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Posts Tagged ‘carrots’

  1. Beef Barley Soup

    January 3, 2013 by erinRD

    IMG_3163

    Adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes

    My husband has been sick lately and when he’s sick he usually asks me to pick up some Campbell’s Beef Barley soup. When he was little, he ate that when he was sick and it’s comforting to him. I decided to make this instead and I think it’s better and healthier than Campbell’s version!

    1 Tablespoon olive oil
    1 pound lean beef round stew meat
    1 cup chopped carrots
    1 cup chopped onions
    1/2 cup chopped celery
    2 cloves garlic, chopped
    3 cups beef broth, low-sodium, fat free
    3 cups water
    salt and pepper, to taste
    2 bay leaves
    3/4 cup dry barley

    Directions:
    1. Heat a large heavy pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add oil and beef, season with a little salt and brown meat a few minutes.
    2. When meat is browned, add carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and give it a good stir.

    3. Add water, salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer covered over low heat until the meat is soft, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
    4. Add the barley, adjust the salt if needed and add fresh ground pepper. Simmer an additional 30-35, remove bay leaves and serve. Serves 5.

    Taste Test: Absolutely delicious! Comforting, warm, easy and yummy!

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  2. Roasted Tomato Bisque

    September 18, 2012 by erinRD

    Adapted from Tyler Florence

    Summer means tomatoes and although the end of summer is near, I’m sure there are other people out there wanting to use up the last of those delicious garden tomatoes. I froze some tomatoes that I received from people earlier in the summer. I was planning on using it for spaghetti sauce but this soup sounded too delicious to pass up and I’m so glad I didn’t!

    2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes
    6 cloves garlic, peeled
    2 small yellow onions, sliced
    1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    2 carrots, diced
    1 celery stalk, diced
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    1 quart vegetable stock, low-sodium, fat free
    2 bay leaves
    2 Tablespoons butter
    1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
    1/4 cup heavy cream

    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
    2. Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until caramelized.
    3. Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot over medium heat. Add butter, carrots and celery. Cook until softened.
    4. Add chicken stock, bay leaves and basil Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
    5. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4.

    Taste Test: Roasting tomatoes is the only way to make this soup. It brings out such a robust flavor of the tomatoes and is a delicious base. This was probably the best tomato soup I’ve ever had!

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  3. Pot Roast Dinner

    October 20, 2011 by erinRD

    DSCF0041

    Adapted from Pioneer Woman

    I love making a big Sunday dinner. The boys watch the football games and I listen to them in the kitchen while making dinner. This is one of the reasons I love Fall so much. My Mom also made big Sunday dinners and so I feel like it’s kind of a tradition. She would make a lot of roast dinners – pot roast, beef roast, pork roast – sometimes lamb. This one hit the spot!

    Ingredients

    1 whole (2-3 pounds) chuck roast
    2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
    3 whole onions
    6 whole carrots
    3-4 turnips, cut
    salt to taste
    pepper to taste
    1 cup red wine
    2-3 cups low sodium beef stock
    3 sprigs fresh thyme, or more to taste
    3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more to taste

    Mashed Potatoes
    6 potatoes
    ½ stick butter
    ½ cup half & half
    1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
    pepper, to taste

    Directions

    1. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

    2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
    3. Cut two onions in half and cut the carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

    4. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

    5. If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

    6. With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.
    7. When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups).

    8. Add in the onion, cut up turnips and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.


    9. Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours or until internal temperature is around 140°
    10. While the roast is cooking, make the mashed potatoes. Start a pot of water on the stove big enough to cover all of the potatoes. Wash the potatoes well and cut them into chunks. Throw them into the water and bring to a boil.
    11. Cook until soft (time will vary depending on how many potatoes and how small you cut them) around 20-30 minutes.
    12. Drain potato water and keep potatoes in the pot. Turn the heat on low and mash them until smooth.

