Cauliflower & Potato Soup

If you'd asked me a few weeks ago what I thought of cauliflower, I probably would have told you I thought the stuff was vile and to be avoided. It's not really the flavour, I just figured it didn't really have anything going for it. But I just had not had it prepared in an appetising way before I discovered this quick and easy winter warming soup. Determined to get more veggies into my family, and being winter, I decided to try something different. I went and brought cauliflower. My husband stared at me as if to say "what are you going to do with that?!"
I'm currently 39 weeks pregnant and have not had the energy for anything too convoluted. Seriously, I can't really even get that close to the kitchen bench with baby bump in the way-I literally feel like a T-rex, with a huge body and puny arms that just don't reach far enough. So as you can imagine, I need something remarkably quick, something that limits my time reaching over the belly to the bench.. (Don't even ask how I manage to wash the dishes, I am sure my back will not thank me for it in the future.)
I need simple, tasty meals that are not going to take me all day to prepare, so I am sharing this beauty with you. It's simple! It's tasty! It's veggies! Even my kids eat it with gusto, served with a side of steaming garlic bread.
I love these type of meals you simply chop, throw into a pot and later on puree and serve. It doesn't get much easier. You could even do this meal in a slow cooker or crock pot if you preferred. That's always a great option for busy people who can't keep going back and checking on the stove every few minutes! And-it's freezable. Just leave out the cream until you've defrosted and reheated it, and you're good to go.

CAULIFLOWER & POTATO SOUP (Adapted from Taste.com)

1 onion, roughly chopped (I used a red onion, but a brown one is great fine)
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 1.3 kg)
500g potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt and pepper to season
1 litre chicken stock
1/2 cup cream

Toss the chopped onion and garlic into a large pot with a dash of oil or butter and cook until the onion begins to soften. Add the cauliflower florets and potato, and season with salt and pepper as desired. Add the chicken stock and place the lid on the pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat for 5 minutes, then puree in a blender. Before serving, stir the cream through and garnish, if desired.

Serves 4
NOTES: This recipe is suitable for freezing. Freeze the soup without the addition of the cream, and add the cream after defrosting and reheating.

Roasted Sweet Potato with Honey and Cinnamon Glaze

How does one get out of a dinner rut? You know, how you end up always cycling through the same meals and the same sort of ingredients, and it just gets a little monotonous?
Sometimes you just have to mix it up a little at the dinner table. I always think it's a good idea to buy one new thing a fortnight and force yourself to cook with it. It's a good way to spice up meals a bit and adds to your cooking repertoire, making it more diverse and less boring.
It's a little challenging with small kids, because often you have go-to meals because you know meal time will be easier to bear. Yep, that's right! My kids would rather eat dry cat food than some of the things I serve. It's humbling. I try to reassure myself that their taste-buds haven't sufficiently developed yet, while I force feed them.
I was reading an article written by a dietician the other day about the "shared responsibility eating" theory. Basically you place the dinner on the table buffet style, and your children get to serve themselves, deciding what they want to eat and how much they will eat. There is no obligation to finish or taste anything. Well I think that's crazy. My kids would starve themselves. Or eat crackers for the rest of their childhoods. (trust me, I have been there in my own childhood, resulting in one never-hungry and malnourished girl. That's right-I never felt hungry enough to eat.)
My kids get served a portion of what we are eating and have to finish it. They at least have to have a taste of the things they're not used to, for example, if I add a new veggie or make something they've never tried before, they will have to at least experience it once.
We usually have our sweet potato boiled and mashed, but for Christmas lunch I decided to roast the sweet potato in wedges, drizzled in a honey cinnamon glaze. This was served alongside Gordon Ramsey's Beef Wellington (Oh my. This is a must-make!) The roasted glazed sweet potato  was so divine that I could probably have eaten the lot of it in one sitting. I have since brought it to the dinner table as a side, and it's always been a much-savored hit.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WITH HONEY & CINNAMON GLAZE (Adapted from Food Network)

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick fingers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven at 190C.
Lay all the sweet potato fingers flat on a lined baking tray.
Combine the oil, honey and cinnamon in a small bowl until well incorporated. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the sweet potato. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until tender. If you prefer some more colour, you can finish off the roasting with a few minutes under the grill on a high setting.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired before serving.

