Usually the transition into a new year brings a bit of stress. Maybe I set my goals and expectations too high or maybe I just feed off the stress of others. But not this year. I made a couple simple goals and one of them – to be a better hugger – already got in some practice-time through December. And yeah, about that hugging goal, I’m totally serious. Truth is, I’m a wimpy hugger and I really noticed how lacking I was in the hugging department when I visited my friend in Montreal. After we had met up, he sent me off with a big ol’ bear hug and it made me feel pretty great. It’s amazing how a hug can really make someone else feel good. So I told myself that I’m going to quit giving out namby-pamby tentative hugs to my friends and instead deliver good, hearty and heart-felt hugs. We’ll see how it goes.

A hug makes you feel warm and loved and happy and I think this meal does the same. This dal uses red lentils which cook up in a hurry into a soft and tender bite. There’s curry involved along with a bit of sriracha because I like heat. But there’s also some diced apples to nudge in some mellow sweetness. I added in fennel because I had some lying about my vegetable crisper, but you could sub in something as common as celery, broccoli or cauliflower. I even think some greens like spinach, kale or chard would be good here too. There’s no fuss involved and it’s an easy enough meal to make on a busy weeknight. See, it’s like a nice hug for your insides and it’s a good a place to start as any.

elsewhere: Yup, I love year-end recaps and over at Poppytalk, I list my top 12 favorite recipes that have appeared over on Poppytalk through 2011! Take a peek and check out my favorite recipes.

tomato-apple dal
2 T coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 c fennel bulb, finely diced
2 apples, finely diced
2 T fresh ginger, minced
pinch of salt
2 T curry paste
2 c red lentils
2 c diced tomatoes
3 c water
Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, to taste
1/4 c yogurt (optional)

In a large heavy pot, melt coconut oil over medium-high heat and add in onions, fennel, apples and ginger along with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until everything starts to get a little soft. Add in the curry paste and lentils and stir around until the lentils start to glisten. Turn down heat and add in the tomato puree and water, stirring so everything is combined. Put the lid on the saucepan and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until everything is soft. If it’s too dry for your liking, add in a bit of water. Stir in yogurt (if using) and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

Possibly related posts:

• curried apple & lentil dal
• warm up with winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry

I know, I know, I just wrote about gremolata and here it is again, sneaking it’s way into this soup post. It’s not that I want to be known as the gremolata girl, but honestly, I couldn’t help myself. While this spicy & sweet winter squash soup is delicious on its own, I wanted to add something else to it and felt that heavy croutons wouldn’t cut it. I yearned for something fresh and light and vibrant and figured that a mix of herbs, hot peppers, orange zest and apples would be a great accompaniment. This isn’t a frou-frou garnish, instead, it adds a layer of complexity that really works well.

This soup is very sophisticated and complex in flavour yet it’s a cinch to prepare. I think was inspired by some seriously amazing and luxurious meals I had this past weekend. You see, I was chosen to spend 4 jam-packed days in Vieux Montreal (that’s the Old Quarter of Montreal for you anglos) with 5 other Canadian bloggers courtesy of the very passionate Montreal coffee company, Van Houtte. I’m a simple girl used to soaking my own chickpeas and eating out usually involves a cheeseburger, so dining at fantastic restaurants and eating multi-course meals, let alone participating in wine-tastings and coffee cuppings, is way out of the ordinary for me. I loved it and wanted to capture a bit of that worldliness in one of my first meals back at home and I think I did good.

For this dish, I roasted several small varieties of winter squash the night before – and just so you know, most ornamental squash can be eaten! Those tiny cute pumpkins I got from our CSA before Halloween were quickly roasted and turned into soup. After cutting them in half and scraping out the seeds and stringy bits, I put them into a roasting pan filled with nearly an inch of water. Once they were soft, I just scraped all the innards and was left with just over 2 cups of squash. I think you could easily use canned pumpkin or roast your own acorn/butternut/kabocha squash here and get great results.

