Winter seems to be heaving one last, big gasp in many parts of the country, one of them being where I live. Even though we know spring is just around the corner, on cold days like today, one of the things I love most is a wonderful bowl or two of soup. A big plus is that most soups are quite healthy as well as delicious. The low fat, high fiber spilt pea soup presented below is both warming and filling. Pair it with some crusty homemade whole grain bread and I can't think of a better way to welcome your loved ones home from school or work, or just to treat yourself.
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:
1 T. canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
4 Cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups of water
1 1/2 Cups dried split green peas, picked through and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot.
2. Sauté garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
3. Add potatoes, broth, water and dried split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Allow soup to cool a little. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Season to taste.
Serves 6
I've now presented three soups that are wonderful for wintertime dining and extremely healty as well. I hope you'll try at least one of them and let me know what you think.
Bon Appetit!
Showing posts with label wintertime recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wintertime recipes. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Recipe - Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
It was relatively warm (50s) and quite sunny here yesterday, but today, though still warm, is very rainy, so feels chillier than it really is. Tonight, however, winter is going to make a return.
I thought this would be a good time to offer yet another great wintertime soup recipe. Those who like winter squash should like the previously posted recipe, but if you're looing for something just a bit sweeter, but still very healthy (eat as many of those deep orange vegetables as you can), this Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup should fill the bill quite nicely. It's naturally sweet, but has some spiciness due to the addition of curry powder and cumin. Enjoy it with whole grain bread or whole grain crackers.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 T. curry powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened.
2. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches.
5. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.
Serves 6
I thought this would be a good time to offer yet another great wintertime soup recipe. Those who like winter squash should like the previously posted recipe, but if you're looing for something just a bit sweeter, but still very healthy (eat as many of those deep orange vegetables as you can), this Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup should fill the bill quite nicely. It's naturally sweet, but has some spiciness due to the addition of curry powder and cumin. Enjoy it with whole grain bread or whole grain crackers.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 T. curry powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened.
2. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches.
5. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.
Serves 6
Monday, January 21, 2008
Recipe - Winter Squash Soup
Right now, where I live, it's quite cold - about 15 F. That's too cold for me to spend much time outdoors, where I love to be in the summertime, but cold weather does offer great opportunities to cook some marvelous soups. One of my favorites is the Winter Squash Soup recipe presented below. It requires a bit of work, but that work is well worth it. This soup's not only guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter's day, it's guaranteed to be delicious as well. It's great for lunch, or even for dinner, when served with a nice salad and warm, crusty bread. This recipe makes ten servings, so if you have any left over, just refrigerate it and serve it the next day.
Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients:
3 1/2 pounds kabocha squash, halved and seeded
2 pounds butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 1/2 pounds acorn squash, halved and seeded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 pound peasant bread, crusts removed, bread torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups creme fraiche
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger 1 pinch ground cloves
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season the kabocha, butternut and acorn squashes with salt and pepper and lay them cut side down on two large rimmed baking sheets. Pour 1 cup of water onto each baking sheet, cover the squash with foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool slightly, then scoop the flesh into a bowl. Keep the oven on.
2. In a large saucepan or casserole, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon each of the cardamom and nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon each of the ginger and cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the squash flesh and heavy cream and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor and return to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over very low heat.
3. Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the pieces of bread with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the bread out and bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche with the remaining pinches of cardamom, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, dollop with creme fraiche and croutons and serve.
Yield: 10 servings
Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients:
3 1/2 pounds kabocha squash, halved and seeded
2 pounds butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 1/2 pounds acorn squash, halved and seeded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 pound peasant bread, crusts removed, bread torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups creme fraiche
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger 1 pinch ground cloves
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season the kabocha, butternut and acorn squashes with salt and pepper and lay them cut side down on two large rimmed baking sheets. Pour 1 cup of water onto each baking sheet, cover the squash with foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool slightly, then scoop the flesh into a bowl. Keep the oven on.
2. In a large saucepan or casserole, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon each of the cardamom and nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon each of the ginger and cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the squash flesh and heavy cream and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor and return to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over very low heat.
3. Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the pieces of bread with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the bread out and bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche with the remaining pinches of cardamom, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, dollop with creme fraiche and croutons and serve.
Yield: 10 servings
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A Great Salmon Recipe for Wintertime
Salmon is my favorite fish. In fact, salmon is a big part of my favorite meal. This recipe, with Oregan hazelnuts and juniper berries is a wonderful addition to any wintertime table.
Northwest Salmon With Hazelnut and Juniper Berry Sauce
Ingredients:
4 salmon steaks
1/4 cup Oregon hazelnuts, broken
3 Juniper berries, crushed
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup cream
Directions:
Sauté salmon steaks and remove from pan. Add hazelnuts and juniper berries. Deglaze with brandy. When mixture is reduced and alcohol is gone, add cream and cook until thickened. Salt to taste. Pour over warm salmon steaks.
Note: You can add broken Oregon hazelnuts to any quick sauce to achieve a wonderfully nutty flavor. (It must be a quick sauce, though, in order to maintain the crunch of the berries.)
Yield: Four servings
Northwest Salmon With Hazelnut and Juniper Berry Sauce
Ingredients:
4 salmon steaks
1/4 cup Oregon hazelnuts, broken
3 Juniper berries, crushed
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup cream
Directions:
Sauté salmon steaks and remove from pan. Add hazelnuts and juniper berries. Deglaze with brandy. When mixture is reduced and alcohol is gone, add cream and cook until thickened. Salt to taste. Pour over warm salmon steaks.
Note: You can add broken Oregon hazelnuts to any quick sauce to achieve a wonderfully nutty flavor. (It must be a quick sauce, though, in order to maintain the crunch of the berries.)
Yield: Four servings
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
A Great Wintertime Recipe - Blueberry Chutney
Although this blueberry chutney is great any time of the year, I especially love it in the winter. I usually make a lot of it and serve it with brie or camembert and crackers on Christmas Eve. It's always a great hit. It can also be used as a sandwich spread (it's terrific with ham).
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup minced onion
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
dash salt
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan, then bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute and remove cinnamon stick. Cool completely, place in tightly sealed containers, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Then, enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup minced onion
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
dash salt
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan, then bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute and remove cinnamon stick. Cool completely, place in tightly sealed containers, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Then, enjoy!
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