As soon as I put this soup together on the stove the aroma immediately brought me back to Egypt. During my trip I had become quite familiar of the scent of cumin, coriander, and lentils mingling together, since lentil soup was served at almost every lunch and dinner. Far from being monotonous, I enjoyed my new relationship with lentils, a legume I routinely overlook in my own cooking.
Lentils have a very long history in Egypt; they are depicted in hieroglyphics and have been found in archeological remains dating way back to 6000 B.C.E. Obviously, the Egyptians have been on to something. Lentils are a quick-cooking, high-protein vegetable that can stand on their own or be integrated into salads and soups. High in fiber, lentils help control insulin and blood sugar, and they also contain anti-cancer properties.
With all of these nutritional highlights in mind, I am planning on integrating more lentils into my diet, and this soup was a delicious start. [click to continue…]
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Happy New Year! You might notice that things look a bit different here at Feelgood Eats - we’ve done a bit of redecorating so please let me know how you like the new look! Best wishes on a happy and healthy 2009!
Cheddar & ale soup is a common offering on New England pub menus in the winter, but for some reason I’ve never had it before - honestly, cheese and beer just doesn’t sound terribly interesting, does it? I probably still wouldn’t have given it a go if I hadn’t shared a delightful cheddar & ale dip at The Alchemist (Waterbury, VT) with my partner T. last week. I was surprised to find a real depth of flavor with the dip and I knew I wanted to try and put something together at home.
I adapted this recipe from one published in Gourmet and it’s really the perfect antidote to a chilly winter’s night. This recipe combines seasonal ingredients (onions, leeks, carrots, garlic) to create a strong flavor base with the punch of the ale and cheddar to zip things up a bit. The neat part about this recipe is that it can easily be adapted to create a tasty dip or fondue (simply cut down the liquid ingredients by half), or try a fun twist on grilled cheese and whip up a welsh rabbit. [click to continue…]
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Sometimes I wonder if I am alone in my belief that a squash soup should not taste like a pumpkin pie.
This fall I’ve ordered a few squash soups while out and about and they have been filled with the usual pie suspects: cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup (or an unusual suspect that keeps creeping in, the curry spice blend). All of these spices when used in moderation can really enhance a soup, but with the squash soups I tasted they really tended to mask, overpower, and even bring the dish into the pie dimension.
My mom had requested a squash soup for Thanksgiving dinner so I started a search for a recipe that avoided common pie components and that would wake up the squash without masking its flavor. Surprisingly, there wasn’t much out there that didn’t include the suspects listed above - it seems that squash soups are really in a rut.
Luckily I found the answer to the squash soup rut with a recipe from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Supper at Luques, a cookbook that time and time again serves up delicious recipes inspired by the seasons [click to continue…]
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Having grown up in the northeast, I know that it is perfectly normal to wear shorts out and about one day and need a parka the next. So after a weekend of warm weather I was not surprised to encounter a few flurries this morning while I walked my dog, Skyler. It was a subtle reminder to begin to put on gloves and a winter hat and make sure the ice scraper makes its way into the car.
To be honest, I am a bit nervous about this winter and the cold days ahead. After two years of living in the Bay Area I am worried that I have become accustomed to life where the weather is generally nice all of the time. Am I ready for the windchill, icy roads, brushing the car off, and the way my pant legs always seem to get wet and icky no matter how careful I am? Eek.
While I may not be jumping for joy over winter’s potential gloominess, there is one bright spot on the horizon: soup. [click to continue…]
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While I have pantry space dedicated to my slow-cooker, it spends most of its days living on the counter. It’s not that I am too lazy to put it away (well, maybe sometimes) but I actually end up using it every other day because it is just that handy. For example, yesterday morning I browned the meat, sauteed the vegetables and then chucked everything into the slow-cooker. When I got home, the house smelled great and dinner was ready to go - it doesn’t get any better than that.
This is a fun and simple recipe that was inspired by Kristin at the Kitchen Sink, who posted a great Beef Stew Recipe a couple of weeks ago. If you haven’t checked out Kristin’s website, zip over there and give it a look. I am always impressed by the variety of recipes she churns out, especially considering she is just starting off her law career! [click to continue…]
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