Avocado, Jicama and Daikon Radish Gazpacho

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I got the idea for this gazpacho from encuentro, a wine bar in Oakland. I thought the idea of making gazpacho out of avocado is so ingenious that I had to try it for myself. For my version of this gazpacho, I added some Daikon radish to balance out the sweetness of the jicama and the creaminess of the avocado. I also added some spinach for its bright green color. The resulting gazpacho had a nice peppery finish -- a little bite in the end.

You will need:

• flesh of 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 medium jicama, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup Daikon radish, peeled and diced
• juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
• a small handful of spinach (about 1/4 cup packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup filtered cold water
• small diced jicama for garnish (optional)
• mint for garnish (optional)
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for garnish (optional)

Begin by blending jicama and Daikon radish together in a blender with a cup of water. I thought that the jicama and Daikon radish mixture was too grainy and fibrous at this point, so I passed half of the mixture through a strainer and returned the resulting liquid back into the blender. Then add the remaining ingredients and blend together. If you're making this ahead of time, pour the gazpacho into a prep bowl and cover with plastic wrap. To prevent oxidation, make sure that the plastic wrap is directly on top of and in contact with the gazpacho. Refrigerate and serve cold with optional garnish on top.

Mystery Produce of the Week: Opo Squash

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Also known as hulu (葫蘆), opo squash is popular in Chinese dishes and often consumed in soup or stuffed with meat and steamed. It is prepared by peeling its skin and scooping out its seeds (although the seeds can be edible if the squash is fresh and young). It has a mild, sweet flavor. When cooked, it is delicate and soft without being mushy or mealy.

Since I can't stuff it with meat, I made soup. The challenge here is to make a flavorful soup without using chicken stock. Since this squash is very mild, it can be a bit flavorless without chicken stock. Instead of substituting with vegetable stock, I decided to boil it with water and shredded cabbage to add sweetness and some vegetarian chicken broth powder (still haven't figured out what that is exactly). I cooked the cabbage low and slow until it almost disintegrated in the soup and then added the squash and simmered for another 15 minutes.

Finally, to make sure it has some taste, I added.... bitter melon greens. Yes, those taste bitter. But at least you can't say the soup is bland! I like the fact that the bitter melon greens added a bit of depth to the soup, but I can see why some people won't find it palatable. Bitter melon is... an acquired taste. Frankly, I'm even not sure that I've acquired it yet. You can always leave it out or add some other dark greens.

Spicy Purple Cauliflower Soup

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I have to admit that this purple soup can be some sort of gag food, like something you'd serve to Prince (The Artist Formerly Known As). First of all, it's purple. Really purple. It doesn't look like something that exists in nature and it certainly doesn't look particularly delicious. Secondly, this purple soup looks creamy and sweet but is in fact spicy and tart. The little squeeze of lime juice in the end turned the soup a bright bubble gum pink (must be some sort of food voodoo... it would be a good party trick). Appearance-wise, this slips into Franken-food territory. But it is actually really flavorful and packs a good spicy punch.

For this spicy purple cauliflower soup, you will need:

• 1 head purple cauliflower, florets only
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 Thai chilies, lightly crushed
• 5 slices ginger, lightly crushed
• 4 small white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
• salt to taste
• sliced green onion for garnish
• lime wedge for garnish

In a heavy medium pot fitted with a lid, heat up canola oil or peanut oil. Stir in diced onion and sliced garlic. Saute gently until onion becomes translucent, about 8 minutes. Add Thai chilies, ginger slices, potatoes and vegetable stock. Season with salt. Bring liquid to simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Potatoes should break apart easily at this time. Remove ginger pieces and Thai chilies. Stir in purple cauliflower. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes until cauliflower becomes soft. Add coconut milk and blend the mixture into smooth soup with an immersion blender or stand blender. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish with green onion and serve with a lime wedge for cool color change effect and some acidity.

Turnip Potato Soup with Sumac

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We picked up these turnips at the farmer's market. How can we not? They looked pretty darn irresistible. I turned these turnips into a velvety soup that's hearty and creamy with that slight peppery flavor from the turnips. But, that's not all. I "kicked it up a notch" ("BAM!") with sumac, a Middle Eastern spice with a lemony floral taste. The sumac really elevates a delicious soup by giving it some variety and acidity. Normally, I put a pinch of sumac on VB's hummus breakfast sandwich. But it works beautifully here.

