Category: Vegetable Dishes

Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers

Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom’s marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!
When I was growing up, my Mom occasionally made batches of marinated cucumbers. We either could add them to a green salad, OR (as she preferred to do),  eat them… crispy and cold, right out of the container with a fork! Since I’ve been growing lots of cucumbers in our garden this year, it’s a perfect way to use some of our abundance.

This amazing little side dish is totally easy to prepare. Basically you mix up the marinade, slice up cucumbers, chop some red onion, mix it all together, then refrigerate for several hours so that the flavors come together beautifully!

That’s it! See how easy it is to make Mom’s marinated cucumbers? And these cucumbers are crisp, slightly sweet, and delicious! I’m glad to have so many from our little backyard garden!

Cucumber on vine in garden

Making Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers

To make mom’s marinated cucumbers, first peel and slice the cucumbers, then put them in a container that has a lid. Finely chop some red onion, and add to the cucumbers. This step only takes a few minutes.

Cucumber is peeled and sliced (on yellow cutting mat)
Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. This takes about a minute to prepare.

Marinade for cucumbers in metal bowl
Pour the marinade on top of the cucumbers, then stir well to combine.

Marinade poured over sliced cucumbers in container
Refrigerate, Then Enjoy Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers!

Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, stirring a couple of times to make sure cucumber slices are covered. When ready to serve, or gobble up, remove from refrigerator and go for it!

Mom's marinated cucumbers, in bowl in refrigerator

They are tasty right out of the container OR served on a crisp, green salad!  They are GOOD!!!!  Bet ya can’t eat just one of these!

Looking For More SIDE SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some yummy side salad recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: My Mom

0 from 0 votes
Mom's Marinated Cucumbers
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mom's marinated cucumbers
Servings: 8 4 cups total (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 146 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon (each) Salt & Pepper , to taste (guessing I would say about 1/4 teaspoon each)
  • 3 large large cucumbers , peeled and sliced
  • 1/4 medium medium red onion , finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice cucumbers; place in a container that has a lid. Finely chop red onion; add to cucumbers.

  2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade over the cucumbers. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate cucumbers for at least 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Please note: The 10 minute prep time is "active" prep time. I did not include the 3-4 hours "inactive" refrigeration time necessary for all flavors to permeate and come together. Please plan accordingly.

Nutrition Facts
Mom's Marinated Cucumbers
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cups)
Calories 146 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Sodium 75mg3%
Potassium 147mg4%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Sugar 20g22%
Vitamin A 75IU2%
Vitamin C 3.6mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!

 

 

 

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Grilled Summer Veggies

Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!

The HOT summer continues here in the great Pacific Northwest! We are still using our BBQ grill a lot, as we try to keep our kitchen (and home) cool! Today I want to share a recipe I make quite frequently in the summertime- Grilled Summer Veggies!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Grilled Summer Veggies Is EASY

This recipe is really, really easy.  All that is involved in the prep work for this delicious side dish is slicing and cutting up the veggies. I even was able to use some homegrown veggies from our garden as part of this dish (yee haw!)

 

Summer veggies are sliced, and ready to be grilled.Once the veggies are sliced and chopped, put them into a large bowl. I used zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, green and red pepper, green beans (even a few yellow fillet beans from the garden), and baby carrots.

You can certainly add in additional veggies to make this dish “your own”. That’s the best way, right? You’ve got to like what you’re cooking!

Cut veggies are placed in large bowl to mix with seasonings.Time To Season The Veggies

Season the veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Give them a good toss, to fully coat the veggies with the seasoning.

Summe veggies are seasoned with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and Italian spices before grilling.

Use A BBQ Grill Safe Basket

After the veggies and seasonings are combined, put them into a BBQ-safe grill pan (we got one for about $8 at a home improvement warehouse). NOTE: If you don’t have access to a grill pan, use a cast iron skillet on your BBQ to cook these, but watch out… the skillet will get REALLY hot!).

The grill pan we used has a handle to carry it that detaches once you get it on the BBQ grill, then reattaches to lift pan off the grill once done. Pretty handy to use!

Veggies are placed into a BBQ-grill pan for cooking.Cook the veggies on a medium-hot grill for about 15 minutes or so, stirring often. My husband was the “Grill-Meister and Stirrer-Extraordinaire” for this dish!

Grilled Summer Veggies on the BBQ, being stirred while they cook.Some of the veggies will get a nice char on them or get slightly golden brown… that’s great! Just remember to stir them occasionally so they don’t burn! We love cooking veggies on our Weber grill, cause the smoky smell permeates the vegetables, and gives them such a wonderful flavor!

Summer veggies grilling on the BBQ.Serve The Grilled Summer Veggies

Once the veggies are done (fork-tender), we bring them inside and top them with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve them up, straight out of the grill pan! YUM!