All curry powders & pastes have different spice levels. If you’re not sure how spicy yours is, start by adding a small amount at a time until you get the spice that suits your taste buds.

elsewhere: Looking for a warm & flavourful biscuit to eat with your soup or stew? Head over to Poppytalk & bake up a batch of easy zucchini & cheddar biscuits.

spicy winter squash soup with apples & orange scented gremolata
1 T butter (or Smart Balance or olive oil, if you want something non-dairy)
1 small onion, diced
2″ knob of ginger, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 birds eye chili, seeds removed & diced
1/2 t salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
1 heaping T curry paste (I used Patak’s Jalfrezi paste – curry powder works too!)
2 1/2 c cooked winter squash
2 apples, skinned & diced (I used russets)
6 c vegetable or chicken stock or water
a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

In a large heavy pot, heat butter over medium-high heat and add in the onion and ginger, letting it sweat and get wilty – about 4 minutes. Add in the carrot, fresh chili, salt and ground pepper and stir around to get fragrant. Stir in the curry paste, along with the cooked squash and apples. Pour in the water or stock and give everything a good stir. Put on the lid and let simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes, checking at the half way point to add in additional liquid if needed, and stirring occasionally.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup and taste it to see if it needs more seasoning – I always add in some hot sauce here (vinegar based or sriracha, your call). Pour soup into bowls and top with gremolata. Makes 4-6 servings.

orange scented gremolata
1 birds eye chili, seeds removed & finely diced
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 t fresh sage, finely chopped
zest of a small orange, diced
1 t green pepper, finely diced
1 T of finely diced apple (I used a russet)

Prep the gremolata just before you are going to serve the soup. Combine all ingredients and drop a small spoonful on top of the soup. Trust me, this is more than a pretty garnish. Be amazed.

Possibly related posts:

• warm up with winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry
• smooth like orange velvet: winter vegetable soup

First up, broccoli crunch slaw. This is one of the most popular recipes on this blog & for good reason too. It’s not heavy (thanks to the yogurt in the dressing) and it’s very festive with the dried cranberries and the crunchy roasted almonds. Even slaw-haters and raw-broccoli naysayers will love this one.

My mom always made a soup for Thanksgiving and I’m happy to carry on the tradition. While she would usually make vichyssoise, I tend to think sweet & spicy. I love love love this sweet potato, corn & jalapeno bisque (which is just a fancy way of saying soup) and despite how easy it is to make, it’s fancy enough for your frilliest guests. Got more adventurous friends, this spicy African yam & peanut soup is incredible.

Who doesn’t love a good cranberry sauce? Apples, cranberries and fresh rosemary co-mingle to make something really wonderful. Tasty with turkey, stuffing and all the fixings – and also delicious over biscuits and mac and cheese. It’s utilitarian-ly delicious. This cranberry chutney is another delicious alternative.

Everyone always finishes their stuffing, right? I personally think it’s the one thing that everyone loves. I love my mom’s traditional sage-onion-celery stuffing but I’ve made it a bit more exciting with the addition of chopped apples and walnuts. A keeper.

I can’t get enough of vegetables on the Thanksgiving table. I was a vegetarian for 10 years and old habits die hard. These braised vegetables are a godsend for busy holidays because they are so simple to prepare. Trust me, these braised turnips, onions and carrots will knock your socks off. Want to braise some more? Try this braised cabbage, cumin and apple dish or give milk-braised cauliflower & carrots a go.

Who could argue with a good pumpkin dessert? This pumpkin and apple crumb cake is made for Thanksgiving, though I’d happily eat it all year round.

But you can’t forget pie! Last year I made a fantastic apple & sour cherry pie with a crumb topping. I still dream about that pie. And if you can’t forgo pumpkin pie, why not give this retro looking pumpkin chiffon dream pie a try!

