Hearty Tortellini and Spinach Soup

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you. It's one of my all time favorite dishes, and probably the most memorable meal from my childhood. The original recipe was clipped by my mom from some magazine back in the 90's. It became a staple in my family's household, and now in mine!

This is a super easy one and is forgiving in terms of ingredients. You can substitute frozen spinach for fresh, use any kind of stuffed pasta, and play around with your broth base. I've included with the recipe below my personal favorite items to use.

To serve four you'll need:

Olive oil (not pictured)
Crushed garlic (Trader Joe's)
A quart of broth (Unsalted is the way to go…I adore the Kitchen Basics brand)
12 ounces cheese tortellini (the Rana brand is delicious; I bought mine at Marianos)
1 can of stewed tomatoes, undrained (Del Monte)
A few handfuls of fresh spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste (not pictured)
Shredded Parmesan cheese (Bel Gioioso)

Drizzle some olive oil and put a dollop of crushed garlic in your pan.

Heat (on low as to not make a mess) for a few minutes then add your broth. Turn up the heat and cover until boiling.

Add in in your pasta, tomatoes and spinach and give everything a stir.

Turn the heat down a bit and cover, simmering for 3 minutes or until spinach is just a bit wilted.

Salt and pepper to taste. That's it! Ladle into individual bowls and top with some shredded Parmesan cheese.

I like to serve crusty bread with this for dipping if I have company, or if you are particularly hungry pair it with a side salad.

Enjoy!

Diary of a (Partial) Vegan: Weeks Two and Three

I completed the remainder of my vegan challenge, first described here. Truth be told, this challenge flopped towards the end. Commitments to eating out and a week's stay with my parents while at a client nearby their house meant many chances for my food choices to be out of my control.

Overall, as I mentioned in week one, the best thing I took away from this was realizing how to incorporate more meatless meals into my diet. I've started thinking twice before adding meat to my dishes, and am at least trying to restrict my meals to only include one dish with meat a day.

One of my favorite lazy gal dishes is to create a "hodge podge bowl" for dinner, and this easily can be made to exclude meat. I usually make a batch of a grain on Sundays such as brown rice or farro, and this week it was barley. I then use this for several meals throughout the week to cut down on preparation time (just heat it up in the microwave for a minute or two). I steam some vegetables (asparagus and mushrooms are my current favorites) and fry an egg, then put everything on top of the grain. I add a bit of shredded cheese and maybe some hot sauce for an extra hit of flavor. SO good! The possibilities for your hodge podge bowl are endless, and it actually is a really great way to use up leftovers that accumulate in your fridge throughout the week.

I also discovered a yummy product, Amazing Meal vegan smoothies from Amazing Grass. I found these products at Whole Foods and purchased a single serving packet of each flavor. I've tried a few so far and my favorite has been the Pomegranate Mango-I usually don't like mango flavored items so this was a surprise! Each serving is chock full of good-for-you ingredients, and has tons of protein and fiber to keep you full. I paired one of these smoothies (prepared with coconut milk) with a piece of toast and was full all the way until lunch. I highly recommend checking these products out!

I'd like to try this challenge again sometime soon, and perhaps stick it out better than I did this time around! : )

"Five Star" Muffins

In keeping with my vegan attempts for the month of March, I made a batch of completely vegan and gluten free sweet potato muffins. The key ingredient in these is Chinese five-spice powder, which in my mind I keep accidentally calling "five star" powder. After making these, I think it's fair to call them "five-star" muffins : )

"Five Star" Muffins

adapted from "It's All Good" recipe

2 sweet potatoes (or 1 really large one)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup good quality maple syrup, plus a little extra for brushing the muffins

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups gluten-free flour (and add 1 tsp xanthan gum* if the flour doesn't include it). You can also use regular/whole wheat/spelt/whatever flour you have on hand if you don't mind the gluten. 

2 tsps baking powder

2 tsps baking soda 

1 1/2 Tbsp Chinese five-spice powder (I found mine at Whole foods; it's a blend of cinnamon, fennel, cloves, star anise and white pepper, and really takes these muffins to the next level.)

1/2 tsp fine sea salt 

*This is a binding agent to hold food particles together, making it the ideal substitute in gluten-free baking. It's a tad pricey but a little goes a long way.

Wrap your sweet potatoes in a dish towel and microwave until soft (about 8 minutes). Cut in half and allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, whisk together your wet ingredients (olive oil, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract) in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Mix together your dry ingredients (everything else) in a large bowl and set aside.

