Rainy Day Ravioli Soup

We've had a few days of rainy weather so that always puts me in a soup mood. This recipe originally was vegetarian, but I added just a little bit of animal bits to it to make it more savory.

Ravioli Soup:

• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Crushed red pepper

4 oz Lean ground turkey (I have a food scale and measure out all my meats into single serving packages since I am usually cooking just for me. So, I just grabbed one of those)

• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
• 
  
• 1 15-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
• 1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen cheese (or meat) ravioli, preferably whole-wheat
• 2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)
• Salt and pepper

- Saute pepper, onion, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) with ground turkey and cook, stirring, until turkey is done.

- Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram); bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

- Add ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions.

- Add zucchini; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add S&P to taste.

Top with some fresh parm and a crusty roll.

Nanner Bread

I like to cook. I never write anything down or remember what I have done because a lot of the way I cook is instinct. I was trying to write down a recipe for my friend Ashley, when she said that I should start a food blog, so that I could go back and find recipes that I had made before and share them. So here we are.


Most of the things that I cook aren't necessarily "health food", but I try to make things in balance with taste and health. I've been hankering for banana bread for a while, and happened to have a couple of ripe ones in the freezer. We always seem to have one or two over ripe 'nanners left when we buy a bunch, so I will pop them into the freezer to use later. I took the regular ole banana bread recipe from my Betty Crocker cook book from 1971, and suped it up and bit and made it much healthier. Over all I think it came out better than the original and it is way better for you.


Nanner Bread:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I always use greek style and it's super creamy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons flax seeds
10 walnuts, crushed
Cooking spray



-Preheat oven to 350°.

-Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

-Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.

-Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

-Spoon batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle with walnuts and flax seeds on top.

-Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.


*I used walnuts and flax seeds to sprinkle over the top, just because that was what I had on hand in the cupboard. I have used this recipe before, while adding strawberries or chocolate chips or blueberries. There are many different things that you could add, or don't add anything. It's good plain, too!