Photo by Steve Coutts
This is another of the recipes that I made for a photo shoot with my friend, Steve. It’s the perfect balance of flavours, packed full of vegetables and super yummy! I generally double or triple the recipe, package in 250 ml containers, then freeze for easy lunch and dinner portions. Add any variety of vegetables, pasta (I actually don’t put it in all the time) and greens (I’ve been using kale). Most of the time I omit the leek and add more onion.
This egg dish is so simple to make and would be great for a big brunch where you didn’t want to spend a lot of time slaving over the oven. After posting this picture to Twitter/Instagram, I was informed that it’s called Shakshuka. I did a little research, and though this recipe isn’t the traditional form of the dish, it’s definitely along the same lines.
You can add whatever herbs and spices catch your fancy. Also, add any type of sausage, bacon or ham you like. I made a vegetarian version just by omitting the sausage and adding a few more whole tomatoes.
This was on the menu for the Interactive Monday Night dinner at Market 17 I hosted last week. Read about the Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cheese Biscuits I made for it too. So. Yummy.
Here’s the November article from Bodhi Tree’s Breathing Room Newsletter. I also made this soup for a recent Monday Night Supper Club potluck. It worked very well as an amuse-bouche garnished with a little thyme and a baby parsnip. Delish!
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Yoga, in its purest form, is about being present and aware in every moment of your life. We are all built with five tools that act as a gateway to this present moment awareness: the senses. Some moments your senses may be engaged with perfect clarity; you are aware that you feel the body you’re in, see the colours around you, hear the sounds in your environment, taste each morsel you eat and smell every aroma that wafts your way. Other moments, due to stress, routine or the mind’s games, your senses may be clouded, or on auto-pilot.
Along with the senses, asana, meditation and pranayama use drishti (focal point), intention (love!) and mantra (om) to help you focus, calm the mind and bring about present moment awareness, if only just for a second. What’s great about these techniques is that they can be applied outside of yoga as well, to work, relationships and even cooking.
This month’s recipe stars parsnips, which are abundant at farmers’ markets as Autumn matures. Using a recipe that focuses on one ingredient will help you engage your five senses, becoming present and aware as you’re cooking. Pay particular attention to how the parsnip’s aroma changes from raw to cooked. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss!
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Roasted Parsnip Soup
1 kg/2.2 lbs. parsnips, cut in half
1 large onion, sliced
1 head garlic, top ¼” cut off
2 carrots, cut in half
2 stalks celery, cut in half
2 Tbsps. olive oil
2 tsps. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
1 L/4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Preheat oven to 375 F. Arrange all vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive
oil and toss with salt and pepper. Bake 40 minutes, until vegetables are soft and garlic is golden.
In a large pot, squeeze garlic out of its peel, combine with roasted vegetables and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Purée in a blender or food processor. Add ginger, thyme, nutmeg and season to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme and roasted baby parsnips.
Serves 4-6.
Happy Cooking!
Jacinthe
I made this soup last week after a trip to the dentist – I’ll spare you the details – left me only able to eat soft foods for a few days. I had one small pie pumpkin left, an abundance of carrots and some fresh sweet potatoes (or yams, depending on who you ask).
What resulted is a rich and creamy soup (without cream!) that’s perfect for fall days and sore mouths.
Pumpkin Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
2 medium sized yams, cut into 1″ cubes
1 small pie pumpkin, cut in quarters, seeds removed
3 medium sized carrots, cut in 4
1 onion, small dice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup orange juice
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and pepper to taste
Roast yams, pumpkin and carrots on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 F for 30 minutes, until just starting to brown.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add thyme and garlic and saute until just fragrant.
When roasted mixture is done, add it to the pot along with stock and orange juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. When cooled slightly, partially or fully puree mixture and pour back into a clean pot. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. Can be frozen or kept in fridge for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
Jacinthe
One of the things I miss about living in Toronto is getting the quarterly LCBO magazine, Food & Drink. The recipes are some of the best I’ve ever tried, including this Butter Chicken.
Seriously, this is a dish that you’ll want to break out when you really want to impress. It looks like it’s complicated, but really it’s just the same ingredients added repeatedly at different stages of the process. Especially a garlic-ginger purée that’s super easy to make and can be frozen for other uses.
Magic ginger-garlic purée!
Tomatoes and spices boiling down.
