Sipping Soup Surrounded by Autumn Leaves

Thanksgiving. A holiday filled with family, food, laughter, and most of all, lots and lots of pumpkin. Fresh pumpkins lining the tops of tables and mantles, or puréed and cooked pumpkin with maple and spice and baked in the form of pies, cheesecakes, tarts, or all three laid down the centre of an extended dining table in between decorative pumpkins, surrounded by black corn and autumn's leaves.

I spent this past thanksgiving weekend back on Bowen, and the better part of two days travelling from one island to the next, via the mainland, during which I spent most of my time thinking about what it would be like back on the island where I grew up, and back in my friends familiar house, but unable to quickly pop up the hill to where we used to live. I also spent the better part of the ferry rides gazing out the window to where I thought Bowen was, terrified. Terrified of how different it would seem, and how it would feel to be among everything so familiar but changed myself with living in a new place, new people, and most of all, a completely new routine to run by. 

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This Soup For Spring

I'm obsessed with soup. I'm pretty sure I've started a previous post with the same sentence, so it's obvious that I go through phases - or food obsessions, like last week when all I craved was eggs with kale, or this ongoing obsession with avocados that leaves my Pinterest board full of ways to serve avocados, whole, mashed, or chopped. We missed a couple of weekend lunches consisting of warm bowls of soup served with a chopping board laden with runny brie and other cheeses and gluten free lentil crackers or garlic rosemary rolls, and I was suddenly feeling a pang of guilt for neglecting my inner love of winter (you know those cozy days by the fire, just you, a warm drink, and not much else?). I guess it's just been too darn sunny lately - oh, by no means am I complaining - I've been able to get out and enjoy runs through the trails, and I finally feel as if I can plan things without the deterrence of a sudden rain shower to stop me, but I needed to cozy up to a large bowl of soup and feel the warmth of comforting flavours again.

I noticed on my run this weekend that an entire blossom tree was blooming with small pink buds, when only last week it had just one branch showing the first signs of spring. Below the windows of our house too we can see the movement of warmer weather, and with it little red breasted robins that hop around our yard and peck at the ground for worms.

I am overly excited for summer, winter was warmer this year, so without the usual excitement of waking up to a white winter wonderland covered in snow unexpectantly, we keep our sights on the promise of sun with a change to spring, and out of habit, kept our rain boots, jackets, and umbrellas neatly lined up by the door and ready to use.

I couldn't help myself when the clouds covered the sky yesterday, and the house filled with an unexpected chill. This soup could even be enjoyed cold in the summer, but we agreed on the much needed warmth with our over-sized sweaters and thick socks. I made a list of needed ingredients, and after facing the brisk wind to scooter to the store, I was ready to prepare and cook in the kitchen.

We've been enjoying the rich tastes of all different types of squash throughout this year's winter season, from spaghetti, to my favourite butternut squash, all delicious in various cooking techniques and recipes. So to pair the sweet flavour of squash with the strong and comforting aroma of ginger, this soup came out as the perfect blend of warmth and flavour to be enjoyed all year round. I've also been experiencing headaches for these past few weeks, it may have been caused by stress from deadlines and exams at school, so the fragrance of ginger with every spoonful was a definite cleanser, and I felt the effects immediately, something I must keep in mind for the future, and when things start getting stressful again as school breaks to exam period.

It's a great change from the sweetened tetra-pack soups we often find ourselves relying on, lost in the laziness of winter days, which are almost too addicting, and you begin to wonder what ingredients are really in it. Don't worry, this soup has nothing but fresh, whole ingredients, all easily accessible from your local store, and a healthy change in routine for lunch, or even dinner.

Ginger Butternut Squash Soup
Print recipe here

Fragrant, warm, and creamy. A delicious blend of winter vegetables and winter flavours for a comforting meal. Enjoy this soup right off the stove, or store it in an airtight container for a later date. Pair it with gluten free crackers for dipping, and be transported right back to holiday time, when everything is filled with warmth and everything is comforting. 

