Family Bites

Avgolemono: Lemony Egg and Rice Soup

What you see above was our Sunday dinner.  A simple, economical, healthy and delicious soup that saw Jackson standing stove-side feeding himself, and then Ben, with a small spoon.  Neither of them could wait until it was ladled into the bowls, which is always the sign of a happy-no-fuss meal to come.

Are you familiar with Avgolemono?  It's a Greek soup made with chicken stock, rice, eggs and lemon.  That's it.  Talk about cheap chow for the whole family.  I fancied mine up with a bit of carrot, celery, dill and black pepper simply because I wasn't sure I could sell the boys on a monochromatic soup.  My little changes still made this a meal that cost us pennies to provide.  And with those soaring food prices this is always a good thing, as Martha would say.

Another good thing about this meal?  It can be made in the time it takes to cook some rice.  How long is that?  About fifteen, maybe even twenty, minutes?  Enough time to let you assess the homework situation while simultaneously updating your nine year old's Ipod with a music compilation that can only be described as "perfectly him", but also quick enough to feed your hungry people in a timely manner.  

Avgolemono

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2/3 cups rice or orzo
• 6 eggs
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• Fresh dill
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven set over medium-high heat.  Add the celery and carrots and saute until tender, but not browned.

Add the chicken stock and warm bring to a boil.  Add the rice, stir, and lower the heat to a simmer, cooking until the rice is soft.

While the rice is cooking whisk together the eggs and the lemon.  Beat together for 2-3 minutes or until completely combined.  Strain through a mesh sieve and set aside. 

Once the rice is cooked, ladle one spoonful of stock slowly into the eggs to temper them, whisking continuously.

Add the egg mixture to the pot of soup and heat through, until the soup has thickened, approximately five minutes.  Do not bring the soup to a boil or the eggs will curdle.

Season with salt if desired, and serve with fresh dill and ground black pepper.

 

What's for Dinner? Meal Planning Monday Help (and a recipe)

This is pasta e ceci soup.  An Italian pasta and chickpea potage, that has been in circulation at our dinner table for no less than six years, which is an eternity when you're always looking for and creating new recipes.  

It first started off as the only soup the kids would eat (thankfully, that has changed) and is now one of our favourites.  It's also ridiculously easy to make and so tasty to slurp. We ate it for lunch on the weekend and will be eating it again for dinner this week, as I didn't meal plan a single thing for the coming week.  I was too busy becoming an aunt as my sister had her first baby! 

It was the most exciting of weekends, but now I'm faced with wondering what I'm going to feed my family this week. Perhaps you can offer me some suggestions and we can meal plan for the coming nights with your ideas?  I have chicken and pork chops that need to be cooked, plenty of rice, beans and quinoa, eggs and lots of veggies.  

So, while I wait for your most excellent meal suggestions, I leave you with my go-to, no-dinner-planned soup recipe.  I think it will become a family favourite for you, too.

Pasta e Ceci Soup

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup ditalini (small, tubular) pasta

In a large pot set over low heat, warm the oil.  Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic and sautee slowly, until soft. Add the chickpeas, salt, sage, rosemary and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  

Remove the soup from the stove top and puree using an immersion blend.  Return to the stove, add the pasta and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cook until the pasta is tender.  Stir often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Thin the soup with more chicken stock or water, if desired and serve.

 

 

The Magic of Soup (Creamy Carrot and Cumin Puree)

I think I should write a book.  

The title of my book would be "The Magic of Soup", and it's the tale of a persnickety young boy who seemingly detests the beautiful, seasonal vegetables his mother places before him each night at dinner.  

He wriggles and whines, complains and cajoles and takes far too long to finish all of his meals.  

One day his brilliant mother decides that instead of fighting him about his vegetables, she's going to turn each of the ground-grown foods he bellyaches about into a pureed soup.  She will entice him to try it by adding a few toasted croutons, or some crumbled cheese, to the top of the bowl, and he will be wooed to at least sample what's she offering because it looks too good to pass up.  

He will sip and slurp, and decide that this new food she's making is some of the best he's tasted.  And he will ask her to prepare foods like this for every meal. She feigns surprise at his sudden approval of her provisions, all the while giggling inside because she knows she's actually been giving him even more veggies than he was originally eating.  They've just been disguised in a bowl of the creamy goodness she's placed before him.

Of course, this story has a happy ending. The mother decides to take the opportunity to feed her boy as many soups as she can, especially since he's enjoying them so much.  And the boy? Well, he feels strong and full, and grateful that his mother has decided to stop feeding him those horrid veggies.  

The end.

Creamy Carrot and Cumin Puree (with no cream)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 5 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 tablespoons arborio rice
• 4 cups chicken or veggie stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta

Heat the oil in a large pot, set over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, celery and carrots and sautee until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the salt, cumin and rice and sautee for an additional two minutes, or until the veggies are slightly browned and fragrant.

Add the stock and the water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and let simmer for approximately one hour. 

Remove from the stove and allow to cool.  Puree using an immersion blender.  Serve with crumbled feta and fresh ground pepper.

 

Hearty New Year (Recipe for Curried Lentil Soup)

Now that the holiday decorations have been packed away, and the homemade goodies have been consumed or distributed, it's time to refocus and return to normal eating.  

It's not that the past month was comprised of over-indulgent foods (okay, it kind of was), it's just that most meals eaten in the past ten days are definitely ones relegated to the "special occasions" category of our eating plan. A little bit of extra cheese and butter now and then won't hurt anyone, but almost-daily ingestion just begs for a break, wouldn't you agree?

