Cookie and Kate

15 Healthy Vegetarian Soup Recipes

January 19, 2017 30 Comments

This time of year is all about maximizing the cozy. Candles, throw blankets, lots of Cookie snuggles. And soup, especially after the holidays. They warm me up and fill me up, and will keep me going until the trees come alive again. How do you up the cozy factor at home? The short days and dreary weather are starting to wear on me.

I’ve been working on some fun new recipes, but don’t have photos to share just yet. So, I’m sharing a collection of my favorite soups today to help you warm up. I’ve been combing through your comments (which are always so appreciated) and adding notes to the recipes with your slow cooker experiment results and so on.

I’m always game to come up with new soup recipes, so please tell me—what would you like to see next? For more immediate soup inspiration, check out my full soup archives here and my soup Pinterest board over here.

1) Spiced Lentil Soup

Gluten free and vegan

“This soup is AMAZING! Holy cow the lemon in this just adds something that I never knew I was missing! I ate this for like a week straight & couldn’t get enough of it! PLUS it’s packed full of lentils my FAV! If you found this recipe and are thinking about making it, do yourself a favor and make it asap! Thanks so much for sharing, this will be one of my go-to’s now!” – Rachael

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Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

January 17, 2017 31 Comments

Have you ever ordered a kale salad on a first date and tried to gracefully consume a meal of giant, wayward kale leaves? Awkward. Regretful. Ugh. I’m on a mission to change that. I won’t quit creating new kale salad recipes until we can all walk into a restaurant and consistently receive a great kale salad. Based on some recent experiences, I declare that my work here is far from done.

Here’s how to make a kale salad that’s better than those sad restaurant salads. First, remove those tough ribs from the kale, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and massage it to minimize the poky factor and improve the flavor. (Yes, massage it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s worth it! See instructions below.) Drizzle in a bold salad dressing and toss until it’s completely coated (I always use more dressing on kale salads than other green salads). Add some fun flavors and textures and you will have yourself a great kale salad.

I say all of this to defend kale salads against mentions that they’re “too trendy” or overdone. But kale salads, when made properly, can make truly delicious, crave-able meals. Those kinds of meals don’t go out of style. Right? Let’s make kale salad a classic like pizza and mac and cheese. We’ll all be better off for it.

This salad is the mac and cheese of kale salads, if you will. It’s creamy thanks to a bold tahini dressing, which makes this salad seem way more indulgent that it actually is. I packed in more flavor and texture with freshly toasted sunflower seeds and briny olives and pepper rings that I cannot resist. Chickpeas offer some protein and up the hearty factor. I’ve been craving heavy, cheesy comfort foods lately, but I legitimately can’t wait to get home and polish off this kale salad. I hope you feel the same!

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Vegetarian Pho

January 12, 2017 82 Comments

This post is brought to you by Frontier Co-op.

Hallelujah! I finished my cookbook. Photos are finalized and uploaded; every sentence has been double-checked for accuracy. We even made “Cookie + Kate” bigger on the cover, thanks to your feedback. I can’t wait for you to see it on May 16th!

The minute I sent off the final draft of my cookbook, I started plotting my next vacation. I’ve felt tied to the book project for the past year and a half, both mentally and physically. As rewarding as it’s been to produce a book that I’m 100 percent proud of, it’s been way too long since I got a break—a real, true, mind-clearing break.

On my list for this year? A yoga retreat in Morocco (booked!), exploring Costa Rica with Grandma Virginia (she’s been dying to go), and who knows, maybe Southeast Asia or Iceland for good measure. Is that too much? The answer I’m looking for is, “No!” I’m suffering from a serious case of wanderlust and a palpable sense of urgency to go now—right now, post-cookbook, while I’m still young and fancy-free.

