Sauces Soups & Stews
The following are wholesome, healthy, whole food recipes for a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. The ingredients are whole foods that are generally found in your grocery store. However, some ingredients may need to be purchased at a natural foods grocery.
Enjoy
Apple-Butternut Squash Soup
Submitted by Calley Seibert
This is a fantastic autumn soup. Serve ahead of main meal, partner it with a sandwich or serve alone for a light lunch. Very high fiber!
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
1 med. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced coarsely
2 c. apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 c. onion, chopped
3 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. flour
1-3 tsp.curry powder ( to your taste-I did 1 tsp)
Salt and pepper to taste
(If using cooked squash, add about 2-3 cups when you add chicken broth.)
Melt butter in soup pot. Add squash, onion, and apples. Saute for five minutes with frequent stirring. Do not brown. Add flour and mix well. Cook, with constant stirring for two minutes. Add chicken broth and curry and mix well.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes with occasional stirring. Puree in food processor and add back to the pot. Bring to serving temperature but do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Ginger Mint Dressing
Taken from The Herb Companion
½ cup freshly grated ginger
1 ½ cups Heart of Gold
1 ½ cups fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint
Combine ingredients and blend for 30 seconds in a blender. Add more mint or your favorite spices to taste. Great on salads, great for tossing with steamed veggies or drizzling over fresh veggies!
Minnesota Wild Rice Soup
Submitted by Calley Seibert
Ingredients:
6Tbsp. butter
½ onion, minced
½ cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 chicken breast, cooked, and shredded or cubed
½ cup grated carrot
3 Tbsp. chopped slivered almonds( I use more like 1/3 cup)
Minced parsley or chives for garnish
Melt butter in a sauce pan; sauté onion until tender. Allow to cool a bit. Blend in flour a bit at a time. Gradually add broth; cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer one minute. Stir in rice, chicken, carrots and almonds. Simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley or chives.
The original recipe added 1 cup half-n-half at the very end but my family liked it better without. If you do add it, decrease the broth to 3 cups.
Pesto
Renee Wiest
This recipe keeps well in the freezer in heat sealed pouches.
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup large basil leaves (1/4 cup flakes)
½ cup parsley
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
¼ cup sweet butter
¼ cup olive oil
Using a blender or food processor, mix and blend the garlic, basil, parsley, cheese, nuts and butter to a paste.
Still blending, gradually add the oil and mix thoroughly to an almost smooth paste.
Serve over pasta by adding it to the dish along with a lump of butter. Toss quickly and serve piping hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese and sautéed vegetables. Use liberally on pasta-approximately 1/4 cup/serving of pasta.
Leftover pesto may be covered with a little oil and kept in the refrigerator in a pouch or jar.
Note: A little pesto can be stirred into minestrone
Potato Corn Chowder
Submitted by Peggy Connell
Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
5-6 medium sized potatoes, cubed
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp sunflower oil (or olive oil)
3 Tbsp. butter
8 cups vegetable stock
1 can or 7 oz frozen package of lima beans
1 can or 12 oz. frozen corn
1/4 tsp. powdered sage
1 bay leaf
1-2 tsp. powdered red pepper (whichever your family prefers)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried tarragon
S&P to taste
Put onion, garlic, potato, celery and green pepper into large saucepan with oil and butter. Saute until sizzling turn heat to low. Cover and sweat vegetables gently for 5 minutes shaking pan occasionally. Add stock and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for a bout 15 minutes. Add beans and corn including their juices. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Check the aseasonings and serve hot
If you want a thicker broth you can cook approximately 2 cups of potatoes and puree them in a food processor than add to soup at the end..
Slow cooker Vegetable Soup
Submiited by Barb Sundheim
2 med carrots chopped
2 med celery ribs chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
4 c vegetable broth
28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
10 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 5 hrs. Stir and serve. I add 3 turkey Italian sausage links.
Spaghetti Sauce
Renee Wiest
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (I usually put more-my family loves garlic!)
1 quart tomatoes (2-14 oz.) (8 fresh)
1-15 oz. tomato puree (can replace with 1-15 oz. tomato sauce & 2-6 oz. tomato paste)
2-3 carrots chopped fine (sweetens it. Original recipe was 2 T. sugar)
2 stalks celery sliced thin (original recipe was ¼ tsp salt)
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. fennel
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. black pepper
Combine everything.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer 2-3 hours.
Serves 8
Pasta choices: Rotini, Rotelle, Spaghetti
I usually use Rotini as the sauce stays on it the best.
Strawberry Mint Salad Dressing
Renee Wiest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Chianti red wine vinegar
1/4 cup raw honey
10 fresh strawberries
10 fresh mint leaves
Combine ingredients and blend for 30 seconds in a blender. Drizzle over your favorite greens or cooked or raw vegetables.
Taco Seasoning Mix
Renee Wiest
1 onion chopped (or 1 tsp. onion powder)
3 cloves of chopped garlic or ½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. oregano powder or 1 heaping tsp. oregano flakes
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp. paprika
½ tsp salt(3-4 celery stalks)
½ tsp. corn starch
Combine all dry ingredients. Brown 1 lb. ground beef with onion, garlic and celery (if not using onion powder, garlic powder and salt). Add dry seasoning mix and ½ cup water and simmer for 15 minutes or longer. The longer you simmer it the deeper the flavors go into the meat.
