Roasted Cauliflower Soup

November 20, 2019

Servings: 4-6

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 50 min

Total: 1 hr

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A delicious cauliflower soup, where roasting the cauliflower first is key!

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
• 3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 1 sweet Vidalia onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 TBSP Earth Balance Vegan Butter Spread
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss the cauliflower florets with 2 TBSP olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the baking sheet and season lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is soft and caramelized, around 30 minutes, tossing halfway.
• Step 2 In a large soup pot, add 1 TBSP olive oil and saute the onion for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
• Step 3 Remove the baking sheet from the oven and scoop the cauliflower into the pot. Then add the broth. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
• Step 4 Carefully transfer the soup to a blender. Add the Earth Balance butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and cinnamon, blend again. Now carefully add the almond milk, a little bit at a time, until the soup has reached it’s desired consistency. Add additional salt, to taste – but don’t be stingy! Salting the soup is almost as important as roasting the cauliflower.

Whoever told you that cauliflower is “so last year” could not be more wrong. Cauliflower is most definitely still having a moment and this recipe is living, eating proof. I can’t even tell you how many requests I got for it after I posted the pic of my latest batch. Maybe it’s just that it’s officially soup season and everyone’s craving it, or maybe it’s the fact that it’s dairy free – but whatever way you slurp it, there is no arguing that this soup is insanely delicious.

Marc gets all the credit for the inspiration on this one and here’s the backstory: We were addicted to the Trader Joe’s brand Cauliflower Soup for years. It’s seasonal, so whenever it came on the shelves, I bought it like it was going out of style. We legit look forward to it every year! So, this fall, along comes November and I walk into TJ’s all psyched for the soup. And unbeknownst to me, they stopped carrying it all together! No warning, no nothing, no soup… WTF?! I find it hard to believe that I was the only one buying it, but I guess it wasn’t as popular as I thought. Major bummer!

But we stayed true to one of my Grandma’s favorite mantras – “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Marc suggested we make it ourselves, so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work on this recipe and voila! We now have our very own bona fide Cauliflower Soup and today I’m sharing it with you! It’s not exactly like TJ’s version, but quite honestly, I am excited to tell you – it’s even better! It’s creamy (but there’s no cream!), it’s rustic, and it’s just so darn addicting. I think the real secret here is roasting the cauliflower – genius right? So why don’t you put it to the test and let us know what you think!

Dairy-free Asparagus Soup

April 15, 2020

Servings: 4-6

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 25 min

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There is no better way to welcome spring than with a bundle of fresh asparagus, better yet in soup form. This dairy-free version, chocked full of veggies, is perfect for a guilt-free lunch or dinner.

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• 1 large leek about 1 cup, cleaned and chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 russet or fingerling potatoes, chopped into small chunks (skin does not need to be removed)
• 3 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces, woody ends removed (save a few spears for garnish)
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt or garlic salt
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• Optional Garnish:
• 1/2 cup asparagus tips only
• Croutons
• 1 TBSP Kite Hill cream cheese or spread (or dairy-free cheese alternative of your choosing)

Directions

• Step 1 Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Saute the onion, leek, celery and garlic until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and asparagus and mix well.
• Step 2 Add the stock. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until all vegetables have become soft.
• Step 3 Once softened, remove from heat and puree the soup in a blender. You may need to do this in several batches.
• Step 4 Add the lemon juice and zest, then season with salt and black pepper. Stir to mix. Continue to cook over low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Step 5 Serve hot with a dollop of the cheese and garnish with croutons and additional asparagus spears, if desired.

I love a good creamy soup (à la my Roasted Cauliflower Soup), especially when it’s one chocked full of veggies! But DYI you can achieve that same thick, creamy texture without any added milk or cream? It’s healthier, more satisfying, and arguably more delicious! In my opinion, the more veggies you add, the more depth of flavor you achieve. So with a blend of 4+ veggies in the base, this asparagus soup is just about as amazing as you can imagine. Here’s the lineup from the first time we made this.  I included leeks in the second round.  I also added more asparagus that time and you can see from the photos above that the soup was much darker in color.

One of the best things about soups – in general, but especially during this quarantine – is that they’re a healthy dinner supplement (I usually serve in place of a salad and then have a lighter main course) and the leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day. There’s only 5 of us in this house and two of them are toddlers, but we are still managing to blow through food like whoa. Not to mention, I’m running the dishwasher more times than I count. Every time I unload, I’m reloading a sink full of dishes and running it again. It’s bananas! So we are stretching leftovers and ingredients as far as they will go. See my Shepard’s Pie Cups with leftover mashed potatoes for example!

This is also a super easy recipe, something I promise you can replicate at home on your own, on a weeknight no less. Just saute the veggies, then add stock and simmer. After 15 minutes, you blend, then serve. That’s literally it.

There is almost nothing I look forward more to than this soup and once you make it, you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about! So grab your ladle, a bundle of asparagus, and then raid your veggie drawer for the rest because “Soups On!” Comment below and let me know what you think.

Recipe inspired by Ahead of Thyme.

Kale & Sausage Gnocchi

January 7, 2020

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 20 min

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A one pan dinner that will blow your mind with both its simplicity and taste! Three main ingredients and three steps is all it takes!

