Moroccan Carrot Soup

I really like soup. But I stopped buying it canned some time ago and feel a twinge of regret every time I order it at a restaurant or cafe. You see, they manage to pack it full of so much sodium that it ceases to be a guilt-less pleasure and more often leaves me unsatisfied and thirsty. So I consider it a real feat when I create a pot of delicious, low-sodium soup on my own. Soup should be tasty, but it should also be comforting, nutritious, and hydrating. This one accomplishes all of the above.

To prevent over-loading your homemade soup with sodium, make your own stock. (It's healthier, more flavorful [because it's made from real chicken], and easier than you'd think. And it can be made ahead of time and frozen for months!) Or at the very least buy low-sodium broth. (There's no reason to ever buy full-sodium broth for anything. You can always add more salt to taste but you'd need a laboratory to extract all the sodium and other chemicals they pack into processed broths.)

This soup was far from salty. It was smooth and creamy. Lightly scented with cumin and allspice. Barely sweet from the carrots and honey. Enjoy it warm with an dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of toasted cumin seeds. And some crusty bread (or in our case, grilled cheese) alongside. A word on the cumin seeds. Bon Appetit suggested toasting and grinding your own cumin for superior flavor. The cumin seeds I had were too tiny and slipped through the bottom of my cheap spice mill. So I used already ground cumin in the soup and saved the seeds for on top. But if you have a functioning spice mill, by all means, grind your own. It will taste (and smell) wonderful.

Moroccan Carrot Soup

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. freshly ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt + extra for serving
cumin seeds, lightly toasted (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Mix in garlic and carrots and saute for another minute. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove soup from heat. Cool slightly before pureeing in batches in food processor or blender until smooth. Return to same pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, ground cumin, allspice, and yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle soup into bowls. Dollop with yogurt, sprinkle with cumin seeds, and serve.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (French-Style)

Here it is, my first batch of homemade ice cream! Naturally, I started with vanilla. Made with the real thing- a Madagascar vanilla bean! First, a word on vanilla beans. I did a little research on the subject and concluded a few things: there are several places they come from (Tahiti, Mexico, and Madagascar) and the origin of the bean affects its flavor and potency, they are expensive, and they're best fresh. Madagascar (also referred to as Bourbon) beans tend to be bold and robust. Why I chose to use them brings us to point number two- price. A single vanilla bean can set you back anywhere from 3-10 $ at a local grocery store. So I went online and found a great deal at Amazon- 7 Madagascar beans for around 7 $ (and free shipping). Sold. But if you can't fathom yourself using up seven beans in the next year or so, this may not be the best option for you. They're only worth it if they're fresh, which is evident if they're juicy and plump and intensely vanilla-y. Store them in a airtight container (such as a zipped plastic baggie) in a cool dark place (but NOT the refrigerator or freezer). I anticipated that I wouldn't have a problem making seven batches of ice cream in the next year. In fact, I may be out of vanilla beans by next month.

Now about the ice cream. I read up on a lot of recipes before attempting this one. Apparently there's not one right way to do vanilla. Since it was my first try, I went with an ultra-creamy highly rated recipe from David Lebovitz. And then I switched things up by following the method from a recipe in Gourmet. I took some risks, and second guessed myself quite a bit, but in the end all was well. Here's what I learned: you could substitute half and half or a lower fat milk for some of the cream (but the end product will be less creamy and more icy), the vanilla extract is optional (the vanilla bean provided plenty of flavor on it's own and next time I plan on omitting the extract), and the custard can be made without a thermometer (it will just be more stressful). If you don't have a candy thermometer, bring the custard to the point where it begins to bubble around the edges of the pot, before it reaches a full boil, and remove it from the heat. It worked for me. But I didn't enjoy worrying about whether I was going to ruin my custard so I already went out and bought a thermometer for next time.

My last piece of advice is to make sure that the custard and the ice cream maker bowl are both properly cold before the churning process begins. Carefully follow the instructions that came with your ice cream maker. I know this seems like a lot to remember, but it's not as complicated as it sounds. The finished product is so luxurious and infinitely better than what you'll buy in the store that it's worth the few extra steps. This recipe is fantastic on it's own or perfect for topping a fudgy brownie or slice of pie. And you always have the option of adding in something extra- I'm thinking cinnamon!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (French-Style)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole milk
pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. With a knife scrape the seeds of the halved vanilla bean into a large heavy saucepan and stir in pods, milk, salt, sugar, and cream. Bring mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove pan from heat.

2. In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Add hot cream mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking (this process is called tempering, if you add the hot cream too fast the eggs will scramble), and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl (making sure to remove the vanilla bean pods), stir in the vanilla extract (if using), and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 3 hours, or until cold (preferably overnight).

3. Freeze custard according to ice-cream maker instructions.Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Makes about 1 quart.

(Adapted from David Lebovitz and Gourmet)

Pear-Cranberry (or Apple-Raisin) Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is yet another dish that I've been introduced to since living in Richmond. I was attending a fancy scholarship brunch (back when I was still a nursing student) at the famous Jefferson Hotel, when, in good Southern tradition, they served us each a generous portion of bread pudding for dessert. It consisted of thinly sliced apples dusted with cinnamon and soft white bread, baked into a custard, chilled, and served with a dollop of vanilla cream. I was sold. I knew I'd be making bread pudding in the near future.

Did I mention that for Christmas I got an ice cream maker? It's been on my wishlist for ages. And now my dreams of homemade ice cream have come true. So I not only made bread pudding, but I creamed my first batch of vanilla ice cream (with a real vanilla bean)! Instead of apples and raisins, I loaded my bread pudding with beautiful ripe pears and sweetened dried cranberries (Dustin hates raisins). The ice cream went on top and pooled all over the sides of the warm pudding. The combination was heavenly. Now that's how you do dessert 'round here.

Pear-Cranberry (or Apple-Raisin) Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon + extra for sprinkling on top
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
~ 4 cups crust-less white bread or challah, cubed
1-2 apples or pears (depending on size and how much fruit you want), peeled and chopped or sliced
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

2. Whisk milk, sugars, eggs, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread, apples (or pears), and raisins (or cranberries). Pour batter into prepared dish.

3. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Bake pudding until top is golden and center is set, 20-30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Makes an 8x8 square pan.

(Adapted from Epicurious via Slow Like Honey)

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup

I keep resorting to soup. It must be due to the cold. And the wind and snow. Soup is warm. It's comforting and filling and nourishing. I like the feel of sipping spoonfuls from a steaming hot bowl. It feels like home. Soup such as this is best enjoyed on a dreary day, with some warm and crusty bread to dip in it. Soup is one of the few reasons I can find to appreciate winter. It wouldn't taste the same without it.

When I set about developing this recipe, I found five or six variations on it. I had no idea coconut-curry soup was so versatile. In the end I kept pretty close to this Cooking Light recipe. And it was the right choice. The broth, while mildly spicy, has a subtle sweetness. I chose to incorporate rice, but instead you could use noodles (I'd suggest soba). Whatever you do, just make some soup. Your stomach will thank you.

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 3 lb. whole chicken (or 1 lb. chicken breast), cooked, and shredded
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup shallots, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 tsp. red curry paste
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
6 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14 oz.) can light coconut milk
3/4 cup long grain brown rice OR 6 oz. soba noodles
1/2 cup green onions, sliced + extra for garnish
1 tsp. organic cane sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and carrots and saute several minutes until tender. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste, curry powder, cumin, and coriander and cook spices for another minute. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and rice (or noodles) and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the rice is tender (reduce the time if you're cooking noodles).

2. Stir in the shredded chicken, green onions, sugar, fish sauce, cilantro, and red pepper. Simmer just long enough to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with extra green onions and cilantro and garnish with a lime wedge.

Serves 6.

(Adapted form Cooking Light)

Ginger Carrot Muffins

After a recent string of disappointing dishes (nothing terrible, just not blog-worthy), I wasn't expecting much when I slung these muffins into the oven yesterday. I was discouraged and I had tinkered with the recipe. You never know how things will turn out when you start messing with ingredients. (Like adding a little baking powder here, subtracting some sugar and replacing the oil there.) I had further healthified these muffins, and wasn't confident in the outcome. But (as you've probably already guessed since I'm talking about them now) I was wrong. So wrong.

They're wonderful. Fluffy, moist, and soft. Not overly sweet, but not bitter in the least. Completely whole grain, low on fat (especially if you use low-fat buttermilk), and packed with nutritious things like carrots, walnuts, and ginger. The ginger is what makes these muffins. Ground cinnamon and ginger provide a base, but it's the candied specks that provide the explosion of flavor. Chewy, spicy, and sweet all at the same time. Such a pleasant surprise.

Ginger Carrot Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour (ground oats)
1/2 cup milled flax
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup candied or crystallized ginger, finely diced
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups carrots, grated

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease (or fill with paper liners) a 12-cup muffin pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine flours, flax, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and crystallized ginger.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, buttermilk, and applesauce. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in the carrots and walnuts.

4. Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling above the rims. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for several minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from King Arthur)

Herb Roasted Vegetables

If you roast them, I will eat them. That goes for veggies at least. I've never met a roasted vegetable that was undesirable. A quick shake in olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper (and any other spices you might want to include) and they're ready to go. Into the oven until they're tender inside, crisp around the edges, and all over golden and caramelized. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness. Makes vegetables almost as addictive as candy (yes, I said that).  There are some I've never tried, such as brussel sprouts. Dustin requested that I never touch/purchase/prepare a brussel sprout. At some point in his past he had a bad experience with them. But I'm sure I'll ignore his aversion and someday get around to roasting them. I'm guessing we'll both be pleasantly surprised.

