Posts Tagged ‘feta’


Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup with Quinoa and Feta: Inspired By Panera

Roasted Tomato Soup.psd

I’m a soup girl. Though I often like it more in theory than I do in reality. Like I love making it and I love eating it, but then I also love eating a loaf of bread with it. That’s one thing I love about Panera Bread. There. is. always. bread. Always. I mean, bread is in the restaurant name. You can have your soup and eat your bread, too. When I saw a DailyBuzz Food opportunity to head to Panera for soup and then get inspired and make my own, I was so in. I went to Panera basically every single week of my college career and I still head there for a Greek salad and Turkey Artichoke Panini from time to time. But this time was all about the soup.

I’m already a big fan of Panera’s French Onion Soup, but when I saw a “You Pick Two” for Creamy Tomato Soup and “Big Kid” Grilled Cheese, I was psyched. It was cold out and this is basically my dream meal (also, you should know they also have mac and cheese… I almost added a dish to my order, but resisted).

Panera Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese.jpg

The Creamy Tomato Soup didn’t disappoint. Hot and creamy without being heavy, with asiago croutons that were perfectly crunchy and to die for.

Tomato Soup- Panera.jpg

“You Pick Two” generally comes with half a sandwich, but I got an entire grilled cheese here. And ate every single bite. Also? It wasn’t just an average grilled cheese… It had BACON in it. Panera’s philosophy is “good goes in” and it certainly went into this!

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese- Panera.jpg

Maybe I’m forever an 8-year-old, but I really feel like tomato soup and grilled cheese is a meal most people just don’t grow out of.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese 2- Panera.jpg

When I got home, I decided I wanted to make my own tomato soup, but incorporate the cheese and carbs into it, so I wouldn’t get the urge to eat a loaf of bread with my bowl of soup. After all, with Panera “good goes in” and I wanted to put all kinds of “good” in my soup!

My good? Habanero for spice, quinoa for protein and carbs, and feta cheese for deliciousness. I contemplated bacon, but thought that might be taking it one step too far. Not that I’ve never gone a few steps too far before, but I tried my gobest to keep myself reigned in. You’re welcome. Or I’m sorry. I’m not sure which yet.

Ingredients (serves 4):
Print recipe!

  • 2 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
  • 5 cloves garlic, still in peel
  • Olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 habanero pepper, chopped
  • 1 t sugar
  • 2 C vegetable broth
  • 1 C cooked quinoa
  • 3/4 C feta cheese
  • 5 leaves basil

(pre-heat oven to 400 degrees)

Place your halved tomatoes and garlic in peel on a foil-covered baking sheet lightly brushed with olive oil. Lightly brush a little bit more olive oil over your tomatoes and garlic.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Tomatoes.jpg

Roast at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are all nice and wrinkly and roast-y looking. Remove from oven.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Roasted Tomatoes.jpg

When your tomatoes are done roasting, put your onion and habanero in a large stockpot with a little bit of olive oil. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Onions and Habanero.jpg

Remove peels from garlic and add garlic and tomatoes to stockpot. You can take the skin off your tomatoes, too, but I always leave peels on when I can as they’re generally super healthy and I don’t want to lose those vitamins.

Also add 2 cups of vegetable broth to the stockpot.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Tomato and Broth.jpg

Now, using an immersion blender, blend until soup is smooth. You could also do this in a blender or VitaMix, but I’m kind of obsessed with my immersion blender. I can’t believe it takes me from the above photo to the below photo in about 3 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Blended.jpg

Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, to thicken up. I mixed in a t of sugar here, too.

Mix in your quinoa and feta.

Roasted Tomato Soup- Blended with Quinoa.jpg

Oh, and I also fried up a little basil. Literally just heated some oil in a pan, popped my basil leaves in, and let them fry for a few seconds.

Roasted Tomato Soup- 2.jpg

Soup’s on! And my kitchen smelled heavenly.

Roasted Tomato Soup-4.psd

Because I added the protein with the quinoa and a little bit of cheesy goodness, this soup was totally satisfying and I didn’t eat a loaf of bread with it.

Roasted Tomato Soup- 5.jpg

Quinoa in soup is my new favorite idea ever.

Roasted Tomato Soup- 7.jpg

So is fried basil. And habanero. You know I love a spicy kick and this one was subtle, but definitely present. Like I said, LOTS of good went into this soup!

Roasted Tomato Soup- 8.jpg

And now you know how silly easy it is to make your own satisfying roasted tomato soup at home. But you also know that Panera Bread has a killer tomato soup and grilled cheese combo and you don’t have to do any of the work. You can even close your eyes and pretend you’re eight again and your mom is making you lunch on a snow day. Nothing wrong with that!

Oh, and Panera also has fabulous lattes. I enjoyed a Peppermint Mocha and it was as big as my head.

Mocha Latte- Panera.jpg

What’s your favorite soup? Have you ever had a Panera Soup?

[Sues]

 

While this post was sponsored on behalf of Panera Bread as part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker Program, as always, all opinions are most definitely my own!!

