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Roasted Cauliflower Soup

I hibernated a bit for the winter but I was still playing around in the kitchen. I have a huge back log of recipes that I hope to get back into the rhythm of sharing! To kick it off – a family favourite, warming soup with layers of flavours. The key is taking the time to roast the cauliflower and garlic because this brings depth and more character. This is one of my favourite Sunday dinners served with a nice, crusty bread.

Total Prep Time: 1 hour

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets

6-8 Garlic cloves

Olive oil, Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp Butter

1 Onion, diced

6 cups Vegetable broth

1/2 tsp Parsley

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 cup 10% Cream

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Place cauliflower and garlic in large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper, and then toss to mix well. Bake in the oven 35-40 minutes, until cauliflower softens and starts to brown on the edges.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the broth, roasted cauliflower and garlic, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the parsley and nutmeg. Use an immersion blender to puree well until completely smooth. Add the cream and stir. Adjust with more broth if too thick and more salt & pepper to taste. Serve with fresh bread!

Choose your own adventure:

More garlic, less garlic…

Leave out the cream for a lighter version.

Play around with the herbs. Maybe marjoram or fresh tarragon instead of the parsley?

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Banana Pumpkin Breakfast bars

I had some leftover pumpkin puree in my fridge and it’s still pumpkin season so I decided to experiment with my breakfast bars! They are hearty and filling, a great weekday breakfast when you’re in a hurry. I like to make a batch on Sunday night and they’ll last us (family of 3) for at least 3-4 mornings. The recipe below gives you just a hint of sweetness, so you can definitely adjust that if you want something a bit sweeter.

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

3 Large, very ripe bananas

2 cups Pumpkin puree

5 cups Quick oats

1 cup Milk

1/3 cup Honey or Maple syrup

1 tbsp Vanilla extract

2 tbsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp All spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Add all of the other ingredients and mix well.

Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish. Pour mix into the dish and spread out until even. Bake until top is browned and dry – 20-25 minutes depending on oven. Let cool and bars will firm up. Cut into bars and enjoy warm or cold!

Choose your own adventure:

As mentioned, add extra honey or maple syrup if you want them on the sweeter side.

This is already a riff on the original recipe, so you start to see the possibilities. I have also made versions with bits of apple and once with plum. All have been a hit in our house, especially with my 3 year old!

Dial up the cinnamon and all spice if you want it more pumpkin pie-ish.

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Banana Peach Breakfast Bars

This is a family favourite that makes a perfect weekday breakfast when you’re hurrying to get everyone out the door. It’s super easy to make, healthy, and surprisingly filling. I haven’t posted in quite awhile because there has been a lot going on but with peach season coming to an end soon, I’ve made this a couple times this month and needed to share it!

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

4             Large, very ripe bananas

3             Ripe peaches, diced

4 cups    Quick oats

1 cup      Milk

1 tbsp     Cinnamon

1 tbsp     Vanilla Extract

4 tbsp     Honey

3 tbsp     Cashew butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Add all of the other ingredients and mix well.

Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish. Pour mix into the dish and spread out until even. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on oven. Let cool and bars will firm up. Cut into bars and enjoy warm or cold!

Choose your own adventure:

Use any nut butter you prefer but I would stick to “nut only” options so you aren’t adding unnecessary sugar.

It’s peach season so I added peaches, but any other fruit would work that goes with banana. Maybe strawberry or blueberry?

Dial the honey up or down to your desired sweetness. I’ve also used vanilla agave before for some added flavour.

The ratios can be tricky on this one. If there is too much fruit, the bars might not firm up completely. In that case, just grab a fork and enjoy!

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Quinoa Salad (Fall/Winter version)

It’s officially Spring in Canada, but Winter is hanging on for one more round, so I tried to embrace it and cooked up this salad one more time. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it yet so now is as good a time as any! It’s a surprising balance of hearty and filling, yet also light and energizing. There are so many ways to customize this salad so I hope you have fun with it!

Total Prep Time: 50 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 lb           Butternut squash, diced into small cubes (I buy a pre-diced package)

2               Broccoli crowns, cut into florets

2 tbsp       Olive oil

1 cup        Quinoa

5 oz           Baby spinach

1/3 cup     Dried cranberries

1/4 cup     Pumpkin seeds (unsalted and roasted)

1/2 cup     Feta, crumbled

1/4 cup      Olive oil

2 tbsp        Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp          Oregano

Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a deep roasting pan, drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the butternut squash and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and then roast at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until squash is tender and starts to brown.

