This post was last published in November, 2015. It is still one of my favorite soups that can be made with lean ground beef and all the veggies in your fridge (specifically zucchini, green beans and carrots). Although we are still experiencing 90+ degree weather in Florida, I crave this light, yet hearty, soup all the time. It’s perfect for light lunches and dinners – it’s nice to make ahead so that you have something to quickly reheat when you are short on time.

Click here to PIN this Italian Vegetable Beef Soup recipe!

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Are you all turkey’ed out or what? I know I am. I had a few good leftover turkey recipes swirling in my head over the weekend (my daughter wanted me to make a turkey pasta salad, mmm), but honestly, I just didn’t get around to any creative leftover creations. We had a lot of turkey paninis and just straight up Thanksgiving plate reruns. It’s all good.

Moving on from turkey…I’m bringing up this Italian Vegetable Beef recipe from the archives. I originally posted this recipe back in December of 2009. Crazy how long ago that was! I remember I made this soup to take to my daughter’s preschool teacher who had just had surgery. When she got back to school, she told me her and her daughters loved the soup so much and wanted more. Yea, a compliment like that pretty much always makes my day. 🙂 Since then, I have made this soup quite a few times. It’s a great change from my typical chicken based soups, the lean beef (or bison) makes it a little extra hearty but still easy on the calories.

I’m sure most of you will agree that a bowl of good homemade soup is total comfort.  Soup has a way of warming up the body while nourishing it with so many health benefits at the same time.  I’m more of a broth base soup person, so I’m not really referring to the heavier creamy soups…not that those are bad, but they just don’t make me feel the same as a soup filled with lots of herbs and vegetables in broth.

Whenever I find that I have lots of vegetables in the veggie drawer that need to be used up, I usually make soup.  This particular day I had a nice variety of veggies….zucchini, squash, carrots and green beans. 

Add some dried herbs, lean ground beef and chicken broth and you’ve got Italian Vegetable Beef Soup.

Healthy Italian Vegetable Soup

1. In large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add zucchini, squash, carrots, garlic and onions. Cook for about 8 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
2. Add seasonings, tomatoes and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
3. Add green beans and cooked ground beef.
4. Simmer soup for about 20 minutes.
5. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta if you like.

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Italian Vegetable Beef Soup

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Break out the vegetables for this light and savory Italian Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. It’s loaded with great vegetables like zucchini, squash and carrots. Healthy (and easy) comfort food!

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Ingredients

• 2 tb olive oil
• 2 zucchinis, quarter chopped
• 2 squash, quarter chopped
• 2–3 carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 cups green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• good pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 32oz can of Italian diced tomatoes, with juices
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 – 1.25  lb lean ground beef or bison, cooked and crumbled
• Parmesan cheese, optional

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Instructions

1. In large stock pot, heat 2 tb olive oil and add zucchini, squash, carrots, garlic and onions. Cook for about 8 minutes until starting to soften. Add seasonings, tomatoes and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add green beans and cooked ground beef. Simmer soup for about 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta if you like.

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Notes

Note:  amounts of vegetables can be varied.  Use what you have on hand.

Healthy Soup Recipes

Soup is one of my go to meals when I’m trying to trim some pounds or just generally feel healthier. Some soups I tend to make often are  Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Kale Soup with Sweet Potatoes, Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, Italian Tomato and Lentil Soup and Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup. I’m ready to try this Beef Taco Quinoa Soup and Fall Vegetable Quinoa Soup!

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Soup, Stew and Chili Recipes on Pinterest.

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There are two foods my kids are obsessed with right now – potatoes and rice. This is a new thing for us. And it’s keeping things interesting for me because before this obsession I really didn’t cook potatoes and rice regularly. Now I find myself bookmarking recipes like this homemade rice-a-roni from Heather because I just know it will be a hit amongst the fam.

Now if I could get sweet potatoes onto this obsession wagon I would be a very happy cooking mama. Something about the orange is making the kiddos turn away from their plate. If they only knew and remembered how much they loved that weird orange food just a couple of years ago when they ate them all the time.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

There are a million ways you can season and roast potatoes in the oven. This little roasted red potatoes with smoked paprika recipe has become quite popular on Pinterest. I’ve made it plenty of times, as I have already made this dill version a few times in the past month. I like to change up the shape of how I’m cutting them (crinkle cut is fun like in my perfectly baked Italian herb French fries) as well as the combination of spices every time I cook them.

When you are cutting your potatoes make sure you are using a strong, sharp knife (like a chef’s knife or santuko knife). If you’re looking for a crinkle cutter to change up the shape of your fries, there are some great ones out there!

You all loved these grilled bison burgers, and that made me (and my hubby) happy. We think you’ll also love these potato wedges that are perfect alongside any burger you cook up this summer.

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The post Oven Roasted Dill Potato Wedges appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

A perfect addition to your plate!

I absolutely cherish my time at home with my family on the weekends. My husband’s work schedule can be demanding, so the weekends have always been time to really reconnect the family unit and basically “chill out”. Our favorite kind of weekend day is what we declare “pool day!” where we get what needs to be done done, then get in our suits, turn on some music and bust out the blender for some frosty drinks (that has actually been put on hold for now obviously) poolside. Those are the days we usually grill out too, which is always a win.

