Pumpkin Soup

Unfortunately I did not take a picture of this delicious soup, the pumpkin was from my local organic farmer's market.  Pumpkin is in season and as the weather is changing here in Canada.  This pumpkin soup is a perfect soup for autumn.  Both my children ate this soup.

Pumpkin Soup

-750ml chicken or veggie broth

-3 cups of fresh pumpkin peeled and cubed or use an 15oz can of pumpkin 

-1 tablespoon red curry paste

-1 teaspoon chili powder

-1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated

-pinch of cumin

-pepper and salt to taste

If using fresh pumpkin

-in a large pot on medium heat combine the fresh pumpkin, peeled and cubed with the broth.  Allow to cook until pumpkin is soft, about 30 minutes.  Add the chili powder, ginger, curry paste and allow to simmer on low.  Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, then purée/blend and serve.  I served with roasted pumpkin seeds on top of the soup.

If using canned pumpkin (plain pumpkin, not for pie)

-combine all ingredients in a pot on the stove, allow to simmer on medium low for about 40 minutes and serve.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Tonight I made some delicious oven roasted tomatoes.  My Mom gave me so many tomatoes from her garden.  I love the flavour of the roasted tomatoes, the herb de Provence and the chili powder.  The tomatoes are picked today, they are sweet and juicy.  I ate the tomatoes as a side dish to my baked BBQ tofu.  (thank you Elizabeth for your incredible home made BBQ sauce made with coffee and Jack Daniels).

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

-5-6 tomatoes cut in half and seeded
-herb de Provence
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-salt
-pepper
-chili powder

-The secret to this recipe is to remove the seeds and excess fluid.  I used beef steak tomatoes so they have more fluid then Roma tomatoes, however, the flavour was worth the extra fluid.  Preheat oven to 400.  You need parchment paper for this recipe.  Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze seeds and fluid out.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with the parchment paper, lightly salt, pepper, sprinkle with herb de Provence, and the chili powder, I used a whisk to then coat tomatoes with olive oil.  Bake until slightly blackened.  Depending on size of tomatoes between 20-40 minutes.

Vegetarian Spaghetti with a Moroccan Flare

Vegetarian Spaghetti with a Moroccan Flare

-1/2 cup black lentils
-1 cup vegetable broth
-1 cup red onions diced
-1 cup eggplant sliced
-1 tablespoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice mixture)
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-16 oz can of diced tomatoes with herbs
-salt and pepper to taste

-in a pot bring lentils and broth to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  In a frying pan add the olive oil and start to cook the onion and eggplant till eggplant is browned and onions clear.  Add the spices continue to simmer for a few minutes.  Add the lentils and the can of tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes and serve over spaghetti noodles

Roasted Pepper Guacamole

Some updates for my blog, I recently purchased a new camera and I am learning about higher quality pictures for this blog.

This guacamole was incredible.

Roasted Pepper Guacamole

-3 avocados
-3 peppers (red, yellow, orange) seeded and sliced
-olive oil
-1 large onion chopped
-1 large tomato chopped
-the juice (zest of 1 lime) of 2 limes
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-salt and pepper
-cilantro

-Preheat oven to 450F on a large cookie sheet place the peppers, tomatoes and onions and drizzle with olive oil, then coat with chili powder and cumin.  Place in oven turning occasionally.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the peppers are roasted, set aside.  In a large bowel mash up the avocados and squeeze in the juice and zest of 1 lime.  Add freshly ground pepper about 1/2 teaspoon and some salt (to taste) mix in the roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes.  Mix together and taste.  Top with cilantro

This was an incredible topping in tacos, or a dip.

