South Western Breakfast Skillet {Vegetarian}

The thing about breakfast skillets that makes them so darn amazing is that they are almost better for dinner than they are for breakfast. It's a conundrum I've yet come to understand. Something so amazingly perfect happens when you roast lightly salt and peppered potatoes, poblano peppers, scrambled eggs and cumin and chili spiced beans in a cast iron skillet. Enter salsa and avocado. 
The end. 

Whenever I start to talk about food with somebody, like I did today with a very lovely women from The Culinary Content Network, the subject of kitchen tools almost always comes up. You start sharing your favorite recipes, tips and tricks and suddenly you find yourself neck deep in kitchen gadgets you never knew you couldn't live without!


Put the wish list aside and focus on your hands down, all time, absolutely couldn't live without cooking and baking items.


go ahead, I'll give you a minute.............



We all have our go to gadgets, skillets and knives that we turn to when cooking up a good meal. There's no way I could pick just one but I can easily say that my cast iron skillets have been on my Top Three Favorite Kitchen Tools for pretty much, well  EVER!


In fact, my very first noteworthy kitchen tool was a cast iron skillet I was given as a gift in my very early 20's. I still have it and use it several times a week. The flavor and depth that it brings to all things edible is beyond compare. Even if it's a "One Pot Dish" I still always sauté my onions and other veggies in my cast iron skillet. The difference is noteworthy.

What are your favorite kitchen items, gadgets or appliances? 

 I need to know! 

TIME      30 MINUTES            SERVES      4-6


You Will Need

A good quality, cast iron skillet. Choose one depending on the size of your family. My first one was about 8 square inches and worked perfectly until child numero tres.  Like I said before, I still use it weekly to perfectly sauté onions & other veggies and to dry roast chili peppers! Works like a charm!~


1 medium size yellow onion, diced
1 large poblano pepper or green chile
1 large or 2 small red potatoes
2 cups cooked black beans (one can)
5 whole large eggs
1 cup Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, grated
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked pepper to taste
Cilantro, chopped for garnish
1-2 Avocados, sliced (supplies your essential healthy fats and good HDL cholesterol)
1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil




Chop potatoes into small, 1" cubes. Dice onion and chop peppers, toss them all in a bowl with salt, pepper and the oil. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pot on medium-low heat combine beans, cumin, chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using canned beans!!) Cook covered for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.


In a large cast iron skillet that has been preheated for a few minutes on a medium-high burner, add the potatoes, onions and peppers. Cook over moderate heat stirring once or twice, you want them to sit and brown a bit! Cook for about 10-12 minutes until a fork easily pierces the potatoes but they are still a bit firm.


Drain the beans and add them to the potato mixture. Stir to combine. Let cook 2-3 more minutes. Crack the eggs into the skillet. Using a spatula, gently push the contents around to combine and coat with the egg. Add the grated cheese and let sit.  Cook just 2-3 minutes until the egg is set. Don't overcook or your eggs will be dry.


Garnish with chopped cilantro, avocado and salsa as you please. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Vegetarian Skillet Nachos

Cast Iron Skillet, Sweet Chile Corn Bread

Sweet Corn and Green Chile Chicken Tamale Pie

Lamb Keema with Potatoes

Lamb Keema is a very popular dish in Persia and Indian countries.  It's a very simple weeknight meal and the spices and ingredients are easily interchangeable. This is the recipe we have been making for years and every single one of my children loves it which is nothing short of a miracle!

I wish you could smell this dish, it's aromas are breathtaking. It may not look very pretty but the flavors of the spices and chili gives it so much depth. Balanced out with whole yogurt which adds a bit of creamy sweetness to this Indian dish and you have yourself a winner.






You can use rice instead of potatoes if you wish and ground beef or turkey for the lamb. However, I implore you to try lamb if you have been hesitant to, it's flavor is incomparable to beef and all of the lamb I've seen available in markets are free range and fed a natural diet and therefor healthier and more humane than most cattle.  We eat very little meat in this house and lamb is my favorite next to elk. Sorry vegetarians.

2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil ( I strongly recommend using either of these, I use coconut oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2" fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 green chili (Anaheim or poblano) chopped (or 1 teaspoon chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 pound ground lamb
3 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1/2" cubes
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup fat free, plain yogurt
salt to taste
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Put oil in medium size hot skillet & saute onion, garlic, ginger root, chili, and spices. Add ground lamb and stir until it's mostly cooked, then add potatoes, salt and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add peas and yogurt and simmer 5 minutes more. 

