Since I am heading to Portland for a week, I wanted to make sure to put all of my veggies to use, knowing full well that I can always freeze portions of whatever I make for a later time. What did we ever do before freezers? Nope, I don't want to know the answer to that.
Inventory of my veggie supplies, as well as the exciting realization that, not only is it a soup swap week for Amy and I, but it is officially "Soup Swap Day"(OK, fine, it was yesterday, according to our friends at soupswap.com. But time is relative, right?)! This meant that at least one creation had to be soup. Amy made the calculation that this swap is already going to be our three month anniversary. My, how time flies. Amy will be moving back to San Francisco in the spring, and I'm crossing my fingers that UPS has a soup-shipping option!
So what to make? A vegetable "gratin" of sorts, and of course, a soup! The gratin title is questionable, given that there are no eggs in this recipe. It's more of a layered casserole. I took a few liberties with the casserole, and if you choose to make it, I recommend taking a few more, namely in the spice department. The texture is great, the casserole is filling, and you couldn't ask for a more delicious way to get a hearty serving of vitamins, protein, and fiber.
The soup was going to be hit or miss, but I'm thrilled with how it turned out. If you don't like spice, dial down the cayenne and the chili pepper. This is truly a unique soup, but it's a winner.
Swiss Chard, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa “Gratin”
Adapted from Epicurious.com
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3), sliced thinly or mandolined
3 parsnips, sliced thinly or mandolined
1 cup quinoa
3 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
10 leaves fresh sage
2 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, washed well and stems trimmed, removed, and reserved
4 cups of fresh spinach, washed well and trimmed
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves), or to taste
.5 cup grated parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. and grease a two shallow baking dishes. Slice potatoes and parsnips thinly (the food processor is a great tool here), and roast for about half an hour, or until very tender.
2. While potatoes and parsnips are baking, combine quinoa with 2 cups salted water or broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer quinoa, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 15
minutes, and remove lid.
3. Chop sage and mix with bread crumbs. In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and cook bread crumbs until golden brown. Season crumbs with salt and pepper, if needed.
4. While quinoa is cooking, finely chop swiss chard and spinach. In a deep heavy 12-inch
kettle heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat and cook stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in leaves, a handful at a time, and stir in garlic, tossing. Cook leaves until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove kettle from heat and stir in quinoa until combined well. Season mixture with salt and pepper, if desired.
5. Reduce temperature to 350°.F.
6. Spread potatoes and parsnips on the bottom of baking dish, layering the quinoa mixture on top. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan over the whole casserole.
6. Bake gratin in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until hot. Cool gratin 5 minutes before serving.
Adapted from Epicurious.com
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| Photo from: myvegblog |
3 parsnips, sliced thinly or mandolined
1 cup quinoa
3 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
10 leaves fresh sage
2 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, washed well and stems trimmed, removed, and reserved
4 cups of fresh spinach, washed well and trimmed
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves), or to taste
.5 cup grated parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. and grease a two shallow baking dishes. Slice potatoes and parsnips thinly (the food processor is a great tool here), and roast for about half an hour, or until very tender.
2. While potatoes and parsnips are baking, combine quinoa with 2 cups salted water or broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer quinoa, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 15
minutes, and remove lid.
3. Chop sage and mix with bread crumbs. In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and cook bread crumbs until golden brown. Season crumbs with salt and pepper, if needed.
4. While quinoa is cooking, finely chop swiss chard and spinach. In a deep heavy 12-inch
kettle heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat and cook stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in leaves, a handful at a time, and stir in garlic, tossing. Cook leaves until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove kettle from heat and stir in quinoa until combined well. Season mixture with salt and pepper, if desired.
5. Reduce temperature to 350°.F.
6. Spread potatoes and parsnips on the bottom of baking dish, layering the quinoa mixture on top. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan over the whole casserole.
6. Bake gratin in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until hot. Cool gratin 5 minutes before serving.
Cabbage, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
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| Photo from: CinnamonSpice&EverythingNice |
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cabbage, shredded or finely chopped
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon Chile powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb sweet potato (about 2), diced
1 apple, miced
5 cups Vegetable or chicken broth
14 oz black beans
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 tbsp parsley
Cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top
1. In a large soup pot ,saute onion in olive oil over medium-low heat until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add cabbage, greek yogurt, milk, chile powder, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cayenne. Simmer slowly for 5-7 minutes.
2. Add sweet potatoes, apple, broth, black beans and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook 25-30 minutes. Taste halfway through and re-season if needed. Take off heat and add parsley.
3. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese.
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