THE LADY OF SHALLOTS

So, as part of the Lady of Shallots Get Healthy in 2013 Plan, we are eating vegetarian at least three nights a week.  Tonight's dinner threatened to be too light, but I cut the liquid down a bit to make this soup a very hearty and wonderful meal in itself. I also like that it is seasonal, and if I had been very noble, I would have walked to the Winter Farmers Market this morning in 13 degrees to get local parsnips and carrots. Unfortunately, I sold out and let my husband go grocery shopping instead. I also apologize for the poor quality photos--I'm in need of a new card reader for my camera.  I did chop/blend in small batches, and added water in small portions until I had my desired consistency.  If I was serving this as a side, I'd add more water. I also added parsley and more pepper after I pureed it. Very well-balanced as the roasting makes the parsnips more interesting. Also, I was too lazy to make olive oil toasts, so fresh baguette sufficed. And...I used my...

Normally I'd make this in the summer, but holiday over-indulgence means healthy eating in January. The cannellini beans here provide just enough texture to make this a reasonable main course. The flavors are really well-balanced and the dressing is the easiest thing in the world: lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  The fennel keeps everything very fresh-tasting, and the lemon extracts some of the "fishiness" from the tuna. Be sure to rinse the beans (if using canned) and drain the tuna. Recipe HERE

This is primarily a cooking blog, but I've decided to start a new feature I will call "Memorable Meals." This will feature the occasional amazing meal I encounter at the many wonderful restaurants here in the greater Boston area. Our inaugural post features Journeyman Restaurant in Somerville, MA. Initially, the back alley entrance and low curbside profile kept this Somerville's best kept secret, but Journeyman has fast become a foodie Mecca with critical acclaim from a wide variety of sources. The food is prepared so expertly that even the most timid eater will want to step outside the box of culinary convention. The menu changes weekly, so if you are of the "variety is the spice of life" mindset, you will love this place. We chose the 5 course menu with pairings, which exists in both a vegetarian and omnivore version. A party of two is ideal here, especially if you are both omnivores. I went with the vegetarian version, but found that the staff was fl...