Comfort zone cheezy broccoli soup

creamy and thick broccoli soup loaded with cheesy taste and a mount of grated vegan cheese

 

Comfort food. Just saying those words you start salivating, as your minds drifts off, daydreaming of bowls of creamy pasta, giant chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven, mounts of mashed potatoes smothered in rich gravy, warm apple crumble topped with ice cream melting on the sides. I’m making you drool aren’t I? Good! For me, comfort food comes in a bowl and requires only a spoon or a big slice a bread for eating. In short, comfort food is just this recipe: a thick, rich, savoury bowl of cheezy broccoli soup.

Often times when we think of comfort food, we think of unhealthy or even dirty food. But my friends, I am here to tell you there is no need for such name calling. Comfort food can be just that, comforting and delicious and oh yes, totally nutritious. It’s all in the way you prepare the food and the ingredients you use. I refuse to feel guilty about the foods I eat or serve my family. Guilt and food just don’t go together in my book. Pleasure and food, do!

Following a plant based diet, I feel like I have an edge over others because my food is wholesome, natural and nourishing from the start. All I need to do really, is combine them in delicious, mouthwatering ways without adding too much of the unnecessary stuff. Like this soup for example, the main ingredients are:

  • potatoes – well hello vitamin B6, potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid. Oh and potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity;
  • carrots – did anybody say beta-carotene and fiber. Carrots are also a good source of antioxidants, are rich in vitamin A, C, K, and B8, as well as pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.
  • broccoli – let me see some hands for dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus,  choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), potassium and copper. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin and selenium.

Now that’s a pretty good start if you ask me! Add some soaked raw cashews, a little herbs and seasoning, some nutritional yeast for that cheezy flavour and you’ve got yourself a lip smacking, belly loving, soul satisfying meal.

 

 

 

Speaking of comfort, and before we move on to the recipe, let’s get into our little mindful moment of the day…

Mindful moment – your comfort zone

In my last post, I talked about the “accomplishment mindset” and how setting small tasks for you to accomplish everyday builds that positive mindset and sets you up to reach your higher, loftier goals.

Now I want to talk about your comfort zone.

What is a comfort zone? Well, according to the Cambridge English Dictionnary, a comfort zone is a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested.

Deep down inside, you know that if you continuously stay within the confines of your comfort zone, you won’t achieve the greater goals you set for yourself. But how to move out of your comfort zone without feeling completely frazzled and overwhelmed only to eventually give up… This is key here.

It comes back down to your task list.

Once you’ve settled nicely into your three first tasks and you’ve maintained their daily application/practice for a set period of time (I generally use a rule of 2 weeks as I find it is a good indicator of my willingness to apply change. You can read this great article here on the 21 day myth), review them and see how you can push them a little further. This could mean to replace a task that has become easy or second nature by a more challenging task or increase the value/duration of a task.

Let me give you an example.

In my previous post I told you my three basic tasks after a life altering event: shower, brush teeth, meditate for 10 minutes. Once I new I was well enough to do those every day, I increased my meditation to 20 minutes and I replaced brushing my teeth (which luckily, became a habit again) with a 30 minute walk.

I can’t tell you the amount of times I did not want to go for a walk. It took every once of willpower out of me and sometimes, I needed to bribe myself. But I did it anyway, even at -30°C or in pouring rain. And that attitude reinforced my “achievement mindset”. Everyday, by choosing to follow through with my list of 3 tasks, I made my “achievement mindset” stronger. And it got stronger because I was willing to comfortably step out of my comfort zone. I say comfortably because I didn’t go for drastic changes. I didn’t say, well ok then, now that I shower everyday, I’m gonna start training for a triathlon! I kept it within a reasonable increment that challenged me but didn’t overwhelm me.

I encourage you to do the same. Once you’ve mastered the daily application of your first three tasks, review them and see how you can comfortably step out of your own comfort zone. And do not give up. There are greater achievements waiting for you…

And now, unto the cheezy brocoli soup recipe

cheesy and comforting vegan broccoli cheese soup with chunks of broccoli and grated vegan cheeseThis recipe calls for soaked cashews. Here are my two tips when it comes to soaked raw nuts:

  1. when I know I’m going to make a recipe that uses them in the evening, I soak the nuts first thing in the morning as I get myself and my toddler ready for the day. Once we’re all ready, I drain the nuts and put them in a container in the fridge. And yes, I do set a timer in order not to forget.
  2. soaked nuts freeze very well. When I buy raw nuts in bulk, I soak half the bag right away, allow them to dry on a sheet pan over paper towel, then pop them in a freezer bag. So when I need them, they are ready to go in no time and can be used straight out of the freezer.

This recipe was inspired by the amazing Stacey over at www.staceyhomemaker.com.

