It dawned on me this weekend that I make home-made soup at least twice a month, so I thought seeing as the weather is turning why not make this into a heart-warming weekly affair!  I do love a theme.  So, I officially welcome you to the very first edition of the Weekly Soup.  Nice and timely right at the beginning of November.  It’s brisk but lovely here in Canadaland where I live, and soup seems to make it all the better.

Seeing as leeks just happened to land in my lap (a wee gifty from the mom-in-law), I set out yesterday to make something soothing and oniony.  I intended on making potato leek soup, but with nary a spud in sight, I swapped in that other tasty white veg: cauliflower.  The result?  A gorgeous smooth and savory soup that is actually one of the best I’ve had in ages.  It holds up pretty well to a quick zap to re-heat and would even do well served cold in the summer as a vichyssoise. Versatile, easy and spectacularly tasty?  SOLD!

INGREDIENTS:

1 TBSP butter

½ small onion, finely chopped

1 TBSP olive oil

2 leeks, chopped and washed of all grit (TIP: soak the chopped leek in cold water, drain a repeat a few times to ensure all the dirt is gone)

½ large head of cauliflower, chopped

3 cups stock (your choice – as long as it’s rich and good!)

1 cup boiling water (you may use more or less, depending on the thickness you desire)

1 ½ tsp sea or kosher salt (if your stock is super salty, use less)

½ cup 10% table cream

1/3 cup extra old white cheddar, grated (you could use any old hard cheese, but this is my FAVE!)

Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1)      Bring a large pot to medium heat and sauté the onion in the butter and olive oil until just browned.

2)      Add into pot the leek and cauliflower, and sauté until browned and softened (about 5-10 min).

3)      Pour stock, water and salt into pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 min (or until veg are very tender).

4)      Turn off heat and allow soup to cool slightly, then add in cream.

5)      Pour all contents into a blender, and blend until smooth (you can add in extra liquid if it’s too thick).

6)      Place puréed soup back in pot, add in grated cheese and re-heat slightly (you do not want to burn this soup, so be careful!).

7)      Serve warm with zesty crackers or crusty bread – even top with plain yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkling of freshly chopped chives!!  Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Okay, so my peeps aren’t known for their dessert making skills, but if there is one thing sweet that the Brits do get right, it’s the Empire Biscuit.  It’s a far cry from all the entrails that end up in haggis – don’t even get me started on that – with buttery shortbreads sandwiched together with sweet jam and topped with a dab of white icing.  These remind me so much of Christmas and family, and are a perfect to treat to serve after dinner or with afternoon tea, or to wrap up as gifts for your favourite friends.  I can’t WAIT for December.

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INGREDIENTS:

Shortbread

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (must be all-purpose – I’ve tried whole wheat and it’s not nice)

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tsp salt

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Icing

1 cup icing sugar (approx)

1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

4 1/2 tsp milk

1/4 cup maraschino cherries, dried and cut into quarters (you could use candied ones too if you want)

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DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat oven to 350°F, and in a bowl combine flour, cornstarch and salt.

2)  Combine butter and sugar in a separate large bowl, cream together until smooth, then increasingly beat in flour mixture.

3)  Roll 1 tbsp dough at a time into a small ball, then flatten with your fingers until about 1/4″ thick, and place 1/2″ apart onto buttered or lined baking sheets.

4)  Bake cookies for 12 min, or until firm to the touch (watch out not to overcook or burn!).

5)  Remove from oven once done and cool on wire racks.

6)  Once completely cooled, spread 1/2 tsp jam on half the cookies, then top with remaining cookies.

7) For the glaze, beat together icing sugar, butter and milk in a small bowl, adding a little more icing sugar if necessary to make a spreadable paste.

8] Spread icing over cookies, then top each with a small piece of cherry.

9) IMPORTANT: Let sit for 30 minutes before serving, so the biscuits can set.

Summer may be over (or what was a bad substitute for summer as it was here) but that doesn’t mean that we have to say ’see ya next year’ to lovely corn.  Corn is such a fall vegetable for me, more so than summer.  I do love driving back from up north in August and picking up a dozen fresh corn from a local farmer for next to nothing … but all the fall dishes with corn are where it’s at for me in the end.  Soups, breads, warm sauces … now you’re talking!  Give this super easy soup a try this fall – you will love the simplicity and savoriness of this velvety liquid gold.

Happy belated Canadian Thanksgiving!

INGREDIENTS:

1 small-medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound frozen corn (try not to use canned)
3 cups vegetable broth (or a wee bit more as required), heated
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chili pepper
2 TBSP corn flour or corn starch (give or take)
1/2 TBSP nutritional yeast (you can skip this if you don’t have any on hand)
2 corn tortillas
salt, chili powder, and ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1) On medium heat (using a heavy saucepan), sauté onion until lightly browned, then add minced garlic and cook for another minute (don’t burn the garlic!).

2) Place sauted onions and garlic into a blender along with frozen corn, 2 cups only of vegetable broth (make sure it’s heated already), cumin, chipotle, corn flour, and yeast, and blend until very smooth.

