Parsnip, Leek and Potato Soup

One of my coworkers is legitimately the queen of soups. She has a new amazing creation almost every day, most from vegetables she picked from her own garden. This inspired me to start experimenting with different vegetable mixes, which quickly lead to disasters like the turnip and chickpea situation (never again will I touch another turnip). Now I've learned to not make so much soup that I could feed the Duggars and to use ingredients that I'm slightly more comfortable with.

This one turned out really tasty and it didn't require much more than just the vegetables. I asked my coworker what spices she recommended using with a soup like this and she mentioned that the leeks have a special enough flavour that you don't need much more than salt and pepper - she was right!

This one won't take you more than 40 minutes from start to finish and makes enough to feed 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 large parsnip
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 leek
• 1 small onion
• Butter
• Nutmeg
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 cups vegetable stock

Baked chicken bruschetta

You know those days when you get home from work at 5:30, collapse into bed and the next thing you know it's almost 9pm and you've done absolutely nothing productive other than bitch about your wireless provider on Twitter and kick your sisters out of your room? Yep, I'm having a great night you guys!!! I figured it was time to block Twitter for the night (where would I be without Chrome's self control add-ons?) and try to be a little more productive. So not only am I about to actually step out of bed right after I post this, I'm finally sharing this recipe I've had drafted for over two weeks now! I know, I can't believe what a productive human being I am either.

I've made this baked chicken bruschetta twice already in the last couple of weeks, each time using slightly different ingredients. The first time I had fresh basil and parmesan and the second time I used kale and gouda. Both ways were really flavourful and there was cheese involved so it's a win no matter what, right? The dry basil in it is really key so I recommend using a lot!

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 potato
• 1 onion
• Dry basil
• 2 garlic cloves
• Cubed chicken (mine had been boiled and I threw it in but you can fry up some raw chicken if you'd like)
• Grated parmesan (or any other type of cheese, I used gouda the second time I made it)
• Salt and pepper
• Black mustard seeds (optional)
• Fresh basil (optional)
• Kale (optional)

Warm beef and blue cheese salad

Just to let everyone know, I started a Facebook Page for Project Pack a Lunch so feel free to like it so you can get lunch updates while you stalk people you once went to high school with. 

Now on to the food stuff, featuring a warm beef salad! Seriously, I know I say I'm obsessed with everything and I know that I'm a slight exaggerator but I am obsessed with this one! The flavor of the sautéed vegetables and the simmering meat marinade and the cheese is all perfect and requires no dressing. And no dressing hopefully means its low in fat (ignoring the number of calories in cheese because WHO CARES IT'S CHEESE).

This may not be a lunch dish, but I thought it turned out too delicious not to share. It took less than 30 minutes from start to finish and is really easy to switch up to make your own. I know a lot of people can't stand blue cheese so any other soft cheese should work. I'll probably use goat cheese next time I make this.

Ingredients:

• 1 beef fillet
• Kale
• Spinach
• 2 Cherry tomatoes
• 2 Brussel sprouts
• Alfalafa sprouts
• 1 Radish
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Blue cheese
• Marinade: balsamic vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black peppercorns, salt

Lunch Ideas: Part III + easy roasted chickpeas and spinach

I've come to realize I eat an unbelievable amount of chickpeas. I know I've written about it before but I realize it more and more every time someone I know brings it up. Last week it was my cousin, last night it was my aunt. The only excuse I have is that I'm trying to cut down on the amount of meat I have, meaning once a day instead of every meal and some days maybe even not at all, though it hasn't worked yet. But really, chickpeas are cheap, can be flavoured in a lot of ways and they're incredibly filling so I've got nothing left to justify!

Anyway, someone shared a link to Smitten Kitchen's spinach and chickpeas and I thought I would give it a try. Since I'm completely incapable of following directions (also I have a very short attention span), I just kind of did what I wanted and it still turned out great, took less than 25 minutes, and was perfect for lunch the next day.

All you need to do is chop up spinach and kale, cut garlic into thin slices, mix chickpeas, spinach, kale, and garlic in olive oil, salt, paprika, crushed peppercorns, and a little bit of cinnamon and bake for around 15 minutes. Easy, right?

And now for the lunches! Here's what I've been eating over the last couple of weeks:

• Cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, half an avocado
• Pecans and raisins, guava, olives, slice of olive and oregano havarti (DELICIOUS)
• Roasted sweet potato (easy: slice them up, mix them with oil, cinnamon, paprika, and salt. roast for 15 mins. Caroline at AndStaySweet says sea salt is a must though!)
• Roasted chickpeas, spinach and kale

• Pomegranate seeds, walnuts, cherry tomatoes, and some more of that delicious havarti
• Spinach pie, cucumber, and radish

• Almonds and guava, some crackers and gouda
• 1/2 can of tuna, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, radish and tomato salad. (olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper for dressing)

Vegetarian stuffed eggplant

Over the last few weeks, cooking has been taking over my life. And by cooking I mean experimenting with random ingredients way past midnight instead of going to sleep. It's done little to help my under-eye bags or to to help me wake up for work in the morning, but you know what? I've made some delicious food so that's probably all that matters.

I put this together because I was craving cheese like a crazy person (what else is new) and I really needed to use up some eggplant in the fridge. It turned out really tasty and I had enough of the filling left over to use for a third eggplant for my aunt the next day. And she sincerely enjoyed it, thank you very much.

Ingredients:

• 3 small eggplants
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion
• 3 mushrooms
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella and parmesan
• Dry basil
• Salt and Pepper
• Arribiata spices (optional)
• Butter