Makes 4 large servings

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash
4 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup freshly grated ginger
2 tbsp grape seed oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Plain Greek yogourt for garnish

Directions:

Halve and seed the butternut squash, then cut it into 2 inch chunks. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Using the largest holes on a cheese grater, shred the ginger. Set aside.

In a wide-rimmed skillet, heat the grape seed oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until the vegetable soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic, and stir in until fragrant, approximately 1 minutes.

Add the butternut squash and stock and increase the heat to bring to a boil. When bubbles begin to form, reduce the heat to medium low, cover partially, and simmer about 25 minutes. The butternut squash should be tender.

In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth. Return it to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Reheat over medium low heat, or store in an airtight container once cool for up to 3 days.

Ladle into bowls, and top with a spoonful of plain Greek yogourt. Serve immediately.

Enjoy! xx S.

Baking Bread

Baking bread used to be my "speciality." My sister would come home expectant of a freshly baked loaf a few days after she came off the plane.

It was always something I loved. Kneading, rolling, patting, the smell of a warm loaf, and the delicious flavour of wholesome bread. Therefore, it became something I missed.

I used to play with baking breads, adding chopped olives or a blend of freshly chopped herbs and just imagining the warmth and flavour of a warm loaf from the oven with a variety of concocted tastes. But when I tried this same approach baking gluten free, they either didn't bake - an overlooked shell with a mushy, sticky centre - or sometimes, they would bake well, but just one bite would notify our tastebuds (and salivary glands) to over-work, it was gonna be one dry mouthful.

So it took a little more playing around. And I've finally found the best gluten free bread recipe as of late. Quick. Easy. And fool proof. A moist and flavourful roll. Fresh rosemary and garlic? It just makes me want to heat a big pot of soup on the stove and quickly make myself some rolls for dipping, and enjoying. Bean shepherds pie soup from last night sounds delicious, a wonderful mix of hearty beans and the flavour of tarragon, blended with potato, carrots, and a dash of coconut milk to create a creamy and wintery soup. Or perhaps, a bowl of Sweet Cumin Carrot Soup would be more suiting to bring us into Spring (although its still dark despite being only five o'clock). I also recommend dipping the warm rolls into some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Or a bowl of mussels, a delicious complement to the rosemary and garlic flavours of the buns.

When you pull bread from the oven, you are reminded of the best part of baking gluten free; seeing perfectly round little bread rolls, a tad risen, and the steaming aroma of herbs that escapes from the oven makes you feel the emotion in successful baking. These are soft, moist, and everything homemade bread should be.

Some days, baking bread takes a little nudge, and some days, with the rain pouring down and washing away all of our footprints and any trace of activity outdoors, we remain pulled by the warmth of the fire and the heat of our ovens. On those days, we take to our kitchens, and after, sit at our tables with a plate of delicious baked goods to write up recipes, jot down notes, and detail the experiences. So using whole food, we cook. Together, but also secluded in the clatter of pots and pans in our kitchens.

Some days good food is the effect reason to remain at home - you deserve a rest - while somedays it is the inspiration of a photo on Instagram or Pinterest, or maybe someone's conversation on your way home. Or it is the memory of good food from days past, that meal you enjoyed utterly, chewing in silence and sharing the enjoyment of flavours, that really does make the difference, and replenishes your motivation to cook again, to replenish your energy.

Because we are all much happier, and much healthier, with good food in our bellies, and a good mood as a result, sometimes all we need is a reminder of what we enjoy most, and what makes our lives a little bit better. A little bit happier.

Rosemary Garlic Bread Buns
Print recipe here.

I made this recipe twice over two days, eating the buns with soup, and with oil for dipping, for three meals in a row. They're perfect for breakfast with eggs or almond butter and jam, or for lunch and dinner with soup or as sandwiches. Since they are so quick and easy to make, I recommend you take out your mixing bowl and bake a few buns right now!

