Testing - WW Vegetable Soup

Today's new Weight Watchers recipe: The latest vegetable soup recipe, one point for PointsPlus people, a half point for those still counting points with the old point system.

"You sure made the produce department happy." So assessed the checkout person at the grocery store the day after New Years while ringing up one vegetable after another. I couldn't help but grin, because yes, I'm on a first-name basis with all the produce people. Sure enough, there were no fewer than a dozen different vegetables, enough unusual vegetables to send the typical checkout person scurrying for the break room.

Like millions of others, after the holidays, I was ready to lighten up, ready for the end of rich food, ready to quit the fixation on eating. And like so many who follow Weight Watchers, I wanted nothing more than the cleansing of one of the famous vegetable soups from Weight Watchers, this time using a new recipe that seemed especially targeted to fresh vegetables.

Chop, chop, cook, cook. The aroma in the kitchen was intoxicating.

The first taste, however, was disappointing. The soup was blah -- nothing that a few drops of Tabasco or a splash of yogurt couldn't fix but nonetheless, disappointing. I shrugged and went on. A day or so later, I cleaned out the fridge and decided to warm up a bowl of the leftover soup. This time? Fabulous! Light and fresh, the vegetables still intact (not mushy at all) but much more flavorful.

Now this IS a mild soup, know that, you might still want to apply a little Tabasco or my own favorite, a squirt of ketchup. But it's good and a nice change from the original Weight Watchers Zero-Point Garden Vegetable Soup recipe. Score -- another winner!

QUICK NOTE For those who don't follow Weight Watchers, you might wonder if this soup is 'any good'. It is! All the Weight Watchers soups are good. But for slightly more substance, you might want to try my long-time favorite recipe from Kitchen Parade, Low-Fat Vegetable Soup.

Continue to the Recipe ->>>

Test - Sweet Potato Soup ♥

A hearty soup, one to warm a body from the inside out. It's slightly sweet from the orange tubers we call sweet potatoes, slightly nutty from the grain-like seed called quinoa, slightly spicy from cayenne and chili powder, slightly cool from the coconut milk stirred in near the end.

Sweet potato soups can be, well, a little 'sweet potato-y', too heavy, too starchy, too dense.

So I loved the idea of a recipe for sweet potato soup lightened with the healthy and protein-dense quinoa [pronounced KEEN-wah]. I feared the color and little doubt, the color is akin to what Nana, my grandmother on my mother's side, used to call the 'dog's breakfast'. But thanks to the cayenne and chili powder, the soup has a welcome kick that's smoothed and cooled by the coconut milk.

This soup, it's a winner.
Continue to the Recipe ->>>

Test Post - Hoppin John

Today's hearty soup recipe: For a double-dose of good luck in the new year, try a soup version of Hoppin' John, the traditional food of 'good fortune' in the American South. It's packed with lucky black-eyed peas and for extra measure, lucky collard greens too. Low carb. A very hearty-tasting Weight Watchers 1 point, in both the Old Point system and the new Points Plus system.

Check your grocery store this week: it'll be selling big bunches of collard greens, it's a promise. That's because greens, especially collard greens, are traditional for New Years' -- who wouldn't mind a little more 'green' prosperity? Hoppin' John is a traditional beans 'n' rice dish, so that makes this Hoppin' John in a soup bowl, with collard greens for good measure.

It's a great soup for that long pause between Christmas and New Years, the one where we catch our breath and remember what the heavens must call 'relaxation'. But to be official, serve Hoppin' John on New Years, just to get things off to a good start. It can't hurt and it sure will taste good.

Regular Readers: With this recipe, I am experimenting with a new website feature I think you'll just love - unfortunately, there's no good way to test how it works on a test site, only on the live site. What "should" happen here is that you'll get the first half of the post, the photo and the introduction, then if you're interested, you'll be able to click through, as usual, to read the entire post, with a "read more" link or via the recipe title. Keep your fingers crossed, I'm hitting "publish". :-) Let me know how it works for you!
Continue to the Recipe ->>>

Test - How to Roast Beets

How to roast fresh beets with minimum fuss and an abundance of earthy, sensual beet flavor.

If you ask the Beet Queen (aka me, Alanna) how to roast beets, what oven temperature to use for roasting beets, even how long to roast beets, I'll tell you, "It depends." You see, I've tried so many ways of roasting beets, some simple, some a little complicated, some worth remembering, others not. It's taken five years of cooking beets to settle onto my favorite way to roast beets. This method takes the least fuss and every time, yields moist and earthy cooked beets.

Roasting beets is easy but it helps to arm yourself with a few shortcuts, tips and techniques I've collected over the years. And once you've roasted beets, there are soooo many quick salads and sides to choose from. Check out all the beet recipes, the ones that call for pre-cooked beets are marked like this . They don't call me the Beet Queen for nuthin'.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED to ROAST BEETS
A cutting board
A large oven-safe pot with a cover
A sharp knife
That's all!

