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.

Sesame Manadarin Brown Rice Salad

Sesame Mandarin Brown Rice Salad

-2 cups cooked brown rice
-1 apple peeled and chopped up
-avocado sliced with the juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper
-1 small purple onion chopped
-2 cooked golden beets (optional)
-1/2 cup roasted sesame seeds
-1/2 cup roasted hulled pumpkins
-1/2 cup roasted almonds
-2 tablespoons hemp seeds
-1 can of mandarin oranges juice drained

Dressing

-1 tablespoons tamari (soya sauce)
-1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
-2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
-4 tablespoons sesame oil
-2 tablespoons of juice from the mandarins.

-to roast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds dry roast in a frying pan until golden brown on medium heat.

-Mix the avocado, brown rice, apple, onion, beets, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, hemp seeds, and mandarins in a large bowl.  Mix together well.  The mix together the ingredients or the dressing and poor over.  Sesame has an intense strong flavour, so mix and taste, you may need more dressing.

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.

Peach Glazed Chicken

I had a basket full of peaches and friends coming for dinner

Peach Glazed Chicken

-4 chicken breasts
-5 peaches skin removed and sliced
-1 clove of garlic chopped
-1 small onion chopped
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
-2 tablespoons chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon of cumin
-zest of lime and lemon
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-juice of half a lime
-salt and pepper to taste

I placed the chicken in a casserole dish.  I sliced the peaches and placed over the chicken and added the garlic and onion.  I mixed all the dry spiced and ginger together and mixed in with peaches, onion and garlic, added the zest and juice of lime, gave a stir and cooked at 350 for 40 minutes.  
I served over rice.

Fresh Ontario Peaches oven baked

Yesterday I went to the Brickworks in Toronto which has a farmer's market.  It was the blueberry festival, however I forgot to buy any.  I was having some vegetarians over for dinner and I wondered around the market deciding what to make.  The peaches were incredible. I bought a basket and made this for dessert.

Baked Peaches

-4 peaches washed and cut in half, pit removed
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of melted butter.

preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  Have peaches laid out on a casserole dish skin side down.  Coat the top of the peaches with the melted butter.  And sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon ginger mixture on top of each peach.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.  

Black Cod Recipe

My Black Cod Recipe

-Fresh ginger grated
-1 small scallion grated
-1 tablespoon red miso paste
-1 oz of 1919 8 year old rum
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-lemon zest
-lime zest
-2 splashes of tamari sauce
-olive oil

-zest lemon and lime right on fish.  Mix rest of ingredients and pout over fish.  Can squeeze lemon an lime over right before baking.

Miso Ginger Rum Salmon

Good evening everyone, I just finished another busy 12 hour day at work.   I have made a colourful dinner tonight.  In fact I think I have covered all the colour in the rainbow.  Tonight I have started with a mixed lettuce salad with cranberries, purple carrots, peppercorn goat cheese and red pepper.

Then I pan fried king oyster mushrooms with onions, purple and orange carrots, in a frying pan in a small amount of butter until mushrooms golden brown.  Then I added red wine.  (I always keep wine that has outlived it's drinking days for recipes like this) I also added chopped garlic, ginger and scallions.

I also added quinoa from dinner last night at the end to warm up.

I made a delicious Miso Ginger Rum Salmon.


T's Miso Ginger Rum Marinate


Red miso past 2 tablespoons
1 shot of 1919 Rum (expensive but delicious) 
squeeze the juice of half a lemon
squeeze the juice of half a lime 
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil


Marinate fish
Cook at 350 covered for 10-15 minutes

I also made my mango salsa...  Here is the dinner all together

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. 

And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

Craig Claiborne, ‘Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer’