"Almost Instant" Sweet 'n Spicy Carrot-Parsnip Soup

When 'the weather outside is frightful' as the old song says, the sweet warming fire of this spicy carrot-parsnip soup is so delightful! As you sprinkle on the hemp seed garnish, you may find yourself breaking out into a chorus of, "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" This tasty recipe is so quick to prepare, you'll have a pot of home made soup simmering before you can finish singing all the verse! "Very zesty," comments a lunch guest, referring to the soup not the musical performance!

You'll Need: 4 large carrots; 3 medium parsnip; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 2 stalks celery; 1 small red onion; 1/2 sweet red pepper; 2 inch piece fresh ginger root; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon hot curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder; 4 cups water or vegetable broth; small bunch fresh parsley and fresh chives, finely chopped;  hemp hearts to garnish.

Wash and lightly scrub carrots and parsnips. Grate finely by hand or in food processor with small shredding plate. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cover and set aside.

By hand, or in food processor, chop onion, red pepper, celery, and ginger root. Add olive oil and chopped onion to soup kettle. Heat to medium-high, stirring briskly. When onions are glossy, stir in curry, coriander and turmeric, Add ginger, celery, and red pepper. Stir-fry until all vegetables are coated with oil and spices.

Scrape carrot-parsnip mixture into soup kettle. Stir fry for 15-20 seconds. Add in water or broth, and let it come to a boil, stirring gently. Reduce heat to low, cover soup kettle and simmer until vegetables are soft (6 - 8 minutes). For a creamier texture, place a stick (immersion) blender in pot, and process 1/3 - 1/2 of the vegetables to the soup consistency you prefer.

Chop fresh parsley and chives into thin slices, reserving a few larger pieces for garnish. Stir chopped parsley and chives into soup. Cover soup kettle, and let sit 1 minute.   

Transfer this spicy soup to a serving dish, and dust with a generous amount of hemp heart. Garnish with reserved parsley and chives, and enjoy the rich, invigorating taste with fresh bread or a small garden salad.

For thoughts about the zen of mindful cooking, visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

Holiday Avocado with Pumpkin Seed Salsa

An "out-of-this-world" taste? It's a bit of heaven in a bowl. Underneath this creamy rich pumpkin seed salsa are chucks of lemon-fresh avocado. A delicious blend of cucumber, pineapple, green onion and pungent spices--cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne - make this nutritious salad as tasty to eat as it is easy to prepare.

You'll need: 1 avocado per person;  1/2 fresh lemon; few grains Himalayan salt

For Salsa: 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds; 1/2 English cucumber; 1/2 cup fresh pineapple; 1 green onion; 1 teaspoon cumin powder; 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup Greek-style or thick soy yoghurt. 

For Garnish: red grape tomatoes, powdered chives




Method: Soak pumpkin seeds in fresh water for 2 hours. Drain, and set aside. Cut avocados in half, and remove pit by slipping the bowl of a small spoon underneath the pit and gently rolling it from its hole.

Peel the avocado halves and spritz the top and bottom surfaces with lemon juice to bring out the avocado's nutty flavour and prevent discoloration.

Place 2 avocado halves in each serving bowl, and sprinkle with a little Himalayan salt. Cover and set aside.

Peel cucumber, and cut in to large pieces. Peel, core and coarsely chop fresh pineapple. Cut root off and remove any damaged stems from the green onion; slice it into 2 -3 pieces. Set 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds aside. Put remaining pumpkin seeds in food processor with green onion, and pulse until finely ground. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne and cinnamon. Pulse lightly to mix spices into seeds, then add yoghurt. Blend for a few seconds until smooth.

Uncover serving dishes, and cut the avocado halves into bite size pieces in the bowl. Reserve 1 piece from each serving, cutting it into three thin slices for garnish. This method for cutting the avocado keeps the delicate, buttery pieces whole.

 

Spoon cucumber-pineapple salsa over avocado pieces, covering them completely. Wash grape tomatoes and cut them into halves. Arrange a 10-12 tomato pieces on one side of the dish. Add three thin avocado slices, and a small pile of  pumpkin seeds. Spritz with lemon juice and sprinkle with powdered chives and a little cayenne.

Serve this salad as soon as it is ready. If you want to make it in advance, refrigerate avocado and salsa separately. Stir salsa gently before using to recombine any juice from the cucumber and pineapple juice. Top avocado pieces and garnish. Accompany this tasty dish with fresh crispy rolls or toasted English muffins for an easy to prepare energy-packed lunch.