Peel the skin off of the sweet potatoes and place into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using an electric beater, whisk the ingredients together until blended. Add in the dry ingredients until everything is mixed.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Prep a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners and spoon the mixture into each section. Bake for 12 minutes, then baste the top of each muffin with maple syrup. Bake for another 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Note: like many homemade baked goods, these have no preservatives and therefore will dry out/get yucky quickly when left out. Keep these in a sealed container in a dry, cool place and transfer to the refrigerator after a day or so. They should then keep up to 5 days. You can also freeze them and defrost as you need. 

Diary of a (Partial) Vegan: Week One

Veganism has its moments. One minute you are feeling extremely pleased with your dietary choices, the next you are mid-bite into a Twix and realize you’re an idiot; that has milk in it. My biggest tool for my successes this past week has been planning. I mapped out my major meals for the week and grocery shopped appropriately for a vegan lifestyle. However, I’m unable to control the lingering non-vegan items in my pantry/fridge/freezer. There were eggs taunting me from the refrigerator door and chocolates on the top shelf of my pantry that I swear were whispering “eat me” every time I walked past. By the middle of week I started feeling bored with my vegan meal options and subsequently turned to eggs and dairy to expand on my choices. And on Friday I completely fell off the bandwagon and had a chicken wrap for lunch. 

I'm not a nutritionist, but I do know that there are many factors to consider when you eliminate major food groups from your diet. Important things like protein and even fiber from grains (if you are trying to also watch calories and not eat bread/pasta/etc. all the time) can be compromised by following a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. I will admit, some poor planning on the nutrient side led me to lack energy and have some unpleasant stomach aches during the first few days. Everything is a process, and I'm learning now how to be conscious of the nutrients I get from a meal based on what kind of diet (no gluten, no meat, etc.) it follows.  

As I explained here, my 22 day challenge is to be vegan as much as possible. A brunch with fellow blogger Steph of Steph's Spot on Sunday was an exception, and that aforementioned Twix incident may have happened a few times (this is what I get for keeping a candy jar on my desk for my co-workers). I’m lucky enough to be making these food choices voluntarily, versus having health issues dictate what I can and cannot eat. Because of that I can decide at the start of each day what to eat to keep me happy and healthy. 

Overall I am enjoying the way this foodie challenge is going; it’s showing me that cutting out meat from your diet is not as hard as you might think. Going into week two I will continue to try and eat vegan whenever possible. My main focus though has shifted towards developing ways in which I can incorporate vegan/vegetarian meals into my everyday lifestyle.

On to week two! 

22 Day Food Challenge!

Who remembers all the hubub around the holidays, when Jay-Z announced he and Beyonce would be going vegan for 22 days? The reasoning behind the number of days was because experts say it takes 21 days to break a habit. Apparently Queen B has been at it again, as I heard on the radio a few weeks ago. This led me to think about the idea of a vegan diet and if it was something I could do for 22 days. While I have my own set of thoughts relating to the consumption of animal products, I would not consider myself one to go vegan for ethical reasons. I'm merely intrigued by the idea of cutting out a large number of foods, and the effect it can have on your overall health. Alright: challenge accepted.

But then I thought about the technicalities of this temporary lifestyle. No animal products means no dairy, eggs, or honey* for goodness sakes. That means no chocolate. No sliver of butter with my sweet potatoes. No whey protein in my morning smoothie. Eating out would be a nightmare. I'd have to be that person that is asking a million questions about how something was prepared. And first and foremost, I started getting nervous that eating vegan would just be a path to carb overload.

I've therefore decided that I'll be embarking on a modified vegan/vegetarian/pescetarian lifestyle for the rest of the month. Basically, I will cut out all meat and also abstain from fish, dairy, eggs etc. as much as possible. I'd like to try and make at least 3 days each week completely vegan. I'm going to blog about my experiences, which of course means giving you new recipe ideas! 

 

Photo Credit 

Today is day one and so far, so good. I made an avocado and cacao smoothie for breakfast, had a mid-morning snack of an apple and a few almonds, and brought some beet soup along with celery and rice crackers for lunch. Dinner is going to be my new favorite meal, buckwheat soba noodles and tofu (my mouth just watered in anticipation of this dish. SO good). And all of my recipes today are thanks to this fantastic cookbook.

Have you ever eliminated particular foods from your diet? What was the result?