Take off heat and add cilantro. Serve w/ chutney (optional)

Roasted Summer Veggies with a Poached Egg, a 3 Olive Tapenade and Smoked Gouda with Bacon

Don't let the title fool you, this is a no brainer, super fast weeknight supper. 


I get asked quite often for ideas on simple, non-boring dinner solutions. Well, this is one of those meals. A new favorite in our home, this dinner can be easily modified to include your favorite veggies that you have on hand through out the seasons. If you've not tried a poached egg over veggies you're in for a treat. A simple olive and roasted pepper tapenade brings it all together with flare.

Can we talk about cheese for a minute?

Let me just say that if I had to live with just one food for the rest of my life it would be cheese.

O.K. maybe I'd need some fiber after a day or two but you get my drift. I also happen to be a cheese snob... and I'm o.k. with that. Growing up in the 80's I never knew cheese existed if it wasn't sliced and individually wrapped in plastic. Despite my limited exposure to real cheese in my childhood, I developed a unyielding fervor for good cheese,  I'm a cheese snob through and through. 

This smoked Gouda with bacon didn't stand a chance.  

Now, add a thin slice or two of  crispy bacon infused smoked Gouda with this dinner and sprinkle with a 3 minute olive tapenade.............


the end.

I don't like my veggies soggy or over oily (does anyone? Well maybe my in-laws who prefer their veggies boiled) I prefer them roasted or grilled which if you've never tried before, you must! It brings out an entirely new flavor. One of my top 5 favorite kitchen tools is my stone baking pan which you've probably heard me mention many times here on Simply Healthy Family.  It cooks veggies and treats evenly and crisply and requires very little to no oil. Healthy Bonus! I own both a Rada baking stone and a Le Creuset baking dish  both of which I adore. If you decide to purchase one, please do so through Simply Healthy Family's store and help support this blog. These are all items and foods that I own and love. 

You Will Need

2 zucchini squash, chopped
1 yellow summer squash, chopped
4 small red potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
1 bunch asparagus OR pole beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence (or 1/2 teaspoon each of marjoram, rosemary, thyme, tarragon and oregano)
salt and pepper to taste

6 whole, free range, Organic eggs
small shallow pot of gently boiling water (1 teaspoon vinegar optional, helps keep egg together)


For the Olive Tapenade

1/4 cup black olives
1/4 cup green olives
1/4 cup kalamata olives
{or use any combination you please}
1/2 cup (jarred) roasted red peppers
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds (or pine nuts or walnuts)
2-4 teaspoons olive oil (if you use red peppers in olive oil, you will need less additional oil)
NO salt, olives contain enough!


Pre heat oven to 400F. Place all veggies in your stone baking pan sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs, toss to coat.  Put in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, make olive tapenade. In a small handheld food processor place first nuts then remaining ingredients. Chop to desired consistency. Spoon into small serving bowl.

Now, start a shallow pan of water to a gentle boil (over medium-high heat). Carefully crack eggs (one or two at a time if necessary so they don't crowd the pan. Gently boil for exactly 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate or directly on top of veggies.


Serve with the tapenade and a small slice of your favorite cheese, although I highly recommend the smoked gouda with bacon as it compliments the egg in this dish.

Black Bean and Cranberry Burgers with Chipotle Hummus

Who needs meat when these sweet and spicy burgers are just minutes from your kitchen table? Made from everyday pantry staples these burgers can be thrown together in minutes and will satisfy meat eaters and picky kids alike. My kids loved them (minus the spicy chipotle sauce).  I think that the dried cranberries, sweet corn and grated carrots are to credit with the fact that my kids gobbled them up right before my eyes. 

I recreated this burger from one of my all time favorite places to eat, Pita Jungle. My husband won't go there with me so every so often I just so happen to find myself alone, stranded and starving  at the mall   in the middle of no where except for this lone Pita Jungle with a cute little patio and a fantastically healthy Mediterranean food selection, my fav.  Lucky me.

While I don't mind eating out by myself every once and a while, the bill even being solo can still add up. So in an effort to save money and because I realllllly crave these burgers quite often, I had to figure out how to make them for myself.  

And I did.

Score!

Big time.

To satisfy your sweet tooth, have a few naturally sweet strawberries with your dinner instead of sugar laden cakes 

or ice cream.

I honestly think I could give Pita Jungle a run for there money on these babies. They were totally right on the money..... even better IMHO, sorry Pita, no disrespect.



