Quick & Easy Bean Soup with Quinoa & Hummus

I have been making this bean soup again and again the past couple of weeks.  Every time I add different ingredients (all just depending on what I have on hand) but the main elements are store bought bean soup, quinoa, hummus and avocado. I have made this for a quick lunch and also an easy dinner. In the above picture I had some left over cilantro lime dressing from my Fajita Salad I made a few days before - it was a delicious addition!

This makes enough for two bowls of soup:

16 oz of your favorite bean soup
1 cup cooked quinoa
your favorite hummus
avocado, ripe and sliced

Extras (choose any or all of these to add flavor)
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
cilantro, chopped
cherry tomatoes, quartered
tortilla chips or corn chips
sliced jalepenos
chopped red onion
carmelized onions
anything else you think would taste yummy!

Heat the soup on the stove, ladle into bowls and add any of the toppings you wish, including the quinoa, hummus and sliced avocado. Eat immediately! Enjoy!

Pear & Strawberry Sandwich with Brie Cheese

As promised, here is the other delicious recipe that was inspired by a meal we had on our Shore vacation this summer.  This copycat recipe comes from one of our favorite restaurants, Yvette's. They serve the most beautiful artisan sandwiches - and so so so many of their offerings are vegetarian which makes me super happy. 

This sandwich is so pretty! The flavors are bright and sunny - it's especially good on a warm summer day. I served it with a side of kettle chips and a big fruit smoothie.

This makes two sandwiches:

2 soft individual-size baguettes, lightly toasted in the oven just before making
1 crunchy pear, sliced thin
2 - 3 ripe, but firm, strawberries, sliced thin
6 oz of soft brie cheese, rind removed and cubed
mixed salad greens
poppy seed dressing (I like Brianna's)

Slice the baguettes and lightly toast in the oven right before you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Divide the brie cheese evenly between the toasted two baguettes.  Add mixed salad greens. Now artfully (try! haha!) add the sliced pears and strawberries, alternating pear then strawberry. Finish the sandwich with a drizzle of the poppy seed dressing. Serve with a little side of dressing so you can dip as you eat (the dressing is really yummy!).  Eat immediately! Enjoy!

Sweet Green Juice

This juice is sweet, yummy, refreshing, a bit tangy (from the ginger) and definitely green!! Drink your greens! Enjoy!

This makes enough for one serving of fresh fruit and veggie juice:

2 kiwis
1 large pear
3 large kale leaves (juice the center stem too)
1 1" knob of ginger
6 mint leaves
A squeeze of lemon

Wash and slice all the fruit and kale (leave the skin on the pear). Put through a juicer. Discard the pulp and drink immediately!