It's nine o'clock on a Saturday...

Today we are fixing Pho, a progressively popular Vietnamese dish. STOP! Do not get discouraged by the length of instructions and ingredients. There are many variations of this dish. The time and effort is entirely worth it (also flexible), the flavors are not like anything I can describe.  After many experiments this is hands down my favorite version.

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles, fresh herbs, bold spices and meat. It is a popular street food in Vietnam Pho is primarily served with either beef or chicken. Pho originated in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam, apparently southeast of Hanoi in Nam Dịnh province, then a substantial textile market. According to villagers, pho was eaten in Van Cu long before the French colonial period when it was popularized. Pho was originally sold at dawn and dusk by roaming street vendors, who shouldered mobile kitchens on carrying poles. From the pole hung two wooden cabinets, one housing a cauldron over a wood fire, the other storing noodles, spices, cookware, and space to prepare a bowl of pho.

There are two main elements to this dish the broth, and the garnishes. I recommend taking your time with the broth it is most definitely the key to this savory soup. The broth for beef pho is generally made by simmering beef bones, oxtails, flank steak, charred onion, charred ginger and spices. For a more intense flavor, the bones may still have beef on them. Seasonings can include Saigon cinnamon or other kinds of cinnamon as alternatives (may use stick or powder), lemongrass, star anise, ginger, roasted onion, black cardamom, coriander seed, fennel seed, and clove. The broth takes several hours to make. Vietnamese dishes are meals typically served with lots of greens, herbs, vegetables, and various other accompaniments. The dish is garnished with ingredients such as green onions, white onions, Thai basil, fresh Thai chili peppers, lemon or lime wedges, bean sprouts, and cilantro.

So…now that we have covered some basic history I will give you a brief rundown of my version. After trying a few different proteins, I must say that beef is my top pick here (I know!! You do not hear me say this often). I have the luxury of having a huge Asian market near me; fortunately these ingredients are readily available. Thai basil is gaining popularity, but it is also very easy to grow in an herb garden. Thai chilies (these are HOT) may be replaced with any hot pepper. If you are unable to find fresh lemongrass, lemongrass paste may be substituted. With pho you have the opportunity to create a broth that caters to your taste buds. I look forward to hearing your favorite combinations.  

Beef Pho

2 onions, halved

4" nub of ginger, halved lengthwise

5-6 lbs of good beef bones, preferably leg and knuckle (ask your butcher for these)

1 lb of beef meat - chuck, brisket, rump, cut into large slices [optional]

6 quarts of water

1 bundle of spices (1 cinnamon stick, 1 tbl coriander seeds, 1 tbl fennel seeds, 5 whole star anise, 1 cardamom pod, 6 whole cloves - in cheesecloth)

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

2 lbs rice noodles (dried or fresh)

cooked beef from the broth

1/2 lb flank, London broil, sirloin or eye of round, sliced as thin as possible.

1 C hearty mushrooms

2 C bok choy (or a cabbage would work)

Green peppers (optional)

big handful of each: mint, cilantro, basil

2 limes, cut into wedges

2-3 Thai chili, sliced

2 big handfuls of bean sprouts

Sriracha hot sauce

Directions:

Char: Turn your broiler on high and move rack to the highest spot. Place ginger and onions on baking sheet. Brush just a bit of cooking oil on the cut side of each. Broil on high until ginger and onions begin to char. Turn over and continue to char. This should take a total of 10-15 minutes.

Parboil the bones: Fill large pot with cool water. Boil water, and then add the bones, keeping the heat on high. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones and rinse out the pot. Refill pot with bones and 6 qts of cool water. Bring to boil over high heat and lower to simmer. Using a ladle, remove any fat and debris that rises to the top.

