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Recipe: Curried Cauliflower Soup

30 Oct
Curried Cauliflower Soup

Curried Cauliflower Soup

If you’re looking for a soup recipe that has a nice kick, this Curried Cauliflower Soup is the perfect find. It’s creamy and light with lots of flavor. Top it with toasted almonds for a nice crunch.

I would categorize this as a Fall or Summer soup since it’s light, but utilizes cauliflower. It has a frothy texture to it which keeps it nice and light.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups 2% organic milk
  • 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 5 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 pound)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, toss almonds with 1 teaspoon milk and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Spread on to baking sheet and bake until toasted (6 to 8 minutes). Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup milk in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add cauliflower, remaining curry powder and milk, cover and simmer until cauliflower is very tender (about 30 minutes).
    4. Cooking Curried Cauliflower Soup

    Boiling the Cauliflower

  4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional curry powder (if necessary).
  5. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Transfer to bowl and garnish with toasted almonds before serving.

This is a very healthy recipe that avoids the use of cream so it’s not loaded with fat. You can also substitute skim milk to eliminate even more calories and fat. Making the substitution won’t sacrifice any of the flavor.

The spicy kick of the curry goes really well with the creaminess of the cauliflower. Serve it as a side with dinner or as an appetizer.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 30, 2011 in Cookin', Recipes, Soups/Stews

 

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Recipe: Tofu-touille

26 Oct
Tofu-touille

Tofu-touille

Tofu-touille is a take on the French vegetable dish ratatouille. This is a great way to add some extra protein to ratatouille without sacrificing calories. If you’re wary to try tofu A) you shouldn’t be and B) you can omit without changing up the dish too much.

This makes a great casserole for Fall that’s loaded with nutrients and low on calories.

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 block firm tofu, drained and dried
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
    • Sauteeing Eggplant

    Sauteeing Eggplant

  • 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 cup oyster mushrooms
  • 1 cup button mushrooms
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat bottom and sides of a 2 quart Dutch oven with olive oil.
    2. Tofu-touille Finished

    Tofu-touilee Out of the Oven

  2. Saute garlic until lightly browned, mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly season and sprinkle with more cheese. Continue layering in the order of your choice with onion, mushrooms and bell pepper. Cover each layer with seasoning and cheese.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes and serve.

This is a delicious one-pot wonder that can serve as an entree or a side dish. You can also add in any vegetables of your choice making this version of ratatouille a truly versatile vegetarian dish.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 26, 2011 in Cookin', One-Pot Wonders, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Pumpkin Turkey Chili

24 Oct
Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ready to be Served

Chili is a great Fall one-pot wonder. This chili recipe boosts the flavor by using pumpkin puree as the base. It’s also loaded with healthy vegetables and lean protein (this recipe uses turkey, but I’ve also used tofu) for a very balanced meal. It’s suited for most diets as the chili itself is gluten-free and dairy-free.

So next time you’re hosting a football watching party or any other Fall event, be sure and add this recipe to your must-try list.

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
  • 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
    • Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ingredients

    Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ingredients

  • 1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, cored and chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 ear of fresh corn, roasted*
  • 1 tomato, cored and chopped
  • 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 pound ground turkey (or other protein of your choice)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 TBSP chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumi
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chopped onions, peppers, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Roughly 5 minutes.
  3. Add turkey (or other protein) and cook until browned.
  4. Add roasted corn, tomatoes, pumpkin puree, water and spices and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and add all beans.
  6. Cover and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, for 30 minutes more.
  7. Serve chili in bowls with garnish. Some of my favorite garnishes include sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and cilantro.
    Pumpkin Turkey Chili in the Pot

    Pumpkin Turkey Chili in the Pot

  • *To roast corn, preheat oven to 350F. Place corn (in husks) on oven rack and roast for 30-40 minutes. Slice corn from cob.

You can mix and match the suggested garnishes as you see fit. I prefer all of them together. I also serve this chili with a jalapeño cheese cornbread and crumble it over the top. No matter how you dish it out, this is a great chili loaded with nutrients and perfect for a cool Fall day.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 24, 2011 in Cookin', One-Pot Wonders, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits

25 Sep

Fresh Louisiana crawfish (don’t even think about using Chinese tails), smoky Andouille sausage, roasted garlic and the best grits in the world combine to make a great dish that’s a perfect addition to any brunch.
The challenging part will be exercising the patience necessary to wait for the grits to finish cooking. And don’t even think about using anything but high-quality, stone-ground grits.

Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits Ingredients

Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits Ingredients


Ingredients

  • 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails
  • 1 cup Andouille sausage (I use Jacob’s World Famous Andouille from LaPlace, La.)
  • 1 cup stone-ground grits (I use white grits from Sciple’s Water Mill in Dekalb, Miss. which has been in continuous operation since 1790. And yes, they’re that good…)
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Abita Amber (you can drink the rest)
  • 1 head of garlic (peeled)
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 4 TBSP butter
  • Salt, pepper and Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning to taste

Directions:

Louisiana Crawfish Tails in the Grits

My favorite part? Adding in the Louisiana crawfish tails.

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Break up peeled head of garlic and roast on an oven-safe plate (about 12 minutes).
  2. While garlic is roasting, melt 2 TBSP of butter on low heat in large saucepan or Dutch Oven. When butter is melted, pour in grits and stir to coat.
  3. Add in all liquids (heavy cream, Abita Amber and chicken broth) and stir and simmer on low.
  4. When garlic is finished roasting, combine garlic, crawfish, Andouille, cream cheese, seasoning and remaining butter into grits. Leave to simmer, stirring every 5 minutes over low heat for about an hour until grits are creamy.
  5. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Simmering All the Ingredients

Simmer all the ingredients over low heat




This dish is a guaranteed brunch hit, but it’s appropriate for any meal time. You can also reheat any leftovers to make this one-pot wonder last. To reheat, stir in 1/4 cup of liquid of your choice and simmer over low heat until grits are heated through.

 
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Posted by on September 25, 2011 in Brunch, Cookin', Recipes

 

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Recipe: Peach Tart with Pecan Crust

22 Sep
Peach Tart

Peach Tart from Chez Castle (My Kitchen)

If you’re looking for a simple and cost-efficient dessert that isn’t loaded with sugar and pairs well with any fruit (though this recipe specifically calls for peaches), this tart is ideal.

The hardest part is the crust. But if you’re apprehensive to make the crust from scratch, I’m sure a pre-made crust of your choosing will suffice.

Ingredients

For Crust:

  • 2 cups of vanilla wafers (trust me when I tell you the Whole Foods brand is heads and tails above Nila Wafers)
  • 4 tablespoons melted unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

For Filling:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Chobani plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine vanilla wafers with pecans, 2 tablespoons of sugar in food processor and process until fine (be carefully not to overprocess). Add melted butter and process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 1/2 thick layer in 9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes or until crust sets.
  2. While crust is baking, clean out food processor. Add cream cheese, Chobani plain Greek yogurt, egg and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Process until smooth.
  3. After removing crust from the oven, pour the custard into the crust and bake an additional 15 minutes until it sets. Place tart in freezer to cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. In a bowl, toss peaches with remaining sugar. Arrange peaches as pictured. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

This tart really does make an excellent addition to any dinner party. In lieu of peaches, I would suggest berries, bananas, or possibly mango.

 
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Posted by on September 22, 2011 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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