Savory Kale & White Bean Soup w/Homemade Croutons

Wow, it has been so cold lately! I know it was well below freezing in Maryland all of last week, and in some parts of the country it was well below zero. I would never survive in a place that has bouts of frigid weather for a period of 10 days or more. The cold really does a number on the body! It is amazing how this past weekend felt so nice - in the 30s! In order to stay warm, I have been making lots of soup in my kitchen these days. I made an Italian Wedding Soup which is incredible (and I'll post that recipe soon), and I also made this kale and white bean soup. It i s such a very tasty and savory soup, and meat lovers will not even miss the meat. The soup is super flavorful and healthy, AND it is really easy to make. It definitely warms & comforts the soul. Enjoy - and stay warm!

Recipe for Savory Kale & White Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped 

4 cloves of garlic, pressed

3 (15.5-ounce) cans of great northern beans, drained

4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth 

3 cups of water

1 rind or thick slice of Parmesan cheese

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. of dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. of salt

1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper

10 - 12 ounces of kale greens, chopped (you may prefer to remove the stems, but I included them)

Grated parmesan cheese, for topping

Homemade Croutons, for topping (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in the onion and saute for 3 - 4 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for about a minute. Stir in the beans, broth, water, cheese, bay leaf, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Allow the soup to simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the kale leaves, and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese and croutons.

Makes 6 - 8 generous servings. Approximately 250 - 335 calories a serving (without Parmesan & croutons for garnish). 

Soup Recipe Adapted from: Epicurious 

Recipe for Homemade Croutons

INGREDIENTS:

Half a loaf of crusty bread - such as french, cut into crouton-sized pieces (cubes)

A few generous drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cut bread onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Stir gently to coat well. Sprinkle on a little bit of salt and black pepper. Place baking sheet on the top oven rack and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until crispy. Top each bowl of soup with 4 -5 croutons, and store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.  

Greek Pizza with a Cornmeal Crust

Greg got me a pizza stone for Christmas (he also got me a Kindle Fire & an Epilady). What did I get Greg? I got him a hat and a tie. I'm pretty boring.

Before receiving the pizza stone, I always wondered why my pizza crusts would NEVER work out to my liking. Well, the answer is that I had never used a pizza stone. What a difference it makes! It helps to cook the pizza evenly, and it helps to extract moisture (from cheese, toppings, etc.) When I had used a baking sheet to cook pizzas, the moisture from cheese would seep into the crust and it would become a soggy mess.

The very first (and second) pizza I made with the stone was a Greek pizza. The pizza starts with a cornmeal crust, then it is spread with an olive oil & roasted garlic sauce, and it is topped with feta cheese, mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, arugula, and spices. It is absolutely amazing! Greg and I are thinking of having some friends over for the Superbowl to enjoy the game and Greek pizza together (but I'll enjoy the pizza more, even though my home team is playing my nephew's home team). I just like food way more than I like football. Enjoy!

Recipe for Greek Pizza with a Cornmeal Crust

INGREDIENTS:
For the crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
2/3 cup of warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Put the warm water in a liquid measuring cup. Add yeast and sugar and let sit for ten minutes until a bit bubbly. Put flour, cornmeal, and kosher salt into a food processor and pulse together. Slowly add in the olive oil. With the food processor running, slowly add in the water/yeast mixture through the feed tube. When it forms into a ball, stop and divide the dough into two even pieces. Wrap one piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for another use. Place the other piece of dough in a bowl coated with olive oil, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a  warm moist towel. Put somewhere warm  (like on top of the warm oven while the garlic is roasting). Let the dough rise for about an hour.

For the roasted garlic & olive oil sauce
2 large heads of garlic, with much of the skin peeled off
5 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
a pinch of lemon zest (optional)
1/8 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper
a pinch of red pepper flakes
6 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped small

Line a baking sheet with foil. Pour a couple tablespoons of the olive oil on the foil. Place garlic on top of foil. Place in an oven heated to 375 degrees and cook for 45 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly, then use your hands to squeeze the garlic out into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, forming a bit of a paste while doing so. Set aside.

