Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

The reason I love fall so much is all the colours that come with it.  The colours are plentiful outside on our trees and shrubs that turn to their autumn colour.  We can also bring the beautiful colours of fall in our kitchen!  This time of year produces delicious root vegetables.  It's so easy to chop some up and pop them in the oven.  Here's just one of the many root vegetable medleys I've made so far this year.

This one has sweet potatoes, beets and onions.  I leave the skins on all my vegetables, it adds so much flavour to roasted vegetables.  I tossed them generously in olive oil, added fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, salt and pepper.  Baked in 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, stirring them around twice.  Simply delicious!

Use whatever you have: butternut squash(I don't leave the skins on this one!), potatoes, yams, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, the possibilities are endless.  This way of roasting vegetables is no fuss!!!

Curry Peanut Soup

Better-Than-Restaurant Soup!

I got a recipe for Curry Peanut Soup from my sister, which is a new favourite in their household.  An easy to make, delicious soup.  The first time I made it, I followed the recipe and had delicious soup for the week to bring to work.  This weekend, I made it again and decided to change it up a little bit.  Partly because I was missing some ingredients and I also wanted to add some heat to it.

When my man took his first bite, he melted a bit and said: "This soup is better than at the restaurant!" I can tell you that here in Calgary, Alberta, the days are getting increasingly colder.  We've already had a couple spells of snow, and this soup hits all the right buttons to make you feel warm and cozy.  It's easily adaptable to different diets and as usual, will make some suggestions at the bottom of this post.

Here's my take on this delicious, gluten-free soup!

curry peanut soup

2 tablespoons Bragg's Soy Seasoning (you can use soy sauce if not following specific diet)
1 onion, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 lb small shrimp, cleaned and deveined
5 medium roma tomatoes, chopped roughly and pureed in food processor with skin on
1 cup coconut milk
3 cups water
2 cups chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons green curry paste
2 tablespoons peanut butter 
1 tablespoon fish sauce

1. Heat 1/2 cup water and soy seasoning in a large pot
2. Add onion and sweet potatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes over high heat, stir occasionally.
3. Add carrot, celery and pepper.  Cover and cook 3 minutes, stir occasionally.
4. Add shrimp and tomato sauce and cook until white, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in coconut milk, water, chickpeas and cilantro
6. In a small bowl, mix peanut butter with 1/3 cup water, fish sauce and curry paste with a fork.  Add to soup.
7. Mix well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Candida: replace raw shrimp with cooked chicken or meat of choice.  Find curry paste with only acceptable ingredients.  I found one in the ethnic section at Superstore with no added sugars.  Also use almond butter instead of peanut butter and omit fish sauce (you might need to add a little salt).

Paleo: Omit chickpeas and soy sauce (use oil for frying instead of water/soy sauce mix)

Vegetarian: use firm tofu instead of shrimp.

Candida: use almond butter instead of peanut butter

Note: this soup was ready from start to finish in 30 minutes.  If you have fresh tomatoes, don't skip this step, it's so worth it!  If you don't have fresh, use 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes.  But I tell you, the taste is so much better if you crush your own!

Pasta Sauce

pasta sauce with ground bison on brown rice spaghetti

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted a recipe!  Since school has started, I've been busier in the kitchen than ever, especially on the weekends doing "power cooks", but haven't had time to post anything!  Tonight, I'm making the time, even though I really should start transcribing my shorthand meeting minutes from the school council meeting from a week ago!   That'll just have to wait another day, or two...

The Farmers' Market right now is really in its prime time of year.  I absolutely LOVE the Farmers' Market.  I go to the Crossroads Market in Calgary and get all my meat, cheese (the best Ossau Iraty ever - it's a sheep cheese), and this time of year, tomatoes and peppers galore!  I've been making fresh salsas, pasta sauces and curries that are just to die for.  A 10 lbs box of tomatoes costs me $10 and a huge bag of assorted peppers, about the same.  For $20, I can make sauces that'll last much longer than any store-bought bottle.  And the taste doesn't even compare.

Here's a pasta sauce I made that we all really enjoyed.  I've used it with ground bison for spaghetti sauce, used it on its own with polenta, as pizza sauce as well as mixed with some Ossau Iraty to make mac and cheese for the kids.

pasta sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
7 large heirloom tomatoes, skin removed, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1. Put all ingredients in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for 1 hour.
3. Uncover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Remove from heat and cool
5. Puree in food processor (don't do as I did, watch out for the liquid-fill line!
6. Put in refrigerator or freeze in smaller portions.

Vegetarian: use sauce on its own without adding meat to it and serve with your favourite pasta, polenta, gnocchi, pizza, etc....

Paleo and Candida: use sauce with ground meat or sliced sausages on spaghetti squash