Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a good weekend. If you are looking for some new winter recipes to try out, then look no further! I have some delicious soup recipes and winter salads. These recipes are great for week night meals, lunch and even easy to meal prep. Enjoy these winter recipes! Stay tuned, new recipes coming very soon!
Winter Kale Panzanella Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 bunches Tuscan (lacinato) kale, stems removed and finely sliced
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
2-3 slices of sourdough bread, cut into cubes
2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Aglio Olio seasoning (feel free to use your favorite all-purpose seasoning)
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup Pomegranate arils
1/2 cup radicchio, finely sliced
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Dressing
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove, chopped finely
Salt
Pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk all those ingredients together. Set aside. To a mixing bowl, add sweet potatoes, red onions, chopped rosemary, garlic powder, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Stir ingredients until coated in mixture. Spread mixture on a baking sheet. Roast vegetables for 15-20 minutes. Make sure sweet potatoes are soft. Pull baking sheet out of the oven and set aside. To a small bowl add cubes of sourdough bread, 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and Trader Joe’s seasoning or your own. Mix sourdough until it gets coated in mixture. Place on a baking sheet, bake for five minutes or until golden and crispy. Take sourdough cubes out and set aside. In a large salad bowl, add kale and massage with a little olive oil. This makes the kale more tender, less bitter and easier to digest. Next, add sweet potatoes and onions, pomegranate arils, radicchio, croutons and shaved parmesan cheese. Lastly pour dressing over salad and toss. Make sure salad is completely coated in dressing.
Italian Sausage Soup
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sweet onion diced
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
6 cups chicken stock, adjust accordingly
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb cooked sausage
3/4 cup ditalini pasta (feel free to use another smaller pasta)
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions, garlic and Italian seasoning. If you don’t have any Italian seasoning, any all-purpose seasoning works well too. Stir the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. To the soup pot, add in chicken stock, tomato sauce, cheese, and sausage. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer covered, about 10 mins. Add in ditalini pasta or any other type of pasta you are using. Cook until pasta is done. Stir in kale until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add in fresh basil and parsley and stir. Adjust seasonings accordingly. Serve in a soup bowl.
Winter Delicata Squash Salad w/ Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 Delicata squash, halved, seeded and sliced (make sure you slice the squash in half so it looks like a half moon or ring)
1/2 container arugula
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt
Pepper
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 0° F. In a mixing bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, cinnamon powder, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Add in sliced Delicata squash and stir until coated. Once Delicata squash is coated, place squash flat on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until squash is soft and golden brown. Let cool and set aside. Mix all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a jar or bowl. Set vinaigrette aside. In a large salad bowl, add arugula, Delicata squash, pomegranate arils and crumbled feta cheese. Pour vinaigrette over salad. Toss salad in vinaigrette and serve.
Escarole and Bean Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
6 heads escarole, washed and chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 head garlic (cut top off, about 1/2 inch to expose the cloves)
Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Place garlic cut side up on a piece of aluminum foil with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast garlic for 35-40 minutes or until softened. Allow garlic to cool. Once garlic is cool, you should be able to squeeze it out. In a large soup pot, add oil over medium-high heat. Add in roasted garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant or for a couple of minutes. Next, add in escarole and cook until softened. Once escarole is soft, add in chicken broth along with beans. Add more broth if need be. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes. When soup is done serve with crusty bread and Parmesan cheese.
Winter Apple Walnut Salad with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1/2 container arugula
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
1 apple, cut into cubes ( I used a gala apple)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
Salad dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons apple cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
Salt
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
In a small mixing bowl or mason jar add in all the ingredients for the salad dressing. Whisk or shake all the ingredients together. Adjust seasonings accordingly. Set dressing aside. In a large salad bowl, add arugula, shallots, blue cheese, walnuts and apples. Pour dressing over salad and toss until salad is coated in dressing.
In the Kitchen with Mare 