Soups on at CBC's Weekend Morning Show

On Saturday, I presented the following 3 soups for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai.  Each are quite simple to prepare with loads of great flavours.  I'm very passionate about soup having a lot of big flavours.

Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

4 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
1 large oven roasted yam or sweet potato
1 head roasted garlic
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2-3 cups broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
Optional: 1 pinch saffron

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil. Sauté onions until light brown in colour and add remaining ingredients. Cook until well incorporated and purée using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor.

Garnish with crouton or crème fraiche and/or crispy fried herbs.

Enjoy!

Dhal

2 cups red lentils
1 medium onion, diced
1 inch ginger, grated
3-4 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbs curry spice blend (I make my own in small batches as I roast and grind the spices but try a garam masala with more chilies,
2-3 tbs olive or vegetable oil
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup spinach leaves
~ 4-6 cups water
~ 1 cup yoghurt
salt, to taste

Optional:  chopped sorrel, kale, spinach, zucchini, all are wonderful and available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday

In a larger pot, bring lentils and water to a boil. In a separate pan, heat oil and sauté onion until translucent. Add spice blend and cook until softened. Add ginger and garlic and be careful not to burn. When the water in the lentil pot is boiling, add hot onions and spices to the pot and stir. Simmer and add vegetables. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in yoghurt and test for salt.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Butternut Squash Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped
pinch coarse salt
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs butternut, kabocha, or calabaza squash halved, peeled and seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks (about 6 cups) (available at Fertile Farm, Almost Urban Vegetables, and other producers at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp La Kama Spice Mixture (1 tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric and white pepper, good pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon and optional cubeb pepper)
1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 lb crumbled chevre
1 tsp or more to taste Harissa paste

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook onion in heavy bottomed pot or casserole dish (tajine) on medium low heat with the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes
2. Add the squash, cover with parchment paper and/lid and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, spices and 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the squash is tender, about 20+ minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Blend in batches or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and 3/4 of the cheese and the harissa at the end. Purée until velvety.
5. Bring up to heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve into warmed bowls and top each portion with a light sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

Enjoy!

Changing the diet on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod,  I presented the following recipes that have been adapted to Low Glycemic Index ingredients to benefit people living with diabetes.  

Curry leaves can be purchased at Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame, Dong Thai groceries on Notre Dame, Young's (three locations), Lucky's, etc.

Eggs, Potatoes and Cauliflower

There are a number of steps in preparation but its really worth clearing the preparation space, getting the mise en place all ready and going ahead with this recipe. This dish can easily be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegans can enjoy this recipe without the eggs. The addition of sweet potatoes or yams makes this more friendly for living with diabetes as the long fibres break down slower, thus preventing peaks in blood sugar.  This would also be perfect for Passover.

1 head cauliflower
1 cup UNSWEETENED coconut (original recipe called for freshly grated)
1 teaspoon salt
4 Roma tomatoes, cubed
1-inch cube of fresh ginger, cut smaller
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil (original recipe called for vegetable oil)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1-inch stick of cinnamon
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-3 fresh hot green chilies, minced
1 tsp ground turmeric
6-12 fresh curry leaves (use more if using dried curry leaves)
2-4 yams/sweet potatoes, cubed (original recipe called for boiling potatoes)
4-6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala


1. Put the coconut into a blender container on high and slowly add 1 cup very hot water. Let blend for more than a minute. Strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. This is the first coconut milk. Set aside.

Put the coconut that remains back in the blender and repeat with another cup of very hot water. Strain in another container and set aside. This is the second coconut milk.

2. Hard boil the eggs and cool, peel and cut in half. Set aside.

3. Cube yams.

4. Break the cauliflower into flowerets or bite-sized pieces.

5. Put the ginger, garlic, and chilies in a small blender cup and add 1/4 cup water. Blend until it makes a smooth paste.

6. Heat the oil in a large cooking pot over medium heat. When hot, first put in the fenugreek seeds. After a couple of seconds, add the cinnamon stick. Add the onion and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and fry for another minute.

7. Add tomatoes, turmeric and curry leaves to the pot. Keep stirring and frying for 2 minutes. Now add half of the second coconut milk., cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

8. Uncover, add the yams or potatoes, cauliflower, 1 tsp salt and the remaining half of the second coconut milk. Stir gently and bring to a simmer.

9. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

10. Uncover again and put in the halved eggs, cut side up, the first coconut milk and the lemon juice. Mix very gently, spooning the sauce over the eggs. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the garam masala. Mix gently.

Enjoy!

Filipino Avocado Milkshake

This is the traditional recipe.  I will change it by dropping the sugar, milk and ice-cream and using stevia, frozen condensed fat free milk.  Avocados are recommended as a snack before bed due to the long fibres and the good fats which are beneficial for people living with diabetes.  The Australian Diabetes Association recommends 1 avocado per day.

Ingredients

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and cubed
5 cubes ice
1 tbs stevia
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice (optional)
1 tin frozen fat-free condensed milk

Directions

Place avocado, ice, stevia milk, lemon juice, into a blender. Puree until smooth.