Potato-and-Broccoli Soup

In an average March in Wisconsin, it would definitely still be soup weather. And although this week of 70+ degree temperatures may have made it seem like it's going to be summer from here on out, sadly, this is unlikely to be the case. But if it has to return to seasonable temperatures at least I can happily indulge in cool weather dishes like this tasty soup. For whatever reason, I had a profound craving for broccoli potato soup before these unseasonable temperatures arrived, stumbling across this easy recipe with just a quick search of one of my favorite recipe sources, Food and Wine. Yet another example of a simple recipe with high-quality ingredients producing fantastic results, this simple vegetable soup is absolutely sublime. Fresh broccoli is the perfect partner to hearty potatoes, blended together in a swirl of Parmesan-induced umami in a bath of flavorful stock. Splurging a bit on broth (if you can't make your own) and Parmesan (I adore Hook's) will not only bring out the best qualities of this soup, but elevate every other dish you use them in, making it truly worth the investment. Farmers' market veggies are of course your best bet, but you certainly won't regret making this even with supermarket has to offer. Even if you're longing for the dog days of summer, seize the opporunity to enjoy a last few hearty bowls of soup in the first days of spring.
Potato-and-Broccoli Soup
from Food and Wine
serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 3/4 pounds broccoli, thick stems peeled and diced (about 2 cups), tops cut into small florets (about 1 quart)
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes (about 5), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock (or vegetable broth)
3 cups water
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, broccoli stems, potatoes, broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

3. In a food processor or blender, pulse the soup to a coarse puree. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan into the soup, and serve the soup topped with the remaining cheese.

Sweet-and-Sour Shrimp

The more sophisticated my palate becomes as I age, the more I crave dishes with strongly contrasting flavors with sweet-and-salty (like dark chocolate or caramel with sea salt) and sweet-and-sour being two of my favorites. As a kid I couldn't get enough electric orange sweet and sour chicken, but as an adult I prefer more authentic and less disturbing-colored Chinese food like this sweet-and-sour shrimp. I'm definitely not calling this a heritage recipe, but it is an easy-to-prepare and vibrantly flavored dish that uses a suite of common Asian ingredients. Although the shopping list for this dish may seem excessive, all of the components are used frequently in Asian cooking and definitely worth purchasing if you enjoy cooking Asian cuisine at home. This recipe turns shrimp into a delicious main with only a quick sauce and stir-fry in a large skillet or wok. This sauce expertly balances sweet ketchup, salty soy sauce, acidic vinegar, and fresh ginger with a satisfying punch of heat from chili sauce, hitting all of your taste buds. Served over a bed of brown rice and steamed snow peas, this meal will make you forget all about take-out menus and realize that you can have a tasty, healthy home-cooked meal, even on busy days.

Sweet-and-Sour Shrimp
from Food and Wine
serves 4

2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Chinese chile sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled

1. In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup with the soy sauce, chicken broth, sugar, chile sauce, cornstarch and vinegar.

2. Heat a large skillet until very hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 10 seconds, until fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook until curled, but not cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the sauce and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and the shrimp are cooked through, 3 minutes.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

My mid-morning snack focus has turned from cookies to granola bars lately, so I've been holding on to this recipe for quite some time. This cookie rides the line between healthy and indulgent, and is a wonderful way to sneak in some nutrition while still feeling like you're treating yourself. Whole wheat pastry flour keeps the cookies light and tender and gives them a slightly nutty flavor, old-fashioned oats add a nice chewiness, coconut lends a touch of richness, with just enough sweetness from the brown rice syrup. These cookies make an excellent snack with a cup of tea or a delightful light dessert with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. It won't be too long before summer temperatures arrive and firing up the oven will sound less than appealing, so use these first days of spring to indulge in some delicious baked goods.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

adapted from Whole Foods Market

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup fine unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon  extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, coconut, ground oatmeal, soda and salt in a medium sized bowl. Blend oil, rice syrup and barley malt together in a small bowl. Add egg, vanilla and orange extract. Combine liquid ingredients with flour mixture. Batter will be stiff.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Press cookies with a fork to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake for 12—14 minutes or until bottoms are golden.

Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos

After I made salmon tacos, a half-empty package of tortillas lingering in the fridge demanded to meet their taco destiny as well. And with a lonely steak hanging out in the freezer, the solution was obvious-steak tacos. It would have been simplest just to slice some onions and peppers and make fajitas, but I was looking for something a little special while still quick and easy, both requirements satisfied by this taco. The sweet corn and slightly caramelized onions and peppers are accented by smoky cumin and fresh cilantro, with as much heat as you'd like from the chili powder and jalapenos. These tacos can be  indulgent and filling or healthy and light, depending on much sour cream and cheese you load on top, and can make for either a cozy meal for two or easily and affordably scaled up to feed a crowd. As delicious as this meal was made on the stove, it's sure to be even better in summer with fresh corn and peppers from the farmer's market, charring beautifully on the grill next to a gorgeous steak. Not a carnivore? Try out this brilliant flavor profile with black beans or tofu for a satisfying vegetarian meal.

Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos
from Bon Appetit
serves 2

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 pound round, flank or skirt steak, cut into 1/4-inch-thick, long narrow strips
3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, cooked according to package directions, drained
1 jalapeño chili, minced with seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Corn or flour tortillas
Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh tomatoes (or salsa)
Sour cream

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add steak to skillet and stir until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Return onion and pepper to skillet. Add corn, jalapeño, cumin and chili powder and stir until heated through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro. Transfer steak mixture to heated bowl and keep warm.

2. Cook tortillas over gas flame or electric burner until they just begin to color. Transfer to napkin-lined basket.

3. Serve tortillas, steak mixture, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream separately, so diners can assemble tacos at the table.

