healthy – Page 5 – Mommy Hiker

[Food Series] Ginger Butternut Squash Soup

Posted on January 24, 2014February 24, 2016 by Jennifer Fontaine

Our family just recently started receiving our produce through a community supported agriculture (CSA) delivery service. Everything is locally grown, seasonal, organic and delivered to our doorstep. When I open my front door, once a week, and our box of goodies is sitting there, it’s almost like I won the lottery and can’t wait to open it up to see what we’ve won! This week was a ton of butternut squash, so I decided to make soup! This is a seriously healthy, nutritious and hearty meal, perfect for a cozy, winter family dinner. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 lbs Butternut Squash
1 tablespoon ground Ginger
3 Bay Leaves
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 15oz can of low sodium organic garbanzo beans
4 cups water
Pepper
1 tablespoon Pine Nuts
1 Avocado

This recipe is seriously easy!! First peel and remove the seeds from the butternut squash, then cut into one inch cubes. Throw everything (except for the pine nuts and avocado) into a soup pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and let it simmer. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread out the pine nuts on a lined baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 3 minutes, making sure to watch them closely so they don’t scorch. Thinly slice the avocado. When the butternut squash is easily mashable with a fork (approximately 20-30 minutes), use a hand held immersion blender to puree the soup, directly in the pot. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with avocado slices and pine nuts and devour! I served this up with leeks in olive oil. Heavenly.

[Food Series] Turkish Meatballs (Köfte)

Posted on January 10, 2014February 24, 2016 by Jennifer Fontaine

I’ll be honest, Meatballs are my husband’s domain. He’s the Köfte master. Before this attempt, I had only made them once, so I didn’t expect to knock it out of the park! Even the hubby said mine were better than his (on which the jury is still out). Anyway, here it is! The best darn Turkish meatball a New Orleanian ever made! Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 lbs Ground Beef (30% Fat)
1/2 medium Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons dried Oregano
2 tablespoons Cumin
1/2 cup fresh Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

To begin, prepare the wet and dry mixture ingredients before handling the ground beef. Finely grate the onion and garlic in one bowl. In another bowl add the plain bread crumbs, crushed dried oregano, cumin, salt and pepper and mix well. Preheat your broiler. In another bowl, place half of the ground beef trying to expose as much surface area of the meat as possible, then add half of the onion and garlic mixture, half of the breadcrumb mixture and half of the parsley and mix until everything is fully incorporated. Make sure not to overwork the meat, otherwise the meatballs won’t be as tender. Add the second half of the ground beef and the last of the onion and garlic mixture, breadcrumb mixture and parsley and mix again. Shape meatballs into oblong spheres about an inch in diameter and place in the broiler for about 5 minutes, then flip and broil for about another 4 minutes.

[Food Series] Healthy and Hearty Red Lentil Soup

Posted on December 27, 2013February 24, 2016 by Jennifer Fontaine

In the winter months, you can pretty much bet that at least once a week, soup will be served in our house! I just love soup! There’s something so warm and cozy about snuggling up to a steamy bowl of soup, how it fogs up the kitchen windows and let’s face it, how super easy it is! This red lentil soup is a staple in our house. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups Red Lentils
1 cup Celery
1 cup Carrots
1 cup Onions
1 medium Potato
1 medium Tomato
2 cloves of Garlic
3 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Cardamon
1 teaspoon Cumin
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Lemon

To make things really simple, I generally buy a large container of Mirepoix, which is all celery, carrots and onions already diced for you! Genius! If your grocer doesn’t carry this, you’ll just have to do it the old fashioned way. Also, dice the potato and tomato and finely grate the garlic. Now here comes the hard part: Throw everything into a large soup pot. Fill it with halfway with water, cover and simmer for about half an hour, then uncover and simmer for another 30 minutes, making sure to stir every now and then. Ladle the soup in to your bowl and squeeze a quarter slice of lemon to finish. That’s IT! So easy, so nutritious and so delicious! Enjoy!