Summer Fresh Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Summer Fresh Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Creamy chowder loaded with fresh corn and zucchini is the best summer food! This lightened up chowder is made with fresh corn from the cob, no flour, and half and half.  Katya @ https://www.littlebroken.com

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter
2 strips bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion, about ½ large onion
2 celery ribs, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled + chopped (1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 medium (1 lb.) russet potatoes, peeled, diced into 

    1/2-inch cubes
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
4 ears of sweet fresh corn, husk + silk removed and 

    kernel cut from the cobs. (2¾ cup corn)
1 medium zucchini, diced into ½-inch cubes, 
    (1½ cups)

1 cup half and half
salt and fresh ground black pepper
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
cayenne pepper, to serve, optional

Directions:

In a large heavy-duty bottom stockpot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon renders its fat and begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme; cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring couple times, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, water, and bay leaf. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat back to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are halfway cooked.

Add zucchini and corn; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for additional 8-12 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Discard the bay leaf and then transfer 2 cups of chowder to a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot. Add half and half and cook just until heated through. Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and sprinkle of cayenne pepper, optional.
Serving size 1 cup

Triple Ginger Molasses Soft Cookies

Triple Ginger Molasses Soft Cookies

Ingredients:

Wet 1 tablespoon flax-meal with

2 tablespoons warm water

1/4 cup organic non gmo oil or applesauce

1/4 cup ground raw sugar

3 tablespoons Blackstrap molasses

Dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teas[poons grated ginger

1/4 cup-1/3 cup crystallized candied ginger

    chopped small

Raw sugar for coating

*

Directions:

In a bowl, mix flax meal with 2 tablespoons of water and let set for 5 minutes.  Whisk in the oil, molasses and sugar until well combined.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda, and all of the spices.  Add the wet to dry.  Add grated and candied ginger to the mix.  Press and mix into a dough.  It will take 2 to 3 minutes to form a dough.  Use hands if needed.

The dough will be a non-sticky, not to hard dough.  Chill the dough for 15 minutes.

Shape into flat disks.  Press the disks into sugar and place on parchment lined sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 12-13 minutes.  The cookies will be slightly soft in the center to the touch.

Let the cookies cool completely on the counter (15 to 20 minutes), they will harden as they cool.

Store in an airtight container for a few days.

Note:  Add a generous pinch more cinnamon and cloves and add some nutmeg, for a spicier version.

If you don't have candied ginger or fresh ginger, add a teaspoon more of ginger powder.

Add water by spraying some on the dough if the dough is too dry and doesn't stick together.   

Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic

1 yellow onion

4 carrots

4 stalks celery

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups lentils

1 tablespoons cumin

2 qt. vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

2 whole sprigs thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

*

Directions:

Set a large dry dutch oven over medium heat and drop in the garlic cloves with their peels still on.  Let them toast for a few minutes on each side, until the skins are browned and fragrant, and set aside.

Roughly chop the onion, carrots, and celery.  Add the olive oil to the dutch oven and sauté until browned and tender.

Peel and smash up the garlic and add it back to the pot along with the lentils and cumin.  Cook for a few seconds until the lentils are nicely coated in oil.  Empty the broth into the pot and add the Bay leaf and whole sprigs of thyme.  Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.  Fish out the bay leaf and thyme.

Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot.  We like the soup on its own but it's kind of amazing with a little extra.  Stir in some spinach or add a little diced ham and definitely serve it with a big side of hearty whole grain bread or cheesy croutons.                                                        

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread

The ingredients are mixed and will be left to soak in the baking pan.  After several hours or overnight the bread is frst baked in the pan for 20 minutes.  Then it is removed and baked upside down for 30 to 40 minutes directly on the oven rack. You will agree this bread is life changing.

The Life-Changing Loaf Of Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup hazelnuts or almonds

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons chia seeds

4 tablespoons psyllium seed husks OR

  (3 tablespoons if using psyllium husk powder)

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt  (add 1/2 teaspoon

   if using coarse salt)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 tablespoon melted coconut oil or ghee

1 1/2 cups water

*

Directions:

In a flexible silicon loaf pan combine all ingredients, stirring well.  Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup.  Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is soaked and becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add  two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable).  Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon.  

Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight.  To ensure th dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf away from it.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes.  Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped.  Let cool completely before slicing (difficult but important).

Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days.  Freezes well too - slice before freezing for quick and easy to toast!

Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup

Oh, so good!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

7 medium sized carrots, peeled, chopped 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups red lentils

1-15oz. can diced tomatoes

6 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro, fresh lemon juice and crushed red pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons in a large pot over medium heat.  Saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Add the carrots and sauté until carrots are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes.

Add the spices and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and lentils and stir to combine.  Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

To create a creamy soup use a blender and blend soup in portions or use an immersion blender.

Serve soup with fresh cilantro, crushed red pepper and fresh lemon juice.