The time between Christmas and spring is so quiet. The Earth is just waking up from its winter slumber. I realized recently that I have a Christmas Playlist on Spotify and I have a Spring Playlist but I don’t have a playlist for late winter/early spring. So, I change that! First I had to figure out what January/February/March feels like to me. Like I said, it’s quiet, reflective, perhaps there is a feeling of despair as resolutions are dropped and regular life kicks back in. The holidays are over and the skies are grey, or at least where I live they are! Late winter can have harsh, bitter winds and unexpected snowfall warnings. Or you can have that magical day of sunshine and blue skies! Days when you can almost see the grass getting greener as the days become longer and nights get shorter! So that’s what this Playlist is based on. Grey quiet days with sporadic, energetic days of sunshine! Some of these are classics, some have been on my playlist for years, some of these are brand new, and some of them get stuck in my head because of Instagram Reels! Lol Here are the top 20 songs that I’m listening to on my Late Winter Playlist!
Edge of the Earth * The Beaches
Fast Car * Tracy Chapman
Lost in the Light * Bahamas
Hello Sunshine * Bruce Springsteen
Alaska * Maggie Rogers
Snowbank Blues * The Backseat Lovers
California Dreamin’ * The Mamas & The Papas
Texas Hold ‘Em * Beyoncé
Tolerate It * Taylor Swift
Coastline * Hollow Coves
Silver Lining * Mt. Joy
Good Old Days * The Revivalist, The Head & Heart
Beautiful Things * Benson Boone
Home * Good Neighbours
Vagabond * Caamp
Ends of the Earth * Lord Huron
White Winter Hymnal * Fleet Foxes
TV Movie * Pulp
A Case of You * Joni Mitchell
Waiting Room * Fugazi
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode 369: Proficient This week, we get together after my visit with the Ladies. Topics: Connor Bedard, Kids & the phone, social anxiety, parent teacher interviews, White Lotus, bricks, Tik Tok music, & the blues
This week’s weather reports are predicting snow! I would complain that we are getting snow in March, but I won’t because we really need it! We have not had any significant snow this winter, and while we have had many rainy days, it’s more just grey skies and overcast than actual precipitation. However, I’m not really down with snow in March, lol I am ready to start eating in season produce, salads, and light and bright dishes but the weather suggests a different menu this week! Here are 3 brand new SOUP recipes, that we have enjoyed over the last few weeks!
Soup is one of those dishes that I can get away with not adding meat to, as long as Ninja is full when he is done his bowl of soup, he’s happy! We have become big fans of lentils. They are inexpensive, packed with nutrients, protein, polyphenols, and fibre. They help lower your blood pressure, protect your heart, support the digestive system, stabilize blood sugar, help decrease the risk of cancer, prevent anemia, lower cholesterol, and help weight loss because they fill you up and keep you satisfied! Plus they basically just take on the taste of whatever they are cooked with! This soup was so tasty and full of richness and comfort. Ninja LOVED it!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cup lentils, I used green, red and yellow
3 potatoes, cut small
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
4 cups vegetable broth
Directions
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add in the tomato paste and lentils. Cook for 1 minute. Add potatoes. Pour broth on top. Add salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and potatoes are tender.
Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper and a cup of water if needed.
For the next 2 soups, I bought a rotisserie chicken and we separated the meat into 2 meals. This was full of flavour, texture and creaminess. We all loved this dish, to be honest we all loved all 3 of these dishes but this 1 was HBear’s favourite. She loves enchiladas and this was an enchilada in a bowl!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 can diced chili tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can corn, rinsed & drained
1 cup Mexican cheese, shredded
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic and cook until softens, about 5-6 minutes.
Stir in seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are very tender.
Remove from heat and using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Place the soup back over medium heat and add in beans, corn and shredded cooked chicken.
Stir to combine and boil for a couple of minutes, just to heat it all up. Pour into bowls and top with shredded cheese, cilantro and green onions.
We used the other half of the rotisserie chicken for this bowl of comfort! This was SBean’s favourite bowl of soup. We all gave a happy sigh as we we took our first mouthfuls.. This soup os SO creamy and full of incredible textures from the vegetables and the melt in your mouth gnocchi! SOOOOO good!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 package potato gnocchi
2 cups half and half cream
1 cup baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and carrots. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until veggies start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the chicken broth, chicken, and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil and add the gnocchi. Reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook gnocchi for about 8-10 minutes or until tender.
Stir in the half and half and spinach. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Soup will thicken as it sits.
This week was quiet. I spent time in the sun reading my 17th book of the year, prepped for upcoming infusion by getting my bloodwork done, the Kids went to school, and their activities. I worked on Tuesday and Thursday and slept in between. Ninja went to SBean’s parent/teacher interviews, I flung orzo at HBear for being snotty snd made a MESS on the sliding door behind her. I picked up new books from the library, Oliver got more cuddles and I had and lovely evening out with my ElementaryBesties.
1 thought on “End of Winter Playlist & 3 New Delicious Soups”
Thanks is soup is always welcome in our house.
Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 299. See you again next week!