Crumbed Parmesan Zucchini Fries

I don't follow fads. I pride myself on not following them. For example, when adding bacon to every dessert became popular in the cooking blogosphere, I did not go there.
When everyone had their cake-pop faze, I refused to go there too. Regardless of how pretty some people made them. I think people can get totally carried away on the waves of what's popular without thinking.
But I have been meaning for a long time to make zucchini fries. That's one craze I cant resist, and when I saw them featured on Chelsy's blog, Magnia, I knew I was about to taste those lovely, crumbed vegetable sticks. I know that doesn't particularly sound appetizing, but they make great vegetarian appetizers, or a delicious, meatless side to your Lenten dinner plate.
And we're sneaking veggies in here.
In a very delicious way.
I was delighted to discover through my designated Secret Recipe Club reveal blog, that magnia means eat in Italian. I'm a total sucker for Italian food, and Chelsy's blog is packed with yummy recipes that show off that gorgeous culture.
Seriously, if I were ever to travel the world, I'd go directly to Italy and do a culinary tour and put on at least 20kg just from taste testing. It would be heaven.
There has been a request or two in the past few months for some Italian foods to be featured here--so, you have your wish in these crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside Crumbed Parmesan Zucchini Fries. Actually, they're not even fries, because they're baked, so I suppose that title is a little misleading.
Chelsy's recipe had pecan meal instead of bread crumbs, but I found myself nut-less, and hence I omitted the nut for bread.
I also made my own Italian Seasoning, because I'm not Italian enough to have it kept in my pantry. Shame on me! Luckily the home made Italian Seasoning has been a hit since I made it, and will certainly become a staple in this house. Home made is always better--but feel free to simplify this recipe by buying your own Italian Seasoning all bottled up from the store if you're pressed for time.

CRUMBED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI FRIES (Adapted from Magnia)

1 large zucchini
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
salt to taste

Preheat the oven at 220C. Line a tray with non stick baking paper and set aside.
Cut the zucchini down the centre lengthways, then halve both pieces again and again until you have long, thin strips of zucchini. (the thinner the tastier!)
Combine the egg and egg white in a small bowl, whisking until well combined.
In a shallow dish or plate, combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, seasoning and salt to taste.
Dip each zucchini strip into the egg mixture and shake off the excess. then coat it in the dry crumb mixture and place it on the prepared tray. Repeat until all the zucchini strips are coated. Then place the tray in the oven for 10 minutes before flipping the zucchini fries and cooking for a further 10 minutes. Serve immediately with a dipping sauce or salsa.


 HOME MADE ITALIAN SEASONING (Adapted from Food.com)

3 tablespoons dried basil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
a pinch of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a mortar and crush with a pestle until well ground. 

Place in an airtight jar for up until 6 months.

Zucchini Boats

Have you ever come across someone that says they don't like eating something particular, and then you find out that they have never tasted it in their life? Have you ever wondered what makes people dislike certain  things they know nothing about? Just because an eggplant is called an eggplant doesn't mean it tastes like egg. Just because a chocolate icing looks brown like mud doesn't mean it tastes like mud!
You would think I'm talking solely about little children, but I'm talking adults here too. Well, I'm included there, I often find myself feeling prejudice against the poor old cauliflower, the parsnip and spinach. I think it comes down to families and what is frequently eaten and not eaten in the home. I love when people say they don't like something in particular because it sets me on a mission to convert them over.
This instance I converted myself!
Besides my zucchini soup which I love, I found it hard to prepare zucchini in a way that didn't repulse me. How could this stuff be cooked in a way that made it delicious? Well I was delighted when I came across this recipe for Zucchini Boats, and they look gourmet too (Something that never goes astray in my books). They're very easy to prepare and don't use many ingredients, but they pack a punch of flavour.
My little son and I found some cherry tomatoes that had grown in our very neglected vegie patch--somehow surviving the deathbed that it grew up in. We picked them, sliced them and put them on this garlic and lemon seasoned zucchini half, amongst the cheese that was then grilled and browned into a sizzling, delicious, golden crust.

ZUCCHINI BOATS (adapted from Proud Italian Cook)

4 small zucchinis
1 tbsp crushed garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
dash of lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper to taste
1 punnet (approximately 16) cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese

Set the oven at 180C.
Slice the zucchinis lengthways and arrange on a baking tray. Slice a slither off the bottoms if they do not lay evenly. Using a teaspoon, scrape the seeds out of each zucchini half, and discard.
In a small bowl, combine crushed garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Brush the tops and ridges of the zucchinis with this mixture, then place the tray in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella in the zucchini ridges. Top with halves cherry or grape tomatoes, then sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Place underneath a hot grill or broiler and cook until sizzling and the cheese has browned. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 zucchini boats

Silky Thai Sweet Potato Soup

For our Gourmet Garden Blog Off dinner party, we had a sublime Thai inspired sweet potato soup for the entre. I had invented this previously but with the simple addition of coriander powder, but when I was sent the delectable Thai Paste via Gourmet Garden, I knew I just had to try it in this silky soup.
This soup is all about textures and subtle flavours. It's an exquisite feast for the senses and is not to be eaten in haste, but relished and savored so as to experience all the flavours that come through along with the satiny smooth consistency. In addition to the soup, we enjoyed home made Garlic Bread Knots, hot from the oven and spread with butter, which tied in magnificently with the other flavours. Does food get any better? There's nothing quite like a delicious soup paired with hot, home made bread.

