spinach and tomato tortellini soup and some meal planning

It's Austin Restaurant Week again and we're about to head out to Sullivan's Steakhouse for their ARW prix fixe menu. I promised Colby that we wouldn't eat out for awhile after this and I'm sort of trying to think about starting to eat healthy, so menu planning was in order.

Monday

lunch: spinach and tomato tortellini soup

dinner: chicken with mustard sauce, steamed broccoli, quinoa

Tuesday

lunch: broccoli + quinoa wrap

dinner: habanero chicken, spanish rice, grilled zucchini

Wednesday

lunch: spinach and tomato tortellini soup

dinner: spaghetti squash lasagna

Thursday

lunch: chicken fajitas

dinner: Korean tacos

Friday

lunch: bulgogi wrap

dinner: salmon and potato hash with poached eggs

And since, it seems, it's been forever since last I posted a recipe, here's how to make my stupidly easy (and cheater) spinach and tomato tortellini soup.

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 medium celery stalk, diced

2 T olive oil

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

32 oz (or so) stock (I used chicken, but vegetable stock works well too)

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

9 oz package tortellini

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 c lightly packed baby spinach

salt+red pepper flakes, to taste

In a large sauce pan or stock pot or some sort of cooking vessel heat olive oil.

Add in onion, celery, and carrots with about a 1/2 tsp of kosher salt. Sweat until the celery and onion become translucent and the carrots soften (about 5-6 minutes).

Add in tomatoes (liquids and all), crushed garlic, and stock and bring to a boil.

Add in the tortellini for however long they need. (I used a refrigerator package, so they only needed 4ish minutes.)

Reduce heat and add in the cannellini beans and spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted.

Season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

So okay, fine, I've sort of semi-hoed this up, but it's better than going out for lunches this week .