Please don’t forget that after Thanksgiving it’s not about eating leftover pie for breakfast (though a little slice never hurt anyone). Give yourself a hearty & wholesome breakfast and try this pumpkin spice bowl of steel cut oats.

Now take a deep breath, because now you’re Thanksgiving day ready. Just remember to breathe and the rest will be easy. Do you have any Thanksgiving favorites? Share them with me in the comments, I’d love to hear about your own dinner traditions.

Possibly related posts:

• thanksgiving is pretty much all about food.
• thanksgiving pt. 2: cranberry chutney + pumpkin chocolate chip cake

Something about fall pulls me into soup. Home feels more homey with a stock pot of something nutritious and wholesome simmering on the stove – it’s the comfort factor and the ease in how a meal can come together. This past week was a busy one. When you run a business or two, a simple pot of soup available for a quick meal is a bit of a lifesaver. This soup is hearty and flavourful one despite its humble ingredients.

Earlier this week, I figured I’d make soup with some random greens from our CSA that I desperately needed to use up before the new share arrived. Carrots, onion, garlic, no problem. The cupboard revealed a bit of barley which would be perfect, but when I went looking for lentils or chickpeas, I was all out. A small jar of green split peas would have to do. Luckily, everything worked out deliciously – though if you don’t have split peas, please feel free to substitute in some french green lentils (du puy) or toss in a drained can of chickpeas when you add in the greens.

barley, split pea & greens soup
If the barley & split peas you are using are old, they will take longer to cook. Mine were pretty old, so if you are using new grains/legumes, please adjust the cooking time.

1 T coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 T cumin seeds, crushed
1 t aleppo pepper
1 pinch of sea salt
1/2 c barley
1/2 c green spit peas
6 c good stock (chicken or vegetable or a mix of both)
1/2 bunch each of swiss chard & kale, cut into thin ribbons
1/2 bunch baby spinach
1 t dried dill or 2 T chopped fresh dill

In a large pot, heat oil and add in onion until soft and fragrant. Add in the garlic, carrots, crushed cumin seeds, salt and pepper and stir around so everything gets coated and slick with spice and oil. Pour in the barley and spit peas along with the stock. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook until the barley and split peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Is it more stew-like that soup-like? Add more water or broth if you like. Add in greens and dill and let simmer for another 10 minutes and serve.

Possibly related posts:

• split pea & millet salad with lemon vinaigrette
• pee poop: easy green pea soup

I love a good carrot ginger soup but I haven’t had a bowl in ages. Funny thing is that I used to make this soup all the time. Then along came my soup-hating husband who certainly didn’t enjoy a carrot-ginger soup the way I did. Sadly, we parted ways…with the soup, duh.

That all changed tonight when it came time for dinner and my husband wasn’t around. I looked at the big bag of carrots in the fridge and that gnarled knob of ginger and made amends. And seriously, I’m not sure what took me so long.

It’s a quick soup to make. There’s not much in the way  of chopping, no knife skills needed as everything gets a pureed thanks to the good ‘ol immersion blender. I knew that a buttery-ness be nice here, so I used vegan butter rather than olive oil – but feel free to use dairy. In the past, I would often finish this soup with a dollop of  sour cream, but I wanted to make this healthier, so almond milk made for an ideal creamy substitute.

This soup was just what I needed – it was full of flavour with a nice subtle bite from the ginger and a natural sweetness from the carrots. The orange juice & zest provided a nice kick and helps to boost up the vitamin count which is more than ideal this flu-season.