STUMBLEUPON: For all who use the great discovery tool StumbleUpon, I'd love for this post to be 'stumbled'!
Continue to the Recipe ->>>

Testing - Recipe Box Post - A from A-Z

AMARANTH ARTICHOKES ARUGULA ASPARAGUS AVOCADO

Amaranth
See also Leafy Greens

THE BASICS
[AM-ah-ranth] Once considered a weed in the U.S., amaranth is finally being acknowledged as the nourishing high-protein food it is. Amaranth greens have a delicious, slightly sweet flavor and can be used both in cooking and for salads. - Source Epicurious Dictionary

Amaranth in HOT SIDE DISHES
A Veggie Venture recipes
Amaranth Greens 15min/15min – WW0 - NetCarb4 ♥

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Artichokes

THE BASICS
How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave

Artichokes in HOT SIDE DISHES
A Veggie Venture recipes
How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave 3min/10min – WW1 - NetCarb6 ♥
Spinach & Artichoke Gratin 45min/65min – WW1/WW4 - NetCarb3/4 ♥
Stuffed Artichokes 25min/90min – WW4 - NetCarb32 ♥

Artichokes in SANDWICHES
A Veggie Venture recipes
Artichoke & Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 5min/10min – WW6 ♥

Artichokes in APPETIZERS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Artichoke Nibblers 20min/60min – WW2 - NetCarb4
Spinach, Artichoke & Bacon Dip 20min?/1hr – WW1 - NetCarb2 ♥

Recipes using CANNED, JARRED or FROZEN Artichokes
Artichoke Nibblers 20min/60min – WW2 - NetCarb4
Artichoke & Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 5min/10min – WW6 ♥
Spinach & Artichoke Gratin 45min/65min – WW1/WW4 - NetCarb3/4 ♥
Spinach, Artichoke & Bacon Dip 20min?/1hr – WW1 - NetCarb2 ♥

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Arugula
Also called Rocket

THE BASICS
[ah-ROO-guh-lah] Arugula is a bitterish, aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. - Source Epicurious Dictionary

Arugula in COLD SIDE DISHES & VEGETABLE SALADS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Arugula with Peaches, Concord Grapes and Feta ♥
Arugula Salad with Smoked Trout & Peach Preserve Dressing 10min/10min ♥
Simple Arugula Salad 5min/5min – WW0 - NetCarb1 ♥

Arugula in MAIN DISHES
A Veggie Venture recipes
Arugula Pesto 20min/20min – WW0/WW4 - NetCarb0/2 ♥

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Asparagus
[uh-spar-uh-guhs] Asparagus is the main stalk of a plant in the lily family. White asparagus is particularly prized in Europe and is more delicate in aroma but is also more fibrous; it is grown and harvested beneath soil the soil, which blanches the color. A season's first asparagus are especially sweet, later stalks are drier and more fibrous. Source: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

THE BASICS
Asparagus Nutrition Data
What does it mean to "snap the woody ends" of asparagus? The tip of an asparagus spear is quite tender, the stalk increasingly fibrous toward the end. Bend the stalk near the end, letting mechanical stress find the natural break between the tender and tough portions. But don't discard the woody ends, they make great asparagus soup!
How to cook asparagus in water
How to cook asparagus in a skillet
How to steam asparagus (good for thin spears)
How to roast asparagus (good for thick spears)
How to make holandaise sauce in the blender
How to sauté asparagus in butter

Should asparagus be peeled? Sometimes
Should asparagus be eaten raw? Absolutely!
Three levels of Roasted Asparagus

Tool Tip Asparagus Steamer

Asparagus in HOT SIDE DISHES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Trio of Vegetables: Lemon Asparagus ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Noodles 10min/15min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Asparagus with Anchovies & Garlic 10min/25min – WW2 - NetCarb4 ♥
Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise 15min/20min – WW1 - NetCarb0 ♥
Asparagus with Pimenton 5min/15min – WW0 - NetCarb2
Barely Roasted Asparagus 10min/20min – WW1 – NetCarb4 ♥
Ginger Asparagus 5min/10min – WW0 - NetCarb2
Kalyn's Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms 10min/40min – WW1 - NetCarb2 ♥
Leeks & Asparagus 5min/15min – WW1 ♥
Lemon Asparagus 5min/15min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Lemon Lovers’ Roasted Asparagus 10min/35min – WW1 - NetCarb5 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Anise 5min/30min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar 10min/25min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter 10min/25min – WW1
Roasted Asparagus with Feta 5min/30min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan 7min/20-25min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Spring Asparagus with White Bean Sauce 15min/25min – WW3 - NetCarb16 ♥

