My husbands favorite soup - Spicy Potato

Spicy Potato Soup

This is my version of a classic potato soup.  I originally found the recipe in an Irish Pub cook book, along with having learned a similar soup from my granny, and I have added my own twists of flavor to it over time.  It is my husbands absolute favorite soup.  It is really comforting to eat and filling enough to be a meal on it's own.

 

 This soup is pretty basic to make, you basically chop and prep all your ingredients and throw them in a pot.  There are a couple of extra steps at the end to make this soup extra creamy and delicious, but it's really pretty easy.

 

Ingredients:

- 1lb pancetta or bacon - diced into small chunks (I buy the diced pancetta from Trader Joe's) - you can omit this ingredient for the vegetarian version of this soup

- 1 tablespoon of veggie oil

- 2 celery stalks diced

- 1 hot pepper (jalepeno or serrano) finely chopped for a little kick (omit this if you don't want it to be spicy)

- 1 diced onion

- 3 garlic cloves minced

- 8 medium size potatoes peeled and cubed (I use Yukon Gold)

- 4 cups of chicken stock, veggie stock or water

- 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter (or veggie oil if you want less fat)

- 1/4 cup of all purpose flour (sometimes I use chickpea flour or rice flour for a gluten free option)

- 1cup heavy cream and half a cup of plain yogurt or milk (you can just use yogurt for the healthier version)

- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 teaspoon of coriander

- 1 teaspoon of oregeno

- 1 cup of chopped chives or green onions to garnish
- sometimes I add a little tumeric for color and subtle flavor - it also has amazing health benefits

 Directions:

- I start by prepping all my ingredients.  I chop all the veggies and put them aside.  I put the celery, onions, garlic and peppers into one bowl, the potatoes in another, and the cilantro into it's own little bowl.

- Using a heavy bottomed pot like a cast iron dutch oven, turn the stove to medium heat and begin by browning the pancetta or bacon in a tiny bit of vegetable oil.  Cook for 3 or 4 minutes until lightly browned, then carefully remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

- Now add a tiny bit more vegetable oil, and a tablespoon of butter to the pot and throw in your onions, garlic, celery and pepper.  Cook for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat until the veggies are softened.

 - At this point you can add in your spices and salt and pepper to the veggie mixture.  Once the vegetables are soft add in the potatoes, and also the pancetta that you set aside.  Cook this for about 2 minutes and make sure everything is incorporated together.

- Now add in the chicken stock until the potato/ veggie mixture is fully submerged and bring to a boil.  Once boiling turn the heat to low and let simmer for about 45 minutes.

- While that is cooking you can start your roux - which is the creamy component to your soup.
- To make the roux, in a separate small pot, add in the rest of your butter and the flour over medium/ low heat.

- Once the butter is all melted and incorporated with the flour, turn the heat to low and slowly add in the heavy cream and milk.

- Now whisk the mixture until it begins to thicken, then turn off the heat.

 - Then you can add in the chopped cilantro and a little salt and pepper to taste.

- The roux/ cream mixture should be very thick at this point like cake icing.

- Once the potatoes are softened in your soup you can add the cream mixture to it and stir it around.

At this point you can serve it as is or you can mash the soup down a bit to make your chunky soup a little more creamy.  I use a hand held mixer and just mix/ mash the soup a little just on the top so I still have a good amount of chunkiness.

Your done!  Serve with green onions for garnish if you like or just as is.  I hope you like this soup as much as we do!

 Bon apetit!

Safe and Healthy Brands for Famillies

Chemicals in our Food? Yuck - NO thanks!  How about GMO's, Pesticides, Pink Slime, Petro-Chemicals, BPA, Hydrogenated Oil or Hi-Fructose?  Definitely NOT! 

Navigating the food aisles of Supermarkets in America can be quite the daunting task, especially when you have a screaming baby, you are tired, and you just need to pick up a few things to make dinner.  Now add trying to decipher cryptic words on ingredients lists you've never heard of, and trying to work out which foods are safe to feed your baby.  OOOF!  It's too much sometimes...

Lately I have been growing more and more concerned with the ingredients, and food handling practices of food companies in the U.S.

Why?  Well, there have been a string of recalls lately on food, everything from Ground beef, Uncle Ben's Rice, Hot Pockets, Falafel Wraps, to Organic frozen berries and more.  My husband and I bought a bag of organic frozen berries from Costco, only to find out a week later that they had been recalled for containing Hepatitis A!!!  Luckily I hadn't actually opened the bag yet.

It sent some alarm bells off in my head though. You can read the article about it here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/31/frozen-berries-hepatitis-a-outbreak/2378139/

photo courtesy of -http://www.thefutureofhealthnow.com/fruits-vegetables-protect-mental-health/

What's Happening to our Food?
In addition to an increase in food recalls, a series of consumer driven pushes have lead companies to get rid of certain ingredients in their food due to health and safety concerns.