Oh, and do you like my retro old-school photo? I took a kind of crappy photo and made it look pretty cool with the help of this lo-fi photo app. Thanks to Poppytalk for clueing me in!

creamy vegan carrot ginger soup
1 T soy butter (like Smart Balance soy-free spread)
1 small onion, diced
1″ chunk of ginger, peeled & diced
4 carrots, chopped
1 vegetable vegan stock cube
1/2 t herbs du provence
1/4 t black pepper
1 orange, zested & juiced
1/3 c almond milk

In a medium sized pot, heat margarine until melted and add in the onion and ginger. When it starts to smell good (but before it turns brown), add in the carrots and let them sweat a bit. Cover with enough water so that the carrots are just covered, add in the stock cube, and sprinkle in the herbs and a good grind of black pepper. Put the lid on and let simmer until the carrots are soft.

Add in the orange zest and puree with an immersion blender. Pour in the orange juice and give it a good stir. Mix in the almond milk and let it heat for a minute or two and serve.

Makes about 2 large servings.

Possibly related posts:

• a little bit of sunshine: coconut ginger lentil soup
• carrot rice soup

I love playing in the kitchen. Trying new ideas, techniques and recipes keep meals exciting and helps me write up new blog posts. Yet, there’s something comforting with the familiar and well-worn. This lentil soup is a very well-worn recipe. I transcribed it onto a blank page of my soup-splattered Moosewood cookbook years ago and I make it often. The recipe comes from an old boyfriend – but not a boyfriend of mine.

When I first moved to Vancouver almost 15 years ago, I made the move from London, Ontario with a good friend and we became roommates. Her first Vancouver boyfriend made this soup one Saturday afternoon and I was instantly smitten – with the soup, not her boyfriend. Prior to my first bowlful, I had never had lentil soup before and looking back, that tidbit kind of blows my mind. I was vegetarian at the time and cooked with tofu, beans and I practically lived on soup. One of my favorite dishes was a spicy kidney bean and lentil stew, so why I had never thought to turn lentils into soup is a stumper.

I was so thankful to have this soup in my repertoire and I made it constantly. It was an inexpensive meal to prepare – I used a couple cans of brown lentils, a couple of bullion cubes, and it would last for many a meal. I was drawn to its cheapness which was good since I was working for minimum wage in a record store while paying off my hefty student loan debt, amongst all my other expenses. But I loved how this soup tasted, especially when I was flush and could grate an unhealthy load of old cheddar cheese over the top of my bowl.

And despite all the years, this soup is as welcome and comforting as a pair of slippers. I now sub in French lentils du puy for the canned variety and have added in carrots for colour, but it still tastes as good as it did way back then. It’s certainly not fancy, but when you can have a huge pot of tasty homemade soup in about half an hour, how can you complain? Especially with grated cheese overtop.

lentil spinach soup
1 c lentils (brown, green or black)
5 1/2 c homemade vegetable stock
1 onion, diced finely
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dried chili flakes
1 bunch spinach, stems removed & well rinsed
salt & pepper
grated cheese (optional)

In a large pot combine stock, lentils, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and chili flakes and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add in spinach and add in salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Possibly related posts:

• a little bit of sunshine: coconut ginger lentil soup
• black beluga lentil soup with roasted cherry tomatoes

When I moved to Vancouver I met a punk rock boy. He wasn’t the sort of boy you’d take home to your parents, but it was okay because my family was thousands of miles away, and this tall, skinny musician was looking deep into my eyes. He was cute and just my type. On our first official date, he showed up with a bottle of Patak’s curry paste, commandeered my kitchen and made me curry. It blew my socks off. The boy didn’t stick around, but the curry did and I’ve been making it ever since.

I used to throw just about anything into this curry, but I’ve come to the realization that cauliflower, potatoes, garbanzo beans and green peas are the holy grail. As for the curry paste, I only use Patak’s – I love it. This curry benefited from 2 flavours, as I was scraping out the jar of Korma and digging into the jar of Garam Masala. Both are relatively mild to medium-spiced blends, so I topped up the hotness with a splash of sriracha. If you’ve got timid taste buds, skip the hot sauce altogether.

elsewhere: Ready my posts over at ReadyMade: Say no to plastic with these handy hints. Is it drink o’clock yet? Get your tipple on with an amaretto sour. Over at Poppytalk I make a lentil, bean and chard soup.