For this turnip potato soup, you will need:

• 5 medium turnips, trimmed, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 large Russet potato, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• sumac for garnish
• chopped chives for garnish

In a lidded heavy medium pot, gently saute onion in olive oil until translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turnips, potato, and vegetable stock. Season with salt. Bring stock to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the turnip and potato pieces fall apart easily. Add cream/half-and-half. Blend into smooth soup with blender. Garnish with sumac and chopped chives. Serve warm.

The Healing Bowl

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It seems like everyone is sick. I am too. I hate mucus. When I'm sick, I want hot soup with noodles. This dish will make you feel better. I had this dish in Mendocino at the Mendocino Cafe. When I got sick, I craved the rich broth and soft noodles. So I made it at home. Yes, it did make me feel better.

You'll need:

• 6 dry shiitake mushrooms
• 3 slices of fresh ginger
• 1 stalk of green onion, chopped into long segments
• 1 whole Thai chili pepper
• 6 cups water
• 2 servings of soba noodles
• 1 bunch kale, stem removed, thoroughly cleaned and sliced into strips
• 1 block firm tofu or bean curd, diced
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 6 tablespoons miso (I used white miso, which is less salty. If you use darker, saltier miso, you will need less)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Begin by soaking dry shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain. Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, fresh ginger slices, green onion, Thai chili pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, gently pan fry diced tofu in a non-stick frying pan until golden brown on 4 sides. Set aside.

Strain out and discard everything, leaving just the broth. Add miso, one tablespoon at a time. Make sure to taste the broth so it's not too salty. Whisk gently to dissolve the miso. Add rice wine vinegar. Just prior to serving, bring broth to boil. Add kale, fresh sliced shiitake mushroom and soba noodles. Boil until soba noodles are cooked. Add tofu prior to serving. Serve hot.

Spicy Bulgarian Tomato Dumpling Soup (Domatene Supa)

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I feel like I'm in a cooking rut recently. I can't seem to come up with new interesting recipes that's not an offshoot of something that I've made before. Times like this, I need to make something completely outside the box in order to think outside the box.

I flipped open one of my favorite cookbooks, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, and came upon this recipe. This is definitely exotic enough -- I've never even heard of a Bulgarian restaurant before. The soup turned out nice and spicy and the dumplings (made of couscous and dill) were fluffy and tender. Delicious!

Thai-Style Potato Stew

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Have you ever had one of those crazy weeks/months where everything seems to be happening all at once? Well, I'm having one of those weeks/months. Everyday is a brand new opportunity for something to go wrong. I've managed to squeeze some home cooked meals during this time. Here is a Thai-styled potato stew that's hearty and spicy. Sure, you need about a million ingredients to make this recipe, but it's worth a try, especially on unseasonably cold nights.

You'll need:

• 1 portion Thai yellow curry paste, recipe below
• 1 block extra firm tofu or unflavored bean curd
• 2 cups green beans, trimmed and chopped into 2 inch pieces
• 5 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 15 Thai basil leaves
• 15 mint leaves
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt to taste
• lime wedges for garnish

For Thai yellow curry paste, you'll need:

• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 stalks lemon grass, remove tough outer leaves and sliced
• 3 Thai chilies
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 tablespoons canola oil

Begin by adding all the ingredients for the curry paste, except the canola oil, to a food processor. Process until everything is finely chopped. Stream in canola oil to form a paste.

In a heavy pot, heat up canola oil until it shimmers. Add onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry paste and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Stir in potatoes and add water and soy sauce. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in green beans, red bell peppers, tofu and coconut milk. Adjust seasoning. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Just prior to serving, add mint and basil. Serve with lime wedge.

Chickpea Stew with Spinach and Saffron

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I got a few cookbooks over Christmas and now I finally have the time to read them and try some recipes. I cracked open The Complete Tassajara Cookbook today and tried this chickpea stew recipe. Tassajara is Zen retreat center in the Santa Lucia mountains of California. The recipes have a definite spiritual slant to them, with focus on respect of ingredients and on love in cooking. It's very inspiring in that respect. As for the recipe, I like how simple, fresh and elegant it is. I'm looking forward to making interesting recipes like moussaka and tofu pad thai!