For thoughts about

the zen of preparing food, visit

zen-cuisine: A Mindfulness Blog

Crunchy Crispy Cabbage

A cabbage side dish bursting with crunch and flavour-- This unusual, but very easy recipe turns a sometimes 'ho-hum' vegetable into a lot of fun! Fresh cilantro perks up the already intriguing taste of cabbage, onions and cumin. Sweet sultanas, pumpkin and sunflower seeds complete the list of nutritious ingredients. A lunch guest described Crunchy Crispy Cabbage as "full of good, complex flavour...surprising for something that looks so simple." Try it with a favorite meal, or make it with red cabbage for a holiday feel. It's sure to delight most appetites.

You'll Need: 

1 large sweet onion; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/4 teaspoon allspice; 1 teaspoon tamari; cayenne pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon sultanas; 2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage; 1/2 lemon; 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves; 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, soaked; 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked.

Soak sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in fresh water for 2 hours before using. Drain and set aside to dry. Skin and chop sweet onion. Place in large pot with olive oil over medium heat. Saute until soft and translucent. Add cumin seeds, and stir fry to lightly toast. Stir in coriander and allspice into onions. Mix in sultanas. Add tamari sauce, and mix well. Remove pot from heat and cover. Let dish rest for a few minutes until sultanas are plump and spices have mingle with the onions.

Coarsely chop the cabbage. Return pot of onions and spices to a burner at medium-high heat. Add cabbage and stir fry until cooked to your liking (some people like it very soft; others prefer a definite crunch between the teeth). Spritz cabbage with the juice of half a lemon. Sprinkle with cayenne powder, if used.

Remove the dish from the heat, and stir in pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Mix well. Add fresh coriander, and lightly toss all ingredients together.

Garnish with a few fresh coriander leaves and serve. This recipe is very good when eaten hot, or at room temperature. Chilling it before serving turns it in to a different but delicious side salad. Enjoy your crispy cabbage crunch!  

For thoughts about food, visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

Really Easy Home Made Lentil Soup

This is probably the easiest lentil soup you can make. It's bursting with the flavour of fresh vegetables, red lentils, spicy curry powder and ginger root. You can make this soup in less than an hour from start to finish, and enjoy it with crispy rolls or crackers for a nourishing, warm lunch on a cold December day.

You'll need: 

For the Soup:
1 onion; 1 clove garlic; 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 sweet red pepper; 1 small hot red pepper; 1 large carrot; 3 large mushrooms; 2 teaspoons hot curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1 cup red lentils; 1 tablespoon tamari; 5 cups water.To Garnish: 1 tablespoon hemp hearts.

 Method:
Chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Put olive oil and onion in a large soup pot, and cook gently over a medium heat until onions begin to soft. Turn heat up to medium and add garlic and ginger root, sauteing until fragrant.

While the onions are softening, wipe and thinly slice the mushrooms, dice sweet and hot red peppers, and cut carrots into circles or half moons. Add  vegetables to the pot in this order: mushroom, peppers, and carrots. Mix in each vegetable gently, until coated with oil, and lightly stir fry before adding next vegetable.

Fill the kettle with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, add the curry powder and ground turmeric to the soup pot, stirring to blend into vegetable mixture. Add in lentils and mix well. Stir in the tamari.

Add 1 cup of boiling water to the soup pot. Stir well, loosening any bits of vegetable stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add remaining 4 cups of water, and combine with vegetables. Heat just to boiling point, and let cook uncovered for 2 minutes. Stir again, reduce heat to a slow simmer, and put lid on soup pot. Cook until lentils and vegetables are softened and well-integrated. Garnish with hemp hearts, and serve hot.

For thoughts about mindful cooking, visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

Roasted Baby Beets with Pasta

Mmmmm....

Once you taste this mouthwatering pasta dish made with sweet onion, basil, and  oven-roasted beets, you'll be amazed. And you'll understand why this particular combination of foods has been popular since Roman times. Beets have a subtle earthiness about them, and their bright red colour is a cheerful addition to any recipe. These humble little globes are a veritable storehouse of good nutrition, and are an excellent source of potassium, iron, calcium and Vitamin A.  Try this recipe, and you'll be surprised at the depth of flavour from such simple ingredients. Last time I served this dish to a friend, he had thirds! 

You'll Need: 12 small baby beets; 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soak, sprouted and air dried; 1 large sweet onion; 2 tablespoons almond cream or cream; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 cup small brown rice pasta tubes; 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon + 1 drizzle olive oil; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, salt to taste; 2 tablespoons hemp hearts; 2 tablespoons crumble goat milk or vegan seed feta cheese; 1 teaspoon dried thyme/oregano/summer savory blend.

