cups tomatoes and 3 cups water. Cook the tomatoes for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: Lots of chopped or torn basil Notes: All of these recipes serve four, and you’ll want about a 2.5-to-4-quart (medium or large) pot. Most can be cooked for a while — but not so long that the freshness is gone. Most will taste as good or better the next day, so consider making a double batch and refrigerating (or freezing) the leftovers. But never boil a soup after you’ve added dairy to it; instead, reheat gently. If you want a supersmooth soup (and just about any of these soups can be puréed if you like), use a standing blender — let the soup cool a bit first — which creates a finer purée than an immersion blender does; you might even strain the soup after puréeing it. Garnishes are all optional, though herbs add a dimension that will be lacking otherwise. If you taste as you’re cooking, you’ll be fine, because there is really nothing to go wrong here. just adding my soup tips, especially for novice cooks: if you puree soup using a blender, do so in small batches, and pulse it a few times before you turn it on all the way. this will prevent the hot soup from blowing the lid off the blender and making a huge mess. you’re gonna want to do it this way even if you let it cool off some first. also I can’t stress tasting the soup as you go enough. most of the time when soup is bland it’s because people dump all the seasonings in one go and then leave it alone. soup is more of an art than an exact science, take measurements of seasonings/spices as general guidelines instead of holy writ. don’t be afraid to add more. as tomato paste goes, you want to fry the shit out of it to get the deepest flavor out of it and also to kill the acidity and grainy texture. this is a good rule of thumb when making marinara sauces too. and don’t forget to keep vegetable and herb trimmings for stock. making stock is quick and easy and will make a better soup than just using water. even if you don’t have the time/inclination to do so, save em anyway—store-bought vegetable stocks tend to be weak on flavor and trimmings can be used to fortify them. whenever buying any kind of stock though, always buy low-sodium so that you can control the amount of salt. regular stocks tend to be pretty salty. bless this post Reblogging this again because a lot of these soups are easy and cheap to make, they keep for a while, and they are good for you!
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queennubian:

commanderbishoujo:

mangosteel:

Keeping this FOREVER. All look awesome and all are or can be vegan-ized.

tortoisehare:

CREAMY

Creamy Spinach Soup
Put 1 chopped onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 3 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add 10 ounces chopped spinach and 1/2 cup parsley leaves; cook until the spinach is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Greek-style yogurt and purée. Garnish: A spoonful of Greek-style yogurt and chopped parsley.

Squash-and-Ginger Soup
Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic and 4 cups chopped butternut squash for the spinach (it will take longer to soften). Skip the parsley and substitute half-and-half or cream for the yogurt. Garnish: A spoonful of cream.

Curried Cauliflower Soup
Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic, 2 cups cauliflower florets for the spinach (they will take longer to soften), 1 tablespoon curry powder for the parsley and coconut milk for the yogurt. Garnish: Chopped cilantro.

BROTHY

Vegetable Broth With Toast
Put 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped onions, 1 small chopped potato, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 garlic cloves, 10 sliced mushrooms, 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine), 10 parsley sprigs, 1/2 ounce dried porcini, 8 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 30 minutes or longer. Strain and serve over toasted good bread. Garnish: Chopped celery leaves.

Egg Drop Soup
Beat 4 eggs. Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add the eggs in a steady stream, stirring constantly until they’re cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Skip the bread. Garnish: Chopped scallions.

Rice-and-Pea Soup
Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add 3/4 cup white rice. Cook until tender, then add 2 cups fresh or frozen peas; cook for a minute or two. Skip the bread. Garnish: Grated Parmesan

EARTHY

Bean Soup
Put 1 1/2 cup dried beans, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and 6 cups water in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the beans are soft, at least 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil.

Chickpea-and-Pasta Soup
Substitute chickpeas for the beans and rosemary for the thyme and add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine). When the chickpeas are almost tender, add 1/2 cup small pasta. Cook until the pasta and chickpeas are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: A few chopped rosemary leaves.

Spicy Black-Bean Soup
Use black beans and substitute fresh oregano for the thyme. When the beans are done, add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 dried or canned chipotle and the juice of a lime. Garnish: Cilantro and sour cream.

