Garden Soups ~ Cream of Turnip & Minted Sweet Pea

Cream of Turnip Soup

I've been feeling rather badly that I've barely showcased our bountiful garden this season. Already it has given us so much! Therefore, in honor of the Spring garden turning it's reign over to the Summer garden, today's feature is soup! Two as a matter of fact:

Cream of Turnip, a mild, slightly sweet soup similar to cream of potato- perfect for rainy days and/or ultra air-conditioned environments. And Minted Sweet Pea, a velvety, refreshing soup, delicious hot or cold!

Turnips from Gardner Jim

Cream of Turnip Soup (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small cleaned, chopped leeks (white & light green parts only)
1 clove garlic, chopped
sea salt
4 cups peeled, chunked turnips (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups less-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
chopped fresh chives (for garnish)
fleur de sel & truffle oil (optional for finishing)

Method

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, sprinkle with salt, and sauté stirring occasionally until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add turnips; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to steady simmer and cook until turnips are very tender, about 10 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the venthole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed.
Return turnip purée to pot and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the cream; incorporating 1/4 cup will just smooth out the edges. The more you add, the thicker and more luxurious the soup will become. Check seasoning and add salt to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives. If desired, finish with a drizzle of truffle oil and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Enjoy!

Minted Sweet Pea Soup

Minted Sweet Pea Soup (Serves 6)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cups organic, low-sodium chicken stock
5 cups freshly shelled peas or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas
2/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
2 teaspoons course sea salt (or kosher)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup freshly chopped chives for garnish

Method

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven, add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender but not browned.
Add stock, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will only take 3 min.) Remove from the heat, and add the mint, salt, and pepper.
Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in blender, place lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the venthole in lid and slowly add more soup til the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed.
Add the soup back to the pot and gently reheat. (Also lovely served chilled or at room temperature as well!) Remove from heat and whisk in creme fraiche to incorporate. Stir in chives leaving a few for garnish. Enjoy!

Gardner Jim's beautiful sweet peas, freshly shelled

Food

Triple Berry Parfait with Cashew Cream

Fresh Berries with Cashew Cream

Triple Berry Parfait with Cashew Cream was a perfect start to this sunny, spring day. Fresh, organic berries topped by a luscious, honey-sweetened mousse…

The only thing better than looking forward to having this for breakfast the next couple of days is knowing how healthy it is! A lovely little meal packed with antioxidants, protein, fiber and iron.

Serve cashew cream with any mixture of fruit or simply substitute it anywhere you'd use a sweet topping like whipped cream or mascarpone. It's to die for!

This is my submission to Sarah at Dead Easy Desserts for the August 2014 Raspberry Theme!

Cashew Cream (makes 2 cups)

Ingredients:

2 cups raw cashew nuts (soaked overnight to remove enzyme inhibitors & release live nutrients by initiating the sprouting process)
2 cups cold water (plus extra as needed)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons raw coconut nectar or raw honey (3 if you like it sweet!)

Method:

Place cashews, 2 cups cold water, raw honey and vanilla extract into a heavy-duty blender such as a Vitamix. (If your blender isn't "heavy-duty" just soak the cashews in the water overnight to soften. After step 2 strain the final, blended mixture through a sieve if necessary- or just keep it rustic.)
Blend on high speed for about 1 minute. Add a little more water and blend again until smooth. Taste the cream and add a bit more honey if necessary.
The cream thickens and settles as it refrigerates. If you're preparing for immediate use, only add enough water to bring it to immediate desired thickness. To prep in advance, leave the cream a little runnier by adding another few tablespoons of water, blending til incorporated.
Cashew cream may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Triple Berry Parfait

Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries sliced
Mint sprigs

To assemble Triple Berry Parfait, simply arrange blackberries, raspberries and strawberries into a dish and drizzle a generous dollop of cream over top. Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!

Tip: A festive breakfast, brunch or dessert treat to serve on Forth of July with its red, white and blue color scheme! Just substitute blueberries for the blackberries.

Food

Tomato Toasts with Sardines & Mint

Tomato Toasts with Sardines & Mint (Recipe/Photo courtesy EatingWell.com: March/April 2010)

I am in LOVE with this recipe for Tomato Toasts with Sardines & Mint by Washington D.C. based Chef, Barton Seaver. Since I find myself making it for lunch all the time, (though it's a fab little appetizer as well), I felt compelled to share it with you!

Make sure you buy high-quality, smoked sardines packed in olive oil – not the kind in tomato sauce or mustard – and FRESH mint to ensure a delicious result.

INGREDIENTS (12 toasts)

1 4-ounce can boneless, skinless sardines packed in olive oil, preferably smoked

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 slices multigrain bread or 12 slices baguette, preferably whole-grain

1/2 medium ripe tomato

1 tablespoon very thinly sliced yellow onion

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Flake sardines with a fork into a mixing bowl. (The pieces should not be mashed, but should be no bigger than a dime.) Add mint, oil and salt; toss gently to combine.

If using whole slices of bread, cut off the crusts and cut each into four triangles. Place the triangles or baguette slices on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. As soon as you remove them from the oven, rub each slice with the cut side of the tomato. As you progress, the tomato will break down until only the skin remains; discard any remaining tomato.

