Spinach and Zucchini Soup

For the holidays, we got a whole bunch of new kitchen gadgets and I’ve managed to use most of them so far except for the immersion blender! I was waiting until I found the perfect, healthy soup that would require one. I turned to the healthiest food blog I know for this one: 101 Cookbooks for her Spinach and Zucchini Soup!

It tasted so fresh! I’m not a huge fan of cilantro unless it’s concealed enough within other ingredients that it doesn’t takeover my taste buds. In this soup, it literally made the soup taste fresh and clean. I think my body felt better after consuming so much “good for you” food! The only bad thing in here was salt…and of course the bread and butter…but this was a conscious choice to ruin a perfectly healthy meal with the obvious accompaniment…and I don’t regret it. Even if it takes away some of the healthy cred I tried to establish with posting this recipe!

This soup is hardy enough to eat as a meal, I think. I was full after one bowl….and many pieces of the beget (maybe that’s why I was so full…) Either way, this soup is delicious and chock-full of healthy ingredients that your body will love. I think anything that’s green has to be good for you right? And the soup turned out to be the prettiest shade of green I’ve seen! As always, my terrible iPhone pictures do it no justice…

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• big pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped
• one lemon

Directions: 

In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt – just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so. Now stir in the cilantro. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

A great recipe made even better because it calls for BACON.

Bacon! Well actually, Pancetta…because I’m tryna be fancy.

I don’t love bacon. Weird but I don’t. I get grossed out when I see people eating it by the slice out at IHOP or wherever you bacon lovers choose to eat your greasy breakfast fare.  There’s just absolutely nothing appealing about eating a salty, oily, slice of bacon all by its lonesome.

However, when bacon is crumbled up and added to oh say, an amazing Cobb salad I die. Die die die. (Sorry if you don’t get my Will & Grace reference there, but Jack McFarland would!) Some bacon crumbles add the perfect salty, crunchy touch to the salad laced with egg and blue cheese.

Pancetta crisping away

But this isn’t about Cobb salad! It’s alllllll about this fusilli with zucchini and corn deal. Let me tell you, it is ev-er-y-thinggggg. I found this recipe on Epicurious and initially chose it because it seemed semi-healthy with the veggies and pesto but then realized I could dice up some Pancetta with it and my yearnings to eat healthy quickly flew out of the window.

If you are looking for a healthy dinner–this is it! Just leave out the bacon (which is incidentally all I’ve been rambling about this whole post). But make this….seriously. You’ll love!

Ingredients:

• 6 bacon slices
• 1 pound fusilli (I forget what I used, but it wasn’t fusilli….even though I did buy it just for this!)
  
• 3 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 (5- to 7-ounce) container basil pesto

Directions:

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard drippings from skillet.

Meanwhile, cook fusilli in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then add vegetables to pasta in pot and cook, partially covered, 2 minutes (water will stop boiling). Drain.

Add pasta with vegetables to skillet along with pesto and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and toss. Season with salt and moisten with additional cooking water if necessary.

If your like me and don’t own a giant skillet,  I sauteed the corn and zucchini together and then added everything to the pasta. Worked fine!

Top with crumbled bacon and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.

Grilled Summer Squash & Brie Sandwich

The sandwich (and store-bought pasta salad) served on my finest China

Like most people I know, I think samples are the best thing about any trip to a grocery store. I used to put up with the most hectic family trips imaginable to Costco because of the free food. (I still say, Costco on a Sunday is the scariest place in any suburban community.) And even though Whole Foods is considerably more expensive than most markets I shop at, the free stuff on Saturdays makes it more than worth my while.

Usually I scarf down the sample and listen to the Whole Foods employee go on and on and on about how wonderful what I’m eating is, and how I should buy it. I keep nodding…and keep eating while pretending to be interested but we both know that I have no intention of purchasing this treat, no matter how delectable.

That was until I tried a sample of  a Grilled Summer Squash and Brie Sandwich. I was actually searching for something to whip up for lunch and then I spotted a Whole Foods lady making the sandwiches–grilling away with brie oozing out of every end. She informed me where the brie was and that it was on sale and I was S-O-L-D.

I picked up the rest of the ingredients, went home and made this immediately. And you should, too. Because it was really freaking good. And kinda good for you. Probably not really, but there are vegetables involved, so we can pretend.

Ingredients:

2 zucchini or medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons of EVOO
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 thick-cut slices of round country bread
1 large garlic glove, split
10 ounces of Brie cheese, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
1 cup sunflower, radish, or other sprouts

Directions

Prepare the grill for medium-high heat cooking or preheat the broiler. Brush squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill or broil, turning once or twice, until tender and nicely browned, 6-8 minutes. Set aside.

Grill or broil bread until just lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub bread on both sides with garlic; discard the garlic. Cover tops of slices with Brie; place on a cool part of the grill and cover the grill or broil until the cheese is somewhat melted. Top with grilled squash, tomatoes and sprouts. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.