Collard Greens and Potato Stew

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So. It's winter. I mean, it's really winter. I probably shouldn't complain, since it can be a lot worse -- like buried-neck-deep-in-snow worse. But we get frost (!) in California. Frost.... terrible frost that I just wipe off with my windshield wiper. Okay, so it's not really very cold. But due to some... shall we say, creative?... heating arrangement in our apartment, some areas stay ice cold no matter what we do. One way to combat the cold is with a warm belly full of soup. This soup helped me hibernate and stay warm. It will help you too. I promise.

You'll need:

• 1 bunch collard greens, de-veined and sliced into 2 inch wide strips
• 1 15-ounce cannillini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 medium white potatoes, medium diced (you can use Russet potatoes instead, but make sure to peel them first)
• 1 medium sweet yellow onion, medium diced
• 2 medium red bell peppers, medium diced
• 2 small Bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme, leaves only
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt
• chopped green onions for garnish (optional)

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil. Add sliced collard greens. Cover, turn down to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove greens and set aside. Reserve liquid.

In a medium pot, saute onion and red bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Bay leaves, thyme and garlic, cook for 2 more minutes. Add potatoes and cannellini beans. Add enough of the collard greens boiling liquid to just cover all the vegetables, about 3 cups or so. Season with salt. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the soup thickens and potato pieces are soft. Stir in cooked collard greens. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.

Mustard Greens and White Beans Soup

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Thanksgiving was, as usual, full of fun and good food -- turkey, pizza, chicken wings, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and PIES. Lots and lots of PIIIIIIEEEEES. I regret nothing and I still don't. But I do feel a little bit guilty for pigging out. On our way back home, I declared: "I'm going to make the healthiest dinner EVER tonight!" And this greens and beans soup is it. I know it doesn't look like much, but it has lots of healthy fiber from the greens and protein from the beans. It's both filling and delicious. I think of it as my atonement for being very very naughty over the Thanksgiving weekend.

You'll need:

• 1 bunch of mustard greens (or collard greens, chard or kale. Mustard greens just struck my fancy that day), thoroughly cleaned and chopped into long strips
• 1 cup of dried white beans or cannellini beans (do not substitute with canned beans)
• 6 cups of vegetable stock
• 3 ounces of vegetarian ham or extra firm tofu, medium diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, medium diced
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, minced
• 1 sprig of fresh oregano, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Begin by soaking dried beans in water for at least 4 hours.

In a large pot, saute diced onion in olive oil until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, oregano and diced vegetarian ham. Continue stirring until fragrant, about 2 to 5 minutes. Add beans and vegetable stock. Season with salt. Bring liquid to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add greens and simmer for another 25 minutes. Greens should turn to dark green and beans should be soft. Adjust seasoning and serve with bread on the side.

Sometimes Too Much of a Good Thing is Just Too Much

Pin It So. Anyone noticed that I haven't posted in awhile? No?

VB's parents were in town and treated us to some of the finest dining that San Francisco offers. We ate an unseemly lot. And everything was so delicious. I ate goat and seafood and duck and... VB ate vegetables with some tofu here and there. All this gluttony even before Thanksgiving! Towards the end, I was craving a square homecooked meal -- just an easy, simple, healthy and flavorful meal. I did manage to cook a couple of times during this span and here are some of those recipes.

Here we have roasted Brussel's sprouts with caraway seeds, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. This dish is vaguely inspired by sauerkraut on a caraway seed buns with mustard, but all in one bite. Totally delicious and simple. Just saute Brussel's sprouts in some butter, toss in some caraway seeds, a big heaping tablespoon of spicy Dijon mustard and couple dashes of red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper then roast in 425 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Here is a simple potato dish, provided that you have a mandoline slicer and someone who's willing to hand wash it. VB is in charge of dishes around here, and he always bemoans the use of mandoline and food processor, especially when I accidentally leave in the attachments in the mandoline and he has to wash every single sharp and pointy attachment by hand. But at least he likes this dish! Thinly slice big Russet potatoes to 1/8 inch slices and arrange them up in a pie pan. Slice some shallots and stick shallot slices in between potato slices in 2 inch intervals or so. Drizzle with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in 425 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Add a few sprigs of thyme with about 20 minutes left in baking time. This is a Martha Stewart recipe, by the way, but I can't seem to find a link for it. But you get the gist of it.