Paired with the chipotle hummus instead of fattening mayo and with a side of spring lettuce, bean sprouts and salt and pepper  Organic fingerling potatoes this is a perfect healthy meal. You will leave the table with your taste buds and belly satisfied, I promise!

Did You Know That Potatoes Can Help You Get A Good Nights Sleep?

When the sugars from potatoes enter the bloodstream, insulin surges, soaking up all amino acids except for tryptophan. This in turn becomes a fuel for serotonin, the neurotransmitter that produces melatonin. Melatonin is the amino acid that controls how drowsy we feel and regulates the sleep cycle.

For the best results, try eating potatoes 3 hours before bedtime.

Black Bean and Cranberry Burgers with Chipotle Hummus

These really are super easy! Don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients, in fact, I don't measure anything, I just eye it but I listed some general measurements for your convenience. 

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans, drained

1 cup home made bread crumbs ( I use sprouted bread and pulse in my coffee grinder)

1 free range egg

1 cup frozen petite sweet corn

1/2 cup finely chopped bell or sweet peppers

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup grated carrots

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use Himalayan Pink or French Grey for the minerals)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon turmeric (optional. I use for health benefits, doesn't have much flavor)

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

6 whole grain Kaiser buns

Condiments:

sliced tomatoes

sliced purple onion

lettuce

sprouts

For Chipotle Hummus:

1 cup plain or garlic hummus (home made or store bought) 

1 6 oz. can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Mix the hummus with a tablespoon or so of the adobe sauce (not the chipotle peppers). Reserve chipotles for another use.

Putting it all together:

In your coffee grinder or mini food processor, finely grind 2-3 pieces of sprouted or whole grain bread. Set out on a plate to dry out a bit while you put everything else together. TIP: I make a big batch of bread crumbs and freeze in a mason jar for convenience.

Pre-heat oven to 425F

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, beans through turmeric.

Lightly oil a heavy baking pan such as a broiler pan. You can also fry these on a grill pan if you wish.

Using your hands, scoop a big handful of the bean mixture into a ball and then gently shape into a thick patty.

Place on oiled grill pan. Repeat until all of the mixture is gone.

Bake at 425F for 12-18 minutes until slightly crispy and hot.

Put burgers on kaiser buns spread with chipotle hummus and layered with freshly sliced tomatoes, onion, lettuce and sprouts. 

If you are making potatoes as a side dish, rinse and dry potatoes. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper to taste. Layer on a heavy baking dish {I use a stone baking dish} and bake with the burgers. You may need to put the potatoes in first depending on how big they are. Check with a fork for doneness.

Sopa de Almejas {Clam Soup}

Traditionally, a good Mexican meal starts with a nice bowl of soup as a first course, just after the appetizers. It can be a simple broth, accompanied with lemon or lime to be squeezed into it, some radish, onion, chili peppers and cilantro leaves for flavour. Or a more elaborated recipe, using seafood, meat, pasta, legumes and vegetables.




I made this soup because I had a bunch of clams left over from my gigantic can of clams I bought from Costco to make this Clam Pasta with White Sauce.  I didn't want to make a heavy clam chowder but I was craving a nice, hot soup. So I looked around in my pantry to see what I could come up with and found some Pomi diced tomatoes, potatoes, onion, celery and cilantro. We love Mexican food around here so I thought, why not a Mexican Clam Soup? Who says clams are only in thick chowders or Italian style dishes like Paella or Clams in Tomato and Wine broth..... oh, now I'm wanting those too.

Thanks to the addition of the potatoes, this was filling enough to be a main course for a light meal. Serve with some crusty bread for soaking up the wonderful juices if you would like.



recipe slightly adapted from Camino Florido


TIME  30 MINUTES     SERVES  6

Ingredients:

2 lbs. canned clams save the liquid since it will add more flavor to your soup
3 cups of potatoes cut in small cubes
2 cups of chopped celery
¾ of cup of chopped onion
4 Anchovy fillets (for more flavor and Omega-3's)
6 cups of seafood broth  (I just used the juice from the clams and then about 2 cups of *home made chicken broth I had frozen)
1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili flakes
Salt and pepper at taste
1 lemon, juiced

Preparation:

Heat a large pot and add the olive oil, fry the onion and celery, when the onion is transparent, add the garlic and anchovies. Integrate the potatoes and fry for a couple of minutes stirring continuously. Pour in the broth and clam juice. Add the clams and let it simmer covered with the lid on for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are done yet still firm. Add cayenne, salt and pepper at taste, Add the parsley and the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

* home made chicken broth is not only tastier and healthier than the canned and boxed varieties, but it is a bit milder so it won't overwhelm your seafood dishes with chicken flavour.