Mini Greek Salad Pizzas

Greek Salad Flatbread.jpg

Is it just me or are people in particularly bad moods this week? Here in Boston it could have something to do with the drab rainy weather we’ve been experiencing every day. Or maybe it’s all the political heat in the air. Or perhaps it’s just me and my temporary commute. Since I’m dog-sitting for Mitzi, I’m back to my old Green Line commute. For those of you who don’t live in Boston, the Green Line is most definitely known as the worst line when it comes to the MBTA. Always crowded and uncomfortable and always slow, with no explanation of why it takes 15 minutes to get from one stop to the next. Basically my idea of HELL. I took the Green Line for 7 years before moving in July to the Orange Line. While the Orange Line can be sketchy as all get-out, there are a few things it does well, like a) move and b) move quickly. Important when it comes to commuting, you know. Being back on the Green Line for a couple weeks makes me appreciate my new commute so much more. For a little perspective, I used to live 4 miles from work and it took me at least 45 minutes to get there. Now I live 6 miles and it takes me no more than 20 minutes.

Every morning this week I’ve had to either watch as the first T went by too packed for anyone to fit on or had to squeeze myself on and stand pressed against the door and lots of strangers without an inch of breathing room. One day, a man flipped out at my T driver and called him a “D-Bag” and yelled at him, “You suck at your job!” Another morning, a woman flipped out on the T driver for the MBTA not having enough Ts out during rush hour (true, but not the driver’s fault). Oh and yesterday, the girl next to me ate a ketchup sandwich at 7:45 in the morning. Not the best smell when it’s 90 degrees on the T and you can’t even turn your head away.

When I arrive at work each morning, I already feel riddled with stress and anger toward mankind. No wonder Bostonians are not known for being a friendly bunch. In any event, a dinner like this is just what the doctor ordered. You know you should be healthy and eat a salad, but are really craving pizza. You want a tasty bite to eat, but don’t have the energy or mental capacity to follow a recipe step-by-step. It’s an easily-solvable predicament. Grab your favorite crust (or mine… Mine is wonderful), throw some toppings on, pop it in the oven, and decompress. After the day you’ve had, you need it.

I topped my Mini Greek Salad Pizzas with arugula despite the fact that seeing all the green just made me think of the Green Line, which makes my blood start to boil. Yeesh. Maybe it’s me who’s the grumpy one!

Mini Greek Salad Pizza (makes 6 minis):
Print this recipe!

  • 1/2 recipe for favorite pizza or flatbread dough
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1/2 red onion, sautéed
  • 1 bunch cherry (or plum) tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 C kalamata olives, sliced
  • 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 C arugula
  • 2 T lemon juice

(pre-heat oven to 450 degrees)

Greek Salad Flatbread Ingredients.jpg

I’m a big fan of this combination because it’s basically the opposite of rocket science. You can do whatever you want and add as much or as little of the ingredients. Go with your heart. It won’t steer you wrong.

Roll out dough thinly (1/2 of my flatbread recipe allows for 6 little pizzas) into a little personal pizza size.

Brush olive oil on, sprinkle red pepper flakes on and start layering on toppings. I went with sautéed onions and quartered tomatoes first.

Greek Salad Flatbread Toppings.jpg

Then layered on the olives and feta cheese.

Greek Salad Flatbread Toppings 2.jpg

Put the mini pizzas on a pizza stone or foil-covered pan and pop them a 450 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Greek Salad Flatbread 2.jpg

I love the pretty colors of these pizzas. And the fact that you get your own so there’s no need to share.

Greek Salad Flatbread 3.jpg

Though the pizzas were almost perfect as is, I wanted to add on a bunch of arugula for good measure. And health and all that. But most importantly for taste and a nice bite. What’s a salad without some kind of green, after all?

I also squeezed lemon over the top for an extra little kick. There’s no dressing on this Greek salad, but lemon gives it a bit of a more Mediterranean feel!

Greek Salad Flatbread 4.jpg

The personal size is also great to prevent yourself from overeating. But perhaps it could be dangerous if you’re home alone and have 6 mini pizzas in front of you. Remember, think of these as pizzas and not slices.

Or whatever. You’ve had a rough day. And an obnoxious commute. You deserve 6 nice large “slices” of pizza!

Greek Salad Flatbread 9.jpg

I’m not an enabler, I promise. I just want you to be happy. These pizzas will make you happy.

Greek Salad Flatbread 6.jpg

Now that it’s Thursday, I’m hopeful the general public will have a little more pep in their step and will turn their frowns upside down. Myself included. Please, no yelling at T drivers first thing in the morning because of the horribly flawed MBTA system. I can’t take the early-morning stress. Just let me sit in peace with my book (I’m finally reading Outlander and am almost done… though I’m pretty sure the book is contributing to my daily stress instead of helping it… And someone let me know, should I read the sequels?). It’s happy thoughts of a giant mug of coffee when I get to my desk that power me through. And the imminent Friday. Hello, long weekend ahead!

Does your commute stress you out or help you prepare for the day ahead?

[Sues]