Boil broth: Add ginger, onion, spice packet, beef, sugar, fish sauce, salt and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the beef meat and set aside (you'll be eating this meat later in the bowls) Continue simmering for another 1 1/2 hours. Strain broth and return the broth to the pot. Taste broth and adjust seasoning - this is a crucial step. If the broth's flavor doesn't quite shine yet, add 2 teaspoons more of fish sauce, large pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of sugar. Keep doing this until the broth tastes perfect.

Prepare noodles & meat: Slice your flank/london broil/sirloin as thin as possible. Cut or shred the cooked meat and set aside. Arrange all other ingredients on a platter for the table. Your guests will "assemble" their own bowls. Follow the directions on your package of noodles - there are many different sizes and widths of rice noodles, so make sure you read the directions.

Ladling: Bring your broth back to a boil. Add mushrooms, bok choy, and green peppers. Line up your soup bowls next to the stove. Fill each bowl with rice noodles, shredded cooked beef and raw meat slices. As soon as the broth comes back to a boil, ladle along with veggies into each bowl. The hot broth will cook your raw beef slices. Serve immediately. Guests can garnish their own bowls as they wish.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

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Well, my temperature's rising and my feet hit the floor...

Potatoes possess many charming qualities such as being hearty, readily available, affordable, and mild therefore lending way for countless flavor options and techniques to enhance this starch. My last potato soup was packed with fresh vibrant herbs, today I have chosen celery root, cumin, and lavender as the key components. Lavender tends to scare some people as it is generally thought of as an aromatherapy agent or limited to baked goods. I believe that lavender caries a savory quality that is under-appreciated which adds a floral and slightly sweet flavor to most dishes. It is sometimes paired with sheep's-milk and goat's-milk cheeses. For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, from which the scent and flavor of lavender are best derived. I have found with this recipe that it works nicely with warm smokey cumin, these two combined allow the rich potato flavor to shine through. You will have your guests asking, "what is that flavor I am tasting" and you can impress them with the answer. A savory biscotti would make an excellent accompaniment for this dish. 

Lavender Potato Soup

Ingredients:  

3 C potatoes

1 C celery root

1 onion

1 tablespoon butter

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black cumin

1/4 teaspoon lavender

5 C vegetable or chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 purple potato for garnish

Saute chopped onion in butter, add diced celery root, potatoes, spices and bay leaf and saute a few more minutes. Pour stock over vegetables and cook until soft. Remove the bay leaf, puree and season with salt and pepper. For the purple potato, cut into small matchsticks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees until crispy. Top soup with potato crisps and drizzle with olive oil.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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I backed my car into a cop car the other day. Well, he just drove off, sometimes life's okay...

It is pumpkin season, they are everywhere you turn...let's prepare soup of course. I even took the liberty of embellishing this soup for Halloween by creating a spider web design out of Greek yogurt (an excellent tactic to intice children to eat veggies...decoration). I combined curry, coriander, ginger, and cayenne to assist in cutting down the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. A warmness was generated by sauteing onions and garlic as a flavor base. For texture I diced focaccia into cubes and sauted the cubed bread in olive oil and sea salt for a crunchy crouton topping. If you are arranging this soup for a party, preceding serving you may place the hot soup into a hollowed pumpkin and utilize it as a serving dish. Another trick is to hollow a small pumpkin, prepare the croutons and position a bowl in the pumpkin opening with the croutons. Prior to putting the food in the pumpkins you could decorate the outside with flat black push-pins or black craft paint. These establish an adorable centerpiece.

Warm Pumpkin Soup

1 average sized  pumpkin, deseeded and cut into chunks

2-3 smaller potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 medium sized onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tsp of curry powder

1 tsp of ground coriander 

1 inch fresh grated ginger

1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon

Dash of cayenne

6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Focaccia bread for croutons

Greek yogurt for garnish

In a large saucepan, on medium heat, gently saute 3 tbsp of olive oil with the chopped onions until soft.

