Recipe Share: Bok Choy and Mushroom Soup

12 02 2012

It’s Sunday once again and soup’s on. This week I am sharing a recipe from a friend of mine, E. We swapped a bunch of recipes a few months back and I have been meaning to try this soup for sometime. It is good, filling and hit the spot on a late Sunday afternoon. It honestly took 30 min from start to finish. I like that kind of soup 🙂

  • 3-4 cups sliced Mushrooms (shitake and crimini)
  • 1 package firm Tofu, cubed (1.5 cm squares)
  • 6 cups Chicken or Veggie stock
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium or regular Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced (I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder, you know me ;))
  • 1 tbsp minced Ginger
  • 6-8 heads of Baby Bok Choy
  • 3 Green Onions, sliced fine
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish
In a soup pot, stir-fry tofu and mushrooms in a bit of oil with the garlic and ginger over medium-high heat. Cook until the tofu and mushrooms start to brown. Add all but the bok choy and let simmer for 10 minutes. I used organic chicken stock, organic poultry makes it into our house now and then, but I am sure the veggie would work fine. Add the bok choy and green onions and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve in a big bowl and garnish with sesame seeds.
If you wanted, you could add udon noodles to this, that would be good. As well, T thinks it would be good with a touch of sriracha sauce, it’s all the rage right now but an oldie and a goodie asian hot sauce.
Quick recipe, quick blog, have a great week friends!
Eat well, be well,
Nat

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Roasted Chickpeas

26 09 2011

How has your week kicked off? The weather continues to be balmy here in Calgary. Now that the busy summer is over, I have been enjoying trying a new recipe here and there. The other weekend I tried one of Mark Bittman’s recipes for Roasted Chickpeas. I was looking for something simple and healthful to bring to a certain someone’s non-birthday party and I knew an experiment would be okay with this crowd. For his actual recipe and blog click here. I adapted his recipe to my tastes and seasoned with hot smoked paprika and sea salt. Smoked paprika is popular in Spanish foods. It is super flavourful. I picked some up after taking a Spanish cooking class with Tony before our honeymoon to Almeria, Spain a few years back. At the cooking class we made toasted blanched almonds with smoked paprika and sea salt, which were amazing. I figured it would make chickpeas exciting too.

  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 can, 398ml, drained cooked / canned Chickpeas
  • 1 tsp minced Garlic
  • Fresh cracked Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp or more Hot (or mild) Smoked Paprika

Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Heat the oil over medium heat in an overproof fry pan/skillet that is large enough for the chickpeas to be in one layer. If you have a pan with a handle that might be sensitive to heat, I have seen chefs wrap tin foil around it. Once the oil is hot, add the chickpeas, garlic, half the salt and some cracked pepper. The garlic and chickpeas will crackle a bit, shake the pan so the chickpeas are coated. Place the pan in the oven. Roast in the oven for 20-30 min (mine took 30 to get a crunchier skin), shaking the pan every 5 min or so. When they’re done, sprinkle with the paprika and the rest of the salt, toss, taste, adjust and serve.

Smoked Paprika Roasted Chickpeas

I found the crispness didn’t last very long, but everyone that tried them said they were good and would be good on a salad too. Tony kept eating them in the car on the way to the party (bad distracted driver).

Eat well, Be well,

Nat


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