Bubble and Squeek: Brussels, Leeks and Ham

Don't let leftovers get you down. Make this quick and delicious potato dish and they'll never know it was from stuff you already had in your fridge. They'll also never know it's healthy, brussel sprouts are hiding in this flavorful comfort food.


Bubble and Squeak, in it's varying forms is the name for fried left-over vegetables from Sunday lunch. Traditionally, it would be eaten on a Monday for lunch or dinner with a fried egg, bacon, or meat leftovers. There is no specific recipe it is simply a way of using up whatever you have left from dinner. The main ingredient is mashed potatoes which is the 'glue'  holding all of the other veggies together and often, but not always cabbage.

In Ireland, it is known as Colcannon and is made from mashed potatoes, cabbage or Kale and onion and similar to Bubble and Squeak as is Rumbled Thumps in Scotland.

Bubble and squeak was a popular dish during World War II, as it was an easy way of using leftovers during a period of hardship and when most foods were rationed. The name comes from the bubble and squeak sounds that are made as the vegetables cook.

PREP TIME   15 MINUTES  
COOK TIME    30 MINUTES
SERVES    4



BUBBLE AND SQUEAK


1 1/2 lbs (750 g) floury potatoes
1/2 cup(125 ml/4fl oz) milk
3 oz (90 g) butter
14 oz.(450g) any combination of  chopped or shredded green vegetables 
{cabbage, leek, brussel sprouts, kale, spinach}
4 oz (110 g) bacon or ham
1/2 cup (125 ml)  Gruyere cheese, shredded 
salt and cracked pepper to taste (I use French Grey Sea Salt)

Cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces and put them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until tender, about 8-10 minutes, do not boil or the potatoes may break up and absorb water before they cook through. Drain thoroughly.

Heat the milk in a pan. Add potatoes and half of the butter then mash with a fork until the mixture is smooth. Melt  half of the remaining butter in a large, heavy-based pan with a handle suitable for using in an oven. Cook the ham or bacon until just done. Add the green vegetables (I used brussels and white & light green part of leeks this time) and cook until they are just tender and cooked through. Add them to the potato and mix together with cheese. Season to taste with salt and cracked pepper.

Melt remaining butter (yup, more butter) in pan and spoon in the potato mixture, smoothing off the top. Cook until the bottom is browned and crispy. Remove pan from the heat and place it under a preheated oven at 450 degrees F. Cook until the top is golden browned, about 12 minutes.

Delicious served with a salad or an accompaniment to poached eggs.

Wash brussel sprouts under cool water. Pat dry.

I threw them in my food processor and shredded them.

Brown the brussels and leeks over med-high heat in butter or a high-smoke point oil like grape seed.

Cube potatoes into small pieces and place in salted, cool water into a shallow pan. 

Bring to a gentle boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain.

Now listen, these photos are from 2 different times I made this dish.
The 1st time I mixed all my ingredients in a bowl and then placed them back into the shallow pan and reheated it on the stove and then placed it right into the preheated oven to brown on top.

The 2nd time I used a casserole dish. Not sure why, maybe because I thought it would be prettier. I suggest using the same pan for everything if you have one that is oven proof. Cook your potatoes first, drain and set aside, then brown veggies. Then bake {just follow the recipe above}

 Bon Appetite!

This post is linked to:

For the Kids Friday's

Potato-Blu Cheese and Broccoli Soup {low-fat}

Many of you may have gotten over soup recipes the minute the weather reached 70 degrees outdoors. Here in Phoenix however, it is only cold outside for like 3 weeks out of the year, and that's if you consider 55 degrees on a bright, sunny day cold. So when the weather decides to be all freaky and bi-polar and it is cold, overcast and even windy outside.... we make soup. I literally get giddy at the chance to actually enjoy a hot bowl of comforting soup which can only be truly appreciated when it is chilly and overcast outside in my opinion.

I loved this soup so much that I am seriously thinking of ways to cheat the system. I'm thinking of covering all the windows in thick drapes, turning the air conditioning down to 50 degrees, putting on my fuzzy slippers and making this again in July. Totally grand idea!

The blu cheese was a fabulously unexpected addition to this classic comfort soup. I'm so glad I decided to give blu cheese another chance. I didn't care for it at all in my 20's and now it's one of my favorite treats.