Grilled Summer Veggies are sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.Sure hope you will give this EASY recipe a try. These grilled summer veggies are a wonderful accompaniment to most meat dishes. I think you and your family will love them! You might also like to see how to grill corn on the cob on the BBQ! That’s another easy way to cook veggies!

Have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by today, and come back soon. May you find beauty all around you today. Hope you’re looking for it!

Looking For More VEGGIE Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of vegetable dishes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

5 from 1 vote
Grilled Summer Veggies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled summer veggies
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 163 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 zucchini , sliced
  • 1 yellow squash , sliced
  • 3 slices red onion (then quartered
  • 1/2 green bell pepper , cut into chunks
  • 1/2 red bell pepper , cut into chunks
  • green beans (I used about 10), ends trimmed and beans cut in half
  • 6-8 baby carrots , cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish once veggies are cooked)
Instructions
  1. Prepare all veggies. Place into a large bowl.  Add seasoning ingredients: Parmesan cheese (shaker can kind), salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, Mix well to combine.

  2. Place veggies into a sprayed BBQ grill saute pan or into a cast iron skillet. Place pan onto a medium high BBQ grill. Cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally so the veggies don't burn.  When done, remove from heat (if using cast iron skillet it will be HOT... be careful!).

  3. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the hot vegetables, and serve.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Summer Veggies
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 156mg7%
Potassium 364mg10%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 2855IU57%
Vitamin C 49.3mg60%
Calcium 125mg13%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!

 

 

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Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Pepper and Onions

Fresh corn sauté, with red peppers, butter and onions is a quick, delicious and low calorie side dish, sure to be a big hit at your Summer BBQ!Fresh corn sauté, with red peppers, butter and onions is a quick, delicious and low calorie side dish, sure to be a big hit at your Summer BBQ!

I love summertime… and I LOVE fresh corn on the cob! A giant piece of fresh corn is one of my favorite foods of summer. This recipe for Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Pepper and Onions is absolutely, lip-smackin’ delicious. Did I also mention how SIMPLE this is to make? And how LOW IN CALORIES  and DELICIOUS it is, also? (ding, ding… we have a WINNER!)

This fresh corn sauté is a fantastic summer side dish! It only took me about ten minutes to prepare, from start to finish! I found the recipe in this month’s issue of Cooking Light Magazine, and knew I wanted to try it! Sure glad I did. This Fresh Corn Sauté only takes a few (fresh) ingredients, serves 4, and takes about 10 minutes to prepare. How awesome is that?

It’s kind of ironic that I am sharing so many photos of such a quick, easy dish, but hey… it’s a colorful dish, and I didn’t want to be selfish and NOT share… so here goes!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Corn

Cut the kernels off of 2 large ears of fresh corn, then chop green onions, and dice red peppers. Only takes a couple minutes. (see how easy so far?)

Corn, red pepper and green onions ready to cookFresh corn, cut from the cob and ready to cookHow To Make The Fresh Corn Sauté

Melt a bit of butter in a large skillet. That’s a no brainer, right?

Melting butter in large skillet, to saute cornAdd the fresh corn kernels to the skillet. Sauté the corn for 2 minutes, on medium-high heat.

Fresh corn kernels are cooked in large skillet with butter
Add the chopped green onions and the diced red peppers. Whew… so hard. Are you sweating yet?

Chopped red bell pepper and green onions are added to corn in skillet
Season The Corn

Now it’s time to add simple seasonings to this dish. Add salt and pepper to the corn and veggies in the skillet. You can add more or less to suit your own taste, if desired. Stir together, to combine all ingredients.

Salt and pepper are added to corn, peppers and green onions
Sauté for 2 more minutes, or until the fresh corn is crisp-tender. Hope you’re not too tired at this point (insert sarcastic grin).

Corn, peppers and green onions are sauteed for a couple minutes.
Serve The Fresh Corn Sauté

Remove the corn from skillet onto a serving plate. Look at how gorgeous those colors are!!!

Fresh corn saute with red pepper and onions is served on white platter
Serve this dish hot, and enjoy the work of your hands. The recipe makes 4 servings (1/2 cup per serving). This summer side dish is delicious, crispy, and full of summer goodness! YUM!

Corn, with red peppers and green onions on serving platter with spoon

Hope you enjoy this fresh corn sauté! We sure did! Have a GREAT day, and please come back again soon!

If you are a veggie lover, be sure and check out my recipes for Garlic Infused Roasted Asparagus, Summer Vegetable Tian, Summer Squash Bacon Saute, P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans, or any of my recipes listed in the Recipe Index at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe source: Cooking Light Magazine, August 2015 issue, page 42.

0 from 0 votes
Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Pepper and Onions
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Fresh corn sauté, with red peppers, butter and onions is a quick, delicious and low calorie side dish, sure to be a big hit at your Summer BBQ!

