Coconut-Carrot Tahini Soup

So can we just talk about "it" foods real quick? This past year it was quinoa, goji berries,  and butternut squash. More recently the "it" food is kale. You literally cannot read an article on the good ol' in-tro-net without someone telling you how kale will make you skinny, have glowing skin, and your babies will be born with a full head of hair. K maybe I stretched that last one a bit. All I am saying is that people go through fads with food almost as frequently as the next hot diet or exercise craze. (P90X, Zumba, or Crossfit anyone?) The point of this rant is.... you should really be eating these "it" foods all the time,  because Gweneth Paltrow does they are always good for you! 

When my parents visited a few weeks ago they made so delicious carrot ginger soup. Fairly simple but so so so good. I thought I could add a few item to their original (i.e. spices and tahini)......mainly because lately I am using tahini like a sesame addict. It is my new "it" food. After I found out they are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids....I basically put that ish on everything. 

Coconut-Carrot Tahini Soup

1 pound washed and peeled carrots (6-7 large carrots)

1 medium yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

4 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2  teaspoon corriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1/3 cup tahini

Cilantro for garnish

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Roughly chop onions and carrots and add to pot. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic, ginger, spices, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional minute until spices are fragrant. Add vegetable broth, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until carrot are very soft. 

Remove from heat. Using and immersion blender (or regular blender if you don't have one) blend until smooth. Add coconut milk and blend until incorporated. Let cool for about 5 minutes, add tahini, and blend again for about 30 seconds. Serve with a few sprigs of cilantro on top. 

Cucumber Sunomono Salad

My friend Nikki has a super cute blog about her journey into motherhood, DIY crafts, and some awesome recipes. She recently did one on Sunomono salad, which is my absolute favorite cold Japanese style noodle salad. The rest of the post is super funny too, and I am sure any mom-to-be readers will love it as well. Here is a link to her blog:

Two Loonies and a Penny

 I tried to find the most authentic Sunomono salad recipe I could on the Internet and go from there. Let's just say you can definitely tell I don't live in Japan, and the liquor stores don't sell sake. I ventured to the super run down asain mini mart down town, and besides the way too vast selection of douches( ya you read that right) it wasnt too bad.

 This recipe is my best shot at Sunomono salad, which I have to say didn't turn out as bad as I thought it might. You might not see it on the menu at your local sushi joint anytime soon, but given my materials (which I am guessing might be yours as well) it was great!

Cucumber Sunomono Salad

6 inch piece of cucumber

Japanese Rice Vermicelli

 1/2 cup sushi vinegar

1/3 cup white vinegar

5 tablespoons sugar

1 cup water

1/2 of a lemon

In a small saucepan add sushi vinegar, white vinegar, sugar and water. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and place in refrigerator until cooled. 

While dressing is cooling in the fridge bring a large pot of water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook until softened, then drain. Keep in cold water until ready to serve. 

Very thinly slice cucumbers and lemons. 

To assemble add a handful of drained rice noodles and a few slices cucumbers and lemons to a bowl. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of noodle dressing over noodles. 

Eat up!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This may be the simplest, and most delicious recipe for butternut squash soup ever. You will not believe how flavorful it is, with the little amount of ingredients and effort you have to put in. Any addition would be great, I'm sure, but you honestly need only these 6 ingredients. You can make a bunch and freeze it, or make a small batch for dinner. It is prefect for a chilly fall night, and even Oscar liked it. But he also eats garbage and other unmentionables. So that is not really a compliment. Just give this orange beauty a try and you will not be disappointed! 

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 large yellow onion, diced

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup milk or light cream

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and Pepper

In a large pot heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook until both begin to soften.

Add butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, until squash is easily pierced with a fork.

Pour all ingredients into a blender, or use a immersion blender. Blend for around 1 minute, until completely smooth with not chunks. Return to pot and add milk. Stir to combine.

This would be delicious with some crunchy croutons or crusty bread!

Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup

Sounds gross right? Like something your grandma would make you eat. But this creamy vegetarian soup will not leave you missing the cream, only the calories. A whole head of broccoli, 1 pound of potatoes, 2 celery stalks, and 1 onion are packed into this little guy. Oscar AND my husband liked it..... %100 on the night :)

Broccoli Potato Soup

1 large yellow onion

1 pound of small red or yellow potatoes

1 head of broccoli

2 stalks celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 cups water

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Peel and slice onion into even rounds, then halve. In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and sauté until they begin to brown. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally for 30-45 minutes until translucent and golden brown. 

While onions are caramelizing chop potatoes into fourths, break apart broccoli head into 1 inch pieces, and roughly chop celery. 

Once onions are caramelized add garlic, potatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Next and celery and broccoli, add 2 cups of water, or enough to cover broccoli.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into blender. This may take a few batches, depending on how big your blender is.

Blend on high until soup is smooth with no chunks. Return to pot and add plain yogurt, stirring to combine.  Now you can taste and season more if you would like. Curry powder or garlic salt both work really well. 

Serve with crunchy croutons and fresh cut chives! 

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

This was a necessity recipe. I had to use some cilantro in my fridge, so I built a recipe around it. Also I had to work until 8, which means I wouldn't have time to make dinner so I wanted something I could thrown in the crock pot. And when I say throw in the crock pot, I mean meticulously chop ingredients, take pictures, and arrange a final dish that looks pretty. Hopefully a crock pot is a little more grab and go for you LOL! 

Lentils are an amazing source of protein and fiber!

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

1 cup dried lentil

2 cups waters

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup light coconut milk

2 cups small yellow potatoes

1 cup mushrooms

1/2 large yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

1 inch piece of ginger

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoons yellow curry powder

1 teaspoon chili paste or hot sauce
Squeeze of fresh lime

1/2 cup fresh cliantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Gather your ingredients and take a pretty picture :)

In a large pot, or  crock pot place 1 cup of lentils, water, and stock. I know you are suggested to rinse and soak the lentils, but who has time for that? Plus, I don't think it make a difference. Dice yellow potatoes in quarters and add to pot.

Did I mention I needed to use these potatoes too? A lil' wrinkly.....

In a large pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Chop onion and garlic and add to pan, sauteing until onions begin to sweat.  Peel and mince ginger and add to pan for about 2 minutes, or until very fragrant. Remove from heat and add to pot. 

Now it is time to make this soup more ethnic! (and not in the Zumba kinda way)  Add 1 cup of coconut milk. Be sure to shake the can before or stir the can when you open, because the solids will all be resting at the top.

Light coconut milk is better for you, but next time I might use regular.

Add cumin and curry powder, along with salt and pepper. 

Chop half of the cilantro and add to the pot, stirring to combine. At this point the soup should look like this:

Let simmer for for 1-2 hours, or at least until potatoes are tender and flavors have had a chance to come together. Then remove 3/4 of the soup from the pot and add to a blender or food processor. You can also use an immersion blender if you have one.... I do not. (Insert Christmas present hint here) Blend soup until smooth and return to pot.

Cut mushrooms into quarters and add to soup. Bring to a boil and cook until mushroom are tender. Squeeze in fresh lime. Chop remaining cilantro and add to pot, saving a few sprigs for garnish.