It's that time of year again...the days are getting shorter, the splash pad visits have come to an end and the fun of waking up to a veggie garden filled with delicious fruits and veggies are no longer here. It's the time of year when I have a little bit of this and a little bit of that left over. It's easy to make dinner from the garden when you have an abundant amount of veggies but it gets tricky when you have a few basil leaves that still look decent and a few other herbs that are still producing.
It's a very big change for everyone now that school is back and those easy days of just throwing something on the BBQ are not as convenient anymore. It's back to routine and trying desperately to figure out what to make for dinner quickly.
This is a great one pot no fuss and no mess dinner that can easily satisfy the whole family and makes great leftovers. I love this soup because its the perfect one to use the leftover herbs that are still left in the garden. Although pesto is an acquired taste, the buttery potatoes and hearty chicken in this soup really blend well with the pesto and keep the flavour very subtle.
1/2 chopped onion
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of thyme
6 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups of water
1 cup peas
2 cups of EarthFresh Yellow Potatoes
2 tablespoons of pesto sauce
2 cups of cooked chicken
1/2 cup of croutons
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Salt and Pepper
~In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions and the garlic until translucent
~Wash and dry the potatoes then cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside
~To the pot, add thyme and slowly add the vegetable stock and water and bring to a simmer
~Add 1/2 a cup of the peas and set the remaining 1/2 aside
~Add 1 cup of the cubed potatoes and set the remainder aside
~Let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender
~Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth
~Stir in the pesto sauce
~Add the cooked chicken, the remaining peas and the remaining potatoes
~Bring up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until potatoes are tender
~Season with salt and pepper
~Top with crispy croutons and a sprinkle of chives
This soup is great for leftovers and you can always use turkey instead of chicken or leave the meat out entirely for an all vegetarian soup!
Natalie
Tis the season...saying goodbye to summer days and hello to cooler nights and in some ways different eating habits. Saying goodbye to summer isn't fun but that doesn't mean we have to say goodbye to quick and easy snacks. In fact, with having to be creative with the kids snacks and my own lunches, now is a good time to as my kids call it "get snack crazy".
Im not a huge fan of avocado, I know!!!! You all saying "WHAT??" But, its the truth...Its not the flavour for me its the texture. The problem is my kids love it...they love it on toast, in guacamole and they love it served halved with a spoon. Its so so so healthy for you, so I try to find ways to incorporate it in my diet but in a sneaky way...and if you have kids who aren't fans of it, this might be a recipe for you to try.
1 can black beans
1 can of peaches and cream corn or 3 ears of corn steamed (scrap off the kernels once cooled)
1/2 avocado cut into cubes
2 tablespoons feta
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
zest of half a lime
juice from half a lime
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
~Drain and rinse the black beans and the corn if using canned
~In a bowl, place the beans, corn and avocado
~zest and juice the lime and add to the bowl
~drizzle the olive oil and crumble the feta
~Sprinkle the parsley and gently mix to combine
~Season with salt and pepper
This salsa is perfect to add to grilled chicken or fish or just on its own served with pita crisps or your favorite cracker. It makes a great addition to cooked quinoa or atop a salad for that extra bit of protein.
Natalie