Here is maple roast winter squash soup with pinto beans, although it's hard to tell because soup always photographs poorly and ends up looking like vomit. It's not vomit, it's soup. Take my word for it. I roasted butternut squash and acorn squash coated with olive oil and maple syrup along with whole cloves of garlic until tender. Then I added the flesh and peeled garlic into a pot with sweet onions, vegetable stock, paprika, turmeric, ginger and pinto beans and boiled until the soup came together. I decided against pureeing it into a smooth soup (mostly due to laziness), but that's always a good option.

Summer Roasted Corn Stew

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Nothing says summer quite like fresh corn and ripe tomatoes. We found some among other fresh summer offerings like watermelons and blueberries at our local produce market. Sure, you can get corn and tomatoes in the winter, but they never look or taste the same -- winter corn is always a bit dry and shriveled and tomatoes are bland and pale. So I thought I'd take advantage of the fresh produce and make something simple and amazing.

Initially, I thought I'd make a succotash of sorts. Then I realized that I don't know what goes in it besides corn. Then I thought of Sylvester the cat ("sufferin' succotash!"). Then I thought I'd wing it and make a soup, which came out pretty tasty.  

You'll need:

• 2 ears of corn, husked
• 5 medium tomatoes (I used plum tomatoes), diced
• 2 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, medium diced with skin on
• 1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, diced small
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 5 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped cilantro for garnish
• fresh lemon juice

Place an oven-proof pan in the oven and pre-heat to 500 degrees. You want to use something sturdy like a cast iron skillet, so the high heat doesn't warp your pan. Place the corn in the pan. Grease it with a little bit of canola oil if you are worried about sticking. Make sure the corn is in contact with the surface of the pan because you want nice brown bits. Turn the corn every 5 to 10 minutes until the corn is nicely browned, about 30 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. You can also grill the corn instead.

In a large pot, saute diced onions in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook for another minute. Add vegetable stock and Yukon gold potatoes. Season with salt. Crank the heat up to high and bring the soup to boil. After it reaches boiling point, reduce the heat so the soup simmers. Cook for 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and crank up the heat for another 10 minutes. Add black beans. Shuck the cooled roasted corn and add into the pot. Cook for 5 more minutes. Check the seasoning. Turn off the heat and serve with chopped cilantro and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice on top.

The fresh corn gives this soup some sweetness while potatoes and black beans give it more substance and body. I think the key ingredient here is the fresh lemon juice, which keeps the soup from being too heavy. If you like it a bit spicy, this would be great with a dash of hot sauce or some red chili flakes. I liked it as is -- rich, sweet and flavorful.

Carrot and Chickpea Soup with Coconut Milk

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Soups are great for the on-the-go lifestyle. I think Campbell's figured that out much earlier than I did. That's probably why it's making millions and my blog has generated a whopping 53 cents. I haven't figured out what to do with my new found fortune. Maybe something flashy, like shiny quarters (TWO) and a few (THREE) brand new copper pennies. Anyways, I digress...

I don't mean that people should go and get one of those soups in a bottle or a can. VB bought portable handheld gazpacho (see how ridiculous that sounds?) on impulse several months ago and it was absolutely disgusting. I couldn't get that horrible taste out of my mouth for hours. Soups are still good for busy people who like real (not canned) food. I find it pretty easy and quick to whip up some delicious soup after work. I can chop some veggies and toss them in a pot and let them simmer while I do other things. It's not much harder than buying gazpacho from Big Lots, but it tastes infinitely better.

Last night, I made this vaguely Indian-inspired carrot soup with coconut milk (emphasis on "vaguely"). So easy and delicious -- sweet, creamy with a little spicy finish. For this soup, you'll need:

• 1 big (or 2 medium) leek, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cups of carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 of a 15-ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
  
• 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 3 cups of vegetable stock
  
• salt to taste

Start by sweating sliced leek in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, about a minute or two. Add carrots, chickpeas and vegetable stock. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes until the carrots are soft. Stir in coconut milk and season with salt. Cook for another 5 minutes. Use a stand mixer or a hand blender to puree the mixture until smooth.