Well, you say,  we have a Federal Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) that protects us, right?  Yes we do, but they are not necessarily always looking out for what's best for consumers.  Like every other political branch they are subject to lobbying by huge food corporations that push hard to keep certain chemicals and misleading food labels in the food supply.  The FDA deems all kinds of harmful chemicals okay for consumption as long as they are in small enough doses.  Well, I for one am not interesting in eating chemicals no matter how small a quantity.  Accumulation of those chemicals over time can not be good for anyone!

Not to mention there are so many GIANT, MEGA food corporations that process food in giant factories that are difficult to regulate.  So, if you are a concerned mommy like me, read on...

I recently learned about MORE chemicals in foods I thought were okay, after that whole 'Subway sandwich' debacle (Subway decided to take a gross chemical out of their bread after consumer complaints. The chemical is also used in making yoga mats and shoe soles. GROSS!)

Anyway, it lead me to start looking into other foods and their ingredients lists - and the ones that were really long and hard to spell, or the ones that were a cryptic series of numbers...

for instance, R12-135 which is a chemical used to clean machinery.  It was listed as an 'ingredient' in the Oroweat bread I was buying.  It is banned in most other industrialized countries, and is labeled a "hazardous material".  Maybe it's just used to clean the machines the bread is processed in - I really don't care - I don't want it anywhere on my food!

What is it doing in supposedly healthy whole wheat bread?  Good question! 

Rather than drive yourself crazy trying to decipher all the crazy ingredients in food, and spend a bunch of money (I certainly can't afford to buy everything at Whole Foods), I am working on creating a list of safe, healthy foods and ethical brands to help us all out.  I will create a series of lists from best of the best to chose, to worst offenders to avoid.

I found this link which I found really helpful to get me started...
http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/the-top-20-most-credible-natural-food-brands.html

There are definitely other brands besides the ones on my list - but I think these are the ones that I see the most in stores, and cover a variety of food types, from dairy products, to meats, cereals, snacks and baby foods.  In general it's a good idea to try and buy 'certified organic' foods whenever possible (which I know is not always available, and is more expensive).  Whenever we consumers buy organic we are encouraging more food companies and grocery stores to produce better quality foods, and stock more in their stores.

Here are the guidelines needed to be 'certified organic'...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_certification


Okay here is my first list...

Top 15 Best Food Brands 
(in no particular order)
My list of the most trustworthy, ethical, certified organic, healthy brands available...(found in most grocery stores)

1. Trader Joe's Brand
http://www.traderjoes.com/
I know Trader Joe's stores are not everywhere in the U.S. but this store is hands-down my favorite place to shop.  Their prices are much lower than other healthy food stores, and they carry a ton of great products, including their own brand.  The Trader Joe's brand foods are free of GMO's and also their canned goods do not contain BPA.  They carry a lot of organic products from local producers.

2. Stonyfield Farms
Organic yogurts and dairy products. They are certified organic and I think all their products taste fantastic.

3. Horizon Organic
http://www.horizondairy.com/milk/
I always buy this brand of milk for my daughter.  Because my daughter drinks so much milk it is really important to me to make sure it does not contain hormones, or anti-biotics - which a lot of milk that isn't organic does contain.

4. Bob's Redmill
http://www.bobsredmill.com/
Great selection of gluten-free products and different types of flour and grains.  I find all kinds of great products from them in the 'healthy' section at my local Ralph's grocery store.

5. Eden Foods
http://www.edenfoods.com/ 
BPA-free cans, organic soy, no gelling agents in the soymilk, commitment to organic, local and traditionally made foods for three decades. Family-owned.

6.  Nature's Path
www.naturespath.com
The go-to brand for organic cereal and a commitment to non-GMO ingredients, but beware, they still use a lot of sugar and ingredients like soy oil.

7. Earth's Best
http://www.earthsbest.com/
Earth's Best is a full line of organic baby food.

8. 365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods Brand)
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-lines/365-everyday-value
Whole Foods brand has high quality and pretty much all organic products.

9.  Organic Valley and Organic Prairie
http://www.organicvalley.coop/
Founded in 1988, Organic Valley produces award-winning organic milk, cheese, butter, soy milk, produce, healthy snacks, and more.
The mission of the Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP) is to create and operate a marketing cooperative that promotes regional farm diversity and economic stability by the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products.

10.  Simply Organic
http://www.simplyorganic.com/
Herbs and Spices, and pre-made meals for when you need a healthy option for something quick.
Simply Organic's pure, organic herbs, spices and seasonings plus fresh food equals delicious, healthy meals for you and your family. Once you've tried Simply Organic®, you'll agree we provide a simply healthy way to incorporate organics into your life. We travel the world over to bring you fresh and aromatic seasonings of unsurpassed quality. You'll taste the difference in every bite.

