soup and sandwich weather

"Are you really posting tomato soup and grilled cheese on your food blog?"

Well, yes I am!


Listen these days my time is at a premium so lingering over the stove isn't a daily option anymore. And who says that soup and a sandwich can't be a winning dinner, you just have to make sure it's tasty and nutritious. In light of this, the soup is homemade so I can control what goes into it and the sandwich...who doesn't love a grilled cheese! I love soup, my husband did not when I met him....something about terrible childhood soup memories. But, I've since converted him and on a rainy day we love the soup and sammy combo.

I've always received comments about making soup like it's such a big deal. People, it's soup, it's easy and a great excuse to use up what you've got in the frigo. I will be posting more soup recipes in the month to come - try them out and see how delicious they can be compared to a tin can!

Tomato Soup

1 pint of cherry tomatoes
2 gloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 red onion
1 - 28 ml can diced tomatoes
dried basil and thyme
salt
pepper
* cream, optional

In a large heavy non-reactive saucepan, heat 1tbps olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and the cherry tomatoes, stirring to combine and cover for a few minutes. Check on the tomatoes regularly, stirring, making sure that the garlic isn't burning (if it's starting to get dark turn the heat to low). You are looking for the tomatoe skins to split. Once this happens, add the can of tomatoes and your seasoning. Turn the heat up to med-high, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree using an immersion blender. If you don't own one of these * get one * since they are great for making soups. Return the pot to the heat and taste for seasoning...I like mine with lots of pepper.

At this point you have 2 options - keep the soup as is or make it smoother and creamier. The as is version is very tart and acidic. If you prefer a smoother and creamier soup then strain the mixture through a fine sieve and add 1 cup of cream (or heavy milk) once you return it to the heat.

Serve with a grilled cheese of your choice - I like mine with whole grain bread and sharp cheddar. That's it. That's a grilled cheese. If you want to fancy it up, add some thinly sliced ham or avocado to your sandwich.

Enjoy on a dark rainy evening....come to Vancouver and you could have this every day of the week in the winter ; )

Kale chips

This is a tasty snack, an easy snack, and a healthy snack. Baking the kale leaves turns them crispy and if you love a potato chip as much as I do then you should try these! Notice my bowl is a little empty....


1 bunch of kale
olive oil
salt

Preheat your oven to 375F. Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into big pieces (it shrinks during cooking so don't make them too small). Wash and dry the kale - if you have a salad spinner it does a great job. Toss the kale leaves with a little olive oil, spread onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake for 15 minutes.

Presto....chips!

October 2010 - as a follow-up I had a friend make this recipe and ask if some of my chips were brown and some green. Yes, this is normal and it all tastes the same. I have discovered that if you wash your kale then dry it REALLY well or it will be a little soggy rather than crispy.

bean burrrrrrrito

You know those frozen cardboard burritos you get individually wrapped at the grocery store? Well....I have a confession....I love them. Actually, I used to love them. They aren't so good for you, and aren't really that tasty after you've had my homemade ones. I make a big batch, wrap them individually and freeze them for lunches. It seems like a lot of work but it's worth it. And since I've been at home with my baby girl it's been great having easy lunches on hand.


The recipe below is for bean and cheese burritos. When I have leftover roasted chicken I shred some and add it too.

1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 - 750mL can black beans
1 - 750mL can kidney beans
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup salsa
fresh cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
8 whole grain wraps

Chop your veggies and rinse your beans. In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute the pepper for 2 minutes on high, turn to medium and add garlic and jalapeno. Saute for 1 more minute. Add beans, cumin, and salsa. Stir and heat through. Using a potato masher mash through the mix until most of the beans are "squished". It's meant to be kinda chunky, kinda mashed. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat and set aside.

Grate cheese and set out your wraps. Divide filling evenly. Roll up, making sure to tuck ends in after the first fold. Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and freeze.

To eat, remove from plastic wrap, and heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Serve with guacamole and salsa.

Get Fresh!

