Butternut Squash Apple Bacon Soup

The perfect soup for a chilly fall day!

1 1/2 lb butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic
2 medium apples, quartered
4 tsp olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp honey
4 sliced bacon, diced
salt and pepper

1. Peel and cut squash into large,1 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubes into a roasting pan. Add onion, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Roast for 425 degrees for 30 minutes until squash is tender. Half way through roasting, add apples to pan, toss everything together and place back in the oven to finish roasting.

2. Peel roasted apples (skins should slip off easily). Add apple, squash, onion and garlic to a food processor.

3. Heat roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup vegetable broth, and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from the roasted vegetables. Add broth to food processor with the vegetables. Blend everything together until smooth. Add honey and sage and pulse to blend together.

4. Cook bacon in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan, over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from dutch oven. Add vegetable puree, the rest of the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Serve sprinkled with crisp cooked bacon and a dollop of sour cream.

This post is part of Twister Tuesday at GNOWFLINS and Real Food Wednesday at Kelly The Kitchen Kop.


This post was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on October 6, 2010.

My Sister's Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna

My sister made this dish for my Dad's 60th Birthday Cocktail Party. I absolutely loved these delicious little tuna bites with two dipping sauces and I have been craving more ever since. On the way home from work tonight I stopped by the store, picked up a small piece of fresh Ahi and made my own version.

My two Ahi tuna pieces equaled just over 330 grams (approx 12 ounces). Very small indeed, but plenty to serve two for dinner. The recipe is based on the amount of fish I had. Adjust measurements up or down based on the size of your fish.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna:

2 small pieces fresh sushi grade Ahi tuna
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1/4 tsp Fleur de Sel with Wasabi (I used one made by The Cape Herb & Spice Company. It's available at IGA. My sister got her blend from Choices Market. If you can't find Fleur de Sel with Wasabi, try using a 1/2 tsp course sea salt with a small pinch of wasabi powder.)

1. Place sesame seeds and salt in a shallow bowl. Wet tuna lightly with water. Press both sides of tuna into the mixture to coat.

2a. Heat grill to high. Spray lightly with oil. Place coated Ahi pieces on hot grill and grill for 2 minutes per side.

or

2b. Heat small amount of oil in a pan over high heat. Place coated Ahi pieces in hot pan and sear for 2 minutes per side.

3. Place Ahi on a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using a very sharp knife, slice Ahi into thin slices, going with the grain. If serving as a main dish, you could cut the pieces larger.

4. Serve with Wasabi Mayo and Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce. Can be served warm or cold.



Wasabi Mayo:

2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp wasabi paste
or
1/2 tsp wasabi powder

1. Mix together in a small bowl. Add more wasabi to taste.

My sister adds a dash each of green and yellow food colouring to get a nice "wasabi green" colour. I opted not to take this added step. Wasabi Mayo would taste great with an Ahi Tuna burger too!

Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Add everything to a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well until blended.

This would also make a good marinade or salad dressing!


This recipe was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on July 15, 2010!

Curried Lemongrass Chicken

The chicken marinade comes from Food & Wine Magazine. Their recipe calls for stir frying the chicken with a calorie rich caramel sauce. I can do without the excess sugar so I just went with the marinade portion of the recipe then stir fried the chicken with aromatics and vegetables. I served it over plain vermicelli noodles and topped it with left over Spicy Almond Dressing. The finished dish was very spicy. If you aren't into spice, omit the chili peppers where you see fit.

Marinade:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Thai chili pepper, cut in half & seeded
1 stalk of fresh or jarred lemongrass, cut in half and smashed (If using fresh, see here on how to prepare it. Follow directions on preparing for soup.)
1 tbsp mild curry powder
2 tbsp sucanat
1 tsp salt

1. Add everything, except chicken, to a shallow bowl and mix together well. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Stir Fry:

splash of cooking oil
1 piece lemongrass, minced
1 green onion, sliced thin
1 Thai chili, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 red onion, minced
marinated chicken, marinade discarded
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced thin then cut into quarters
1/2 large red pepper, diced



1. Add oil to a wok and heat over medium-high heat.

2. Add lemongrass, green onion, chili and onion and stir fry for a couple minutes.



3. Add chicken and stir fry until all sides of chicken are no longer pink. Place lid over wok and let chicken cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and red peppers. Stir everything together. Place lid back on the wok and cook for another 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. (Internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees.)



5. Pour contents of wok over cooked rice or noodles. Top with fresh cilantro.







This recipe was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on July 16, 2010!

Lemon Blueberry Spelt Muffins

Featured on the Tasty Kitchen Blog!

I've been slacking in the breakfast department lately. Waking up too late and flying out the door; Barely enough time to shower and dress let alone feed myself. To curb the problem, I baked a batch of these great muffins and froze half to have on hand for the days when I don't have time for a quality meal.

With a hint of lemon, no refined sugar, no white flour and the added bonus of wheat germ and flax, these muffins are good and satisfying.

Yields 12 muffins.

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
2 tbsp flax seed meal
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking soda
zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F

2. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin or two 12 cup mini muffin tins.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (butter, honey, apple sauce, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice).

4. In another large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (spelt flour, wheat germ, flax seed meal, baking soda, salt and lemon zest).

5. Slowly stir dry mixture into wet mixture and fold together until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries.

6. Spoon batter into muffin cups so they are 2/3 full.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

8. Let cool and serve with honey or a small amount of butter!