Top each toast with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sardine mixture. Top the sardine mixture with a couple of onion slices and serve immediately.

NOTE: Did you know this so commonly overlooked little fish, named after the island of Sardinia, is a nutritional powerhouse? Their high concentration of omega 3's, calcium, vitamin D and protein make their nutritional value hard to beat if you're into "clean" eating.

Food

Blueberry Coconut Shake

Blueberry Coconut Smoothie

Do you enjoy looking and feeling your best? Then this energy boosting, make-yourself-radiant Coconut-Blueberry Shake is right up your alley!

Plus it tastes amazing! (Think cross between malted milkshake & nut-brittle candy.)

I predict this exotic combination of flavors will fall into your weekly repertoire. It's a recipe I can whip up on the busiest of days knowing I'll love the taste and be doing something great for my body.

Wild blueberries pack a healthy punch of phytonutrients, antioxidants & anti-inflammatories, while coconut milk nourishes and moisturizes the hair and skin. Toasted pecans provide 19 vitamins and minerals, protein and… well, you get the idea! It's fabulous in every respect so you'll just have to try it:-)

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 cup frozen wild blueberries

3/4 cup coconut milk (or equivalent fresh baby thai coconut coconut meat & coconut water)

2 tablespoons water

2 1/2 tablespoons pecans

1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey, coconut nectar, maple syrup or Stevia

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder

Method

In a blender combine the blueberries, coconut milk, water, toasted nuts (or nut butter), honey and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you don't have a heavy-duty blender like a Vitamix, use Almond Butter (or another nut butter- preferably raw) instead of the whole nuts to ensure a silky-smooth shake.

Food

Italian Affogato

Italian Affogato

I love simple, beautiful food that doesn't disappoint… or require a lengthy recovery period after putting it together. My take on the Italian Affogato is so easy I felt silly writing out the instructions!

Steaming espresso swirls around creamy vanilla ice-cream with a splash of Amaretto Liquor. Warning: It's likely you'll have the urge to head back to the kitchen to whip up another 🙂

Serve in a cozy mug to fit a casual occasion. In a beautiful dish they're elegant enough for a dinner party. Perfect any time of year, any time of day. Great with decaf or regular depending on your mood. If you don't have an espresso machine, simply use coffee.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

Your Favorite Vanilla Ice-Cream or Gelato (coconut Ice-Cream if you're vegan)

Freshly Brewed Espresso or Coffee (Roastaroma if you're coffee-free)

Amaretto Liquor

Method

Place a ball of ice-cream in serving dish. Pour espresso around the ice-cream. Add 1 tablespoon of Amaretto. Serve immediately and Enjoy!

Note: Always use the freshest, best quality ingredients you can. It makes a huge impact on flavor! In the case of coffee & espresso, I highly recommend a Bialetti French Press or Espresso Maker. Because they're simply made and easy to rinse after each use, neither will acquire that bitter, old-coffee-machine-taste that ruins an otherwise great cup of coffee.

The Bialetti Mocha sound whistles a little tune when the espresso is ready!

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Food

Sweet Polenta Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting and Fresh Berries

Sweet Polenta Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting and Fresh Berries

What better way to celebrate the onset of Spring than with these beautiful italian-inspired cupcakes! Fresh berries atop a sweetened, cornmeal cake and a pillow of mascarpone cream.

Simple. Beautiful. Delicious.

And a perfect time to share two of my favorite cupcake accessories…

Silver cupcake liners, which I always have in stock for when the cupcake mood strikes. And, since cupcakes are a great treat to share with other people, a practical and easy way to transport them – the Cupcake Courier. I highly recommend this little baby. It has room for the tallest of cupcakes, or mounds of berries as the case may be, and they're all safely nestled and snapped into an easy to use container that I believe will survive even the bumpiest of car rides.

Sweet Polenta Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting and Fresh Berries nestled inside the Cupcake Courier (the top is currently off).

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup polenta, finely ground (if you'd prefer a more "textured" cupcake, substitute medium ground polenta)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the best you can get, it makes a HUGE difference in your baking results)
zest of 2 lemons
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus a pinch for the egg whites
4 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, blackberries & raspberries)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cupcake pans with 24 muffin liners. Sift together the flour and baking powder then whisk in the polenta and salt.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. While the mixer is running add the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in the milk, vanilla, and lemon zest. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients to this mixture until just incorporated.

In a separate, clean, dry bowl whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add a teaspoon of powdered sugar while the whites are mixing. Add half of the whites to the first mixture and beat with the paddle. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a large spatula to lighten the batter by incorporating air.

Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tins, filling each til about 2/3 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool each pan on a wire rack for a few minutes before removing the cupcakes. Again, cool the cupcakes completely to room temperature while before frosting.

Combine the mascarpone cheese with the confectioners' sugar slowly. Once you're past the stage of loose powdered sugar, beat together with a whisk until combined. Ice the cupcakes with the mascarpone frosting and top each with a mound of berries. Enjoy!

