Thai Ginger Peanut Soup (Vegan!)

This slightly spicy soup is bursting with flavor from Swanson’s Thai Ginger Broth, a hint of peanuts, almost 10 oz of mushrooms, chunks of tofu, and handfuls upon handfuls of spinach. And, it’s ridiculously easy to make! This soup is hearty and can be served as a main dish that’s ready in under 20 minutes! Makes about 6-8 servings.

What you will need:
oil for sauteing (I highly recommend coconut oil)
4 oz shittake mushrooms
32 oz carton of Swanson’s Thai Ginger Broth (kudos to Swanson for that one, by the way!)
3 well rounded spoonfuls of chunky peanut butter (not creamy!)
16 oz of Trader Joe’s super firm tofu (if you can find it. It goes above and beyond the calls of extra firm tofu. Trust me.)
3 oz enoki mushrooms
2 oz beech mushrooms
large handfuls of spinach (I used about 5)

In a medium or large pot, melt the coconut oil. Remove most of the stem from the shittake mushrooms and cut any of the larger mushrooms in half. Add them to the pot and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into small cubes and remove the woody ends of the enoki and beech mushrooms. Add the spoonfuls of peanut butter to the soup along with the tofu, enoki, and beech mushrooms. Then, start adding the handfuls of spinach, letting each handful wilt a little bit before adding the next, until you have your desired amount of spinach. Serve garnished with chopped peanuts or scallions.

Skillet Baked Eggs with Spinach and Goat Cheese

This is an easy recipe that only involves 4 ingredients- butter, spinach, goat cheese and eggs. Of course you can add fresh herbs, hot sauce, onions, and all sorts of other veggies, but I felt like keeping it simple today. If you have a big appetite, you might be able to finish this yourself, but this meal is best when shared between two people.

This recipe can also be made without a cast iron skillet. Check out the * at the bottom of this recipe for instructions on how to use a frying pan in place of cast iron.

What you will need:
a cast iron skillet
butter for sauteing
handfuls of spinach
goat cheese
3 eggs (or more if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add spinach by the handfuls and stir until it starts to wilt, no longer then 3 or 4 minutes. Add crumbled goat cheese and then start to carefully crack the eggs into the skillet, making sure not to break the yolks. Transfer to the oven and cook until the egg white start to set, about 10-15 minutes.

*In a medium size frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add spinach by the handfuls and stir until it starts to wilt, no longer then 3 or 4 minutes. Add crumbled goat cheese and then start to carefully crack the eggs into the pan, making sure not to break the yolks. Cover with lid and continue to cook until the egg whites have set, about 4-6 minutes.

Goat Cheese, Chick Pea, Basil and Mixed Baby Greens Salad

This salad packs a whole lot of flavor with hummus and balsamic vinegar as the dressing. I used mostly organic, locally grown veggies for this salad for the best flavor (and the least amount of chemical pesticides!)

What you will need:

Tomato
Cucumber
Chick peas (canned is fine)
Goat cheese
Hummus (i used red pepper hummus)
Whole, fresh basil leaves
Mixed baby greens (i went with kale, swiss chard, arugula, and spinach)
Olive oil (optional, but not necessary. the hummus will have a lot of oil in it)

Start by slicing your cucumber and tomato, then layering your plate with baby mixed greens and basil. Add your cucumber, tomato, chick peas and goat cheese. Then add hummus and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and you’re done!

This salad is also great with red onion and all sorts of other fresh herbs mixed in. I used what I had on hand today and it turned out great.

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