I hope you and your family enjoy this comforting bowl of soup. Don’t forget to leave me a comment at the bottom of the post. And let me know if you are enjoying these little minduflness tips.

xx

Cheezy broccoli soup and your comfort zone
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8 portions
This recipe is cheezy, luscious, delicious and nutritious. I used 1/2 Cup of nutritional yeast because we love a big cheezy flavour in our family but you can bring it all the way down to 1/4 Cup. This soup will also thicken up overnight so just add a little water or even some almond milk for a creamier taste, when you reheat it.
Ingredients
  • 1/3 Cup raw cashews
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 broccoli heads
  • 2 Cups of water
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 Cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbs yellow prepared mustard
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 Cups water
  • 1 vegetable bouillon cube
  • 2 tsp Himalayan salt
Instructions
  1. Soak cashews in water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
  2. Peel and thinly slice the onion, potatoes and carrots (it will cut down on your cooking time).
  3. Wash the broccoli and cut into bite size florets.
  4. In a large pot set over medium heat, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Add the potatoes, carrots and 2 Cups of water. Stir.
  6. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat.
  7. Allow to cook covered for at least 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets.
  8. When vegetables are done and tender, remove most of the broccoli and set aside.
  9. Remove the pot from heat, add the soaked cashews, paprika, granulated garlic and nutritional yeast and with a hand blender, blend the vegetable and nut mixture.
  10. Once the mixture is blended to creaminess, add the 4 cups of water, vegetable bouillon cube and the two mustards.
  11. Bring the pot back on to low heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
  12. Add the broccoli and salt to taste.
  13. Enjoy.

 

 

New Year Resolution Soup

creamy vegetable soup loaded with good for you vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, lentils for protein and fiber

 

Happy 2018 everyone!

Some of you that read my blog regularly (thank you loyal fans, I appreciate you so much!) have probably noticed that I haven’t posted a new recipe in a while. This New Year Resolution Soup is actually my first recipe since mid-December. A lot of things happened in the last month of 2017, which I’ll share with you in the coming weeks, but what I do want to share with you right now, other then this really yummy soup recipe, is the few additions I’ll be making to this blog.

2017 has not been a great year for me. Yes, great things have happened, because nothing is ever all bad, but in the whole, it’s been a rather difficult year. That being said, I have learned tremendously from the experiences and events of the past year and I’ve had to dig deep into my life long teachings to overcome the obstacles that were scattered across my path. And I want to share what these teachings with you.

I want to teach you and share with you the tools I’ve developed and used to turn these obstacles into opportunities or at least into manageable situations. I want to share these with you because I think you can greatly benefit from what I’ve learned over decades of practise. I think everyone is confronted with obstacles in their lives and everyone needs as many tools as possible to face them in order to bring happiness back into their life.

So as of my next blog post, I’ll be sharing with you these teachings, along with recipes. I’ll also be sharing with you additional tips on the mindfulness page of this blog so do go and check it out. This is all for you.

Some of you may be wondering what a food blog has to do with mindfulness and life lessons. Well let me tell you, it has everything to do with a food blog. How we choose to feed our bodies greatly impacts how we feel. And how we feel greatly impacts how we react (internally and externally). And how we react to life’s events greatly impacts our happiness. So yes, not only do I want to share with you tools on how to handle and face obstacles, but I want to do so in a holistic way that includes sharing with you delicious and soul nourishing recipes that I believe will serve you best to reach whatever goal you have.

And speaking of goals, this soup fits right in!

 

creamy vegetable soup loaded with good for you vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, lentils for protein and fiber

How many of you have made a New Year Resolution that relates to your health, be it eating more fruits and vegetables, eating less processed foods, making more home cooked meals, having a more healthy approach to food, loosing weight or maybe even going fully plant based… These are all very popular new year resolutions and they are all very noble. It’s putting them into practise in a consistent fashion that sometimes presents the greatest hurdle. But not to worry. This is why I’m here, creating recipes for you and this is why this soup was created for you in the first place.

2018 is all about reaching goals and thriving!

I always find that to stick to lifestyle changes relating to food or weight or health, you need to make these changes accessible and  easily implementable into you life. If not, chances of success are slim. That’s why this soup bears its title: because it easily fits into your new year resolutions: it takes no time at all to make so it can fit into any busy family’s schedule, it’s plant based and loaded with vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, celery and golden potatoes, green lentils for protein and  plenty of fiber so its super healthy and will fill you up and leave you satisfied without weighing you down.

Winner!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup. Don’t forget to leave me a comment by clicking on the title and going to the bottom of that page and let me know what your new year resolution is.

 

New Year Resolution Soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to fill you up and leave you fuelled and satisfied for the day.
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 1 leek
  • 2 stacks of celery
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 small yellow potatoes
  • 1 Cup dry green lentils
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes (non-GMO and no MSG)
  • 6 Cups water
  • 1 Cup cashew milk (can add almond milk instead)
Instructions
  1. Wash and coarsely chop the cauliflower, broccoli, leek and celery.
  2. Dice the onion and mince the garlic and ginger.
  3. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in little cubes.
  4. In a large pot, set over medium high heat, melt the coconut oil.
  5. Add the onion and garlic.
  6. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
  7. Add the remaining vegetables, lentils and ginger and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
  8. Add the water, turmeric, salt and vegetable stock cubes.
  9. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  10. Allow to boil for 5 minutes.
  11. Reduce to medium heat and cook covered for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are cooked.
  12. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  13. With a hand blender, blend the soup to your liking (we like a bit of chunks in ours).
  14. It will be thick.
  15. Stir in the cashew milk (we like thick soups so 1 cup of cashew milk was enough for us but add more or less to suit your family’s taste)
  16. Serve and enjoy

 

 

Potage à la kale & dill

 

Some of you may look at the picture of  this potage à la kale and dill and you start reading, you may think to yourself : “wait a minute, another soup recipe?” Yes, my friends, it is. And there are two very simple explanations for that:

a) I love soup… I mean, I love soup now. I used to hate soup growing up. Cant’ remember why, but I did. Needless to say, I don’t feel that way anymore. Not only do I love eating soup, I just as much enjoy making it, especially when it’s a quick and easy recipe like this one.

b) I live in Montreal. It’s winter. It’s humid cold (you know that type of cold that just gets into your bones through whatever and no matter how many layers of clothes you’re wearing. Yah, Montreal has that kind of cold). Soup warms you up. Period.

