Creamy Cauliflower Soup

There is no shortage of vegetable soup recipes , but this one is very special. It’s so good , you forget you’re eating something so healthy. Roasting the cauliflower and toasting the walnuts makes all the difference.  Do not skip this step. For a special treat, serve the soup with grilled cheese and bacon croutons ! Add brown Basmati rice on the side for a light lunch . Let guests help themselves. We usually have it as a first course or light meal with garlic rye croutons.The soup is very thick but can be successfully thinned with small amounts of unsalted veggie, chicken broth, or even milk. We like milk because it does not overpower the taste of the cauliflower . We all know that milk flavor and aroma is changed from contact with other foods.The milk just picks up the flavor and aroma of the soup.

    To Roast Cauliflower 

 

4 cups cauliflower
4 cloves Garlic, or more if desired
Olive oil, as needed

  To Make Soup
 1 quart of light broth or water
 2 tablespoons of sweet butter
 ¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 cup of yogurt; Greek style is best
 2 teaspoon of corn starch
5 tablespoons of shredded reduced fat cheddar

Break cauliflower into florets. Toss with olive oil , 3 tablespoons or more if needed, 2 teaspoons of pressed garlic, and sprinkle with salt. Place in a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet and roast in a slow oven on top rack until soft and lightly brown. Next process cauliflower and pepper until smooth. Add half the water/broth and process. Pour into a saucepan and cover. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the water/broth that has been mixed with the cornstarch. Add the yogurt and heat thoroughly. Adjust seasonings and consistency. You can cook it down uncovered to thicken it, or add a little more yogurt or milk . Add liquids only at a spoonful at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Add butter and stir. Stir in cheese. Serve with garlic toasted rye croutons and toasted walnuts.

Rye Croutons 
Sliced rye bread Butter or oil Pressed garlic; can substitute granulated garlic Cut bread into small cubes. Toss with oil or melted butter and garlic. Toast on a cookie sheet until browned and crisp
Toasted Walnuts 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts Oven should be as low as possible; nuts burn fast. Place nuts on sheet and toast lightly .

Grilled Cheese and Bacon Croutons

8 thin slices of white bread
4 thin slices of smoked gouda, fontina, or a good sharp cheddar
4 crisp slices of bacon
unsalted butter or olive oil

Crumble bacon. Place one slice of cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Top each with some of the crumbled bacon. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Coat with butter or oil and grill until crispy and brown. Cut into small cubes and top soup.

Fusion Pork

We call this a fusion dish because of the mix of flavorings and spices. It’s a little bit Polynesian with the pork, coconut, and pineapple; a little bit Mexican with the cumin and chipotle, and a little Asian with the Ponzu,garlic, and rice. Speaking of rice, we use a fragrant variety for this dish such as Basmati or Jasmine, both are available in brown variety which adds chew and is far healthier.This is a quick and easy dish , very similar to a stir fry but with a twist. It is lightly “stewed” if you will, to produce a tender bite, as the pieces are cut larger than a stir fry.Serve with rice or Asian style noodles; buckwheat noodles are great!

4 large lean boneless pork chops; we used sirloin
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large onion
1 large carrot
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of oil; we used coconut for this
3 quarter sized discs of ginger
¼ cup of smoky chipotle cooking sauce or 2 smoked chipotles
3 tablespoons of Ponzu with lime
¾ cup of crushed pineapple in juice
Pinch of crushed dried red pepper
½ cup water
Cumin

Cut the pork into bite-sized cubes and set aside. Slice the pepper and onion into strips. Add the coconut oil to a heavy skillet and heat. Add the porkand cook, while occasionally stirring, until brown. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and pepper to the skillet and saute until wilted. Add the garlic, ginger, and 2 smoked chipotles finely chopped, if using the whole pepper in lieu of the jarred sauce. Return the pork to the pan and add 1 cup of halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Stir and cook adding ½ cup water. Add the 2 bunches of broccoli crowns and cook leaving it slightly crunchy . Add the pineapple and dash of cumin. Stir in shredded carrots and cover. Remove from heat and prepare rice according to package directions.
Scoop rice/noodles onto a rimmed platter or shallow serving bowl. Ladle pork and veggies into the center, working out to the edge. Leaving a little “border “ of rice/noodles.