    13. Add in your butter and half & half and mix until creamy. Add seasoned salt and pepper to taste. Dinner serves 8.

    Nutrition Notes

    Turnip is a root vegetable has one third the amount of calories as an equal amount of potatoes. Turnips provide an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, pantothenic acid, and copper.  They are also a very good source of thiamine, potassium, niacin, and magnesium.  In addition, they are a good source of vitamin B6 and E, folic acid, and riboflavin.

    Taste Test

    Delicious! Classic and one of those cook all day dinners that is so worth it when you get to eat it at the end of the day!

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  4. Veggie Fried Brown Rice

    August 18, 2011 by erinRD

    I think of fried rice as more of a side dish, but it can definitely be a main dish - especially if you load up on the veggies!

    Veggie Fried Brown Rice
    Adapted from Cooking Light

    3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
    4 large eggs, lightly beaten
    3 finely chopped shallots
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
    4 cups cooked brown rice
    pepper, to taste
    1/2 cup shredded carrots
    1 cup broccoli, diced
    1/2 cup diced green onion
    1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
    1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    4 lime wedges
    1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

    Directions:
    1. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Pour eggs into pan; cook for 2 minutes or until set, stirring once. Remove eggs from pan.
    2. Increase heat to high, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add shallots, garlic, broccoli, carrots, green onion and chile – stir-fry 1 minute. Add rice; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cooked eggs, soy sauce, salt, and pepper; toss to combine.
    3. Top with and herbs, and serve with lime. Serves 4.

    Nutrition Notes: Definitely a little high in calories, thanks to the oil but it’s a delicious treat! Still pretty high on fiber thanks to the brown rice! If you’re worried about all those carbs – just cut back on the rice and add in more veggies!

    Taste Test: I love fried rice! You can add any veggies that you want and it turns out great! Wholesome Husband always orders a container of fried rice when we order Chinese food so I knew he’d love it! Of course he loves everything…I’m so lucky that he’s not picky!

    Random Thought of the Day: 

    Forget not that the Earth delights to feel your bare feet and that the wind longs to play with your hair. – Khalil Gibran

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  5. Sesame Tofu Stir-Fry

    February 28, 2011 by erinRD

    Keenan wants to know: Have you had your veggies today?

    I dropped a carrot and a piece of broccoli on the floor and the vacuum cleaner Keenan was there to happily eat it right up.

    Sesame Tofu Stir-fry

    1 cup brown rice, dry
    1 block extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
    6 cups broccoli florets
    1 cup mushrooms
    2 stalks bok choy
    2 cups carrots, peeled, and sliced into thin, 4″ long pieces
    1/3 cup almond or peanut butter
    1″ piece ginger, peeled and diced
    6 cloves garlic, chopped
    3 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos
    2 Tablespoon sugar
    1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    2 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
    3 Tablespoon water
    1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 475° F.
    2. Cook 1 cup of brown rice according to directions.
    3. Meanwhile, cube tofu. Spray a ceramic or glass 9×13 dish with non-stick spray. Arrange tofu in a single layer in the dish. Spray tofu with non-stick spray.


    4. Bake tofu for 30 minutes, stirring and rotating tofu every 10 minutes.
    5. Put sesame oil in a skillet or wok add broccoli and carrots. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.


    6. Add in bok choy and mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes or until veggies are tender.


    7. Mix together nut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water.
    8. When tofu is done, add to veggie mixture in skillet or wok and add in nut butter mixture.
    9. Heat to warm.
    8. Serve over brown rice and top with sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings.

    Nutrition Notes: Bok Choy is also known as Chinese White Cabbage and a cruciferous vegetables cauliflower and broccoli. It’s high in vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium and dietary fiber. This leafy vegetable is low fat, low calorie, and low carb and also contains potassium and vitamin B6. In addition to these essential vitamins, bok choy is a significant source of carotenoids like beta-carotene. These carotenoids are known for their antioxidant properties and are believed to reduce the risk of many cancers.

    Taste Test: This has always been my favorite stir-fry recipe. The addition of nut butter adds another dimension to the sauce and the sesame seeds on top add a great crunch.

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