Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo

I'm literally the only human in this house who grooves on broccoli, so I cook it in ways that I love. I do try to offer it up to The Husband and The Son, but as of today it always gets the shaft.

Their loss.

This Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo recipe that I discovered on Pinterest is really very delish, and it is perfect for little ones who actually do dig a broccoli spear or two. 

It's a very comforting bowl of yum when it's chilly willy out, which it is right now in the doldrums of February. 

The recipe calls for whole wheat orzo. I just used regular orzo. In addition, I sprinkled with shredded cheddar instead of Parmesan because I just love how cheddar and broccoli work so well together. In lieu of baby carrots I used a regular carrot because I do not do baby carrots. I peeled it, natch.

I hope you love this dish as much as I do.

Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo

From www.weelicious.com

Makes 4 servings

1 small garlic clove

1 small shallot

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup broccoli florets

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or olive oil

1 cup white or whole wheat orzo

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Place shallot and garlic in food processor and pulse to chop.

Add baby carrots and broccoli florets to the food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides half way until finely chopped.

In a large stock pot, heat 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil and saute the chopped vegetables, raw orzo and a pinch salt for 4 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the salt, water and broth to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes uncovered or until the liquid starts to evaporate and the mixture thickens.

Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used white orzo, 1 medium peeled carrot in lieu of baby carrots, and shredded cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan. She also uses low-sodium broth.

Veggie Fried Rice: It's So Easy

In my little family of three, leftovers happen. So when I have a bit of cooked rice on hand, I love to whip up this Veggie Fried Rice dish as a nice lunch or light dinner. I pretty much have all the ingredients at all times - the prepper that I am. And this is so versatile. You can seriously swap out veggies with what you have or love. 

I like to make this in a large pan since a lot is happening all in the same pan. This recipe is easy to divide or double. The basic formula is to use 1 egg per 1 cup of rice. I listed the recipe with how I do it for 2 cups of rice.

Enjoy!

Veggie Fried Rice

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 cups leftover plain rice

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small florets

1/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

2 scallions, minced

Ground black pepper to taste

To serve: Sirachi and more soy sauce (optional)

Please note: Other veggies that work well in this are any color bell pepper, frozen corn, zucchini. 

In a large pan over high heat, add oil. Once hot, add onion, carrot and peppers. Cook and stir frequently for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for a minute. 

Add broccoli, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season mixture with ginger and black pepper. Push veggies over to one side of pan. 

Add eggs to hot pan. Stirring with a spatula or a spoon to cook through. Once cooked mix into veggies. Season with soy sauce. Stir again. Add rice and peas. Stir into veggies and eggs. Place lid over mixture and lower heat to medium low so that all ingredients cook through and flavors meld together. About 5 minutes.

To serve: Top with scallions. Drizzle more soy sauce and/or sirachi, if desired.

Beef Stir Fry

Parents often say their kids won't eat anything. Fights. Hunger strikes. Terrorist negotiations. Oh yes, dinner can be a nightmare for many adults trying to just get through to bedtime with their beloved offspring.

Allow me to present a solution, dear desperate readers: Stir fry. Yes, stir fry them into a frenzy of eating and not complaining.

My son is now 8. While he is very open to trying new foods and in general digs dinner time, there certainly are nights where he doesn't even want to eat dinner. But honestly, doesn't that happen to all of us, no matter what our age? There are times I do not want to eat. There are times my husband doesn't want to eat. So if my little guy just doesn't have an appetite, I get it. There's no need to argue. Some nights,he may just want a snack and there are a few nights that he is not grooving on what the main dish is. Even in these instances there is usually something that he will gnaw on at my table: Salad, bread, rice. He'll live. That's the point.

One of the many hits in my house with kiddo is stir-fry. Yes, I bust out my wok, and he is totally like, "Mom, let's DO THIS!" He even houses the hot and sour soup I occasionally make to go with stir fry dins. Yay!

Here is a steak and mixed veggie stir fry I make when my husband travels. My husband would love it, too, but he tries to avoid red meat, so I whip it up when he's on the road. My son has yet to taste the broccoli but one day, people. One day....

