Stuffed Pepper Soup with a Healthy Twist

This Stuffed Pepper Soup with Ground Chicken and Farro has all of your fav tastes from stuffed peppers, but it is prepped and cooked in half the time!

I use farro - an ancient grain packed with protein and fiber - instead of rice in this pot of yumminess. You can of course use rice, if you choose! 

I top my bowl of awesome soup with fresh herbs - basil and parsley, and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Parm would be fab, too. A drizzle of olive oil is also a must!

You can of course use ground beef or turkey, but I made my version with ground chicken. In essence, I just wanted a healthier and quicker way to make a stuffed pepper!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Pepper Soup with Ground Chicken and Farro

Makes 8 servings

1 lb. ground chicken

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 ounce can, diced tomatoes

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup farro, uncooked

Fresh basil and/or fresh parsley, minced 

Shredded mozzarella to serve

Drizzle of olive oil, to serve

In a large soup pan, heat up 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add ground chicken. Brown. Remove to a plate. 

In same soup pan, add another Tbsp. of olive oil. Add green peppers, red peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Cook another minute or two.

 

Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, water, bouillon cube, Italian seasoning, browned chicken. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small pot bring water to a boil and cook farro according to package instructions. Drain.

Once soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add farro. Heat through for a few minutes.

Stir in parsley and basil.

Serve drizzled with olive oil and topped with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Asparagus Soup

Tis the season for Jersey asparagus. As soon as my fave farmer's market opened on May 1, I snatched up a bundle of spears. I decided to make a simple asparagus soup. OMG. It's amazing. 

I used my "Silver Spoon" cookbook as inspiration. This is a book that is considered to be the "Joy of Cooking" of Italy. It was translated to English in 2005, and it was quite a big deal according to The New York Times and esteemed culinary institutions so I decided to snatch one up right then and there.

Honestly, I don't cook from it very much, but I totally need to! This book is a great reference.

I followed the recipe very closely. I did add about 6 sprigs of fresh thyme tied together with kitchen twine as my thyme is already bumping in my herb garden. And thyme and asparagus are totally homies.

I also used a splash of half and half instead of cream because that's what I have. Finally, I blended the soup with my immersion blender rather than transferring it to a food processor or standard blender. I'm pretty confidant the immersion blender took longer to puree the soup than the processor or standard blender, but it's less cleanup. So, pick your poison. My immersion blender did make the puree crazy smooth. It was a great texture.

This soup reheats nicely the next day. The parboiled asparagus spears really maintain their crispness. 

The ingredient list is sparse and that allows the asparagus to truly shine. I garnished with chopped fresh chives, because like my thyme they are bumping in my garden already! Woo hoo. 

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves 4

From "The Silver Spoon" cookbook

1 lb., 5 oz. green asparagus spears, trimmed

1/4 cup butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

scant 1/2 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable stock

2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1. Cut off and reserve the asparagus spears and chop the stems. 

2. Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Add the asparagus stems and cook for a few minutes, then sprinkle with flour, stir well and pour in the wine and stock. Season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. 

3. Transfer to a food processor and process to a puree. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a pan and parboil the asparagus spears for 2 minutes. Pour the puree into a clean pan and reheat. Drain the asparagus spears and add to the soup with cream. Serve in individual soup plates.

Please note: The Jersey Girl added 6 thyme sprigs tied together with kitchen twine while sauteeing the onion and asparagus stems. She removed them before pureeing with her immersion blender. She also used half and half in lieu of heavy cream. She garnished the soup with chopped fresh chives.

Roasted Veg Pasta Salad

I'm always looking for new ways to rock out a pasta salad. As the weather warms up, I feel like a little pasta and veg is the perfect side to your grilled faves. 

Plus, it's an easy dish to make ahead so that you can enjoy that sweet sunshine.

This is a take on a Barefoot Contessa recipe called Orzo with Roasted Vegetables. I followed it pretty closely, but I used zucchini instead of eggplant because that's what I had on me. I sprinkled the veggies with 1/2 tsp. garlic powder in place of chopped garlic because I was worried the fresh garlic would burn. I also omitted the pine nuts, since I have the food allergies to those little rascals.

This tastes really nice at room temperature. Roasting the veggies makes the kitchen smell magnificent. Just saying. Making it a bit ahead allows the flavors to all marry well, in my opinion.

I served this lovely dish with turkey burgers. For that recipe, click here.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Serves 6

From "Barefoot Contessa Parties!"

By Ina Garten

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced

1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced

1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced

1 red onion, peeled and 1-inched diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound orzo

For the dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)

1/4 pignolis, toasted

3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)

15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.

Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta and basil. Check the seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used 1 zucchini, unpeeled in lieu of the eggplant and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder in lieu of the fresh garlic. She also omitted the pignoli nuts due to a food allergy.

Spring Style Salmon

For a main that screams SPRING, try this Pan-Seared Salmon with Artichokes and White Wine. It is from the cookbook called "Giada's Italy," by Giada DeLaurentiis.

