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.

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.

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.

Caramelised pear Soup

Caramelised Pear Soup

-1 sweet onion
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 potatoes, peeled and chopped in small pieces.
-5 pears (peeled and core removed)
-2.5 cup veggie broth or chicken broth
-1 cup white wine
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 tablespoon grated ginger
-1 tablespoon maple syrup
-salt and pepper
-1 can of coconut milk or heavy cream

In a pot on medium heat place chopped onion with the olive oil.  cook until soft and clear.  Add the potatoes and pears, broth and wine.  Allow to cook until the potatoes are soft.  (About 30 minutes).  Add the ginger and cinnamon, coconut milk and salt and pepper.  Allow to cook together.  Purée and serve with roasted almonds.

Vegan Vegetarian Shepard's Pie with a Thai influence

Vegan Vegetarian Shepard's Pie with a Thai influence

filling

-1 cup red lentils
-1/2 cup brown rice
-2 cups veggie broth
-2 onions chopped
-2 sticks of celery chopped
-1/2 cup tomato sauce
-1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry paste
-2 tablespoon chili powder
-1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
-pepper

-soak red lentils and rinse.  Add the broth and lentils and bring to a boil, cook for 30 minutes.  Add the Thai curry paste.  Add chili powder, pepper and ginger.  In a frying pan cook celery and onions.  Add to the lentils.  Then add the rice precooked.  The tomato sauce ties all the flavours together.

Topping

-3 large sweet potato
-2 large potatoes
-1/2 can of coconut cream
-chili powder

-boil the potatoes then mash them with the coconut milk and chili powder and a pinch of salt.  Poor the lentils in the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with potatoes and cook in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes.

BBQ Potatoes

So this is a fantastic BBQ recipe

New Potatoes BBQ in a foil container

-1-2 pounds of new potatoes chopped in half
-1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter
-1 onion chopped
-salt and pepper
-red and yellow peppers chopped
-1/4 cup cheese grated (parmigiana, Swiss, cheddar, Gouda)


In a pan (I used a tin foil pan) places the potatoes, oil, onion, peppers and covered with cheese.  I used what I had available, the cheese is what made the dish, on medium high heat on the BBQ, stirring frequently.  Cook until potatoes roasted through out, pierce with a fork.  Took about 30 minutes.  To speed up partially boil potatoes.


Was amazing!

Yesterday (meal ideas)

Yesterday I was working and my friend sent me a message....I need some inspiration for dinner.  I have asparagus and 2 coloured carrots.  I suggested that she roast almonds dry in a frying pan with soya sauce and fresh ginger grated, when browned and removing almonds from heat to drizzle with maple syrup.  The asparagus to be panned fried with ginger soya sauce and maple syrup and top with roasted almonds.  I suggested chicken backed in oven with peppercorn goat cheese covered, he was unable to find peppercorn goat cheese but purchased herbed goat cheese.  The carrots she roasted in the oven with potatoes and spices...an amazing delicious meal with very little work...the roasted almonds covered with maple syrup is a favourite of mine.  Her dinner was delicious and I helped to inspire a home cooked meal to be shared with her and her soon to be hubby

Yellow Thai Curried Chicken with coconut milk

So tonight, I am not actually doing the cooking, I have a friend who is cooking with me.  I helped with some prep work.  It is nice to have a break from the kitchen


Yellow Thai Curried Chicken with Coconut Milk


1 bay leave
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons yellow curry
1 chili pepper chopped
3 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of minced ginger
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 chicken breasts chopped (you can use thighs or drumsticks)
1 can of coconut milk
4 potatoes
2 medium sized tomatoes
1/4 cup of cilantro
2 tablespoon fish sauce or tamari


In a frying pan dry fry the spices on medium-high heat.  Add the chili pepper, shallots, garlic, and ginger, for 1 minute stirring constantly then add chicken and potatoes.  Stir for a few minutes.  Add the chicken broth and the can of coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until potatoes and chicken cooked.  Add the tomatoes about 10 minutes before cooked.  serve over rice or noodles and top with fresh chopped cilantro.

 Bring to a boil

Add tomatoes at end, and cook for about 10 minutes

Fresh Cilantro

Yellow Thai Curry Chicken for dinner tonight

I am off to Kensington Market to get the ingredients for dinner

-coconut milk
-chicken
-ginger
-garlic
-yellow thai curry
-red chili flakes
-potatoes
-cilantro
-cinnamon sticks
-shallots
-chicken broth
-fish sauce
-tomatoes

Looking forward to tonight dinner.