Asparagus in COLD SIDE DISHES & VEGETABLE SALADS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Tapenade 20min/3hrs – WW2 - NetCarb3 ♥
Asparagus Scallion Salad 25min/60min – WW1 – NetCarb5 ♥
Asparagus & Edamame Salad 20min/50min – WW2 - NetCarb6 ♥
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad 10min/10min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥
Party Asparagus with Aioli 35min/35min – WW2 - NetCarb0 ♥

Asparagus in SOUP
Kitchen Parade recipes
Easy to Elegant Asparagus Soup 20min/45min - WW2 - NetCarb5 ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Chilled Asparagus Soup 30min/24hrs – WW2 - NetCarb9 ♥

Asparagus for BREAKFAST
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Eggs Benedict 30min/30min – WW13 - NetCarb53 ♥
Asparagus Omelet with Rémoulade Sauce 15min/15min ♥

Asparagus in MAIN DISHES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asparagus Custard Tart ♥
Roasted Salmon & Asparagus ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Risotto 60min/60min – WW5 – NetCarb44 ♥
Farro with Asparagus & Green Onion Sauce 25min/30min – WW5/WW8/WW13 - NetCarb34/43/55 ♥
Pasta with Shrimp, Asparagus & Sun-dried Tomato 30min/40min – WW9 - NetCarb50

Asparagus in APPETIZERS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Jam 15min/24 hrs – WW1
Asparagus Tapenade 20min/3hrs – WW2 - NetCarb3 ♥
Asparagus with Creamy Mustard Dip 5min/5min – WW1/WW2 ♥
Asparagus with Dip 2min/2min – WW1 - NetCarb3 ♥

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Avocado

THE BASICS
Tool Tip Avocado Knife
Homemade Guacamole

Avocado in APPETIZERS
Avocado Dip 10min/10min – WW1 – NetCarb2 ♥
Broccoli Tapenade 20min/30min – WW1 - NetCarb4
Cool-as-a-Cucumber Avocado Soup 10min/10min – WW3 – NetCarb7 ♥
Homemade Guacamole with Tomatillos 30min/30min – WW1/WW4 - NetCarb1/2/5 ♥

Avocado in COLD SIDE DISHES & VEGETABLE SALADS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Avocado Salad with Hearts of Palm 15min/20min – WW3/WW5
Spring & Summer Sliced Salad 20min/20min – WW1/WW4 - NetCarb4/24 ♥

Avocado in MAIN DISHES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Tropical Salad Supper 20min/20min - WW5/WW6 - NetCarb34 ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Quick Leftover Beef Salad 20min/20min – WW9 - NetCarb 10
Tropical Salad Supper 30min/30min – WW6/WW3 ♥

Avocado in SOUPS
Cool-as-a-Cucumber Avocado Soup 10min/10min – WW3 – NetCarb7 ♥

Avocado in SANDWICHES
BLTs with Avocado ♥

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Testing - "Method" or "Favorite" Styled Post

Finally! It's a veggie evangelist's dream come true, sweet potatoes named a food trend for 2011. In honor, I hereby present my best and favorite sweet potato recipes.

Finally, there's a food trend for vegetable lovers. And it's a vegetable that's found in every grocery store in the world (I'm betting) not an obscure plant grown every third year on a certain hillside in the far reaches of Outer Mongolia reachable only to people who trek in on yaks. And it's affordable not the price of an orthodontist visit. And yahoo, get this -- it's healthy! And maybe famous! Will 2011 be remembered as the Year of the Sweet Potato?

On Monday, Food News Journal (a great source of well-organized and timely food tidbits from both mainstream media and food blogs, best way to follow is via a free e-mail subscription) linked to Food Trend Predictions for 2011 from Tanya Steel at Epicurious. And right there, at #8, were "sweet potatoes". Yes, imagine sweet potatoes going all trendy! The New York Times thinks sweet potatoes are hot too, see Sweet Potatoes Step Out from Under the Marshmallows.

That's the good news. The bad news is that much of the trend is headed toward sweet potato fries -- and you know what I think about sweet potato fries, see Frozen Sweet Potato Fries: Are They Worth the Price, the Calories?.

So I've got a new campaign slogan, whaddaya think? Sweet Potatoes: They're Not Just for Fries Anymore. Here's my Top Twelve Sweet Potato Recipes, hold the fries, please.
Continue to the Recipe ->>>

Test Post #3

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Vestibulum tortor quam, feugiat vitae, ultricies eget, tempor sit amet, ante. Donec eu libero sit amet quam egestas semper. Aenean ultricies mi vitae est. Mauris placerat eleifend leo.

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Vestibulum tortor quam, feugiat vitae, ultricies eget, tempor sit amet, ante. Donec eu libero sit amet quam egestas semper. Aenean ultricies mi vitae est. Mauris placerat eleifend leo.

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Vestibulum tortor quam, feugiat vitae, ultricies eget, tempor sit amet, ante. Donec eu libero sit amet quam egestas semper. Aenean ultricies mi vitae est. Mauris placerat eleifend leo.