Curried Onion Soup

Curried Onion Soup

If you live in the North like I do and have a backyard garden, this is the time of year when you have to watch helplessly as mother nature claims the last of whatever you might have been growing and you are forced to pull up the remnants of your once fruitful plants in anticipation of watching your land be covered in snow.  But if you tended your garden well and stored certain produce correctly, you may still have a few precious root vegetables lying around.  To be honest, I made this soup back in September when the last of my onion crop looked past its prime and  I figured I had better pick them before they began to rot.  But I know of a lot of local gardeners with fresh onions still being picked or brought out of storage.  Obviously, you can purchase all that you need for this soup at your local grocery store as well, but when I made this, I was lucky enough to have a lot of fresh produce still available right out my back door.

Everyone has heard of French Onion Soup, which is a hearty, and often buttery, beefy soup smothered in toast and cheese.  Onions are one of the most healthful foods on the planet and have been consumed and revered for their medicinal properties since ancient times, so in my opinion, the more you can include them in your diet, the better.  Even if you have to cover this soup with bread and cheese, at least you are getting the onions into you first.  What is so great about this recipe is that by adding the flavor of green curry and coconut oil, you transform a traditional soup into something exotic and surprising.  The addition of the chick peas adds some protein and the kale adds a boost of antioxidants and texture.  So as the weather turns and you are craving something to not only nourish your body, but warm your soul, give this soup recipe a try.

Curried Pumpkin Bean Soup with Kale

Curried Pumpkin Bean Soup with Kale

Usually when people cook with pumpkin in the fall it is to make a dessert, such as pumpkin pie, muffins or cookies.  But there are plenty of savory uses for the beloved pumpkin as well.  I was hoping to have a few home grown sugar pumpkins to cook with this year since I planted about a dozen seeds back in the spring, but unfortunately despite many flowering vines, our garden only produced one pumpkin, that is currently helping to decorate the front step.  So for this recipe, and most of the recipes in which I use pumpkin, the canned variety is a fantastic substitute.  I got the inspiration for this soup from a couple of bags of dried beans that I bought from my local organic farm that were so pretty, like little works of art, I had to try them. The best way to cook dried beans, in my opinion, is low and slow in a nice soup, and nothing is easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients into a crock pot.  I had never made a pumpkin soup before, despite my mom telling me all about different creamy squash soups she has made and seeing recipes online and on TV.  I just wanted to make sure it didn't taste too much like pie, or too much like plain squash, but hit a balance right in the middle.  So in addition to the curry powder, I still added in some traditional pumpkin pie spices along with a decent amount of onion and garlic.  The house started to smell amazing within a couple of hours and when I finally opened up the lid to add in the kale, fresh from my garden, I couldn't wait to taste the soup.  The combination of sweet and savory flavors, the hint of spice from the cayenne, combined to make a truly satisfying vegan dish that my husband, son and I all enjoyed.  And every one of the ingredients are their own nutritional superstar, so it is a meal that your body will truly thank you for. I guarantee it will give you energy, boost your immunity and give you that little extra something you need to get through whatever this autumn day may throw your way.

Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

I wrote my last post after a few days of summer like weather but now the weather has turned again and it feels more like winter!  So perhaps this is a good day to post a hearty salad that could hold up to a cold windy day. One look at the ingredient list and the health benefits of this dish should be obvious.  But if you aren't familiar with vegan fare, you might not have ever tried cooking with tempeh.  Even I have only used it a handful of times, so this recipe began as an experiment to see if I could broil it instead of fry it on the stove top and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I marinated the diced tempeh for a couple of hours and then cooked it for about 20 minutes while I prepared the rest of the salad. Even my husband, who is often weary of soy products like this, enjoyed the meal.  So try going meatless the next time you prepare a dinner salad and give broiled tempeh a try!

High Protein Miso Soup

High Protein Miso Soup
with a sprinkling of garlic, salt, and pepper

A super healthy dinner that will warm you right up and make every part of you feel energized is literally only ten minutes away.  I made this soup for myself last Friday night when I was cooking just for me because I wanted something warm and hearty that would be quick to prepare and quick to clean up.  I had all but forgotten about miso soup in recent years until I was reminded of its many health benefits on a TV news show, and decided to pick up a few packets at the store.  But a simple cup of broth would never satisfy me so I thought about how this type of soup is often served at Asian restaurants and improvised my own version using ingredients I had on hand. There are very few occasions where I enjoy tofu so plain, but it really works in this soup. I used frozen organic kale as my greens but you could easily substitute spinach or the more traditional seaweed if you prefer.  And because I wanted an extra boost of protein to compensate for my week of working out, I added in a can of white beans as well. The result was a very simple, palate cleansing soup that made me feel like I was eating a delicious bowl full of health.  I would recommend this to anyone who wants a great source of vegan protein; I know I will be making another batch of it very soon!

Kale Salad with Roasted Salmon and Sweet Potatoes

Kale Salad 
with Roasted Salmon and Sweet Potatoes

Friday night has become somewhat of a stay in date night for my husband and I over the past few weeks.  Since we see so little of each other during the week, and when we are home we are focused on the kids, it is important to take that extra time to reconnect with each other.  Even if it means eating a bit later than I would usually like to, the peace and quiet and ability to talk or watch a grown up show together is totally worth it.  Last week I kept it simple and made a delicious kale salad and served it with some organic chicken spring rolls from the freezer.  This past Friday, I got a little bit more elaborate while still keeping the menu light and easy to throw together while my husband got the kids ready for bed nice and early.

I prepped the kale and the potatoes earlier in the day so they were all ready to use, and while the kids were eating their suppers at the normal time, I made the salad dressing and the marinade for the fish.  So when 8 PM rolled around and my husband was getting the kids upstairs to brush their teeth, I just tossed everything together, put the fish and potatoes in the oven and opened a bottle of wine.

Obviously, this meal is ridiculously healthy, with it's rainbow of colors and fresh ingredients.  Between the leafy green kale, the heart healthy salmon and pecans, and the nutrient rich sweet potatoes, it is a light meal (good for eating late) that is also extremely satisfying.  The best part is that this makes enough for four servings and since kale holds up really well in the fridge (even with dressing on it), I had left overs for lunch two days later.  I will definitely be making this meal again.

Kale Salad

Kale Salad
with walnut & cranberries

Everyone knows that kale is super good for you.  It is a cruciferous vegetable that is high in calcium, vitamins A and C and the powerful antioxidant vitamin K.  However, besides a few bites straight from my garden this summer I haven't ever served it raw as part of a meal.  Usually I have baked it into kale chips (my son's favorite!) or cooked it in a soup.  But over the Christmas holiday my mom served a salad that had kale in with the lettuce mixture and I loved it.  So when I was at the store the other day and saw fresh boxes of kale being unloaded onto the organic produce shelf, I had to buy some.  I had already planned out the next few nights' meals and knew I had to use the kale quickly to retain the quality so I decided to make a side salad out of it to go with an Italian Beef Stew I was planning to make.  The dressing is fairly simple and the addition of the cranberries and walnuts adds the perfect amount of sweetness, depth and crunch.  This salad was great the day I made it, and to be honest, even better the following night as left overs.  Because kale is so hardy, it doesn't wilt like other lettuces might when saved for another day.  So give this nutritional powerhouse salad a try the next time you want a quick and simple side dish.  Or add some beans and/or chicken and call it a meal!