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fresh corn saute
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 121 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used 2 large ears of corn)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions (approx. 1 stalk-green and white parts)
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. With a sharp knife, cut the kernels off of ears of corn (shucked and de-silked)
  2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium to high heat.
  3. Add fresh corn kernels to the skillet. Cook them for 2 minutes on medium-high.
  4. Add the chopped green onions, diced red bell pepper, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the corn is crisp, but tender.
  6. Serve while hot, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Pepper and Onions
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 121 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 208mg9%
Potassium 244mg7%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 675IU14%
Vitamin C 18.3mg22%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Fresh corn sauté, with red peppers, butter and onions is a quick, delicious and low calorie side dish, sure to be a big hit at your Summer BBQ!

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Purple Coleslaw

Purple coleslaw, with homemade poppyseed dressing, is a quick, easy salad that’s perfect for BBQ’s! Slaw turns deep purple the longer it refrigerates.Purple coleslaw, with homemade poppyseed dressing, is a quick, easy salad that's perfect for BBQ's! Slaw turns deep purple the longer it refrigerates.
I happen to love coleslaw, and the crunch of the cabbage, and the creamy, slightly sweet dressing. Coleslaw is so easy to make, and I like the way this Purple Coleslaw deepens in it’s purple color the longer it is mixed together. More color on my plate!

It’s easy to go to the produce section and buy pre-shredded coleslaw mixes. Also it is easy to go to the salad dressing section and buy a pre-made coleslaw dressing. Mix them together and poof! Coleslaw. Well, I totally “get” the convenience of it, but I think it’s fun being able to make a great coleslaw using fresh produce. I also enjoy making my own “not out of the bottle” coleslaw dressing.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Why Does It Turn Purple?

Store bought coleslaw mixes usually have lots of shredded green cabbage, shredded carrots and a teensy,tiny bit of purple cabbage. I like to make my own coleslaw THAT way, but I also love this recipe which adds a much larger amount of purple cabbage.

This larger amount of purple cabbage ultimately colors the dressing purple the longer the coleslaw is mixed together. It’s kinda fun to serve a purple coleslaw, and it’s a breeze to make my own!

How To Make Purple Coleslaw

First you shred two cups of purple cabbage into a large mixing bowl. I use a mandolin, but you can also do this with a cheese grater.

The purple cabbage is shredded on a mandoline or box grater.Shredded purple cabbage in bowl.
Now shred the green cabbage and some carrots into the same bowl.

Green cabbage is shredded on a mandoline or box grater.
Now you will have all the coleslaw veggies in the large mixing bowl. See how EASY that is?

Grated purple and green cabbage, plus carrots in bowl.
Mix these colorful purple coleslaw ingredients together. See how pretty it is already?

Green and purple cabbage, plus carrot shreds are mixed together in large bowl.
Make The Dressing For The Purple Coleslaw

The coleslaw dressing has light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, poppyseeds, and a little salt, pepper and sugar. Mix these ingredients together in a small bowl. That’s IT!

The poppyseed salad dressing is easy to make for this slaw.
Add the dressing to the bowl with the purple coleslaw, and stir well, to combine.

A poppyseed dressing is added to the purple coleslaw, and mixed in.
Refrigerate The Purple Coleslaw For Best Flavor (And Color)

Cover the coleslaw with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (the longer the better), so the flavors can come together. When you are ready to serve, give it a good stir, and dig in. Refrigerate leftovers.

NOTE: The longer you keep the purple coleslaw refrigerated (and stirred), the more purple the dressing will become, as the deep purple color from the cabbage mixes with the dressing. It’s kind of a unique touch for a delicious homemade coleslaw.

The longer the purple coleslaw is refrigerated, the deeper the color becomes.
This is a perfect side dish for summer BBQ’s. We really enjoy this great purple coleslaw. Sure hope you will give it a try. Have a great week!

Looking For More COLESLAW Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of great salads you’ll enjoy, including these other coleslaw recipes:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe source: My brain and lots of experimenting…

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
Purple Coleslaw
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Purple coleslaw, with homemade poppyseed dressing, is a quick, easy salad that's perfect for BBQ's! Slaw turns deep purple the longer it refrigerates.

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: purple coleslaw
Servings: 6 (1/2 cup) servings
Calories Per Serving: 288 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Coleslaw:
  • 2 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
For Coleslaw Dressing:
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Shred green cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Place into a large mixing bowl. Mix well, to combine.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, poppyseeds, and granulated sugar. Mix well, to thoroughly combine.
  3. Add the dressing to the slaw mixture. Stir well until all veggies are coated with dressing. Cover coleslaw with plastic wrap; place in refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour (preferably longer), so that flavors come together and the slaw is very cold.
  4. Serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Prep time does not include inactive refrigeration time. The longer the cole slaw is refrigerated, the better it is, and the more PURPLE it becomes!

Nutrition Facts
Purple Coleslaw
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 288 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 349mg15%
Potassium 117mg3%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 1995IU40%
Vitamin C 17.7mg21%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Purple coleslaw, with homemade poppyseed dressing, is a quick, easy salad that's perfect for BBQ's! Slaw turns deep purple the longer it refrigerates.