This recipe complicates the process by using fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar (or lemon). But you can handle it. Usually, I would suggest using dried herbs in a pinch. But not in this case. I think it would ruin the flavor. Better to leave them out altogether. You can, however, toss in whatever vegetables you wish (as long as they will all cook at relatively the same speed).

Herb Roasted Vegetables

INGREDIENTS
1 small red onion, chopped
1-2 red bell peppers, seeded and deveined and chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
several small Yukon gold potatoes, cubed (I used a mix of gold, red, and purple potatoes)
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, toss to combine vegetables and herbs. Pour in vinegar and olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden.

Serves 6.

(Adapted form All Recipes)

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Revisited

Since I first posted this pork recipe last January, I've probably prepared it half a dozen times (which is record-breaking for me). It's just that good. It's hard to find a leaner, juicer, more tender cut of meat. And one  that's bursting with this much flavor (lemon, garlic, thyme, and rosemary). If you're thinking that the ingredient amounts look strange (like 1/3 of a lemon), they are. Sorry about that. I reduced the original recipe which called for enough marinade for 3 pork tenderloins. There's only two of us here and that would be way too much pork, no matter how delicious it is.

1/26/10: This was my juiciest, most flavorful roasted pork tenderloin yet! It must have been the marinade. I've never marinated a tenderloin before and it really made a difference! I usually buy thicker cuts of pork (which are technically "tenderloin roasts") but this time I bought a true tenderloin (long and thin), which allowed for a shorter cooking time and consequently, moister meat. The herbs infused their subtle flavor and the outside had a irresistible crunchy crust from pan-searing. Really, it was wonderful. Another Barefoot Contessa recipe that was a complete success!

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. pork tenderloin
1/3 lemon, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/6 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the marinade, in a shallow dish whisk to combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Place the pork tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight (I let mine marinate for 8 hours and it was extremely flavorful!).

2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the pork tenderloin from the bag and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Sear the pork in the preheated skillet until brown on all sides.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 137 F in the thickest part. (This was Ina's recommendation, but I found mine to be a bit underdone at this point. You be the judge of how done you want it. Ever so slightly pink is ideal. My tenderloin took about 20-25 minutes to finish cooking.) When done, transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 2.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Revisited

Since I'm living in Richmond and embracing southern customs, I served black eyed peas on New Years Eve. I only recently heard about this tradition. How it originated is up for debate, but I like this version of the story. Supposedly the little beans bring luck. Something I could use a bit of right now. Maybe these lucky beans will bring me an RN position. But it's OK if not, I'm happy to eat them anyway. Lucky or not, they're yummy.

4/23/10: I've been astonishingly on top of things this week! I've posted a new recipe every single day, which seems to be rare lately. It's because the mid-semester mania has come to an end. Things are slowing down at school. I have a few more weeks of finals and then I get a May break (not sure what to call it because I already had spring break in March and will have a summer break in August) before I go back and do it all again. At least summer is a mini semester (only 10 weeks). We still haven't figured out how we're going to spend our one week of overlapping vacation time together. (Dental school and nursing school have not figured out how to coordinate their breaks. Apparently they could care less that Dustin and I will be forever separated by our schedules. It's not much fun to be sitting home, homework free, when you've got no one to share the time with!) So our brains are hard at work (or distracted rather) planning how to make the most of our week of no responsibility. Where to go? What to do (or not to do for that matter!)...?

In the mean time, I'm enjoying the sunshine and warmth, the open windows and sunroofs, the bees I have to dodge every time I open my front door (I'm pretending to appreciate them, anyway), the flowers blossoming, the birds chirping (that wake me up way too early every morning), and the bounty of fresh food that spring brings. My appetite is turning towards light, fresh, summery dishes. Picnics and BBQ's are in our future. Oh, I'm so ready to grill!

This bean salad would be a hit on any occasion this summer. It's quick, inexpensive, and easy. And it's addictive. I started by piling it high on tortillas chips and then gave up the dipping and swallowed it by the spoonful. It's full of fiber and protein from the beans and vitamins from the veggies. Rice wine vinegar makes it slightly sweet and all that onion adds pizazz! More black-eyed peas for me, please!

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 small or 1/2 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Toss to combine black-eyed peas, tomato, red onion, pepper, jalapeno, and green onion in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in vinegar. Whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour dressing over bean mixture. Toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve (the longer it sits the better the flavor will be).

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Food Network)