Seriously Good Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Yum

The more rain we get in Southern California this winter the more soup I'm going to make!

It's raining again here, (and I'm not complaining...we need it bad!) so another soup in on the menu.  Plus, soup is good for you and I've been under the weather this last week and a good soup helps heal the body and the soul.

This is a basic vegetable soup that I added some tortellini pasta to for a little extra substance.  This is the soup that depends on quality ingredients so the flavors shine.  This is also the soup that you go to on a cold winter night and you want something quick.  It takes about 40 minutes to make.  I love having a steamy bowl of delicious soup in under an hour, don't you?

SERIOUSLY GOOD TORTELLINI VEGETABLE SOUP

Carrots, celery, and zucchini along with really good chicken broth (I use low sodium to control the salt content) make up the base for this soup.  There aren't any added flavors such as spices or herbs, other than salt and pepper.  Then we add in the additional items of chopped tomatoes and cheese tortellini with a final sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  Trust me this soups flavors shine in the wonderful broth.  It's not a whole bunch of soup, as it serves 4 healthy portions, so you can certainly double this for more. 

If you want to make and freeze the soup l would suggest not adding the tortellini before freezing.  Add it when warming up the soup and allow the pasta to cook for about 5 minutes.  Note:  Tortellini will soak up all the broth and bloat up if added prior to freezing.

We love this Seriously Good Tortellini Vegetable Soup and make it often because it is so simple and quick.  A perfect weeknight meal in under 45 minutes.

Enjoy!






Seriously Good Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Servings: 4

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 lb. cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium to large sauce pan over medium high heat, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini to the pan and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Add the tortellini and cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Add the chopped tomatoes and taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

adapted from Williams Sonoma Tortellini and Vegetable Soup

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 I love salads that are born out of "kitchen sink" items that turn out spectacular!

This is what happened with this salad.  A little rummaging through the refrigerator and I came up with some leftover cooked green beans, a sweet potato, and some carrots.

So let's make a salad!  But this one is special.  Why?  The roasted, caramelized sweet potatoes lend such a great warm comforting feeling to this salad.  Not to mention the wonderful sweetness!  I used an actual sweet potato, which you will notice is more of a white color.  You could use a yam, which are orange fleshed.  That would certainly make the color pop, but the taste will be the same.  

The green beans were leftovers, which I kept at room temperature for this salad, giving a nice crunch.

So taking simple ingredients that are fresh, make for a spectacular salad!  Topped with a simple yogurt dressing that is tangy, yet light.  The perfect lunch if I do say so. 

I hope you find this inspiring enough to make your own comforting salad.  Please come back and let me know what you think of it once you try it.

Enjoy!


Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

serves 4

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1" chunks
8 oz of green beans, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 c shredded carrots
mixed spring greens

Dressing:

1 c plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place potato chunks on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat.
Spread potatoes in a flat layer.  Roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way through.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing in a small bowl or mason jar.  Add all ingredients and shake until thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

Assemble salad by placing  equal parts lettuce on each plate.  Top with potatoes, green beans and carrots.  Drizzle with dressing.  Serve.

Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

It's time for the dessert in our Spring Brunch!

Nothing says spring like carrot cake in my book.  One of my favorite cakes, that I rarely get a chance to make.  But the craving comes every spring.  This year I caved in and made this slightly adapted version from Cooking Light.  It's a little healthier than the normal carrot cake which was my justification. (A girl's gotta have a justification sometimes!)

This cake has the addition of flax seed meal, giving this cake more fiber, and therefore also a more dense cake.  Almost the texture of a bran muffin.  It's not the lightest cake around but it does have great flavor, and makes a pretty presentation.  

You also don't ice this cake fully.  The icing is a lighter version as well, with a little bit of cream cheese which gives it just enough tang.  It really does look pretty with the strategically placed icing.

Great for brunch, and can anyone say Mother's Day? 

Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup flax seed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrot (about 6 medium)
1 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup canola oil
1 recipe Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
Coarsely shredded carrot (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour two 8 inch round cake pans.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, combine finely shredded carrot, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, spreading evenly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch pans.  Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks. Cool completely.

Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Top with half of the Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting. Place the second cake layer atop the frosting; spread with the remaining frosting. If desired, garnish with coarsely shredded carrot. Makes 14 to 16 servings.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

YIELD: 3/4 cup

2 ounces softened reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen light whipped dessert topping

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Thaw 1-1/2 cups frozen light whipped dessert topping. Fold about 1/2 cup of the topping into the cream cheese mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining whipped topping. Makes about 1-3/4 cups.

adapted from Cooking Light