Sieving the tomato mixture after it has reduced.
I made this for the latest Monday Night Supper Club potluck, which happened to be on Halloween. I dressed up in a beautiful sari I received as a gift and went East Indian style! Lori Andrews over at The 10 Cent Designer made this Cucumber Dill Salad that went perfectly.
Butter Chicken – Slightly adapted from LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2008 Amaya Restaurant Toronto
Combine and let marinate for 20 minutes:
lb./454 g chicken or 1 block/454 g extra firm tofu
1 tsp ginger puree (recipe below)
1 tsp garlic puree (recipe below)
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 tsp garam masala
If using chicken, bake at 425 F for 10-12 mins.
In a large pan combine and let simmer (med-low heat) until tomatoes are breaking down (about 25 mins):
1 can (2 cups/16 oz.) diced tomatoes, juices reserved
2 tsp ginger puree
2 tsp garlic puree
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cup reserved tomato juice (more…)
Lentils are a great alternative to using ground meat for Shepherd’s Pie. Green lentils keep their shape, while orange lentils melt into mush; using both gives a similar texture to meat.
This is definitely a dish for potlucks (even meat-lovers like it) and to make when you’re on a budget – each serving works about to approximately $1.50 (depending on how much butter, cream, and cheese you use)!
I like to make a double or triple recipe of this, portion it out into 7″x5″ 3-cup Pyrex bakeware, then freeze for easy weeknight meals. (more…)
This soup became an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of recipe and is probably that tastiest soup I’ve ever made. It will be great now that the weather has cooled down. Serve it with Garden Salad with Edible Flowers, any salad or roasted vegetables.
Black Bean and Corn Soup:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 large onion, finely diced
2 med red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 tsp. jalapeno pepper finely diced, seeds removed
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500ml shredded cabbage
500ml shredded carrots
500ml chopped mushrooms
1 shredded zucchini
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
3 tbsp. tomato paste (or1/4 cup ketchup)
2 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn, thawed and rinsed (4 cobs)
9 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste (more…)
I was rooting around in the fridge for lunch the other day and came across a pair of salmon steaks that needed to be cooked off. It was a beautiful day so I cranked up the BBQ. A little experimenting resulted in this delicious cilantro-citrus sauce that goes well with most light fish and even shrimp.
Grilled Salmon with Cilantro-Citrus Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice:
4 – 6oz salmon steaks
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2″ slices on the bias
Drizzle the salmon steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss zucchini is a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. With BBQ on high, sear salmon for 2-3 minutes, or until it doesn’t stick to the grill. Grill zucchini at the same time. Flip and sear second side. Reduce heat to medium/low/medium and cook until salmon is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. (more…)
Sometimes I get stuck about what to make for dinner, especially when I’ve waited until I’m starving or I don’t have a lot of time to make and eat something. It’s during these times that this spice mix (that I always have on-hand in the cupboard) comes in totally handy. It quickly turns chicken breasts, pork chops and even firm tofu slices into the star of a meal when paired with rice, roasted veggies or on top of a salad.
Go-To Spice Mix (modified from Emeril’s Essence)
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoon lemon pepper
2 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon dried oregano, and/or thyme, and/or rosemary, and/or marjoram
Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Store for up to 6 months.
To use: Drizzle your protein of choice in a little olive oil, then rub in a generous amount of the spice mix. Grill on both sides and viola – perfectly seasoned dinner! This stuff also works well on any type of roasted vegetable.
Here’s the original article in the Bodhi Tree’s July 2011 Newsletter.
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Summer is on its way and it’s a beautiful time of year to switch up your practice a little. With the short amount of warm weather Calgary gets, remember your present-moment thinking and get outdoors whenever you can. Getting out into Mother Nature will serve to purify your body and mind from the chaos of the city.
If you like hiking, focus on walking consciously, counting your steps; take a break in a serene spot to spend some time in seated contemplation; or strike one of your favourite poses in a beautiful setting, getting someone to capture it on camera so you can post a picture somewhere that’ll inspire you day-to-day. (more…)
Hi, I'm Jacinthe.
I like simple recipes, made with whole foods, that are good for the body and the soul. I have an affinity for freshly made pie, strong Earl Grey tea, learning about nutrition, doing yoga and making the most of the short Calgary growing season in my vegetable garden.
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