Tag: carrot

Turkey Rice Soup

I love soup! I could eat soup for almost every meal. My family enjoys a lot of soup recipes, as well. As a busy mom and business owner I’m glad that soup is a meal that I can prepare ahead of time and heat up as needed.

Turkey and Rice Soup
Turkey and Rice Soup

Below is my go-to easy turkey and rice soup that is always a hit in our family (teens and adults). I like this recipe for using items mostly from food storage too.

Ingredients:
1 14 ounce can cooked turkey (can substitute canned chicken)
1 cup cooked white rice (rice must be cooked because will absorb more water even after it has been cooked)
Small white onion, small dice, or quarter cup dehydrated onion
4 large carrots, peeled and diced, or 1/2 cup dehydrated carrots
1/2 bunch of celery, cut into quarter inch pieces
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or 1/2 tablespoon of Organic No-salt Seasoning (I prefer Costco product over Spike)
2 dried bay leaves

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot on medium heat, add 1/4 cup water then immediately add celery and saute for 2 minutes.
2. If you’re using fresh onion and carrot, saute with celery, otherwise add the dehydrated onion and dehydrated carrot with celery and can of turkey meat with juice – this juice will stop veggies from sticking to bottom of pan. Stir to mix.
3. Add Italian seasoning, thyme, black pepper, salt or Organic No-Salt Seasoning and bay leaves.
4. Add 10 cups of water and 1 cup precooked rice, turn heat up to high and bring to boil. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

I prefer to cook this soup one day in advance so the flavors blend together. Keep in refrigerator in sealed container for up to 5 days – if it lasts that long! Reheat and enjoy with your favorite rolls or grilled cheese sandwiches. You can freeze as well – I recommend individual servings.

I’ll see you at the table!

Asian Noodle and Vegetable Stir Fry

Sometimes I think I was born on the wrong continent. I LOVE Asian food. I especially love Asian noodle dishes. Here’s a great dish that works well for adults and kids.

Ingredients:

1 package of rice noodles – I recommend getting something fresh, not frozen nor dried, in the refrigerator section of an Oriental food store.

1 zucchini, 1/4 inch slices

1 carrot, 1/8 inch slices – if you have a mandolin or quick slicing machine, it goes much faster and more consistent thickness

2 celery stalks, 1/4 inch slices

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 head of broccoli, cut into small florets

Cilantro leaves, peanuts and lime wedges for garnish.

Water for the water-sautéing.

For the meat lovers: Add one pound of shelled shrimp.

 

Sauce ingredients:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons Sriracha – omit if you don’t like spicy

1/4 rice wine vinegar

1/4 teriyaki sauce

Before you start cooking, mix together the above ingredients and set aside for when you’re ready to add the sauce to the stir fry.

 

Directions:

First start with cooking your noodles per the directions on the package. Strain your noodles and set aside in a bowl. You’ll want to run warm water over them later to break up the “stuck” noodles before adding to the stir fry.

Using a large wok on medium high heat, add 1/4 cup of the water (not using oil saves calories and fats) then immediately add the garlic and white onion. Keep moving the veggies so that they don’t stick and add a little water as needed. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are clear.

Add the other veggies and keep adding water as needed. Use the lid if you want to keep the steam in the wok.

If you’re adding shrimp, do that now. It should only take 1-2 minutes to cook the shrimp.

Add the sauce and heat through with the veggies. Should take about 2-3 minutes.

Add the noodles and stir through, getting the sauce and veggies mixed thoroughly. Take care to not stir too hard and break up the noodles. Better to keep the noodles intact – looks better.

Serve immediately. Allow the diners to add their own garnish.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Thai Coconut Chicken

I haven’t cooked this favorite recipe for years, but had a dear friend ask me for the recipe again, which I happily obliged. I love it when old friends continue to enjoy my recipes again and again… brings me much joy to my heart!

For you, sweet Lisa! xo

Thai Coconut Chicken: serves 4

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2-14 oz can coconut milk
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot julienne sliced
1 medium broccoli crown, cut into small florets
Olive oil
1 while onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Dry rub ingredients:
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like spicy)
1 tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper

Garnish:
1 bunch of cilantro, rough chop
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
1 cup of crushed peanuts
Spicy chili sauce – my favorite is Sriracha

Directions:
Using a gallon sized Ziploc bag, add all the dry rub ingredients and shake to mix together. Add raw chicken breasts and seal, leaving some air in the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken breasts evenly. Rub it around from the outside, if needed. Place in bowl and put in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.

In large skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken and brown for 1-2 minutes per side. Be careful to not let the chicken breasts cook in one place in the pan for too long because will burn and rip off a section of the meat. Your goal is to keep the chicken breasts in one piece so that the juices will sear into the meat.

Slowly pour in the coconut milk and scrape up all the seasoning and bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over halfway through and stir the coconut milk to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pan, plus helps to loosen all the yummy bits of cooked onion and spices and blend into the coconut milk. You’ll notice the milk turning a yellowish/orange color from the spices.

Add bell pepper, carrots and broccoli and stir until covered with the coconut milk. Cover and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve immediately. Best served over rice – I prefer black rice or basmati rice. For garnish, toppings of cilantro, lime, peanuts and chili sauce are the best. I love it all, but best to allow others to choose how they want to garnish, so put these in individual bowls on the table for self serving.

To my old friends and new friends, enjoy!

Recipe: Lentil Vegetable Soup

Jen cooking soup in condo located in Marbella, Spain While traveling, I look for places to stay where I have access to a kitchen which allows me to cook healthy food and save money from eating out all the time. A pot of soup that is ready to eat whenever I’m hungry is a great way to eat healthy too.

On the first night of this two week trip to Spain, I headed to the grocery store and bought several items to sustain me for a few days. Perhaps I bought too much because while walking home, several times I had to set the bags down in order to give my arms a break!

Cooking for someone else can be interesting too because they don’t always like what you like to eat. But, luckily my travel partner is game to try anything I will cook on this trip. She is curious to know what it would be like to try some recipes that don’t have sugar, oil nor salt.

Lentil Vegetable Soup ingredientsLentil Vegetable Soup: (Yield: 2 quarts)
Ingredients:
Half red bell pepper, diced
Half broccoli head, rough chop
Half yellow onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2 small turnip, diced
5 small yellow potatoes, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk leek, white end sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 stalk celery, diced
1-12oz can diced tomatoes
2 cup cooked lentils
2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

  • Using a large soup pot, on medium high heat, water sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.
  • Add garlic and leek, continue water sauté for 3 minutes.
  •  Add carrot, celery, bell pepper, continue water sauté for 3-5 minutes or until celery is soft.
  • Add broccoli, zucchini, can diced tomatoes, lentils and seasoning. Stir thoroughly and bring to soft bubbling boil.
  • Use hand held blender to puree part of the soupIn a separate pot, boil diced potato and turnip for 10-15 minutes until soft. Strain and add to vegetables when they have reached the soft boil. Stir to thoroughly incorporate.
  • Using a handheld blender, purée about 1/3 of the soup mixture. If you don’t have a blender, then you can enjoy a chunkier style.
  • Add the frozen peas, turn down heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • If you want it spicy, add 1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes.

Serve  hot with bread or toasts. For a fuller meal, add a green salad and fruit for dessert. Enjoy!

Note from my travel companion: She added salt because is accustomed to eating food with added salt, but overall loved the soup and ate several meals from this one pot. Guess she liked it!

Soup is ready!In the comments section below, let me know what you think of the recipe. Thank you!

Healthy food close to home and far away tastes great and fuels your body to have the energy to enjoy the trip. I’ll see you at the table!

Restaurant Review: Jason’s Deli – Utah

jasons deli

Jason’s Deli is a great option for nutritarian meal. The salad bar has wide variety of ingredients. My salad today is loaded with beet succotash salad artichoke hearts carrot tomato jalapeno peas bell pepper pepperoncini mixed greens, drizzle of balsamic vinegar with hummus on the side

Recipe: Asian Noodle Green Salad

asian-noodle-green-saladAsian Noodle Green Salad
Ingredients for dressing – whisk together and set aside:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup gyoza sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon julienned thai basil leaves

Salad ingredients:
2 cups asian noodles, cooked then chilled and cut into 1-2″ pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 small cucumber, cubed
1-8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1-15 oz can baby carrots, drained and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chia seed
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 cup baked tofu, cubed (I buy at Trader Joe’s; substitute edamame)
Toss together above ingredients with 1/2 dressing mixture. Add to 1 head red leaf lettuce and toss well. Serve with 1 avocado cubed and 1/2 cup rough chopped cilantro.

Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side. Will be plenty for 3 adults, or use as side dish for 6 people with another Asian dish.

Recipe: Vegan tofu veggie stirfry


 tofu stir fryI’ve been in the mood for a stir fry with tofu, so I cleaned out the fridge from all the veggies I could get my hands on. Ultimately, the recipe turned out really good.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 white onion sliced
3 clove garlic, minced
4 baby bokchoy, cut into fourths lengthwise
2 c carrots sliced diagonally
1 head of broccoli cut into florets
1/2 orange bell pepper julienne sliced
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
2 zucchini sliced
1 package extra firm tofu, cut into rectangular slices about 1/2 inch thick
Tofu seasoning: Mix together 1 tablespoon each cumin, chinese five spice, crushed red pepper, white pepper
Water for stir fry
1/2 cup cilantro, rough chop for garnish
1 lime, cut into fourths for garnish
For extra heat, use chili paste or Sriracha for garnish (a little goes a long way)

DIRECTIONS:
Start with cooking rice because you’ll want the rice ready to eat before the stir fry is cooked. We used 2 cups brown rice, which yielded about 6 cups cooked. We like to have extra rice on hand for left overs. Rice cookers are a wonderful invention!

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Line 1 cookie sheet with parchment paper so that the tofu doesn’t stick. One piece at a time, coat the tofu slices with the tofu seasoning and lay the slices on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip the tofu slices and bake for another 10 minutes. Should be firm, with a little crispness on the edges. If not crispy, don’t bake longer because can get too hard. Once ready to serve, diagonally cut the tofu rectangles.

While the tofu is baking, cook the stir fry. Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Add about 1/4 cup of water and water sauté the onion, garlic for about 3 minutes, adding water as needed so that the veggies don’t stick. Add the other veggies and continue to water sauté until cooked al dente – about 5 minutes. Covering the pan helps keep the moisture in for the sautéing

To serve, bed of rice with veggies and tofu rectangles on top. Garnish with cilantro, lime and Sriracha. No oil, no salt, no sugar, no explaining vegan needs to a Thai waiter. How do you say “bon appétit” in Thai anyhow?

stiry fry 2

Enjoy, my friends!