(*I totally get that vegan means no animal products and this isn't just limited to animal flesh. However, I have an argument against this one. First of all, I buy honey from the farmer's market; these bees were not put in any form of distress to acquire the honey. Secondly-I hate bees. They are the worst.)

Little Goat Diner

There are a few different types of restaurant reputations in my book. You've got your tried and trued favorites, your list of places you hope to make it to soon, and then those places. You know. The ones that everyone seems to want to try with wait times that just won't quit. Somewhere towards the top of that list is Little Goat Diner, the more casual across the street cousin of Stephanie Izard's famous Girl and the Goat. This past weekend a concert at the United Center meant dinner beforehand on Randolph, and the girls and I decided Little Goat Diner was the place to be!

We went on a Sunday night, which I believe helped our wait time to be minimal (don't get me wrong, it was still quite busy). The decor definitely had a diner vibe with some modern touches-there was a cool photo booth towards the front and the kitchen was open to see the cooks hard at work. Take a look (Photos courtesy of Little Goat Diner's website):

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

After being seated at maybe the biggest booth I've ever sat in, we approached the very difficult decision of what to order. Little Goat Diner offers breakfast all day, plus a slew of sandwiches and entrees. "The Goats", as I shall deem all of Ms. Izard's restaurants, have a reputation of using shall we say peculiar items. This isn't the place to go if you are a picky eater or not feeling adventurous….which may have been my problem.

I wasn't feeling on top of the world and as such my taste buds were a bit off. After a very stressful internal battle of what would taste good, I literally left it to the last second and blurted out "I'll have the grilled cheese!" to our waiter.

What? I mean, don't get me wrong I love a grilled cheese every once in a while. But it's not something I would usually order. I think my mind was going for something simple and comforting, which doesn't work when said grilled cheese includes "smoked gouda and mont amore cheese, pork guanciale, and smoked tomatoes". Combine this with the fact that the sandwich came with nothing else and cost $10-not my best dining experience.  

The girls and I split an order of chocolate cake for dessert. Don't mistake "order of chocolate cake" for a whole cake; the $8 portion was quite the opposite. Served in a tiny ramekin I was worried it wouldn't be enough for three. But the cake was rich (and a bit on the dry side); we didn't finish. 

I'd love to say I plan to go back on a day where I am feeling more myself and ready to be more adventurous with my ordering. But considering the fact that I feel the food is overpriced for the quality and quantity you get I think I've officially crossed Little Goat Diner off my list. There are too many places to eat in this city to get hung up on trying to convince yourself something is good! 

Sidenote on that concert we went to: it was Justin Timberlake. It. Was. AMAZING. 

Vitamix Preview and Mocha Protein Smoothie!

In the midst of January I saw one of my friends after a particularly rough week for her. She'd clocked 60+ hours at work and was, very understandably, exhausted. She told me that one night around midnight, she was sitting at her desk and decided that if she made it through the week she was going to motivate herself by promising to buy something that weekend. Well, the actual statement used was "I'm going to buy myself something really f-ing nice!"

I thought this was a) hilarious and b) spectacular motivation. Now, I must say that my friend had been wanting to make this purchase for a while. The buying was not impulsive but merely a motivation to get through a stressful week. Inspired by this story and looking at a rough next few weeks I made myself a similar promise. So without further a do, my "really f-ing nice" purchase:

Vitamix 7500

I cannot express how excited I am to integrate my Vitamix into my daily cooking routine. For my lifestyle this is definitely a worthy investment piece that I know will be a staple in my kitchen.

I absolutely plan on providing a detailed review here on the blog once Mr. Vitamix and I get to know each other a bit more. I just couldn't wait to share and for now, I thought I'd post one of my latest favorite smoothie recipes! I like this either as a mid-morning boost, a post-workout snack or as breakfast along with a piece of toast.

Mocha Protein Shake

1 cup coconut milk*, plus filtered water to get to desired consistancy
1 packet VIA instant coffee
1 handful of greens (I used frozen kale, however I'd recommend fresh spinach or kale if you have it because it blends better with this particular set of ingredients)
1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
a few ice cubes (optional; depending on whether you want this to be super cold!)

Throw everything into your blender and blend for about a minute. Depending on your blender you will need to add some water to get the smoothie to your desired consistency (I like mine to be a bit more liquid-y so I add about 1/2 cup of water).