And today was particularly cold, although beautiful and sunny, so I thought it would be perfectly fitting to share this soup recipe with you, so you too can feel all warmed up from the inside out. This soup will not only warm you up, but will nourish every cell in your body with killer good-for-you-ingredients like kale, dill and russet potatoes.

Potatoes act as a great replacement for the typical cream in “cream” soups. It offers the same mouthfeel and velvety texture as cream. The key is to blend the soup very well. You don’t need an expensive blender (although that does help and saves a lot of time), most often, any blender will do. I often opt for my hand blender. It’s convenient and handy. But it does take me a bit more time to reach that smooth, velvety consistency I am looking for in a soup like this one.

But once all those delicious potatoes are pureed and blended with the other ingredients, it’s magic. This is plant power at it’s best my friends!

Speaking of plants and their incredible power, I bumped into an old acquaintance of mine the other day and as we were catching up on the important events of the past year or two of our lives, she asked me how I was able to “stay” vegan and not be tempted by my old food favourites like bakery style donuts, lasagna and California sushi roll.

It’s simple I answered: I have an anchor.

She looked confused. I don’t blame her. That wasn’t really a complete answer. An anchor. What does an anchor have to do with Italian baked pasta or fried pastries anyways? Well, actually, it has everything to do with it.

What I mean by “an anchor’ is something that is profoundly important to you, something that you value to your core, a belief, a love, a passion, a promise, that is embedded deep into your heart. So that whatever else is presented or offered to you and is in conflict with that anchor, that love, that passion, that promise, has no impact on you. Like the anchor of a boat. Once a boat’s anchor has been released to the bottom of the sea, the boat will not move. It will not falter. It will not waiver.

Before I decided to transition to a vegan diet, I knew I needed to define my anchor. I needed to identify why I wanted to adopted a plant based lifestyle, what is of the outmost importance to me in that regards and what would guide my decisions and be my rock in times of temptations. I don’t have those temptations anymore but I won’t sit here and tell you I didn’t have them at the beginning, because I did. I’m humane and it’s ok to feel those temptations. But I didn’t waiver. I didn’t falter. Because I had my anchor. Because I had taken the time to identify that anchor at the beginning of my journey. And that is what I encourage everyone wanting to embark on a journey, on any journey, on any path that is different then the current path: find your anchor. Find what speaks to you, find the true motivation for doing what you are setting out to do, find that Loce that will keep you grounded and steady.

Often times people mistaken “willpower” with “anchor”. I’ve often heard: “I don’t have the willpower to be vegan, I love (insert non vegan food here) too much” or “I tried the vegan diet but it was too complicated”. Nuclear science is complicated, quantum physics is complicated, eating a plant based diet is not complicated. But you do need your anchor from which you will source your motivation when it lacks and your willpower to say no to bakery style donuts (or whatever is offered to you that is not aligned with the path you have now chosen to follow) when offered to you.

Willpower without an anchor is not strong enough.

So that’s what I answered my friend: I am “still” on a plant based diet because I have an anchor…and because I make delicious soup like this one!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup and leave me a comment to let me know what your anchor is.

xx

Potage à la kale & dill
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8 portions
This kale and dill soup is velvety and creamy. It’s also very versatile. If you don’t have any kale on hand, you can easily use collard greens or any other leafy green.
Ingredients
  • 6 cups of water
  • 2 cubes of vegetable broth
  • 2 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander, ground
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 3 large russet potatoes
  • 6 cups of kale
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 garlic clove
  • 1/4 Cup fresh dill
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel the potatoes, remove the ribs from the kale and chop roughly, dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the dill.
  2. In a large pot, melt the coconut oil on medium high heat.
  3. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes.
  4. Add the water, vegetable broth cubes, cumin and coriander.
  5. Bring to a boil.
  6. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. Add the kale and cook for another 8 minutes.
  8. Remove the pot from the heat and add the dill.
  9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  10. With a blender or handheld blender, blend the soup until smooth and velvety.
  11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

Simply Pho Soup

 

Do you have certain food cravings that are stronger then others and just hit you out of nowhere? I have that for Asian food. Especially for Asian soups. It doesn’t hit often but when it does, I have to have it now!

It used to be that I reached for the phone and ordered from our favourite Chinese or Vietnamese take out restaurant but since we moved further out west, I can no longer reach out to these places for help to quench my cravings: they don’t deliver this far out and if we did venture out ourselves to pick it up, well, let’s just say that by the time we got back home and started eating, the craving would have certainly passed!

So I did what any other motivated foodie would do, I learned how to make some of my favourite Asian dishes and on top of that list was Pho (pronounced fa). Pho is a bowl of noodle soup, generally thin rice noodles, in a rich aromatic broth, topped with bean sprouts, lime, Thai basil, cilantro and your choice of vegetable mix, tofu or meat. You can add spicy chilli sauce, hoisin sauce or tamari sauce to finish off the dish… It’s simple yet absolutely delicious and soul satisfying!