The fresh thyme really brought out all the flavors of the vegetables and just made this soup my new favorite, simple dish. Crispy bacon sprinkled on top of the potato soup had everyone scraping their bowls for the

 very last drop.

Slowly infusing the thyme and garlic in the oil before sauteeing the leeks really kicks up the flavor
and adds a gourmet yet rustic flavour in every bite.

Is the weather acting weird where you live?

You Will Need:

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium leek, thinly sliced 

2-3 cloves garlic smashed

3 small-medium russet potatoes, diced

4-6 sprigs fresh Thyme plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon table salt 

1/2 teaspoon grey sea salt

6 cups chicken broth,  preferabley homemade

3 cups broccoli florets 

1/4 cup almond milk 

Freshly ground black pepper

Cooked and Crumbled Bacon
Crumbled Blue Cheese for Topping

 

To Make:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the oil, garlic and thyme sprigs. Let them sit in the low heat so that the flavors infuse into the oil, about 8 minutes.  Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the leek and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, broccoli,  table salt, and broth and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the potato is fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Carefully, puree the soup in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender {I love mine}. Return soup to the pot and add the almond milk. Bring to a simmer, taste, and season with French Grey sea salt and cracked pepper.

Ladel into individual bowls and sprinkle bacon and blue cheese and more chopped thyme if you please over top.

Bistro Sunday Brunch: Tarragon and Chive Roasted Potatoes and Garden Scrambled Eggs with Crema con Queso

Welcome Spring and all things light, lovely and green.

Good-bye mittens, blankets, soups and casseroles, thanks for keeping me warm and cozy. 

I'll see you next Winter it's been grand.

The End.

In all fairness and honesty, I should mention that I live in Glendale, Az. The valley of the Sun so we don't have a true Winter to speak of. I did have to use my 'tushy' warmer in my car a couple of times and it was cold enough to make soup once or twice. Hey we're talking in the 30's people! That's freezing to us native desert rat's! 

Really, I do sometimes wish for truer seasons. To experience big Autumn trees and snow on Christmas. But then I get over it and throw on my shorts and flip flops and head out to my backyard and pick some veggies in the warm, early March weather. What can I say? I love this place. Until June when it will be 120+ degrees  in the shade and life will suck big time and you can stop being jealous of us desert dwellers.

Right now however it is absolutely perfect outdoors and we are just soaking up every minute here in the valley. Windows open, cool breezes, baseball games, patio lunches and flip flops. My favorite thing about the coming of Spring is the lighter, fresher meals. More veggies, more salads, lemon aide and no-cook dinners.

Here is a wonderful Spring brunch to start of the season.

Add some lightly grilled asparagus and have this beautiful dish for Easter Day brunch.

Tarragon and Chive Roasted Potatoes and Garden Scrambled Eggs

with Crema con Queso

You know why. Just do it.



TIME  20 MINUTES      SERVES  4
Ingredients:

6-8 Free Range, Organic eggs
1 tablespoon half and half
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon French Grey Sea salt
2 medium russet potatoes, cubed
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Tarragon, divided
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
Queso Cojita {Mexican crumbly cheese}
Mexicana Crema (can also use creme fraiche)
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced

To Make:

Pre heat oven to 400F. Line a roasting pan with foil.

In a large bowl toss cubed potatoes with olive oil (just a teensie bit will do!) Spread Potatoes onto pan and sprinkle with salt and 1-2 teaspoons of the tarragon. Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes till golden brown and fork tender.

In a medium saucepan over high heat bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add chopped broccoli. Cook just 2 minutes, no more. Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add small bit of butter. In a large mixing bowl whisk eggs and half and half. The half and half makes them oh-so-fluffy. Add a pinch of salt, pour into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, fold eggs over and over again till just set, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli, toss to combine.

Immediately remove from heat and serve with potatoes while still piping hot. Sprinkle with a bit more tarragon, the fresh chives, French Grey Sea Salt and freshly cracked pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon per serving of Crema Mexican over top of eggs. Crumble Queso Cojita over top of eggs. Serve peppers on the side.

French Grey Sea Salt.

Besides the amazing taste that you'll notice,

it's loaded with super minerals.

I save this for sprinkling on at the end so the minerals aren't destroyed during baking and to retain the flavour.

