whole grains & vegetable soup

Yesterday I woke up and my eyeballs hurt. I was also walking around like a zombie. Despite having a good night's sleep, I just couldn't seem to wake up, so doing things like talking to clients and working on design mock-ups took incredible amounts of effort.

I'm fighting a cold bug and I don't want it to win, so for lunch I whipped up this vegetable and whole grains soup. Loaded with dark leafy greens (kale to the rescue?), garlic and anything else I could find from the crisper and pantry, it was the perfect meal. And today I feel better. I don't know if it was the soup, or the copious amounts of water I drank, or even the vitamins that I popped, but for the sake of a happy ending, let's say it was the soup!

As today is Wednesday, you can find this cold-busting soup recipe over at Poppytalk. And if you have any leftovers, you can always eat this as soup. Or you could do what I did this past summer and turned soup leftovers into veggie burgers. Your call.

sweet potato, corn & jalapeño bisque

Soups are one of my favorite meals. They are quick and simple to make and you can usually find something in your cupboard to throw into the pot. Variations are endless and they make for an affordable meal. My husband, as it's been well documented here on this blog, is a soup-hater. As much as I try to bring him over to the soup-side, it ain't working.

I'd love to tell you that this amazing beautiful bowl of perfectly spiced orange velvet, helped to win him over. But that would be a lie. There is no conversion in this story, no "ah-ha" moment (oh my god, did I just quote Oprah?) . And I'm okay with that because it means there is more of this soup for me to love.

I served this as part of my contribution to our Thanksgiving dinner this past Monday and it is definitely guest-worthy. Calling it a bisque rather than a soup makes it seem fancier than it really is. After all, a bisque is just a smoothly pureed soup and this soup is smoooooth. Did I mention it's like velvet? It is. The texture is amazing and the flavours are well-balanced. Spicy from the peppers and a hit of sweetness from the root vegetables and a tiny hit of maple syrup. It's autumn in a bowl and I couldn't be happier eating up the leftovers. Sorry, husband, but there's going to be a lot more of this soup in our future.

As for the recipe, I doubled the basic recipe and just subbed in maple syrup for the molasses. I also decided not to double up on the maple syrup, since I was using part yams which are so much sweeter than sweet potatoes. Let your taste buds be your guide! The recipe below serves about 6 people.

sweet potato, corn & jalapeño bisque
(adapted from The Wednesday Chef)
1 T canola oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6-8 c vegetable or chicken stock
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 c frozen corn kernels
2 T maple syrup
1/2 T kosher salt
1/4 t ground cayenne
1/4 t black pepper
pinch ground cinnamon

In a large soup pot, heat oil over med-high heat and add in garlic and onions. Let them sweat for a bit until fragrant, then add in the yams and sweet potatoes. Stir around a bit and then cover with stock - just enough so that the vegetables are covered. Put a lid on, and let things bubble away over medium heat.

About 30 minutes later or so, the vegetables should be soft. Get out your immersion blender and whizz away, pureeing until every last chunk has been pulverized. Add in the jalapeños, corn, maple syrup, salt, cayenne, pepper and the tiniest pinch of cinnamon. Stir well, taste and adjust for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and get ready to find instant happiness (or, if you are like my husband, just grin and bear it).

make this now: tomato & corn biscuit pie

Three weeks vacation is a long vacation and we loved every moment of it. Well, maybe not getting bit by mosquitoes. If I'm thankful for anything about living in expensive Vancouver, I'm very thankful that there are no mosquitoes. Being bug-free, especially when camping for two out of three weeks, would have been miraculous. Highlights included driving the side roads in Quebec along the St. Lawrence, getting our feet mucky in the Bay of Fundy, driving the breath-takingly gorgeous Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, the fairy-tale village of Peggy's Cove, picking up shells off the red sanded beaches of PEI, and visiting the strangely deserted but beautiful city of St. John, NB.

I also fell in love with Montreal. Fell hard...and not just because of the poutine. It was exciting, relaxed, and perfect and I'm almost ready to pack my bags and relocate. French, do I really need to be that fluent? Honestly, it doesn't seem so! I also loved the Vermont town of Montpelier. It was beautiful and had everything I could want in a small town...except that it's not Canada. And as my friend Jason in Montreal beautifully put it, as long as you are in Canada, you are home.

Oh, and the food! We ate some pretty wonderful meals and I even managed to discover a love of cucumbers, peaches, plums and I even tried scallops for the first time (but definitely not the last). And while it was fun trying new foods, eating at new restaurants and beach-side shacks, it also feels good to be in my own kitchen. The first real meal I cooked when I returned was this pie. I had seen the recipe in my August copy of Gourmet magazine and it just looked perfect. Comforting and homey yet full of seasonal, fresh ingredients. It was the perfect meal to come home to.