I served this with white rice, but of course you could do brown rice. And I think it would be really nice with ramen noodles, too. You can mix and match whatever veg your heart desires. My mix has bell peppers, broccoli, carrots and onions. I top it all with scallions as part of a grand finale sitch.

The five spice Chinese seasoning is easily found in any grocery store in your spice aisle. McCormick makes one.

Beef and Mixed Veggie Stir Fry
Makes 4-5 gigantic portions

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
1 small red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 small green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 carrot, peeled and slicked into matchsticks
1 small onion, sliced
12-14 broccoli florets
2 cups beef broth, warmed in a microwave safe measuring cup or in a small pot on the stove
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. Chinese 5-spice seasoning
3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce
Fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp. clear vegetable oil
For serving: Chopped scallions, soy sauce to taste, sirachi if desired

In a wok or large rimmed frying pan over medium-high heat, add vegetable oil. Once hot, add steak. Stir frequently so that all the meat browns. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, remove cooked steak to a dish.

Add all of the vegetables to the wok. Stir frequently so that all of the vegetables fry quickly. Add the meat back to the wok. Season with Chinese 5-spice seasoning, soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir again.

Whisk the cornstarch into the warmed broth. Slowly add broth mixture to wok.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover with lid for a few minutes to cook through.

Top with chopped scallions and more soy sauce, to taste. For spiciness, drizzle with sirachi

Serve with three cups cooked rice. I like basmati.

Lentil Soup with Baby Spinach and Lemon Juice

I'm heading on vacay soon, so healthy eating is in order. Lentil Soup with Baby Spinach and Lemon Juice is just what the nutritionist ordered.

This turned out really fab. Very light and delicious. The burst of lemon juice at the end is very refreshing.

My grandmother's lentil soup was always very heavy. Made with ham bones, it really made you feel weighted down - despite its deliciousness. My vegetarian lentil soup is a total 180 from my grandmother's tradition, but I do think she would love this, too. Especially when getting ready to hit up Florida on vacay! Spa food right at home.

Lentil Soup with Baby Spinach and Lemon Juice
Makes 8 to 10 servings

2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried bay leaves
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 5 ounce package baby spinach
2 cups lentils, rinsed
6-8 cups vegetable broth
2-4 cups of water
Juice of 1 lemon

In a large soup pan over medium heat, add celery, carrots, onion and bay leaf. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes.

Add tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes.

Check for seasoning. Add lentils. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add water if needed while the lentils cook, one cup at a time. (The lentils absorb a lot of liquid.)

Once the lentils are tender. Stir in baby spinach. Let spinach wilt. Turn off heat. Add lemon juice.

Serve with grated parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

A Bowl Full of Stars

My little big man had his first day of Pre-K this week. School rocked, according to my 4-year-old's report. From bus rides to circle time to singing with his friends, he loved the whole shabang. Yay!

Ironically, my usually very hungry fella barely ate anything at all upon coming home. But he did request that I cook up one of his favorite soups: Star Soup with Carrots and Peas. And he asked for extra peas. Weird. Who likes peas?

The 95-degree temp and insane humidity taking place upon my little scholar's arrival home did not seem to deter his hankering for soup. I guess a kid needs his comfort food on the first day of school. Especially after an epic meltdown involving a Lego masterpiece that slipped out of his paws in mid construction. Take a deep breath, Babydoll.

This is a great soup to make because I always have all the ingredients on hand: Frozen peas, fresh carrots, celery, shallots, some cheese and of course pastina. If you don't have fresh thyme, dried works just fine. And it's fast. And it's super yummy. The lemon zest is a nice touch. I so forgot to add it this time, Go, Mom! Haha.

Pastina Soup
By Giada DeLaurentiis

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
2 shallots, minced
3 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (2 inch) piece of Parmesan rind
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 1/4 cup little star pasta
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest, from one large lemon (optional)

Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, celery, carrot, and shallots and cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the sprigs of thyme, Parmesan rind, salt, chicken broth, and water.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking to the pan.

Return to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes longer or until the pasta is cooked and the liquid is slightly thickened. Remove the thyme sprigs and Parmesan rind. Stir in the peas.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated cheese and lemon zest if desired.