Cold and rainy outside | Warm and sunny inside

Well summer is long gone and the fall has set in.  The days are getting shorter, there's a crisp chill in the air, the colours of the leaves are stunningly bright and the rain has begun.  It's funny because I always tell people that my favorite season is summer, but the more I think about it, when it comes to cooking a good meal, there's no better time than the fall.  There's nothing quite like eating a piping hot bowl of home-made soup with a hunk of crusty bread and a good cheese.

Don't get me wrong, even though I enjoy all the goodness of fall cooking, I do enjoy a warm get-away when the winter gets long... or even when winter hasn't yet begun, which was the case last year.  It was almost a year ago when the warm and sunny destination was Mexico for my friends Sheila and Shawn's beach wedding in beautiful Puerto Vallarta.  The week was packed with meeting friends and family of the bride and groom, early morning yoga on the beach (I don't even do yoga when I'm at home!), yummy cocktails on the sandy beach, and of course... food, food, food!  Needless to say, it was a memorable week and since a trip to Mexico is not in the cards in the near future, when I make this next recipe, it's almost like I'm there... almost!

Enjoy and happy anniversary Sheila and Shawn. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
Makes 6 - 8 servings

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast (or leftover cooked chicken)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped canned green chilis
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 cups hot water
2-15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp cornmeal
5 whole corn tortillas, cut into uniform strips

Options for garnishes: sour cream, diced avocado, diced red onion, salsa, grated Monterey jack cheese, cilantro.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt.  Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on chicken breast, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides.  Set aside the rest of the spice mix.  Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Use two forks to shred chicken.  Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to under salt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Cauliflower 3 ways

Wow how time flies! It has been 3 months since my last post!  People have been asking me when I will post my next recipe so 3 months away means 3 recipes today... well sort of.

I was at the market a few weeks ago on a sunny Saturday morning.  Just at the entrance of the market there was a stand with a mountain of fresh, local cauliflower.  I don't know about you, but I love cauliflower.  I think that most people aren't quite sure what to do with it other than serve it raw along side other veggies as part of a plate of crudités with dip.  Well, I hope to inspire you today with a few fresh ideas.

Recipe #1: Roasted Cauliflower

 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the cauliflower florets gently with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

All on it's own, this is an excellent side dish!  Give it a try, if you think you don't like cauliflower, I bet you'll change your mind.

Recipe #2: Mung Bean Curry with Cauliflower

 

One of my favorite cuisines is definitely Indian food, and one of my favorite cook books is Vij's at Home.  The famous Indian fusion restaurant VIJ's is just 3 blocks from my apartment, but the recipes in his book are really simple to make, and unbelievably delicious.  They are so good that I have no problem making a big pot of curry on the stove on a hot summer day.... Which is exactly what I did in August.  I did tweak the recipe to include the cauliflower, however, and I happened to have some leftover chick peas in the fridge so I threw those in as well.  The end product?  Awesome :)

Ingredients:

1 cup mung beans
1 head of cauliflower, roasted (recipe above)
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp chopped garlic (9 cloves)
1 28oz can pureed tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp crushed cayenne pepper
4 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped cilantro and good handful of fresh spinach leaves

Wash and drain mung beans and set aside

Heat oil in a medium pot on medium-high.  Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for 45 seconds, or until they are darker brown.  Add garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes, until brown but not burned.  Stir in tomatoes, then ginger, and other spices.  Stir and saute for 5 more minutes.  Add water and mung beans, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Taste beans to make sure they are cooked.

Stir in coconut milk, cauliflower, and chick peas, and increase the heat to medium-high.  Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.  Stir in cilantro and serve over brown rice.

Recipe #3: Silky Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Crisps

 

I traveled to Montreal a couple of weeks ago, and the night before I left, I noticed that I still had a few veggies in the fridge that needed to be eaten before leaving, including a cauliflower.  This next recipe doesn't take more than 20 minutes, and is in my repertoire of my go-to soups.  I made this soup, divided it into single serving containers, and placed them in the freezer. 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender* and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the shredded cheese over the foil in 1 even thin layer. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisps. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Break sheet of crisp cheese into large pieces and garnish each soup bowl with a couple shards and a pinch of fresh chives.

This recipe was sourced from: The Food Network

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc
 

Ode to my Grand-Maman

I have a section on my website that describes who inspired me in my life to love and appreciate food, and one of the first people who comes to mind is my 'grand-maman'.  I have such vivid memories of when I used to stay at her house, and she would wake up at the crack of dawn when everyone else was still sound asleep.  I would wake up and make my way to the kitchen.  I can still see the bright morning sun shining through the dining room window, she would be sitting at the table reading the newspaper and eating breakfast.

