tuscan-sausage-soup

Nothing warms you up faster on a cold winter day than a bowl of hearty soup. This recipe for rustic Tuscan-style sausage soup, courtesy of Prevention RD, features ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Plus, the addition of low-sodium chicken broth and whole wheat pasta make for a delicious soup with a healthy twist.

Ingredients: 
1 tsp olive oil
3 sweet Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
½ onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ Tbsp dried basil
8 oz dry whole wheat shell pasta
5 oz fresh spinach
¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste

Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, break the sausage into pieces, cooking it until browned, about 5-6 minutes.

2. To the pot, add the carrots and onion and saute for 5-6 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

3. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and basil; turn the heat up to high and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the pasta and cook for 7-9 minutes or until al dente.

4. Stir in the spinach and black pepper; cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.

Tell us how your rustic tuscan-style sausage soup comes out in the comment section below!

recipe and photo courtesy of Prevention RD.

For more delicious recipes like this one, click here!

Warm up with a bowl of chili. This recipe is chock full of protein and veggies to keep your family energized and healthy this winter. If you want to give your bowl a kick, leave the seeds and membrane of the peppers in, but if you prefer a more mild taste, cut them out. Serve this steaming dish with a helping of cornbread.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup minced jalapeño peppers (about 2 large)
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Garnish (optional)
1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 tablespoons small cilantro leaves
6 tablespoons sour cream
6 lime wedges

Method:
1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan.

2. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and jalapeño; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in paprika, cumin, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

5. Add broth, tomatoes, beans and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and beef is very tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

6. Ladle 1 cup chili into each of 6 bowls. Divide radish and avocado evenly among bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.

photo courtesy of Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

With an irresistible savory bacon flavor and a bunch of hearty vegetables, this recipe is sure to be a hit in your household. Follow the recipe below or try mixing it up using different ingredients you already have like peas, carrots, diced chicken or frozen edamame.

Ingredients: 
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 Tbsp sugar
4-5 Tbsp soy sauce, separated
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Veggie options:
1/2 head broccoli, florets and stalks cut into 1/4-inch pieces
onion, cut into small pieces
small corn
mushrooms, quartered

Method:
1. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and bacon and stir-fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the bacon and toss.

2. Add 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (watch out-the oil will bubble up) and continue to stir-fry until the bacon is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

3. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the drippings in the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the rice, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the broth and glazed bacon. Toss to heat through.

6. Push the fried rice to one side of the pan, crack the eggs into the other side and scramble until set, about 1 minute.

7. Mix the eggs into the rice and stir in the watercress. Divide among bowls and serve with mustard or chili sauce, if desired.

What else would you add or change to this recipe? Leave us a comment below!

Recipe courtesy of  of My Favorite Things

It’s just sauce, it’s just sauce – and wow, this buffalo sauce is addicting. For a meal with a peppery kick and juicy crunch, make this easy version of a buffalo chicken wrap. This slow cooker recipe cuts out the unnecessary butter in buffalo sauce, but keeps all the yummy flavor. Kids will scramble for seconds of this scrumptious meal – all while getting their daily portion of veggie and fiber.
Ingredients:
 
For the chicken
24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
1 celery stalk

1/2 onion, diced
16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank’s)

For the wraps:
6 large lettuce leaves, Bibb or Iceberg
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch matchsticks

Method:
  1. In a slow cooker, combine chicken, onions, celery stalk, and broth (enough to cover your chicken, use water if the can of broth isn’t enough). Cover and cook on high 4 hours.
  2. Remove the chicken from pot, reserve 1/2 cup broth and discard the rest.
  3. Shred the chicken with two forks, return to the slow cooker with the 1/2 cup broth and the hot sauce and set to on high for an additional 30 minutes.–Makes 3 cups chicken.
  4. To prepare lettuce cups, place 1/2 cup buffalo chicken in each leaf, top with 1/4 cup shredded carrots, celery and dressing of your choice. Wrap up and enjoy!

Allyson is a wife, mother and writer of the blog, Domestic Superhero. As a career nanny, she is vibrantly creative and constantly working on her own projects. Check out her website for more recipes and inspirational posts.

There’s nothing like the simplicity of a slow cooker meal that makes the stress of the day fade away. Here, cumin seasoned chicken is slow cooked for 6 hours (translation: it’s easy to throw together in the morning or the night before) over a bed of simmering tomatoes, butternut squash and chickpeas. Stir in sliced grapes before serving for a sweet, bright crunch. If your kiddos aren’t a big fan of cumin, then simply omit it or substitute it for a less strong spice.

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, chopped
1-2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup chicken broth
3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (10 ounce) box couscous

Method:
Together: Combine the tomatoes, squash, onion, garlic, chickpeas and broth in a slow cooker.

Kid: Sprinkle the chicken with the cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper

Adult: Place the seasoned chicken over the vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Adult: Prepare the couscous according to package directions.

Together: When chicken has finished cooking, uncover, stir in the grapes and enjoy!

Serves 4

Source: This recipe was created by our friends at Dash.

We’ve teamed up with the Kids Cook Monday initiative to bring you recipes that encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family. Be sure to check out their website for more great ideas on how to empower your kids in the kitchen!

Let’s face it, after you pay the babysitter, there’s not a whole lot left over for dinner. That’s why we’re lucky that our friends at Seattle Magazine dished up 18 Seattle restaurants serving up affordable, and delightfully delicious meals. From the Korean Tofu House to La Medusa, you’ll be sure to find cheap eats to satisfy any palate.

$13
Korean Tofu House
University District

True value: Not only do you get exceptionally generous portions, but every meal comes with side dishes. You will not leave hungry.

While most diehard kimchi-heads will claim that the only reliably good Korean restaurants are either to the north or south of Seattle, Korean Tofu House in the U District is a happy, and welcome, exception. Dinner options arrive with a fleet of expertly prepared banchan (side dishes)—chilled bean sprouts fragrant with the taste of sesame oil, neat wedges of savory chive and jalapeño pancake, marinated fish cake, kimchi and sweet, glazed potatoes—all free. For the main event, offerings such as spicy seafood soup with shrimp, oysters and clams, beef bone broth, house-made dumplings and more hover around the $8 range. All come bubbling hot, brought to your table by a server who’ll gladly crack an egg into the tofu soup.
What we ordered: Beef bone broth ($8.99) + soda ($1) + tax/tip = $13 per person

Want to read about the 17 other restaurants? Read on!

This is our weekly guest post from our friends at Seattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.