Tortellini & Zucchini Soup

Hi there everyone! I'm so sorry for being such a blog slacker! I can't believe it has been two months since my last post. I will do my best to make my posts more regular.

This is a soup recipe that I found on eatingwell.com. It is one of my favorite winter recipes because it's so easy, flavorful, and is healthy! I love finding new recipes that not only taste great but are not full of fattening ingredients. According to eatingwell.com, one (1.5 cup) serving only has 203 calories. It is very filling too. So even if I am only serving this for dinner I don't feel hungry at all when I'm finished. Definitely don't skip the red-wine vinegar, it gives it such a great flavor. Enjoy!

Tortellini & Zucchini Soup

Serves 6 (1.5 cups each)

Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons
Carrots, 2 large, finely chopped
Onion, 1 large, diced
Garlic, 2 tablespoons, minced
Fresh rosemary, 1 teaspooon, chopped
Vegetable broth, 2 14-ounce cans (low sodium)
Zucchini, 2 medium, diced (about 9 ounces or 2 cups)
Tortellini, fresh or frozen, preferably spinach-&-cheese
Plum (roma) tomatoes, 4, diced
Red-wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots and onion; stir, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and zucchini; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tortellini and tomatoes and simmer until the tortellini are plump and the tomatoes are beginning to break down, 6 to 10 minutes. Stir vinegar into the hot soup just before serving.

Greek Salad with Herbed Pita

I am constantly trying new recipes and I find that the biggest challenge is to find one that is healthy and still tastes great. My goal was to create a blog where I could post my favorite recipes so others can add them to their collections. I am not a chef so all recipes are from cookbooks and the internet. I wish I was clever enough to come up with my own recipes though!

My first recipe is from Williams-Sonoma's Food Made Fast: Salad cookbook. It was a birthday gift from my in-laws and I love it! I have found quite a few recipes in this book that are very tasty. I am not surprised that my step-mother in-law chose this cookbook as my gift because she is the Queen of Salads! Every salad of hers that I have tasted has been so unique and so yum! This is an easy salad that is filling enough as a main course, but if you prefer a little more sustenance you can always grill some chicken to chop up and toss in. Also, don't be afraid of making your own salad dressings. It's super easy and tastes much better than that stuff in a jar!

Greek Salad with Herbed Pita
Serves 4

Lemon juice, from 1 lemon

Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons

Pita bread, 4 rounds

Dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon

Hearts of romaine lettuce, 2, coarsely chopped (note: I just buy a bag of romaine. Half a bag usually does it if you're cooking for two.)

English (hothouse) cucumber, halved crosswise and thickly sliced (also known as seedless cucumbers)

Tomatoes, 2, cut into wedges

Assorted brine-cured olives, 1 cup (I prefer kalamatas)

Feta cheese, 1/2 lb, crumbled

Green onions, 8, thinly sliced

Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, and a generous amount of pepper. Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup oil until smooth.

Warm the pita: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut each pita into 4 wedges. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush both sides with the 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with the oregano and place in the oven to warm for about 10 minutes.

Assemble the salad: Meanwhile, add the lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes to the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Arrange on plates and top with the olives, feta, and green onions. Place the warm pita wedges alongside the salads and serve.