Today, I have two delicious recipes that you could make for your Christmas dinner. The first is Vibrant Green Soup, which is perfect for Christmas because of its bright green color. This side dish uses lots of the classic green vegetables, and is slightly reminiscent of both broccoli cheddar soup and pea soup, but with a limey twist! You can change out the lime and cilantro for lemon and basil for a more Italian taste, which may be what you prefer for a Christmas dinner. Also, I used chicken broth because I'm allergic to carrots, and I can't find any vegetable broth that doesn't use carrots, but it's up to you to use either type of broth! Vegetable broth will make it vegetarian. If you're a vegan, you can easily omit the garnish of cheddar cheese. Enjoy this soup!
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| I wasn't kidding when I said it was vibrant. |
Serves 4 - 5
Ingredients
1½ cups broccoli florets and diced stems
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1½ cups frozen peas
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
A few dashes of jalapeño hot sauce (optional)
2 cups pre-washed baby spinach
1 cup fresh cilantro
The juice of one lime
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp of shredded cheddar cheese per serving (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine the broccoli, cauliflower, frozen peas, and garlic in a large pot. Add the broth, hot sauce, salt and pepper. If the If the broth does not completely cover the vegetables, add water until the vegetables are just barely covered. Cover and heat on medium-high until the broth is bubbling and the vegetables. Note: if the broccoli is of a dark green hue, it is overcooked. Look for a vibrant, deep green and the tenderness of the veggies. Remove from heat.
2. Using a slotted spoon,, transfer the veggies into a blender, food processor, or Vita-Mix. Do your best with the peas! Then, using a ladle, transfer about 3 cups of the broth from the pot to the blender/food processor/Vita-Mix. Add the spinach, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Remove the plastic piece from the lid that traps the contents from flying out of the machine before you blend. This way, the steam can escape and your device will not be damaged. Cover the hole lightly with your hand to prevent anything from flying out of the top. Blend on a high speed, until the consistency is very smooth and there aren't any vegetable chunks.
3. Pour or spoon the soup into individual serving bowls. Top each serving with cheese (optional). Enjoy!
The next recipe isn't a full meal, but rather a simple sauce that is useful to have on hand during the holidays. This is my Cauliflower Cream Sauce. It's perfect for pasta, for pouring over roasted chicken breats,and more. You could even use it for a healthy rendition of Scalloped Potatoes. While it does use milk, it is much healthier than a heavy cream sauce. No matter what you use, I personally think it tastes better than traditional cream sauces. I've even tricked relatives into thinking it was real cream sauce before. So seriously, it's good.
You can always substitute almond milk, soy milk, or another non-dairy alternative.
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
7 oz cauliflower florets
1 cup organic 2% milk
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1½ tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
½ tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp RBST-free parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Put the cauliflower, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover and boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't scald. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer to a food processor, blender or Vita-Mix. Add the remaining ingredients and process on a medium-high speed, until smooth. Remove the plastic piece from the lid that traps the contents from flying out of the machine before you blend. This way, the steam can escape and your device will not be damaged. Remove the plastic piece from the lid that traps the contents from flying out of the machine before you blend. This way, the steam can escape and your device will not be damaged. Adjust seasonings and serve over your favorite pasta dish, potato dish, chicken dish, and more. Enjoy!
Thanks for reading this post! I hope these recipes will be valuable to you in your last-minute Christmas or holiday meal planning. For those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, you can always make these at any time of the year or save them for a New Year's dinner. Please keep up with Teens Can Cook, Too as the holidays come to an end by following us at all of the social media handles below.
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Stay healthy!
- Madeline
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