Taste 8: Sweet Potato Carrot Coconut Soup

Call me old fashioned.  But, when he calls me at 9 pm to say he’s coming over, I naturally ask if he’s eaten.  When the response is “no,” I think it’s time to get cooking. Nine pm is generally considered late to start cooking, so I decided to make something simple with whatever I had in the kitchen.  In this case, for my eighth dish in my 14-part series (or challenge:) of giving him a taste of how much I care, I made roasted sweet potato and carrot coconut soup topped with coconut baby bok choy. With a name so long, it might sound like a complex dish, but it was simple and delicious.

Here’s how I made it-

I started by roasting two garnet yams (peeled), four carrots (also peeled), and a sliced shallot in a tablespoon of coconut cream (or fat- the thick cream at the top of an undisturbed can of coconut milk) and a few tablespoons of maple syrup.  This took approximately 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

When the yams and carrots are easily pierced with a fork, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes or so.  Meanwhile, skim off the rest of the coconut fat and separate it from the clear water. I LOVE this white temptress. I could eat it with a spoon.

Next, coarsely chop the baby bok choy and separate the leafy greens from the celery-like stalk. Chop a little red onion (maybe 1/2 cup), and you’re ready to assemble the meal.

Put the yams and carrots, the rest of the coconut water, and enough broth (veggie or chicken) to cover the yams into the Vitamix.  Blend this into a perfectly smooth puree (it just takes a few seconds in my favorite 2 horse-power toy).  Pour this into a stock pot and simmer on medium high.  I seasoned it with some cinnamon, cayenne, Vietnamese Sweet Lemongrass Curry (a Savory Spice Shop original), and soy sauce.  How much of those ingredients did I add? I don’t know… a little of this, a little of that. I’d say season to your liking.

While the soup was heating, I added the last dollop of coconut fat to a pan on medium high and started to sauté the onion.  When that was translucent, I added the stalky part of the bok choy and got that soft before adding the chopped bok choy leaves. Then a splash of soy sauce, and it’s done.

Top the soup with coconut baby bok choy and enjoy.

Taste 7: Cherry Almond Orange Chocolove Biscotti

I love baking biscotti, and since he’s been talking about biscotti lately, I thought I’d make one of my biscotti recipes for my seventh taste of how much I care.  But, I better stop snacking on these to be sure he actually gets a taste…

When baking with butter, I like to whip fresh cream into butter rather than use a pre-made stick, so that was the first step of this recipe. If you choose not to do that, start with softened butter. Also, I love chopping up Chocolove chocolate bars for recipes that call for chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. They are a local favorite of mine. For this recipe I used an Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate Chocolove bar.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup whipped, fresh butter
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp lemon, orange, or clementine zest
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 3/4 Chocolove bar, chopped (I used Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate for this recipe)
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder (1 tsp if at altitude)
• a little nutmeg
• a little sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.

I like to toast my almonds while the oven is pre-heating, but be careful. One minute too long in that oven and they could easily burn! I usually put a big handful of raw, whole almonds on a baking sheet and put them in the oven right when I turn it on. I check them every few minutes and give them shake or stir. After 7-10 minutes, they should be fragrant and golden brown. Remove them from the oven and pour them onto another tray, or into a bowl. Let them cool before giving them a coarse chop.

Sift the flours, baking powder, nutmeg, and sea salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine your chocolate chunks, chopped almonds, and dried cherries (cherries are definitely optional).

Next, start to cream together the butter and sugar in your mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon or orange zest. When the wet ingredients are well combined, add the chocolate, almonds, and cherries and mix for a few seconds. Finally, slowly add the flour mixture while mixing on slow speed.

When the dough holds together well, remove it from the mixer bowl and form it into an oval-shaped ball with your hands. Then, press it down onto a parchment paper lined baking tray until it is rectangular in shape and 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 15 minutes or so until it is golden brown on the edges and cooked in the center.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool to the touch. Then, transfer it to a cutting board and slice it into 1/2 inch thick pieces.

Turn these on their sides so the inner section faces up and bake another 5 minutes. Remove and flip each piece to double-bake the other side for another 5 minutes. Allow them to cool on wire racks before serving.

Store for one week or more in an airtight container, or eat them all within the first few days as I usually do!  Either way, share with someone you love.

Taste 6: Get the Vitamix Involved

If you read my blog and/or know me personally, you are aware of my love of all things Vitamix. So, after cookies, cocktails, and Frasca, it’s time to demonstrate my appreciation through something healthy… like a veggie smoothie.

Into my Vitamix went a tangello, a kiwi, 3 carrots, 2 celery stalks, a handful of broccoli, 1/2 cucumber, some romaine lettuce, a cup or so of frozen pineapple,  1/2 jalapeño, and a few cups of water.  Turn that baby up to high and in 30 seconds or so…

Voilá. There it is. A veggie smoothie.

If you hang out with me, you’re going to eat your vegetables.  Or drink them…

Taste 4: Double Chocolate Chilies and Cherries Chocolove Chunk Cookies

For my fourth way to show him how much I care (about his waistline) I pulled out one of my original recipes I created a couple years ago: Double Chocolate Chilies and Cherries Chocolove Chunk Cookies.  The title is a mouthful because once these babies come out of the oven, you will have a mouthful of cookies all night. Warning: eat responsibly.

Local Boulder-based Chocolove makes a Chilies and Cherries bar and it’s one of my favorites.  I’m known to make spicy brownies (coming up soon in this 14-part series), but wanted to branch out a bit on my chocolate baked goods, so one day I got creative and made up this cookie recipe.  I love it.

Here’s how I made them:

• 10 oz bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli sells 10 oz bags of chocolate chips which work well)
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 bars of Chocolove Chilies and Cherries in Dark Chocolate

Start by melting the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler.

While it is melting, whip the cream into butter in your KitchenAid stand mixer. Then cream together the butter and sugar (evaporated cane juice). Next, add the eggs and mix well.

Slice the cold batter-logs into disks and roll them into ping-pong-sized balls.  Bake them on a parchment lined tray at 375 for 10-12 minutes.  They’ll still feel delicate in the middle when they’re done, so carefully slide them onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy!