Italian "Meatball" Soup

This is a great cold weather dish.  It's also a one-pot, super easy and healthy meal. 

Italian "Meatball" Soup

(adapted from here)

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tb olive oil
2 Tb tomato paste (no salt added)
4 garlic cloves, minced (or cheat like me and just scoop some out of the jar)
1 Tb oregano
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 cups veggie broth
1 1/2 cups water
16 fully cooked veggie meatballs (Morningstar makes awesome ones)
Sea reshly ground pepper to taste
Good Italian bread, cut into in to cubes
1Tb olive oil
Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add vegetables.  Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add tomato paste, garlic and oregano and stir well.

Add tomatoes, broth and water and bring to a simmer.  Cut meatballs in half and add to soup.  Simmer for 10 minutes more and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425.  Toss bread cubes with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted bread cubes and chopped parsley and maybe a little (or a lot) of freshly grated parmesan.

I'm so bad about taking pics after I cook the food!  This is from the original website.

My Favorite Veggie Chili

This is hands down my favorite chili recipe.  Although I feel like it's a little different every time I make it, it's always good!  I may vary the veggies depending on what I have on hand and what's in season at the market, but this is the basic recipe I follow.  You may be skeptical of chili without meat, but I promise you won't miss it with all this other goodness.  Sometimes if Matt is wanting some "meat" in his chili, I'll add a cup or so of Boca crumbles.  The best part about this meal, it's done in the crock pot...a great fix-it-and-forget meal!

Veggie Chili

1 large onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen edamame
2 heaping Tbs. minced garlic
20 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
28 oz. can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 packet chili seasoning mix
1/2 Tbs. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
Salt/pepper to taste

Just mix everything in a large crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  That's it!  I like to eat mine with warm cornbread.  Matt likes his with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.  It's good both ways:)

Polenta and Veggie Foil Packs

I have never had polenta.  I didn't even know where to find it in the grocery store (by the pasta...at least at Whole Foods that's where it was).  Turns out it is considered a grain/starch as it is basically cornmeal.  It's kind of a weird texture and I was mildly amused by how it ooozed out of the tube.  It was good though, and I will most definitely be using it again.  Anyways, this is a nice little healthy recipe that is super tasty and relatively easy.  The clean up is great since you can just throw out the foil.  When Matt was grilling out his Sunday night steak, he threw a few of my packets on the grill.

Polenta and Veggie Packs

1 can white beans (navy or great Northern), rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, diced
6 oz package of crumbled feta
1 tube of polenta, cut into 12 slices
1 zucchini, sliced in rounds
1 jar roasted red peppers
Salt and pepper

Mix together beans, tomatoes and 1/2 of the feta in a bowl; set aside.  Take 4 pieces of foil (each one should be about 18 inches long) and fold in half.  Spray them with Pam.  Working with one piece of foil at a time, spoon 1/4 of bean mixture in center.  Layer 3 slices of polenta in an overlapping circle.  Top with a few zucchini slices and 1/4 of the roasted red peppers.  Sprinkle on some S&P.  Crumble a little more feta on top.  Do the same thing with the remaining foil pieces.  Fold up each packet and pinch the ends so it's fully closed.  Place on the heated grill and close lid.  Grill for about 10-12 minutes.  Carefully remove packets and stick one on each plate.  Open them up and dig in!

Curry Chickpea Cakes

I'm kind of obsessed with all things curry these days so this will probably be one of many curry inspired recipes you will see on here.  These are good though because even if you don't like curry, you can make them with some other spices and and head in a totally different flavor route.  Still, I recommend the curry route:)

Curry Chickpea Cakes

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup minced (tiny, tiny pieces) green onions (green and white parts)
1/3 cup light coconut milk
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (you may need more so keep it handy)
1 tsp. curry powder (or more depending on how much you like curry!)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup olive or grapeseed oil

Combine chickpeas and onion in food processor or blender and pulse until combined and smooth*.  Transfer to large bowl and add the coconut milk, sugar, breadcrumbs, curry, nutmeg and cumin.  Stir all together until well combined.  Stir in brown rice and salt and mix well.  You are going to form the mixture in to patties, so if it seems like you need more breadcrumbs to make them stick together, add it.  Mold mixture in to small patties (probably about 8).  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the patties 4 at a time and saute until a nice golden brown (about 5-7 minutes each side).  Do the same thing with the second batch.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Serve warm.

