Carrot Soup (Dairy Free)

Posted on February 25, 2012 by kitchenbelle

I forgot how much I loved this broccoli soup recipe. I’m not sure why I haven’t made it in so long. I love that it is non-dairy and meat free. It is a delicious accompaniment to a panini for an easy make ahead week night dinner. Also, it stands perfectly well on its own or with a piece of crusty bread for lunch. You may be wondering why I am talking about broccoli soup if this post is about carrot soup. Well, after re-discovering my love for the broccoli soup I decided to try the same recipe swapping out the vegetable.

This carrot soup turned out really well! I love how it has a creamy texture while it does not contain any milk or cheese. It reminds me very much of the soups my host mother in France prepared for me during my term abroad in Rennes. Whenever we had a particulary hardy lunch, say on a Sunday or a holiday, she would prepare a light dinner of pureed soup like this one. Anything that reminds me of France is a winner in my book!

Side Note: I find it so funny that I posted the broccoli soup recipe exactly three years ago today!

Carrot Soup:

  • olive oil
  • 2 leeks, cleaned, root and green woody top removed, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 8 fresh carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces PLUS
  • 2 fresh carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 48 ounces of vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth or stock if you prefer)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a pinch of cayenne
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil and place the 8 2-inch carrot pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for approximately 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. Half way through roasting turn carrots over.

Add some olive oil to the bottom of a large soup pot.  (I used my Le Creuset.)   Warm the oil over medium-low heat.  Add the leeks, onion, garlic, and two chopped carrots.  Stir and cook until the onions are translucent. [Note: The above step is extremely important for a maximum flavor soup.  If you aren’t in a rush, cook these ingredients over low heat for a long period of time (even to the point of caramelization if you’d like, though it is not necessary) to fully cultivate the flavor.]

Add the potatoes and roasted carrots to the large soup pot.  Add the broth or stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce to a low boil.  Stir occasionally, cooking for about 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender.

Take the pot off the heat and remove the bay leaf.  If you have an immersion blender, use that to puree the soup.  Alternately, cool the soup in the fridge for a few moments then puree in a traditional blender or food processor, one cup at a time.  Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot and warm it through.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Filed under: Appetizer, carrot, Main Dish, soup | 2 Comments »

Easy Broccoli Quiche

Posted on December 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Quiche is one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. A slice of quiche alongside a pile of mixed greens feels like a wonderfully complete meal. I love it because it is rich enough that you feel as though you have indulged, yet because you typically only have a slice or two you don’t feel overly stuffed. And it’s the richness that makes the meal feel special–it’s not every day you have quiche for lunch, after all! I especially enjoy serving quiche when I have a friend over for a lunch date.  It is something that is easily prepared ahead of time and then served at room temperature.  There isn’t anything unusual about this particular recipe. It is a straightforward way to make a tasty vegetarian quiche. (Of course you can make your own crust or use prepackaged.)

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Entirely unrelated, I feel as though I must acknowledge that I am probably the only recipe blogger in the blogosphere who did not post anything Thanksgiving related. “Why?” you may ask. The answer is because my brother-in-law prepares our entire Thanksgiving meal without an ounce of help from anyone else!  (Well, without any help except for the Minnesota-style mashed potatoes made by my other brother-in-law. 😉 ) He is a fabulous cook and he makes the most delicious and unconventional Thanksgiving dinner leaving guests in awe year after year.

The only item the menu required was something light that guests could snack on while sipping a drink prior to dinner. I made these ol’ standbys: SPINACH SQUARES.  My sister-in-law refers to them as spinach brownies. How cute, right?! Give them a try if you are looking for an easy holiday season go-to app that transports well.

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Easy Broccoli Quiche:

  •  2 tablespoons olive oil
  •  1 onion, minced
  •  1 teaspoon minced garlic
  •  2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
  •  1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
  •   1  cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  •  1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  •   4 eggs, well beaten
  •    1 1/2 cups milk
  •    1 teaspoon salt
  •    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  •    1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Over medium-low heat warm the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the crust and press into the dough. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Recipe adapted from this one on AllRecipes.com

Filed under: broccoli, eggs, Main Dish, mozzarella, VEGETARIAN | 5 Comments »

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges (and Cooking Matters)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Over the past six weeks I have been a volunteer chef for Cooking Matters. If you haven’t heard of Cooking Matters, I suggest you check it out. Their website articulates their impressive mission:

Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.

Once a week, approximately 15 participants, a volunteer nutritionist, a volunteer assistant, the course coordinator, and myself all gathered to prepare a healthy meal together and discuss nutrition and technique. Each week we focused on something different and each week participants took home a bag of fresh groceries so that they could replicate for their families the meal we made in class. I find the whole idea brilliant!

Spending time with the participants was humbling. Their enthusiasm was contagious and their appreciation obvious.  At the end of the course, each one gave me a big hug and expressed the most sincere gratitude. It was incredibly touching.

Not only was I enthralled by the participants, but also I fell head over heels in love with the Cooking Matters recipes! They exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. Each recipe was interesting, delicious, loaded with healthy grains and nutrients, and easy to prepare. I found myself making several of the recipes over and over at home for my family. (In fact, there is a chicken recipe that I have made four times, yet every time we have eaten it before I have had the chance to photograph it!)

