Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Emptying the Fridge Soup... and Whatnot

"Well I never been to Spain
But I kinda like the music
Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
They don't abuse it
Never gonna lose it
I can't refuse it" - Elvis (thanks for pointing this one out H)

I'm sooo excited because we leave for 3 weeks in Spain this week. We're escaping Winter! I'm going to teach yoga and we'll ride bikes up mountains at SLB Training Camp. Is this really my life?

I wanted to use up all the fresh veggies I had in the fridge before we leave so I decided to make a delicious and nutritious soup. It was also perfect because there's lots of sniffling going around and I want to be perfectly healthy for the trip. I've been arming my immune system with everything I can find to beat the crap outta the cold season. My immune system is a badass, like me.

Guru's Veggie Noodley Sizzoup (it's gangsta)


1 onion, chopped (reduces mucus, natural antibiotic)
as much garlic as you like, sliced or chopped (I used a motherload bc it fights colds)
olive oil
a few carrots, chopped or sliced (whatevs)
celery, sliced along with the leafy parts
1 small delicata squash, cut into bite-sized chunks (or any other root veggie)
1 bunch of lacinato kale, chopped (or any other leafy green)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can aduki beans, drained and rinsed
1 box quinoa pasta
veggie bouillion (I like Rapunzel brand)
bay leaf, dried oregano and basil (optional)
umeboshi vinegar (optional- I used it to cut the sweetness from the squash)

1. In an enormous vat (or cauldron or saucepan), saute onions in some olive oil until they're soft. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the herbs and broth (or water and bouillion) and bring to a boil while adding the squash, carrots and celery. Continue to simmer on med/low for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are mostly soft.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, in a separate pan. Then strain.
4. Add the beans and kale and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta.
5. Enjoy, while thinking "I'm really quite good at cooking... fa shizzle".

I also served the soup with:

Parmesan Encrusted Fennel

2 fennel, remove the green furry part and chop the white part
olive oil, for drizzling purposes (so not too much)
sea salt
3-4 Tbsp fresh grated parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread the chopped fennel in a baking dish then drizzle with oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the fennel.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes until it gets a "crusty" top.
4. Take a picture because I forgot to take one, then email it to: christine@liveandeatbetter.com.

Also, a bonus pic of my beautiful baby doggie, Coraline. I might lose my mind from not seeing her for almost 4 weeks!


Okay, one more since you're being so attentive. This is Coraline with Mister Blue Toy:





3 comments:

Molly said...

yumm! great food pic. :)

DevinBrown said...

Have a safe and awesome trip and stay in touch.

Unknown said...

the soup looks great and that DOG IS PRECIOUS~!!!!