The beauty of making such a simple dish is that it can be adapted to suit the cravings of that moment or, what’s in your fridge. Unless I set out to make a traditional dish for a specific reason, I never let the constraints of what my food should be like, define what it actually turns out to be. You get me? So I make my Pho to suit my craving for that day and add ingredients that you probably wouldn’t find in a traditional Pho, like the one I made for dinner the other night, with caramelized onions and mushrooms.

What I also love about this soup is how easily it can be put together. The broth is what requires the most time but since I didn’t have much time the other night, and like I said, I don’t let tradition dictate the outcome, I made a miso base broth and it was glorious. Miso is a paste that comes from fermented soybeans. It brings an amazing umami flavour to any dish and the health benefits are endless (it provides probiotics, helps improve digestion, levels out blood pressure, provides copper, vitamin K, manganese…)

When combining caramelized onions and mushrooms with rice noodles simmering in a miso broth and top it with fresh basil, bean sprouts and a squirt of lime, trust me you’re in for one deliciously filling meal! Even my toddler loved it. I put a little less broth in his bowl and cut up the noodles. Let’s just say he had a great time eating it and mommy had a not so great time cleaning everything up!

This soup is also a great meal for entertaining a group of friends. I make a large batch of the broth and let the noodles sit in it in the center of the table. I spread a few different toppings on the table: cubed tofu, edamames, mixed vegetables, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, basil, cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, spicy chilli sauce, hoisin and tamari sauce. That way, everyone can create his or her own soup and since it’s all gluten free, it will suit everyone’s dietary restrictions.

On a side note, I mentioned to you guys the other day that I started reading the book “May cause Miracles” by the amazingly talented Gabrielle Bernstein. Well I just started reading chapter 3 and it’s all about body image. Up until now, I was very comfortable with the assigned exercises. I can even say that I did them wilfully and with ease. I can’t say the same now… This chapter is really hitting home for me and I’m struggling. I want to share this experience with you guys, as I believe it can be of help to others, but I understand some of you may only want my recipes (which is totally cool!) so I’ll be creating a separate page on my blog. My new page will be up tomorrow so you can start reading about my journey…

 

Simply Pho
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
This soup is easy to put together and can easily be adapted to suit your cravings of the moment. Just let your imagination leas the way.
Ingredients
  • 6 Cups of water
  • 6 Tbs miso paste (I use red miso paste but white works well also)
  • 1/2 package of vermicelli rice noodles (about 200 grams)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 Cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 lime
  • Optional toppings: bean sprouts, basil, cilantro
Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, melt the coconut oil on medium high heat.
  2. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.
  4. Set aside.
  5. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.
  6. Add the miso paste and whisk.
  7. Add the vermicelli rice noodles and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.
  8. Juice the lime into the broth.
  9. Separate the broth and noodles between 4 bowls and top with onions and mushrooms.
  10. Top with your favourite toppings and enjoy.

 

P.S. As you guys may have noticed, some adds have been added to my blog and you will now find some affiliated links. I now participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Please rest assured that the products I link to, are all products I personally use and love.

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healing soup

 

The title of this post, “healing soup” couldn’t be more fitting: last week, the day before my husband’s birthday to be exact, our son Adriano and I caught a horrible virus that lasted 48 hours. Nothing more, nothing less, just 48 hours… but it felt like a long and horrible 48 hours let me I tell you! Funny enough, when the 48 hours was up, we were all back to normal, as if nothing had happened… except that my husband caught the bug 24 hours after us… as a nice birthday gift!

Even though we were all good a few days later, our stomachs were left a little fragile. So I raided my fridge to find ingredients to make a soup. Nothing, makes me feel better, then a warm bowl of thick soup that I can drink out of a cup. Some kids have fond memories of chicken noodle soup as a loving homemade remedy for whatever ill spell they were under, but me, it’s a dense vegetable soup or a potage as my mom called it. A potage is a French word for thick soup usually made with cream. But my mom didn’t use cream (even back then she knew dairy was a big no-no for soar stomachs – don’t you just miss that old school common sense some times!) She used whatever vegetables she had on hand and added loads of potatoes to thicken the soup. So that’s exactly what I did…

I found some carrots, turnips and a piece of parsnip. I also found some celery, leeks and onions. I was happy to still have some fresh ginger and thyme left to give my soup an additional boost of healing benefits. Sweet potatoes were going to be my thickening agent (I always have some type of potatoes on hand, luckily this time, it was sweet potato, which is my favourite!)

I’ll be honest, at the time of getting the ingredients together, I had no intention on posting this as a recipe or let alone take a pretty picture of it, simply because I wasn’t sure how this would turn out and I don’t want to share with you guys something I’m not 100% in love with. But by the time the soup was done and ready to eat, it tasted so darn good that I changed my mind. I felt like someone else could and should totally benefit from the heart warming, belly soothing and overall healing benefits of this soup. The texture is creamy, almost velvety, and it offers just enough sweetness from the carrots and sweet potatoes and zing from the ginger and parsnips. Luckily, the ingredients were easy to remember and jot down.

Speaking of jotting down, a few days before this horrible virus visited our home, I started reading the book “May Cause Miracles” by Gabrielle Bernstein. Have any of you read the book? It’s amazing! It is a 40-day guide were Gabby (dropping her name like I know her – I don’t – I’m just in love with her work so I kinda feel like I know her somehow!) literally holds your hand and guides you through a day by day journey into your better Self. Not bad, euh! Every day, different exercises are proposed be it meditation, writing, praying, repeating mantras… I’ll be able to share with you guys the impact all of this has had on me once I’m done the 40-day journey (I’m on day 14) but what I can tell you as of now is that this immense feeling of release and ease has washed over me. I never realized just how much I worry about so many things. Even tiny, little, insignificant things. Especially insignificant things! The release is addictive… I’ll keep you guys posted on my progress.