It wasn't long before the house would be buzzing with many aunts, uncles and cousins stopping by for a late-morning visit, and next thing you know, there were ten people sitting around her kitchen table enjoying a light lunch.  She would always have a plate of cut-up vegetables on the table, a basket of bread and a couple of cheeses to accompany a home-made soup.  There is one soup in particular that is famous in my family thanks to her, and that is her Soupe aux Palourdes (clam chowder).

Yesterday was Victoria Day and one of the wettest we've had in a long-time.  It was one of those days where you just wanted to stay in and eat a warm bowl of soup... and that's exactly what I did! I make this soup on a regular basis because it's so simple to make and it's full of flavours that bring me right back to my childhood and every time I make it, I think of her.  Now, when I make it, I'm sure it's not precisely the way she used to make it, but it still tastes the way she used to make it, so here it is:

 Soupe aux Palourdes

Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp butter or olive oil*

1 onion, diced

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups of water

1 - 2 bay leaves

2 cans whole baby clams with their water

1 (16 oz) can evaporated milk*

3 tbsp butter*

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ lb bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions

In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until soft but not brown.

Add potatoes, water, bay leave, and bring to a simmer.  Cook potatoes for 10 – 15 minutes or until cooked.

Add clams with their water, evaporated milk, butter, and seasonings.  Heat through just before simmering point.  Remove from heat, add parsley and serve.  Garnish with bacon.

 * Instead of using butter or olive oil to cook the onions, cook bacon in the soup pot, then drain the fat leaving 2 - 3 tbsp and use it to cook the onion.  I use 2% evaporated milk.  I don't always add butter at the end, it depends what kind of mood I'm in!  Oh, don't worry if you don't have white pepper, I don't have white pepper so I just use freshly ground black pepper.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

What is a super food?

Is it just me or does it seem as though the latest "super food" is similar to the latest Hollywood gossip? It's big in the news and everyone talks about it!

I was speaking with someone who works in the grocery industry recently and she mentioned to me that whenever a food is in the spotlight for it's nutritional benefits, the store sells out almost immediately.  But what happens if the super food comes from another continent and isn't readily available in your average grocery store?  When you do find it, it's in a specialty store and it's expensive.  At the end of the day is it really worth it?

To me it's pretty simple.  A super food is a food that is in its natural form and high in nutrients.  Examples?  Fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit, whole grains like oats, wheat berries and barley, lentils, and legumes.  Of course these are just a few examples, but these are ingredients that are super nutritious, easy to find, and won't break the bank.

Last month I wrote an article for The Richmond News to discuss what foods people should try in the new year, and since I'm a huge fan of the farmers market, I encourage people to discover super foods that grow right here in our own backyard.

One of my favorites right now is the winter squash.  This is a great alternative to regular baking potatoes and richer in vitamins such as beta-carotene.  When I started researching recipes for butternut squash, a wide range of recipes came up: from sauces to soups, desserts and mains, baked or sauteed, this ingredient is a super food that has endless opportunities.

Given that it's winter, comfort food is the way to go.  I came across this recipe that is packed with super foods that is also comforting!  This soup is a good combo of carbs and protein.  Serve it with a green salad or steamed veggies and you have a complete meal.

Red lentil and butternut squash soup

Ingredients

1 tsp salt
2 tbsp curry powder
12 oz red lentils
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water

Directions

Combine salt and curry powder; set aside. Rinse lentils; set aside. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry mixture; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add squash; cook until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in lentils; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe adapted from www.MarthaStewart.com

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc 

Bowl of awesome

This wonderful recipe made its way to my inbox about a month ago from a site that I am subscribed to, and I have made it twice already. It's a meal all on it's own. It warms you up during the cool fall weather, it's very simple to make, and best of all, it's so good!. As an added bonus, this soup is super nutritious. It is a good source of vitamins A and C, fibre, folate and potassium. It is also rich in carotenoids and flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants to help fight some forms of cancer.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice

1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed peeled butternut squash

(about half a 2-lb. squash)

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Pinch cayenne pepper; more to taste

1/2 tsp salt

1 quart lower-salt chicken broth

1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped kale

1 cup canned chickpeas

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the squash, allspice, cayenne, and salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook covered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. Discard the thyme springs before serving. Season to taste with more salt and cayenne.

Variations:

I added white kidney beans instead of chickpeas, just because that's what I had on hand. The first time I made this soup I also added 1/2 of a small turnip which complemented the other winter vegetables well. So feel free to experiment with ingredients you have, and make your own version of this soup. I would recommend serving this soup with a loaf of warm, crusty whole grain bread and a few slices of your favorite cheese. Enjoy!

Source: Fine Cooking