Add the pumpkin, potatoes, garlic and the spices. Saute for about 10 minutes or until everything is starting to brown. Pour in stock (Begin by just covering the top of the pumpkin with the stock, you can add more later if you feel it is too thick) bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the pumpkin and potatoes are tender and soft, about 10-12 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the pumpkin and potatoes until smooth and creamy. Here is where you can add more stock if you like, depending on how thick you like your soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the focaccia into cubes, or any crusty bread you have. Saute over medium heat in olive oil until crispy, season with sea salt. Use as a garnish for the soup along with Greek yogurt.   

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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I think it's time for a change, you may get disgusted...

This vibrant soup is a perfect addition to your fall line-up. I am sitting next to an open window.  The breeze in the trees is delightfully noisy... ideal soup weather. The ingredients are basic, but the combination of carrots, ginger and lemon is a welcome burst for your taste buds. The brightness of this soup would lend way for an excellent starter to a meal, as it would cleanse the palate prior to a main course. The ginger and lemon do an superior job of cutting the sweetness provided from the carrots. This soup freezes beautifully, I encourage you to make extra so that you will have it on hand for those busy holiday times quickly approaching. I do not think there is much that exceeds warm soup and a sandwich for lunch on a cool breezy day.

Carrot Ginger Lemon Soup

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 pounds medium carrots, peeled, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 3 cups (or more) chicken stock 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (more for garnish)

1 small carrot, peeled, grated (garnish)

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon peel; saute 1 minute. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

Puree soup in blender. Return soup to pot. Mix in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock, if desired. Top with grated carrot, chives, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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You do a little dance then you drink a little water...

In my experience frequently corn soups have an abundance of ingredients, leaving way for the corn to get lost behind layers of bacon and heavy cream. My intention, to create a soup that allows the flavor of the corn to fully shine through.  Do not be discouraged by all of the separate components, you do need to start the cashew cream the night before but it only takes a few minutes to prepare. This cashew cream creates a divine silkiness throughout the soup. It achieves a much richer flavor than adding heavy cream. It adds the fall dimension that I seek this time of year as the temperature is cooling.  The roasted corn guacamole is bold and bright, it delivers the freshness needed to complete this soup. By using the cashew cream this becomes an excellent vegan option.(I had leftover corn from the summer in my freezer, if you do not have access to fresh corn frozen may be substituted.)

Corn Cashew Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

For the cashew cream:

2 cups raw cashews

water to cover by one inch

For the soup:

6 ears of sweet corn

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves of garlic

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

For the roasted corn guacamole:

1 medium avocado pitted and diced into cubes

1 jalapeno finely diced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

3 cups reserved corn kernels from the soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

To make the cashew cream:

Soak the cashews overnight with enough water to cover by an inch.  Let sit 8 hours or overnight.  Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 3 minutes until you get a smooth creamy mixture.

For the soup: 

In a dutch oven or large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are translucent but don’t let them brown, add the garlic and paprika and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the mixture is fragrant.  Cut the kernels off the cob into a bowl and using the back of your knife scrape the cobs to release any additional corn “milk” Add the cobs and 3 cups of the corn and 2 quarts of water to the pan.  Cook the mixture for 15 minutes uncovered. Remove the cobs from the mixture and in two batches puree the mixture in a blender until smooth.  Strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Whisk in the cashew cream, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.  

For the roasted corn guacamole:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.  Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet with the tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste.  Roast the corn for 20 minutes until the corn is golden brown and caramelized.  To finish combine the corn with the jalapeno, lime juice and avocado and toss gently.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Faces look ugly when you're alone...

Imagine, if you will, you wake up in the morning and step out you door early in the morning. Everything is damp and fragrant, and vividly glowing green. The ferns and grass and weeds are sweet and sharp, lemony and herbaceous. The smell of wet earth mingles with the smokiness from a nearby chimney puffing. That’s what this soup is like! Except that it’s vividly pink, not green. The sweet earthiness of the beets, the smokiness of Spanish paprika, and the fresh green aromatic tarragon are lovely together. The carrots and tomatoes add a creaminess, that lends a helping hand to temper the strong beet flavor. I served  this with feta cheese toasts that had been liberally peppered. They contributed a nice contrast to the sweetness of the soup.