In the meantime, please enjoy this soup with your family and let me know what fond memories you have of your favourite homemade childhood food remedies.

xx

healing soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10 portions
This soup is very easy to make and can be served hot or cold. Makes for great leftover lunches.
Ingredients
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 medium parsnip
  • 1 small turnip
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 1 leek
  • 4 celery branches (keep the leafs – they’re going in the soup too!)
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1″ piece of fresh ginger, skin removed
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 6 Cups of water
  • 2 vegetable broth cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel and coarsely chop the vegetables, including the ginger. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium high heat.
  3. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining vegetables and stir.
  5. Add the water, ginger and fresh thyme.
  6. Bring to a boil.
  7. Add the vegetable broth cubes and stir.
  8. Bring the soup down to strong simmer and allow the vegetables to cook for at least 25 minutes.
  9. Once cooked, set aside and allow to cool for 10 mins.
  10. With a handheld blender, blend the soup until you reach a velvety thick consistency.
  11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  12. Enjoy

 

P.S. As you guys may have noticed, some adds have been added to my blog and you will now find some affiliated links. I now participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Please rest assured that the products I link to, are all products I personally use and love.

 

Sweet potato & red lentil soup

 

 

Good morning beautiful friends,

We are definitely in the midst of autumn now. The morning air is cool (I should actually say cold since it was 2°C – 36°F– overnight!), the grass has frosty little tips and it is now completely dark outside when I wake up at 4:50am. Yes, I wake up at 4:50am… most mornings, including weekends! I mainly do so because it’s really the only time I can get anything done before my son wakes up (he usually wakes up around 6am now which is a huge improvement from 4:30am!) and also because I enjoy waking up early. There is something about the type of quiet in the morning that is not the same as evening or night quiet. Morning quiet is full of mystery and promises. I also feel an immense sense of peace and gratefulness in the morning that I find gets cluttered by all the day’s events by the time the evening rolls around.

And yes I do enjoy the cooler weather. I find it adds to the mystery of the morning. And I find I am simply more productive during the day. When the weather is hot and humid, I find myself daydreaming about taking a swim in the ocean, chillin by the beach or hanging out poolside somewhere exotic…  When it’s colder, I’m just more focused! And because I love colder weather, I inevitably love belly warming food. Like this soup.

This soup…yes, this soup, is just as good as it gets when in need of some warmth on those cold autumn nights. It has a smooth and creamy texture and the mix of spices like coriander, cumin, cardamom and nutmeg warm up your heart and soul right away. The base for this soup resembles a lot the traditional red lentil soup I’ve had the pleasure of eating so many times over while traveling through the Middle-East. I won’t lie, the first time I had it was in Cairo, Egypt and it was love at first bite. Many countries I’ve visited, claim to be the originators of this soup but just like the origins of marinara sauce for Italians, it is a mystery that I’m afraid will remain unsolved.

I’ve diverged slightly from the traditional red lentil soup because I was craving something a bit creamier so I added some sweet potatoes. I also wanted to make good use of the celery I had in my fridge and boost the nutrient content of this soup. I hope you like these additions as much as I did!

Hope you guys enjoy this soup. Leave me a comment and let me know what traditional dish you enjoy but added your own twist to.

xx

 

Sweet potato lentil soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is very similar to the one I ate while traveling the middle east. I did however add a few ingredients of my own, to make it a bit more creamy and nutrient dense. Sweet potato and celery are not usual ingredients for this soup but they do find a home here.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 2 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced
  • 3 Cups red lentils, dry
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
  • 1 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 bay leafs
  • 7 Cups of water
  • 3 Tbs lemon juice
Instructions
  1. In a large cooking pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the spices and stir frequently to prevent burning. Cook for 2 mins. The spices will release an amazing aroma
  3. Add the onion and garlic and coat with the spices. Cook for another 2 mins.
  4. Add the celery and sweet potato and stir. Cook for another minute.
  5. Add the red lentils and stir everything together.
  6. Add the water and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, stir and bring the heat back down to low and let simmer for 35-40 mins.
  8. Remove the pot from the stove top and let cool a few minutes.
  9. Remove bay leafs.
  10. When cooled, blend the soup using a hand blender. It will give a nice rich and creamy texture.
  11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  12. Add lemon juice and serve.

 

Autumn Carrot & Turnip soup

 

 

Hello my beautiful friends,

It has been far too long… I had originally written almost an entire post (just not complete enough to publish it!) on Canadian Thanksgiving with more tips and tricks about hosting a stress free gathering, along with the soup recipe I was going to serve. Unfortunately, my son got very sick the week before Thanksgiving and everything came to a halt. And I mean everything came to a halt. At that moment, nothing else mattered other then figuring out what was going on with Adriano and getting him better. It is such a nerve racking experience to see your child get sick and feel so powerless… Because Adriano is only 14 months, he can’t tell me what’s wrong and it makes me feel completely at a loss and unable to help him. It’s quite a humbling experience…

That being said, I am happy to say he is now almost fully recovered but it was a very scary two weeks. When Adriano finally started eating and drinking again it’s a huge relief and I knew things would get better from there… And they did.

