Veggie & Tortellini Soup

My husband & I have been trying to eat healthier as well as grocery shop on a budget. Those two things can go together, believe it or not! With a little creativity and a semi-homemade attitude, I came up with this soup. Calorie count is low, its chock full of vegetables, and it only costs about $7 for the whole pot.
Meat eaters can use chicken or sausage tortellini, but to make it vegetarian, I used cheese tortellini (yum!).

1/2 onion, chopped
Handful of mushrooms, chopped
6 cups water
1 package powdered veggie soup & recipe mix (like Knorr's, for making spinach dip!)
1 package fresh tortellini, any flavor (in the refrigerated section)
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
Grated Parmesan cheese & red pepper flakes for serving

In a large pot, saute onion & mushrooms (in either olive oil or nonstick cooking spray) on medium heat for a few minutes or until tender and fragrant.
Add water and soup mix and bring to a boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium and add tortellini and spinach.
Cook, stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes or until tortellini is cooked & tender.
Dish it up and top with parmesan & pepper flakes if desired.

Curried Lentil & Veggie Stew

I live in Portland, Oregon and the weather here is often dreary, cold, and rainy.... much like it is today. On days like this, I crave a bowl of some kind of warm comfort food, which often translates into soups and stews. Today, I decided to make Curried Lentil Stew. I came across a recipe for a lentil soup, and thought that it would be great with an Indian flair, and served as a heartier, main-dish stew. So, I improvised. Added a bit of this, a bit of that, and voila! A delicious vegetarian dish that even satisfies meat eaters.

Start off by heating about a tablespoon of olive oil (a few turns worth) in a large pot over medium-med. high heat. Dice an onion and a few carrots. Sautee them in the oil for about 6-8 minutes or until the carrots are tender, but still with a bit of "bite."

Add some cumin & a good amount of curry powder (we are talking 2-3 tablespoons) to the carrots & onions and allow to cook for another minute or two. This will allow the curry flavor to develop and penetrate into the veggies.

Add about 2 cups of water, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can veggie broth, 1 cup red lentils, 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thawed & drained), and salt & pepper to taste. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let the goodness simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Lentils have a nutty texture to begin with, so if you haven't ever worked with lentils, don't expect them to get really soft.

Stir in some sour cream or plain yogurt.... and voila!

Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on each bowlful for presentation. You can serve this with rice, couscous, flatbread, or my favorite way... straight up with hot sauce & a spoon!