Curried Orange Lime Carrot Soup

Curried Orange Lime Carrot Soup

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 onions chopped
-4 cups carrots peeled and chopped
-1 cup sweet potato
-1 clove of garlic
-3 teaspoons red Thai chili paste
-juice and zest 1 lime
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-900ml broth
-1 can coconut milk
-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger
-cilantro to garnish

-in a large pot cook onions on medium heat in olive oil until transparent then add garlic.  Add broth, carrots and sweet potato and allow to simmer, once soft add Red Thai curry paste and chili powder, zest and juice of the lime and the orange and ginger.  allow to simmer and add coconut milk.  Once cooked purée and top fresh cilantro.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

-1 medium butternut squash, peeled,  chopped and seeds removed

-2 leeks washed well and diced

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 ribs of celery chopped

-3 potatoes peeled and diced

-3 medium carrots peeled and sliced

-1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

-1 tablespoon chili powder

-salt and pepper to taste

-1 can of diced herbed tomatoes

-900ml of broth

In a large sauce pot on medium heat add leeks and oil.  When soft add the butternut squash, the potatoes, celery, carrots, broth and spices.  Allow to cook until all ingredients are soft, about 30 minutes.  Then add the can of tomatoes and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  I topped each bowl with fresh pepper and parmesan cheese.

This soup freezes well.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

Oven Roasted Vegetables

-1 red pepper chopped
-1 yellow pepper chopped
-1 medium zucchini sliced like coins
-3 green onions chopped or onion
-1 small jar of artichoke hearts (using 3 tablespoons of the oil over vegetables)
-1/2 teaspoon herb de Provence
-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  On a cookie sheet toss all the vegetables in the oil from the artichoke hearts.  Season with spices and salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to cook for 30 minutes.  Then broil on high for 4 minutes.

Vegetable Soup

Friday in Toronto was cold, windy and snowy.  There was a terrible storm and I had a sick relative on my hands for the night.  This simple quick soup was hearty, delicious and was perfect for the cold inter day that it was.  I had basically everything in the house.

Vegetable soup

-2 tablespoons oil (olive, vegeatable, butter)
-2 cups of peeled and cubed sweet potato
-1 cup white onion
-3 ribs of celery chopped
-2 carrots
-1 796ml (28oz) can of tomatoes whole with juice
-1 teaspoon herb de Provence
-900ml of vegetable broth
-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

-in a large pot on medium heat add the oil, sweet potato, onion, celery and carrots.  Cook until onions are transparent (about 10 minutes depending in your stove).  Add the tomatoes, broth, chili powder, herb de Provence and pepper.  Reduce to simmer on medium-low heat covered for about an hour or longer.  (It was a cold day so I let it cook on low for a while filling the house with the aromas and warming up the apartment).  This recipe is simple. delicious, you can purée if you wish.

Spicy black bean dip

Spicy Black bean dip

-1.5 cups black bean soaked over night (cook according to the directions on package) or 2 cans of     black beans boiled for 10 minutes
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-salt and pepper
-2 onions
-2 scallions
-2 cloves of garlic
-1/3 cup of red wine
-1 tablespoon tamari (soya sauce)
-2 tablespoon olive oil
-1 cup of water or beef/veggie broth
-juice of 1 lime

-cook black beans (1-2 hours depending on if soaked overnight).  In a frying pan add the spices on medium heat.  Allow the spices to heat up and it enhances the flavour, cook for about 5 minutes.  Spices should be hot and a little steam rising.  Place in a bowl to cool.  Add olive oil to frying pan and add the onions, scallions, garlic and allow them to cook until soft, add the red wine and tamari and allow them to further cook, about 10 minutes on low heat to have fluid to reduce.  Add the beans, spices, water/broth and the juice of the lime.  Allow to simmer together for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  Blend or mash and serve.  You can top with salsa, avocados, cheese, sour cream.  Serve with corn chips, pitas or veggies.

(not the best picture, but the dip is tasty)

Hearty Chorizo Sausage Stew

It's been freezing in Canada in the last few weeks.  This recipe is guaranteed to warm you up!