Baked Quinoa Burgers

Last week I said that my veggie burger obsession was almost to an end, and I only had one more recipe that I was ready to share. As it turns out, I was wrong. I was inspired to make one more veggie burger this past weekend and even though it retroactively made me a bit of a liar, I have zero regrets that I made these delicious quinoa burgers. I absolutely love quinoa for its flavor, texture, versalitility, and because it is a complete protein and it makes frequent appearances in my meals. I've made lots of quinoa pilafs and salads, both hot and cold, and I love quinoa's ability to harmoniously coexist with both savory flavors and slightly sweet ones. And as it turns out, quinoa makes an absolutely fantastic burger as well. One of the most difficult parts of creating a successful veggie or grain burger is keeping it from falling apart, and although these are fairly wet burgers, they hold together quite well while still maintaining some texture. A very simple creation, the aroma of these burgers is still inticing enough to warrant unsolicited praises of my lunch at work, the simple seasoning combination of garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper mingling happily with the spinach and quinoa. Although I chose to eat these as a burger, they would also be delicious as an appetizer (in smaller portions), side dish, or salad topping.

One of the key elements to success when cooking quinoa is making sure to rinse it well before cooking. Quinoa is naturally coated in saponins, which will give the grain a soapy taste if not removed, and can turn people off to this otherwise spectacular grain. Once you get comfortable with this nutritious, quick-cooking grain, try substituting it anywhere you would ordinarily have rice, couscous, or maybe even pasta. Whether as part of a burger, main dish or side this amazing grain is a pantry staple and one I hope will find a treasured place in your kitchen, as it has in mine.

Baked Quinoa Burgers
from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger
makes six 4-inch burgers

1 cup quinoa
5 ounces spinach, fresh or frozen
1 small shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes or freshly grated nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. Bring the quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and add a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the spinach: If using fresh spinach, steam it for 3 to 4 minutes over an inch of simmering water or blanch it for 30 seconds in a pot of boiling salted water. Transfer to an ice bath to halt the cooking. Squeeze dry and finely chop. If using frozen spinach, allow it to thaw then squeeze dry.

4. Combine the cooked quinoa and spinach with the shallot, garlic, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper or nutmeg. Shape into 6 patties and place on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown and firm.

Cinnamon-Carrot Muffins

Sometimes simple flavor combinations can surprise you with how great they are, and for me, this muffin is a prime example. This is a very simple muffin, flavored with just cinnamon, carrots, and brown sugar, but somehow the sum of those parts is so much more than the ingredients themselves. Moist, sweet, and tender, these muffins are reminiscent of carrot cake, and could be made much more so with the addition of raisins, walnuts, and a bit of nutmeg. Except for special occasions, I'm not a fan of super-sweet breakfast foods and these muffins had just enough sweetness to feel a bit dessert-like without leaving the realm of things I'd eat for breakfast any day of the week. Like most baked goods, these are the best piping hot, fresh from the oven, but also freeze exceptionally well so you can stock your freezer with healthy breakfasts. An easy way to incorporate vegetables into your breakfast even when you're in a rush, these superbly simple and tasty muffins are well-worth a place in your repertoire.

Cinnamon-Carrot Muffins
adapted from Whole Living
makes 12 standard muffins (or 6 jumbo muffins)

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 cups finely grated carrots (4-5 carrots)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cups.

3. Whisk flours, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold dry ingredients into wet and mix until just combined.

4. Spoon batter into cups.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Grilled Salmon Soft Tacos

It's hard to believe there was a time in my life when I didn't like fish. As a kid, the only seafood I would eat was shrimp, tuna salad, and my dad's homemade cornmeal-breaded fish sticks. Now my freezer is well-stocked with fish fillets, I eat fish at least once a week for dinner, and have an insatiable appetite for sushi. A lot of fish fillets find their way onto my dinner table, but after picking up a package of corn tortillas, I couldn't get fish tacos out of my head. Fish tacos are traditionally made with white fish, so I had to do a little digging to find a salmon taco recipe (to use up the fish I already had) that seemed worth the effort, which this recipe definitely was. Smoky ancho chile powder coats the luscious salmon, turning into an intensely flavorful crust on the grill and playing beautifully against the fresh and crunchy cabbage slaw and cool, creamy cilantro crema. Since ancho chile powder isn't spicy, this is a great recipe for those who don't like a lot of heat (my husband); throw on a few pickled jalapenos to punch it up if you're a capsaicin addict like me. These light and fresh tacos invoked a small taste of summer, taking me away from the frigid winter winds of February into the sunny days of July. Although a complete meal on their own, I added a side of refried beans to satisfy my ravenous appetite, washing it all down with a cold beer while trying to forget about the snow.

Grilled Salmon Soft Tacos
adapted from Eating Well
serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 4-ounce wild salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick, skin on
8 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Cabbage Slaw, for serving (recipe follows)
Homemade or store-bought salsa, for serving
Cilantro Crema, for serving (recipe follows)

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.

2. Combine oil, chile powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture liberally over salmon. Grill the salmon, skin-side down, until it is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Cut each fillet lengthwise into 2 pieces and remove the skin.

3. To serve, place 2 tortillas on each plate. Evenly divide the fish, Cabbage Slaw, and Cilantro Crema among the tortillas and top with salsa.

Cilantro Crema

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced scallion greens
1 teaspoon seeded and minced serrano chile
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Combine sour cream, cilantro, scallion greens, chile, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.


Cabbage Slaw
2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


1. Toss cabbage, bell pepper, onion, vinegar and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss again to combine.