The beauty of this recipe is that it takes all the complicated pie-making stuff and throws it out the window. Instead of a tricky pie crust, this one uses biscuit dough which is so much easier to roll out into a round-ish shape. If I had some zucchini, I'd even toss in a layer of that for a pretty green, red and yellow pie. It seems like a forgiving dish. And it's the perfect thing to make on a weeknight and it's good enough to serve to guests for brunch. If you aren't in your kitchen now cutting up your fragrant garden tomatoes or gently stirring up a batch of biscuits, you are clearly in the wrong. This meal must be made. Now. Get to it, I'll be waiting.

tomato & corn biscuit pie
(liberally adapted from Gourmet)
1 recipe of your favorite biscuit dough (minus the dill, onion & cheddar - but add some 1 t fresh oregano if you wish)
2 T mayonnaise
zest of 1 lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
4-5 med-large tomatoes, deseeded & sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
2-4 fat green onions (about 1/2 c), sliced
1 c corn (freshly de-cobbed or frozen)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
a pinch or two of kosher salt
1/4 c old cheddar cheese, shredded
egg wash, milk or melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix up your biscuit dough and divide the dough in half. Roll out one ball of dough into a circular shape and line it into a pie plate.

2. In the meantime, mix together the mayo with the lemon zest and juice and set aside.

3. Layer in half of the tomatoes to line the bottom and sprinkle with half of the fresh basil. Grind some black pepper over it all and a small pinch of kosher salt. Add half the corn and half the green onions and drizzle over half of the mayo mixture. Repeat. Sprinkle the top of the pie with cheddar cheese.

4. Roll out the remaining ball of dough and top the pie with it. Seal the edges and make it look pretty like Martha would (or be like me, cross your fingers and just try your best). Cut in a few vents to let the steam escape and brush the top with a bit of egg wash, milk or melted butter. Put in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden. Remove from oven and serve.

soup for 2: potato coconut corn chowder

I was away for a few days visiting my family in Ontario and when I returned home, the cupboards were bare. I did have enough to scrape together soup for two, which seems kind of ridiculous when written down. I mean, soup for 2? Just two??? Soup is usually made in large batches, frozen into containers or eaten for days. But I only had halves and bits and pieces of fresh vegetables and the teeniest-tiniest can of coconut milk...and I was hungry, dammit! So this the result. Obviously, I don't have a photo of the chowder. It was dark and we were hungry, so the perfect photo-op didn't exist. Instead, I decided to illustrate my meal instead. It's cute and it provided the perfect outlet to practice my procrastination.

Did I mention that it was oh-so-delicious? Even my soup-challenged husband said that it was tasty. Chowder is usually made with dairy or soy milk, but all I had was that cute can of coconut milk and it worked wonderfully. It lent the dish a slightly more exotic flare than the usual potato corn soup. You are welcome to make this so that you have enough to keep you company for days, but for me, the fact that there was only enough for two made the meal extra special.

potato coconut corn chowder
1 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 t cumin (heaping)
1 vegetable bullion cube
3 c water (or enough to cover vegetables)
1 tiny (5.6 oz) can of coconut milk
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/2 c frozen corn
5 leaves fresh basil
freshly ground pepper & salt to taste

In a medium sized pot, heat oil and add in diced onion, red pepper, celery and garlic. Saute until soft and stir in the cumin. Add in potatoes, bullion cube and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are done, about 15 minutes. Add in coconut milk and rosemary and use a potato masher to mash down the potatoes and vegetables. Add in corn and fresh basil and grind in some pepper and add salt to taste (if necessary). Serve in 2 large bowls.

a great side: cheesy cornbread

I'm not a huge fan of cornbread. It can be dry or too moist or even greasy. But sometimes cornbread can be perfect, especially when served with a really spicy vegetarian chili or a colourful black bean salad. For me, it's something that doesn't stand up too well on its own, but it sure makes a great accompaniment.

This cornbread isn't too sweet or heavy. Its got a nice bit of texture from the frozen corn and the cheese is always a nice touch! Plus, it's super quick to whip up a batch in time for dinner. Don't have buttermilk, just use milk plus a teaspoon of vinegar for the same effect (or mix a little plain yogurt into the milk). Leftovers can be eaten cold from the fridge, but I like it best heated up in the oven for a bit just so the sides can get nice and crisp.

cheesy cornbread
1 c all purpose flour
1 c yellow cornmeal
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3/4 c + 1/4 c grated cheddar cheese
1 1/4 c buttermilk
1/2 c frozen corn
1/4 c maple syrup
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c canola oil

Preheat oven to 400. Mix together the first 6 ingredients, flour to 3/4 cup of cheese, reserving the rest of the cheese as a topping. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients, buttermilk to oil and pour into dry mixture, careful not to over mix. Pour batter into a greased 9x12 pan and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

a hail-storm of a dinner: braised cod with chickpeas & corn

After writing about breakfast items like poached eggs and biscuits, I figured a hearty dinner recipe was more than required. I had a good one all lined up too because last week I had a little dinner party and made a pretty amazing eggplant dish...and I don't even really like eggplant. But then last night rolled around and I ate one of the best meals I've had in a long while. The eggplant dish will come later, I promise.