Course 2:

SILKY THAI SWEET POTATO SOUP (A Louise Creation)

2kg sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
600ml coconut cream
4 cubes of dry chicken stock (I use OXO brand)
2 tbsp. Gourmet Garden Thai paste
1 cup hot water
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
fresh or ground coriander to garnish (optional)

Peel the sweet potato and cut into large, rough chunks. Place in a large saucepan and fill the pot to the 3/4 mark with water. Place over high heat until the sweet potato is tender when pierced with a knife.
Drain away the liquid, and place the sweet potato in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, place the crushed dry chicken stock with the boiling water and stir until dissolved.
Stir the coconut cream until well combined and thick. Add to the sweet potato, along with the thai paste and chicken stock liquid. Blend with the electric beater until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
In batches, blitz in a food blender until a silky smooth consistency is reached. Return all soup to the pot and reheat. Serve with coriander as a garnish, if desired.

Serves 8-10 as an entre.

Aubergine Tagine

Finally, a wonderful excuse hit me to take my wonderful red tagine down from it's nook in the kitchen corner. Moroccan has always been a favourite for us on those cooler night, and it certainly has been a cold May in Queensland! That combined with the fact that Gourmet Garden had sent me a variety of delicious herb and spice pastes was enough to get me looking for a wonderful main meal to whip up in this fabulous earthenware pot. We enjoyed this vegetarian dish as a meat-less alternative to Beef and Red Wine Casserole at our five course Gourmet Garden Dinner Party, and it was a big hit all around. It features a lovely combination of aromatic spices including cinnamon and turmeric and Gourmet Garden's very own garlic paste, coriander, and hot chilli paste. Paired with warm cous cous, this veggie packed meal was a real crowd-pleaser, and it's so healthy too.

Course 3:

MOROCCAN AUBERGINE TAGINE (Adapted from 500 Main Courses, Jenni Fleetwood, 2011)

1 medium aubergine, diced (1 cm cubes)
2 zucchinis, thickly sliced
4 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 tbsp. Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic Paste
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. Gourmet Garden Coriander paste
1 tbsp. cinnamon, ground
2 tsp. turmeric, ground
2 1/2 cups passata
1 heaped tbsp. tomato paste
1 flat tbsp. Gourmet Garden Hot Chilli paste
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
fresh coriander to garnish

Sprinkle salt over diced aubergine and zucchini. Set aside in a bowl for 30 minutes. Heat the grill on high and place the aubergine and zucchini on a tray underneath. Grill until tender and golden, turning occasionally to prevent burning, for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in the tagine, or heavy based pot. Cook the onion and garlic until softened, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and saute until tender; then add the spices. Stir through for 1 minute until aromatic and well combined. Add passata, tomato paste and 2/3 cup water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the aubergine, zucchini, chickpeas and apricots and chilli paste. Cook, partially covered, for a further 15 minutes, adding a little extra water if the tagine becomes too dry. Serve with cous cous and garnish with fresh coriander if desired, and serve.
Serves 6

Bacon and Sage whole Stuffed Potatoes

Sitting down after a long Easter Sunday, I realized I had probably eaten a little too much. It brought back the memory of the days when food was my archfoe, and would have lived off dry crackers if my parents hadn't stepped in. In fact, I was so shocking with food at the time that my mother had to wake me up in the night to give me a steady dose of Sustagen ( nutritional supplement) to try and bring me back to my former self. I guess I was skeletal.
It's only since I got married that I've started to thoroughly enjoy food and eat properly. I have my darling husband to thank for that. He makes me want to actually eat, and now, here I am, food rocks my every day. So there's hope for those who don't fancy food as being a great and enjoyable part of being alive.
It made me think though, if I had been allowed to live off sweets, would I have? Probably not, I cant remember being addicted or interested in any food at all. But sweets is the way my mind thinks now, not so much the savories. My brother in law thought this blog could improve with some savories...so here it is, for you David. With extra cheese, just for you!

BACON AND SAGE WHOLE STUFFED POTATOES (adapted from Coles Autumn Magazine March 2012)


12 small potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to sprinkle

2 rashers bacon, diced finely
1/2 cup cheese, grated
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground sage
sour cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C. Wash the potatoes and remove any residue. We recommend using potatoes that are brushed and washed. Place one potato on the chopping board and place an item, such as a chopstick or container lid, on either side. This ensures you do not cut through to the base of the potato in the next step.
Slice the potato thinly down to the chopstick level, and repeat until the whole top of the potato is a series of slices. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Place on a baking sheet with the sliced side up, then rub with oil.. Sprinkle the tops with a little salt to flavour. Bake for 1 hour or until tender .
Meanwhile, pan fry diced bacon for one or two minutes. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese and sage.
Remove the potatoes from the oven. Randomly wedge pieces of bacon into the cuts of each potato and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Return to oven until cheese has melted. Serve immediately with sour cream dolloped on the top.

NOTES: These were yummy as they were, but I personally found the skin a little hard to chew through. You could peel the tops before slicing, if preferred. This may increase the enjoyability of the stuffed potatoes. Also ensure they are served hot!