 

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Lentil Stew

Hearty, healthy and delicious, you will love this low calorie, thick homemade lentil stew for an easy and inexpensive lunch or dinner!Hearty, healthy and delicious, you will love this low calorie, thick homemade lentil stew for an easy and inexpensive lunch or dinner!
Well, this was a happy experiment. It was my first time cooking lentils! I guess I’m behind the times, but I kept hearing about how inexpensive, nutritious, and filling lentils were, so I started looking to see what goes into a good, thick Lentil Stew. Then I made my own version!

I must have looked at 25 different ways to make lentil soup or stew. I finally decided to just make my own version and add a variety of ingredients (like carrots, celery, thyme, dill, garlic, etc) I found on various recipes that sounded like they would be good additions.

The only HARD part about making this stew was I had to remember to write all the ingredients down as I made it, so I could actually remember what I did. Do you ever do that? Let’s just say that one hand was stirring the pot, one hand was writing it all down, and I suppose I might have used my FEET to take the pictures… somehow I got it done, and guess what? This hearty lentil stew is GOOD!

Scroll Down For a Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Lentils Are A Healthy Protein-Filled Legume

On a side note… did you know that lentils (a legume) contain the 3rd highest protein of any legume? True. Lentils are inexpensive AND highly nutritious. That can be considered a win-win kind of main ingredient.

How To Make Delicious Lentil Stew

The first thing to do is cook the chopped onions for a few minutes in a bit of olive oil. The onions are cooked until they have softened.

Cooking onions in red pot for lentil stew
Once onions have softened, add the lentils. It’s important to rinse and drain the lentils in a colander BEFORE adding! Brown rice is then added to the soup pot, along with 5 cups water. Give the ingredients a good stir after adding the rice.

Lentils, water and brown rice added to stew
Add a large cube of chicken bouillon to the stew, crumbling it up, as you add. TIP FOR VEGETARIANS: If you want to make this a completely vegetarian stew, leave the chicken bouillon out or add vegetable bouillon.

I personally enjoy the flavor the chicken bouillon adds, but it certainly won’t hurt the lentil stew if you omit it.

Chicken bouillon used to flavor lentil stewTime To Cook the Lentil Stew

Add the chopped celery, carrots, flat leaf parsley, thyme, dill, salt, oregano, seasoning salt, and minced garlic to the pot. Bring the lentil stew to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook the stew on a low simmer for about 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chopped celery, carrots, and spices added to soup pot
After the stew has cooked for about 45 minutes, the rice and lentils will be softened. A lot of the broth will have absorbed. Now the mixture will look more like a thickened soup or stew. TIP: I served the lentil stew in it’s thickened form. If you want it to be more “soup-like” (more broth liquid), simply add a cup of water during the last 10 minutes of cook time.

Lentil Stew ready to serve!Ready to EAT!

To serve, divide the hot lentil stew into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl of soup with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve the soup with some crusty slices of bread, and you’ve got yourself a hearty meal!

Even without meat, the combination of lentils and brown rice combine to make sure all essential amino acids are provided to make a complete protein dish. The lentil stew leftovers are pretty amazing, also (just sayin’).

Lentil Stew in bowl, with garlic bread on side
This was an easy meal to make, and my husband and I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch over the course of several days. Sure hope you will give this delicious lentil stew a try… I think you will be surprised at just how good it is! Have a great day!

Looking For More SOUP OR STEW Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
Lentil Stew
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

Hearty, healthy and delicious, you will love this low calorie, thick homemade lentil stew for an easy and inexpensive lunch or dinner!

Category: Dinner, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lentil stew
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 151 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium brown onion , chopped
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup brown lentils (rinsed)
  • 1/3 cup brown rice (uncooked)
  • 1 large chicken bouillon cube (can omit if making this vegetarian)
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 celery stalks , chopped small
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • Dried parsley (OPTIONAL-to sprinkle on stew as a garnish before serving)
Instructions
  1. In a large soup pot, cook the chopped onion in olive oil until onions have softened (3-4 minutes).
  2. Add 5 cups water, rinsed lentils, brown rice, and crumbled chicken bouillon cube.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Bring soup mixture to a full boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
  5. Continue to cook the stew for 45-50 minutes (covered) on low, stirring occasionally. Uncover the stew the last 10 minutes of cooking time.(*If you want the stew to have more broth, simply add in another cup of water during the last 10 minutes of cooking time).
  6. Taste. Season with additional salt/pepper, if desired.
  7. Ladle the hot stew into serving bowls. Sprinkle with dried parsley (optional).
  8. Serve with some good crusty bread, and ENJOY!
Nutrition Facts
Lentil Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 151 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Sodium 588mg26%
Potassium 398mg11%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 5440IU109%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Hearty, healthy and delicious, you will love this low calorie, thick homemade lentil stew for an easy and inexpensive lunch or dinner!