3) Pour all blender contents back into saucepan, add remaining 1 cup of broth, and simmer on very low until soup is thick and bubbly (approx 10-15 min), stirring continuously to prevent any burning.
4) While the soup is simmering, preheat oven to 400F, and cut corn tortillas in half and then each half into strips (about 1/2-inch wide each).

5) Place strips onto a non-stick cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and chili powder, then bake until crunchy and a light brown colour (approx 5-10 min, as ovens may vary), ensuring to stir or flip at least once to prevent burning or sticking.

6) Ladle soup into bowls, then divide tortilla chips equally among the bowls, and enjoy!!!  You can also garnish with herbs (chives, parsley, etc) or cheese or sour cream or even a few corn kernels.

It’s that time of year again where the fruit basket on the counter and the top shelf in my fridge is overrun with peaches.  Glorious, mouth-watering, chin dripping fresh Ontario Peaches.  Unfortunately, there are only so many I can eat in a day, and so I have had to find creative ways of using them all up.  Enter baking!  These are a healthy alternative to the usually fat-laden muffin realm, and if you’re feeling like you’re not in the peach zone, you could easily swap any berry of your choice here.  The fat here is replaced mostly with yogurt, so it’s a bit friendlier to your hips and tummy.  This batch was even 100% kid approved by my discerning neighbours, 8 and 5 respectively, and by my Grandpa, 89.  Now if that’s not an endorsement, I really don’t know what is.

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INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour (I used 1 cup rye flour, and 1 cup all purpose – but you could use rice or chickpea flour to make this Gluten-free)

1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt (you could use full fat or even peach flavoured if you want)

1/4 cup 1% or skim milk

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (or even almonds)

2 cups fresh peaches, cut into very small pieces (skin on)

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DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F, and place paper baking cups in muffin pans (or lightly grease pans).

2) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.

3) In a separate bowl, combine milk and yogurt; set aside.

4) Beat eggs and sugar at high speed for about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy, then add melted butter and vanilla and beat until well blended, about 1 minute.

5) Add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture (start and finish with flour mixture), mixing only to completely combine, then stir in chopped nuts and peaches. DO NOT OVERMIX!

6) Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, and bake on centre rack for 25-30 minutes (or until cake tester comes out clean).

7) Remove finished muffins from pans immediately, and cool on wire rack.

Why OH-SO?  Well, these little gems are OH-SO guilt-free, soy-free, easy to make, can be dairy-free, and if you use non-Quaker brand oats, they’re gluten-free too!  And they’re OH-SO tasty, believe it or not. Plus, they’ve got the added bonus of the bananas, so they’re super healthy and a great way to use up any over-ripened bananas you may have lying around.

Ingredients:
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup butter, melted (you could also use CANOLA oil to make these dairy-free)
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats (NOT Quaker or other conventional brands, if you want gluten-free)
1/4 cup skim milk (use RICE or ALMOND milk to make these dairy-free)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 350°F, then puree bananas completely, until they are runny and smooth.

2) Thoroughly mix ALL ingredients together in a bowl, ensuring oats are evenly moistened.

3) Let batter stand for about 5 minutes, then drop heaping teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet.

4) Bake cookies for approximately 15-20 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned (every oven is different so keep a watchful eye near the end).

5) Move cookies to a wire rack to cool.

NOTE – if you make these super-sized, they make terrific ice-cream sammys.  Just scoop vanilla icre-cream and squish between 2 cookies, and freeze for an hour before serving.  Smother with chocolate or caramel sauce for a real gooey mess if you want.  Tastes like summer!!!

I live and breathe peanut butter!!  I swear, if I ever get a nut allergy I am doomed.  Every day for as long as I can remember, I’ve had nuts in some shape or another.  Nothing makes me instantly cheerful like a big spoonful of my fave PB (okay, maybe a glass of wine, but that’s another story).  These bars are not only delectable, they are packed with good-for-you ingredients that you most likely already have on hand.  If you are looking to cut back on some calories, you can use Splenda, but I prefer the real thing.  To make these dairy-free, sub in ALMOND or RICE milk and use dairy-free ‘chips’ as I’ve done.

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour

¾ tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy – your call)

1/3 cup regular brown sugar (or Splenda Brown Sugar Blend if you are calorie counting)

1 egg, beaten

½ cup skim milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life chips – which are dairy and soy free! Yay!)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8″ x 8″ baking dish and lightly brush with oil (coat with cooking spray).

2) In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and gently stir with a fork.

3) In a separate mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar, and egg and stir vigorously until creamy, then add milk and vanilla and stir until smooth.

4) Add the flour mixture to wet mixture, stirring until well combined, then mix in the chips.

5) Place dough into prepared baking dish and pat top lightly until smooth, then bake for about 15 min, or until slightly puffy and very lightly browned at the edges.

