Earth Hour 2013

Only 30 minutes until Earth Hour in my time zone. What is Earth Hour? It is a pledge to turn off the lights for one hour taken by over 7,000 cities in 152 countries. There is also challenges on the website to extend the pledge beyond the hour. Check it out at www.earthhour.org. Time to finish packing up for tomorrow's dive trip and to start lighting candles.

Spinach Lasagna Soup

I have to confess I love soup! It is quick to make, tastes yummy, and there are leftovers for weekday lunches. I have spotted some recipes on the web for lasagna soup but they all have sausage or ground beef in them which just won't do for this veggie girl. It was time to start experimenting in the kitchen!

Spinach Lasagna Soup

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
6 oz. tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
28 oz. can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup frozen spinach
8 oz. fusilli pasta
Ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Black pepper


In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Stir in red pepper, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, water, tomatoes, and spinach and bring to a boil. * (I must confess my husband is a meat eater so to make it more filling for him I also through in 2 cans of dark red kidney beans.) Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. While the soup is simmering, cook the pasta. You can cook the pasta right in with the soup, but if you are anticipating leftovers it is better to cook it separately and add the pasta to the serving bowls otherwise the pasta will get mushy over time. To serve, ladle some soup into a bowl add some noodles, a few dollops of ricotta, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a dash of pepper. Enjoy!