Will Run For Cheddar Cheese Sweet Potato Soup

comfort food

I probably shouldn't be surprised that Farmer was reluctant to believe that I made cheddar cheese soup or more accurately that the soup actually contained cheddar cheese ( when I hear the words cheddar cheese soup I can't help but think of the orange gelatinous monstrosity that is no name condensed cream of cheddar).   I also wouldn't be surprised to find out that she has scurvy.

It's exam time.  I don't think I really need to say more than that. 

I decided to hop on the cauliflower band wagon and try a cauliflower and sweet potato soup.  Farmer was right the soup didn't actually contain any cheddar cheese but you can easily substitute grated old cheddar if you don't share my love of nutritional yeast.  But really, who doesn't love nutritional yeast?

Cheddar Cheese Sweet Potato Soup

(6-8 servings)

ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower cut into small chunks

1 large sweet potato

1 can full fat coconut milk

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/8-1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

5 C broth

1 large sweet onion

1 T olive oil

3/4 C nutritional yeast or cheddar cheese (or both!)

In a large stock pot heat oil & add onions until they are soft.  Add sliced potatoes & cauliflower and cook for additional 5 minutes.  Add broth.  Cook 20-25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.  Add coconut milk and spices.  Puree.  Top with green onion, grated cheddar cheese, smoked paprika & freshly grated nutmeg.

cheddar cheese soup with cheddar

Will Run For Chili Sweet Potato Fries

Poutine season is finally here!  I think that it officially begins with the opening of the Sturgeon Falls chip stand but I'll have to check with Farmer & Housemate to be sure.   I live with two people who are mad about poutine.  Apparently gravy sans beef fat can be a challenge.

Housemate: "Does your gravy have beef fat in it"?

Snarly Waitress: "Ya.  Where do you think that you would be able find vegetarian gravy"?

Punchy Housemate: "THE WORLD"!

Housemate is moving out soon.   I'd like to say that we've had enough of her white leather italian shoes, striped leggins, chip eating,  and expired dairy but we're actually going to miss her to bits.  In celebration of her living with us we're having a poutine buffet (classy).  

Until then I'm using the buffet as a good excuse to eat french fries in as many ways as I possibly can.

Chili Sweet Potato Fries

(serves 1 hungry person & 2 not so hungry people)

ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes 

1 T chili powder

1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 T apple butter

1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place baking stone in oven.  In a medium sized bowl combine spices and salt.  Add apple butter and white balsamic vinegar (apple cider vinegar will also work).  Combine thoroughly.  Peel and slice sweet potatoes into medium sized wedges.  Place in a bowl of water as you peel.  Drain sweet potatoes and coat with spice mixture.

Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes or until potatoes become brown and crispy at the edges.  Garnish with additional sea salt.

Will Run for Ninja & Roasted Buttercup & Sweet Potato Custard

roasted buttercup & sweet potato custard

I finally have a blender where the blending of ingredients is a reality rather than just a mere suggestion.   Hello Ninja!   There was an unfortunate accident where the top portion of my blender fused itself (with some help from the person who left a spoon in it and then turned it on) to the bottom portion of the blender making it impossible to use. Since then I've been using a hand me down blender that makes me want to lose my mind every time I end up having to chew my smoothie.

Since the Ninja we've pretty much given up on solid foods except maybe A who is too busy tormenting us with chocolate covered nanaimo bars on sticks, dipped in chocolate, and then rolled in Skor bar bits.  What kind of monster leaves that lying around half eaten after casually mentioning that she licked the entire thing?  We're sorry we make fun of the fact that you only seem to eat expired food, and that we occasionally make fun of your outfits but nanaimo bar on a stick that's just mean!

Roasted Buttercup & Sweet Potato Custard

Custard

(serves 4)

Ingredients

1 medium sized sweet potato (1 C roasted)

1 small buttercup squash (1 1/2 C roasted)

1 tsp coconut oil (butter or Earth Balance will work)

1/2 of a 12 oz package of well drained firm silken tofu 

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2T light coconut milk

1/4 -1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 freshly grated ginger root (or 1/8 tsp dried ginger)

 1  tsp buckwheat honey or more depending on desired sweetness (or your favourite honey, maple syrup)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Slice sweet potato in half and brush lightly with coconut oil.  Slice squash in half, scrape out seeds (reserve for roasting), and place remaining coconut oil in squash.  Allow to bake for 45-60 minutes until potato and squash are soft.  Allow to cool and then scrape out flesh.

roasted sweet potatoes and squash with coconut oil

Place all custard ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Measure 1/2 C servings into small bowls and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

Spiced Walnuts

Ingredients

1 tsp blackstrap molasses

1/4 tsp allspice

1T unrefined brown sugar (I used Camino)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place walnuts on a baking stone and allow to toast until fragrant (approximately 5 minutes).  This is not the time to multitask.   While nuts are toasting combine allspice & sugar in a small bowl.  When nuts are finished toasting add to bowl along with molasses.  Stir until walnuts are well coated.  Bake for approximately 1-2 minutes until sugar is melted.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Serve 1/2 C serving of custard with 1 T of spiced walnuts.

breakfast?

Will Run For Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

sweet potato lentil soup

"Allium halitosis infinite" (garlic breath f-o-r-e-v-e-r)!  It's been a pretty busy day around here.  There were garlic incantations (Farmer picked 120 heads of garlic yesterday and she's suffering from Harry Potter withdrawals.  Those two things together make for some very lame jokes!).

Farmer: "I like to call this one daddy"

120 heads!

There was apple picking.

glorious apples from my parents' tree

Jeb: "She couldn't possibly mind if I just lick the apple"

Jeb: "She won't miss one little apple"

There were threats even after I offered to buy pace bunny coffee after our run.   Threats that included a bus (and the possibility of me 'accidentally' falling under the wheel) and a tank top that might have been red and might have had some sort of elasticity at one time (thankfully it went 'missing' this morning.  Now if someone could just hide her shorty shorts.)  

Then there was pace bunny soup.

PB makes this delicious sweet potato lentil soup.  PB's recipes are more of a guide than anything else.  If you are lucky she'll remember all of the ingredients.  It's more likely that she'll e-mail after you've already made whatever recipe you asked for telling you about a key ingredient that she forgot to include or an essential step in the recipe.

On that note, good luck!

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

(6-8 servings)

1 large sweet potato cut in small chunks

1 can of green lentils 19 oz (drained)

1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz

2 C vegetable broth

2 inch piece of ginger root minced

1 large onion diced

2 large cloves of local garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

*2 Tbsp chili powder

*pinch chipotlepowder

*2 Tbsp cumin

*2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1.  Warm olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and ginger over medium heat until onions are soft (5-10 minutes).  Add chili powder, cumin & chipotle powder and saute for approximately one more minute.

2.  Add potatoes, vegetable broth & diced tomatoes.  Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are soft (20-30 minutes).  Add drained lentils.  Add balsamic vinegar.

3.  Serve with sliced avocado and tortilla chips.

* adjust spices and vinegar to your personal tastes and add additional vegetable broth if you prefer a thinner soup.