And so needless to say, we completely missed Thanksgiving! I did manage to serve this soup I had made and kept in the freezer, alongside some mashed potatoes, cranberry stuffing, marinated tempeh (for which I’ll post the recipe later on this week because it is completely to die for… or should I say, to be thankful for! lol) and a green salad. It was far from the celebration I had prepared for (I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for years now and it’s one of my very favourite holidays alongside Easter!) but considering everything (did I mention I got pretty sick also, spending 2 full days barely being able to move from the couch!), I think it turned out pretty good.

What I missed the most this year was spending time with my family. Because Adriano was sick, and so was I, and doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on with him, we didn’t want to chance it and have my sister, her kids, my parents or my in-laws exposed to whatever virus or whatever else was going on. So we stayed home… I won’t lie, not being able to see my family or part take in our yearly post meal soccer game made me realize just how thankful I am to have such an amazing family. It made me realize how lucky I am to have so many great people in my life that I can count on, on a moment’s notice. It also made me realize how grateful I am for my husband and my son and how precious they are to me…

When something is taken away from you, regardless of how benign or little it is, it wakes something up in you and makes you realize just how lucky you are… Or at least that’s how I feel. Thankful and grateful. And even though my husband Chris and I didn’t get to have our traditional Thanksgiving, we were so thankful we were even able to even have a thanksgiving meal and that our son was home with us.

So even though this soup recipe won’t make it to your Thanksgiving table, it is totally worth making because it is easy, delicious, nutritious and heart warming… Oh and did I mention you can freeze it and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Perfect for when you are pressed for time and need to crab something to feed your family. This soup is hearty enough to make a meal on it’s own, served with some crusty bread for dipping or a side salad.

I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving, that you took the time to say thanks for everything you have in your life and be grateful for everyone that shared the day with you.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you guys did for Thanksgiving and what made it to your table!

xx

 

Carrot & turnip soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 portions
This is such a versatile soup. If you don’t have turnips (or you don’t like them!), you can add squash or other root vegetable you have on hand and that your family enjoys. You can serve it topped with some vegan sour cream and chopped chives for a pretty finishing touch.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 1 leek, white part only, sliced thick
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced thick
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbs cumin, ground
  • 1/2 tsp all spice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
  • 7 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 turnip, cut in cubes
  • 1 medium white potato, cut into cubes (I used a Russet potato)
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, garlic and leek.
  3. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the spices and coat the onion mixture. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Be careful no to burn the spices so stir frequently.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and coat with the onion spice mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, bring the heat back down to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. With a fork, check to make sure the carrots and potatoes are well cooked (cooking time will depend greatly on how thick or thin you cut the root vegetables). Add another 5 minutes if not cooked through.
  9. Once cooked, allow the soup to cool slightly then with a hand blender, blend the soup until you reach a nice creamy consistency.
  10. Serve with vegan sour cream and chives or allow to cool completely, transfer to glass jars and freeze for alter use.

 

Leftover vegetable soup

 

Hello beautiful people,

The title of this post says it all: vegetable leftover soup! It happens to all of us. We go to the grocery store or the farmer’s market and buy all this beautiful produce. We come home, head full of ideas on what to cook/bake for our family during the week. And as the days go by, the basket of colourful carrots is down by half, the cabbage head is shredded to its last quarter, the bunch of kale merely has 2 leafy stems left. You know you don’t want these vibrant vegetables to go to waste (throwing out food that’s gone bad is the worst feeling ever!) and you also know that if you go to the market now, these beauties will hit the back of the fridge in no time. But then again, what to do with them? You could just shred everything and toss it in a salad bowl and call it a day. It would make for a nice refreshing and delicious dinner but you want something more. You want to expand your culinary wings and create something more because you are a chef in your own kitchen. You also want to be practical and spend your time in the kitchen wisely, which means making a meal you can easily bring for lunch the next day. And this is where this soup comes in. It takes care of all those beautiful leftover vegetables, it’s flavourful and it makes enough for you to bring to lunch the next day. Bingo!

Now I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of soups for the longest time. It just didn’t do it for me. Not only did I not consider a bowl of soup a meal (how could a bowl of liquid keep me full!) but I also considered it to be a waste of my stomach space when served before the main meal. It didn’t help that I grew up in the 80’s and soup diets were all the rage (cabbage diet soup anyone?). I would see close relatives eat nothing but soup all day for a week, feeling miserable but holding on because the scale was showing a few dropped pounds. Yah, no thank you. I’ll stick with solid foods.

But then something happened: I went away to University to attend Law School. I no longer had my mom to cook with me or to cook for me when I was pressed for time. I lived in an apartment steps away from campus and really wanted nothing to do with cafeteria food. I had a small kitchen in my apartment and I was determined to keep up with my home cooked healthy meals. Here’s what I hadn’t accounted for: the immense lack of time! Between studying for school and training for triathlons AND fitness competitions, there was barely any time left to cook healthy meals, let alone be creative and inventive in the kitchen. But being able to cook my own meals was important to me so I focused the little time I had on meals that could be easily put together, would make great lunches, wouldn’t put too much of a dent in my pocket book and packed a serious nutrition punch to help me keep up with my crazy schedule. And that is when I made amends with soup.

