Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fall Food: Eggs and Soup

Here in Vancouver, there's leaves on the ground and snow on the mountains. My boyfriend is out of town this week, so here's what I have been eating for lunch and dinner:


First: poached eggs on toast with spinach and goat cheese. I have graduated from cracking the eggs into a big spoon to cracking them right into the water. Progress!


 The bread is from a local chain where I can stick my head in the door and call out my order while keeping the dog company on the sidewalk. (I'd tie him up, but he'd pull over their sign... he knows how to throw his 6 pounds around.)


Second: easy Fall/Winter soup, adapted from the Rebar's Chunky Winter Vegetable Soup. I will never make this kind of soup (or chili) again without beer. (All the alcohol evaporates, so it's appropriate for work and pregnant friends alike.)

Ingredients

1/2 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
a selection of seasonal veggies: squash, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, savoy cabbage, etc.
some kind of bean or grain, like 1/3 cup quinoa or a can of white beans
oregano and/or fresh thyme
red chili flakes
a splash of apple cider vinegar
one bottle of dark beer
1 carton of low-sodium vegetable broth

Directions

Saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for a few minutes. Add the other veggies, bean/grain and spices. Saute for a few more minutes. Add vinegar, beer and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve with crackers and cheese or cheese toast. (The Rebar suggests blue cheese on pumpernickel, but cheddar on whole wheat is also delicious.)

I foresee this will be an excellent antidote to holiday over-eating!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Quel book: Fifth Avenue, 5 A. M.

The subtitle of this book says it all: "Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the dawn of the modern woman."

Author Sam Wasson charts arc of people and events that came together to create the movie: Truman Capote's late-night/early-morning trips to Tiffany's with one of his muses, to his novella based partly on his absent mother, the Givenchy-only clause in Audrey's contract, the making of director Blake Edwards' hilarious party scene, and both the scandal and the impact of Holly on Audrey Hepburn and on viewers.

I highly recommend reading the book first and then watching the movie again, darlings. 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

By the end of the summer, I was tired of grilling and salads. 
Now that Fall is here, I can start making soup!

This soup is from the excellent cookbook of the apparently now defunct Tomato. It's filling and freezes well. I usually make a half recipe and just throw it in whatever I happen to have that day, like sweet potatoes and extra spices.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
5-6 small potatoes, diced (I use sweet potatoes)
2 stalks of celery
2-3 medium carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt (I skip the salt)
1 tsp pepper
2 cups dry split green peas, rinsed
1 bay leaf
8-10 cups of vegetable stock or water (I use low-sodium veggie stock)

Process

Saute the onions until soft in oil/butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the veggies and spices (save bay leaf) and saute for 10 minutes. Add split peas, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 + minutes until the peas are soft. Skim the foam from time to time and stir frequently. Add extra water if it gets too thick. Goes well with toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.