Another pasta dish, I know - but this is a great one for summer. The combination of the fresh vegetables and spices is great, and topping it with feta at the end makes it even better (as cheese usually does).
What you will need:
12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups chopped bell peppers, assorted colors
2 cups arugula
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper *omit if you don't want a bit of a kick
salt and pepper, to taste
feta, to taste
Cook spaghetti according to directions. While spaghetti is cooking, place peppers in strainer in the sink. Drain noodles onto peppers to warm them slightly. Place noodles and peppers in a large serving dish. Add olive oil, arugula, garlic, and spices. Toss to coat. Top with crumbled feta when ready to serve.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas! December flew by and was full of shopping, decorating, eating, and celebrating (as it should be).
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| My mom in front of her tree - 1956. My niece in front of my mom's tree - 2012. |
But ....after a few too many days of cheese, crackers, cookies, and chocolate, I decided to make this soup to help me get back on track. It comes from a vegetarian cookbook my friend sent me as part of an awesome fall care package. I chose to try this recipe first because it's low fat, full of fiber, and very filling. It makes 6 generous servings, each one being 6 weight watchers points plus. I made a few changes based on what I had in the house (canned beans in stead of dry, previously caramelized and frozen onions instead of raw) but stuck to all of the original ingredients.
What you will need:
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed (3 cups)
1 medium onion, cooked (1 cup)
2 cups water
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces (between 1 and 2 cups)
3 large sweet potatoes (about 4 cups)
SAUCE
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
Put 2 cups of water in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Add cooked onion, carrots, and sweet potatoes, and reduce heat to low. Cover and let cook for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, add beans and let cook for an additional 15 minutes. If you like more of a stew consistency, drain excess water from pot. I did this twice while making this soup because I like a thicker consistency.
Start to make sauce while soup is cooking. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When hot, add tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes. When your 15 minutes on the soup is up, stir tomato mixture into it and let it cook for another 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
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