So we kicked off 2011 with a hearty lentil soup. One made with a handful of good-for-you ingredients regularly stocked in many a pantry and fridge.  Instead of using a chicken or veggie stock for the base, this soup is made with water, wine and chickpea puree, not unlike that which hummus is made from.  A slow simmer with warming spices rounds out the cooking process, and a family meal can be put together with virtually no time commitment at all.

Are you trying to eat a little healthier, and heartier, this week?  What's your family eating for dinner?

Curried Lentil Soup, adapted from Bon Appetit

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup green or brown lentils
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 1/4 cups water, divided
• 1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils, wine and 4 cups water.  

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor. Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency.

 

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is warm and cozy, and completely essential for the blustery, wet weather of late.  It's also a family favourite, and can be found on our dinner table many times between now and next March.

Making ample portions, this soup provides plenty of leftovers, which often find their way into a thermos tucked with the boy's lunch boxes.   This, in turn, makes life easy for me and ultra tasty for the kids.  And if you're celebrating Thanksgiving this week, your leftover turkey will make a nice substitute for the chicken in the recipe.

We're eating soup two or three nights a week right now, and I'm always looking for new ideas.  What soups are simmering on your stove top these days? 

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 3/4 cup chopped bok choy
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 cups wild rice, brown rice, basmati rice or a combination of all
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups diced chicken breast or thigh, or a mixture of both

Saute onions, carrots, celery and bok choy in oil until soft, translucent and slightly brown. Add the curry and cumin and stir to combine. Add the rice and broth.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Add the chicken and coconut milk.  Simmer for 1-2 hours or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and enjoy.

 

Serving Soup: Three Ways to Dish It Up

 

I'm always amazed that the simple process of cooking meat and/or vegetables in a large pot of flavourful liquid can give way to the most delicious of meals. Since before 6,000 BC people have been noshing on soup for their main source of nourishment, and in 2010 it's one of the easiest ways I feed my family.

We tend to gravitates towards pureed soups like roasted butternut squash or red lentil, but there is also the occasional broth-based soup the graces the table.  My personal favourite is French onion, while the boys would say their preference lies with chicken noodle. We tend to avoid a lot of creamy soups (pureeing gives the same consistency) and haven't ventured into eating too many bisques, although I'm sure the kids would love it.

Aside from being a great vehicle for getting vegetables into the kids, soup is also incredibly versatile. Here are three different ways I like to serve-up this autumn classic:

Soup Shot: This method of serving soup is excellent for in-home entertaining. Forgo the fussy prep work required to put together an assortment of hors d'oeuvres, and offer your guests shot glasses or demi-tasse cups full of warm soup. Serve with a small crostini, crisp or cracker and  you immediately have an instant appetizer. Alternatively, you can serve large mugs of soup to enjoy outdoors if you're hosting a Thanksgiving or harvest dinner.

Bowl of Soup: This traditional style for serving soup is one that works well for a weeknight family dinner, weekend late-afternoon lunch or first course for that dinner party you've been meaning to host for the past year.  Make the soup in advance and store in the fridge or freezer and heat slowly to thaw and serve.

On-the-Road Soup Dinner: Feeding your family well can be the ultimate challenge when you're out on the road chauffeuring your children to and from their various extra-curricular activities.  Pouring warm pureed soup into well-lidded travel mugs allows the entire family to get a good dose of veggies and homemade food into their bodies while they're on the road.  Add a sandwich and there will be no need to hit-up a drive-thru restaurant on the way to the game.

 

Smoky Red Lentil Soup

• 2-3 glugs olive or canola oil
• 3 leeks, green ends trimmed and sliced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated or diced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups red lentils
• 3 cups water
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

In a large stockpot, warm the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and sautee until softened, approximately four or five minutes.  Add the salt, paprika and carrots and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add the red lentils and cover with water and stock.  

Bring the soup up to a boil, cover with a lid and lower the heat to a simmer.  Allow the soup to cook for 45-60 minutes or until the lentils are completely tender.  Puree with an immersion blender.  Add a touch more salt if required, and serve.

Peas Please

 

Happy Earth Day!  In the spirit of "eating green" I took to the kitchen yesterday and made my family an emerald-hued pea soup.

Pea eaters typically group into one of two camps: those who like and those who loathe.  I happen to fall into the former, and I eagerly look forward to spring and the abundance of pea recipes that come my way. 

Around these parts, fresh peas don't appear in the garden or the markets until June or July,  but I always keep a bag of frozen peas tucked away in my freezer for frequent use through the spring months.  They are economical and good for you and easily transformed into something more than a buttered spherical seed used to accompany a piece of protein.  

Peas seem as though they were almost designed with kids in mind.  Easily pureed for baby meals, bite-sized enough for toddler fingers and mild tasting for the pickiest of palates there are more than enough ways to incorporate peas into your family meals.  For those who would rather roll their peas into a napkin then into their mouth, there are also plenty of tasty pea puree options sure to please.

Tell me, which camp do you fall into?  

Pea Soup with Thyme

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
• 1 baking potato, not peeled and diced
• 4 cups frozen peas
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot set over medium-high heat.  Add the leek, carrot, celery and potato. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until the leek and celery are softened but not browned.

Add the peas, thyme and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the thyme and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth.  Add the cream and heat thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper if desired and serve warm.