Curried Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup

It’s beginning to get colder here in the Boston area, and the chill in the air inspires warm and comforting food. We love a good hearty soup that can be enjoyed on it’s own with crusty bread as a meal, or as a simple snack or side dish. This super easy recipe combines the warm spices of curry and cumin with the creaminess of coconut milk to create a savory soup that is packed with filling nutrition from lentils and our fall favorite: butternut squash. There will be enough to share or freeze, and be sure to bookmark this so you can enjoy on repeat through the winter months!

Curried Lentil & Butternut Squash Soup

Serves: 6-8

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 medium yellow or white onion
1/2 medium butternut squash
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup brown or green lentils
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions:

1. Prepare the onion, squash, and garlic: Dice the onion finely, about 1/4” pieces. Peel and dice the butternut squash to roughly the same size as the onions. Mince the garlic.

2. In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and butternut squash and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened (about 5 minutes).

3. Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder, and thyme. Cook until just fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the remaining ingredients, raising the heat and bringing the mixture to a boil. Then cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and hold their shape.

5. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Tips and Tricks:

• Use frozen onions, butternut squash, and/or garlic if you don’t like chopping! These ingredients are often just as good frozen as they are fresh, especially when using it in a soup.

• You can change the flavors by using different spices or herbs.

• You can omit the coconut milk and use 2 cups of water instead.

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to balance the savory flavors.

Potato, Green Bean and Egg Salad

If you are celebrating memorial day this weekend and want to bring a low-FODMAP dish to the party, give this French-inspired recipe a whirl. It is healthy, way easy, and doesn’t cost a lot to prepare.  I like to use a waxy potato like Red Bliss, New Potatoes or Fingerlings for potato salads, since they have a creamier texture and are a little less starchy than the common Idaho or Russet. If you want to experiment with different flavors you can easily switch out the herbs, or add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can enjoy this recipe slightly warm or at room temperature, which I prefer, as it brings out the flavors of the herbs and dressing. This makes an excellent side dish, or you can enjoy it as a main salad with fresh lettuce or arugula. Bon appetit and Happy Memorial Day!

Potato, Bean, and Egg Salad

Serves: 6
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 

2 pounds of potatoes
1 pound green beans
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon capers
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until the potatoes are firm but easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are cooking trim the ends of the beans.

3. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes for a firm yolk. Drain and cool in a bath of ice water. Peel and quarter each egg. Set aside.

4. Place the beans in the pot with the potatoes for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking the potatoes. Drain and set aside. If potatoes are large, you can roughly chop to desired size.

5. While the potatoes, beans and eggs are cooling, make the vinaigrette: combine the capers, mustard, vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. 

6. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and sprinkle with parsley, chives and salt and pepper to taste.

Peanut Soba Noodles

I think I must be made of peanut butter. I eat peanut butter on a pretty much daily basis - I even have a jar in my desk drawer as a snack to enjoy with a piece of fruit, whole grain crackers, or even just plain on a spoon! Most people consider peanut butter to be something enjoyed as a snack, like a PBJ sandwich, maybe mixed in some oatmeal (yum!) or as a dip for apples or carrots. Of course those are all fantastic foods that I love too, but there are so many ways to enjoy peanuts and peanut butter as a savory dish for lunch or dinner!

This peanut soba noodle recipe is a standby in our house. We love making a big batch for dinner and enjoying it as leftovers for lunch the next day. Sometimes I double the sauce recipe and save some to use as a dip with vegetables. It is also a great option to bring to a pot luck (as long as there are no peanut allergies). If you do not like spicy you can definitely leave out the jalapeño pepper, but without the seeds in the pepper it is not as spicy as you might think. I love squeezing a little fresh lime juice over the top before serving – it adds a nice freshness and the tart flavor balances the savory of the peanut sauce.

This recipe is gluten-free, FODMAP friendly, and perfect for a celebration of National Nutrition Month! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Peanut Soba Noodles  

Serves: 6
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

1 package extra-firm tofu
1 red bell pepper
1 small zucchini
2 medium carrots
8 ounces GF soba noodles
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup GF soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2–inch ginger
half a jalapeno pepper, seeded
optional: ½ cup chopped peanuts, cilantro, basil, lime juice

Preparation Instructions: 

1. Press and drain tofu of excess water. Dice into small cubes or strips.

2. Slice bell peppers into thin strips.

3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook soba noodles according to package.

4. Puree all ingredients from peanut butter through jalapeno pepper in a food processor.

5. Toss noodles, tofu and bell peppers with peanut sauce. Optionally garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro and basil. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe adapted and inspired from Pinch of Yum

Creamy Egg Salad Sandwich

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get really bored with my lunch options. I tend to bring leftovers to work the next day, since I can easily prep the night before as I am cleaning up from dinner. But lately I’ve been looking to mix things up and bring some fresh flavor to my workday.

I began by thinking about the nutrients I need to focus on in my diet right now: calcium, protein and fiber. What could I make ahead for lunch that is super easy and can help me focus on these nutrients? Going back to an old favorite I realized that egg salad was a perfect way to incorporate everything I need – and it could be ready in no time!   

Siggi's is an Icelandic style yogurt called skyr, and is my favorite yogurt! 

