New England Clam Chowder

We have had a fantastic summer when it comes to the weather. There have been very few unbearably hot days with more days in the high 80s and cooler evenings.  On a recent weekend, the temperature was perfect to enjoy some New England Clam Chowder on our porch.  While there were plumes of smoke floating from neighbor's grills, it was nice to enjoy a comforting bowl of soup that is a staple in New England year-round.  Traditional chowder is cream-based, I decided to lighten it up using whole milk.  I have found that when a recipe calls for heavy cream, you can substitute quality whole milk (I love Ronnybrook Farm) and you will not even miss its heavier counterpart.  

Spring Pea and Mint Soup

Easter weekend is one of my favorites - I love preparing a delicious brunch and gathering together with family.  If you are looking for a great starter for your weekend brunch I recommend this season appropriate soup, Spring Pea and Mint Soup.  After a winter full of heartier soups, this version is very refreshing combining sweet peas and cooling mint with spring garlic and onions and topped with crumbled feta.  Peas and mint are a dynamic duo when paired together, the former lends a subtle sweetness while the mint add a great herbal, cooling note.  If you are looking to make more of a meal out of this soup just add cooked quinoa or brown rice.   Continue for more...

French Onion Soup with Comté

If there is one food/lifestyle blog that truly takes me to a magical place it is Manger, written by Mimi Thorrison in Médoc, France.  I have been an avid reader, follower and practically a student, by doing research for French inspired recipes and for her sites stunning photography shot by her husband.  I cannot wait for her cookbook to be released next year.  She was recently featured in the October issue of Bon Appetit and they summed it up her life perfectly stating that 'someone stole your fantasy life' or mine at least.  I love how she portrays the French countryside and creates wholesome meals for her growing family.  In the issue, she shares quite a few recipes including a recipe for French Onion Soup with Comté that I decided to make a recent brisk Sunday.  This soup is a labor of love, not in the amount of work that actually goes into it, but allowing for the few simple ingredients to meld together takes time and allows patience.  But when it is done, it is done - this breath is so rich and decadent making for a perfect base for the softened onions and the nuttiness of the Comté cheese.  Continue for more...

Chicken & Dumpling Soup & Skin Owl Oil Winner

I want to thank everyone for their kind wishes yesterday, you guys are seriously the best.  When something like that happens it makes you take a step back and realize how precious and short life can sometimes be - something I think that I take for granted at times.

I wanted to share my final guest post for Meg Biram's blog  that posted last week where I featured one of my favorite winter soups - Chicken and Dumplings.  In case you guys missed it, here it is. Continue for recipe.

Vegetable & Farro Soup

Growing up, one of my favorite soups included barley, or as the Italians called it, farro.  Even this day, I still love to incorporate this healthy grain into my homemade soups, especially since it holds it's form so well, making for a heartier soup and it is also packed with nutrients and fiber.  I recently made this Vegetable and Farro Soup and was very happy that I got to eat it for about four days for either lunch or dinner. This soup pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese or a light salad. Continue for recipe...

The Dinner Table:: Cauliflower and Leak Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

When the weather turns cold (and believe me we have already had our first burst of cold here in New York, including our first snowfall!) I find myself craving soup.  There is something about sipping a bowl of soup on a cold day that can really warm you from the inside out.  Soup is a healthy and can serve as a hearty meal or a great compliment to a salad or sandwich.  Today I am sharing with you an incredibly healthy and easy soup, Cauliflower and Leek soup that has been blended to perfection and topped with grilled cheese croutons.  Continue for recipe...

Pureed Spinach and Pea Soup with Cheese Straws

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I know that most of you might prefer celebrating with green beer or another green-hued concoction, but I thought I would share this healthy alternative with you, Spinach and Pea Soup with Cheese Straws – a perfect idea for dinner or to serve as an appetizer at your next get together. This soup is delightfully light and incredibly nutritious, not to mention very quick to throw together.  May the luck of the Irish be with you!

    

  

Lentil Soup

(The essentials)

 (The mingling of the celery, onions, carrots and garlic)

This recipe for lentil soup was inspired by my boyfriend's mom, Geri.  She makes a delicious bowl of lentil soup that is becoming our traditional meal after we search for the perfect Christmas tree.  


Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups of dried lentils
6 cups of organic chicken broth
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
12 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes
Parmesan, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste


Sautee the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until translucent.  Slowly add the chicken broth and then the lentils.  Add the thyme, crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and cover with a lid until the lentils are tender to taste.  Add the parmesean and serve. 

Potato Leek Soup

(The essentials - leeks and potatos)

(Beautifully layered leeks)

(The comforting aroma of onions, leeks and garlic)

(A comforting finish)

As the cold weather settles in, and a cold/sinus infection often follows, I crave warm and comforting soup. I like porridge-like soup but without the cream that some recipes might require.  I discovered this recipe for Pototo Leek soup that was thick and creamy, without the incorporation of any dairy.   This is the perfect light lunch/dinner or would be great to serve as an appetizer.  

Pureed Corn Soup

Perhaps it is the unseasonably warm October that we have been having, but local summer produce has still been in full-throttle.  I picked up local, New York state corn at the Union Square Market for a recipe that I found for Summer Corn Soup. I was very impressed with this recipe and I lucked out because the corn was perfectly sweet, while the potatoes made the soup creamy.  

 (The essentials - sweet corn, russet potatoes and an onion)

 (Sweet corn)

 (The flavors of the onion, potato and corn melding together)

 (Before pureeing)

 (A dollop of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro)

A few things: I omitted the shrimp and avocado portion, because I was looking to serve this soup as an appetizer; however, I still incorporated chopped cilantro and a squeeze of a lime directly into the soup.  The lime gave it a fresh tang.  Now that I discovered this recipe it might just have to go into the vault until next summer, because I can't imagine making it with canned or frozen corn. 

Pureed Broccoli and Potato Soup

(The essentials: onion, red potatoes, broccoli)

(The creamy finish)

I absolutely love the combination of broccoli and potatoes (I have a great recipe, I will have to share later), so when I stumbled across this recipe for Potato and Broccoli soup, I knew that I had to make it.  This soup is light and healthy, but incredibly satisfying.  This recipe is a tad different because you use incorporate both the stems and the florets. 

A few tips:  I used red potatoes as I prefer them to other varieties because they turn into a creamy consistancy when pureed.  I also opted to blend the entire soup in the food processor, but you can blend to your own heart's content.  A sprinkling of parmesean will add the finishing touch. 

Embracing Fall - Red Pepper Soup & Grilled Gruyère and Green Olive Tapenade Sandwich

(The essentials - red peppers, an onion and fresh-picked thyme from our garden)

(The power of red)

(Green olives make for the best tapenade)

(A dallop of fresh ricotta and a sprinkling of chives made the dish complete)

Fall is definitely upon us - from the brisk air to the gray billowy clouds, it is officially time to embrace the season.  I like to ring in the season with soups. I made this recipe for Red Pepper soup - not only did it use minimal ingredients, but it is also very healthy and loaded with vitamin C, a nutrient that I badly need after being sick for a week. 

I paired the soup with a grilled gruyère and olive tapenade sandwich.  I typically make a grilled cheese with extra-sharp Cabot chedder, but today I was using the left-over cheese from my frittata.

A few tips: I only used six peppers, because I couldn't lug the recommended twelve peppers all the way back from Manhattan to Brooklyn, in addition to my other groceries for the week.  By cutting the recipe in half, I still got three large servings of soup. 

Simple and Delicious

(The essentials)

(Before the roast)

(Goldened to perfection)

(The great mix)

(The beautiful finish)

A nice pairing to the rain boots and stylish trenches is food that will warm you from the inside out, especially when it is damp outside and the central air is still being blasted indoors where ever you go.  My menus for the colder months are pretty much dominated by various (healthy) soups.  I make it in a huge pot and eat it later in the week for lunch or dinner.   

Yesterday as the rain was pouring down, I tried this recipe – roasted cauliflower, leek and garlic soup.  It was an incredibly tasty mélange of three of my favorite flavors. My new-found obsession might just be roasting garlic, which I had never attempted before.  I learned that the flavor gets much more subdued when roasted allowing for a perfect complement to the cauliflower and leaks.  This is definitely a healthy soup that I will be making again once the snow begins to fall.  

A few things: I used a fairly large cauliflower head and the whites of 3 leeks, so I ended up adding 2 cans of chicken broth to get the soup to the consistency that I preferred.  If you want it more soupy, add 4 cans, but if you want it with less liquid,  just reduce the amount of broth that is poured into the food processor, than pulse until it is perfect for you. Bon Appetit!