Kale Soup

This kale soup will warm your insides, delight your taste buds, and fill your stomach on a cold winter night. It is full of dark green kale, potatoes, and cannellini beans.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

• 8 cups water

• 6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)

• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 6 cubes vegetable bouillon (such as Knorr)

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

2. Cook onion and garlic until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Stir in kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in water, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, vegetable bouillon, parsley, and Italian seasoning.

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes.

6. Season with salt and pepper.

Japanese-Style Cabbage Salad

This Japanese-style cabbage salad is comparable to what is served in Japanese restaurants. It's vegan, tastes great, and goes well with Japanese and American food instead of coleslaw.

Ingredients

• ½ large head cabbage, cored and shredded

• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 cup almond slivers

• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon white sugar (Optional)

• 1 clove garlic, minced (Optional)

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (Optional)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Combine cabbage, green onions, almond, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.

2. Make dressing: Whisk together sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

3. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss until well combined.

Primavera Casserole

This Primavera Casserole with spring vegetables is a delightful blend of freshness and flavor that captures the essence of the season. Packed with a colorful medley of vibrant spring vegetables like crisp asparagus, tender peas, and yellow squash, this casserole is a celebration of nature's bounty.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces shaped pasta such as gemelli, fusilli, or rotelle

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

• 1 large yellow squash, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 4 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved

• 6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bell pepper, squash, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until pepper is crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add snap peas and asparagus and cook, stirring, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 2 minutes more.

4. Put flour and salt in a bowl and whisk in milk until smooth. Add flour mixture to skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is lightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Pour mixture over pasta and stir in tomatoes, 3/4 cup parmesan, and basil. Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with panko and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake until top is lightly golden and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup

This potato soup cooks in an Instant Pot® and is customizable with assorted toppings. I prefer to get my saltiness from the bacon, so I don't add extra salt. I also like a thicker chowder-like consistency; if you like yours thinner, add more liquid.

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 4 thick slices cherrywood-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup water

• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic base (such as Better Than Bouillon® Roasted Garlic Base)

• 1 ½ cups half-and-half

• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• ¼ cup sliced green onions

• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Add onion, bacon, and butter to the hot pot and saute until bacon is crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off Saute function and transfer contents to a small bowl.

• Step 2

  Add potatoes, water, and garlic base to pot and close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 12 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

• Step 3

  Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 15 minutes. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Mash potatoes against the side of the pot, leaving some chunks if desired. Add onion-bacon mixture and half-and-half; stir to combine.

• Step 4

  Ladle into soup bowls and top with green onions, Cheddar cheese, and black pepper.

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 4 thick slices cherrywood-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup water

• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic base (such as Better Than Bouillon® Roasted Garlic Base)

• 1 ½ cups half-and-half

• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• ¼ cup sliced green onions

• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Add onion, bacon, and butter to the hot pot and saute until bacon is crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off Saute function and transfer contents to a small bowl.

• Step 2

  Add potatoes, water, and garlic base to pot and close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 12 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

• Step 3

  Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 15 minutes. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Mash potatoes against the side of the pot, leaving some chunks if desired. Add onion-bacon mixture and half-and-half; stir to combine.

• Step 4

  Ladle into soup bowls and top with green onions, Cheddar cheese, and black pepper.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

A lemon pound cake made with yogurt instead of sour cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature

• 2 cups white sugar

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 (8 ounce) container lemon flavored yogurt

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

• Step 2

  Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the butter mixture; add lemon extract with last egg.

• Step 3

  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Alternately mix in the flour mixture and the yogurt, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated.

• Step 4

  Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Apple Cabbage Soup

This delicious soup is great for a cold winter day. For a lighter flavor some recipes swap out the onion and garlic for a leek instead. Serve with a crusty bread for extra yumminess.

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (Optional)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

• ½ apple, peeled and finely chopped

• 5 cups vegetable broth

• ½ cup apple cider

• 1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

• ⅓ cup white sugar

• 1 (12 ounce) loaf crusty bread

Directions

1. Place bacon pieces in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2. Drain fat from the pot and add olive oil, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in chopped apple, vegetable broth, apple cider, cabbage, cider vinegar, and sugar. Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, until cabbage is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Cut bread into large chunks and place them in the bottom of six soup bowls. Ladle the soup over the bread and serve.

Note: If you omit the bacon, add salt to taste.