HEARTY

Minestrone
Sauté 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped celery rib and 1 teaspoon minced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups cubed potatoes and salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) and 5 cups water. Boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped green beans; simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish: Chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.

Mushroom Soup
Substitute 1 1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms (preferably an assortment) for the potatoes; sauté until they brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Substitute ½ cup white wine for the tomatoes, skip the green beans and add a fresh thyme sprig with the water. Garnish: A few thyme leaves.

Tomato-and-Garlic Soup
Use 2 tablespoons minced garlic and substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste for the celery. Skip the potatoes and green beans; use 3 cups tomatoes and 3 cups water. Cook the tomatoes for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: Lots of chopped or torn basil

Notes:

All of these recipes serve four, and you’ll want about a 2.5-to-4-quart (medium or large) pot. Most can be cooked for a while — but not so long that the freshness is gone. Most will taste as good or better the next day, so consider making a double batch and refrigerating (or freezing) the leftovers. But never boil a soup after you’ve added dairy to it; instead, reheat gently.

If you want a supersmooth soup (and just about any of these soups can be puréed if you like), use a standing blender — let the soup cool a bit first — which creates a finer purée than an immersion blender does; you might even strain the soup after puréeing it.

Garnishes are all optional, though herbs add a dimension that will be lacking otherwise. If you taste as you’re cooking, you’ll be fine, because there is really nothing to go wrong here.

just adding my soup tips, especially for novice cooks: if you puree soup using a blender, do so in small batches, and pulse it a few times before you turn it on all the way. this will prevent the hot soup from blowing the lid off the blender and making a huge mess. you’re gonna want to do it this way even if you let it cool off some first.

also I can’t stress tasting the soup as you go enough. most of the time when soup is bland it’s because people dump all the seasonings in one go and then leave it alone. soup is more of an art than an exact science, take measurements of seasonings/spices as general guidelines instead of holy writ. don’t be afraid to add more.

as tomato paste goes, you want to fry the shit out of it to get the deepest flavor out of it and also to kill the acidity and grainy texture. this is a good rule of thumb when making marinara sauces too.

and don’t forget to keep vegetable and herb trimmings for stock. making stock is quick and easy and will make a better soup than just using water. even if you don’t have the time/inclination to do so, save em anyway—store-bought vegetable stocks tend to be weak on flavor and trimmings can be used to fortify them. whenever buying any kind of stock though, always buy low-sodium so that you can control the amount of salt. regular stocks tend to be pretty salty.

bless this post

Reblogging this again because a lot of these soups are easy and cheap to make, they keep for a while, and they are good for you!

(via anoxfordcomma)

Veggie Pita Pizzas

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 13 mins
Total Time: 23 mins

Ingredients

    • 2 large pita, 100% whole-wheat
    • cooking spray
    • 1/2 cup(s) assorted fresh vegetables (such as small broccoli or cauliflower florets, red sweet pepper strips, sliced fresh mushrooms, and/or chopped carrot)
    • 1/4 cup(s) pizza sauce
    • 1/4 cup(s) cheese, mozzarella, shredded

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place pita bread rounds on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, coat an unheated small skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add the vegetables; cook and stir until crisp-tender.

3. Spread pizza sauce on pita bread rounds; sprinkle with cooked vegetables and cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more or until light brown. Serve warm.
 
Cost saving tip: Buy the veggies frozen. You will not too much of the nutrients (see here) and in the winter, this will save you a boatload of money. You can also try different cheese for different flavors (Personally, I eat this recipe with feta)
Ingredients 2 lb Pears, peeled, coarsely chopped (4 cups) 2 lb Apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (4 cups) 1/2 cup sugar (I am going to use brown) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 oz chèvre (goat) cheese, crumbled (1 cup) (I am using feta instead) 2 cups granola (I am going to use Udi’s Au Naturel Granola) 1/2cup butter or margarine, melted 3 tablespoons honey To Make: 1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. 2In large bowl, stir pears, apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold in dates and cheese. Spread in baking dish. In same bowl, mix granola and butter; sprinkle over fruit mixture. Drizzle with honey. 3Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown, covering with foil after 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Serve warm.
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Ingredients

  • 2 lb Pears, peeled, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
  • 2 lb Apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (I am going to use brown)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 oz chèvre (goat) cheese, crumbled (1 cup) (I am using feta instead)
  • 2 cups granola (I am going to use Udi’s Au Naturel Granola)
  • 1/2cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 3 tablespoons honey

To Make:

  • 1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
  • 2In large bowl, stir pears, apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold in dates and cheese. Spread in baking dish. In same bowl, mix granola and butter; sprinkle over fruit mixture. Drizzle with honey.
  • 3Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown, covering with foil after 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Serve warm.