My husband loves salmon so I try to find new ways to cook it. I used a can of artichoke hearts because my grocery store did not have frozen. And, I used fresh grape tomatoes instead of sundried because I feel like the flav of sundried tomatoes is very strong, and I just wanted fresh fresh fresh! I also used dried oregano because my fresh oregano in my herb garden was not ready yet. Just a sprinkle of 1/4 tsp. Dried oregano can be strong. 

I recommend that you prep your ingredients ahead as the cooking steps happen fast! I made 6 fillets when I did this, so I had two pans going. 

This dish is full of flavor and color. I hope you enjoy it!

I served this deliciousness with this amazing zucchini salad. Click here for the recipe.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Artichokes and White Wine

Serves 4

From "Giada's Italy"

By Giada DeLaurentiis

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 (6-ounce) skinless center-cut salmon fillets

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

3 fresh oregano sprigs, plus 1 Tbsp. chopped

1 shallot sliced

1 (9-ounce) box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

3/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups baby spinach

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillets evenly with the salt and place them, flesh-side down (skin side up), in the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until deep golden brown. Turn the filets on their sides and cook for a minute, then turn to the opposite side and cook 1 minute longer. Lastly, using a thin spatula, flip the fillets and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the oregano sprigs to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Baste the salmon fillets for an additional minute. Remove the salmon and oregano sprigs to a plate to rest.

To the same pan, add the shallot and artichoke hearts. Cook over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the shallot is softened and the artichokes are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped oregano and the tomatoes and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with white wine and allow the wine to cook down and reduce by half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the spinach. Cook until the spinach is barely wilted. Spoon the vegetables onto a platter and top with the salmon. Spoon any remaining sauce over the fish and serve.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used a can of artichoke hearts in lieu of frozen; fresh grape tomatoes, halved in lie of sun-dried tomatoes; and 1/4 tsp. dried oregano in lieu of fresh. 

Roasted Chickpeas

Snacking is such fun. Here's a healthy alternative to chips and such: Roasted Chickpeas. One lowly can of chickpeas can transform into a crunchy and yummy delish treat for young and old. My son especially loves them!

The two keys to successful roasted chickpeas are as follows: Dry them out on towels for at least an hour. But, I like to leave them out for a few hours, honestly. And, go sparse on the oil. A tablespoon is all you need. 

Roasted Chickpeas

1 15-19 ounce can of chickpeas (I use Goya which is 15 ounce or Cento which is 19 ounces)

1 scant Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

At least an hour before baking, rinse and drain chickpeas. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or on a clean dishtowel to dry out the chickpeas. You want them dry so that they crisp up when in the oven.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the dried chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil. Just use 1 Tbsp.!! Sprinkle with cumin, paprika and salt and pepper. Toss so that chickpeas are evenly coated. Spread out chickpeas into a single layer.

Bake chickpeas for 20 minutes. Toss and return pan to oven. Bake for at least 10 more minutes or until desired brownness and crispiness is reached. (I usually go for a good 40 minutes total.)

Serve warm or at room temp.

Chocolate Stuffed Churro French Toast

 Oh my.

This is some deliciousness right here: Chocolate Stuffed Churro French Toast. I found the recipe around Valentine's Day, so the recipe instructions say to cut the bread into hearts. I just cut the edges off and left it as rectangles. Practically speaking, I felt the heart cookie cutters would waste a lot of bread. But, I'm sure the hearts are super cute.

I used Pepperidge Farm sliced bread. It was thick and it really absorbed the egg mixture wonderfully.

This seems like a special occasion type of breakfast, but we made it for no reason at all. It was chocolate and cinnamon bliss. 

My photos were limited during the actually batter dipping and frying of the French toast sandwiches, because making French toast means your hands are a MESS.

You also may want to up your workout game during the week you eat this. Ha.

My little man Evan loved making these and eating them. They were very luxurious. 

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Stuffed Churro French Toast Hearts

From bhg.com

Yields 8 hearts

4 servings

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 eggs

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

16 slices white sandwich bread

1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or 8 miniature dark or milk chocolate squares (Ghiradelli)

2 Tbsp. butter

In a shallow dish, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. In a shallow bowl, beat together eggs, milk, granulated sugar and vanilla; set aside.

Using a 3 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut shapes out of each slice of bread. Lay 8 of the shapes on work surface. Place about 2 tsp. miniature chocolate chips on each piece of bread leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the borders with some of the egg mixture. Top with remaining bread shapes. Use a fork or fingers to seal edges of bread pieces together.

Dip sandwiches in egg mixture, coating both sides. Let soak in egg mixture about 5 seconds per side.

In a large skillet or on a griddle melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add half the sandwiches and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. When done, add each sandwich to the brown sugar mixture, turning to coat. Keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven while cooking remaining sandwiches. Repeat with remaining butter, sandwiches and sugar mixture. Serve warm.

Optional: In a small microwaveable bowl, combine 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp. shortening. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 30 to 40 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring once. Place in a resealable plastic bag; snip small hole from one corner. Pipe drizzle onto warm French toast.

Please note: The Jersey Girl cut the crusts off the bread slices, making rectangle sandwiches rather than hearts.