Approximate calories per smoothie: 175

*Note: I am a devoted almond milk user and this was my first purchase of coconut milk. I have since learned that Silk (my brand of choice!) sells an unsweetened version that I will be buying from now on. This will reduce the calorie count on the recipe by 35 calories, and cut 6g of sugar versus the original. Check out Silk's product options here.

Enjoy!

You can shop for Vitamix blenders here.

Beet, Kale and Apple Smoothie

Traveling for work has its perks. The effect on your eating habits is not one of them.

I returned home from being out of town at a client all week feeling like a big slug and craving health food. For me, nothing gets me back on track quite like a smoothie. Over the last few months I have developed a serious devotion to smoothies, and decided I wanted to jump start my system with a new recipe.

Adapted from Gwynie (book link), I present the Beet, Kale and Apple Smoothie:

Made even better when consumed out of a Chicago Blackhawks glass

8oz beet juice (I bought a pint at Mariano's)
1 large apple, chopped
1 1inch piece of ginger
1/2 lemon, zest and pith removed
1/2 cup kale (Trader Joe's sells bags of frozen kale…it's a game changer)
A few ice cubes
1/2 cup+ water

Throw everything into a blender and whizz for about a minute. Stir in additional water if your end result is too thick. This makes two large glasses full; you can share or store the rest in the fridge for a day. Drink up and feel instantly healthier!

The only downside I can think of to beets is that they make your glasses/sink look like a crime scene. 

Buckwheat Soba Noodles and Tofu

Ok, that title makes this post sound like a real bummer. But stick with me!

I like to incorporate fun into all aspects of life; otherwise things just feel like a chore to me. One of the ways I do so is to follow silly food themes throughout the week, my favorite of which is "Meatless Mondays". While I sometimes include fish on the no-meat list, I truly try to eliminate meat from my diet at least one day of the week. Today, with the negative temperatures and the ability to work from home, I decided to try out a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks.

Amazon Link

"It's All Good" by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen is a gem of a cookbook-it's filled with delicious healthy recipes. Some people get their undies in a bunch over Gwen's cookbooks, saying that she's completely clueless when it comes to the average American's food-budget/ability to buy "specialty" items/etc. I honestly take every recipe with a grain of salt and instead of griping over ingredients I don't know where to buy, I look at the list and think "how can I adapt this recipe to fit my life"?

I have to say that using both this cookbook and Gwen's first book, "My Father's Daughter" (Amazon Link), I have discovered ingredients that are now a staple in my kitchen (OMG Vegenaise). I have learned recipes from her books that I love to cook and love to share (her buttermilk pancake recipe is gold and I'll never make pancakes from a box mix again).

Today I used a recipe from Gwen as the base for an Asian-inspired vegetarian plate. Buckwheat soba noodles are easy on your digestive system and are just as tasty as regular pasta.

I recommend giving this a shot-it's healthy, tasty, and filling without making you feel like a whale.

Buckwheat Soba Noodles and Tofu
Adapted from "It's All Good", Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Ginger-Scallion Broth recipe

You'll need:

-1 package extra firm tofu, pressed dry and cut into squares
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-2 Tbsp honey (or agave nectar/maple syrup to make this vegan)
-2 Tbsp olive oil
-2 tsp toasted sesame oil
-1 tsp crushed garlic (Trader Joe's jar of crushed garlic changed my life)

-1-2 Tbsp of finely shredded ginger (I use a Microplane grater, seen here)
-4 scallions, roughly chopped
-2 cups of spinach or any green vegetable you have around (my personal favorite for this dish is broccoli). I recommend steaming your vegetable first to get it soft, unless it's spinach in which case it will wilt in the pan during step 2.
-1 to 2 handfuls of shiitake mushrooms, roughly diced and steamed

-4 ounces of buckwheat soba noodles (can be found in the Asian aisle)


1. Tackle the first bunch of ingredients. Mix together everything but the tofu, then pour over tofu slices in a shallow dish. Let marinate at least 15 minutes; longer is great but not necessary.

2. Throw together the second bunch of ingredients in a pan with some olive oil and saute combined.

3. Heat another small pan with water.

4. Drain and spread the marinated tofu on a  greased baking sheet and turn on your broiler to high. You want to reserve the extra marinade for later. Put tofu in for five minutes; check and stir on the pan and repeat in 3-4 minute increments until brown and crispy on the edges.

5. When that small pan of water is boiling, put in your soba noodles for 3 minutes (or whatever the package says) to cook.