aloo gobi
1 T oil
1 large onion, diced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
2 large potatoes, diced
1 large head of cauliflower, broken into florets
3-4 T curry paste (I love Patak’s)
1 tin light coconut milk
1 T brown sugar
salt
1 can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/2 c frozen peas
sriracha (optional)

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil and add in ginger and onion, saute for 3 minutes. Add in potatoes, cauliflower, and curry paste and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in coconut milk and brown sugar along with enough water to just cover the vegetables. Add in the chickpeas and a good pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Stir in the peas and taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary. Need more spice? Throw in a squirt or two of sriracha. Need more sweet? Add a bit more brown sugar or honey. Serve with rice and naan.

Possibly related posts:

• stir fry it up: pineapple – coconut vegetable curry
• curry vegetable dragon bowl

Vancouver is going through a cold spell and when I stepped outside today, the frost on the ground was thick and full of sparkles. It’s the kind of cold where you can see your breath and I’m amazed that there isn’t any snow (though they are forecasting some for tomorrow). We’re packing on the sweaters but it’s not enough. So when I thought about dinner, I looked through the crisper and spied the usual winter staples: yams, cabbage, onions. In one of my Moosewood cookbooks I found a recipe for West African Groundnut Stew and decided that I’d use the basics but add my own twist: unique spices ranging from cardamom, cinnamon, tumeric, cumin, coriander.

The flavours were complex and interesting and it reminded me of one of my favourite soups, this African Yam & Peanut soup, but less rich and heavy. The resulting stew was delightfully belly warming, the perfect meal for a cold winter’s eve.

elsewhere: Over at ReadyMade check out my latest post on being a mindful eater – probably useful for all your new years resolutions.

west african groundnut stew
(inspired by Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant)
1 t coconut oil
1 onion, large dice
1 T fresh ginger
1 large yam, 1″ dice (approx. 2 c)
2 c chopped green cabbage
1 t dried chilis, crushed
1 T cumin
1 t coriander
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t tumeric
1 t salt
1 c diced tomatoes
1 c apple juice
1/4 c natural peanut butter
juice of 1 lime

In a large heavy pot, melt the coconut oil and add in the onions, ginger, cabbage, yams and spices. Saute for 5 minutes and then add in the tomatoes and apple juice and cover pot. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the yams are soft. If you find the stew a bit dry, add in more apple juice. Add in the peanut butter and lime juice and stir until combined. Serve over rice, millet or your favorite grain of choice.

Possibly related posts:

• thanksgiving: african yam & peanut soup
• off the cuff: my african-inspired chicken stew

Last night when I was figuring out what we would do for dinner, I realized that I only had a few remaining vegetables left from our CSA. The share is over until next summer and I’m a little bit sad about it. I loved getting vegetables that I don’t normally purchase and it was good to cook with things that were a bit out of my comfort zone. The vegetables that come from the farm aren’t rinsed and aren’t “perfectly” shaped – they come with the dirt still attached and I’m fine with that. Though I’m happy that wiping dirt from my countertops won’t be a chore until next year.

This soup is an ode to the last CSA of the season as almost all the vegetables are the local, organic ones from the farm. It’s a hearty soup that is full of flavour and texture. The soup has a mild sweetness from the beets and a bit of heat from the fresh chilis. I wanted to add in some lentils and farro and they were great additions. And because this was a “cleaning out the fridge” soup, it’s easily adaptable to what you’ve got on hand. Rutabaga, turnips, yams, potatoes or whatever you’ve got lingering in your crisper would be lovely. As the soup sits, it becomes thicker and more like a stew. We happily ate it both ways.

While we Canadians had Thanksgiving last month, it’s nice to have a reminder of things to be thankful for. And I’d love to say thank you for everyone who reads this blog. I love all your comments and emails and support. While I love writing about what comes out of my kitchen, I really couldn’t do it without you all, so a huge THANK YOU dear readers!