The soup has a nice mild sweet flavor, but just as you think you've tasted all the soup has to offer, the heat from the cayenne pepper kicks in and adds another layer of interest. Serve with bread for dipping or just a spoon.

Guaranteed to beat any handheld soup device that you can find at Big Lots or you get all the proceeds from this blog!!!

Green Soup

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It's been warm here in the Bay Area for the last few days. I think I can safely say, spring is here. I want to celebrate, but I soon remembered that I am allergic to spring. Now I have to add daily doses of antihistamine and decongestant to my diet. I know, it's not the worst problem that one can have. At least I'm not allergic to food.

Speaking of spring, St. Patrick's day is upon us. I didn't have St. Patrick's day in mind when I made the soup, but it's a nice little coincidence. This recipe is from the New Laurel's Kitchen. I'm not going to post it here, but I will say that this creamy soup consists of split peas and zucchini with wilted spinach and parsley. It is smooth and velvety with complex yet refreshing flavors. It is also healthy for the dieters out there -- low in fat and calories, but has the necessary proteins and nutrients. It's the perfect soup for spring.

Broccoli and Edamame Soup

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I was searching for a broccoli soup recipe online that doesn't contain a ton of butter, cheese or cream. I came upon this recipe by Gordon Ramsay. Like him or not, the man can cook. At first, I thought it was a joke. Really? So many Michelin stars and you're going to boil broccoli in water and puree it?

This soup is incredible! It came as a shock just how delicious it turned out, even though it was nothing but water, broccoli and edamame. The recipe is extremely simple, takes no more than 10 minutes but the soup tastes complex yet clean. This proves that simple ingredients and easy preparation can have delicious results.

My only contribution to this recipe is to add 2 cups of frozen edamame to the boiling water about 2 minutes before I add the broccoli. My soup is thicker and, more importantly, has a lot more protein. Gordon Ramsay may have made a vegetarian soup, but he hasn't considered vegetarians' protein intake. I served it simply with a piece of cheesy garlic toast. The soup tasted great even without any goat cheese.

This carnivore thinks it's an awesome soup. Tangerine agrees with me. She lapped up the soup and even pawed at it a couple of times. Finally, a soup we can all enjoy.

Rustic Minestrone

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I wish every meal I make is wonderfully delicious. But like every cook, I have good days and bad days. This recipe started as a food experiment gone horribly wrong. I saw a minestrone recipe on Food Network and thought the technique was worth trying. After a bit of tweaking, the soup base tasted fine. But I made the rookie mistake of adding the pasta too soon. By the time I was ready to enjoy the soup, the pasta had swollen to three times its original size and soaked up all the soup. It became limp, saggy pasta soaked in vegetable puree. Needlessly to say, it was FAIL of epic proportions. This is my second attempt at the recipe. It turned out much better.

You'll need:

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3 stalks of thyme
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
  
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 2 cups of dry red wine (I used two buck Chuck, it's fine)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar or Balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
  
• 2 cups of cooked (or 1 15-ounce can, drained) cannellini beans
• 1/2 pound of cooked ditalini pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley and/or basil as garnish
  

Add onion, carrots, celery stalks, and garlic into a food processor. Puree until the vegetables become a fine paste. Fry the paste with thyme and dried red pepper flakes in a large pot with olive oil over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes. It's okay if the vegetables becomes slightly burned. De-glaze pot with red wine. Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, Bay leaf, sugar, tomato paste, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Cook until all the flavors melt together, or about 30 to 45 minutes. Add beans and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add cooked pasta and garnish right before serving.

The pureed vegetables really give this soup a rustic feel. The laundry list of ingredients adds depth to the flavor, so the soup is tangy, sweet, savory and a little spicy. The small ditalini pasta is the perfect size for the soup. I served this soup with homemade potato bread. It's a warm and hearty cold weather soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

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It's been a busy month. Between the moving and the traveling, I haven't had a ton of time to cook. Instead, I had a lot of chicken wings and pizza. After a while, it can get pretty tiring. So I decided to make some soup using butternut squash, which is commonly available in the fall. I wanted to showcase the natural sweetness of the butternut squash and enhance its delicate flavors. So I chose to use milder herbs and spices like thyme and turmeric that will complement the flavors of the butternut squash without overpowering it.

