The Only Gazpacho Recipe You Will Ever Need

When you tell someone what gazpacho is- cold tomato soup- you more than likely get a confused face or a “I’ll pass” response. However, the first time you taste gazpacho, a much different response is elicited. “Oh, wow, this is great,” is the most common I have encountered. Some gazpacho recipes are, in my humble […]

What I Learned at Cooking School- Part 2

Cooking is my passion. I am fortunate that this passion often overlaps my career in nutrition as we work to build healthy recipes, test cooking techniques, and write curricula that helps everyday cooks make healthy food for their family. As with any passion, you should sharpen your knives from time to time. The way I […]

In Need of Meal Planning Inspiration This Week?

In need of meal planning inspiration this week? Pam Outen was recently honored by NC State University for her 50+ year career as an Extension agent. Pam’s goal was to help people plan quick, easy, and nutritious meals. You can find Pam’s videos on her YouTube channel Pam’s Kitchen*. I hope this will fuel your […]

Prepared soup in a bowl

Be a Soup-er Star

When it begins to get chilly outside, one of the best ways to stay warm is with a hot cup of soup. Soups are a budget-friendly way to incorporate more vegetables into your day and there are many combinations of spices and flavors to try. We generally recommend avoiding cream-based soups like bisques and chowders […]

Chicken Stock in an Instant Pot

Store-bought rotisserie chicken is a meal prep wonder in my house. One of my favorite meal prep “tasks” on a weekend afternoon is processing a rotisserie chicken and then making chicken stock in my Instant Pot. I pull out my vegetable scraps from the freezer and a few fresh ingredients to make a flavorful stock. […]

A serving of soup in a bowl

Tomato Lentil Soup

This dish resembles Raasam a Southern Indian soup. However, we have adapted this to be made with ingredients more common in American kitchens. It does have some of the flavors you might expect in an Indian dish and can be made spicier by adding more hot peppers or using hotter peppers than jalapenos. You can […]

Bean & Butternut Squash Chili

Enjoy this chili recipe from our colleagues at NC EFNEP. Ingredients Non-stick cooking spray  2 cups diced butternut squash (about ½ of a medium squash) 1 medium onion 1/2 pound extra-lean ground beef  1 cup or 1 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans  1 cup or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans 3 cups or 1 (28-ounce) […]

posts of simmering stock

Reduce Your Food Waste – Make Vegetable Stock

One of my goals for 2021 is to establish more environmentally friendly habits in my daily life. Specifically, I want to be more mindful of food waste. Fortunately for me (and for you), the Safe Plates team is kicking off 2021 with an Avoiding Food Waste campaign. I can’t wait to see what tips and […]

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

What is better on a chilly winter day than a nice hearty bowl of soup? Butternut squash is a great winter vegetable that can be used in a variety of ways, including this super easy and healthy soup made right in the crockpot.  It is really as easy as chopping everything up and throwing it […]

Turkey Rice Soup

Leftover turkey is great to add to soup. This simple, delicious soup also uses leftover rice that you may have. If you don’t have rice, you can add noodles. The size of the carrots and celery is up to you. However, I like chopping them rather small (1/4 inch). Since the soup is not pureed, […]