 

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Quick N’ Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup

Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n’ easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n' easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!

A dear friend of mine named Sandy gave me this recipe for Cream of Broccoli Soup written on a little index card about 30 years ago.  I’ve made this soup many times over the years (and have a completely food-stained index card to prove it!).  This is a delicious, very easy, inexpensive soup to make (with simple ingredients), and serves 4.

I was privileged to be a bridesmaid in Sandy’s wedding to her wonderful hubby Jeff, and my husband was privileged to be the pastor to officiate the ceremony. It was his first wedding to preside over, and we have such funny memories of that wedding.

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Slight Tweak To the Original Recipe For Cream Of Broccoli Soup

My friend’s original instructions called for making this in the microwave oven, but I’ve adapted this cream of broccoli soup slightly over the years. Now I usually make it on my stove top in a soup pot, and add a bit of cheddar cheese, for extra flavor. The soup only takes about 25-30 minutes to prepare, so it’s easy to throw together after a long day.

I sure hope you will give this one a try. I really do think you will enjoy it! It’s EASY and DELICIOUS!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: Sandy Whittaker

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Quick N' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Make 4 servings of this simple, delicious, quick n' easy cream of broccoli soup (with cheddar cheese!) in under 30 minutes!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream of broccoli soup
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 320 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. (10 ounces) frozen broccoli, thawed
  • 6 Tablespoons butter (or margarine)
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced brown onion
  • 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Dash of ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (plus additional for garnish on top of soup, if desired)
Instructions
  1. In a soup pot, melt the butter. Add the minced onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour; whisk to combine. Cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir ingredients until smooth and thoroughly combined. Heat the soup for 5-7 minutes on medium-high until soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.

  2. Add the thawed broccoli to soup. Carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender and puree OR puree the ingredients together in the soup pot using an immersion blender.

  3. Return soup to pan. Add 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Stir to combine. Heat soup until hot (about 3-4 minutes). Ladle soup into 4 serving bowls. Garnish soup with a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese; Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Quick N' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 320 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 964mg42%
Potassium 471mg13%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1340IU27%
Vitamin C 67.3mg82%
Calcium 291mg29%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Quick n' Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

 

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce, with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, is a delicious meatless dish that looks and tastes great!Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce, with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, is a delicious meatless dish that looks and tastes great!

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Butternut Squash Ravioli, drizzled with a browned butter and sage sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese. It’s fun to make homemade ravioli, and this recipe sounded good. So… I made it… and we really enjoyed it!

The creaminess of the roasted butternut squash, combined with the flavor of Parmesan cheese and a touch of nutmeg is amazing! The browned butter sauce (with only TWO ingredients!) that covered the pasta is so easy to make.

I decided to make my own ravioli from scratch because we have the cutest little pasta machine I received as a birthday gift several years ago. Seriously- I think making homemade pasta is very therapeutic and fun!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

But What If I Don’t Have A Pasta Machine?

However, if you don’t have a pasta machine, you still can make this recipe with two other options: 1) make pasta dough and roll it out by hand with brute strength, or 2) buy a package of won ton wrappers and use those instead of pasta.

If you go the purchased won ton route, this recipe just got a lot simpler! If you like the adventure of making and rolling your own pasta dough for ravioli, then this is still a very simple recipe… honest!

Roast The Butternut Squash

You will need to roast the butternut squash first!  Peel, de-seed, and then cut it into cubes. Bake (per instructions in printable recipe card below) the butternut squash.

Butternut squash is seeded, cubed and roasted before making this dish.
Time To Make The Ravioli Dough

Making the ravioli dough is kinda fun, at least for me it is! This time I used an easy egg-less recipe I found in my pasta machine instruction book. Mix the ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook on it.

Dough for the raviolis is mixed together.
Remove the dough from the mixer once dough comes together enough to form a ball. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes, covered with a slightly damp dish towel.

The dough rests on a floured surface before shaping.
Pasta Machine Fun!

Slice off a piece of the dough, and run it through your pasta machine, adjusting settings (per manufacturer instructions) until you have long strips of dough. Keep running the dough through the machine until you have very long, thin strips of dough.

The dough for making butternut squash ravioli needs to be really thin. If rolling it out by hand, keep at it until the dough is very thin!

A pasta machine is used to make long sheets of dough for the ravioli.
Time To Fill The Butternut Squash Ravioli

After the butternut squash finishes roasting, mash it up, then mix it (using an electric beater) with the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg in a bowl. Place small spoonfuls of mixture onto the pasta sheets, leaving space in between each spoonful.

