Mum and dad were up and out of the house before I'd even got out of bed, and the rain was drizzling heavily in streams down the windows. It was one of those lazy weekend days where the cat slept in her little basket by the fire, the rabbit huddled under the coffee table, the dog was sprawled out comfortably between the cat and the rabbit next to the hearth of the fire, and there wasn't much going on at all. That is, except for the busy movement coming from the kitchen and bursts of air shuffling through the rooms following my flurry of activity.
The dog just raised her eyes at me, sighed, and went back to sleep. Only lifting her head enough to peer at me over top the back of the chair.
I lazily woke up with plans of cooking and sipping hot tea when I waited for the oven. My pajamas were just too cozy, so I slipped on a pair of fuzzy slippers and began about making a toasty and warm winter breakfast: fibre-filled oatmeal sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon. I cooked on the stove, stirring in freshly ground cinnamon with water and oats, and as the pot came to a boil, stirred vigorously to mix. I topped my breakfast with some apple slices quickly baked in the oven, defrosted blueberries from the valley in the summer, and finally, a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogourt. It was creamy, flavourful and delicious - and extremely colourful, a mix of vibrant blueberry blue, and cherry-apple red. A perfect start to a day of cooking and playing in the kitchen.
If there's one flavour which I could love more than chocolate, it would be cinnamon. Nothing short of delightful, I love the warm aroma of the spice in baked goods, a top my breakfast cereal, or even sprinkled on slices of apple and cottage cheese for a snack.
My tangle with kitchen utensils and ingredients didn't stop there however, for a few hours later, I stepped back into the kitchen for a creation for lunch. From the vegetables leftover in the fridge I chopped and peeled, imagined and fantasized all the while, as I combined flavours together to make something edible, and delicious. It was just the day for a hearty bowl of soup. A little shrimp cocktail from the evening before's dinner - we go big on Valentine's Day: mum makes dinner and I do dessert, a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake in pots - so I had it on the side ready to go with a few crackers. As I lent over the steaming pot on the stove, steam rising and cascading into my face, I felt the refreshing and warming power of a bowl of soup.
Winter Vegetable Soup
Print recipe here.
Chard seems to be in season this time of year, so instead of using the popular leafy green kale, I've opted for a few leaves of this similar dark green vegetable, which I have no doubt has very similar health benefits, full of essential vitamins and nutrients.
As a super quick stove top recipes for those days when you're just craving a bowl of hearty soup to ease the brisk chill of winter, I guarantee that a bowl of this vegetable soup will warm you and your mood.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 tbsp grape seed oil
1 1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 1/2 cup water
2 chard leaves, chopped
1/2 cup cubed yam
1/2 cup cubed zucchini
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 each salt and pepper
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan heat the oil, and add the garlic. Cook about 1 minutes, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Pour in the canned tomatoes, with juice, and add the water.
Bring the pan to a boil before adding the vegetables. I put the yam in a small bowl in a little water and heated it up for two minutes in the microwave to reduce cooking time on the stove.
Add the thyme, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Pour into bowls and serve with gluten free crackers or bread.
Enjoy! xx S.
Labels: chard, gluten free, hot, quick, soup, sweet potato, tomato, vegetable, winter, yam
