cream of potato and broccoli soup

 This is one of my favorite comfort foods, especially when it is FREEZING outside like it is here, like a high of 8 degrees YIKES!  This soup will warm you up and it is a little healthier and lighter version of this classic for this new year. This creamy, low-fat soup is a delicious way to serve broccoli, a nutritional powerhouse, and the addition of beans makes it a one-dish meal.
 This is a cream soup with no cream, cheese or butter.... unbelievable!   It tastes great too! 

this makes a ton, feel free to half it.  I love to make extras and freeze it for later.  cook once eat twice....
 Ingredients
8 cups of water or broth
2 large potatoes, scrubbed, skin ON and cubed
2 large carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery and leaves chopped
1 large or 2 small onions chopped
 6 cloves of garlic whole and peeled

1 1/2 tsp whole celery seeds

 2 tsp dried thyme

 1 tsp dried marjoram

 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 cups (2 cans) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or any other white bean

 8 cups broccoli florets

 1 1/2 tsp salt, as needed
Directions

bring liquid and veggies and seasoning to boil and let simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beans.

 Laddle into blender and puree until smooth.  Return to pot .

Add broccoli into soup simmer for 5 minutes until tender.  I like my soup smoother so then I pull out florets and pulse in blender to chop up a bit, but I could have chopped more before I cooked them, but I am lazy.

 stir together and serve. With how light this is you can even afford to top with cheese.

Green beans with Portobello saute

     This is honestly my favorite  way to eat green beans.  This how I am making my green beans for Thanksgiving.  It is a little lighter than a traditional green  bean casserole and I think so flavorful.  The key is caramelizing. I love my onions, garlic and mushrooms really caramelized and sweet with very tender green beans
     You can use fresh green beans or pre trimmed frozen whole green beans, both ways work great! Just promise me nothing out of a can!!!  They should not even be considered green beans.  If that is the only way you have ever had them, please try this you might actually like green beans!

Ingredients serves 8  printer friendly recipe

• 3 pounds green beans, if fresh make sure you trim them
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2  red onions, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 portobello mushroom caps, or 2 pounds baby portobello mushrooms thinly sliced
•  salt, pepper to taste

Directions

Simmer green beans in salted boiling water 5 minutes. Drain green beans and return skillet to medium heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Add onions and garlic and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms  5 minutes with onions and garlic until browned nicely, add green beans back to the pan. Heat green beans through. Cook for 5 - 10 more minutes until green beans are desired softness. Transfer green beans and mushrooms to a serving plate.

Pear Roqueford Salad

Another great thing about fall is all the fun stuff you can put into salad when other produce is out of season.  I brought this salad to a dinner party once and everyone commented it was the best salad they ever had,  all kinds of "goodies" on lettuce so it felt healthier.  It is truly a little harvest party on a plate. The combination of creaminess (cheese, avocado), sweetness (pear, nuts), crunchiness (nuts) and the tangy dressing really deliver.

 Printer friendly recipe

Ingredients

• 15 ounces mixed baby greens
• 3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
• 5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled ( a type of blue cheese)  any kind can be substituted
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions or green
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard ( I like Dijon)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. To help sugar coat add a tablespoon of water if needed. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve. 

•  A few helpful hints to cut down on time is to double or triple the amount of nuts you make and freeze the rest for another time. Yes you will make this salad again.  I have even in a pinch bought already caramelized nut from my bulk bin at the grocery store.
•    I love balsamic vinegar in almost any recipe, but here the red wine tastes best it does not overpower.  
• If traveling with this salad leave avocado off until serving so they do not brown.

 recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com  

spaghetti squash "spaghetti"

      I have talked about lots of sweets that are fall related, with the  pumpkin cookies, caramel apples, apple cider etc... but how about the other crops that are amazing in the fall ....Squash.
  A squash that I never had until about a year ago was spaghetti squash.  I think the easiest way to cook it is whole and on a baking sheet at 375 for about an hour depending on the size of your squash.  Once I tried to cut it raw and cook it cut in two, but it was so hard to cut. Cooking it first and it is like cutting butter when it has baked for an hour.  Then scrap out seeds and test squash if it is still hard then put it back in over and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or so until soft and tender. 

   I have to tell you then night before I tried this the first time I honestly laid in bed trying to imagine how this squash would turn into noodles it literally boggled my mind.  Then once I ran my fork through it , it was completely different than how I had imagined, but so cool.  Really it is like magic.
I like to top mine with spaghetti sauce just like I would noodles.You can do with meat or without. It is delicious and a great way to save the pasta and go  lighter and more nutritious.  It is a really nice alternative to pasta, and when you eat your spaghetti this way you don't have to feel bad about that nice slice of bread you are having on the side, because you aren't doubling up on your carbs.

My kids ate this so fast they both had two bowls...   Also for anyone with gluten allergies this is a great substitution for  wheat products.  My little boy is allergic to almost everything under the sun, it was nice not to have to cook him his own type of noodle.  
Next time you are in the store pick up a spaghetti squash and try it for yourself!

Printer friendly recipe
 Ingredients
one large spaghetti squash
Italian seasoning
salt pepper
Jar of pasta sauce
  Preheat oven to 375.
Bake squash for one hour or until tender
scrap insides with fork after removing seeds. season squash.
top with sauce.  can make a meat sauce if you desire.
  serve with salad and green beans