Carrot Orange Ginger Soup

 Gluten-free/Dairy-free with Vegetarian Options

Recipe from “Fresh from Elizabeth’s Kitchen” cookbook by Elizabeth Kaplan

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons coconut oil

7 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

4 cups homemade or store bought chicken stock (see Index) or vegetable stock

1 cup coconut milk (preferably plain So-delicious brand)

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice from 2 oranges

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 1       Sauté the onion in coconut oil until translucent in a large, heavy bottomed stock pan.  Add the sliced carrots and ginger.  Sauté over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Stir in 3 cups chicken stock.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

2       Warm the coconut milk in a saucepan.  Add warm coconut milk, remaining 1 cup stock, orange juice and orange zest to the carrots.  Stir to combine and simmer on   low for 2 minutes . 

3       Puree the soup in batches in a blender.  Return pureed soup to stock pan over low heat.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Ladle soup into heated soup bowls.  Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley, if desired.

Pear, Persimmon and Walnut Baby Green Salad

with Pear-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 8

 8 cups mixed baby salad greens

4 Belgian endive:  2 chopped, 2 whole (remove stem     but keep leaves whole)   

4 Fuyu persimmons, peeled and cut into ½ inch wedges

4 d’Anjou or Asian pears, peeled and cut into ½ inch wedges

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

½ cup goat feta cheese, crumbled

 Pear vinaigrette:

 1 small ripe d’Anjou or Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and cut into quarters

½ cup mild olive oil

¼ cup champagne or white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

1      Divide mixed greens, chopped endive and fennel  among chilled salad plates.  Place whole endive leaves in spoke pattern, 3 per plate. Arrange  persimmon and pear wedges around plate.  Top with toasted walnuts. 

 2      To make vinaigrette, process the pear in a blender until pureed. Strain through fine sieve into bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil, champagne vinegar, shallots,  mustard and salt.  Chill for 20-30 minutes in refrigerator.  Drizzle salad dressing over salads and sprinkle with feta cheese, if desired.

I am not a huge football fan but I do love having a crowd over, or attending the tailgate party, hanging out, and enjoying good company.  Here is an easy tailgate menu: White Bean Oregano Chili, which I raved about in my previous blog entry, along with tastey Cheddar Chive Biscuits, and a big caesar salad.   Everything can be made in advance, which makes it all the more fun when gathering with friends.     The Cheddar Chive Biscuits can be made with real cheddar, or if you want to do them dairy-free, use Daiya Cheddar – it is the best cheese substitute we have ever tried!  Our three year old — who is totally dairy intollerant, loves it and in fact refuses to share with others.

I love to put our a pot of chile with all the fixin’s: cheddar cheese (and Daiya Cheese for dairy-free people), chopped green onions, crushed organic corn chips, and sour cream. 

Click here for the Chili Recipe. 

Cheddar (or Daiya) Cheese Chive Biscuits

Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Baking Mix from The Pure Pantry
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup cold butter (or butter alternative, such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
½ cups buttermilk (or rice milk with 2 tsp. cider vinegar)
2 beaten eggs (or egg replacer, such as Ener-G Foods brand)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or shredded Daiya cheese alternative)
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In large mixing bowl combine baking mix, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces with knife.  Using your fingers, mix the butter into the flour so that there are no lumps of butter.   Add the buttermilk (or rice milk and vinegar) and beaten eggs (or egg replacer) to the flour and combine with a fork.  Add the cheese (or cheese alternative), onion powder and chives, if desired.   Do not over stir. 

Using a large spoon, drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, at least 3 inches apart. For a more uniformed look, roll out dough to ½ inch thickness. Dip a biscuit cutter or or top of a wide mouth glass jar into gluten-free flour blend and cut out biscuits. Place cut out biscuits on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Gluten-free/Dairy-free Option/Vegan Option
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 medium leeks
2 celery ribs, including leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 medium yellow potatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups leek stock (made from leek stocks)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Tumeric
2 tablespoons butter, or butter substitute such as coconut oil
1/4 cup The Pure Pantry Organic All-Purpose Baking Mix
1/2 cup milk of choice, unflavored (rice, coconut, or regular 2%)

Instructions:
Cut off dark green stocks leek where it begins to turn pale green.  Wash stocks thoroughly.
Place in stock pot and cover with 6 cups water.  Add 2 ribs celery and 1 teaspoon salt.  Simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
Cut white part of leek in half.  Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, separating layers with your figures to flush out the dirt.  Drain well in a colander.  Slice leeks into ½ inch pieces.
Cut potatoes into ½ inch cubes.  Place 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat.  Add olive oil, leeks and onion.  Sauté until onions are soft.   Add potatoes, salt, and pepper, wine, leek stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Discard bay leaf.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter (or butter alternative) in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 cups simmering stock (from soup), whisking vigorously (mixture will be thick), then whisk mixture into remaining soup and return to a simmer.  Whisk in milk of choice.
Blend soup in batches in a blender until smooth about 1 minute per batch, transferring to 4-quart saucepan. Serve chilled or hot.  If serving chilled, let soup cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Farm Stand Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 avocado
2 oranges
1 cucumber
1/2 cup Nicoise olives
6-8 baby heirloom tomatoes
1/4 cup goat feta cheese optional