Monthly Archives: January 2013

Meatless Monday – Roasted Shrimp and Cauliflower Soup

21
Jan 2013
Winter calls for warm comforting soups; a flavorful roasted shrimp and cauliflower combination is perfect for this Meatless Monday.
roasted shrimp and cauliflower soup

As cold weather is gripping most of the country, this warm and nutritious bowl of YUM is sure to take the chill from your bones. Add a little green kale pesto to the top and you’re good to go!
roasted shrimp and cauliflower soup

Ingredients:

Soup
3/4 lb of medium shrimp
1 medium cauliflower
1 sweet onion
1 clove garlic
1 medium potato-chopped small
1teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk
Smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine, but the smoked variety lends a deep flavor)
1 t fresh thyme leaves plus a few stems for garnish
Olive oil
Kale Pesto

1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1clove garlic
3T Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
1 c torn kale leaves
1/4 c good olive oil
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean and devein shrimp (tails off). Toss shrimp with 1T. Olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in shallow pan for 8 minutes until pink and cooked through and allow to cool.
  • Cut the heads and a bit of stalk off of the cauliflower. Separate the cauliflower into small florets. Toss with 1 1/2 T olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Adjust oven temp to 375 and roast until edges are golden (tossing once) about 25-30 minutes.
  • In frying pan cook chopped onion and garlic in 1T olive oil until onion is translucent. Add potato and chopped thyme and coat.
  • Transfer the cauliflower, onion, stock and coconut milk into stock pot and cook until potatoes are done, about 10 minutes.
  • Let cool slightly. Purée the soup in a blender-being careful to allow steam to escape if the soup is still hot.
  • Chop shrimp, and keep warm. Serve soup, garnishing with a hefty serving of shrimp if this is your main course. Top with a small dollop of pesto and sprinkling of smoked paprika. Finish with thyme sprigs
roasted shrimp and cauliflower soup

Meatless Monday-A Pumpkin Chocolate Pot de Creme

14
Jan 2013
Late last year, I was invited by Stonyfield to participate in a blogger cook off using their newly introduced organic whipping cream. The product has so much flavor and this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Pot de Creme is too good not to share. I apologize in advance to all of you who are doing some sort of New Years cleanse. This recipe for the Meatless Monday feature definitely does not qualify! My suggestion-let your eyes do the eating and tuck it away for next holiday’s season…
pumpkin chocolate pot de creme

This super simple desert certainly sounds elegant and refined. And my philosophy when you are going to indulge has always been go big or go home! The unusual addition of the chocolate combines a fudgy bottom that mixes perfectly with the pumpkin flavor
stonyfield organic whipping cream

roasted organic sugar pumpkin

water bath for pumpkin chocolate pot de creme

Pumpkin Pot de Crème with Chocolate Crust and Spiced Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
1/3 box of chocolate wafers {approx. 16 cookies}
2 T. butter-melted
2 T. crystallized ginger
1 pint Stonyfield Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
½ c. whole milk
3/4c. pumpkin puree
1 t. vanilla extract
1t. cinnamon
1/2t. nutmeg
1/2t. ground ginger
1/4t. ground cloves
5 egg yolks
3 T. sugar
Chocolate Crust
  • Process wafers and 1T. crystallized ginger in a food processer until fine crumbs. Add butter and process again until mixed.
  • Press a heaping T. of the crumb mixture into each of 6 8oz oven proof containers (I used jelly jars) and press down with a spoon.
  • Save remaining crumbs and additional T. of crystallized ginger for garnish
  • Pot de Crème

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
  • Heat 1 1/4 c. whipping cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not let boil. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from heat and whisk in the pumpkin puree and 1¼ t. of the spice mixture and vanilla. (the remaining spice is for the whipped cream).
  • Using a mixer, whip the yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until they become pale yellow and thick, approx. 4 minutes.
  • Add the warm pumpkin mixture in a slow steady stream to the egg yolks. Whisk continuously to combine and then whisk for an additional minute.
  • Carefully fill your jelly jars ¾ full. Place the six baking containers into a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water to come up ½ way on the jelly jars. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 30-40minutes. The center will be slightly jiggly.
  • Let cool for 1 hour and place overnight in the fridge. They can be made ahead several days
  • Whipped Cream