Source: bettycrocker.com

mexican pasta salad PREP TIME 10 MINUTES COOK TIME 10 MINUTES SERVINGS 6 NUTRITIONAL INFO 478 calories, 15 g protein, 75 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1500 mg sodium, 7 g dietary fiber INGREDIENTS 2 cups small shell pasta 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt  ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup fresh or chunky salsa (medium or hot) ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped 3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped 1 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (5 ounces) canned green chilies, drained 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 6 slices Panera Bread Tomato Basil bread  DIRECTIONS 1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain.2. Meanwhile, put the lime juice in a large serving bowl. Whisk in the oil in a slow steady steam until incorporated. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and salsa.3. Add the hot pasta to bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, beans, chilies, and cilantro or parsley. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Editor’s note: I have made this recipe a couple of times, and it never ceases to amaze. I leave the tomatoes out, though, but that is a personal bias against tomatoes.
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mexican pasta salad

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME 10 MINUTES

SERVINGS 6

NUTRITIONAL INFO

478 calories, 15 g protein, 75 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1500 mg sodium, 7 g dietary fiber

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups small shell pasta
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup fresh or chunky salsa (medium or hot)
  • ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (5 ounces) canned green chilies, drained
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 6 slices Panera Bread Tomato Basil bread 

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, put the lime juice in a large serving bowl. Whisk in the oil in a slow steady steam until incorporated. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and salsa.

3. Add the hot pasta to bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, beans, chilies, and cilantro or parsley. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.




Editor’s note: I have made this recipe a couple of times, and it never ceases to amaze. I leave the tomatoes out, though, but that is a personal bias against tomatoes.

Source: mypanera.panerabread.com

Ingredients 4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 4 teaspoons paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 egg whites 1/2 cup skim milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness Olive oil cooking spray 1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups) 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed, about 25 to 30 seconds. Put the crumbs on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until golden. (You will wind up with about 1 1/3 cups toasted crumbs.) In a medium bowl, toss the crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish and spray on each side with cooking spray, about 5 seconds total per side. Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling. Per Serving (Serving size, 1 piece chicken with sauce and cheese) Calories 410; Total Fat 11 g; (Sat Fat 4.5 g, Mono Fat 2.7 g, Poly Fat 1.2 g) ; Protein 50 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 110 mg; Sodium 1200 mg To make this recipe easier, I just bought cheap bread crumbs (out of the can) and added extra whole clove garlic to the jarred sauce. To make it cheaper, you can also buy crushed tomatoes and seasoning it in place of sauce… which has gotten extremely expensive. Oh, and you can buy egg whites in a container instead of wasting a poor egg.
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Ingredients

  • 4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed, about 25 to 30 seconds. Put the crumbs on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until golden. (You will wind up with about 1 1/3 cups toasted crumbs.)

In a medium bowl, toss the crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish and spray on each side with cooking spray, about 5 seconds total per side. Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

  • Per Serving

(Serving size, 1 piece chicken with sauce and cheese)

Calories 410; Total Fat 11 g; (Sat Fat 4.5 g, Mono Fat 2.7 g, Poly Fat 1.2 g) ; Protein 50 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 110 mg; Sodium 1200 mg

To make this recipe easier, I just bought cheap bread crumbs (out of the can) and added extra whole clove garlic to the jarred sauce. To make it cheaper, you can also buy crushed tomatoes and seasoning it in place of sauce… which has gotten extremely expensive. Oh, and you can buy egg whites in a container instead of wasting a poor egg.

Source: http