Creamy Tomato Parmesan Soup

 I love this recipe because it's full of veggies, yet it tastes almost like a dessert! Its thick and creamy texture also makes it a great pasta sauce, or even a warm cheese dip with a little extra parmesan tossed in.

Ingredients

Veggies & Seasoning:

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup finely sliced celery
1 cup finely sliced carrots
1 cup finely sliced onions
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 a bay leaf

Cream:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 cup half & half*
1 cup milk

*For soupier soup, you can substitute another cup of milk for the half & half.


Put all of the veggie and seasoning ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat for about an hour, or until veggies are softened.

Melt butter over low heat and add flour, stirring together.  Take about a cup of the soup mixture and stir it in with the butter and flour, then add it back to the soup pot.

Add the rest of the cream ingredients. Mash up the soup veggies with a potato masher, breaking up any flour clumps if necessary.

Simmer for another 20-30 minutes. Then enjoy it as a soup or a warm sauce.

Fish Fillets with Tangy Orange Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 six-ounce fillets of your favorite sustainably caught fish

3 teaspoons cornstarch

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup dry white wine

²/₃ cup orange juice

¹/₃ cup carrot juice

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon water

Heat up the oil over a medium-heat fire. Dip the fish fillets in a couple teaspoons of cornstarch, or more if necessary. Fry it for a few minutes on each side, or until it starts to flake a little when touched with a fork.  Set aside and cover.

Add the garlic to the pan. Then add the wine, turn the heat to high, and boil until about half of the wine evaporates.

Add the orange and carrot juices, the salt, and the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about two minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together a teaspoon of cornstarch and the tablespoon of water. Stir into the pan and cook for about a minute.

Spread the sauce over the fillets and serve over a bed of lettuce.

Alfredo Sauce from Scratch

Not the healthiest meal, but if you’ve just returned from the gym and are eager to reward yourself with a heart-stopping Italian favorite, use this delicious Alfredo Sauce!

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

¼ cup butter

4 oz. cream cheese

1 cup milk

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

pepper to taste

(optional: dash of cayenne pepper)

Boil your favorite pasta in salted water. When it's getting close to done, make the alfredo sauce:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cream cheese and melt that as well. Stir in the milk, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and pepper.

Keep it on low heat until the pasta is done. (The sauce will thicken up quickly when you remove it from heat.)  After you've drained your pasta, mix the sauce in with it.  If you'd like, sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese and pepper over the top.  I think cayenne pepper also complements the creamy flavor very nicely.