Roasted squash is placed on sheets of pasta dough in dollops.
Now gently pull the dough up and over the top of the butternut squash, from front to back, to touch the other side of the dough. Carefully cut into individual raviolis like this:

The pasta dough is folded over and cut into individual pieces.
Crimp the edges with a fork all the way around, sealing the edges shut like this:

Each of the raviolis is crimped on the edges with a fork.
Now the ravioli should (hopefully) look like this:

Now the butternut squash ravioli is ready to cook!
Cook The Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Bring a large saucepan full of salted water to a full boil. Right before you cook the ravioli (remember FRESH ravioli only takes 2-3 minutes to cook), make the browned butter/sage sauce.

Melt the butter with  fresh sage leaves in a large skillet. I grow my own sage at home, so all I had to do was go out to my front porch and get some of the leaves… easy-peasy!

Melted butter is cooked with sage leaves until it becomes browned.
After the butter and sage have cooked for about 3 minutes, the butter will begin to turn light brown. It will be a bit more brown than this…and will smell somewhat “nutty”. Once the butter sauce is light brown in color, remove the skillet from the heat.

Butter and sage leaves continue to cook until browned.
The butternut squash ravioli cooks in about the same time it takes to make the sauce (about 3 minutes).

Cooking the raviolis in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes.
Time To Serve The Raviolis

Remove the raviolis with a slotted spoon to let them drain. Place them directly into the browned butter/sage sauce (sorry, no picture of that… was too busy trying to get them all in the skillet and covered with sauce!)

Spoon the sauce over the hot ravioli, then gently spoon them up and onto serving plates. Spoon additional sauce and sage leaves over the ravioli. Grate some fresh Parmesan cheese on the top, and serve!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce on plate with a green salad.
Sure hope you try making these butternut squash ravioli. They are absolutely delicious!

Close up photo of the finished ravioli dish on serving plate.

Hope you enjoy this Italian-inspired pasta dish. It really tastes wonderful! Have a great day!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful pasta recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/09/butternut-squash-ravioli-with-sage.html

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
48 mins
 

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce, with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, is a delicious meatless dish that looks and tastes great!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: butternut squash ravioli
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 817 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Squash Filling:
  • 1 pound butternut squash
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper (to season)
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
For Browned Butter Sauce:
  • 3/4 cube butter
  • 10-12 sage leaves
For Pasta:
  • 1 recipe homemade pasta dough OR 1 pkg won ton skins (*see notes)
My pasta dough was made from:
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
For Garnish:
  • Additional grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Slice squash in half. Peel and de-seed. Cut the squash into cubes, place in bowl, and coat them fairly well with olive oil. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper. Place the squash cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. The squash should be tender when done. Remove squash from oven; place into a medium bowl and mash the squash with a fork until well "mashed". Add the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Give it a taste. If necessary, add a bit more salt and pepper.
  2. While the squash is baking, make the pasta, per manufacturer's instructions. Roll it out into long strips on a well-floured surface.
  3. Place small spoonfuls of the squash filling in the middle of the long sheets of pasta dough, leaving space between each one. Gently pull the dough up and over the filling from front to back until the dough touches the other edge. Lightly press down the outer edges. Carefully cut each ravioli apart. Using a fork, carefully crimp the edges of the raviolis, to seal completely.
  4. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, for the ravioli.
  5. While the water is coming to a boil, make the butter sauce: In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the sage leaves. Cook this for for 3-4 minutes on medium-low, only until the butter begins to brown. Once the butter turns light brown, remove pan from the heat.
  6. Cook the ravioli in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. They will float to the top of the water when they are done cooking. Remove the raviolis from the hot water using a slotted spoon; place them into the browned butter sauce. Carefully spoon some of the sauce onto the raviolis, to cover.
  7. Place raviolis onto individual serving plates. Drizzle with the browned butter sauce and the sage leaves. Finely grate Parmesan cheese on top; Serve... and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

If using won ton wrappers, place prepared squash/Parmesan mixture into center of won ton wrapper. Brush all the edges of the won ton with water, then press edges together to completely seal around filling. Follow rest of directions.

Nutrition Facts
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 817 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 754mg33%
Potassium 591mg17%
Carbohydrates 150g50%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 12135IU243%
Vitamin C 23.8mg29%
Calcium 199mg20%
Iron 9.1mg51%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce, with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, is a delicious meatless dish that looks and tastes great!

 

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Zucchini Relish

Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!
Last summer I was visiting a dear friend in her home. She told me she had canned some pickle relish, using shredded zucchini from her garden. Then she gave me not one, but TWO pint jars of her homemade zucchini relish to take home.

I was too embarrassed to tell her that I don’t even LIKE pickle relish, so I thanked her (graciously, of course!), and took them home to occupy a spot in our pantry.  My thought was… I don’t eat hot dogs that often, and I don’t use it in my potato salad, so what was I supposed to do with TWO jars of the stuff?

I figured I could always put it out with the condiments at a bar-b-que or something…I ultimately cracked open a jar of zucchini relish (my curiosity got the best of me), and tried it on a grilled hot dog, and guess what? I LOVED it… (insert rolling of the eyes here). WHO KNEW?

