Super Vegetable Stew

Sometimes, most times...I just want some veggies. I mean, I have the occasional "give me Swedish fish, lots of Swedish fish" phases and I'll always breathe chocolate...but, you know. Can't be eatin' Swedish fish all damn day... Well, I had a serious need for vegetables the other day. Any vegetable. All vegetables. Nay, the healthiest vegetables! It was time to make one badass veggie soup. I was crazed. Maybe it was the -10 F weather, maybe it was my excessive consumption of the "healthy" chips I ate, maybe it was my lack of exercise last week. Whatever it was, I needed some nutrients runnin' through my veins. I needed to recharge. Okay, I think you got the picture. 

Well, this is how I came upon my Super Vegetable Soup. No fluff veggies like carrots and celery. No, Sir! Don't be bringing those weak-ass veggies all up in my soup! Only serious veggies need apply. Red cabbage, broccoli, sweet potato, kidney beans, mushrooms, etc. This soup is so BA that I had also bought beets, kale, and red bell peppers...all which didn't make it into the soup...because the pot ran out of room! 

This soup is extraordinarily easy and it makes enough for a crowd.  Feel free to add in whatever other vegetables you desire and/or remove the ones you don't like. Freeze what you don't eat or just cut the recipe in half. Make this stew work for you!

Super Vegetable Stew

Inspired by The Model Foodie

Serves 12

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. turmeric 
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 64 oz. bottle of low-sodium V8 juice
• 1/2 medium red cabbage, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 1 head of broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
• 8 oz. baby button mushrooms
• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
• 1 15 oz. can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• nutritional yeast, for topping

In a very large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the turmeric, Italian seasoning and black pepper and saute for about 30 seconds.

Add in the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the garlic becomes fragrant and the onion begins to turn translucent. 

Now, add in the V8 juice and all the remaining ingredients except for the nutritional yeast. Cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork tender. 

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Serve hot and topped with cheesy nutritional yeast!

I can't be helped...Classical Christmas Music – O, Christmas Tree

Also, here's me trying to coax a stray dog into our home. I shall call him Bos. You know, from Bos primigenius...a.k.a. cow. He looks like a cow. Doesn't he?!

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Spiced Mint & Parsley Lentil Salad

A couple weekends ago I may have eaten my weight in Oreos. Okay, maybe that's exaggerating but I feel like it was pretty darn close. The misfortune occurred during the road trip that Todd and I took to Denali, which I talked about in this post. I hate road trips. All of them, there're torture! I just loathe being stuck in a box for a zillion hours. Sure, you can get out and walk around every now and again but that just makes me feel even more like a dog trapped in a small crate that's let out a few times a day. This may be a dramatic comparison, but you get my point. Anyway, to make this trip less miserable I brought along some candied ginger (I get carsick...yes I'm a joy when road-tripping) and we listened to podcasts the entire way up while consuming a whole bag of Oreos and a large bag of Sunchips. Needless to say, the following week my body was in dire need of a reboot, so to speak. This Spiced Mint & Parsley Lentil Salad was the perfect dish to help me feel less like a complete, gluttonous bum. I was in dire need of some real food, people.

So, it won't win any beauty awards but it's the robust combination of lentils mixed with fragrant spices and fresh herbs that make it such a revitalizing salad. It's sure to rejuvenate anyone after a long weekend of being on the funk food bandwagon. Serve it up as a side dish or as an entree, as we did.

Spiced Mint & Parsley Lentil Salad

Inspired by Lebanese Recipes

Serves 2 as an entree

• 1 cup dry green lentils (or any color you'd like)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 -1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh juice from 1/2 a small lemon (about 2-3 Tbsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• a couple handfuls of fresh spinach (or any other greens)
• paprika for garnish (optional)

Drain and rinse the dry, green lentils. However, using green lentils isn't mandatory. You can use any color you'd like. Brown lentils will take a bit longer to cook and red lentils will cook a bit faster, so make sure to be aware of that.

Place the lentils in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down to low. Allow them to simmer for about 30 minutes. The time will vary based on the lentils used, and of course you can always add more water if needed. You can tell when they're finished cooking as they should be tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over low. Add in the garlic and the onion and stir until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. P.S. Check out my cool garlic holder! Have an adorable little egg crate but don't do eggs anymore? Repurpose it! I've also seen them used as a jewelry holder, too!

Chop the fresh herbs and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper and spices. Add this mixture to the garlic and onions and heat over low for a few minutes.

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Once the lentils are tender, add all the remaining ingredients to the lentil pot as well as the spinach, allowing it to wilt. Mix well to combine. Serve with a sprinkle of paprika! It can be served hot, room temperature or cooled. However you prefer!

Smile! Eating healthy has never been more tasty.

Spiced Mint & Parsley Lentil Salad

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Katie - Produce On Parade

Serves: 2

Robust lentils mix with fragrant spices and fresh herbs for a revitalizing salad. It's sure to rejuvenate anyone, after a long weekend of being on the funk food bandwagon. Serve as a side dish or as an entree.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry green lentils (or any color you'd like)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 -1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh juice from 1/2 a small lemon (about 2-3 Tbsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• a couple handfuls of fresh spinach (or any other greens)
• paprika for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse lentils. Place the lentils in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down to low.
2. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. This will vary based on the lentils used, and of course you can add more water if needed. You can tell when they're finished cooking as they should be tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over low. Add in the garlic and the onion and stir until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Chop the fresh herbs and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper and spices. Add this mixture to the garlic and onions and heat over low for a few minutes.
6. Once the lentils are tender, add in all the remaining ingredients to that pot as well as the spinach and allow it to wilt. Mix well to combine.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of paprika!

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