How many times have you read a recipe or been at the market and thought "what is that vegetable" or "I don't know what a persimmon is"? I used to think the same thing when I started experimenting with different foods. So I bought Madeleine Greey's book Get Fresh!

The book is divided into 3 sections: fruits, vegetables and recipes. For each veggie and fruit she gives a description of the item, other names or variations, how to pick it, store it, prep it, and use it. A "to your health" paragraph describes what the item provides in terms of nutrition and what illnesses is can guard against. The recipes are good, fairly simple and use a variety of foods that you might not normally choose.

I often use this book, mostly as a reference when I don't know how to pick an item or prepare it. But mostly this book has allowed me to try different fruits and veggies (mostly veggies) that I normally wouldn't have - that's how I discovered the extraordinary benefits of kale.

If you need a perk in your kitchen repertoire, then Get Fresh and try a new veg!

Salmon Salad Sandwich

Say that fast 10 times!

This open-faced sandwich recipe is great for leftover salmon, preferably none with a heavy marinade. I made this recipe out of a hankering for some chicken salad but didn't have the chicken on hand. I have even gone as far as to steam some salmon just to make this. The capers add a nice briney saltiness that goes well with the salmon.

cooked salmon, shredded
mayo
capers
green onion, chopped
cilantro, chopped
pepper
crusty wholegrain bakery bread

Shred the salmon into chunks by hand. Add mayo, capers, green onion, cilantro and pepper to taste. Add a bit of salt if needed, depending on how salty your capers are. Pile on top of toasted bread and enjoy.

I know there are no measurements - this is a recipe where how much you make depends on how much you want to eat, or how many people you are feeding.

Ask a local

Do it. When you travel. It's the best way to find the best eats.

Normally I do some research on restaurants, things to do, etc when I travel. I also like to ask the hotel staff where to go, not as a "tourist" but where they go eat. Sometimes you find yourself with no options and the best way to find a good spot is to as a local. They will always point you in the direction of good grub in a good atmosphere.

On a recent trip to Portland with my husband and 3 month old daughter, Isabelle, we met with our friends for Sunday lunch in the Pearl District. Unlike in Vancouver (BC), many places were closed in Portland on Sunday. After walking up and down block after block looking for a place, I headed for a lady in her garden. Yep, a lady in her garden. She was the closest local around and I wanted to eat already! She kindly pointed us in the direction of Isabel's (oh the coincidence, it was fate!). It turned out to be exactly the kind of joint of we were looking for. Next time you're in Portland check out Isabel's .

And don't forget, locals know. So where would you point someone to eat in your hood?

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

Quinoa is a grain that's become popular lately. It's common in South America where they eat it as a hot cereal or add it to soup. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain which is really high in protein and iron, so it's a good option for vegetarians.


Stuffed Portobellos
This recipe can be made with smaller brown mushrooms and served as an appetizer.

4 portobello mushrooms
2 cups cooked quinoa (cook with veg/chicken stock for added flavour)
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro
olive oil
salt & pepper
jack cheese (or other melty cheese)

To cook quinoa: rinse 1 cup raw quinoa, place in saucepan and top with 1.5 cups liquid (water or stock for added flavour-flav!). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all liquid is gone, about 15 minutes...kinda like cooking basmati rice. Set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 375F. Remove the stem and "gills" from portobello mushrooms, set aside on a baking dish.

Chop pepper, jalapeno, green onion and cilantro. Toss veggies with quinoa and olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. You can add crispy bacon bits here, but I like it vegetarian. Stuff mushrooms with quinoa mixture, top with grated cheese. The cheese is optional, but I like it. I like anything with cheese!

Bake until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.


Quinoa Salad VARIATION:
Prepare quinoa and veggies as above, adding a handful of shredded napa cabbage and one rib of celery, chopped the same size as the red pepper. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 or 2 tablespoon of something acidic - lemon juice, red wine vinegar, etc. Toss and refrigerate. This makes an excellent salad for lunches. Try serving it on a bed of fresh crisp greens.