You may need to add more flour if the mix has too much liquid. The first time I made these rolls the quantities below were perfect, my kitchen was very cold, however the next day, after the house was warm from the blazing fire, the mixture required nearly double the amount of flour. Just make sure you don't add too much - you still want a bit of stickiness to end up with lovey and moist rolls! Have fun playing with quantities, these are almost guaranteed to taste delicious.

Makes 5 - 6 dinner buns.

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

4 eggs
3 - 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider
3/4 tsp xantham gum
1/4 cup coconut milk

Dry Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup chia seed flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary, chopped finely
1 large clove of garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients, beating until combined completely.

Add dry ingredients and beat again.

Drop the mixture onto the parchment paper, and form into small round buns.

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Allow buns to cool for 5 minutes before serving - the centres will be hot!

Delicious when dipped into olive oil.

Enjoy! xx S

Winter is the Time for Soup

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.

Thai Your Hand in the Kitchen

I've often find that we come home from long days to a house of silence - it's a big house, and there aren't nearly enough of us living in it to fill the spacious rooms and vaulted ceilings with chatter and the ease of laughter. Perhaps it is the kitchen which brings us together. Put a pot on the stove and fill it with aromatic flavours which instead will fill the air around us, a comforting hug around stooped shoulders.

It seems as if gathering in the kitchen and cooking with others is the perfect cure for a sense of loneliness. Encourage and invite others to cook around or with you, and instantly, there's a sense of communion and chatter in effort to achieve a common goal, to beat the eggs, to sauté the onions. Because we all know everyone's there for the comfort of really good food.

As we cut circles out of flattened pastry we begin to chat comfortably, sharing stories of past events of our weeks and expressing the things which bother us or fill us with joy. Yesterday, mum and I sat in the kitchen around mugs of tea to chat, and later put the weeks events behind us with our focus on chopping and mixing something delicious for dinner. As we laid the ingredients across the counter and placed a large chopping board beside us, I began to smile at myself, and a sparkle glimmered as if the sun had once again reappeared.

I really love cooking, I thought, cooking is like our own therapy, you take simple ingredients and turn them into a delicious masterpiece. And if cooking is our therapy, then the friendships we have must also be. The same sense of fulfilment is acquired from both.

And so we bake cookies. Try our hands at scones and kneading gluten-free bread. On weekends we try pizzas. We make stir-fries and soups. We make discoveries in gluten-free baking, and try new ingredients, sometimes learning what not to do, often learning new techniques. Then as we sit around the table we make conversation about the meal, remarking on the complements in flavours and textures, and slowly moving on to talk about ourselves, and our days. Then we begin to laugh, and we can no longer stop, we are enjoying the full feeling in our bellies, and the complete feeling of unity around us with a full house.

Coconut Lime Thai Soup
Print recipe here.

A shrimp dish with the sweetness of coconut milk and spice of red curry paste which are complemented by the strong flavour of limes in this simple dish. Served with rice noodles, dinner guests will be slurping the bowl for more.

Garlic and ginger are all known fighters of that pesky everyday cold and flu, which seems to be sticking around longer and longer each year. Plus, the kick of thai chilli in this soup will remind you that you are alive and strong, so get back into action with a hearty bowl and the warm flavours of good, gluten free, food again.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp grape seed oil, or other oil suitable for frying
1 shallot, sliced
1 red pepper, diced

1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 1/2 tsp red Thai curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce (check to make sure it is gluten free!)
zest of 1 lime, juice of 2 limes, 1 sliced to serve (3 in total)

1 1/2 cans of unsweetened coconut milk

400 g fresh or frozen baby shrimp
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

approximately 200 g flat rice noodles

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sliced shallot and diced red pepper, cook until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and red Thai curry paste. Stir frequently until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce, zest of one lime, and freshly squeezed lime juice, stirring until well combined. Pour in the coconut milk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook until noodles are tender. Rinse and set aside.

Add the shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the noodles and stir together, then add herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning to your personal preference.

