CARROT, KUMARA & LENTIL SOUP

Last night was one of those where I had been so busy during the day that I had forgotten to properly plan a meal for the evening. I remembered a clever recipe that a new American friend had recently shared with me and I was ready to give it a go.

This was a very healthy option for us and, as it was a tad bit chilly, it turned out to be the perfect solution...but OOOPS!!! Looking at the recipe, I scanned through to make sure I had all of the necessary ingredients and something about "crock-pot" and "6-8 hours" cought my eye!! Oh, crap - what am I going to do now?!?! Well, bugger it - I decided to try it on the stovetop as I have done with my other lentil recipes and WHEW!!! I made the right decision!

So, I have Heather's original method and my stovetop method here for you and I can tell you they are both solid! She has made this for her friends and relatives in the slow cooker and I can fully attest to the stovetop method as we all enjoyed this soup immensely last night!

I have to say that my daughter doesn't normally eat kumara, but disguised in this soup she really enjoyed it (YEA!!). I have to admit that sweet potatoes were always something I hated growing up, but I do enjoy the occasional roasted kumara now. I guess our tastes do change as we get older - so long as that doesn't mean outgrowing chocolate covered cherries, I'm down with that! ;o)

So, without further adieu...here we go...

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp Rice Bran Oil
1 Lg Onion (red or brown)
2-3 Lg Carrots, peeled and grated
1-2 Stalks of Celery (or 1 Lg Celeriac Bulb), chopped
1 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Ground Cumin (adjust for taste)
1 3/4 Cups Lentils (I used red lentils)
2 Lg Kumara (or sweet potato), diced
6-7 Cups Stock (beef, chicken, or veggie)
1 Cup Cream
*Salt and Pepper

*Amounts vary to individual tastes.


INSTRUCTIONS:

First, in a large stockpot, lightly sauté the onion and celery/celeriac until the onions begin to soften and go clear.

Next, add cumin and coriander and cook just long enough to bring out the aromas of the spices (about 1-2 minutes).

Now, add the stock, grated carrot, diced kumara and lentils to the sautéed mixture to your stockpot on the stovetop, or combine it all in a crock-pot.

For the stovetop method, bring the contents of your pot to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and leave covered to cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep lentils from sticking to the bottom.

For the crock-pot method, cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Now, approximately 30 minutes before ready to serve, puree the soup carefully using an immersion/stick blender.

And lastly, add the cream, salt & pepper to taste.

Thank you Heather for your contribution to NuKiwiKitchen! Much appreciated – this will become a regular in our house now as well. Also, this is a great vegan/vegetarian meal if you use veggie stock.

Cheers.

BONY FINGERS & TOES

COOKIES or SPOOKIES???

(adapted from recipe found at CanaryGirl.com)

DISCLAIMER: I usually do not embrace or celebrate anything about Halloween.

Even as a kid it was not a holiday that I really enjoyed. Yes, it was fun to dress up (if you had a cool costume like the 6 kids at school dressed as a 6-pack of Coke) and it was great to get loads of candy (provided your Dad didn't sneak all of your chocolate bars out "for inspection").

No, it was scary, embarrassing, and downright humiliating and confusing to be taught not to EVER take candy from a stranger...oh, except at night...in the dark...on all hallows eve...at houses that played ceepy music and had skeletons on their porch...from people with fake blood on their faces (do you see where I'm going with this?).

Needless to say, I am happy it has never really taken root here in New Zealand. There are a few stragglers here and there, but they don't even dress up, they don't know the "rules" (for example - never trick-or-treat a house unless they left the porch light on for trick-or-treaters) and, in my opinion, Kiwi kids already eat far too much rubbish from the friendly neighbourhood dairy (convenience stores akin to the American 7-eleven or Plaid Pantry) in the form of chewy, gummy lollies and 'chocky bars'.

Anyway, I was talking to a friend recently, and it got me thinking (scary in itself, I know), and reading some of the other cool blogs out there in foodie-blog-land. I eventually happened to stumble across CanaryGirl which had lots of gory and goulish ideas and it reminded me of a friend in Oregon who usually dresses up with the hubby (and the pooch) every year, so my lovely daughter and I felt obliged to make these little gems in their honour. This was a great kitchen bonding time for us too. (Cheryl, the boo chips were cool, but what do you reckon about these, creepy eh? LOL)

In any case, I spent the later afternoon yesterday with the family out back, planting the veggie crop for this year. We planted a good variety, so let's hope we get to eat more of it than those pesky white butterflies do this year!

INGREDIENTS:
½ Cup Butter, softened

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tbsp Vanilla

½ Tsp Green Food Colouring

1½ Cups Flour

½ Tsp Baking Powder

½ Tsp Salt

½ Cup (approx) Blanched Almonds (skin off)

DIRECTIONS:
First, cream the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and food colouring together in a medium bowl.

Next, slowly add in the dry ingredients and stir the mixture until well combined.
Now you will need to refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes, wrapped in plastic wrap.

When the dough has set firmly, preheat your oven to 150º C (325º F).

Divide dough in half and reserve one half in the refrigerator whilst working on the other.

Line baking sheets with parchment or, as I like to use, a silicone baking mat.

Now roll pieces of dough with your hands into thin fingers, making sure to keep them quite thin, as the dough tends to spread quite a bit.

Once you are happy with the shape, press an almond onto the end of each finger and, using a butter knife or skewer, make indentations for knuckles (I also squeezed the dough a bit where the knuckles were, to make them more prominent).

To make toes, roll small balls of dough, and then roll one side to make the length of the toe, leaving the part for the “nail” a little bigger. Press almonds onto the “toes.”

Finally, bake the “spookies” in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until done, but NOT browned.

Cool on wire racks for 2-3 minutes, then move them onto a plate.

They are not oversweet, but just right for a creepy after-school snack!

BLOG AWARD - THANK YOU!

Firstly today, a BIG thank you hug to Cheryl at Cooking Dunkin Style for this award on my 5-Minute Mug Cake.

I believe I am supposed to pass it on to another whose blog I have enjoyed and who had a recent chocoholic vision of excellence, so.... I am choosing to pass it on to another Kiwi transplant north of me - Arfi at Homemades for her Churros con Chocolat. Not only does she come up with beautiful creations, but she is also an excellent photographer as well.

Well done, Arfi!