Due to a bit of a crazy season my family’s been in lately, our “pool days” seem to have become far and few between. It happens, so when we actually get a free day to just chill, it’s extra special and definitely appreciated.

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The post Potato Salad Recipe With Mustard and Chives appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I’m a such a sucker for well cooked – fried or baked – french fries (who isn’t?). It’s definitely my favorite way to eat spuds, even though the fried version is unfortunately not the most nutritious. I have been baking fries for quite a while now when I need a fix, and I’ve finally gotten them to crisp up just how I like them. Not only do they turn out nice and crisp on the outside – and just right on the inside – but these baked Italian Herb French Fries are irresistibly seasoned too. They get gobbled up quick by the little hands (and big hands) in my home every time I make them.

The trick to making these is cooking them at the right temperature as well as leaving them alone while baking. For some reason I always feel like I need to constantly check in on my fries and give them a toss or a shake. I learned to leave them alone (this may or may not have happened totally by accident) and by doing so their outsides got a chance to really brown up. I do give them a toss about 5 minutes before they are ready to come out just to make sure things even out a little more.

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The post Perfectly Baked Italian Herb French Fries appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

I invited Rachel of Not Rachael Ray over here today to share one of her yummy recipes with you. I have been reading Rachel’s blog for a few months now, we met on Twitter (right Rachel?), talking about food and fitness I’m sure, and I am so glad we did because I love her blog and her food! What makes her posts a little extra fun to read are her notes after each recipe she cooks, I love seeing what her and her husband’s thoughts are about the recipe and if there is anything she would do differently . And can I just say…her daughter is adorable! Thanks for being here Rachel…these Stuffed Zucchini look amazing!

Make sure you stop by Rachel’s blog and say hello!

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When Aggie asked me to guest post for her, I jumped at the chance. I’ve been reading her blog for awhile now and have loved it from the very beginning. Aggie and I are similar in many ways, family girls, healthy eaters (although I think she has better discipline in that department than I do), and fitness lovers.

I’ll quickly introduce myself, if you want to learn more, check out my blog and my about me page. I started my blog because I love cooking and baking, but I’m not a trained chef. I went to school to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and while I love that job, I have transitioned into being a stay-at-home mom. I still work at the hospital here and there when I’m needed, but most of the time I’m at home hanging out with my little girl. Being a stay-at-home mom has given me more time to try new recipes and document them on my blog for everyone else to try. It has become such a fun hobby and a new passion of mine.

Today I have some stuffed zucchini for you. It is a quick and easy side dish.

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The post {Guest Post} Stuffed Zucchini from Not Rachael Ray appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Don’t you love recipes with a short ingredient list?  Well that’s this month’s Virtual Supper Club’s theme…5 Ingredients or less, chosen by Jamie of Mom’s Cooking Club.  I loved the idea…and loved all the dishes everyone chose to bring to the table.

My dish was a very simple side.  The kind of side you can make any weeknight without too much fuss.  The recipe calls for chili oil, which I have had in the past…but didn’t this time.  No problem…just toss in some red pepper flakes into your oil while you saute your garlic.  The chili will infuse into the oil and add just enough flavor and heat.

Here’s what else was on the menu this month…enjoy!

For starters…Chili Lime Shrimp from Shelby

Jamie brought the main dish…Sherried Pineapple Pork Tenderloin

On the Side…Spinach with Chili Oil (click for recipe)

For Dessert…Val treated us with Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

On a side note…wanted to share with you my first interview featured on a local website Pulse of Central Florida! Thanks for the featuring the article Ashley!

The post Spinach with Chili Oil – Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Kelly from Baking with the Boys chose Ina Garten’s Herb Roasted Onions as her selection for one of November’s Barefoot Bloggers recipes. When I saw the recipes chosen this month, I was very excited about both of them. Not that past recipes weren’t exciting and delicious, but, these two were going to be no brainers for me, I wouldn’ t have to do too much altering to … um … lighten them up. If you know me, I’m all about lightening things up…it’s kind of like an addiction. And if you know Ina’s recipes, well you know they are usually full of good stuff like butter and cream!

Anyway, back to the onions. I think this side dish would be great for almost any meal…they would be perfect for steak or a rustic roast chicken. Throw your leftovers on a sandwich or scramble them with some eggs. They might even sneak their way onto your Thanksgiving table if you let them. I think they are definitely worthy.

I really loved the leftover dressing that was used to drizzle over the onions after they were cooked. It gave them such a fresh taste, in addition to their natural sweetness that came out from the roasting. This is real food, simplicity at it’s best.

Herb Roasted Onions

Ingredients:

• 2 red onions
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.
3. For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook

Follow AggiesKitchen on Instagram and show us what recipes you are making from the blog! Use the hashtag #aggieskitchen - I'd love to see what you are cooking up!

 

Back in August, I jousted for the first time with these yummy gelato treats. Sophie from Key Ingredient was nice enough to feature the recipe on her blog The Back Burner. It was a great write up and I can’t thank her enough! Go check it out here!

The post Barefoot Bloggers – Herb Roasted Onions appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.