"Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal." – Voltaire
It’s spring in Boston! Meaning it’s moving to be consistently above freezing during the day. Here’s a bright, vibrant soup to transition from those cold, bundled up winter days to I-just-need-a-light-jacket. Black Bean Soup is a pantry staple. Chances are you have a can of black beans or a bag of dry black beans sitting around in your pantry. Add some veggies and spices, top with avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and some lime juice for a colorful, light, yet filling soup.
Mmmm, there’s something about a lasagna baking in the oven that brightens your day. I had a lot of fun making this, since it was a way to use up some produce in my fridge and make my own marinara sauce. Paired with no boil lasagna noodles from Trader Joe’s and my fridge produce, this Veggie Lasagna was delicious and super easy. Mixing veggies directly into the ricotta mixture and using less cheese lightens up this lasagna, while still keeping all of the flavors. I made the marinara sauce, while I sliced the zucchini and peppers, minced the cauliflower and mixed together the ricotta. Then you layer everything, bake it and anxiously wait for it to be done.
These Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers are when you want something satisfying without the sensation that you just swallowed a brick; they’re like a hearty salad that is way more fun. I’ve seen these gracing the pages of Instagram and Pinterest, and turned to the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY for inspiration. (They’re dedicated to the vegetarian movement.) The resulting roasted bell peppers were quite tender and juicy. I topped with tomato sauce for some added flavor. I also made wayyyyy too much quinoa veggie filling and “recycled” it with chicken sausage and over sautéed baby spinach. I definitely want to try a carnivore version — ground turkey? BBQ chicken for the summer? Southwestern beef? I see a Thai version and a Mexican version being taste-tested in the near future.
Continue reading “Blissfully Stuffed After Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers”