Recipe inspired/adapted from Michael Chiarello

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Food

Favorite Snacks Fridays

Gorgonzola with Fuji Apples

Often, I'd rather have a snack than a meal. Err, multiple snacks instead of a meal. I have lots of favorite combos…

Favorite Snacks Fridays is born! (Well…not every Friday, maybe once or twice a month.)

Gorgonzola Blue Cheese and Sliced Fuji Apples never disappoint. (However, the apples must be Fuji- sweet yet tangy, always crispy, never mealy). And, aside from your choice of apples, there's a lot of wiggle room…

Sliced pears and smoked Gouda? Amaze. Sliced Fujis and Pecorino? To die. Looking to spice things up? Add a little Dijon to your apple or pear instead of the cheese. Tasty.

Clearly the combinations are endless.

Jim and I browse through the mammoth cheese display at our local organic market as if we're at the library selecting books. Fun stuff.

I'd love to hear about some of your favorite snacks. What might they be?

Food

Whoopie Pies with Mint Filling and Chocolate Ganache

Whoopie Pies with Mint Filling and Chocolate Ganache

In case you weren't notified, whoopie pies are the new cupcake.

And, if you're a fan of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies or chocolate-chip-mint ice-cream (like Jim) you'll love these Whoopie Pies with Mint Filling and Chocolate Ganache. The moment I saw them featured in Bon Appetit I knew I had to give them a try. Well, actually my husband subtly pointed them out to me 🙂

Don't let the fancy name fool you, these are seriously simple to make and oh so delicious. Plus, they're perfect for St. Patty's Day.

Let me know how you like them!

Instructions (makes about 15 sandwich cookies)

Ingredients

cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening or unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk

mint filling

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening or unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 large eggs)
3 to 4 drops green food coloring

chocolate ganache

3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

special equipment (I used a corner-snipped ziplock freezer bag)

Pastry bag or resealable plastic bag
Medium-size star pastry tip

Preparation

cookies

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat shortening, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating until blended after each addition.
Drop dough by very rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are slightly puffed and spread but are still soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. DO AHEAD Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight in single layer at room temperature.

mint filling

Using electric mixer, beat shortening, peppermint extract, and vanilla in large metal bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar, egg whites, and pinch of salt; beat until light and fluffy. Add food coloring drop by drop for desired shade of green; beat until well blended. If mixture looks curdled, place bowl over low heat several seconds and beat until smooth. Repeat as necessary until smooth.

ganache

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until lukewarm but spreadable, about 15 minutes.
Spoon 1 teaspoon ganache onto bottom (flat side) of half of cookies. Place cookies, ganache side up, on prepared baking sheet.
Spoon mint filling into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip (or spoon filling into resealable plastic bag, squeezing filling into 1 corner of bag, then cut off 1/4 inch of plastic bag corner to allow for piping). Starting at outer edge of bottom (flat side) of remaining cookies and working toward center, pipe mint filling in spiral. Place 1 mint-filled cookie, mint side down, atop each ganache-topped cookie, pressing slightly to adhere. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine Jan., 2011

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Food, Style

Pear-Mint-Ginger Sake Cocktail

This Pear-Mint-Ginger Sake Cocktail is refreshing and not too sweet with a wonderful kick of ginger. We went through two pitchers of them at our party last week! They’re that tasty.

Make them to order in a rocks glass per the single serving directions below.

Or, if you’d like to serve them to a larger group like I did, simply multiply the ingredients by the number of guests you’re having. Then, combine the 1st four ingredients in a container and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Strain the mixture, then pour into a beautiful pitcher and serve chilled with a sprig of mint in a simple martini glass.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1)

2 mint sprigs
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (Use sliced ginger “coins” if pre-mixing for a party. This will make straining easier, and provide for a clean presentation.)
2 ounces sake, chilled
2 ounces pear nectar (such as Goya brand), chilled
Garnish: mint sprig

DIRECTIONS

Combine 2 mint sprigs and ginger in a chilled rocks glass; mash well. Fill glass with ice. Add chilled sake and chilled pear nectar; stir well. Garnish with a mint sprig; serve immediately.

Great Tip: Did you know you can store your fresh ginger in the freezer for several months to be at the ready anytime you need it?! Just thaw it on the counter briefly before each use.

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Food

Spumoni-Sambuca Dessert

What’s better than a dessert that takes 30 seconds to make?

One that delivers on taste and presentation too!

Prepare to be whisked away to Italy via this combo of exotic flavors. If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle some silver dragees on top.

Ingredients:

Spumoni Ice-Cream (soften slightly on the counter first)

Sambuca

Simple Martini Glasses for Serving

Instructions:

Place a generous scoop of Spumoni into each martini glass. Top with 1 tablespoon of Sambuca. If using, sprinkle with the silver dragees. Slowly savor the festive flavors dancing on your tongue!

shhhh, don’t tell anyone… because it’s not even the point… but this little baby has less than 150 calories!

Email me if you’d like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)

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Method

Ingredients

Directions

cookies

mint filling

chocolate ganache

special equipment (I used a corner-snipped ziplock freezer bag)

Preparation

cookies

mint filling

ganache