Potato Leek Soup Makeover

Potato Leek soup is a pretty common soup I think. Probably because it's pretty simple to make, delicious and warming making it a true comfort food. All of the recipes I've come across are pretty similar, most call for just potatoes and leeks, stock and cream. To me, that just makes glorified mashed potatoes which is all fine and good but I wanted more of a hearty, flavourful yet healthy soup. So I made up my own version out of the usual 'starter' recipe and it was magnificent.

If you've been here at Simply Healthy Family before, you know that I love my veggies and put them in almost everything, even in smoothies. So basically, all I did to this soup was use a good Organic chicken broth ( I use home made broth in broth based soups) and added more leeks and veggies and omitted the cream, using white wine instead for even more flavor. The result was a very flavorful soup without the heavy cream to mask the wonderful leeks and veggies.

This soup was super simple and fairly frugal making it a perfect weekday supper. 4 out of 4 kids loved it!

Simple. Leeks, potatoes, a bit of celery a touch of garlic. Use good quality flavor enhancers like chicken broth, a little bit of a good, dry white wine and French Sea Salt and you'll never miss the butter and cream that sabotage this wonderful soup and your diet.

 Cut the dark green tops off of the leeks and discard or save for vegetable stock or your compost pile. Slice the remaining white stalk lenghtwise. Rinse thoroughly under cool running water to remove sand.

In a ceramic coated cast iron pot (or good soup pot) over medium heat, add a teaspoon or two of EVOO. Gently cook leeks for 3-4 minutes till softened.

Don't let them brown like onions, Leeks are very sensitive that way. ;)

'De-Glazing' adds flavor 

Pour the wine into the pot (can use broth but the wine adds a wonderful flavour!) while scraping the bottom
of the pot with a broad wooden spoon to remove browned bits.
Turn up the heat to Med-High and cook down the wine for about 3 minutes.
Remember not to use metal utensils on your ceramic coated cookware.
and you threw away all of your Teflon pans right???




The center of the celery or 'celery heart' is perfect in soups. Chop up the leaves and add them to soup for more flavour!

Let's talk about salt!



French sea salts are hand-harvested from pristine Atlantic seawater. Unlike most American sea salts, they are usually unrefined so they retain more of the trace minerals that naturally occur in seawater. These minerals include natural iodine which is an essential mineral for proper thyroid function. French grey sea salt, or Sel Gris, is harvested using the traditional Celtic methods. This prized process is done entirely by hand, using only wooden tools. This preserves the pure taste of the French salt, and produces a very special moist crystalline texture. Sel Gris by Le Tresor is also lower in sodium chloride content than average sea salts, generally containing anywhere from 83–87% sodium chloride. French sea salts are ideal for use on salads, cooked fresh vegetables and grilled meat. They are available in coarse grains – ideal for pinching or salt cellars, stone ground fine – an ideal replacement for processed table salts, and extra fine grain – the perfect popcorn salt (or other salty snacks).

 A little goes a long way so even though it's more expensive than regular table salt, you get your money's worth and it's so much better for your health! I just can't say enough about how wonderful this salt tastes!  Potatoes soak up a lot of salt so add a little during cooking to help distribute flavor through your soup but wait until the end of cooking to add salt to taste.

The result?  Drum roll please................... Fantastic. Flavorful. Healthy. 

Comfort city central in my 

kitchen.

Printer Friendly Version of Potato Leek Soup Recipe

TIME  40 MINUTES     SERVES  6-8You Will Need:
5 medium Russet or Yukon Potatoes2-3 Leeks, trimmed and washed2 stalks celery heart w leaves, chopped1 clove garlic, chopped1 cup dry white wine (sub w broth if you must ;)6-7 cups Organic Chicken broth (or home made)2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dry* 1 teaspoon French Grey Sea Salt *Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes:Center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled on topFresh Thyme


Trim and wash leeks as described above. Cut into thin slices. In a large soup pot over medium heat, add EVOO. Add leeks, cook over medium heat stirring occasionally 3-4 minutes till softened but not browned.Pour in wine while scraping the bottom of the pot with a broad wooden spoon. Let the wine cook down for 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile scrub potatoes, leave peels on for vitamins. Chop into small, 1 inch pieces. Wash and chop celery. Smash and chop garlic, set aside.
Add broth to the pot, turn up the heat and add the potatoes and celery. Bring to a boil while stirring. Lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Remove from heat. Add garlic, thyme and salt. Using an immersion blender, blend contents of pot to a smooth consistency. Alternately, in small batches, carefully blend contents of pot in a blender.

Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and chopped bacon, garnish with thyme.

This post is linked to Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday's roundup!