While the veggies are roasting, cook the quinoa according to the pack’s directions and set aside to cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, feta, quinoa and roasted veggies. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil (1/4 cup), apple cider vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss, and enjoy!

Choose your own adventure:

You can use any veggies to be roasted. I usually stick with a root veg (sweet potato or any squash) and a cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower, or brussels sprouts), but peppers also work well.

Avocado is a nice addition as garnish on top.

Sub the spinach for arugula for a bit more bite and a peppery taste.

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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

My daughter loves soup and she especially loves apples, so imagine her delight when she learned I could combine the two! This recipe is super easy to make and is hearty enough to be a main, or pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich for an extra comforting meal.

Total Prep Time: 80 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1                Butternut squash (large)

1                Onion, diced

2                Apples (McIntosh or other tart variety), diced

6-8 cups    Vegetable broth

1 tsp          Ginger (fresh or powdered)

2 tsp          Turmeric

400ml        Light coconut milk

Olive Oil

Salt & pepper

Directions:

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and rub the open halves with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast, open halves down, at 375° F for 50 minutes, or until tender.

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and lightly sauté onion (and ginger if using fresh). Add apple, squash (scoop out of shell after roasting) and 6 cups of broth, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, add ginger (if using powder) and turmeric, and purée with immersion blender. Slowly pour in coconut milk and stir until well combined. Add more broth until you reach your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Choose your own adventure:

You could try different kinds of apple and squash.

Play with the ratios of squash, broth and coconut milk to make it creamier, or omit the milk for a lighter version.

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Bean Chilli

I didn’t eat a lot of red meat before going vegetarian, but for some strange reason when I made the switch, I started getting intense cravings for red meat. This is the first recipe I made up in response. With some experimentation over the years, this is now a staple in our house that I’ve served to many guests, with even avid carnivores going back for seconds and thirds.

Total Prep Time: 2-3 hrs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1            Onion, diced

12          Cremini mushrooms, cut into chunks

1 can (796ml)     Diced tomatoes

1 can (540ml)     Black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (156ml)     Tomato paste

1 pkg (340g)       Yves Original Veggie Ground Round, crumbled

3 tbsp        Chili powder

1 tbsp        Cumin

1 tsp          Garlic powder

Cayenne to taste

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except sour cream and cheddar cheese) in slow cooker and mix well. Cook on high setting for 2-3 hours, until onions are translucent and well cooked. Adjust seasonings as desired and serve topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Enjoy with fresh, crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.

Choose your own adventure:

You can swap the black beans for any bean you like. Sometimes I do red kidney beans for a more traditional version. More often, I do 1/2 a can of black beans and 1/2 a can of chickpeas.

Try adding zucchini or corn (I use frozen).

 

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

Mushroom soup is one of my favourites when the weather starts to cool down and this one is really easy to make. I prefer to use cremini mushrooms because they have an earthier, nuttier flavour than white mushrooms and the fresh thyme really makes the flavours pop.

Total Prep Time: 50 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp          Olive oil

4-5               Garlic cloves, minced

1                  Leek (large), washed thoroughly and thinly sliced

450g           Cremini mushrooms, sliced

10 cups      Mushroom broth

1 tsp           Ground marjoram

1/4 cup      Nutritional yeast

3 tbsp        Fresh thyme, removed from stems

1 cup         Milk or cream

Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in large pot over low-med heat. Add garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add leek and sauté with lid on until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms, 8 cups broth and marjoram to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Use an immersion blender to puree or transfer to a blender in batches. Once fully pureed and back in the pot, add the fresh thyme and milk. Stir to heat through and season with fresh ground pepper. If the soup is too thick, start adding the remaining mushroom broth (or water) a little bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy with fresh, crusty bread.

Choose your own adventure:

Spice it up with some cayenne.

Omit the milk or cream for a vegan option.

Swap thyme for tarragon for a slightly different flavour.

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Cheesy Eggs Florentine

I love going out for brunch and my usual go-to is Eggs Florentine. When cooking at home, there is no way I’m going to take the time to make a proper hollandaise sauce! This is my twist on the classic for a quicker, healthier version.