Hearty Chorizo Sausage Stew

-4 Chorizo Sausage casing removed
-2 onions chopped
-2 cloves of garlic
-1 cup of red lentils cooked
-2 carrots peeled and chopped
-1-2 turnips or 1 small rutabaga
-1 small sweet potato chopped
-2 potatoes chopped
-1 cup of cooked grain (quinoa, brown rice etc)
-3-4 cups of broth (veg, beef, or chicken)
-1 teaspoon thyme
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 bay leaf
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot cook sausage meat until almost completely cooked, drain fat and add onions and garlic.  While the sausage is cooking in a small pot cook (washed) 1 cup of red lentils with 2 cups of water on medium heat, takes about 20 minutes, I always remove the froth off the cooking lentils.   Once the onions are cooked, add the broth, lentils, carrots, turnip, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and let simmer.  When the root veggies are cooked all the way through, add the whole grain you have precooked, (I added brown rice as it was left overs) and spices.  Allow to simmer on low for about 30 minutes.  The grain will absorb some fluid making it thick.

Fried Green Tomatoes

My Mom, who has a large garden came over with several Green Tomatoes.  The weather has changed in Toronto and her garden's growth has ended for the season.  So what to do?  I started thinking about a movie from my childhood, Fried Green Tomatoes.  I realise that availability of green tomatoes is low, but my cooking is about what I have in my house, to be inspired by the season, the flavours and this is no exception.

Fried Green Tomatoes

-Green tomatoes sliced
-1/2 cup breadcrumbs
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon garlic powder
-2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
-salt and pepper
-oil to coat the bottom of the pan
-1 small purple onion chopped

Mix all the dry ingredients together and ensure that the mixture is thoroughly mixed, so the flavour is consistent.  Cut the tomatoes, if it is the bottom piece peel the skin off so that you can have the mixture stick to the tomato.  I did not want to use eggs, so for each piece of tomato I placed it in the dry mix and used some pressure to ensure that the coating sticks.  I then heated olive oil in the pan and sliced up the onion, I started cooking the tomatoes and place the onions around, I flipped the tomatoes after a few minutes when they browned, stirring the onions at the same time.  It took about 6 minutes in total cooking time.  These were delicious, especially with the addition of the onion.  I also dipped them in sweet chili sauce.

Pan fried Veggie

Pan Fried Veggies

-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
-2 red onions chopped
-2 portabello mushrooms
-2 zucchini chopped in coins
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 ribs of celery
-1 red pepper
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1/2 cup red wine
-1/2 cup beef broth
-salt and pepper
-2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

In a frying pan add oil on medium heat.  Cook portabello mushrooms until browned.  Then add onions, celery, garlic, red pepper.  Keep stirring, when onion is cooked add the zucchini and pan fry.  Once they start to cook add the wine, chili powder, broth, salt and pepper.  Allow to cook until the liquid starts to boil away.  Add parmesan cheese and serve.

White Turnip Home Fries

White Turnip Home Fries

-2 cups broth (I used beef)
-3 cups white turnip, in chunks
-2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
-1 onion chopped
-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
-2 tablespoons brown sugar (to caramelise)
-pepper to taste
-2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

-place turnip and broth in a pan on medium heat.  Allow the broth to cook off.  Once the broth is gone, remove turnip and add the oil or butter cook onion until soft then add the turnip, garlic, chili powder, cajun seasoning, pepper.  After the garlic is cooked add the sugar, once coated and browned, add the parmesan cheese, stir and serve.

Fish tacos

I am not a fan of too many additives in my food, so I make my own taco seasoning.

Fish Tacos

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 Tilpia fillets
-juice and vest of 1 lime
-1 onion
-1 clove of garlic finely chopped
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-pinch of cayenne pepper
-1 tablespoon soya sauce
-pinch of pepper

-in a frying pan add oil and onions.  Cook until onions are soft, then add garlic, fish, lime juice and zest, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, soya sauce and the pepper.  Stir while cooking and it is ready when the fish is flaked and white throughout.  Takes about 6-7 minutes and serve with your favourite taco seasoning.