For topping & assembling
3 - 4 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese
5 ounces of crumbled feta cheese
10 - 12 kalamata olives, sliced thin
3 - 4 sun dried tomatoes in oil, sliced small
A handful or two of arugula leaves
A drizzle of olive oil
Dried Oregano
Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper flakes

Preheat pizza stone according to manufacturer's directions (most stones need to be at 500 for thirty minutes).

After the dough has risen, place it on an inverted baking sheet dusted generously with cornmeal. Spread out the dough to make a thinnish crust. Drizzle the dough with the roasted garlic & olive oil sauce, spreading evenly. Then top with most of the mozzarella cheese, add the feta cheese, add the olives and sun dried tomato, add a little more mozzarella, then add the arugula. Drizzle the arugula with a little olive oil and then top the pizza with a sprinkle of dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

Once pizza stone is ready, carefully slide the pizza onto the stone (leave stone in oven). Cook for about 6 - 7 minutes, or until crust is done and cheese is melted. Remove the pizza from the oven, let cool for a minute, slice and serve.
Greg & I enjoy our pizza with a small arugula salad topped with olives, feta, olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

Cornmeal crust recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart

Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Oh, how I love the sweet potato! I think they have a much better flavor than the white potato, and I know they are healthier. They are loaded with so many vitamins and minerals! I have been making all sorts of recipes with sweet potato recently - sweet potato soup, sweet potato hash browns, and these honey-roasted sweet potatoes. It is a simple and delicious side dish recipe. It goes well with meat (especially steak) and a green salad or green vegetable. You can even eat them for breakfast or a snack, and they are also sweet enough for dessert. Enjoy!

Recipe for Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

2 - 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small slices
2 Tbsp. of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. of honey
3/4 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp. of kosher salt
A pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes
A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large oven-safe baking dish with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl. In a smallish bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss well to coat. Spread the coated potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on the salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper and gently toss. Cook the potatoes uncovered for 30 minutes, then toss and cook for another 30 - 35 minutes. Allow to cool for a minute or two before serving. If desired, sprinkle the potatoes with extra salt, red pepper flakes, and/or black pepper.
Serves 4 - 6. Approximately 150 calories per serving. 

Recipe Adapted from: The Food Network

Do you love the sweet potato? If so, you will probably love the sweet potato taco recipe and the sweet potato custard recipe. 

Craving Healthy?

How are you doing on your New Year's Resolutions? If you don't have any, that is okay - I usually don't make any for myself! I did make a couple for 2013, and one was to cut down on my intake of sugar and flour. I am doing pretty well for the most part on my resolution - I have definitely cut way down on the intake! I have also tried to eat more servings of fruit and veggies - and I'm totally loving my juicer right now. If you have made a resolution to eat healthier, then this posting is for you - it is a compilation of my healthier recipes since I started this food blog last June. Each picture has a link to the recipe. Enjoy!

Soba Noodle Salad

Massaged Kale Salad - kale, toasted almonds, red grapes,
parmesan & a lemon-honey dressing.

Quinoa, Corn, & Black Bean Wraps  - you can substitute frozen corn for fresh corn.

CPK-Style Quinoa Salad with Arugula - a copycat recipe from the popular restaurant.

Sweet Potato Tacos - roasted sweet potato, great northern beans, hearts of palm,
and red cabbage topped with homemade tomatillo salsa. Yum!

Homemade Hummus Dip - so much better than store bought!

White Chicken Chili Soup - it's a chili, and a soup!

Homemade Orange Spiced Granola 

Pasta with Red Grapes & Chicken Sausage - also good with gluten-free pasta!

Well, there you have it! And, if you are all about sugar and flour and you are craving chocolate, then make some delicious cookie dough & coconut truffles!

Hey, what am I doing here? I'm not healthy!