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1             English muffin, toasted

2             Eggs

1 cup      Spinach, tightly packed

2 slices   Tomato

1/3 cup   Cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

Directions:

Blanch the spinach in boiling water and then pat dry in a paper towel. Be careful not to overcook the spinach – it only takes a couple of minutes. (Another option is to wilt the spinach in the microwave – 90 sec with a dash of water and a lid with one corner open to let steam escape should do it)

Bring water to a low simmer in a small saucepan to poach your eggs. I use poaching pods but you can also go for it the ‘real’ way (How to poach an egg). Depending on how runny you like your eggs, they should cook for 3-5 minutes.

Evenly distribute the wilted spinach on the two toasted english muffin halves. Then continue layering with tomato and an egg on each half. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper as desired. The trick is to coordinate so that everything is ready at the same time so that nothing gets cold.

Choose your own adventure:

Switch up the veggies if you don’t actually want the ‘Florentine’ in Eggs Florentine. Another great option would be to spread mashed avocado on the english muffin and then layer with sauteed mushrooms before the eggs and cheese. You could also try frying the tomato slices and seasoning them with garlic powder and oregano.

I’ve tried havarti instead of cheddar and that worked well. A spicy cheese like a jalapeno monterey jack would be good too.

A little hot sauce or sriracha never hurt anything.

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Banana Pancakes with Peaches

Peach season is just wrapping up in Ontario so I wanted to enjoy some one last time. If you haven’t tried the ‘banana & egg pancakes’ trend yet, you need to fix that asap! This is my late-summer take on the healthier pancake – I hope you enjoy it!

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

4             Bananas

4             Eggs

2 tsp       Cinnamon

2 tsp       Vanilla extract

2 tsp       Agave syrup or Honey

1 cup       Quick oats

1/2 cup   Natural Peanut Butter

2-3           Peaches, cut into wedges

1 tbsp      Butter

Maple syrup

Directions:

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and agave syrup, and stir until well mixed. Add the oats and peanut butter, and stir again until well mixed. Set aside until griddle is warmed up to medium-high heat.

Melt the butter in a frying pan at medium heat. Add the peaches and the remaining cinnamon. Stir occasionally as the peaches cook for 8-10 minutes.

While the peaches are cooking, you can start scooping the pancake batter onto the griddle (or large frying pan) as you would with normal pancake mix. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and space pancakes an inch apart. They will be thick because of the oats and won’t spread too much. Flip when bottom has browned and pancakes have started to set. They are ready once the other side is browned.

Serve the pancakes immediately, topped with maple syrup and the peaches.

Choose your own adventure:

You can use regular peanut butter if you don’t have natural. In that case, I would omit the agave as you won’t need the extra sweetness. You could also experiment with other nut butters. These have turned out really well cashew butter.

Use whatever fruit is in season as a topping. In June/July, I do sliced strawberries. In the winter, add some chocolate chips to the batter and top with sliced banana. When it starts to cool off in the fall, I’ll swap the peaches for apples.

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‘Spaghettikka Masala’

This recipe isn’t perfect yet but it was too interesting not to share! Consider it an Indian version of spaghetti. I will definitely be making this again anytime I get a craving for Indian food but don’t want anything too heavy. This dish is highly customizable and satisfying!

Total Prep Time: 60 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1           Spaghetti squash

10         Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 can     Lentils, drained and rinsed

6 oz       Baby spinach

1 jar      Tikka Masala sauce (I used Sherni’s Tikka Masala cooking sauce)

Canola oil & Salt

Directions:

To prep the squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle a little oil all over the cut surface, lightly season with salt, and then place cut sides down in a baking dish. Bake at 375 F for 35-45 minutes until tender. Use a fork to scrape squash out of shell into spaghetti-like strands.

While the squash is baking, prep the other ingredients and heat a little oil in a deep skillet pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, lentils, and spinach. Stir frequently and add sauce when spinach has started to wilt. When the sauce is warmed through, add the squash and toss until sauce is evenly distributed. Serve with warm naan.

Choose your own adventure:

Try different sauces. Loblaws has different PC and Patak’s Indian cooking sauces of varying spice levels and flavours.

Switch up the veggies. I had planned on adding some frozen peas but found that I was out. Cauliflower florets or diced eggplant would also work well with this dish.

Not a fan of spaghetti squash? Go for a more traditional basmati rice, or try quinoa or cauliflower rice.

Add some freshly grated ginger to brighten it up.