Beet,Carrot, and Tomato Soup 

2 T olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, cut into bite sized pieces

2 large tomatoes diced

1 1/2 cup beets diced (about 1/3 in pieces)

1 t thyme

1 t basil

1/2 t fennel seeds, crushed or chopped

1 t smoked paprika

1 T fresh tarragon

1/4 cup white grape juice

1 t balsamic vinegar

salt & plenty of pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the shallot. Cook till it’s just soft and turning brown. Add the garlic, fennel, thyme and basil. Cook for a few minutes. Add the carrots and beets, stir to coat, and cook until the carrots starts to soften and brown. Add the grape juice, paprika, salt and tarragon. Cook for a few minutes, until the juice is reduced and syrupy. Add tomatoes and water to cover by about 1/2 an inch (for me it was 3 cups of water, but it will depend on the volume of your veg.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the beets and carrots are quite soft. Add the balsamic (and a tablespoon of butter, if you’re not interested in keeping it vegan). Puree carefully in small batches till it’s smooth and creamy. Taste for salt and add plenty of freshly ground pepper.

I ate this sandwich with my soup, and thought I would share the idea. It is a simple grilled cheese (fontina and goat), roasted red peppers, drizzle of balsamic, salt and pepper, finished with fresh basil. The cheese and smokey peppers complimented the bold beet soup perfectly.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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So, when you hear this autumn song remember the best times are yet to come...

If you only have love for your own race

Then you only leave space to discriminate

And to discriminate only generates hate

And when you have hate then you're bound to get irate

-Black Eyes Peas

When I think of potato soup I tend to jump to the notion of a bland bowl of heavy starch. The other day I was contemplating ideas on how best to reinvent this classic to contain fresh bright elements. Herbs, miracle workers, were the perfect fix to a boring problem. I chose the combination of dill, parsley, and mint. Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, cayenne, and fresh spinach also added to this beautifully bold herb potato soup. There was a slight silkiness added from a touch of mayonnaise (I know it sounds strange, but trust me on this one). A toasted baguette rubbed with garlic and olive oil topped with fresh tomato slices rounds the soup out for an elegant lunch. This is a potato soup that would stand up to any entertaining challenge. A beautiful option is to add pomegranate seeds as a garnish (perfect holiday party soup).

Herb Packed Potato Soup

3-4 cups mini white potatoes, boiled in salted water and diced (skin on)

3/4 cup loosely chopped herbs: dill, parsley, basil, mint (your choice)

1 tsp pepper

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 1/2 cups spinach

2 celery stalks diced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar (adds a sweeter edge)

2-3 tbsp mayo

a few dashes of cayenne 

Garnishes: 

Olive oil, fresh herbs, dash of cayenne

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water, until tender. In a dutch oven saute onion and celery. Once veggies are tender return cooked potatoes to the pot. Add remaining ingredients except mayo, warm through but there is no need to bring to a boil. Remove from heat blend in a blender or use an immersion blender. Stir in mayo. Garnish as desired.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Saturday night I was downtown working for the FBI...

Cauliflower,  it's name is from Latin caulis (cabbage) and flower. Today I present you with curried cauliflower soup. The warmness received from the almond and coconut milks lights the way for a delightful soup on a cool fall afternoon. Cauliflower on it's own can be rather bland, but paired with ginger, curry, and garam masala it is transformed into an ethnic pleasure. A sharp bite from the chive garnish rounds out all the flavors your palate craves. A simple grilled cheese serves as a striking accompaniment to this brazen soup.    

