Italian lentil and escarole soup

We love lentil soup, and we were curious about escarole. So we tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013354-lentil-and-escarole-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c Our modifications: first, we added 2 celery stalks (diced) to the carrots and onion. Second, the recipe didn’t specify the type of lentils, so we used 1 cup French de Puy lentils (small, dark gray), which hold their shape…… Continue reading Italian lentil and escarole soup

Minestrone soup

We made this Cookie + Kate recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/classic-minestrone-soup-recipe/. This was healthy and tasty. Our modifications: first, for the vegetables we used 1 russet potato (diced), 1 zucchini (diced), and 1/2 cup French-cut string beans, which exceeded 2 cups. As a result, we increased the liquid to 7 cups. Second, we used a combination of no-salt…… Continue reading Minestrone soup

Sumac chicken with apricots and olives

In honor of Passover, we tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021962-roast-chicken-with-apricots-and-olives?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c Our modifications: first, we combined all ingredients (including the white wine) in the marinade. Instead of Calvestrano olives (which we find bland), we used 1 cup Queen Spanish pimiento-stuffed olives, cut crosswise in half, plus 2 Tbsp olive brine. We marinated the chicken pieces for 8…… Continue reading Sumac chicken with apricots and olives

Tomato and stars soup

We tried this NYT Cooking recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/771009089-easy-tomato-and-stars-soup?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c. This was delicious. Our modifications: first, instead of 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) stelline pasta, we used 1 1/4 cups (about 10 oz). Second, we blended 4 medium Roma tomatoes, 1 medium shallot, 1 clove garlic, and 1 cup no-salt chicken broth. We then added 3 additional cups…… Continue reading Tomato and stars soup

Baked orzo with roasted vegetables and spinach

We love orzo with tomato sauce, and we took inspiration from this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020823-cheesy-baked-orzo-with-marinara?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c Our modifications: first, we added a lot of roasted vegetables. We cut 3/4 of a medium cauliflower (saving the remaining 1/4 for another recipe), 1 large red bell pepper, and 2 large shallots into bite-sized pieces, tossed them with 1.5 Tbsp…… Continue reading Baked orzo with roasted vegetables and spinach

Lemony white bean soup with minced turkey and greens

We tried this Melissa Clark recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021776-lemony-white-bean-soup-with-turkey-and-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c This soup contains simple ingredients, but yields surprisingly complex, layered flavors. We followed the recipe closely. Our modifications: first, the greens, we used 1/2 a bunch of curly kale from Whole Foods. We included the stems, chopped them, and sauteed them with the onion and carrot. Second, we…… Continue reading Lemony white bean soup with minced turkey and greens

Lasagna roll-ups with cottage cheese and spinach

We are big fans of SkinnyTaste, and we enjoyed this recipe: https://www.skinnytaste.com/lasagna-roll-ups-with-cottage-cheese/. The cottage cheese worked really well. Our modifications: first, for the marinara sauce, we combined 15.5 oz Rao’s marinara and 8 oz no-salt tomato sauce to reduce the sodium. (We also prefer saucy casseroles, so 2 cups from the original recipe seemed too…… Continue reading Lasagna roll-ups with cottage cheese and spinach

Burmese-style chicken and split yellow pea stew (instant pot / pressure cooker)

We tried a Skinnytaste adaptation of chicken dal curry from the Burmese Superstar cookbook: https://www.skinnytaste.com/burma-superstar-chicken-dal-curry/. The Skinnytaste author omitted fish sauce, which we added back in. We also incorporated some tips from her blogpost comments. Our modifications: first, instead of an Instant Pot, we used a stovetop pressure cooker. (We prefer a stovetop over an…… Continue reading Burmese-style chicken and split yellow pea stew (instant pot / pressure cooker)

Mixed vegetable khichdi

We had a craving for a hearty vegetable khichdi that utilized many type of legumes. We tried this recipe: https://ministryofcurry.com/khichdi-instant-pot/ This was a mild, but slightly over seasoned khichdi. Our modifications: first, for the 4 cups of vegetables, we used 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables. We also used about 2 oz of fresh baby spinach,…… Continue reading Mixed vegetable khichdi