Kale and Red Potato Soup with Grain Sausage

Yikes, it's getting a little cray cray up here in Alaska! There's all sorts of wind and rain and just straight up craziness. I guess the weather experts are calling it a storm. Listening to the news, you'd think we'd better build a bomb shelter with all this talk of emergency preparedness. I'm sorry lady news anchor, but I'm not stalking up on two gallons of water per day for potential emergencies. I'm just not. Who has that kind of space? It's crazy. I have a water filter in my backpack and a lake that's a three minute walk from my house. Who doesn't have a water filter anyway?! People, that shit's important. I feel like having a way to source potable water is much more along the lines of good emergency preparedness than just having gallon jugs of water around.

What if it's the zombie apocalypse!? Are you really going to go running through the woods from zombies with gallons of water? No. However, our water filter weighs like 5 oz. and is about the size of my hand, so...also, it's already in my backpack! I guess the moral of this post is to go buy a water filter? I don't know. 

Whoa, no. This post is about this soup! Sorry, I guess I got a little off track there. Anyways, needless to say that today is just kind of a soup type of day. And what goes better with stormy weather than soup? Not much. Also, soup is kind of my main man when I don't feel like cooking. Hello beautiful.

This Kale and Red Potato Soup with Grain Sausage is so savory and delicious. There's something about a potato and sausage soup that just wraps you up in rustic comfort! It's perfect for these chilly stormy nights. 

Kale and Red Potato Soup with Grain Sausage

Inspired by Skinny Taste

Serves 6-8

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 (6 oz. total) vegan sausage links (I used Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Grain Sausage)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, sliced thinly
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups water
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 4 medium red potatoes, unpeeled and diced
• 1 tsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• sprinkling of red pepper flakes
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1-2 bunches of kale, de-stemmed and chopped
• fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)

--A Few Notes-- 

I like a lot of kale in my soup so I use two bunches, but feel free to use only one.  I like to split the liquid in half and use 5 cups water and 5 cups broth, but you can certainly use 10 cups of vegetable broth if you wish.

In a large soup pot, heat 1 tsp. of olive oil. Add the sausage links whole and allow them to brown for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Once browned, remove from the pot and set aside for later.

Add 1 tsp. more of olive oil and heat. Saute the diced onion and sliced carrots for about 5 minutes or until the onions have started to turn translucent. Now, add in the minced garlic and saute for a couple more minutes.

Slice the sausage now that it has cooled. Add in the remaining ingredients to the pot, including the sausage but not yet the kale. Bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, de-stem and chop the kale. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, covered. 

Now, uncover, add the chopped kale, and allow to cook over high heat for about 5 more minutes, or until the kale has reached your desired texture. 

I like mine to still have a little bit of sustenance but if you like to boil it into submission that's okay with me, if you like it that way. I have been accused of liking my kale a bit tough.

Serve hot and topped with fresh thyme!

I think this is a very appropriate song for today with regards to our windstorm, snowbird – The North Wind Doth Blow

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Healthy Pumpkin Maple Pecan Oat Muffins

Did you know October is non-GMO month? Yep, it is! Sugar is one of those rampant GMO foods, so if you're trying to avoid genetically modified foods or just don't want your sugar manufactured by using the bones of cattle (yes, it's a thing...I talk about it briefly here), then get yourself some ethical sugar! You might be laughing at me, but I don't care. There's such a thing, and I like Zulka. Bet you didn't know that sugar could be such a big time downer, but guess what? I've got something to cheer you straight up! These Healthy Pumpkin Maple Pecan Oat Muffins! There's no flour, oil, eggs or butter in them! Doesn't that make you happy? However, if you're like me, anytime you see "no flour, oil, eggs, butter, etc..." you run far, far away from these type of recipes. However, I promise you that these are healthy as well as delectable! Try them out for yourself.

