Guilt-free potato and parsnip broccoli cheddar soup

I don’t think the temperature has jumped above freezing much at all the past few weeks. Snow that fell long ago is still lining the grass around our complex. The problem is that all I want to do is be cozy.

Sweatpants. Over-sized sweaters. Comfort foods.

These are the pleasures of a winter. Until the warmer weather creeps up and I shed my bulky clothes for *gasp* shorts, tanks and bathing suits. I might regret all that mac and cheese later.

In an effort to help us all keep up with our New Year’s resolutions, I whipped up some comfort food that comes with a little less guilt. Fill up on something that warms your belly without making it bigger by the time the snow eventually melts.

Cauliflower puree and traffic

I loooove the cooler days that have crept into Pennsylvania. I do not, however, enjoy the traffic outside my city apartment. Hear me out. I like the city. I can walk to the market for lunch and fresh veggies. I …

Smokey scalloped sweet potatoes

I was feeling brave on Wednesday and with it being our last day before heading to Ohio for the weekend, I knew I needed to use up the fresh ingredients in my kitchen.

So I grabbed my mandolin. Now that my stump of a thumb has started to heal and I realize the error of my ways, I decided it was OK to give it another go. And using the safety proved that it was designed well — first, because of no injury, and second, it doesn’t waste any of the potato.

I found this recipe when I was looking for a scalloped sweet potato recipe. Thanks to Bobby Flay for the idea — it was great. I was running out the door to work while still scooping up the scraps of creamy, yet spicy potato sitting in the bottom of the pan. Tasty and easy to make.

I always have a can of chipotle peppers on hand. A little can costs about 75 cents and it adds a lot of flavor to sauces, meats and soup. A quick stop at the grocery store for some heavy cream and I had everything I needed to make this dinner side dish.

Even though the recipe calls for chipotle puree, don’t bother scanning the shelves for hours to find it. Just take about half the contents of the can, including adobe sauce (adds smokey flavor — yum!) and put it in a blender with a splash of olive oil. Blend into a liquid and you’re done.

A few pretty layers later, about an hour in the oven, and there won’t be any leftovers.