Last night was a cold crisp night. Biking to my Monday night bowling league game I was a bit wary because there was frost on the ground and I diligently searched and stayed clear of any patches of black ice. My way home however, the clear skies turned cloudy and let loose a barrage of hail. After realizing that the hail actually helped improve my traction by making the streets extra crunchy (and pretty), I took off for home. The only downside was going down hills only because of all the stinging icy bits hitting me hard in the face. When I got home, getting dinner ready didn't seem like something I really wanted to pull off...especially since it was almost 10pm. But our rumbling tummies made it clear that something had to be done.


A quick peek at Epicurious, a small bit of prep and tweaking to the original recipe, and dinner was in the oven. It was that quick. I even got together a simple green salad going that turned out to be the most perfect accompaniment for this meal. Letting the dressing mingle not only with the greens but with the rest of the ingredients on the plate took the entire meal over the edge into 'oh my god' territory. At first, I wasn't sure how cod and cumin-spiced chickpeas would work together, but the meal was delicious. Next time I'd sprinkle a bit of finely diced red onion over top before popping it in the oven just because I love onions so much and a bit of added crunch would be a nice touch.


braised cod with chickpeas & corn
1 can of chickpeas
1/4 c water
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
1 T cumin
2 T olive oil
1/2 c frozen corn
3 cod fillets
salt
freshly ground black pepper
handful of parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Add chickpeas to a pot along with water, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin and the 2 T olive oil. Heat over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add chickpea mixture and corn into a square baking dish.

2. Rinse cod fillets and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Lay fish on top of the chickpea mixture, sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. Drizzle really good olive oil over top of the fish and put the whole shebang into a hot oven. 20 minutes later check on things and if fish flakes easily, remove from oven and serve with a green salad.

simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette
juice of 1 lemon
really good extra virgin olive oil
spoonful of tarragon mustard
pinch of kosher salt
dollop of honey
small head of romaine leaves, washed, dried and torn

Shake all ingredients in a small jar and drizzle over salad greens. I didn't give measurements here because going by taste is the only way I can get this dressing perfect. It's tart and just a bit sweet and it works so well clinging to the leaves as it is mingling with the braised chickpeas and fish.

easy does it

When it comes to making a weekday lunch, I don't want a big production. I'm working, I'm hungry and I'm more likely to eat crackers and a Granny Smith apple than to actually make something from scratch. But today I made something that was easy, fast and super yummy. I had a bottle of my favorite dressing in the fridge (but you could certainly make your own from scratch as I've done many times in the past) and a can of tuna in the cupboard. Lunch seemed simple. A little of this, a dollop of that and lunch was ready to eat in no time flat. I actually thought that I had bought a bag of peeled edamame, but when I checked the freezer I realized I had accidentally purchased broad beans. Oh well, they worked wonderfully with the corn and pasta here and the dressing adds a nice little kick.

tuna pasta salad with broad beans & corn
250g rotini
1 can tuna, drained
1/2 small onion, diced fine
1/2 green pepper, diced fine
1/4 c frozen corn
1/2 c frozen broad beans
a pinch of ground pepper
a blob of Annie's Goddess Dressing (or make your own)

1. Prepare pasta as directed. During the last few minutes of cooking, throw in the frozen beans and corn. Drain pasta and vegetables and rinse with cold water.

2. Put into large bowl and add in tuna, onions and green pepper. Pour in enough dressing to coat the pasta making sure not to over do it! Grind in some pepper and chill at least 1 hr in the fridge...as if! Or eat after 5 minutes like I did.

my first weekend cat blog

Yes, it's true. Cornelius and I have a little furry friend named Snoopy. She doesn't do much around the house other than nap and leer at us with her yellow eyes. If only she could do the house cleaning! But we still love her regardless of her inability to contribute to the run of the house. I realized that I don't take very many photos of our cat...and isn't that the joke about bloggers? Oh well, I'm taking the plunge - this time.

Yesterday, I spent the day walking everywhere. I went to a cool craft fair, shopped for rick rack and ribbons at my favorite fabric shop and bought a bunch of plain tea towels for a highly secret xmas craft involving screen printing and cakes! When I got home, my feet were sore and I wanted something warm and filling, so I decided to make a corn and potato chowder.

Years ago, during my "lean" years working at a record store, I used to make this soup all the time. I made it vegetarian because I was one at the time (for 10 years in fact) and I made it dairy free because it never occurred to me to add milk. This time, I gussied it up a little bit with the addition of turkey sausage and a splash of milk and Cornelius and I loved it. You can definitely play with the spices here. Instead of rosemary, use cumin and coriander or add in some chipotle or smoked paprika.

potato, corn & turkey kielbasa chowder

3 large potatoes cut into a small dice
1 small onion, finely diced
1 T olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
vegetable or chicken stock
1 t rosemary
1 c frozen corn
a small knob of turkey kielbasa, diced
1/2 c milk
salt & pepper

In a large pot, heat up olive oil and saute the onion and celery until soft. Add the diced potatoes and rosemary and add enough stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the corn and the kielbasa along with enough milk to get the soup to the consistancy you like. Add salt and pepper to taste.