As the weather warms up...

so does my schedule! I have some exciting news to share, I was offered a position with an IT contract company as Help Desk support and I'm soooooo entirely excited about it! I'm months away from graduating with my bachelors and I'm ready to join the workforce again. We're really settling into life here in Maryland, I think its going to be a great few years!

But, I have been so busy lately that I haven't had the chance  to try out too many new recipes, I've been relying on some oldies.but.goodies. (Like baked spaghetti and steak Gorgonzola) ... But on Friday I tried out a new cauliflower recipe, Curried Cauliflower Soup, that I had found tucked away in my home-made cookbook. (its a green binder that I stick the recipes I find in....) It was seriously comforting. It had all my absolute favorite ingredients: cauliflower, spinach, garlic and curry. It was the perfect meal Saturday night, when we actually ate it and it fit the bill for a cold, dreary rainy April day. And its got some great 'stats' to boot!

We've been trying really hard to stick with a "traditional" Lent season, meaning we don't eat meat on Fridays. So this dish is perfect for my non-meat-eater friends because you can easily substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth and the rest is the same!

You can find the original recipe here, because surprise surprise I added an extra touch or two! ;) I just can't help myself!

Curried Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, halved and chopped into bite size chunks
2 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans chicken broth, or 3.5 cups broth or bouillon
2.5 cups water
2 medium potatoes cut into bite size pieces (not too small, they might fall apart!)
1/2 head fresh Cauliflower, chopped
1 can  chickpeas, rinsed
1⁄2 cup frozen cut-leaf spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. Sautee onions and carrots in a medium sauce pan (or small stock pot) in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. 

Step 2.

Add in all the other ingredients. 

Step 3.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer until the veggies are tender, about a half an hour. 

Voila! A hearty, good for your heart (and soul!) soup that is warm and fragrant without being hot. Serve with some crusty bread, if you are feeling so inclined! 

Its passed my bed time, and I'm about ready to turn into a pumpkin -- but for next time I'll tease you with this : Lemon cupcakes with fresh Raspberry butter cream!

(insert squeal of delight here! =) )

Have a fabulous evening!!

 Here are the stats on the soup, if you wanted to know!:

• Nutrition Facts
• Yield 10 cups
• Servings 10
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories 110
• Total Fat 2g
• Saturated Fat 0
• Cholesterol 0
• Sodium 272mg
• Total Carbohydrates 20g
• Dietary Fiber 5g
• Protein 4g