Tomato Basil Soup

(this is from a food blog, but I can't remember which one - maybe 101 cookbooks?)

3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 medium sweet onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. salt
3 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes
1 quart (4 cups) broth
10 fresh basil leaves (plus more for garnish)


Combine all ingredients in a heavy-lidded pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.  Allow the soup to cool slightly.  Then puree in batches in a blender until very smooth.  If you like a thinner consistency, add a little bit more stock or water.

Garnish with more fresh basil.

(This may be the best tomato soup I've ever tasted.  And so easy to make!  It simmered merrily for two hours while I decorated my Christmas tree.  Although it's a pureed soup, my dinner guest Mike thought it was very hearty.  We ate it with some grilled cheese sandwiches, yum.  It makes a ton, too!  Enough for a dinner guest, then a week's worth of lunches.)

Roasted Fennel and Mushroom Salad with Radishes

(recipe from Cooks Illustrated magazine)

2 medium bulbs fennel (about 1 1/2 pounds), bulbs quartered, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, 1/3 cup fronds reserved and chopped
1 1/4 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into quarters if large or halved if medium
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 radishes, halved and sliced thin (about 3/4 cup)


Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500F.  Toss fennel and mushrooms with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and sugar in large bowl.  Remove baking sheet from oven and, working quickly, carefully transfer fennel and mushrooms to sheet and spread in even layer.  (Do not wash bowl.)  Roast until vegetables are tender and well browned on one side, 20 to 25 minutes (do not stir during roasting).

Meanwhile, whisk remaining tablespoon oil, lemon juice, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in now-empty bowl.

Toss hot vegetables with vinaigrette and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.  Stir in radishes and reserved fennel fronds, transfer to serving platter, and serve.

Serves 4.

(I found this to keep ok in the fridge for a few days.  Really interesting mix of flavors and textures.  The fennel was a nice, soft, creamy consistency after roasting.  Love the mustard dressing, really made it pop!)

Spiced Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

(recipe from Sprouted Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp. tumeric OR curry powder
2 tsp. dried thyme or 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used olive oil)
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks lemongrass, outer layer removed, lower portion finely minced
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of red pepper flakes to taste
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg (I used dried)
1 1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat)
3 Tbsp. lemon, lime, or orange juice
a few handfuls of swiss chard, spinach or kale
1 cup flake coconut, toasted (optional)
chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Add the rinsed lentils, broth, thyme, and tumeric or curry powder to a large pot.  Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes.

While the lentils cook, heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onion and saute until just browned.  Add the lemongrass, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, pinch of red pepper flakes, and some fresh ground nutmeg and saute another minute.  Add the onion mixture to the lentils and stir, keeping the heat on a low simmer.

Add the coconut milk and greens and simmer another five minutes, stirring occasionally until just wilted.  Taste for salt and spice and add as you prefer.  Finish with the citrus juice and serve warm with toasted coconut flakes and cilantro on top.

4 cups broth yield a stewier soup.  If you prefer more broth to your soup, add another cup or two when cooking the lentils.

(Amazing!  I liked the stewier consistency.  I added the toasted coconut flakes and cilantro right in at the end.  This was wonderful for work lunches, so hearty.  The citrus juice really makes the whole thing pop.  Really unique dish.)

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

1 1/4 lbs. broccoli crowns, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Toss broccoli and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast 15 minutes.  Stir remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil, garlic, and red pepper in a small bowl.  Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli; toss to coat.  Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

(It took 32 years for me to really like broccoli.  Roasting it makes it so good!  Tender, but crisp, garlicky and zippy.  This says it serves 4 to 6 side servings, but I ate most of it in one sitting.  Yum.)

Roasted Carrot-Coconut Soup

(this recipe is from a cooking blog, but I can't remember which one)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small red onions, quartered
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1-inch ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 to 2 tsp. Thai red curry paste
2 cups veggie stock
1 15 oz. can coconut milk (full fat)
1/2 lime
cilantro (optional)
toasted coconut flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss carrot and onion with oil, sugar, and salt.  Spread the veggies evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until browned and tender, stirring once halfway through.

Transfer the veggies to a food processor or blender along with the ginger, 1 tsp. curry paste, and the stock.  Blend until incorporated.

Add coconut milk and blend until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and additional curry paste if you like spice.  Add lime juice and any additional liquid if you prefer your soup thinner in texture.  Spoon into bowls and serve with cilantro or toasted coconut for garnish.

(So simple and tasty.  I used the food processor, but think a blender would have given a better consistency.  Also, I just mixed the cilantro right into the soup at the end.  I think this soup benefits from a day or two of having the flavors blend.)

Hearty Greens Soup with Pasta and Tomatoes

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (I used one 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes)
2 carrots, chopped
8 cups water (or broth)
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 lb.), roughly chopped
1/2 bunch escarole (about 1/2 lb.), stemmed and roughly chopped
1/2 lb. dried bowtie pasta (I used wheat-free macaroni)
1 (3-inch) Parmigiano Reggiano rind, plus grated cheese for garnish (I omitted this)
1/4 lb. baby spinach

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic, onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is released and absorbed, about 5 minutes more.  Add carrots and water and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in Swiss chard, escarole, pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano rind, reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is flavorful and greens and pasta are tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Remove and discard bay leaf and rind from the soup, then ladle into bowls.  Garnish with grated cheese and serve.

(All of the greens packed into this soup made it so good!  I'd almost rather switch the pasta for beans in this recipe.  It makes a lot, and is very hearty.)

Roasted Green Bean and Potato Salad with Radicchio

(recipe from unknown magazine - Cook's Illustrated?)

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 tsp.)
1 small head radicchio (about 6 oz.), washed and cut into 2- by 1/4-inch slices (about 4 cups)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.  Toss beans and potatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and sugar in a large bowl.  Remove baking sheet from the oven and, working quickly, carefully transfer beans and potatoes to sheet and spread in an even layer.  (Do not wash bowl.)  Roast until vegetables are tender and well browned on one side, 20 to 25 minutes (do not stir during roasting).

Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in now-empty bowl.

Toss hot vegetables with vinaigrette and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.  Stir in radicchio, transfer to a serving platter, and serve.

(Very earthy.  Radicchio is bitter, and I found that eating this salad with some other greens mixed in (like romaine) can reduce the bitter a bit. I found this salad to hold up pretty well for a few days in the fridge.  Simple and satisfying, and different.)