Italian Vegetable and Gnocchi Soup

It has been a while since I have posted a recipe, but I have made this one so many times, I feel it is worth hitting publish, for sure.  A while back, my family started to participate with Meatless Mondays; Now, I just hope to have at least one meatless meal on any day of the week for both the health benefits as well as the environmental benefits.  (I am in my second year of teaching Environmental Science and I have learned how much reducing meat consumption can help reduce our carbon footprint.)  I enjoy a variety of protein sources too much to envision myself ever being a vegetarian, but I have also learned never to say never. 

This recipe has been one of my meatless favorites - I have probably made it twenty times at this point, and it never disappoints.  A hearty bowl of soup (and sometimes fresh bread on the side) is always a comfort to me, especially on the chilly  days we have been having lately.  It isn't difficult or time consuming to make, and the fact that there is always enough for a second meal (or at least lunches) is a bonus!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ cup chopped basil leaves, plus additional for serving if desired
• 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• 32 oz vegetable broth
• 3 x 15-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 ½ cups frozen (or fresh) cut green beans
• 1 pound gnocchi 
• 4 to 6 cups spinach leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Chop the basil. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and basil for 1 minute.   
3. Add the chickpeas, red pepper flakes, broth, all three cans of tomatoes and their juices, kosher salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the green beans, then simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Break apart any clumps in the gnocchi, then add them to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowl and top with Parmesan and basil leaves if desired. Allow to cool slightly before diving in!

Difficulty: easy

Time: about 30 minutes

Source: https://www.acouplecooks.com/italian-vegetable-and-gnocchi-soup/

One Pan Smoked Sausage and Veggies

Since my kids have shown an interest in cooking, I have decided to capitalize on the moment and cross my fingers that it lasts.  My son just turned 13 this month and when he asks to cook it is usually to make a dessert of some sort.  When I finally convinced him to try a meal instead of a dessert, he first went for the recipes with the most obscure ingredients and the most steps possible.  It took a minute, but when he approached me with this recipe, I was all about it.  He made me a list of the ingredients that he needed, I added them to my shopping list, and we were set.

The recipe took a bit of time for my son to make, simply because of the careful chopping of the vegetables that he did.  I asked that he take his time with the knife, and he did.  If you are a bit speedier with the chopping, this recipe is a pretty quick one to throw together.  And the one pan clean up is fabulous.  (Disclaimer: I also had him mix the veggies in a large bowl instead of on the pan, which made for two things to clean, but was a bit easier to assure an even coating of the oil and seasonings.)

The whole family loved this meal, and I was thrilled to not have to cook!  (Sorry for less than thorough photographs...)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups quartered small potatoes
• 1 pound green beans
• 1 large head of broccoli (~ 1 and 1/2 cups)
• 2 large colored bell peppers (chopped)
• 1 lb smoked sausage
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Serve with: fresh parsley, quinoa/rice, lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
3. Prep the veggies: chop the potatoes (pretty small pieces here so they will be tender in time), trim and halve the green beans, chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and coin the sausage in thick slices.
4. Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat. (We did this in a bowl - despite the extra dish to wash, we felt it was easier.)
5. Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.
6. If desired, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.
7. Enjoy with rice or quinoa and fresh parsley if desired.

Difficulty: easy - as long as chopping veggies isn't an issue

Time: 15 min prep, 30 minutes baking

Source: slightly adapted from https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/

Pesto Chicken and Veggies

A friend of mine recently posted this recipe on Facebook and I have since made it a few times to great reviews from my family.  Though the original recipe touts its advantages as a make ahead meal to prep for the week (my friend posted it with Whole 30 in mind), I found it makes for a perfect weeknight dinner for my family with just enough left over for lunch the next day.  It is quick and easy and full of flavor.  If you are cutting grains from your diet, this dish stands alone.  Personally, to stretch the meal a bit (and because we are not eliminating grains), I served it with brown rice.  Just thinking of the flavor combination with the homemade pesto is making my mouth water as I type.  I am sure you will enjoy this one!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (I used more than 4)
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 pound green beans
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup basil pesto

DIRECTIONS:

1. Microwave green beans with a tablespoon of water for 6 minutes. (Skip this step if you like your green beans crisp.  My family does not.)
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat olive oil and add chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper. When the chicken is completely cooked through, remove from pan, slice into strips, and set aside.
3. Add veggies and pesto; heat until tomatoes and green beans are cooked to desired tenderness. Return the chicken strips to the pan. Stir until fully incorporated.  
4. Serve immediately or divide into 4 food storage containers and store in the refrigerator. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: about 20 minutes
Source: adapted from recipes seen on Facebook and Buzzfeed

Liesa's Throw and Go

My communications with my Aunt Liesa usually go something like this, "What time can we come to the pool?", "What is the temperature?", "What foods should I bring?" Recently, I got a text and photo that looked very similar to the one below. The message was something like, "I made this; it was easy; you should share on the blog."

I didn't have all the ingredients my aunt recommended.  No potatoes, but sweet potatoes.  No Italian dressing mix, but savory herb and garlic.  I figured it was worth a try.  One of the easiest and best meals I have ever made. EVER.

I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it, so lots of my coworkers have tried it with various soup mixes and dressing packets-ranch and Italian were favorites.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4-5 sweet potatoes, quartered (or red potatoes)
• 2 cans of green beans, drained
• 1 package of Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb and Garlic soup mix
• 1/4 of a stick of butter, melted 
• Optional-chicken broth (a few times I've not thawed my chicken enough so I threw in the broth midway through cooking to keep from drying out the beans and spuds)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Use a 9 x 11 baking dish; spray lightly with olive oil.
3.  Add beans, chicken, and sweet potatoes into thirds of the dish.
4. Top with soup mix or dressing mix of your choice and melted butter.
5. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 45-55  minutes.  Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes.

Second time-going with red potatoes

DIFFICULTY: Easy

TIME: 5-10 minutes prep, 30-40 minutes baking time

SOURCE: My aunt