It is Caribana weekend here in metropolis,  and in honour of this long standing glorious tradition, I am posting my take on a classic: rice and peas. There is more to this celebration than parades, whistles and sweat, there’s the delicious and cheap food.  I am a big time lover of caribbean inspired culinary delights, as they’re often ridicously tasty, cheap and easy to make.  Most of the ingrients are pantry staples, so it makes a spontaneous night of heart-and-belly-warming eats a snap. I know, I know, there aren’t any real “peas” in this dish … but hey, aren’t you as sick as I am at saying you’re having yet another dish of rice and beans?  Rice and peas just sounds nicer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (or 2 cups cooked) red kidney beans

1 can coconut milk

2 cups of brown rice, soaked overnight

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 TBSP canola spoon oil

water

Scotch Bonnet Pepper (although this is totally optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Rinse cooked beans thoroughly, place in a pot and add coconut milk and enough water to make four cups of liquid.

2) Add in onions, garlic, thyme and oil, bring to a boil.

3) Add rice and stir for 1 minute, add hot pepper whole, by placing pepper on top and allow to simmer.

4) Reduce heat to med-low and continue to simmer for about 35 min (or until rice is cooked).

5) Remove pepper (you can discard or add it to another dish you may be making – but watch out … it’s HOT) and serve.

FETE ‘TILL YOU SWEAT!

I am always on the hunt for new and exciting tasty treats that are soy-free and healthy.  I’ve experimented with dozens of batches and have adjusted my good ol’ taste buds to accommodate a lot of pasty and good-for-you-but-not-good-tasting snacks.  I was hankering for something oatmealy, healthy and transportable and came up with what according to my hubster, is by far the best thing I’ve ever made.  It’ll be tough to follow up this one with something comparable, but I love a challenge.  These bars are a great way to grab a brekkie on the go or to feast upon with a cuppa java.  They’re also dairy-free so that’s another unexpected perk too!  The batch I made yesterday has been reduced to one bar in less than 24 hours – and there’s only 2 of us to blame.  YUMMERS!

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INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp wheat bran

1 tbsp ground flax seed

1/2 cup natural-style smooth peanut butter (my absolute favourite right now is PB & Co … LOVE their stuff!)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar or sugar in the raw

1/3 cup honey

2 eggs

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup dried cranberries, raisins, dates or apricots (or any other dried fruit you like)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds (or your favourite nut)

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray (I used a bit of oil smudged about with a brush, as all the spray oils I’ve seen have soy).

2. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, wheat germ, and ground flax in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Thoroughly mix peanut butter, sugar, and honey in a large mixing bowl until blended, then blend in egg, oil and vanilla and beat until smooth.

4. Add reserved flour mixture to wet mixture and combine, then mix in oats, dried fruit, and nuts.

5. Scrape batter into the prepared baking dish and bake fro 20-25 min until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

6. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into bars (about 30 min minimum).

As mentioned about a trillion times before, I LOVE making soup.  Love Love Love.  It’s so easy and so cheap, and uses up all the veggies in the fridge that otherwise might have had to head to the green bin.  That said, I hit the fridge last night and raided the crisper for anything less than fresh.  Enter sweet potatoes, some sprouting garlic, an assortment of mushrooms and some frozen veggie stock.  Three hours later, the house smelled delectable, only bad spots sat resting in the green bin and I was left with enough soup for dinner and lunches for two days.

INGREDIENTS:

1 extra large sweet potato, chopped into small cubes (I left the skin on, but you could peel it if you wish)

2 cups of mushrooms, chopped (your choice – I used button and crimini)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic gloves, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

6 cups vegetable stock

½ cup uncooked wild or brown rice

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp of allspice

Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1)      Set oven to 375F and place chopped vegetables on a baking tray.

2)      Pour olive oil over vegetables, sprinkle with salt and bake for 20-30 min until browned.

3)      Bring a large pot with the stock to a boil, and carefully add in cooked vegetables.

4)      Return to a boil, add in rice and remaining spices, and simmer on low for approximately 45 min.

5)      Serve with crusty bread or your favourite crackers!

NOTES:

You can be as creative as you want here!  Swap in or out your favourite veggies, or use barley instead of rice, and maybe even add in some beans of your choice.  This would go nicely with some freshly grated cheese too.

Yes, this is a mac’n'cheese for the rest of us … soy, gluten, AND dairy free!!!  Some of the most common allergens and food intollerences out there these days.  Sad but true.  This certainly won’t replace Auntie Marg’s creamy gooey gorgeous baked version that has everyone in a coma for a few hours after enjoying, but hey, it’s better than the alternative of nothing.  It’s a pretty tasty and easy version of a classic that will satisfy any “freer” out there.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice macaroni

1 1/4 cup unsweetened rice milk

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp EACH onion powderand garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp tumeric

1 tbsp tahini

Sprinking of smoked paprika for dusting (optional!!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the box (usually about 7-8 min).

2. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water, and set aside.

3. Whisk all remaining ingredients together in a medium sauce pan, and turn on heat on burner to medium.

4. Bring sauce to a near boil then turn down the heat to low – stirring occasionally, to allow sauce to thicken.

5. Remove from heat once thickened, and combine with cooked macaroni, stirring to coat completely.

6. Return to bruner, heat thoroughly and serve!