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Okay… Please Give Me The Recipe- I Confess

Fast forward…It’s almost a year later… and those 2 jars of relish are long gone. Used up over the past year… it’s a Christmas Miracle! (perhaps my taste buds changed?) So I told (more like “confessed”) my friend the WHOLE story of my initial reaction to her kind gift (truth-telling, from start to finish) and asked her for the recipe. Ha Ha.

We had a good laugh over it. She was kind enough to give it to me, just as she received the recipe from her Mom. I decided to make some for our pantry (you know… just in case there’s a world-wide pickle relish shortage!!!!!!).

I cut the recipe in half, and it made 2 pint jars and one half-pint jar… which should last us for awhile. The recipe I’m posting is for the whole amount, and it makes between 5-6 pint jars of zucchini relish.

So for all you relish lovers out there, here is a great relish for your hot dogs or hamburgers or potato salad, AND a great way to use up some of the zucchini that will overrun your garden this year! I’m glad I learned how to make my own. Even if you don’t “can”, you can keep one jar in the refrigerator for immediate use, and give the other jar to a friend.

How To Make Zucchini Relish

Here’s how you make it (it’s easy!):  You start with shredded zucchini that has been drained well to remove excess water. Mix in diced onion, green pepper (I even snuck in a bit of red pepper), and salt. Let the mixture sit (covered) for 24 hours. The salt helps draw out liquid from the zucchini. Drain well, and rinse with cold water. Drain once more.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
After draining zucchini mixture,  add it to the rest of the ingredients in a large stock pot, stir well to combine, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook it for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Canning Zucchini Relish

Ladle relish into hot, sterilized canning jars (following basic canning guidelines). Leave 1/2″ headspace, remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Process in a boiling hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Remove jars from canner and listen for that wonderful “ping” sound, indicating the jars have sealed properly. Let the jars sit on the counter, undisturbed for 24 hours, then store in pantry.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Even if you don’t “can” food, you can always let the zucchini relish cool completely, then place it in jars (and kept refrigerated), then give one to a relish-loving friend or two… (never thought I’d ever say that!).

And… enjoy your hot dogs or hamburgers this summer, with this tasty zucchini relish on them (of course!).

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few canning recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Recipe Source: Debbie Stephens (and her Mom)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Zucchini Relish
Prep Time
1 d
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 d 15 mins
 
Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!
Category: Canning, Canning and Preserving, Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: zucchini relish
Servings: 5 -6 pint jars
Calories Per Serving: 26 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 cups shredded zucchini (seeds scooped out and discarded)
  • 1 large onion , finely diced
  • 1 green pepper , finely diced (I even used a bit of red pepper!)
  • 5 Tablespoons canning salt
  • 2 1/4 cups vinegar
  • 6 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
  • 1 Tablespoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 Tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 Tablespoon celery seed
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the shredded zucchini, onion, green pepper, and salt. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit for 24 hours (this draws out liquid from zucchini).
  2. Drain zucchini mixture; rinse well with cold water, then drain completely again.
  3. Place the drained zucchini mixture into a large stockpot. Add the vinegar, sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, dry mustard, turmeric, corn starch, and celery seed. Stir to mix well.
  4. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Ladle hot relish into canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim of jar, adjust two piece lids.
  6. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Remove to a towel to cool. Make sure jars seal, then let sit for 24 hours before moving to pantry.
Recipe Notes

Note: I cut the recipe in half easily, and it produced 2 pint jars and 1 half-pint jar.
Also, note that the long prep time is the time allotted for zucchini/pepper/onion/salt mixture to soak overnight.
If canning this in half-pint jars, they only need to process for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Zucchini Relish
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!

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Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup

You’re gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, with carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!
Years and years ago, both of my parents were members of Weight Watchers. My mom found a recipe in their membership book for an Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup that they loved, and she shared it with me. I quickly became a huge fan, because it is absolutely delicious!

My Mom loved to cook this healthy veggie soup and have it around for a quick lunch or dinner, because not only was it delicious, it was good for you. 

She tweaked the original recipe a bit, but loved that it was extremely low in calories and fat, but high in fiber, to keep them both feeling full while dieting.

We LOVE This Healthy Veggie Soup!

For years now I have been making this healthy veggie soup whether I’ve been dieting or not dieting, but simply because I LOVE IT! This is a very easy recipe to make, as well. It is simply a matter of cooking some veggies, and then adding the rest of the ingredients, and cooking until done.

The picture (below) is from a time I made this soup for her, when I was home visiting. I suppose it is kind of a “full-circle” kind of thing!

Sorry I don’t have any more photos… at the time, I didn’t even think of it! Honestly, though, this truly is a simple, delicious healthy veggie soup, that I’m confident you’ll enjoy, too.

Healthy Veggie Soup is very easy to make, ridiculously LOW in calories, and frankly, with the seasonings in it, tastes like a wonderful Italian-flavored soup.

