More Soup for the Soul

It has been so chilly that I have been in the mood to eat lots of soup! Here is my rendition of the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden, although I am quite sure its a bit healthier. One of the yummy(although under used) ingredients is kale. Kale provides more nutritional value for fewer calories than just about any other food known to man. It's an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as, calcium, fiber and manganese. It also contains organosulfur phytonutrients that act as a cell cleanser and can even cause cancerous cells to kill themselves off! Kale is available year around in the super markets, but I find it to be most tasty in the winter season. You can find it near the greens(mustard, beet, collard) in the produce section. In my home, I add it to soups since that tends to be the way it is most well received. You can also saute it like spinach and eat it as a side dish or add it to casseroles. It would be delicious in a vegetable lasagna!


Homemade Zuppa Toscana

2 cans no fat, low sodium chicken broth
1/2 C. water
2 TBS. olive oil
2 C. cubed potatoes, any kind
1/2-1 bunch kale, stalks and veins removed, finely chopped(you may want to start with less and build up if your kids aren't into so much green stuff!)
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb. italian sausage(I used turkey)mild or spicy
1/2 C. heavy cream(optional)
Sea salt and black pepper

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil and then add in the sausage. Cook until browned. Then add in broth, water and potatoes. Simmer about 15 min or until the potatoes are cooked through, then add in the kale and cream(if you are using it) and simmer another 5 minutes until the kale is wilted.

Top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and serve with garlic baguettes.

Garlic Baguette
1 baguette, sliced 1/4-1/2" thick on an angle
Olive oil
1 fresh garlic clove, peeled
salt and pepper

Toast your baguette slices. On a plate, pour some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Take a toasted slice of baguette and rub with the garlic clove. Then dip in the olive oil mixture and serve. Yummy!

Stay tuned for a Roasted Tomato Soup recipe that will go perfectly with your kids grilled cheese sandwiches!

Chicken Parmigiano

Who doesn't like Chicken Parmigiano? I love it, but what I don't love is the unhealthy fried chicken and too much cheese. This way you can have all of the wonderful flavors and TONS of veggies without the excess fat! My secret? Adding spaghetti squash to the spagnhetti noodles! For those of you who haven't tried spaghetti squash, it is an oval-shaped, pale yellow winter squash that kind of resembles a yellow watermelon. It is full of fiber, vitamins A, B6, C and calcium. When it is cooked, you scrape out the insides and it looks like strands of spaghetti. When it is mixed into pasta, you almost can't tell its there! Pretty cool, right?!

Sauce
1 15oz can of diced tomatoes in juice
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 med onion, diced
1 bay leave
1 small handful fresh italian parsley, chopped
2 TBS. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS freshly grated parmegiano reggiano
3-4 slices of provolone cheese(I buy mine in the deli)

Chicken
1 lb chicken breasts(if they are large, just filet the breast in half)
2 TBS. olive oil
salt and pepper

Squash and pasta
1 med spaghetti squash, halved and seeds and strings removed
8 oz. pasta cooked al dente

Preheat oven to 350. Place squash(cut side down) in a large baking dish/sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Prick the outside of the squash several times. Bake for 30-40 min until the strands can be easily scraped with a fork. When done, combine with spaghetti noodles.

To make the sauce, heat olive oil to nearly smoking in a skillet. Add veggies and cook until onions are translucent and starting to brown a bit. Pour in canned tomatoes and add bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce reduces a bit. Remove bay leaf. Place in blender or processor and run until smooth. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add in remaining olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides of breasts and add to the pan. Cook until lightly browned on both sides and nearly cooked through(about 4 min per side depending on thickness).

Assemble:

Lightly spray baking dish. Add chicken breast to bottom and then pour the sauce over top. Sprinkle with parm cheese and layer with provolone slices on top. Cover with foil and bake for about 20 min and then uncover and bake another 10 min or until cheese is slightly browned.

Serve on top of squash and pasta mixture. Serves 4-6.

Note: If you like alot of sauce, just double the sauce recipe.

Pasta Bolognese

Pasta is a big winner in my household. My son LOVES it and I can be sure he eats his veggies because the sauce is packed with it! If you have a small family like mine(only 3 of us here)you will have leftovers to eat the next day. Makes a great lunch to take to work.

1 lb. extra lean ground beef(normally I advocate substituting turkey where you can, but it just doesn't taste as good here).
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
Handful of italian parsley, chopped
6-8 leaves of basil, sliced
1 small can sliced olives
Pinch of red pepper
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 lb. of whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C. parmigiano reggiano cheese, finely grated

In a skillet, heat olive oil to nearly smoking and add in onions. Saute for about 3 minutes and then add in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until veggies soften a bit and then add ground beef. Cook until beef is crumbled and is no longer pink. Add in the parsley and some black pepper. Add tomatoes and olives and simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced. Add basil, salt, cheese and red pepper. Check for taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy over al dente spaghetti noodles. Serves many.