To appease my travel cravings for now, I’m cooking up some exotic recipes in my kitchen, like Vietnamese pho. It’s hot, comforting and fresh, and fills the house with warming aromas of cinnamon, anise, cloves and ginger. I used Frontier Co-op’s organic whole spices here. I always enjoy reading their labels as I cook, knowing that they give back to the communities where they source their spices. The cinnamon sticks and cloves came from Sri Lanka, and the star anise from Vietnam.

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Mexican(ish) Kale & Quinoa Salad

January 10, 2017 105 Comments

Finishing a cookbook, or any massive project, really, is terrifying. A few nights ago, after I stayed up too late looking for any remaining last-minute issues, I tossed and turned while Oxford commas and the names of various ground spices bounced around in my head.

I finally woke up from a dream that I skateboarded, belly down, all the way to my parent’s house. I arrived to find that my family had eaten all of the chocolate cake. Dad!

Last night, I reviewed the book for the final time—truly, the last time—to make sure all of my requests had been implemented. I sent it back, fully apprehensive, with my mind full of second-guesses and self-doubt. Did I overdo it on the dog pictures? Are people going to take this book seriously? It’s very colorful. Are the recipes in the order that they should be?

That margarita photo that I was so proud of last year—I want to redo it because the ice cube is out of focus. It’s too late. And the little clock icon isn’t in quite the right place on page 197. Surely they can fix that part. (Update: they fixed it.) Send help, or wine. I’m losing it over here.

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Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill

January 5, 2017 94 Comments

First recipe of 2017: My new favorite chickpea salad. It’s crisp and fresh, with lots of zip. I’ve been eating it straight from the bowl, and even used it as a protein-rich topping for some cheesy nachos the other night. That’s what I like to call a balanced meal.

I’m so glad I finally moved to a better kitchen. Now that I have an open, light-filled cooking space, I’ve found myself spontaneously creating recipes at dinnertime again. Stay tuned for more salads and soups soon. I’m so close to having an organized office space and a more regular posting schedule again.

I can’t take full credit for this one, though. I was immediately smitten with the original concept on Serious Eats. Loads of fresh dill? Say no more. I tinkered with their recipe quite a bit, like I do, to make it a delicious lunch or side made with canned chickpeas. Mine has chopped celery, green onions, and extra carrots.

I grated the carrots in my food processor, which reminded me—I recently learned that the sharp metal blade on my beloved food processor (and the machine that I have recommended for years) is at risk for breaking into pieces. Kinda dangerous. If you have a Cuisinart food processor, you can get a replacement blade here.

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What to Cook This January

January 2, 2017 26 Comments

Happy 2017! We have officially survived the holidays. I’m resolving to eat more veggies and get back into my regular yoga routine once I finish the final edits for my cookbook (due tonight!). If you are also looking for wholesome, satisfying, veggie-packed recipes, you are in the right place, and you’ll find a bunch in my guide to seasonal produce below. Don’t forget, you can also create customized meal plans with my recipes through Real Plans.

A few of my blogger friends have created some seriously amazing resources for developing healthier habits this year. I’m really impressed by each of these products and wanted to share them with you, in case one or multiple might be just what you need to get back on track. In no particular order:

The Healthy Glow Guide is a 6-week balanced food and fitness plan dedicated to providing you with the tools you need to feel and look incredible, from Lee and Monique.
The Nourished Planner is a goal-setting guide, daily calendar, to-do list, and meal planner all in one, made beautiful by Heidi of FoodieCrush.
Stripped Reset is a 21-day guide to reset and optimize your health based in whole foods and whole body tips, created by registered dietitian McKel of Nutrition Stripped.

Cheers to a healthy and happy 2017. Thank you so much for being here.

Beets

Simple Beet, Arugula and Feta Salad

Gluten free and easily vegan

“This is, quite literally, my new favorite salad! I have made it for several friends – who all have adored it – and have added it to my weekly food staples. I’ve never actually made it with pumpkin seed – I substitute pistachios instead, or omit the nuts altogether if I am not eating it right away, and the homemade balsamic is fantastic…YUMMMM!” – Franki

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