  • Whip remaining ¾ c. Stonyfield Organic Whipping Cream until forms stiff peaks. Add in remaining spice mixture. Place a generous dollop on each desert and garnish with crystallized ginger and cookie crumbs. Serve immediately and enjoy.
  • pumpkin chocolate pot de creme with crystallized ginger

    Begin 2013 By Eating Local on Meatless Monday

    07
    Jan 2013

    Happy New Year all. It feels great to be back, and my vacation has definitely inspired me with lots of ideas for greening up 2013! With the New Year upon us, and resolutions swirling about, here are 10 easy ways to join the local movement. Your diet will become more delicious, and the advantages to the planet are numerous.

    I know it’s popular to say that the locavore movement belongs to the hipster generation, or those with big pocketbooks. I have to disagree, and with a little extra effort it’s pretty easy to take advantage of what buying local has to offer and support the best of small production food artisans. It’s simpler than you think to eat locally. My list is Boston centric, but the ideas apply just about anywhere. No matter who you are, and no matter how much disposable income you have, it’s possible to begin transitioning your diet into a more delicious and sustainable one.

    1. Start with one of my favorites-Dairy

    Most New England grocery stores carry a few local options including Stonyfield, Cabot, Grafton Cheddar and Vermont Butter & Cheese Co. cheeses.

    2. Read labels and choose the product that has travelled the least distance when a choice is possible.

    3. Drink good beer-The Craft Cellar Brews in Belmont will overwhelm you with choices. They are a shop devoted to small brewers. Some of the best craft beer in the country is brewed in New England.

    4. Eat fish-we do live near the ocean here folks. I am determined to learn how to clean a fish in 2013. Please hold me to it! Join the new, first-ever Boston area CSF (Community Supported Fishery) and have fresh fish from sustainable, family fisherman in Gloucester every week. They have local deliveries-Cape Ann Fresh Catch.

    5. Visit a farmers’ market
    There is a market every day of the week somewhere in the city, and there is probably one very close to where you live. Winter markets are plentiful in the Boston area, the Dorchester Winter Farmers’ Market started last Sunday, and I frequent the Newton Winter Market. Farm Fresh has a list for you.

    6. Go shopping
    Ok-this one should be a no brainer-right. Lionette’s Market, The Dairy Bar, Formaggio Kitchen {above}, Dave’s Fresh Pasta, Harvest Co-op, to name a few, all sell plenty of locally-produced items.

    7. Have a canning party
    When the fruit and veggies are abundant in the summer, gather your friends together and make an event out of it. Have a pot luck after you finish. Take the time to freeze blueberries, can tomatoes, make sauerkraut. You’ll have some hits and a few misses, as I can attest to. My sister and I had a canning party for holiday gift giving and had a blast.

    8. Cook more often.
    It’s not rocket science, it’s dinner! Vow to cook more, cook for friends, entertaining around a meal makes friendships stronger, I’m convinced! With all the fabulous cook books on the market these days, its a joy to look through them and plan meals. Pack a lunch, do it the night before. My husband loves it when a sandwich is waiting for him in the fridge.

    9. Garden
    Almost any amount of space is enough to grow herbs and greens, enough for a backyard stir-fry. When kids get involved in the process they are much more likely to experiment with new tastes, and fresh herbs add amazing favors to the simplest of meals. A window sill herb garden in the winter will do wonders.

    10. Join a CSA

    The CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) makes it cheap and easy to eat locally. You pay a farmer up front for a season’s worth of fresh, local, organic vegetables (or eggs, meat, or flowers) and they deliver the goods every week, or you pick them up at a convenient location. The variety of produce will make you a more creative cook, and your family will love it. Could you imagine how good these mushrooms must taste.

    Well there you have it, let me know how you make out with shopping local.