Chorizo Sausage Soup

This was tasty but may be too spicy for some.  The sausage was bought at the healthy butcher on Queen here in Toronto.  This sausage

Chorizo Sausage Soup

-1 large Spanish onion
-6 chorizo sausage casing removed
-1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
-3 potatoes peeled and chopped
-1/2 turnip peeled and chopped
-4 roma tomatoes
-1 litre broth (I used organic beef broth)
-1 cup white wine
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon fresh thyme
-1 teaspoon pepper
-dash of salt
-1/2 cup brown rice

In a large pot or Dutch oven add the sausage and onions.  Allow to cook until onions are soft and clear.  Then add the broth, the sweet potato, turnip, potato and roma tomatoes.  Add the spices, you may add half the amount if you prefer less spicy.  once the potatoes were soft and cooked, then add the wine and rice.  Allow to simmer until rice is cooked.  I cooked this for 2 hours.

Baked Chicken Legs

These were a real hit with my kids, and myself.

Baked Chicken Legs

-Chicken legs
-chili powder lightly sprinkled on top
-salt and pepper
-herb de Provence
-the juice of half a lemon
-1/2 cup of beer poured on top
-lightly coated with cumin

-season the chicken, spray with lemon and then pour the beer over.  Bake at 350 for an hour.  I basted the chicken with the beer a few times, the chicken was moist and delicious.  for sweeter version add 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar to mix.

Crispy Citrus Chicken

My children loved this meal.  The ate have the chicken between the two of them.

Crispy Citrus Chicken

-1 whole chicken
-1/2 onion
-1/2 orange
-3 cloves of garlic
-2 tablespoons soften butter
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon fresh thyme
-1 handful of fresh thyme sprigs
-1 teaspoon rosemary
-salt and pepper

Wash the chicken and loosen the skin from the chicken.  Stuff half an onion, 1 clove of garlic, salt ans pepper and the sprigs of the thyme and lemon inside the chicken, add the orange at the end, so yo ucan see the orange.

Rub

Mix the softened butter with 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme chopped, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Rub the chicken with this mixture and rub it underneath the lifted skin.

Preheat the oven to 375 and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Make sure it is cooked and then serve.

Orange Pumpkin Soup

Orange Pumpkin Soup

-1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
-1 medium pumpkin
-2 large leeks cleaned and chopped
-2 onions chopped
-3 medium carrots chopped
-1 small sweet potato
-900ml veggie broth (tetra pack)  I used organic vegetable, you could use chicken for this
-1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
-2 tablespoons chili powder
-1 cinnamon stick
-1 can coconut milk
-zest and juice of 2 oranges
-salt and pepper to taste

-roasted sesame seeds or roasted almonds to top soup

In a large soup pot on medium heat add oil, onions and leeks.  Cook until they are soft.  While the onions are cooking, gut, chop and peel the pumpkin into small chunks. Peel and dice the carrots and sweet potato.  Once the onions are cooked, add the broth, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato and allow to come to a boil.  Add the chili powder, cinnamon stick and ginger.  I put probably about 1 teaspoon of fresh pepper in.  Once the veggies are soft add the zest and juices of 2 oranges and the coconut milk.  Allow to simmer.  Purée the soup and top with roasted sesame seeds or almonds seeds.

Pineapple Lime Gingered Basa

Pineapple Lime Gingered Basa

3 Basa Fillets
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
fresh pineapple chopped
1 teaspoon ofchili powder
salt and pepper

I baked in the oven for 10 minutes at 400.  I placed the basa in the casserole dish and topped with the above ingredients.  You could also flour the fish and fry in a frying pan, then once brown add the above ingredients.  I served with avocado, pineapple, strawberry coconut salsa.

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

It's that time of year when we need to start eating seasonal vegetables, tonight is a warm the soul soup.

Curried pumpkin soup with coconut milk, is a cook on the stove all day fill your house with amazing scents.  (although you only have to cook for about an hour)

Teresa's Curried Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions chopped
1 small pumpkin chopped and peeled
900ml organic vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon yellow Thai curry paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 can of coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons tamari soya sauce

In a pot (I use my Dutch oven) on medium heat soften the onions.  While this is happening chop and peel the pumpkin.  When the onions are soft add the pumpkin chunks and add the broth and the spices.   when the pumpkin is soft add the coconut milk and tamari and then simmer.  Purée with a hand blender.  You can roast the seeds and place on top of the soup, or roasted peanuts.