I realized soup didn’t have to be a diet food. It could be loaded with protein like beans or tempeh, pack a whole day’s worth of vegetable and give me the energy I needed with some added grains. I discovered that soup was also very versatile. I could get creative and feel like a chef again by mixing different spices, vegetables and grains. It also really helped towards the end of the week, when I had no time to shop for food and my fridge looked miserable with only a few leftover pieces of vegetables. Soup became my food companion throughout University.

This recipe is an homage to my University days. The soup is filled with a bunch of leftover vegetables, some split peas for protein and some barley for carbs. If you want to make this soup gluten-free, you could definitely swap the barley for some basmati brown rice or some millet. This soup makes a hearty meal so I simply served it to my family with some rustic french bread for dipping. So delicious!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup and let me know in the comments what you served it with.

xx

Leftover vegetable soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is loaded with good-for-you vegetables. If you don’t have these vegetables on hand, don’t worry, swap the carrots for some beets and the leek for some celery or whatever else you have on hand. Simply make sure you add vegetables to hold well during longer cooking time.
Ingredients
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 2 Cups cabbage, diced
  • 1 Cup turnip, shredded
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika (if you like a little heat, add hot paprika)
  • 1 Cup pearl barley
  • 1 Cup split peas
  • 10 Cups of vegetable broth
  • 1 27oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Dice, slice, mince and shred your vegetables
  2. In a large pot, add the olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
  3. Add the onions, garlic and leek. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add all your spices.
  5. Coat the onion mixture with the spices (except bay leaf) and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir frequently so the spices don’t burn.
  6. Add the barley and split peas and stir to coat.
  7. Add the vegetable stock, the can of diced tomatoes and the bay leaf. Stir.
  8. Cover the pot and increase to hight heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat back to medium-high.
  9. Simmer for 15 minutes then add the remaining vegetables.
  10. Bring to a boil again and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
  11. Turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lemon juice.
  12. Enjoy

 

 

 

 

Delicious Borscht

 

 

Hello beautiful people,

A little while back, I posted this beautiful picture of a borscht I made, on my Instagram account. I won’t lie, this was one of the best borscht I’ve ever made… after a few disappointing attempts. If you read my post at the time, I mention that a few years back, I traveled through Poland for 1 month. It was amazing. The food, the people, the scenery, the food… lol. Krakow was  my favourite city, boasting so much history and Zakopane was my favourite nature destination with amazing hiking trails and gorgeous mountain views. Zakopne is where I tasted the most delicious borscht and Krakow is where I discovered the most amazing mushroom pierogies (mushrooms are a huge thing in Poland!). But those pierogies are for another post. For now, I’m all about the borscht.

Polish cuisine is hearty and stick to your ribs kinda food, with potatoes often being at the centre of it all. Now I love me some potatoes but every now and then, it’s nice to have something different and this soup is exactly that. Borscht is a clear broth soup made from beets, hence where it gets its beautiful reddish pink colour.

In my own experience, Borscht is prepared differently depending on where you are in Poland. In the north, they tend to serve it with chucks of carrots, cabbage, potatoes and meat on the bone. In the centre of Poland, it’s a clear broth often times served cold with some freshly baked rye bread. And in the south, they serve it just the way I like it, a clear warm broth with either chunks or grated pieces of beets, along with the beloved potatoes. Borscht tends to be on the bitter side so the little pieces of beets give it just enough sweetness to balance out the soup.

Now you know I’m gonna tell you about the nutrition behind this soup…

Beets in and of themselves are little nutrition powerhouses. According to the people at Organic Facts, the health benefits of beets include the treatment of anemia, indigestion, constipation, piles, kidney disorders, dandruff, gall bladder disorders, cancer, and heart disease. It also helps to prevent macular degeneration, improve blood circulation, aid in skin care, prevent cataracts and mediate respiratory problems. That’s a whole lot of muscle power for such a cute little red vegetable. But beets are indeed loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber and it’s no surprise they can do so much for you.

Some of you may have heard of the “borscht cleanse” that is common in alternative medicine and used as a liver cleanse. According to The Health Coach, the beet mobilizes the liver like perhaps no other food and in so doing moves gallstones, hardened bile, accumulations of cholesterol, calcified “liver gravel”, chaff and other waste products through the bile ducts and into the GI tract.  In this way these unwanted detoxification byproducts can be permanently expelled from the body. Cleanses vary in intensity with some recommending you eat borscht several times a day to when ever you feel your liver could use a little boost.

Personally, I like to enjoy borscht when the weather gets a little cooler outside and I’m looking for a lighter meal. And since this soup is also delicious when served cold, it makes for a no-fuss lunch. Perfect!

And like many soups and stews, I like to make this a day ahead, to let the beets release their delicious colour and nutrients. It also tastes so much better in my opinion. And since it really doesn’t take long to put together (grating the beets and onions is the longest part), it can easily be done on a weeknight, once you have a few minutes of free time. And just like that, your dinner is made for the following night. Now all that’s left to do is stop by the baker’s for some freshly baked rye bread (or any bread of your liking!) or put some potatoes in the oven.

I’m all for easy meals that pack a nutritious punch!

