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Creamy Roasted Veggie Soup

This creamy dreamy soup is inspired by autumn seasonal vegetables.  Eating seasonally has been shown to improve immunity because Mother Nature provides what we need when we need it.  These bright orange veggies are packed with all the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals to strengthen our immune system for the coming winter.  Plus, it's so delicious and warming it will give you all the cozy cabin feels! 

Course Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion skin on chopped in half
  • 1 butternut squash cut in half
  • 2-3 sweet potatoes cut in half
  • 1 whole head garlic top sliced off drizzled with olive oil, wrapped in foil
  • 1 box organic vegetable broth
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • turmeric to taste
  • nutmeg to taste
  • cumin to taste
  • ground ginger to taste

Toppings:

  • 1/2 C pumpkin seeds
  • coconut yogurt I used Coyo brand to make it dairy free, or Greek yogurt (full fat)

Instructions

  1. On a parchment lined sheetpan

  2. Cut butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and onion in half, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper, and put on sheet pan cut side down.

  3. Slice the top of the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on sheetpan next to vegetables.

  4. Roast at 400 for about 45 mins or until veggies are tender.  

    NOTE:  You may have to remove garlic sooner or else it may burn.

  5. After removing from oven, let everything cool enough to be handled, then scoop out flesh from butternut squash and sweet potatoes and place in pot. Peel onion and place in pot.

  6. Squeeze out soft garlic cloves and place in pot.

  7. Add one box of vegetable broth to pot.

  8. Add seasonings to pot.

  9. Use an immersion blender to blend into a creamy consistency.

  10. Taste and adjust seasonings.  If too thick you may add some unsweetened coconut or almond milk or water.

Toppings:

  1. In a small pan, add a bit of olive oil, the 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds, cumin, salt and pepper.  Sauté until fragrant.  

Recipe Notes

When serving, place a dollop of creamy yogurt on soup and sprinkle with seasoned pumpkin seeds for crunch. De-licious!!!

 

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Mushroom and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

This dish is the epitome of the  perfect fall dish.  The acorn squash is fragrant and buttery and the stuffing is earthy and savory with medicinal shiitake mushrooms, kale and quinoa along with an abundance of colorful vegetables.  Great vegetarian dish even for meat-eaters!

Course Main Course
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3 acorn squash
  • 2 C shitake mushrooms chopped
  • 2 C kale chopped
  • 2 c cooked quinoa
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/2 large leek chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic chopped or grated
  • 1 T oregano
  • 1 t turmeric (I used 2 t but it's preference)
  • 1 t paprika (I used 2 t of this too)
  • 2 t salt
  • 1/2 t ground black pepper
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • avocado oil
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the stuffing:

  1. Drizzle avocado oil in pan and on medium heat saute onion, carrot, celery, and leek until softened.

  2. Add in kale, mushrooms, and bell pepper and let cook for a few minutes.

  3. Then add in cooked quinoa, parsley, garlic, oregano, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper (to taste).

  4. When it has cooked down a bit (5-7 mins), add in the apple cider vinegar stirring until it evaporates.

  5. At this point, it will be so fragrant!  Turn off heat.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to add a rich flavor and make it glossy!

For the acorn squash:

  1. Rinse them and pat dry.

  2. Slice them in half crosswise.  They are so hard to cut so use a sturdy sharp knife and be very careful!

  3. Scoop out insides with a spoon.

  4. Put them in a pan, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and fill them with the filling.  The filling should be just enough for six of them.

  5. Drizzle with olive oil, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 for about 1 hour or until squash is tender all the way through.  At this point, your kitchen will smell wonderful!  Enjoy!

 

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Navy Bean and Shiitake Mushroom Soup

I threw together a bunch of immunity boosters in my InstaPot, crossed my fingers, and what I got was a delicious nutritious soup that I would recommend to anyone who wants to boost their immune system while enjoying the most savory delicious soup! I used the powerful medicinal shiitake mushroom for their amazing immunity powers and kombu seaweed for minerals and digestibility of beans.  I added salt afterwards because I grew up hearing that salting beans kept their skin tough, don't know if it's true or not, but I just add salt later on!  I served this with a nice crusty sourdough and arugula salad. Yum!

Course Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 bag navy beans dry (washed)
  • 1 C chopped tomatoes (can use crushed)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 chopped leek
  • 4 chopped garlic
  • 1 bag frozen shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 C chopped kale
  • 1"x3" sheet rinsed kombu sea vegetable
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • turmeric to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • oregano to taste

Instructions

  1. Throw everything in the InstaPot

  2. Cover

  3. Set on "Beans/Chili" (will take about 1/2 hr.)

  4. Done!

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Stuffed Zucchini with Golden Herbed Rice and Avgolemono Sauce

This is a take on a Greek stuffed zucchini dish which I tweaked to make it a bit easier, increase its nutrients, and make it more anti-inflammatory.  It looks more complicated than it really is.  Most of the work is just making the rice and then everything else comes together quickly. The rice is fragrant and jam-packed with flavor from all the aromatics, greens and spices.  The creamy-citrusy avgolemono sauce brightens the whole dish up.  So delicious you can't just have one!