11. Amy's Kitchen
http://www.amys.com/

I like their line of Macaroni and Cheese.
Amy's Kitchen is a privately held corporation which manufactures natural and organic convenience and frozen foods. 

 12. Back to Nature
www.backtonaturefood.com

Back to Nature foods are made with simple and delicious ingredients – plus no artificial flavors or preservatives, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup.

13. Applegate
http://www.applegate.com/
Organic meats - Sliced deli meats, hot dogs, sausage and bacon that are free of antibiotics, gluten, casein and taste enhancers

14. Neiman Ranch
http://www.nimanranch.com/Index.aspx
Niman Ranch is a San Francisco Bay Area based ranch, meat processor and distributor of high quality "natural" beef, lamb, and pork, founded by rancher Bill Niman. Niman Ranch offers a complete line of fresh beef, pork, lamb, poulty, cage-free eggs and a variety of smoked and cured meats. Niman Ranch is leading the industry in sustainable and humane agricultural practices. 

15. Annie's
www.annies.com/‎
Annie's Homegrown is a Berkeley, California-based maker of natural and/or organic pastas, meals and snacks.  I get their cheddar bunnies for my daughter.

One final note...

The main reason to buy organic for every food type (meat, vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy etc) is because you can be sure the food will not contain harmful chemicals, pesticides, hormones and other bad things.  The consumption of pesticides and chemicals has been linked to increased cancer rates, environmental damage, brain developmental issues in children, and obesity.

In my opinion, it's worth it to spend a little more on organic and save your family from medical bills and heartache in the future.  I know that I can't always protect myself or my child from all the crap that goes into food all the time (I'm sure we will eat it sometimes) - but I can control what I buy at the grocery store.

 My daughter Sofia helping me put away groceries.

Love for Lentils

Lovely, Lovely Lentils...

There are so many reasons to love this mighty (tiny) bean!   Just wait until you read all the health benefits I posted at the bottom; you will be amazed.  And once you try this recipe you will be sold!  It is a great choice for cooking for a family, not only because it is so tasty, and for all of its amazing health benefits, it is also super easy to cook.  Unlike most other beans there is no need to soak the lentils over night, you can just put the dried beans directly into some boiling water and eat them once they are softened.

My version of lentil soup takes inspiration from traditional Italian lentil soup and Indian Daal.  I love this recipe because it is so satisfying and comforting, and also my daughter and husband gobble it up.

Fun fact...
Did you know lentils are also believed to bring prosperity and luck?  A popular New Year's meal in Italy is Cotechino con Lenticchie (green lentils with sausage). This tradition which got it's start centuries ago is thought to bring good fortune for the coming year.  If you are at all superstitious like me, it's just another reason to love lentils.

 The ingredients are so simple...

 - some veggies, lentils, and a bunch of spices.

 Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
1 jalapeno (if you like it spicy)
3 carrots chopped
5 garlic cloves finely minced
1 medium onion diced
3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped
2 medium potatoes chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger
6 cups of either chicken stock, veggie stock or water
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Spices:
1 tablespoon tumeric powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste

There is a lot of veggie chopping involved but other than that this recipe is a snap to make...

How to make:

Chop onions, garlic and ginger first - they are the first things in the pot...

 Then chop all your veggies...

Peel your potatoes and chop them...














In a large sauce pan (I use my dutch oven), cook your onions, garlic, ginger (and jalapeno) in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 mins...

Then add the other veggie and cook them down for another 2 or 3 mins...

Then get your spices in there...

Leave the salt till the last 10 mins of cook time (salt can make beans tough so just leave it until the end)

Then add your lentils (make sure to rinse the lentils in a strainer before using them to get rid of any impurities)

Add water or stock and bring to a boil...

Turn down to a medium simmer and then let cook for 45 mins to an hour until everything is nice and soft.  Add the salt at the very end.

Sometime I throw some chopped cilantro on top in the bowls.  It looks pretty and adds a refreshing flavor.

I hope you enjoy!  This is a great way to get more veggies into your family diet, and the added health benefits of ginger and tumeric.  I feel so good after eating this!

Here is some additional information about why lentils are so good for your health...
(found here - http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75)

Health Benefits of Lentils...

Lentils are a great source of fiber, and help lower cholesterol.  Lentils also provide good amounts of seven important minerals, our B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up—not out.

Good for your Heart

Lentils have significant amounts of folate and magnesium which are very important minerals for keeping your heart healthy.

Lentils also Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar

Iron gives you Energy

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils can increase your energy by replenishing your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with lentils is a good idea—especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, lentils are not rich in fat and calories. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And remember: If you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron.

Decorating My Daughters Room

Confessions of a seriously obsessed mommy...

