maple dijon roasted winter vegetables

so simple. so delicious. and so perfect for the winter season.

this recipe comes from gwyneth paltrow's cookbook. i love it because your palate gets a little bit of everything - sweet, spicy and salty. plus it's such a great side dish for any of your winter staples - roast chicken, panko crusted pork chops or herbs de provence steak.

ingredients:
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick

directions:

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

mix together the syrup, mustard, oil, salt, and pepper. toss together with vegetables on a large baking sheet. roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

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sausage spinach black bean soup

i'm always looking for some kind of new healthy soup recipe that doesn't involve cream or butter. so you can imagine my excitement when i found this great weeknight meal for those cold winter nights via know whey. i altered the recipe a little bit based on what i already had in my pantry. the soup turned out really delicious and i don't think i'd change a thing. the red pepper flakes made things a little spicy so make sure to use at your own discretion.

ingredients:
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
8 cups chicken stock
1 large yellow onion, chopped into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb chicken or turkey sausage, quartered and cubed
1 lb baby fingerling potatoes, halved
1 bag of fresh spinach (6-8oz depending on brand)
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
3/4 of a small can of tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 in cubes
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
s&p
evoo

directions:
heat evoo in a large stock pan over medium heat. add onion and cook for 5 minutes. add the garlic and sausage and cook until browned. add stock and beans. simmer for 10 minutes. next add tomatoes, red bell pepper, tomato paste, paprika, herbes de provence and red pepper flakes. add potatoes and cook 20 minutes more, then add spinach and finish cooking until potatoes are done. add s&p if needed. serve with fresh hot bread for dipping.

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italian wedding soup

while everyone was sitting in 6 to 7 hours of traffic to commute home last night, i was making italian wedding soup in my pjs.  this is one of my favorite kinds of soups and i can't believe i've never made it before.  it's super easy and versatile - you can substitute any kind of greens for the spinach and any kind of pasta for the orzo. however, the best part was the meatballs - they were super moist from cooking in the chicken broth. we served it with homemade cheesy garlic bread for dipping...ahh perfection.

ingredients: 
3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 italian style breadcrumbs
3 large eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
10 cups chicken stock
10 oz fresh spinach
evoo
s&p

directions:
combine beef, bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano and s&p in a bowl. form into mini meatballs - about 1 inch in size - should make about 20-30.

heat evoo in large skillet over medium high heat. add meatballs and cook about 3-5 minutes until browned, turning occasionally.

in a large stock/soup pot or dutch oven, heat evoo over medium high heat. add onions and garlic.  cook about 10 minutes, until onions are translucent, but not browned.  add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  add the spinach and meatballs, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

meanwhile, combine remaining 2 eggs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot soup, stirring constantly. cover and simmer until egg bits are cooked about 2 minutes. season with salt and pepper if needed. serve immediately with cheesy garlic bread.

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