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi (found in the frozen section) or see note below*
• 1 bunch of kale, leaves torn
• 12 to 16 ounces pork sausage, casings removed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Optional: 1 tsp red chili flakes for seasoning

Directions

• Step 1 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown the sausage until mostly cooked through and starting to crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, keeping the cooking liquid in the skillet. Cover and keep warm.
• Step 2 Add the frozen gnocchi directly into the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Fry the gnocchi for a few minutes until the liquid starts to bubble.
• Step 3 Stir in the kale, add the chicken stock and reduce the heat back down to medium low. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the gnocchi is tender and the kale has wilted. Stir in the parmesan, then season with black pepper and add the crisp sausage back to the pan.
• Step 4 Serve warm with additional parmesan cheese and a light drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil (if desired).

If one of your New Years resolutions was to cook healthier for your family in 2020, then look no further than this recipe. And if your other resolution was to find time to do so, then you are definitely in luck. This is just about the easiest, fastest thing I’ve ever cooked, so easy that you can probably do it in your sleep. Just three main ingredients (cauliflower gnocchi, kale and sausage), 15 minutes, and one pan is all you really need. And if that wasn’t compelling enough, it’s keto and gluten free (which was almost by accident). Do I have your attention now?

As a full-time working Mom, easy weeknight dinners are a game-changer. My go-to’s in this category are sheet pan salmon and cast-iron chicken thighs; the blog has a ton of recipes that support this. But I often get stuck in a rut of doing the same old same old. So one of my blog goals for the year is to try and be more focused on developing other weeknight meal “hacks” that will shake up my line-up. Fellow mamas who are in the same boat are always asking me for these, so I have to deliver!

One type of recipe I’ve been experimenting with is one-pan pasta (like this Skillet Pasta) and this is essential a riff on that. I’m also eager to try lasagna soup (hopefully next week) so keep an eye out for that. The other thing I love to incorporate are themed bowls, like Half Baked Harvest’s Falafel Bowl because they are so creative; you can make them your own with almost any (relevant) ingredient you have lying around. But that is a little harder when you’re running short on time, patience and energy by the end of the day. Hence why this dish is a really good one to have around during crunch time. The only important thing to note is about the gnocchi. When I go to Trader Joe’s, I always load up on their cauliflower gnocchi, because it’s such a great thing to keep in your freezer and have on hand. But if aren’t near a TJ’s, lots of other stores sell regular gnocchi – fresh or frozen – and that’s a fine substitute too. Do not let that be a roadblock (nothing should be!) to you cooking up a meal you can feel good and relax about!

Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

November 10, 2019

Servings: 4

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 7 hr

Total: 7 hr 20 min

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If you want delicious falling-off-the-bone short ribs, then the slow cooker is your best friend! Or you can follow me lead and pressure cook them in the last step. Either way you can't go wrong!

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, English-style beef short ribs (about 3-4 lbs)
• 3-4 tsp kosher salt, for seasoning
• 3 tsp freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
• 4 TBSP olive oil, divided
• 4 large carrots, sliced into 1 inch coins
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 cups dry red wine (Cabernet or Malbec is a great bet)
• 1.5 cups beef or veal stock (preferably, but chicken stock is fine too if that's all you have)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions

• Step 1 The first and arguably most important step – salt the ribs VERY generously, coating them with about 1 tsp of salt per pound of meat.
• Step 2 Add 2 TBSP of the olive oil to a skillet and sear the ribs quickly on each side, over medium high heat (you can also do this in the slow cooker if you have a “Sear” function.) It’s really just a quick sear, just browning the exterior, you don’t have to cook them all the way through.
• Step 3 Remove the ribs to a platter, add the remaining 2 TBSP of olive oil to the skillet and add the vegetables (carrots, onion and garlic). Cook until lightly browned. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker (unless you were searing in it already) and add the short ribs back in (with the bone side up). Then add the red wine and stock to help with the braising. Sprinkle with dried thyme and then let the slow cooker do the rest of the work!
• Step 4 ONLY SLOW COOKING: Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until the meat is very tender.
• Step 5 SLOW COOKING + PRESSURE COOKING: Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Then turn off the slow cooker and switch the cooking function on the Instant Pot to “Meat/Stew.” Set the timer for 10 minutes. Once cooking has completed, manually release the pressure.
• Step 6 After the ribs have gotten tender, remove them from the Dutch oven and strain the juices into a pot. Add the juices do a small sauce pan and bring to a full boil for about 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. You should have about 2 cups of sauce left.
• Step 7 Serve the ribs and vegetables over a base of mashed potatoes or cauliflower (see note below) and drizzle with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I don’t know about you but I’m definitely digging the drop in temperatures, because it finally means it’s slow cooker season! October was so warm we barely even got to enjoy Crocktober, so we’re making up for lost time over here. I’ve been making a real effort to dig up some of my favorite old recipes for you and test out some new ones, so hopefully this will be the first of many. But if you’re a soup person – please stop whatever you’re doing and check out two of my favorites from the archives: Chicken Tortilla Soup and Slow Cooker Chicken Chili.

These short ribs are amazing on SO many levels, but one of my favorite things about them is the fact that is recipe can be executed two ways – either a (luxuriously) long 8 hour slow cook OR if you’re impatient like me (and using the Instantpot) you can cut that time in half and pressure cook after 4 hours. Result is the same, delicious melt-in-your-mouth meat, and a rich savory sauce. If you want something that will warm your bones and your soul, this recipe is for you!

I served the ribs over a truffled version of my Cauliflower Mash (just add 1 tbsp white truffle oil in the last step) and the combination was a homerun, not going to lie. But this would go equally well with some mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or even a pappardelle pasta. Just make sure you crack open a heavy bottle of red wine while you’re at it because this recipe calls for HALF the bottle (trust me). The other half bottle will hopefully find its way into your glass AND someone’s you love … then it’s instant cozy date night! Cheers to that!