All tagged Red Onion

Winter Potato, Butternut Squash, and Leek Soup

Winter Potato, Butternut Squash, and Leek soup is the ultimate nutrient-dense meal to boost your immune system and warm you from the inside out. The hardest part of this soup is the chopping of vegetables! So put on some good music and chop away 😊 Then, the soup simmers for 15 minutes and is ready to enjoy hot with a side of crusty whole grain bread drizzled with olive oil. Winter Potato, Butternut Squash, and Leek Soup can be made vegan by simply subbing out the chicken bone broth with veggie broth.

Sweet and Spicy Carrot Ginger Soup

This luxuriously smooth Sweet and Spicy Carrot Ginger Soup is everything I want in a soup- incredible depth of flavor, bursting with nutrition, comforting.  I once had a soup at a restaurant like this, and fell in love with the sweetness of the soup that was also somewhat savory.  I hadn’t been able to recreate that balance of sweet and savory…until NOW!  This recipe is easy, quick, and can be made in advance.  Great meal prep option that lasts 3 days in the fridge 😊

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes (30 minutes soaking cashews)

Cooking time: 20 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ red onion, chopped roughly

1 lb. carrots, chopped roughly

1 Gala apple, chopped roughly

½ granny smith apple, chopped roughly

Pinch of salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 thumb size knob ginger, peeled and sliced

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of cayenne pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

To serve: Greek style almond yogurt, maple syrup, granola

How (your directions):

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil.  Add red onion, carrots, Gala and Granny Smith apples, and a pinch of salt.  Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, lower heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.

Transfer mixture to a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth (start blender on low speed and gradually increase speed to medium-high.  Always hold the lid of the blender secure and be careful of steam).

Enjoy hot!

Serve with a swirl or dollop of almond yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a spoonful of granola.

Why (the science):  Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory

 

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

When I think curry, I think anti-inflammatory, filling, comforting, scrumptious- and you’ll love this Cauliflower Chickpea version for all of those reasons.  Don’t be afraid of the list of ingredients, because you probably have most of them in your pantry already.  I like reserving a few spoonsful of the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk, then dolloping on top of the hot curry and brown rice.  Or even better, a drizzle of protein-packed tahini adds creaminess and richness.  Yum!

Serves: 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ red onion, diced finely

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced finely

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon paprika

1-2 dashes cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 head of cauliflower, chopped or sliced into small florets

1 cup vegetable broth

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (San Marzano is best!)

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz can full fat coconut milk

How (your directions):

In a large Dutch oven or large Wok, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced red onion, salt, and pepper, sautéing for about 3 minutes, until translucent. 

Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.  Push onion and garlic mixture to one side of the Dutch oven or Wok, then add the coconut oil to the pan to melt.  Add curry, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper (optional) to the oil to release the fragrance of the spices and toast slightly. 

Add tomato paste, yellow pepper, cauliflower, broth, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and coconut milk (reserving a little coconut cream if desired for serving) and stir to combine.

Simmer on medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with brown rice and a drizzle of tahini.  Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy hot!

Why (the science):  Curcumin from turmeric may help prevent cognitive decline!  Check out this guide to boosting brain health here: https://onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/milwaukeean-brain-health.html

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is a smart dish to encourage more vegetable intake, without feeling like you’re eating a bunch of vegetables😉 It’s a scrumptious sauce with lots and lots of fresh veggies, and I encourage you to use whatever you may have on hand.  Lentil pasta and cannellini beans up the protein significantly.  I serve this Pasta Primavera over fresh zucchini noodles to add even more vegetables and bulk to my pasta portion.

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 head broccolette, diced

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

Pinch of paprika

Pinch of salt

2 handfuls kale, chopped

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 jar marinara sauce (I used a rich tomato sauce with Barolo wine)

12 oz. lentil Sedanini pasta (or any short pasta shape)

3 zucchini, spiralized

How (your directions):

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add red onion, bell pepper, broccolette, Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt.  Stir and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add chopped kale and sauté for 2 minutes.

Stir in cannellini beans and marinara sauce.  Heat through while pasta cooks, about 5-6 minutes.

Drain pasta and add to primavera sauce.

In each pasta bowl, place several curls of spiralized zucchini.  Ladle pasta and primavera sauce over fresh zucchini noodles.

Enjoy!

Why (the science):  Lentil pasta is high in protein (13 grams protein per serving!) which makes it a nutritious way to enjoy pasta and reach satiety sooner than you would with a white pasta.

 

Mexican Veggie Hash

One of my favorite brunch items to order is a potato hash with eggs, so when I decided to make hash at home, I was surprised at how easy it is to create!  What makes a hash extra awesome is that you can use any combination of veggies you have in your kitchen 😊  I like to serve mine with a squeeze of lime, half of an avocado with sea salt, and a perfectly fried egg.  Hash makes great leftovers for work or school the next day- just serve over rice, or fill a few tacos with the hash and a sprinkle of cheese.

What (your ingredients):

4-5 Yukon gold potatoes

1 large sweet potato

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red onion

1 green bell pepper

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper

Toppings: avocado or guacamole, salsa, lime, fried egg, cilantro, cheese, etc.

How (your directions):

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Grease 2 large baking sheets with oil or line with a silicone mat.  Set aside.

Using the dicing blade on a food processor, or using a sharp knife, dice the potatoes into a small dice, keeping the dice size consistent for even roasting.

Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and evenly distribute between the 2 baking sheets.

Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced red onion and sauté for 5 minutes.  add bell pepper and sauté an additional 5 minutes.

When potatoes have finished roasting, add potatoes to the fry pan.  Add black beans, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Press mixture firmly so that a golden crust can form on the hash (like making a crunchy paella).

Serve hot with your favorite toppings- I highly recommend avocado and a fried egg so that the yolk can act as a sauce!

Why (the science):  Potatoes and beans create a complete protein, meaning that this dish can be vegan (skip the egg) and you still get all 13 of the essential amino acids your body needs!

Red Curry with Rice

My husband and I are huge Thai food fans and love going to Thai restaurants for a warming dinner.  But when I made Red Curry at home (my favorite Thai food), he praised it for being tastier than the curry at our favorite Thai restaurant!  And since Red Curry takes only 30 minutes to make, it’s faster than eating out.  Tastier, faster, cheaper, and healthier… that’s a win-win.  Makes great leftovers too!  Serves 6-8