tomato basil meatball soup

Now that I live in a nicer, more cozy apartment, my sister lives to come hang out…and make me feed her {and I’m the younger one! Shouldn’t she be feeding me?}.

Photo credit

I decided to whip up a quick tomato soup with the rest of my Al Fresco Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs, leftover from my split pizza.

In a pot, combine a can of diced or chopped whole tomatoes, a chopped clove of garlic, and chopped caramelized onions. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover all ingredients. Sprinkle with a dash each of sea salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce to low. Use an immersion blender to blend coarsely. Add fully-cooked chopped tomato basil chicken meatballs and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

P.S. For an even easier version of this, simply chop the meatballs into small pieces, throw into a bowl of Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup; and microwave. I should get a commission off sales of their soup, since I blog about it all the time!

quinoa chicken vegetable soup

Since I’m going out of town tomorrow, I wanted to use up ingredients that I already had in my fridge. Last night I made a quick pot of quinoa chicken vegetable soup, inspired by this produce-filled soup.

Directions

First, prepare chicken and quinoa.

Chicken: bake olive oil-drizzled chicken tenderloins or breasts at 350 until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When it has cooled enough, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Quinoa: prepare according to instructions (usually 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa; bring to boil; simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until water is absorbed)

All the rest: Like the other soup, saute chopped celery, carrots, and onion for a few minutes in a skillet then combine in a pot with: 4 cups of broth, a peeled and chopped potato, a pinch of salt and pepper, and dashes of crushed red pepper, dried parsley, and cumin. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes (my test for doneness is when the celery is soft).  Toss in spinach (I used frozen), chard leaves, chicken, and quinoa, and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.

The vegetables add color and nutrients, the chicken adds protein, and the quinoa adds texture and healthy carbs.

Edited: I just threw in roasted cherry tomatoes and cut pieces of roasted red pepper, along with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Oh my goodness, heaven!

recipe: quick and easy island stir fry

The other day, I had 4 hours to write an 8 page paper (oops!), so I had to make a quick lunch. When my friend smelled it, she had to have some!

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 container of extra firm tofu, cubed
• a handful of TJ’s steamed lentils
• 1/2 cup(ish) of TJ’s Island Soyaki sauce
• dash of olive oil

Heat skillet over medium-low. Add olive oil, garlic, onion, and zucchini. Saute until zucchini is slightly soft. Add lentils and tofu. Pour in sauce. Heat through. Close your eyes and imagine that you’re on a faraway island (not writing a paper).

Note: tofu is always better when left to marinate for several hours or even overnight. Simply put it into a Tupperware with soyaki sauce and refrigerate

Carrot Ginger Soup

Since I’m leaving for Israel soon (WOOHOO!), I decided to whip up carrot ginger soup (courtesy of Real Simple) to use up the carrots in my fridge. As a side note, a girl who regularly orders from GW Bites said that it was her favorite dish so far.

Photo credit: RealSimple.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds [approx. 11-12 medium-sized] carrots, chopped
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or approx. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir in the carrots, broth, ginger, the salt, and the pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
3. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.
4. Optional: top with sour cream + dill