Serve in large bowls with sliced lime quarters.

Enjoy! xx S.

Homemade Soup? So Easy!

I could barely pull out the Pumpkin Maple Dinner Rolls we had put in the freezer as containers and plastic bags of gluten-free baking tumbled over what I really wanted to eat with my soup today. I guess just having three of us in the house (two during the week) makes it a little difficult to get through all the cookies and brownies, muffins and then dinners, which we always seem to make excess of.

And then just last week, with the mid-January blues getting to us and forcing us to get out of the house, somehow, any way, we stepped off the ferry and drove to Vancouver for the Gluten Free Expo. Needless to say, we brought home an even greater selection of baked goods, gluten-free protein bars, chips and crackers, but proving to be just too much to be consumed in one or two evenings - into the freezer they went as well.

It was amazing how busy the convention was; tickets were sold out as soon as we got there, and there was a two hour wait for those who had already bought tickets. People who excitedly rushed up to the front desk with tickets bought online were greeted with an offer for a rebate, cash back for their purchase and time spent. However no one seemed to grumble unhappily, perhaps their bellies were content with the aversion to wheat - no upsets there: happy bodies, happy minds.

With the promise of different food options, and new substitutes for a gluten free girl, just behind those closed doors, we decided to head off for lunch before gathering a new sense of purpose to peruse the aisles of the expo - bag in one hand to be filled with samples.

Everyone eagerly approached tables, some pushing to be handed a gluten-free brownie cut and placed into a paper muffin cup first, while others grabbed at pamphlets before stopping in their tracks to read the small information printed on it. One woman, as I passed by her table with watchful eyes and just as I glanced at the selection of products lined neatly along the front of the table, caught me with a quick smile and leaned forward,

"Let me tell you about this product," she enticed,

"You're a growing girl, and you need fibre in your diet,"

How did she know? I wondered to myself, How does she already seem to know me so well, as she continued, labelling things which applied to me.

"You have a craving for protein," She also offered, and held up the product, a protein bar with 25 g of fibre.

"Come back and buy some with your mum," She whispered.

How did she do that? How was she able to get so personal in such a small amount of time, luring me in, connecting with me, and undoubtedly making me feel as if I had to return. I hurried past her table as I tried to return back to where mum was, head down and avoiding eye contact.

Later on, as the end of the expo neared, one aisle was increasingly filling up with more people, the promise of free gluten-free goods a certain lure. One table stood out as one man handed out whole loaves of bread and packages containing four large muffins, a very generous offer compared to the thumb-sized cookies given by neighbouring tables. Another popular table was serving gluten free noodles with the customer's choice of sauces, either sweet, spicy, or peanut, however as we passed by, their stocks were empty and they had already begun to pack up. It must have been the only table which we saw as completely empty by the time we got there - the popular demand for something savoury had overwhelmed them.

I felt like that today, overwhelmed by the sweetness of so many baked goods, especially after a Berry Cheesecake which mum made for supper last night - using gluten free granola ground with butter and walnuts for the base. Then, after hot chocolates with mum and dad this morning, I was craving vegetables and spices, and the bright colours of fresh produce.

Sweet Cumin Carrot Soup
Print recipe here.

A touch of honey added to the warmth and richness of cumin seeds with the smooth carrot elements create a soup that is both hearty (just the right ingredients for an energy boosting soup) and comforting for those rainy, cold days - or any day really.

This ultimate comfort dinner soup can be chased down with a Pumpkin Maple Dinner Roll, buttered and topped with a chunk of cheese.

I love the rich colour of this soup, which just screams out as being healthy and full of vital nutrients and antioxidants. These carrots are high in carotenoids, which is also found to reduce the risk of diabetes - and increase how much you can see at night!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

approximately 3 cups coarsely chopped carrots, or baby carrots
1 tbsp honey
6 cups vegetable stock

4 spoonfuls sour cream or plain Greek yoghurt

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, cumin, and salt. Stir until softened, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the carrots and honey.