7. Put your broiled tofu, reserved marinade, and cooked noodles into the pan with the veggie mix from step 2. Mix it all up, let heat through for a minute or two then transfer to your plate and devour enjoy!

Eataly Chicago!

I first heard about Eataly back in summer 2012. I was in New York City for a work training and a coworker mentioned it in conversation. When I asked her what it was, she simply replied that I had to see it to understand what exactly the Eataly experience is like.

And boy was she right. I immediately fell in love with this Italian market meets restaurants. I gushed about Eataly to anyone and everyone. I tried my best to shop to the best extent possible when in New York, given my hotel room's measly mini fridge space. But when I heard Eataly intended on opening a Chicago location I was ecstatic.

My first experience at Eataly Chicago was everything I had dreamed of and more. The first stop was La Pizza & La Pasta for lunch.

Capricciosa Pizza-mushrooms, prosciutto, artichokes and olives

When in Eataly : ) 

Dad and I!

We meandered around the second floor, taking in the delicious food and sights at every corner: 

A stop at Il Gelato for a double helping of coconut and pistachio was a must before making a few purchases. 

Some tips for visiting:

-Try to stop by at an off-peak time, in the morning before the lunch rush or in the mid-afternoon lull. Check out their hours here.
-If you are going to eat at one of restaurants (which you so should) put your name in with the hostess when you first arrive. You can shop around until your table is ready, and they conveniently text you to let you know.
-Take a lap around each floor to get a sense of what is available. Then take another trip around to actually pick out items you wish to buy.
-It's easy to rack up a huge shopping bill here. Focus on the unique items, splurge on the well cut/high quality meats and seafoods, and skip the produce. I picked up a few dry scallops, goat cheese and prosciutto-all of which was to die for.

I'm beyond excited Chicago has it's very own Eataly. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Wild Fish Sushi in Arlington Heights

I met my great friend, Steph, for dinner this week. We are creatures of habit when it comes to dinner but decided to be brave and branch out for sushi this time around!

Wild Fish is a more contemporary sushi restaurant, with a beautiful decor and a great eye for the presentation of its dishes. Not to mention the food is delicious.

Amidst catching up on everything from work to vacation plans, Steph decided on a yummy looking specialty tuna maki and I went with the sake-don. Served with a tiny serving of miso soup and a forgettable salad, this was the best sake-don I've ever had. The perfectly sized portion is just the right mix of rice and fresh sliced salmon with lovely garnishes. Topped with some soy sauce this was fantastic. Per Steph's suggestion, I just had to pull out my camera and take a quick pic:

And you can see Steph's dish in the back!

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Wild Fish and look forward to stopping in again sometime soon. While it's not the most budget friendly restaurant, the atmosphere and food are worth the occasional splurge. Wild Fish is located in downtown Arlington Heights and their website can be viewed here.

Cookie Exchange

A few weeks ago, some of my absolute favorite people and I put together a cookie exchange to kick off the holidays. My girls and I take things quite seriously, so planning the mechanics of this exchange was no exception. We argued (in the friendliest way possible) over the amount of cookies to provide, the ingredients we were planning on using to ensure a good level of variety, and teased each other over who would have the best cookie.

What a fabulous idea this turned out to be! Everyone showed up with beautiful and delicious cookies to share, ranging from oatmeal butterscotch to Mexican wedding cookies to chocolate with peppermint frosting. I made my tried and true recipe for biscotti, opting for a mix of cranberry pistachio and double chocolate (see below for recipe).

I recommend planning a cookie exchange with your friends, and not just for the holidays! Food exchanges are a fun way to find new recipes and share your own favorites. Plus who doesn't love bringing home food you didn't have to make?!

Biscotti Recipe!

You'll need:
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp baking powder
a dash of salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
your choice of add-ins

Some fun combos:
1. 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + chocolate chips
2. Lemon zest + slivered almonds
3. Dried cranberries + orange zest

Mix your sugar and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in your baking powder and salt, then eggs. Stir in your flour by hand then add your add-ins, hand stir until just fully mixed.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease or lay down a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and plop on your dough. Smooth the dough to form a long oval on the sheet (it doesn't have to be perfect). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Using a large knife, cut your oval in half longways then cut across the other way to create biscotti sized pieces. Turn the pieces on their side and put the cookie sheet back in the oven to back for 7-13 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep your eye on it as you don't want your biscotti to be rock hard!

Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best served with a cup of coffee!