Method: Remove tails and tops, and lightly scrub the beets with a vegetable brush. Place in a ovenproof dish, cover and bake in a slow oven, (325 degrees) until beets are soft. When cool enough to handle, slip off skins and set aside.  

Put sunflower seeds in a dry pan. Roast slowly over a low heat, stirring often, until seeds are lightly toasted, and very fragrant. Set aside.

Cut onion into small pieces. Put the olive oil in a small frying pan, add onion, and cook gently over medium heat until onions are soft and very sweet, almost beginning to caramelize. Stir Dijon mustard into almond cream and pour into pan stirring to form a thick sauce. Remove from heat.

Wash basil, and place in blender with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt. Pulse into a smooth pesto. Set aside.

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cool water, and put into a casserole dish. Cut beets into quarters, length-wise, and add to pasta. Pour onion mixture over beets and pasta, and mix thoroughly. Gently stir in sunflower seeds. Dot basil pesto over top of dish, and fold in. Sprinkle with cayenne and ground cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and cover.

Bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with hemp hearts, crumbled cheese and dried thyme/oregano/savory blend. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is warm. Serve and enjoy.

Anxious in the kitchen? For ideas and techniques to enjoy calm while cooking: http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/ 

Baked Acorn Squash with Red Hot Apple Sauce

Another marvelous taste of autumn--crisp flavourful apples and succulent soft-fleshed squash. A dark green acorn squash is split, and baked with garlic. It is filled with a spicy caramelized garlic and hot pepper maple applesauce. This recipe is an excellent side dish, and also makes a satisfying light lunch.

You'll Need: 

For the Squash: 

1 acorn squash; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 teaspoon olive oil; salt and pepper.

For the Red Hot Applesauce: 

1 apple (I used a Cortland); 1 tablespoon maple syrup; hot red pepper, to taste; cinnamon powder; drizzle of maple syrup

Wash squash and pat dry. Cut in half and remove pulp and seeds. Pour 1/2 the olive oil into each squash section, and spread over flesh with fingertips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1 garlic clove in skin under each squash half. Bake in moderate oven until squash flesh is soft, and the garlic caramelized. Turn squash slices upright, setting garlic cloves aside to cool slightly.

Wash and core apple, leaving skin on. Cut into large sections and place in blender. When cool enough to handle, cut the end off each garlic clove, and squeeze caramelized garlic on top of apple pieces. Chop hot pepper and add to blender. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Pulse fruit, maple syrup and garlic for a few seconds. Blend until apple is smooth, but red pepper is slightly chunky.

Add apple sauce to squash halves, and sprinkle with cinnamon. return squash to oven and heat until apple sauce is warm but not cooked. Place on serving dish, and drizzle with a little more maple syrup and a light dusting of cinnamon.

For things to contemplate while cooking, visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

Pomegranate-4 Berry Pudding with Lime-Avocado Cream

This delicious dessert pudding is sure to please any palate, combining the rich tangy-tart taste of pomegranate with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. The fruit mixture is folded into a lime-avocado cream which is lightly sweetened with maple syrup.

The crunch of the pomegranate seeds, that sparkle like little jewels on the spoon, make this dish fun to eat. Children, especially, like its unusual texture and robust taste. This recipe is rich in anti-oxidants as well as flavour, and has an impressive nutritional profile all-round.

You'll Need:

For the Pudding: 1 large pomegranate; 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen 4-Berry Mix--raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom. 

For Lime-Avocado Cream: 1 large avocado; 1 lime; 2 tablespoons almond milk; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons fruity olive oil; few grains sea salt.

For Garnish: 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds; lime zest.

Method: 

The Pudding: 

Wash or thaw berries, and place in a large bowl. Peel pomegranate and remove seeds, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Add to berries, stirring in carefully to avoid breaking fruit. Sprinkle with ground cardamom and set aside.

The Lime-Avocado Cream:

Wash lime, and pat dry. Using a citrus zester, remove long thin strips of peel, and set aside for garnish. Remove remainder of peel and pith. Cut lime into quarters, and remove any seeds. Place in blender. Peel and pit avocado and cut fruit into chunks. Put in blender, and add almond milk, maple syrup, salt, and olive oil. Blend on slow speed until smooth.

 Pour lime-avocado cream over pomegranate-berry mix and fold fruit in gently.

Garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds and lime zest.

With its bright red and green colours, this dessert has great possibilities for festive holiday fare!