Pour in stock and bring stovetop to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, this should take approximately 25 minutes.

In batches of 2 or 3, purée the soup mixture in a blender until smooth. Careful, the heat may make the mixture bubble while blending, so hold the lid on tight.

For a thinner soup, strain before adding more water, or just spoon the soup into bowls as is.

Garnish with sour cream and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot.

Potate-oh, Pah-tato

Love has great taste.

For those who believe that food is love; the love for that perfectly baked cake, the chicken roasted to perfection, chocolate that melts in your mouth, then you'll want to cook as much as I do.

Or maybe it's something someone else made for you that's just to die for.

Today, mum and I met after an early end to school (those really are the best of days) and we decided upon lunch at our favourite spot on the island. The view looks out on the ferry's path, and on a clear day our tiny ferry can be seen passing the routes of the huge ferries in comparison on it's way back and forth from the mainland.

Kids waited for their dance classes over juices and oversized cookies and situated in the comfortable lounge chairs by the fire in the corner, but their voices escalated around the entire room as did their levels of sugar.

At a small table by the window, mum and I sat across from each other and waited for our food after ordering at the counter, laden with jars of cookies and biscotti and farther down from that, a tiered cake platter supported large meringues of varying sizes and shapes - my favourite being the little mouse ones. Perfectly decorated with little half pistachios as ears and chocolate chips for eyes, they look like the perfect afternoon treat. In the cooler we eyed the prepared dishes, our mouths watering at french delicacies, soups, sandwiches and tapas.

The cafe varies their menu of soups often, tomato basil one week, to squash, potato & cumin the next, and because of their enviable gluten-free bread served alongside, a tasty slice with the evidence of being grilled from the black criss-crossed lines along the front and back, I am most inclined to feel the comfort of a hot bowl. Immediately upon entering, I check the small blackboard that sways in its brackets above the counter and announces today's soups in colourful, spiralling chalk lettering.

What a comfort to have soup by the window of a cafe, overlooking an array of trees pounded by the rain, and to be still and warm, even overheating, from both the food and a hot latté.

I wish you were here.

The food comes by way of a friendly waitress, who lays each dish down on the wooden table as I collect napkins and cutlery from a little basket from the centre table.

It smells so good.

And for dessert, because we just couldn't resist the new addition to the display of enticing dishes, we shared a warm rice pudding served in a cute little jar and topped with raspberry jam. Mum and I couldn't keep our spoons still even if we tried.

"Pass the puddin' please,"

we repeated over and over to each other, until the very last spoonful was scraped from the bottom, and we finally relaxed back into the large wooden chairs to people watch again. Perhaps one day I will finally make such a delicacy, and together, we will share in the warmth and comfort of a creamy rice pudding, straight from the oven.

And perhaps with the intent of cooking from scratch, it may take a few tries to reach the desired creaminess with that subtle hint of real vanilla. We will indulge in the simple pleasure of creation, and the outcome of something so beautiful, even if it only lasts a few moments in the face of expectant family and friends.

They will love everything you cook for them. So, dinner tonight?

Baked Rosemary Potatoes
Printable Recipe.

To accompany any main meal, these potatoes are full of rich flavours and cooked to perfection!

A Quick Note:
When chopping the onions, it is much easier to chop them with the ends still on! The end with the roots attached, that resembles little tentacles, actually holds together the onions structure, and keeps the layers tightly bonded. I usually cut my onion in half, slice across it again, without cutting the end, and then slice, which creates diced onions!

Serves 3 - 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp grape seed oil
salt and pepper to taste

1 lb baby potatoes
1 red onion, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a 20 cm wide baking dish, combine the garlic, rosemary, rice wine vinegar, mustard, oil and salt and pepper, stirring until mixed.

Chop the washed potatoes in halves, and add them with the red onion to the dish, coat in mixture.

Cover the dish with foil, securing the ends by curling the foil around the dish, and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, and bake for another 20 - 25 minutes.