Sweet & Spicy Carrot Bisque

Another New Year...Another year of clean eating inspiration

Well let's just hope this is not my only post this year. I will try....that's all I can offer. In my head I plan out my blog all the time. Its getting on here to actually do it that's the hard part, but I want to share all my food love with everyone I know. So I will give it another go.

First off.

Sweet & Spicy Carrot Bisque

Amazing! It has one crazy ingredient that I would never have thought to add. BUT, it works. It really does. Its vegan, It tastes oh so good, and I loved it.

The Recipe is from last years Vegetarian Times Chefs' Challenge

• 1 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 tsp. plus 1 pinch salt
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 1 Tbs. curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds (4 cups)
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk, divided
• 2 ½ Tbs. lime juice

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and pinch of salt, and sauté 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in ginger, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add curry powder, cayenne, and 1/4 cup water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to coat onion and ginger with curry mixture.

2. Add carrots, banana, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, or until carrots are soft enough to be pierced with fork.

3. Purée soup in batches in blender or food processor. Return soup to pot, and stir in 1 cup coconut milk and lime juice.

4. Simmer remaining 3/4 cup coconut milk in small saucepan over medium-high heat 10 minutes, or until reduced by half.

5. Ladle soup in bowls, and swirl 11/2 Tbs. coconut milk reduction into each serving.

Salad Love

A Salad doesn't have to be just a bunch of lettuce with tomatoes cucumbers and shredded carrots. There is a whole world of salads out there, and it is the perfect summertime companion for potluck barbecues/playdates.  Here are my two most requested.

Corn-Quinoa Salad

(July/August 2010 Vegetarian Times)

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 11/2 cups fresh corn kernels (2 ears)
• 11/2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
• 1 cup diced cucumber

Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbs. maple syrup
• 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard (or any spicy mustard)
• 1 tsp. salt

1. To make Salad: Bring quino, salt, and 11/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Set aside, covered, 10 minutes.

2. Stir together corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, and quinoa in a bowl. 

3. To make Dressing: Whisk all ingredients. Stir into Salad. 

Jamie Oliver's Rice Salad
(From Sesame Street: C is for Cooking)

•  11/4 cups mixed long grain and wild rice (most of the time we use whatever rice we have on hand)
• Sea salt 
• Few sprigs of fresh basil, mint, and Italian parsley
• 6 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 8 ounces roasted red bell peppers from a jar, finely chopped (we roast our own if we don't have a jar hand, slice in half, brush with olive oil and broil in oven or bbq until partially charred, peel off skin when cool enough)
• 1/2 fresh red chile, seeded and finely chopped (skip out if you don't want the extra bit of heat)
• Additional salt and pepper, if desired

1. In a medium saucepan cook the rice, with a few pinches of salt. When done spread it out on a tray to help it cool down quickly (left over rice is perfect for this Salad).
2.  Mean while, pick all the leaves off the basil, mint, and parsley stalks. Finely chop.
3.  Prepare the lemon dressing by whisking the oil with a pinch of sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Squeeze in the lemon juice (i like to add a bit of balsamic vinegar).
4. Spoon the cooled rice into a large serving bowl.
5. Add the basil, mint, and parsley leaves and stir in the bell peppers, chile, and lemon zest. Drizzle the dressing over salad (you don't have to add all of it) and mix well. Taste, add another pinch of salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

Vegas, Food, Love

We spent a few days in Vegas last week. A few days getting my balance back, head cleared, and enjoying some time with our besties with out little Miss A needing all our attention....It was great, I will full out say that, I came home feeling refreshed, a new person almost. BUT, I will also say this...I missed her dearly, I had to talk to her everyday, she on the other hand had her own vacation with Nana and Opa, she did not feel the need to talk to us, a quick hello, I love you, and off she went. Days on end with no one taking her pacifier away, endless cookies and all the cartoons and park play she wanted.....now you tell me who had the better time? 

Our favourite thing to do in Vegas is EAT! That's right, we skip the club line ups, and blackjack tables and head for the restaurants. This was our second time staying at the Wynn, and finding out that Steve Wynn is vegan was the best thing ever, as this means that every restaurant on the Wynn property also has the have a vegan menu =)  BLISS. 

My top 4 of the trip:

Vegan Flatbread - La Cave @ The Wynn

Moscato D'Asti - Lavo @ The Venetian 

The best way to have an Oreo!! - Lavo @ The Venetian

Berry Milkshake - BLT Burger @ The Mirage