It happened again. The sun came out, the thermometer rose above 70 and I went into full blown Spring mode. I spent this week planting lettuce in my garden, shopping for flowers to put in my containers, dragging plants that have been spending the winter in the basement, out to the patio and decorating the house for Easter. I embraced every glimpse of Spring that I could find. 🌷 I even washed my car in the driveway. 🚙 Then I took a look at the forecast. 😭As much as I wished that our Spring-like weather was here to stay, it turns out, I was a little hasty in putting away my winter jacket so soon. I was drawn into the hope of Spring by bright sunshine and blooming daffodils only to have my dream shattered by the threat of rain and near freezing temperatures. 🥶 The dip in temperatures next week is making me rethink my menu for the week. Warm soups and hearty oven roasted vegetables is exactly what I'm going to need to stay warm on the upcoming cool March days. 🥣 Do you think if I pour hot soup on my garden, it will save my newly planted vegetables? 🤷🏻♀️ Although I'm disappointed that the thermometer isn't going in the wrong direction (according to me), I'm looking forward to some warm and soothing Chicken Pot Pie Soup next week. This creamy vegetable loaded soup is hearty and delicious AND it's healthy. No cream, no dairy, no butter - just lots of yummy vegetables. Chicken Pot Pie Soup 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced Freshly ground salt and pepper 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 white onion, chopped 2 large carrots, sliced 3 cups diced yukon gold potatoes 3 cups finely chopped cauliflower florets 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme) 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk 3 cups low sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup frozen corn 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
Transfer mixture back to pot and add peas and corn. Simmer 5-10 minutes. I'll keep you posted on the status of my overhasty planting. 😬 🥬 In the meantime, I'll be dragging all of my patio plants back into the basement for the week. 😅
On another note - I made this soup at my parents house. Don't you agree that they have the prettiest dishes around? This beautiful bowl really stepped up my soup picture game. Thanks for letting me use your dishes mom. 😅 Ciao!
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Snow!! ❄️ I used to dread the winter when I lived in the Northeast. Winter meant and snow and snow storms meant shoveling, bundling up uncooperative babies and dangerously icy roads. But ... now that I live in an area that only sees snow once every couple of years, I miss it. Turns out - snow is way more fun when you don't have to shovel or drive in it. 🛷⛄️ ⛷ ⛸ Last week we drove up to Ohio to visit my parents and we were hoping to see some wintery precipitation while we were there. ❄️Much to our dismay, other than a few piles on the side of the road and a few flurries swirling around the air, there wasn't much snow to be found. Although our visions of bundling up and careening down a snow covered hill on a toboggan didn't become a reality - we did have a manage to have a snowball (aka. iceball) fight in the driveway. 😅 Don't be fooled by the lack of precipitation in Ohio last week. It was C.O.L.D. 🥶 This girl who moved South 18 years ago isn't used to those bone chilling temperatures anymore. I think I drank more tea and hot chocolate that week than I do all year in Georgia. 😅🍵 I've learned that the best way for me to warm myself up is from the inside out. Hot tea, hot coffee, hot chocolate, hot soup - the sooner it get's in my belly - the quicker I warm up. 🍲 I'm going to be honest - It's NEVER occurred to me to squeeze fresh grapefruit juice into my homemade chicken soup. And that is exactly the reason that I HAD to make this Chicken and Lime Soup. I figured it was either going to be really, really great or just really wrong. Either way - I had to find out. 💁🏻♀️ Chicken and Lime Soup 2 Tablespoons oil 3 pounds bone in, skin on chicken breasts or thighs 2 white onions, thinly sliced 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 jalapeno, chopped 2 teaspoons oregano 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 bunch cilantro, stems minced and leaves chopped 28 ounce can diced tomatoes 2 quarts chicken broth 3/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice 3 Tablespoons lime juice Tortilla Chips, for serving
Turn off heat and stir in grapefruit and lime juices. Season with salt and pepper. There was a split decision on this soup. Before I added the lime and grapefruit juices, I decided to make a couple of "test bowls." I let my 22 year old be the judge. She tasted both the "juiced" and the "unjuiced" soups and she very politely (and quickly) told me that she preferred the soup without the citrus. 😅I, on the other hand, really liked the soup with grapefruit juice and trust me - no one was more surprised about this than me. Chicken soup with grapefruit juice - who knew?