I hope you and your family enjoys this recipe. Leave a comment and let me know what side dish you served it with!

xx

Delicious Borscht
Recipe Type: Soup
Cuisine: Polish
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is just sour enough without making your lip curl. The apple cider vinegar alongside the beets is what gives this soup it’s incredible health benefits. This recipes calls for grated onions. Now I know this might be a little different, but by grating the onion, it really melts into the soup. Just make sure you’re standing a good distance away from the grater so you’re not crying too much!
Ingredients
  • 4 medium size beets
  • 1 small sweet onion
  • 1 tsp palm oil (or vegan butter)
  • 1 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 10 cups of vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Wash and peel the beets.
  2. Grate the beets and the onions. Set aside.
  3. Heat a pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Melt the palm oil.
  4. Add the caraway seeds and stir for 2 minute.
  5. Add the broth, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, grated beets and onion. Stir
  6. Bring the heat back to medium heat and bring the soup to a boil. Let the soup boil for 2 minutes then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste
  8. Enjoy warm or let it cool for a cold soup.

 

Quick & Easy hearty pumpkin soup

 

 

Hello beautiful people,

I’m just gonna come out and say it: I love Fall! I love everything about Fall. From the crisp cool air in the morning, the colourful leafs, the soft and warm sweaters… I love it all. But what I especially love, is the food. Fall recipes tend to be heartier, filled with root vegetables that are cooked slowly to release their best flavour and fruits that taste like the last few rays of sunshine and cool breeze. I’m getting romantic on you guys here! But honestly, there is nothing I love more then sitting down at the dinner table to a warm bowl of stewed vegetables blended with different spices and finish off with a luxurious apple crumble topped with coconut ice cream. Now you tell me, doesn’t that sound divinely good?

I find root vegetable and Fall fruits also lend themselves so perfectly well to different herbs spices. Herbs and spices for me, are the essence of cooking. They are actually the heart and soul of my cooking. When people see a fruit or a vegetable they like, they usually think of the dish they’ll prepare with it. Like apples for example. When seeing an apple, you’ll think, apple pie, sautéed apples and arugula salad or bean stew with apples. I will think cinnamon and nutmeg that would go well in an apple pie, rosemary and thyme that would compliment the warm apples and arugula, sage and caraway seeds to elevate a bean stew with apples. I see the produce and I let my love of herbs and spices dictate what recipe I’m going to create.

Herbs and spices are also nutrition power houses.They contain an amazing amount of phytonutrients that our bodies need to thrive. Phytonutrients  are compounds found in plants that protect the plant from environmental threats and keep it healthy. When you eat plants, including herbs and spices, those phytonutrients fight to keep you healthy. Although not essential to your health, many believe herbs and spices, due to their phytonutrient density, can cure many diseases that still plague our country today.  In many cultures, herbs and spices are still used to this day as medicine to cure ailments ranging from headaches and soar throats to labor pain and inflammatory diseases. If science is your thing and you wanna read more about the power of herbs and spices, you can start by the following articles here and here.

Why am I telling you all this? Because if you follow my blog, you’ll notice that I use a lot of spices, many of which have incredible benefits to your health, including the ones in this soup. Especially the ones in this soup as 3 of them are in the top 10 healthiest and most beneficial herbs and spices. And those 3 are turmeric, fenugreek seeds and ginger. Here is a little explanation as to why each of these spices are beneficial for you:

Turmeric: according to Joe Leech, MS, over at Healthline, turmeric contains curcumin which is a remarkably  powerful antioxidant, that helps to fight oxidative damage and boosts the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. Curcumin is also strongly anti-inflammatory, to the point where it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs.

Fenugreek: according to Dr. Axe, fenugreek can help with numerous digestive problems and cholesterol levels. It can also improve you athletic performance, increase milk flow in breastfeeding moms, increase libido in men, combat diabetes and reduce inflammation in the body due to fenugreek’s antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic and antitumorigenic properties.

Ginger: according to the people over at The World’s Healthiest Foods, ginger has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

So not only is this soup very healthy for you, it’s also super quick and easy to put together. I created this with the busy moms and dads in mind. Those who, just like my husband and I, work hard all day but still want to feed their family nutritious and delicious foods. This soup is hearty enough on it’s own to make a meal but is so good when served with some warm bread to dunk it in.

I hope you enjoy this soup and let me know what you served it with!

xx

Quick & Easy hearty pumpkin soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6 portions
This soup makes for a hearty dinner of 4 portions or 6 smaller portions. You can serve it with some wholegrain bread and a dollop of vegan sour cream. You can also jazz it up a bit with some chopped cilantro or green onions as garnish. I made this soup with organic canned ingredients as I wanted to make it a quick and easy recipe that would take no time at all to put together. However, if you do have the time, you can totally soak and cook the small red kidney beans instead of the canned variety and use freshly cooked and puréed pumpkin. For the coconut milk, use the one in a can, not in a milk carton.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, largely diced
  • 1 tsp palm oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg, (freshly ground if possible)
  • 2 Cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 Cups coconut milk (if you want a rich creamy taste, use full fat. If you want less calories, use lite)
  • 1 1/2 Cup small red kidney beans, canned
  • 1 Cup vegetable broth (you can use 1 cup of water with 1 cube of vegetable broth)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a pan, on medium high heat, melt the palm oil.
  2. Add the onions and red bell peppers. Cook for 3 mins or until translucent.
  3. Add all the spices and coat the onion mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the spices from burning.
  4. Remove the pan from heat.
  5. In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients.
  6. Blend until the soup has a creamy texture. Our family likes texture in soups so I blend it for 3 minutes and thats enough for us.
  7. Return the soup to a pot to warm up.
  8. Enjoy!