My new tomato soup

Ok, so I'm back and posting a vegan recipe as my new post....yes, I said vegan. Don't worry, I'm not vegan and have no intention of becoming solely vegan. I love a bbq burger in the summer; that said, there's no reason not to incorporate some heatly alternatives for the "non burger days".

I recently purchased the Vegan YumYum cookbook - and the first recipe I tried was a keeper. I can see this tomato soup recipe being a good one for kids, a good way to hide some healthy into a good soup. http://veganyumyum.com/

I have made mine a little less spicey to appeal to the little ones...

Tomato Chickpea Soup

2 tbsp veg oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1 tsp salt
2-4 tbsp hot water
black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and dried herbs and spices and stir for one minute. Add the chickpeas and saute for a few minutes until they turn golden.

Add the tomatoes and break the them up with the back of your spoon. Turn to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

You can either transfer this recipe to a blender or use an immersion blender. I think and immersion blender is PRICELESS - you can find them cheap cheap at Superstore - and can be used for soooo many things. So get one.

Add hot water to your blended soup if necessary to thin out, and taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as you like.

This is a vegan recipe but we like to enjoy it with a toasted baguetter with melted cheddar cheese : )

My mac n cheese

People always say "oh my god, you made it from scratch!". Well, I am here to dispel the myth that homemade mac n cheese is long and tedious to make. The basic premise is that you make a white sauce, add whatever cheese suits yer fancy, toss with whatever noodles suits yer fancy and Voila!

Making it from scratch allows you to control the ingredients - no processed stuff here, just real cheese. If you have kids who like cheesy noodles but not veggies then here's your opportunity... add peas to the topping and you've got something green into their bellies. Try it and you may never go back to the bland box stuff.

For the white sauce...a whisk is essential

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
2 cups grated cheese, whatever you like, my preference is a combo of gruyere and medium white cheddar

Cooked noodles - enough for 4 portions

Heat butter over medium hight heat in a heavy saucepan, and whisk in the flour. It will get thick like a paste, keep stirring it for a few minutes to let the flour cook. Slowly add the milk and whisk until there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and add the cheese, stir until melted. Remove from heat and toss with your cooked noodles.

You can stop here and serve it up. OR you can dish into individual heat proof dishes and top with a breadcrumb topping (below) and more cheese...We're making mac n cheese right? SO ADD THE CHEESE MAN!

Breadcrumb Topping

Mix
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp melted butter

then add
1/4 cup finely grated cheese

BAKE

375F until bubbling and browned on top.

These freeze well, but don't bake them first.

Au naturel

Low fat, no fat, reduced fat, light, etc. are not words I look for on a label. My shopping cart is actually filled with quite the opposite. I refuse to fall prey to the marketing of food. Food is nutrition, not something to be torn apart and remade with synthetic ingredients. If you can't pronounce an item's list of ingredients then perhaps it's time to reconsider your options.

I buy butter, full fat yogurt, regular mayonnaise. And they taste great. You need a lot less of a full fat item to feel satisfied so you actually eat less of it. There's a reason why obesity and diabetes are an epidemic in America: it's called processed food. It's not just fast food that's to blame, but every day items that people buy are not really food anymore.

Compare the North American diet to that of Europe or South East Asia where they eat fresh local ingredients and don't suffer the heart disease and diabetes issues we do. For example, the French eat cheese, and quite a lot of it. They eat a small portion, savour it, enjoy it for what it is.

Having full fats in your diet doesn't mean you will be fat. Fats are actually good for you in moderation. Just like everything else in life....moderation and balance are key. There are two great books which I recommend that show how to live enjoying food, real food.

Michael Pollan "In Defense of Food"
http://michaelpollan.com/books/

Mireille Guiliano "French Women Don't Get Fat"
http://mireilleguiliano.com/

Zucchini Brownies

Well, it's more like cake. Remember the "snacking cakes" that your Mom made when you were little? Kinda like that but WAY better. And you'd never know there's zuccini in it.

I did not write this recipe, it's one I found online at All Recipes and am passing on to you. It's too good not to! I did tweak it a little....the batter is VERY dry so I added 3/4 cup of milk and it turned out great. I didn't make the frosting since it was for us to snack on at home, but I bet it would be good to add if you were taking these over to a friend's. I'm sure they would appreciate a pan of these : )

Enjoy!

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/zucchini-brownies/Detail.aspx

Make it up

I love recipe books, I love recipes, I love eating the recipes I learn. BUT, I also love to just get in the kitchen and make whatever I feel like eating. Getting inspiration from a walk through the farmer's market, the butcher's, or the bakery...ahhh, I get so excited I just want to buy everything!

Recently my dad made a yummy moroccan inspired lentil stew which went well with the grilled lamb and couscous he also made. I have not asked for the recipe yet, but on this cool fall day I felt like having just that, so I made it up. I came close but it was not quite the same. Nonetheless it was a hearty cozy meal.

I'm not posting a recipe here. What I want is for you to just jump into your fridge or your cupboard and make something up. Close your eyes and listen to your tummy....what does it want? A stir fry over rice? A potato gratin? A roasted chicken breast over braised cabbage and roasted cauliflower? Make something out of your comfort zone, something that you don't have a recipe for. And if it doesn't turn out quite so great, OH WELL. That's how most good recipes start, so just take note of what needs improving and make it again!

Good luck and enjoy the creative process!

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.