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 6 medium size zucchini sliced in half lengthwise and seeds scooped out
  • 1 1/2 C rice white or brown
  • 2 1/2 C vegetable broth
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 leek chopped
  • 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
  • 1/2 bunch dill chopped
  • 1 1/2 C kale finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 scallions chopped
  • 1/2-3/4 t turmeric
  • 3 t salt
  • 1/2 t pepper
  • 2 t oregano
  • Olive Oil

Avgolemono Sauce:

  • 2 lemons juiced
  • 2 eggs room temp., beaten
  • 1 C vegetable broth or water
  • 2 t cornstarch
  • salt/pepper

Instructions

  1. Slice zucchinis lengthwise and scoop out the "meat" with a spoon, making a boat to fill with filling. Save the "meat".

  2. Drizzle both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay on parchment lined sheet pan.  Set aside.

For filling:

  1. On medium heat, sautee onions and leeks in a good amount of olive oil. (At this point you can add 1 lb. of ground meat for a non-vegetarian meal and for added protein). Cook until onions are clear, and if adding meat, until it is browned.

  2. Add kale, zucchini "meat", scallions, garlic, turmeric, oregano, salt and pepper.  Cook until everything is soft.

  3. Add in rice stirring to toast it up for a few mins. 

  4. Add in 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water, parsley and dill.  You may want to add more salt at this point according to taste.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat 10 mins for white rice or 20 mins for brown rice.  Rice will not be completely cooked through.

  5. Spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini boats.

  6. Cover and bake at 375 for about 20 mins then uncover and cook for another 20 mins. or until zucchini is cooked and browning on edges.  At this point your house will smell amazing.

Avgolemono Sauce:

  1. In a cold saucepan, whisk the eggs until frothy.

  2. While whisking, add in the lemon juice and broth or water.

  3. In a separate cup dilute the corn starch in a bit of cold water and whisk that into the avgolemono sauce.

  4. Turn on the heat to medium-high WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY so as not to curdle the eggs.  Once it starts to boil, turn down the heat to medium and keep whisking until the sauce thickens.  Turn off heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

  1. Place zucchini on plate and drizzle avgolemono sauce on top.  Enjoy!!!

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Healthy Veggie Lasagne

This is a great Meatless Monday meal.  It's satisfying, delicious, nutritious, and if made on a Monday, may carry you over for lunches the rest of the week.  I added medicinal shiitake mushrooms for their super immunity-boosting benefits and also mushrooms are savory and a great meat alternative.  Kale and spinach are very nutrient-dense and full of fiber.  Tomatoes are full of lycopene a potent cancer-fighter.  This recipe includes dairy in the whole milk organic ricotta and mozzarella but you can make it dairy free by simply substituting cheese alternatives. To make it a quick weeknight meal I used no-bake lasagne sheets, but you can make it gluten-free by substituting gluten-free lasagne sheets.  I also try to use organic ingredients where possible to keep it clean. Served with a hearty arugula salad you'll be eating a delicious plate full of veggies! It will be a family favorite and one where they won't miss the meat!  Enjoy!  

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 2 10 oz. bags frozen shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 15 oz. bags frozen spinach
  • 1 15 oz. bag frozen kale
  • 2 15 oz. ricotta cheese I used "Natural by Nature" brand
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/2 boxes oven-ready lasagne sheets I used Barilla
  • 2 bags shredded mozzarella I used Horizon
  • 1 onion
  • 6-7 garlic cloves
  • 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • red pepper flakes
  • oregano

Instructions

For the sauce:

  1. Pour 2 cans of crushed tomatoes in saucepan.  Fill one of the empty cans 2/3 with water and pour into saucepan.

  2. Bring to a boil.  Then turn down heat, add 3-4 chopped garlic cloves, salt, red pepper flakes and oregano to taste.  Let simmer on low while you are preparing the vegetables, stirring occasionally.

  3. After 20 mins. it should have reduced and thickened up a bit.  When it's ready, turn off heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil.  Cover, set aside.

For veggies:

  1. Sautee 1 chopped onion in olive oil until soft. 

  2. Add the kale and spinach.  Let cook down until all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.  Add  2 chopped garlic cloves, salt, red pepper flakes and oregano stirring occasionally until cooked well.  Turn off heat and set aside.

  3. In another pan, heat up the pan then add the 2 bags of shiitake mushrooms, nothing else.  Let them cook down until all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

  4. After all water has evaporated add olive oil, salt and 1 chopped garlic clove.  Sauté for about 5 mins.  Turn off heat and set aside.

For ricotta cheese:

  1. In a bowl beat 1 egg.  Add the 2 containers of ricotta to bowl.  Stir in oregano and set aside.

Assemble:

  1. In a 10x14 pan. Drizzle a ladle-full of sauce on the bottom.

  2. Layer lasagne noodles to cover bottom of pan completely.

  3. Spread out a thick layer of the kale-spinach mixture.  You will use about 2/3 of it.

  4. Layer lasagne noodles again.

  5. Layer the entire ricotta mixture.

  6. Layer lasagne noodles again.

  7. Spread out the remaining kale-spinach mixture and top with all of the shiitake mushroom mixture.

  8. Layer lasagne noodles again.

  9. Pour all of the remaining sauce over the entire lasagne.

  10. Top with both bags of shredded mozzarella.

  11. Cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for 50 mins. to 1 hour.