Cauliflower, Almond and Coconut Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

3 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice 

1 tablespoon curry powder 

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 inch fresh ginger grated

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 35 minutes or until the cauliflower is completely soft.  Puree the soup in a traditional blender, or with an immersion blender right in the pot.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with chives if desired.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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I bless the rains down in Africa...

The peanut or groundnut, is a species in the legume or "bean" family. It is said that the peanut was probably first domesticated (meaning that it has two sets of chromosomes from two different species that combined in the wild) and cultivated in the valleys of Paraguay or Bolivia. Many pre-Colombian cultures depicted peanuts in their art. The peanut was discovered by Spanish conquistadors in the marketplace of Mexico City. The plant was later spread worldwide by European traders. It is speculated that the peanut made it to the southern United States through the slave trade. To this day peanuts are still a large part of many African cultures as a source of high protein. I roasted raw peanuts for my African inspired soup (I recommend making your own peanut butter for this recipe). While peanuts are the show-stopper; tomatoes, cilantro, nutmeg, cardamom and cayenne all play valuable roles. These elements marry to transform the groundnut into an earthy, hearty and satisfying soup. 

African Peanut Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

½  bell pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼  cup minced cilantro

3 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces cooked chickpeas

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

½ cup uncooked rice

1 teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1 cup freshly made roasted peanut butter

Diced roasted peanuts for a garnish

Saute the bell pepper and onion with the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat until softened. Stir in garlic and cilantro.

Blend the chickpeas with the broth in blender and then pour into pot (or place in pot and use immersion blender). Add in all remaining ingredients except peanut butter and peanuts. Simmer on stovetop for about 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Add water if necessary to desired consistency.

Stir in peanut butter and serve garnished with peanuts and cilantro.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Leaves of brown they fall to the ground...

The first installment, a fall classic, butternut squash. This pumpkin like vegetable is hearty, sweet and delivers the warmth we all seek on the first fall evenings. The highlights in my butternut soup are curry, ginger, and a splash of coconut water. A cool dollop of Greek yogurt is the finishing touch. This soup is genuinely easy to prepare, and may also be served cold. So now we have officially commenced our soup undertaking.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash (cubed)

4 oz coconut water

4 cups vegetable stock

1 T curry powder

1/2 T coriander

1 t garam masala

1 t cayenne

1/2 t cardamom

1 inch ginger, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Boil cubed squash in water until tender, drain. Return squash to pot, add stock and coconut water. At this point I pureed with an immersion blender, you could also use a regular blender and do this in batches. Bring pureed squash to a simmer, add spices and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Greek yogurt and or cilantro. You may also roast the seeds from the inside of the squash for additional garnish.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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It's been a long road to here...

The spread I am providing you with today is truly versatile. It is similar in texture to hummus, but contains cashews, walnuts, and soy milk...SO healthy!!! So far my favorite use for this is on whole greain bagels with a bounty of toppings. These alone would be a lovely sunday brunch, as you could assemble a fun topping bar. I have also included a recipe for pea soup and this pairing is a perfect summer lunch on a patio. The pea soup is highlighted by the brightness of fresh ginger, and I chose to serve the soup cold so that all the flavors were given the opportunity to shine. A dollop of Greek yogurt adds an ever so slight amount of tang desired.

Lemon Pepper Cashew Walnut Spread

makes about 2 cups - you will have leftovers!

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup raw walnuts

3/4 cup soy milk 

1/2 juicy lemon plus a pinch of zest

4-7 generous dashes of fine black pepper and 2-3 pinches of salt

Also grab:

slices of tomato and onion, herb salad mix, bagels (of course), fine black pepper - garnish: slices of lemon (from the other half)

optional but lovely:

sliced avocado, sprouts, sliced white peaches, sliced apple, chopped garden herbs, edible flowers

Directions:

Soak your raw cashews in salted water until tender.

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender or food processor. Also add: lemon, soy milk and half the walnuts. 

