Kieran and I went grocery shopping at our favorite store, Mariano’s. Not sure if this chain is nation wide yet, but you can find their stores ALL over Chicago. If you’ve never been to a Mariano’s, you must go, it’s glorious! It’s like Whole Foods but cheaper….much much cheaper! Plus, Mariano’s store brand, Roundy’s, is quality stuff! I’m often pleasantly surprised by the quality of Roundy’s ingredients, and it’s cheaper than the name brand food to boot!
So anyway, Kieran and I went shopping at Mariano’s, and I went to my happy place inside the store…..the produce department. Just the smell of fresh produce takes me to a magical happy place in my mind….
Remember the Calgon bubblebath soap? With the slogan, “Take me away,”? Below is a picture I found online of an old Calgon ad campaign….. The ad works on so many levels….little-miss-half-naked-sexy-lady is relaxing in a bathtub, that happens to be in a margarita glass….GENIUS!!!! I mean, I LOVE to mix drinking and bathing! I imagine warm water covering my body, like I’m wrapped in a flannel blanket, next to a roaring fire, on a cold winter’s day. Knowing me, I used half the bottle of bubble bath, so the sweet smelling bubbles are building and climbing up the corners of the bathtub, encasing me in my very own luxurious bubble house. Then, when the water is warm enough, and the bubbles are high enough, I slowly sip (or knowing me guzzle) my Cabernet wine and let out a long, satisfying, “Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh”. I transcend space and time as I slowly sink my shoulders below the bubble line, and under the warm water…..
Whoa….Christina!!! Snap out of it (sounds of fingers snapping)! Talk about a tangent! So anyhow, that’s how I feel when I walk amongst the delicious fruity and vegetable-y treasures in the produce department! I wanted to make a delicious and nutritious vegetable soup to kick off my eating habits in 2015 right!
I haven’t always been the healthiest eater, but I’ve gotten a lot healthier in the last few years. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not preaching that I’m the epitome of health now, but I’m making more of an effort to read ingredient labels and stay away from processed foods. When I DO have a craving, I don’t fight it, I just eat a LOT less of it. Kieran and I started splitting meals at restaurants, which has been a TREMENDOUS help to my waistline. We’ll normally split a meal, whatever we have a hankering for, then split an additional side of veggies or a side salad. That way we kill the craving, but we don’t run the risk of overeating. Sure, a lot of times we feel hungry after dinner, but after 30 minutes pass we are completely happy and content!
When I’m not making recipes for the blog, Kieran and I will split a large chicken breast and have a HEAPING helping of veggies for dinner (no starch). For breakfast we have egg white sandwiches and for lunch we have mason jar salads packed full with veggies too! Instead of yogurt packed with unnecessary sugars, we eat low-fat cottage cheese packed with protein.
So when I go grocery shopping now, I try to ensure 85% of my shopping cart comes from the produce department. Am I perfect with being healthy? Hell no, I like stuffing my face with pizza WAY too much. However, the day after I splurge on pizza, I try to balance it out with exercise and tons of veggies.
Which leads me to this recipe. This soup is perfect for detoxing after an over indulgent weekend. It’s stuffed to the delicious brim with veggies. There is nothing better than noshing on comforting, warm, delicious soup that’s nutritious.
Also, this soup makes a lot of servings which means plenty of healthy leftovers! Kieran and I put our leftover soup in mason jars and took it to work for lunch for a couple days. We got to enjoy the benefits of eating healthy while enjoying the amazing taste of fresh vegetables.
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 mushrooms (that is 4 mushrooms, not 4 oz of mushrooms), sliced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped into small same size pieces
- 14.5 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 15 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 tablespoons curry paste (mine was vegan)
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 5-6 twists of a black pepper grinder
- 2 pinches of dried crushed rosemary
- 2 pinches dried thyme
- 1-2 pinches of red pepper flakes
- 6 cups of vegetable stock/broth
- 2 bay leafs
- 4 cups of baby spinach
- 2 big handfuls of roughy chopped cilantro (optional)
- Juice from 1 lemon (you may not need all of it, also optional)
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
- Add all of your ingredients, EXCEPT for the spinach, cilantro, and lemon juice, to your slow cooker.
- Turn the heat on low and cook for 6-8 hours (or until all the ingredients are tender).
- Turn off the heat and add your spinach. Stir everything around until the spinach completely wilts in the soup.
- Now add the lemon juice, a little at a time, and stop once you reach the taste you desire.
- Add the cilantro (if using), and any additional salt and pepper you want, and enjoy!
- Serve and enjoy the soup!
Remember to add the lemon juice BEFORE you add additional salt. Lemon juice has an amazing capability to wake up and brighten the ingredients in your soup. You may find after adding the lemon, you have no need for additional salt.
95% blabber, 5% recipe. I need to “detox” from BS like this.
^ Look everyone, my first hater comment! You know you’ve made it as a blogger when anonymous people stop by and talk shit about your work. SWEEET! It’s about time!