Ciao! I was on a road trip with my daughter last weekend and after a couple of hours in the car, it became painfully obvious that we were both quickly approaching the "hangry" stage. 😬 We were anxious to get to our destination so we started discussing where we could get something to eat quickly. She asked me what I wanted and instinctively, I answered, "I'll eat anything." The words no sooner left my mouth when she snapped back, "No, you won't." (This child calls me out on EVERYTHING!) She was absolutely right, of course. I rarely eat fast food and when I do, I have only a small list of fast foods that actually appeal to me. I eat a burger about once every 5 years and I really don't like to eat fried foods so that limits my fast food choices. My answer to her original question about where I wanted to eat should have been anywhere instead of anything. I can find something to eat at almost any fast food restaurant. I feel like there are more healthy choices at restaurants now than ever before. There are some exceptions to my the I can eat anywhere rule but I'll just keep that list of offf-limits fast food restaurants to myself. 😉 My actual response to her comeback was "I like chicken." 😅 (That was all my nutrient deprived brain could come up with at the moment.) The truth is that I do eat a lot of chicken and my family likes to tease me about how often I eat grilled chicken for dinner. It's my go-to healthy meal option when I'm at home AND when I'm on a road trip with my brutally honest daughter. I think that only fast food item that I've ever craved is the tortilla soup from Chick Fil-A. No, they did not sponsor this post - I just really, really love it. If you've never tried it - you need to. It's amazing. My only issue with the Chick Fil A tortilla soup is that it is LOADED with sodium. So, if you're me and you start to crave Chick Fil A tortilla soup the minute that the temperatures drop and they start to advertise it, you google out how to make a lower sodium version for yourself at home. What did we ever do before we could google any recipe that we ever wanted?? I found a copycat Chick Fil A tortilla soup recipe in my search and I was able to modify it to keep the sodium in check. Chicken Tortilla Soup 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 cans cannellini beans, do not drain 1 can no salt added black beans, undrained 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles 1 can no salt added cream-style corn, undrained 1 can no salt added whole kernel corn, undrained roasted or rotisserie chicken, bones removed, meat shredded Juice of 1 lime Tortilla strips or chips (for topping)
Serve with avocado. This tortilla soup was deeeelicous! And bonus - I made a giant batch of it so I have plenty leftover for all those days this winter when I'll be craving tortilla soup.
Ciao! Guys - it's winter in Atlanta. I'm talking about middle of January W.I.N.T.E.R. ❄️ Sunscreen, sandals and daffodils, kind of winter. 🌞🌷😂It's been in the 70s all week. I don't really mind the mild temperatures but it does feel weird to play corn hole in a t-shirt in the front yard in January. Even my flowers seem confused about how to respond to this unusually warm weather. Regardless of what my thermometer says, it's technically still winter and I haven't been through my list of "winter" recipes yet. I'm not about to give up on them just because we've launched into early Spring. I've got a que full of soups, root vegetable stews and hearty casseroles to make before it gets even hotter. (I'm hoping these temperatures aren't a sign that we're going to experience record breaking heat this summer.) 😅 So brace yourself, beloved husband, and turn on the air conditioning - I've got some winter recipes coming your way. This classic recipe for French Onion Soup is everything that you would expect. Perfectly caramelized onions, fresh thyme sprigs, crusty baguette pieces and two separate cheeses melted over the top. A classic. There are all kinds of ways that you could change this up but if you want a traditional French Onion Soup recipe - look no further. French Onion Soup 4 Tablespoons butter 4 pounds onions, halved and sliced thin 1 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup dry white wine 8 cups beef broth 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 3/4 teaspoon pepper 6 ounces baguette, cut into 1" cubes 3 Tablespoons olive oil 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese 1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded
French onion soup can really be a meal on its own but I chose to pair mine with a green salad. I think it made me feel less awkward about eating eating my french onion soup outside on the porch on a 70 degree January evening.
Ciao! Even though I love Mexican food, it can be hard to find healthy options when we go to a Mexican restaurant. I love munching on the heaping basket of salty, crunchy chips and homemade salsa. I love the melted, gooey queso that blankets a taco. I love a homemade sangria and I don't even get me started on fresh guacamole. Seriously - once I start eating guac, I can't stop. I love all of that but let's face it - it doesn't love me back. My inner child wants me to order a cheesy, chicken wrapped burrito but the healthy me searches the menu for something healthier. My favorite Mexican restaurant actually offers more healthy options than most Mexican restaurants. They have salads with grilled shrimp, chicken and vegetables. They offer fish tacos and they make the most delicious chicken tortilla soup. Their simple tortilla soup is loaded with chicken and avocado and with a squeeze of fresh lime - it's soup perfection. My chicken tortilla soup is quite a bit different than the clear, broth based soup that I enjoy at the restaurant but I decided to create a tortilla soup loaded with rich, earthy spices like cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprika and oregano. I tossed in a few vegetables, some black beans for added protein and a diced jalapeno for heat and voila - a perfect Chicken Tortilla Soup. Top this beautiful bowl of deliciousness with whatever you like. Sliced jalapeno, sour cream, green onions, cheese, avocado, lime wedges, tortilla strips and cilantro are all good options. Serve toppings on the side so everyone can customize their own bowl and you will have a table full of happy soup eaters. Chicken Tortilla Soup 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped white onion 2 cloves minced garlic 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno 1/2 cup tomato paste 3/4 cup red bell pepper 1 cup frozen corn 1 cup black beans 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup water 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano 6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4" strips 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Spoon into bowls. Serve with additional tortilla strips. I am definitely in the soup groove lately. In the last two weeks, I've made roasted butternut squash soup, homemade ramen soup, chicken noodle soup and now chicken tortilla soup. A warm bowl of delicious this soup is so satisfying on a cool winter evening and I love warming up a bowl of hearty and nutritious soup for a quick and easy lunch.
Ciao! |
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