Gluten Free Vegetable Spinach Soup

Prep and cook time combined: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 med onions, diced
1 pound carrots, sliced
1 whole celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic , diced ( additional)
1 med-large yellow squash
1 med- large green squash
1 pkg mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil for sauteing
1 bag fresh baby spinach, washed
8 cups of vegetable broth ( Paula uses 2 pkg. Imagine Brand organic vegetable broth)

Saute tomatoes, onions and first 3 cloves of garlic in a T of olive oil in a large skillet on a low flame until the three ingredients mingle nicely and onions are a little soft. Add all the chopped vegetables except for the spinach and slowly saute in olive oil until tender. Add the room temperature vegetable broth to the vegetables bring to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer; add spinach and allow to wilt. Turn off heat cover and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste and add additional salt, pepper or spices if desired ( it will depend on the broth that you used)

copied from: Gluten Free A-Z Blog

Tomato Spinach Soup

Got this recipe from Taste of Home website.  The recipe is very similar to the recipe I used last year.  I can;t seem to find where I posted it online so, here is another!

Prep: 15 min.     Cook: 45 min. 

Ingredients 

2 large yellow onions, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 quart water
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
Grated Parmesan or shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Directions

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute onions in oil over medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Garnish individual servings with cheese if desired.

Yield: 8-10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1 serving (1 cup) equals 

Calories       58 

Fat                 3 g

Cholesterol    0
Sodium      575 mg  

Carbs            7 g

Fiber             2 g

Protein          2 g

Roasted Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Nutritional Info
Calories: 143.4
Fat: 10.8g
Carbs: 1g
Protein: 9.4g

Ingredients
1 cup    - Cauliflower, frozen, cooked, riced,
1 lrg      - Egg, fresh
1 cup    - Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp  - Fennel
1 tsp     - Oregano
2 tsp     - Parsley
sm amt  - Virgin Olive Oil


Directions

1. Preheat oven at 450
2. Place cauliflower in oven and roast for 20-25 minutes allow to cool.
3. Rice or finely chop the cauliflower. You can also grate it if that is easier. 
4. Beat egg, add cauliflower, and shredded cheese and mix. 
5. Press into a pizza pan brushed with olive oil. For individual pizzas, quarter the mix and press into olive oil brushed smaller pans to make individual servings.  
6. In a separate bowl mix fennel, oregano and parsley.
7. Sprinkle spice mix on the pizza crusts.
8. Bake at 450 
• 1 crust 12-15 min
• 1 lrg crust doubled ingredients 15-20 min
• 4 small 10-15 min
9. Remove from oven, add desired toppings (not included in nutritional info above) 
• Red sauce
• mushrooms
• green peppers
• onions
• cheese, etc.
10. Bake again until brown and cheese is bubbly.
11. slice pizza into 4 or 8 slices.

Serves: 4

Meal Planning? I need some help!

I've started thinking meal planning might be my best option to stay on track with my diet and to be sure my family is eating the best possible meals when we are together! I also thought it would help out with the availability of left overs for work lunches.  Now, to find out how I should accomplish this task.

I really want to find a computer program that tracks nutritional values as well as the meal plans.  Does anyone out there have an suggestions.  Google is a great option but, I haven't found what I am looking for yet! And, when I do, it's a monthly charge.  I don't have the money to pay for one so, I continue to look!

Does anyone else family meal plan?

Mummy (or Mumma) Pizza!

These must be made!!!
How adorable (eh hem), I mean "scary"!

MUMMY Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1 loaf Italian bread
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives





Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil; set aside.
2. Cut the sliced cheese into 3/4-inch tapered strips.
3. Slice off the rounded ends of the bread. Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 pieces. Place the bread, cut side up, on the prepared cookie sheets. Toast the bread slices slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Spread some of the pizza sauce on top of the toasted bread to cover. Arrange the cheese slices, overlapping slightly, on top of the sauce to look like the bandages. Add 2 olive slices for the eyes. Place another slice of cheese over the olives to cover slightly.
5. Working with one pan at a time, broil the pizzas until the cheese is slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (Makes 8 pizzas)

Thank you so much Pampered Chef Independent Consultant: Heather Mancuso for a great idea and a wonderful recipe for Halloween!

Graduation Stars in PBJ...

So, I signed up to supply "finger" foods for my son's Preschool Graduation on the 23rd and I have an idea.  Please, let me know what you think.  I was thinking of making finger food sized stars with PB&J. I came up with an adorable idea and way to display them.

I need to know if it sounds like a good idea.  I mean, they are preschoolers.  What is better for a preschooler than PB&J? My idea? I plan on making two sets of PB&J sandwiches.  One set with strawberry, one set with grape. Then, I plan to display them inside of a cardboard handmade graduation cap. One in pink and one in blue (the school colors LOL).

I think it sounds like a cute idea.  My husband, not so much.  He thinks it is stupid because the graduation is scheduled for just before supper.  His theory is, "no one is going to stay and eat PB&J when it is scheduled to finish around supper time." My defense, "although it finishes around supper time, most people will stay and feed there kids at the party." At the Christmas play, parents stayed pretty late.  The play finished around supper.  I think since it on Thursday, people will stay.  Sometimes I think, he thinks everyone does what we would do in every situation when in fact, most people do the opposite!

Crab Rangoon Yum!

28 wonton wrappers
1 (9 oz.) can crab meat, drained
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
5-7 scallions, chopped fine
Oil for frying


Mix crab meat, cream cheese and scallions.

Place a spoon of mix into center of the wrapper.  Fold corner to corner and seal with water on finger tips.  Horseshoe fold the other two corners around to form the "package".

Fry in oil turning once until light golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

To reheat, place on racks on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve with duck sauce or ginger soy sauce. (I got to find a recipe for these!)

I'm going to try this recipe but wrap them in a pierogi instead!  I posted the recipe exactly as written.  Here is a link to the actual recipe.