It’s wonderful (whether you’re on a diet or not) and DELICIOUS! We even like to sprinkle it with a bit of Parmesan cheese right when it’s served hot. YUM!

Close up of easy healthy veggie soup in bowl.

Just like my Mom did, I have found it to be a hearty and healthy veggie soup (filled with carrots, onions, beans, cabbage, and zucchini), that I love to have extra of in my refrigerator, for a quick lunch or dinner meal.

Hope you enjoy making and eating this delicious healthy veggie soup, too! Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of great soup recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Author's signatureRecipe slightly adapted from: Weight Watcher membership booklet from years ago.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!

Category: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy veggie soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 49 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 1 cup carrots , sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup brown onion , chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 12 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 3 beef bouillon cubes (can also use beef or vegetable broth)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped frozen spinach (cooked according to pkg. directions, then drained)
  • 1 cup green cabbage , sliced, chopped
  • 1/2 cup canned green beans (or frozen)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked , thinly sliced zucchini (added during last 10 minutes of cooking)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional as garnish, but it really add to the flavor!)
Instructions
  1. Spray a soup pot with non-stick spray.
  2. Cook the carrots and onions in soup pot for 4 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for additional 45 seconds, stirring constantly, to prevent garlic from burning.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT for the zucchini and Parmesan cheese).. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook on low for 30 minutes, or until carrots have become tender.
  4. Add the zucchini and cook an additional 10 minutes (adding the zucchini in toward the end of cooking time prevents the zucchini from getting soggy or falling apart).
  5. When heated through, ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese.
  6. Enjoy!
  7. Heat
Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation does not include optional Parmesan cheese for garnish.
If using bouillon cubes instead of store bought broth, toss them in whole with the other ingredients. As soup cooks, they will dissolve and help flavor the soup.

Nutrition Facts
Easy & Healthy Veggie Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 49 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 0.1mg0%
Sodium 995mg43%
Potassium 431mg12%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 6826IU137%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 95mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna love this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for easy to make Italian healthy veggie soup, w/carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cabbage!

 

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Chili & Cheese Stuffed Spud

Need a quick, filling lunch or dinner that is REALLY easy? Why not make a chili cheese stuffed spud, with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions!Need a quick, filling lunch or dinner that is REALLY easy? Why not make a chili cheese stuffed spud, with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions!
Ever have those moments when you just don’t want to cook dinner? What? You do, too??? Shocking! I had one of those moments recently (several times, actually). I ended up making a Chili Cheese Stuffed Spud for my husband and I.

I was too tired to “want” to fix anything, so I  heated up some leftover chili I had in the fridge (Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chili). Use any kind of chili you like! Then I stuffed a big beast-like “baker” potato with the chili.  You know – the BIG potatoes!

That humongous potato was filled with the chili, then topped with cheese, sour cream and green onions, and POOF! Dinner was served! Or as I like to say: “Dinner is served. I am offering two choices tonight for your dining pleasure. 1) Take It, or 2) Leave It.”

A Chili Cheese Stuffed Spud Is A Filling Meal!

This was a delicious, filling, “all-in-one” dinner.  “Ya got your potato, ya got your chili with meat and beans, ya got your cheese, ya got your sour cream, and ya got your green onions” (said with a deep New York accent, of course!). Geepers, if you threw some chocolate on there, you would have almost ALL the food groups represented… but I digress.

I threw (translation: gently and lovingly placed) the potatoes in the oven and baked them, but if you’re pressed for time, just microwave them… easy peasy, either way! Did you know that potatoes are the world’s 4th largest field crop? Yep. It’s true. (Random factoid for the day).

This is such an easy dish to prepare… and it really did fill up our hungry tummies! It’s so versatile… you can take away, or add anything you want (like veggies) to “make it yours”. Just thought I’d share it with you on the ol’ blog today. We sure don’t eat these too often at our house, but every now and then, it’s a quick, economical, and filling meal.

Chili cheese stuffed spud, topped with sour cream, grated cheese & scallions.

The Basics of Making A Chili Cheese Stuffed Spud

I’m not even going to post a recipe for this, because it’s so very basic… Bake (or microwave) a large potato, slice open, generously fill it with hot chili, then top with grated cheddar cheese, a generous dollop of sour cream, and some sliced green onions.

Seriously… how easy is that? Hope you will consider making these Chili & Cheese Stuffed Spuds, especially for those moments when your private chef, caterer, or entire kitchen staff get horribly sick and can’t prepare your evening meal. (*cough, cough*).  But we ALL know this situation would NEVER happen on Downton Abbey, would it now?

Have a wonderful day. Be sure and check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a LOT of family-friends recipes I am confident you will enjoy.

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Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Need a quick, filling lunch or dinner that is REALLY easy? Why not make a chili cheese stuffed spud, with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions!

Save

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