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Kitchen Sink Soup

2/17/2013

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Don't be afraid of soup.  I was.  Until about 2 years ago.  I'd hear people talk about the soup they made and I'd wonder how they did it.  Like there was some secret method, some magic key that unlocked the world of soup.  When I jumped the fence and started to follow some recipes, I found that there were some repetitive ingredients and steps.  Onions, celery, carrots - sautéed to start.  Liquid - water, stock.  Then add some extras that interest you.   That's all folks!  And even then, there's room to maneuver.  It really is easy.  
The Soup of the Day here is Kitchen Sink Soup - because I added everything but.  It has a warm bit of spice, curry feel without being overwhelmingly so.  
Lots of goodness, too.


KITCHEN SINK SOUP
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
generous sprinkling of ground ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 medium onions, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 good size celery stalks, diced
3 cups of water
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 can light coconut milk (*)
(good pinch sea salt)

Prepare squash, sprinkle with ground ginger and roast in oven at 200ºC for about 20-25 minutes.  Squash should be soft but not overly browned.  This can be done ahead of time.  
Put olive oil in a good size soup pot, add onions, carrots, celery and red pepper and sauté until vegetables start to soften.  
Add water, stir and add curry paste and coconut milk.  
Stir in squash.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  
Whizz with immersion blender - or pour into blender to purée.
Taste to check seasoning - add sea salt if necessary.

(*) Note about coconut milk - it is high in calories, so for soups use the lower calorie light version.  While it's also high in saturated fat, not all saturated fats are the same.  There are medium-chain fatty acids (coconut milk) and long chain fatty acids (animal fat - beef).  Medium-chain fatty acids are easily digested and used more quickly by the body for energy while long-chain fatty acids are more likely to be stored as fat. 

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Good (and Good For You) Cookies

11/6/2012

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Sometimes I just need a cookie.  And I'm not a 1 cookie girl.  Or even a 3 cookie girl.  These cookies are great - I can eat 5 and not feel guilty.  Well, not too...  I'm not saying they don't have calories - I'm sure they do.  But they also have ingredients that are good for you.  Bananas, plain chocolate, oats, almonds, coconut - no butter, no sugar.  
Desiccated (or dried, shredded) coconut has a good percentage of fiber and many minerals.  What is considered the big advantage of coconut, coconut milk and coconut oil, are its medium chain fatty acids (MCTs) as compared to long chain fatty acids in other saturated fats.  While coconut does have saturated fat - which we normally associate with meat and dairy products - the main fat found in coconut (as well as nuts and avocados) is lauric acid.  Lauric acid has been found to increase levels of good HDL cholesterol.  So while it also raises the bad LDL like other saturated fats, it won't negatively affect the ratio of the two.  There are many who claim numerous health benefits of coconut oil:  that it raises the metabolic rate, aiding in weight loss; appetite suppression; lower rates of hardening of the arteries; antibacterial and antiviral properties; lowering of blood sugar; protection against insulin resistance (affecting Diabetes and Alzheimers).  While hopeful, I can't find much evidence of a truly scientific nature.  There is research to be done.  


While I'm waiting for the research - I'll have my 5 cookies.  If you're going to have 5 like me, these will be better for you than others.  And so good.

INGREDIENTS: (makes approximately 16 cookies)
3 bananas - ripe & mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil (if you can get coconut oil at a health shop, try that) 
2 cups porridge oats
2/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 grams plain chocolate cut into chunks (70%) (can use milk if you prefer, but I think the bite of plain chocolate contrasts well with the sweet cookie)

METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 180º (160º fan)

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork and/or whisk.

Add vanilla and vegetable/coconut oil and set aside.

In second bowl, combine oats, ground almond, coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.  Stir or whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir, combining well.


Fold chocolate chunks into mix.

Drop large spoonfuls onto baking tray. 

Bake for approximately 12 minutes.  Should feel firm but slightly doughy.  Remove to cooling rack.  



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