I found this Brown Rice and Mandarin Orange salad to be particularly wonderful. It is a perfect side to a protein, yet stands up well on its own for a vegetarian lunch or dinner. It is very filling and fresh tasting. I jazzed it up by adding one of my favorite ingredients, wild rice, however, using only brown rice works just fine. I left a large bowl of this in my fridge for a week and ate a healthy helping for lunch every day!

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If you are interested in reading about other blogger experiences with Cooking Matters you can check out these posts:

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges:

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1/2 cup wild rice
  • 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Cook both types of rice according to package directions and set aside.

Drain mandarin oranges and reserve juice.

Rinse and chop scallions.

In a medium bowl mix Mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, scallions,
almonds and rice.

In another bowl whisk together lemon juice, mandarin orange juice,
and pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until dressing
forms.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Let rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

 

Filed under: Main Dish, orange, rice, Side | 2 Comments »

Lentil and Brown Rice Soup

Posted on September 22, 2011 by kitchenbelle

The weather has been a little strange lately. We had a few gorgeously crisp fall days followed by some summer-like weather. Today is rainy and humid. That said, we are technically in soup season and there’s nothing like a pot of soup simmering on the stove to warm the house and beckon your family.  Soup is so practical too–make one large pot at the beginning of the week and reheat it for several lunches and dinners during the days that follow.  Better yet, freeze the leftovers. This recipe is chock full of nutrients and fiber.  It is also hearty, filling, and delicious.

Ideas:

–Transform this recipe to vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth and beef stock.

–Serve with a warm crusty baguette for a wonderfully satisfying weeknight meal.

–For easy entertaining, make a pot and invite some friends over to watch a football game (go Patriots!)

–Perfect for a Halloween dinner because it won’t require your attention while you answer your door to trick-or-treaters!

Lentil and Brown Rice Soup:

  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1 1/2 cups dry lentils (picked over and rinsed)
  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
  • 1  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 3  14-0unce cans diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 large stock of celery, chopped
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

In a large pot (I used Le Creuset) combine broth, stock, lentils, rice, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, carrots, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, and vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45-55 minutes or until the lentils and rice are tender. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper. Don’t forget to remove and discard the bay leaf.

Adapted from So Easy, So Delicious by Ellie Deaner. Buy it!

Filed under: beans, Fall, Main Dish, rice, soup, spinach, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 2 Comments »

Lime Roasted Chicken

Posted on August 30, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Because my Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad needed something sturdy to accompany it, I decided to make a roasted chicken. If you haven’t roasted a chicken in a while (or ever, for that matter) I am going to suggest you roll up your sleeves and give it a go. If you are feeling frenzied at work, are in need of feeling grounded, if you have even the tiniest bit of homemaker blood that needs to be indulged, (or if there is a hurricane in the forecast) I prescribe roasting a chicken.

Even with the recent movement toward awareness of the source of our food, I think many of us are still hesitant to see an animal in whole form. I know I am.  Now in the interest of full disclosure, I do get the willy nillies rinsing out the chicken and holding it under its arms (eek!) but I persevere. I envision Julia Child and all of the other wonderful cooks who “own” the ingredient and don’t shy away. I remind myself of how glorious it is to serve a roasted chicken on a platter and of the warm scents that will engulf the kitchen in no time. (Plus, I am being so economical! It is tremendously less expensive to buy a whole chicken as opposed to the individual parts.)

Call me wacko, but once I get past the willy nillies,  preparing the chicken makes me feel eerily connected to my ancestors. I think about the thousands (millions?) of women before me who prepared chickens for their families. Does anyone else feel this way when they cook? Maybe I am getting a bit deep here (I think having a baby might do that to a gal!) but the moral of the story is this: 

Roast a chicken. Then set the table and light the candles. Your family will love you and you will love you. It’s the food equivalent of giving yourself and everyone around you a big ole hug. 

This recipe yielded a tremendously juicy and flavorful bird. The lime flavor was subtle yet present. I served ours with coriander-dusted sweet potato wedges and of course Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad over a bed of greens.

Lime Roasted Chicken:

  • 1 six pound chicken (or any size you’d like)
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 limes cut in half and poked with a fork several times
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

The night prior to cooking, remove chicken from packaging. Remove giblets from cavity and dispose of them. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold  running water and then pat dry. Using clean hands rub paprika, salt, and peppers all over the chicken skin. Really rub them in. Place the lime halves inside the cavity of the bird. Place the bird in a large (freezer size) Ziploc bag and place in the fridge.

When you are ready to cook the chicken preheat the oven to 400 F. Place chicken breast side down in a roasting pan (on the rack). Drizzle with olive oil. Lower oven temperature to 350 F and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and flip the bird over. Return to the oven and continue to cook until internal temp reaches 180 F and juices run clear. (Note: cook at 350 F for approximately 20 minutes/pound.)

Remove from oven and let rest before carving. Pour juices from pan over sliced meat.

Inspired by The Food and Cooking of the Caribbean, Central and South America and 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know.

Filed under: chicken, Main Dish | 3 Comments »

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