About 15 years ago ( geezzzzz - hard to believe it has been that long!), I was traveling around New Zealand with my sister. I pretty much dragged her to everything adventurous we could possible do and one was cave diving to see the glow worms. It was a very cold, yet interestingly fun adventure but the one thing I remember was the delicious hot pumpkin soup and buttery toast we had after our tour.

Sadly though, my pumpkin soup will not go down with such memories with my family. Although, I thought it was good and it was simple and nutritious, I figured I would post it.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 1Tbsp of olive oil

• 2 Tbsp of butter

• 1 onion, sliced

• 6 cups of pumpkin cut into larger chunks

• 3 cups of sliced potatoes

• 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock

• pinch of nutmeg

• 1 tsp chopped and fresh tarragon

• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 1 to 2 tsp of lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat up the oil and butter in a sauce pan. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes - stirring frequently.
2. Add the pumpkin and potatoes and stir well. Cover and let steam for approximately 10 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender. Don’t forget to stir!
3. Stir in stock, nutmeg, tarragon and salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes ( or until the vegetables are completely tender).
4. Let the soup cool and then pour into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Pour back in to the pan and add the milk. Heat slowly, add the lemon juice and adjust the seasonings if need be.
5. Serve the soup nice an hot!

Enjoy! and be well,

I wrote about how I like to look at food list..how they inspire me to buy and cook with foods that I may have forgotten.  I thought it might be a good idea for me to create my own list - my favourite, everyday foods. Once I started typing away at my list I realized it was quite big! I thought about categorizing but well….nah.

My favourite super nutrient packed and yummy foods!

1. avocados
2. fuji apples
3. blueberries
4. broccoli
5. almonds
6. red onions
7. tomatos
8. good olives
9. salmon
10. spinach
11. basil
12. cilantro
13. thyme
14. egg
15. goat cheese
16. brown rice bread
17. butter
18. olive oil
19. dark chocolate
20. licorice mint tea
21. coffee
22. cream
23. sugar ( for my coffee!)

*** these foods I readily have in my pantry or fridge***

The foods I would like to eat more of:

1. kale
2. swiss chard
3. cabbage
4. beans
5. more fruit - kiwi and such ( I am not much of a fruit eater except in my daily smoothies)
6. leeks
7. root vegetables: squash, pumpkin ( not potatoes though - not my thing)
8. seeds

I am sure I could think of more but for now, that is about it.

I try to purchase all my foods/produce from the local farmers and organic. I really feel that when I buy local and/or organic I am not only helping to keep my family healthy but also the planet.

Be well,

PS If you have any simple recipes to encourage me to eat more of the foods I want to eat more of, please send them my way!

Yummy yum yum yum!!!!!

I was going threw some old Halloween magazines…you know trying to get organized for Pearl’s favourite holiday! and came across this recipe in a Martha Stewart Halloween edition.

She says  not use a can of pumpkin-pie filling but I did and it turned out fine. Since I did this though I did not add the pumpkin-pie spice mix. I also used organic ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour ( I used spelt)
• 1 TBSP pumpkin-pie spice
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 sticks of room temperature butter
• 1 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg ( I used what I had and it didn’t look so large)
• 1 cup canned solid-packed pumpkin puree ( not pumpkin pie filling)
• 12 ozs of chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Line bottom and sides of a  9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 sides ( I always do this when baking cakes but when I baked these I just greased the pan.
2. Whisk the flour, pie spice, baking soda and salt.
3. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then the pumpkin puree ( mixture may appear curdled). Reduce to low speed and beat in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spread into pan. Bake rotating pan halfway through, until edges begin to pull away from sides and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
5. Using parchment overhang, lift cake out from pan. Peel off parchment paper, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares. ( I just kept mine in the pan)

These were so delicious the next day nice and chilly from the fridge!

Enjoy,

I am tasty with bittersweet leaves and native to Peru (that is in South America!). Oh I  forgot to mention, that I am  quite stunning with bright orange flowers nestled amongst green shiny leaves!

While living in Peru, the Incas would throw me (gently of course) into their salads for a splash of colour but I was also used for medicinal purpose – maybe because I am full of vitamin c?

Thomas Jefferson soon discovered us (he was an avid gardener and farmer!) and  planted our seeds in his vegetable garden at Monticello.

Since I have a peppery taste I tend to ward off many garden pests. I have only one request if you plant me in your garden, please do not over water me! I can not stand a soggy wet soil!

So put in me in your flower arrangements or in your dinner salad as I will add some colour and flavour to your table!

Be healthy!