Blend from low to high for a few minutes until the mixture becomes smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in more walnuts as needed to achieve a hummus-like consistency. Blend until nice and smooth.

Do a taste test and add more spices and salt as desired. If you are serving the spread within a few minutes - place it in the freezer to chill and thicken up a bit. If serving later - just place in the fridge - covered - until needed.

Bagels! Toast them. Add the spread. Then tomato, onion, greens and pepper on top. Garnish with lemon zest or lemon slices.

I served my bagels alongside a light herb salad and a small bowl of pea soup for some added protein.

Pea and Ginger Soup
EVOO 1 T
Yellow onions 1/2 C diced
Garlic 2 cloves grated
Ginger root 1 T peeled and grated
Veg Stock 3 C
Fresh hulled peas 4 C
Fresh mint 2T minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Plain Greek yogurt and fresh chives for garnish

Instructions:

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and saute until soft. Be careful not to brown. Add stock and peas; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until peas are tender, about 7 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender), blend until desired thickness is reached. Stir in mint. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with a dollop of yogourt and a garnish of fresh chives, or serve chilled.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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And then one day you find Ten years have got behind you No one told you when to run You missed the starting gun...

Today I have for you a carrot and leek soup with an undertone of curry. This soup is adaptable in the regard it may either be served hot or chilled. I tend to like this one chilled particularly for a hot day. The ingredients are simple and healthy. Be sure to use a low sodium chicken broth, and taste before seasoning with salt. If you desire for this soup to have another element you could grate in fresh nutmeg. If using the nutmeg I would suggest to serve this soup warm, accompanied by toasted pumpkin seeds for a lovely garnish (this would be a nice fall dish). Either way you decide to prepare it, I am confident you will not be disappointed. I have also provided you with a simple Popsicle recipe (someone gifted me with molds the other day and these were my first creation). Cherry and Greek yogurt, you won't want to miss them.

• Ingredients

• 3 cups of sliced leeks (about 3 leeks, white and light green part only)
• 5 cups of sliced carrots (about 10 medium carrots)
• 1/3 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 2 liter cartons of low sodium organic chicken stock (or you could use vegetable stock)
• 2 tb. unsalted butter
• 2 t fresh grated ginger
• 1 T hot curry powder
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 bunch of scallions
• creme fraiche (heavy cream may be substituted)

Instructions

In a large pot, heat the butter and a splash of olive oil. Medium heat is good.Wash, peel and slice your carrots. The thinner you slice them the faster they’ll cook. Saute the carrots until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice your leeks vertically and then cut into half moon shapes. Submerge the sliced leeks into a large bowl of water. Use your hands to separate and remove the dirt. T his step is very important as leeks can be very sandy. Dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel, and then add to the pot. Season with curry, ginger,salt and pepper. Saute until soft, not brown. Add your red lentils, 1 1/2 cartons of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook away with the lid on for about 30 minutes or so. You want everything to be nice and tender and the lentils to be completely soft and broken down. While the soup is cooking, chop up some scallions for your topping. When the soup is finished, puree in batches in a food processor blender, or immersion blender.  If your soup seems too thick, add more chicken stock. Return your pureed soup back to it’s original pot and adjust seasoning to your liking. Top with chopped scallions and a dollop of creme fraiche.

16 oz frozen cherries (I use these because they are already pitted)

1 Cup organic Greek yogurt

2 1/2 T honey

 Place defrosted cherries in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.

To the yogurt, add honey and stir to combine. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the cherry puree into the molds. Next, pour 2 tablespoons of the yogurt honey mixture into the molds. Repeat until the molds are full and you have layers of cherry puree and yogurt. With the end of a spoon or a chopstick, lightly stir the cherry puree and the yogurt until it just begins to have a swirled effect. Place popsicle sticks in the molds and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours or until frozen. To remove from the molds, pour warm water briefly over the outside of the popsicle molds and then pull on the popsicle stick.

This yields 10 popsicles

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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