* If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can just mash the chickpeas and onions up with a potato masher.  It will just take some muscles.
** These are yummy on their own, but they are also awesome served over a salad with a vinaigrette.  I also eat them chopped up in a pita with cooked tabouli, some lettuce and diced tomato and a drizzle of vinaigrette.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

My favorite recipes are ones that remind me of childhood...things my mom used to make a lot.  Sloppy joes are nostalgic for me.  This was one childhood staple that I had to figure out a veggie substitution for.  I like to sing that Adam Sandler song "Lunch Lady Land" while I am making them..."sloppy joes, slop, sloppy joes..."  (Don't pretend you're not singing this to yourself right now).

I've tried several variations, but I think this is my favorite.  It is slightly adapted from my Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook, once again.  This should make 5-6 servings.

Veggie Sloppy Joes

1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 Tb. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup seitan*, finely chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
2 Tb. tamarin or soy sauce
1 Tb. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Whole wheat buns

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the lentils, cover, and reduce heat to low.  Let simmer for 30 minutes.  In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard; set aside.  In a large skillet add the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and carrots and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the seitan and saute for a couple more minutes.  Drain the lentils (save the cooking liquid in case you need it) and add to the skillet.  Mix in the tomato sauce and stir everything until all combined and heated thoroughly.  Season with S&P.  If it seems a little on the dry side, you can use some of the reserved lentil juice.  Keep warm over LOW heat until ready to serve.  Spoon over toasted buns.  Put your bib on and get sloppy.  These are good served with baked french fries and fresh corn.

Tips:
* Seitan is a protein made from wheat gluten.  It is tasty and makes a good meat substitute.  It's usually in the refrigerated section by the tofu.  I usually get the Westsoy brand.  I love it in saucy dishes like this one.  You could certainly just use soy crumbles (Boca or Morningstar) if seitan weirds you out.  Just heat the crumbles according to package directions and use just like you would use ground beef.
** You can add or sub other chopped veggies.  I have used corn, mushrooms, broccoli, whatever I may have on hand.  The above combo is probably my favorite though.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

I used to be kind of scared of risotto.  I always thought of it as this difficult dish that required a lot of time and skill.  In actuality, risotto is pretty simple and forgiving.  Assuming you don't forget a major ingredient or step, you should be fine even with a few mishaps.  The good thing about risotto is that as long as you get the consistency right, everything gels together nicely.  Plus it's generally a one-pot dish.  Two big pluses in my book.

We really like this dish (adapted from my Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)...the flavors are awesome.  Of course you can experiment if you don't like mushrooms (what's wrong with you though?!) and/or asparagus.  Again, consistency of the risotto is the key.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

5-6 cups vegetable broth
3 Tb. oil (I used safflower)
1/4 cup butter (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (portabellos work good)
1-1/2 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 in. pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup shallots (or the white parts of green onions), chopped
1 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
1/3 cup white wine (you could just use vegetable broth, but the wine really makes the flavors pop)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese*

In large saucepan add the veggie broth, cover and keep warm over LOW heat.  In a large saute pan over medium heat add 1 Tb. oil and 1 Tb. butter.  Add mushrooms and asparagus and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt/pepper, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.  Next, using that same large saute pan, heat remaining oil and butter and add garlic, onions and shallots and saute for a few minutes until soft.  Add the rice and stir until combined.  Add the wine and stir until wine is absorbed.  Now start adding the warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time**, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next.  Stir pretty consistently and continue adding broth until rice is creamy...takes about 30 minutes.  Stir in mushrooms and asparagus and Parmesan cheese.  It should be a nice creamy pot of goodness.

Tips:
* I think the quality of Parmesan used in this recipe is key.  For my portion, I stirred in a good vegan parmesan "cheese."  For Matt's portion I used freshly shredded Parmesan from the cheese counter at Whole Foods.  The better the cheese, the more creamy your risotto.
** It's important to add the broth slowly, waiting until each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next.  The rice needs to absorb the liquid a little at a time.
*** Risotto is great because once you have mastered the technique, you can do so much with it.  If you want meat in your dish, you could add some chopped cooked chicken, but I promise you won't miss it if you don't:)