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs of thyme
  
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons of turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
  
• salt to taste

In a large lidded pot, sweat onion, carrot and celery with a dash of salt in butter and olive oil until the vegetables are soft, for 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add butternut squash, potato, turmeric, brown sugar and vegetable stock. Cover and cook on medium low heat until butternut squash pieces are soft, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

While the soup is hot, blend vegetables together using a standard blender or an immersion blender until the mixture is smooth. Serve as is, or with sour cream or chopped parsley on top.

The soup has a velvety texture and sweet, mild flavors. You will get a hint of ginger, but mostly, it will taste like the butternut squash. Warm, hearty and vibrant -- it's the perfect soup for fall.

Tomato Cannellini Stew

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We unearthed a crock pot (also an ice cream maker... the plot thickens!) during the move. It's just the perfect tool to make a warm and hearty stew for a rainy night.

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (I used some awesome heirloom tomatoes found at the local farmer's market)
  
• 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• pesto (optional)

Sweat diced onion in olive oil until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot (you'll need at least a 4 quart crock pot for this). Cook on high for 3 hours and low for 3 hours. Serve with pesto mixed in.

If you don't have a crock pot, sweat onions in a large pot until softened. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on medium low heat until the beans are soft and start to break down. Stir occasionally. Serve with pesto mixed in.

This creamy and tomato-y soup is easy, but so delicious. It warms you for the inside out on a cold and rainy day. It takes just 5 to 10 minutes to prep. And, if you have a crock pot, it allows you to prep it, leave it and come home to hot stew.

Roasted Tomato and Fennel Soup

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I find summertime tomatoes to be so irresistible. They are ripe, plump and sweet. I found some really amazing tomatoes at my local market and I thought they would make a flavorful soup.

• 5 large tomatoes (preferably ripened on the vine), quartered and seeded (reserve seeds)
• 1 large fennel bulb, cored and sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
  
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
  
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter, cubed
• 2 slices of bread (I used plain whole wheat bread), cubed
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (optional)
• salt to taste
  

Place tomato chunks in an oven-proof dish and sprinkle with sugar. Roast tomatoes in 275 degree oven for 2 hours.

Sweat onion in olive oil until translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes, and then add minced garlic. Cook for another minute. Add sliced fennel and cook for another 10 minutes or until the fennel slices start to soften. Add butter and allow it to melt. Cook for another minute. Add reserved tomato seeds, roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, and bread slices. Cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Blend the vegetables together into a smooth soup using a regular blender or an immersion blender. Add cream if desired.

The soup is velvety but light. The bread and fennel give this soup some body and texture without adding heaviness. The cream makes it even more luxurious. The soup is also incredibly tomato-y. Roasting intensifies the tomato flavors and makes them extra sweet. This is definitely one of the best soups that I've made. I dare say it's better than some of the tomato soups that I've had at restaurants.

Roasted Corn Chowder

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It's sad but true, summer is almost over. I know I will miss all the fresh fruits and vegetables that summer has to offer. To take advantage of summer while it lasts, I've made this delicious roasted corn chowder. It is adapted from a similar recipe that appears in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.

• 1 quart of basic vegetable stock
• 6 ears of corn, husks removed
  
• 2 medium yellow bell peppers, diced
• 1 large leek, green part removed and reserved
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 pound of potatoes
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed
  
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of water
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Place corn into a large hot skillet and sear all sides until some of the kernels turn dark brown. Remove and allow the corn to cool. After the corn becomes cool enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cob. Reserve the cob. Peel the skin of the potatoes and reserve. Dice the potatoes to small bite size. Slice the white and pale green parts of the leek and set aside. Reserve the dark green leaves of the leek.

In a large pot, reheat vegetable stock and add the green part of the leek, potato skin, and corn cobs. Simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and set aside.

In a large pot, saute chopped leek and onion in 2 tablespoons of butter until the onion softens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme, potatoes and vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. In the meantime, stew chopped yellow bell peppers in a pot with 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of butter for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Slightly mash the potato pieces against the side of the pot using the back of a spoon. Add corn kernels and stewed yellow bell peppers. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I like how the slight smokiness of the roasted corn balance out the sweetness. It's refreshing, crunchy and creamy without any actual cream. This recipe makes a big pot of chowder and both of us happily enjoyed the leftovers.