Healthy Pumpkin Maple Pecan Oat Muffins

Inspired by Examiner

Makes 12 muffins

• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped small
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats, dry
• 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned
• 1/3 cup vegan sugar (I always use Zulka)
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 5 oz. plain vegan yogurt (I used Silk)
• 1 tsp. maple extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Flax is first. To make the two flax eggs, in small bowl add the ground flaxseed then add in the cold water and whisk to combine. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Chop the pecans very small and scatter them evenly on a baking sheet. Toast at 350 F for about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Careful not to let them burn! When done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Leave the oven on.

In a food processor, add the dry oats and pulse until very fine and a  flour-like texture is achieved.

Add in the remaining ingredients including the flax eggs, but not the pecans. Pulse until smooth and well combined. Now, fold in the pecans until incorporated evenly. 

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Coat a regular muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and distribute the batter evenly. 

Bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when poked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in their pan. Then, gently remove them and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Serve for breakfast (like me!) or as a snack or even for dessert! Store in an airtight container.

Also, I thought I'd share this pretty little quote. So eat these nutritious muffins and be happy. It's good for your healthy after all!

I'm listening to The Features – How It Starts

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Twice Baked Walnut and Broccoli Sweet Potatoes

First, I cannot start this post without seriously thanking one of our lovely readers, Alex, for leaving me such a truly smile-inducing voice mail! I woke up to it first thing and it just totally made my day! I love getting the voice mails. So, thanks, Alex! Now onto food. Step aside you peasanty twice baked white potatoes! Your snobby, sophisticated and downright sexy cousins are in town! So next time you're thinking of making boring and commonplace twice baked potatoes, let your rad side roam free and make these Twice Baked Walnut and Broccoli Sweet Potatoes instead.

These are certainly healthier than regular baked potatoes and I assure you much, much tastier. Class it up, people! You're only cool if you're making twice baked sweet potatoes anyways. Hadn't you heard?

Twice Baked Walnut and Broccoli Sweet Potatoes 

Inspired by Daily Bites

Makes 4

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (equal shape and size)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• sprinkling of kosher salt
• heaping 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped small
• 2 Tbsp. pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), chopped
• 2 cups broccoli (florets only), chopped small
• 1/3 cup vegan cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 Tbsp. walnut oil (or olive oil)
• 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Scrub the outside of the sweet potatoes and then dry them. Poke a few slits in each potato with the end of a knife. Rub them with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of kosher salt. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork. 

Now, go curl up on the couch and read with a cup of hot cider. Or take your dog for a walk and call a friend to catch up. I did all three of these, you can do what you want. When the potatoes are done cooking, taking great care, cut them almost in half. Be sure to leave a small bit intact on both the ends of the potatoes, however. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet while you prepare the stuffing. Just trust me, you're gonna want to let these mofos cool. Leave the oven on.

On a different baking sheet, arrange the chopped walnuts and pepitas and toast for about 7-10 minutes in the 400 F oven or until fragrant. Careful not to let them burn. They're tricky. Once done, remove them from the oven and cool. Still leaving the oven on.

In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients including the walnuts and pepitas and stir well. When the potatoes have cooled sufficiently, very carefully scoop out the insides and place them in the large bowl with the broccoli. You don't have to scrape every last bit, just be sure to get most of it. Careful not to damage the skin. 

Mix all the sweet potato meat with the broccoli mixture and stir until very well combined. 

Now, carefully place all the stuffing back into the potatoes. Once they are all stuffed and bulging *snicker snicker*, feel free to kind of shape them as you please. Top them with a little extra cheese, if you wish and place them back in the oven to bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes. 

Serve hot! These are badass enough to be a main meal if you're a little guy like me, or as a giant side, I suppose. 

We went for an awesome walk today and Todd took some beautiful, Alaskan Fall photos for you all! I'm in the pink, and my BFF in the purple. We have some termination dust! Long live Winter.

What am I listening to? Ghostland Observatory – Sad Sad City

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