Last week I mentioned my etsy shop and I wanted to put it out there that this Monday November 29th I’m having a one day sale: 15% off anything in my shop. Just enter POPPY15 at checkout.

root vegetable soup with farro & lentils du puy
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small head of celariac, diced
1 small parsnip, diced
1 beet, diced
2 thai chilis, minced (optional)
salt & pepper
1 t dried rosemary, lightly crushed
1 t dried thyme
1 t smoked paprika
1 t chili powder
1/2 c lentils du puy, picked over & rinsed
1/2 c farro, picked over & rinsed
2 T tomato paste
8 c vegetable stock

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and saute the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery until soft and fragrant. Add in the remaining vegetables, along with chilis, a good pinch of salt, a hammer of black pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Let the vegetables commune with one another and sweat it out – about 8 minutes or so, stir occasionally.

Add the stock, making sure the vegetables are covered by about 2 inches of liquid. Put the lid on and let simmer away over moderate heat for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables, lentils and farro are tender. Taste & adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve in deep bowls with some crusty bread on the side.

Possibly related posts:

• well-worn: lentil spinach soup
• dinner salad: farro & greens cranberry crunch salad

Some days are trying and sometimes it seems like the whole month is a bit of a downer. It’s nice to have a reminder in the fog of it all that there is goodness and happiness everywhere. It can be as simple and wonderful as a hot bath (what the heck did I do those 4 years when my apartment only had a shower?), or a really great song that you can play on repeat until your significant other starts sending out the death rays with his eyeballs. It can also be a plate of really, really good cookies. The cookies above are delicious and easy to make. Plus, if you can believe it, they are actually GOOD FOR YOU. Whole wheat flour, oats, chocolate…hmm, well you get the picture. I wrote about these cookies over at Poppytalk and I include the recipe. I encourage you go over there, drool over the photos and then get your butt into your kitchen and whip up a batch. And maybe you want to send some to a friend who is struggling because there must be something official about cookie encouragement, right? I think so too.

Now that we’ve got the sweet stuff out of the way, I have to fill you in on my secret vegetable love. It’s the rutabaga. I’ve been eating that round, ugly, purplish veg since I was a tot and I haven’t gotten sick of it yet. I wrote a post about rutabaga over at ReadyMade and I include the above rutabaga soup recipe. Root soup, big deal? Well, wipe that thought out of your pretty head because it is a big deal. It’s delicious and warm and inviting and it’s like a cozy yellow sweater for all your cold bits. It’s also vegan (uh, minus the parmesan cheese of course) and gluten-free too.

If you are a new reader to my site, you may not realize that besides talking a lot about food, I also make greeting cards and paper goods (like Dutch birthday calendars). I have an etsy shop called The Beautiful Project and I sell my sweet & sassy cards online (& at a few Vancouver & area shops) or if you are in town, please visit me at one of these great fairs:

• On December 3rd & 4th I’ll be at Toque, a fundraiser for the Western Front. The Friday night is always a fun time with seasonal libations flowing.
• Line up early because on December 5th, it’s Got Craft?, a super popular & full-o-fun craft fair with swag bags for the early risers. I have my own table, so look for me! Also if you see Got Craft? posters & postcards around town, I designed those!
• December 9th to 12th, I will be a part of the One of a Kind Show & Sale with my craft collective Hob Snob buddies. Last year we won best booth, so now we’re trying to figure out how we can top that – while still creating the cutest products around.

Now, enough of my craft prattling…because rumour (and I mean Twitter) has it that it is snowing outside. Seems crazy since this is Vancouver and our winters don’t often include snow…especially November snow, but it is kind of a nice thought in theory. So break out your hot chocolates and bundle up.

Possibly related posts:

• now, that’s an order: chai pumpkin bread
• well-worn: lentil spinach soup