Ingredients:

16 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
28 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 cup fresh grated pecorino-romano cheese
4 cups arugula, coarsely chopped

Procedure:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, stir in pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve a ladeleful of cooking water then drain the pasta well. As the pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper - cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine - season to taste with salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the skillet and toss mixture together for about 1 minute. Add the cheese and arugula - toss well and cook for about 1 minute. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15.5 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure:

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat - add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cumin, beans, tomatoes, broth and chile. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Partially mash tomatoes and beans with a potato masher. Stir in chicken and cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes. To serve, place roughly 1 1/4 cups soup in each of four bowls. Drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of oil, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium carrots, cut into 2″ pieces
10 ounces white mushrooms, cut any large pieces in half
1 large onion, cut into 2″ pieces
1 pound ground sirloin
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
1 3/4 cups beef broth, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:

With a food processor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced. Add carrots and mushrooms - process until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse just until the pieces are roughly chopped. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add ground sirloin and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper - cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, about 7 minutes. Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire sauce. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth until smooth. When the pasta is just tender, stir into the meat mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Scatter each portion with a sprinkling of parsley. Makes 6 servings.