What makes this egg salad recipe different is that it replaces some of the mayonnaise with yogurt, which adds calcium, protein and great flavor. I added diced sweet red bell pepper to add a little crunch, a handful of spinach, and chopped dill. Serving this sandwich on toasty whole grain bread makes it filled with fiber and hearty flavor – I always think that great bread is what makes a great sandwich! You can easily change the spice of the egg salad by adding a touch of Dijon mustard or curry powder.

This recipe was adapted from Siggi’s recipe for egg salad. In my opinion, skyr style yogurt (which is technically a strained skim-milk cheese) is less sour and creamier than Greek yogurt typically is. That is why I love it for this egg salad. My husband Chris (who is my in-house recipe taste tester, lucky him) said that it the yogurt gives the egg salad a less greasy taste than if using mayonnaise alone. If you only have Greek yogurt you can use that as well – just make sure you are using plain yogurt and not vanilla! 

Let me know if you’ve tried this recipe in the comments below!

Creamy Egg Salad Sandwich

Serves: 2
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon fresh dill
1/4 red pepper
3 Tablespoons plain Skyr or Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup baby spinach
4 slices of whole grain bread

Preparation Instructions:

1. Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan and cover completely with cold water.

2. Heat over high heat and bring to a full boil. Then turn off the heat and let sit for 12 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, finely chop dill and chop red pepper to small dice.

4. Drain the water and run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly (this stops the eggs from continuing to cook.

5. Peel the eggs and place in a medium bowl. Roughly chop with a sturdy fork.

6. Add yogurt, mayo, salt, pepper, chopped dill and diced pepper to the eggs. Mix well to combine.

7. Layer spinach leaves on a slice of bread and spread egg salad on top. Cover with another slice of bread and enjoy!

Rosemary Rutabaga Fries

We fired up the grill for the first time this year and invited a few friends over to help us enjoy some homemade burgers. I was recently introduced to rutabaga, and decided to try out roasted rutabaga “fries” as a side.  They turned out to be delicious!

Rutabaga can be found in the root vegetable section in the grocery store. 

Rutabaga is a root vegetable that is related to cabbage and turnips, and has an earthy flavor. This recipe roasts the rutabaga with a sprinkle of rosemary - one of my favorite herbs - for this healthier take on French fries. I then toss it with a little apple cider vinegar, which highlights the mild sweetness and reduces the bitterness of rutabaga. 

So if you’ve ever been interested in trying that weird big purplish waxy-coated vegetable in the grocery store, go ahead - you will not be disappointed! Rutabaga is high in fiber, potassium and vitamin C. It is perfect for roasting, mashing like potatoes or adding into soups, which makes it super versatile and can be a substitute in most recipes where potatoes are required. 

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Rosemary Rutabaga Fries

Serves: 4
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 
1 large rutabaga
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Preparation Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Peel and cut rutabaga into French fry shapes.

3. Toss rutabaga with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and arrange evenly on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until golden and tender, about 40 minutes.

4. Remove rutabaga from the oven and toss with apple cider vinegar. Enjoy!

Creamy carrot apple & avocado smoothie

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We are beginning to see the grass in our front yard! This is proof that spring will come eventually – now if only the temperature would go above 35! Hubs and I have been working on house projects this past week to get ready for warmer weather, when we will inevitably rather be outside enjoying the sunshine, rather than inside watching Netflix marathons of Gilmore Girls (actually that’s just me) and packing bags of old clothes to donate to goodwill (also, just me). Ever since we moved in I have been wanting to renovate our guest bedroom closet, so we began to tear down the shelving this weekend and I will try to get new shelves up and ready soon. My secret plan is to turn it into a reading nook, which is a childhood dream of mine.

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We have been so busy with projects that smoothies have been a great way to have a nutritious meal without a great fuss. I decided to try something new – avocado smoothies. I see them all the time on the internet, but I had not yet tried one. All the recipes I found online seem to play off the creaminess of the avocado - which is actually a fruit - yet none seemed like anything I would actually make. I consider avocados green gold – the price may be high, but they are one of my absolute favorite foods in the world* and are a super source of monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, potassium, folic acid and vitamin C! I did not want to waste my delicious green gold on something that I may not like. So I decided to create my own recipe using some of my favorite flavors.

In order to make a smoothie that did not taste like I was drinking salad dressing I added carrot juice, apple and agave to brighten up the flavor. The apple and the avocado make this smoothie super high in vitamin C, which helps boost immune system function. I then added some flax meal for even more fiber, healthy fats and protein, and to make it a filling beverage I used plain non-fat Greek yogurt. A dash of lemon juice gave it a crisp and bright flavor.

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Give this creamy carrot apple avocado smoothie a try – even if you feel hesitant as I was, this is definitely going to open your eyes to a new way to any leftover “green gold” you have before it turns to mush. Do you have any avocado smoothie suggestions? Tell me in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Creamy Carrot Apple & AVOCADO Smoothie

5 min
Serves 1

Ingredients:
½ cup carrot juice
1/8 avocado
½ Granny Smith apple
½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp flax meal
1 tsp agave
1 tsp lemon juice
3 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender and serve.