I honestly spent more time and energy putting together and decorating my daughters room than I spent on my wedding!

The pure excitement and anticipation of having a baby girl (my first child at 34 years old) really motivated me in decorating Sofia's room.  I think the combination of having a little girls room to decorate and wishing to put as much love and happiness in it as possible really inspired me to be creative.  Perhaps the whimsical nature of childhood allows you more opportunity for creativity and fun.

Let me just start by saying that I spent hours scouring www.Pinterest.com for ideas, and when I say hours, I mean HOURS!  I found quite a few ideas that I used for inspiration, and amazingly they did not turn out to be "Pinstrocities".  I started working on Sofia's room when I was about 6 month pregnant and am still making little tweaks here and there as she grows and changes.  Here's what I did...

1. Picking a Theme

I started with the idea of wanting the room to be a calming space with elements of whimsy and girlish charm.  Then I decided on a general "Garden" theme with lots of birds, flowers and woodland creatures.  From there it was easier to think about color and I decided on lavender and spring greens, with room for additional spring color accents (pink, orange, topaz blue etc).  I looked at several different wall color options and finally decided a soft lavender would be the best for a calming effect.  I am so happy with the color I picked - it is soft and soothing.

I also picked up some fantastically easy to use vinyl stickers to decorate the main wall.  I picked a tree with animals and flowers, and I think it looks adorable.  I'm also happy that I can easily change it later as she grows and her room changes.

2. Deciding on Furniture

After looking at a ton of websites that carry nursery furniture, from the Land of Nod, Pottery Barn Kids, Ikea to Target etc I decided that some simple white furniture and accessories would be the most inexpensive, feminine and contemporary option.  I found some awesome deals at Ikea (of course) like a changing table, the window seat, dresser, the hanging light and chair in the corner of the room.  I think the light was like $12. After we put all the furniture together I purchased a rug from RugsUSA.com (which was on sale and because we got a smaller size it ended being under $200).  I picked a couple of pricier items like the green curtains from Land of Nod to make sure I had the right colors, and I'm really happy that I did.  Overall, we did not need to spend too much on furniture and accessories for her room because I waited until things were on sale, and shopped around at multiple stores.  I also re-purposed items to fit the theme, like an old bed side dresser that I painted white and put some new hardware on. It matches everything perfectly (total cost for that like $30).

Dresser I painted and added new hardware - Jason jigsawed the front edges to make them rounded

3. Adding Personal Touches

Along with the new things we purchased especially for Sofi's room,  we also filled her room with vintage items from mine and my husbands childhood like baby blankets and stuffed animals, hand me downs from family members, hand made items from family and friends, beautiful gifts from family picked up on their travels, and re-purposed items.

One example of a hand made item is the SOFIA name banner I made out of scrap book paper, stencils, white paint and some twine.  Another great DIY how-to find on Pinterest!

I used cute artwork I have collected over the years, (including this Mary Blair print) and artwork from friends. I put them in white frames to match the furniture.

Our friend Jackie made this beautiful handmade artwork with Sofia's name and date of birth. She makes adorable handmade gifts - check our her blog too...Jacqueline Heckman 

4. Creating A Fun Space

I really wanted Sofia's room to be fun and have lots of places for toys and books, and room to play.  Without having the room feel cluttered or overwhelmed with toys I thought about how she would use the room, and how to store all the toys and books.

Here's what we did...

My husband and I picked up an inexpensive bookshelf from Ikea and turn it on it's side to create an upholstered window bench.  I found the idea on Pinterest and basically copied it.  I used some green fabric and some foam I picked up from Joanne's Fabric store and an MDF board from Home Depot. Cut everything to size, then stapled the fabric over the foam and board, and voila!   After adding some fabric bins for storage it became the perfect seat/ toy and book storage area.

I wanted to put some books out of her to reach and some on display but kept safe from toddler hands until she's older, so I ordered a spice rack and put the nice books face out on it.  

We also added a little glass display case to the wall to keep all the little delicate breakable items I have saved for her.

Lastly, per our wishlist, my brother and sister-in-law purchased a little green tent for Sofia that fits perfectly in the corner of her room. It is her own private play house and reading nook.

Kathy's mobile hangs over Sofi's changing table - it has done wonders to keep her entertained while changing diapers!

My only regret is that I wish we had just broken down and purchased one of those ridiculously expensive glider chairs for the corner instead of the Ikea chair (cute as it is, it is not that comfy), as I REALLY wished I had that when I was breast feeding.

The pillow is from 'Forrest Friends' - I got it at Comic Con when I was pregnant - BTW - never go to a large convention like that when you are 6 month pregnant!

Other than that I think everything turned out beautiful, and really functional for a child's needs.

A final note:  My husband was involved in every step of the way and we decided on everything together :)

Happy decorating!