My new favorite Sausage, Sweet Potato, White Cabbage Soup

This has become one of my favorite soups. It's a great one for cool Fall or Winter evenings, hearty and flavorful but not heavy. Most of the ingredients are simple things you can keep on hand for when you need to whip up a pot of soup.

If I did not live in a travel trailer, with very limited storage space, I could build a collection of pretty bowls and plates to make food pictures more tempting. ;-) I wrote in my first post about deciding to ignore my perfectionist tendencies, which were telling me I should not publish a single thing until I knew how to do every part exactly right. I just went ahead and started the blog, willing to let it be imperfectly good. Silly, I think, to not share the yummy recipes I've developed and tips I've learned, just because it won't be perfect. :-)

Back to the recipe...

It began as a German Sausage Chowder recipe that our son brought home from Culinary Arts class when he was in high school. It quickly became a family favorite. As our food world grew increasingly complicated, we had to make changes to our favorite recipes. This one was no exception. Out went the cheese, cream, potatoes, and wheat flour thickener. The original called for bratwurst, which started to give me trouble for some reason, so I looked for another sausage that would work. I smiled when I saw that I was still calling this "German Sausage Chowder" on meal plans and recipe notes. Precious little of the original recipe remains. I made my adapted version recently, and it was so good that I wanted to share it with everyone. I hope you like it, too.

Favorite Sausage Soup
Total time ~ about one hour
Serves 4-6

1 pound mild Italian Sausage (gluten-free; I also use garlic-free when I can find it)

2 cups white sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
*4 cups finely sliced and chopped white cabbage
     (time saving tip- use a bag of cabbage pre-shredded for coleslaw)
1/4 tsp. dried onion
     (I can't tolerate onions, but a small amount of dried onion seems okay for me)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
 2 cups water

1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced sodium chicken stock
1 can (13.5 oz.) thick coconut milk (I use Native Forest)

1/4 cup gluten-free flour mix (I use 2T millet flour with 2T tapioca starch*)
1/2 cup water

(*I use tapioca for this, rather than arrowroot. Arrowroot starch loses its thickening powers when heated for long. I have had soups and sauces get nice and thick, then suddenly go watery, when I used arrowroot starch.)

 In a medium-sized soup pot, cook sausage completely. Remove most of the grease from the pot. (Either by draining sausage in a strainer, or soaking up grease from pot with paper towels)

Add potatoes and cabbage to the sausage in the pot, along with all of the seasonings, the can of stock and two cups of water. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan (flavor nuggets!). Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are nearly tender. Add coconut milk and heat to a low simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

In a small bowl, mix half-cup of water with the flour. Stir into soup, reduce heat and cook just until thickened slightly. Stir often to avoid scorching.

*If you like your cabbage less soft, add after sweet potatoes have cooked for fifteen minutes.
** Arrowroot starch loses its thickening properties if overheated. If you use arrowroot starch, it's important to add it at the end and turn off the heat as soon as it's thickened.
***White sweet potatoes are my favorite substitute for potatoes. As we've roamed the country this year, I've learned that these are not available everywhere. The recipe will work with orange sweet potatoes/yams. The white ones with their milder flavor are my preference, but I make it with yams when they're all I can get. :-)

Almond Chia (not poppy!) -seed Muffins

I have been in a sort of internet wasteland, without the bandwidth to make blog posts. For this brief moment, it's flowing, so I'm going to get a recipe posted before the window closes. :)

In the work world where mandatory, random drug tests are common, poppy seeds are a cause for concern. They are trying to refine the standard tests so they'll be able to differentiate between opium use and having a bagel. In the meantime, it's good to be careful.

In thinking of this, I started to ponder what could substitute for the poppy seeds in some of our favorite muffins. This recipe is the result of my quest. I am happy with it and have thoroughly enjoyed the results of my research. :) These are moist, tender and tasty, and the chia seeds give that good crunch we love from poppy seeds. :)

Just a note- I've been working to cut our sugar intake, so the sweetness is less than when they're made with regular sugar. I've tried using more agave nectar, but it made the batter too wet to cook normally and gave them that funky too-much-agave aftertaste. At some point, I'll experiment with adding just a bit of honey to this recipe. If I do, and the results are good, I'll add a note here.

In addition to being a substitute for poppy seeds, chia seeds bring a number of nutritional benefits to the table. They are a "super food."

"Everything-free" Almond Chia-seed Muffins
no gluten, dairy, egg, soy, etc. etc. etc.
Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Line baking tin with paper liners

Hydrate chia seeds~combine
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup water

While those soak, in a large bowl, combine and whisk together thoroughly:
1cup Millet flour
1cup Arrowroot or tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, combine:
1/2 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons melted buttery-flavored coconut oil
2 teaspoons almond extract
~ and the hydrated chia seeds

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. I use a two-tablespoon dough scoop, with one heaping scoop per muffin.

Bake at 425 for 4 to 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes more. I learned this trick from another recipe. When I find my note on who had this great suggestion, I will add that information here, to give proper credit to the blogger who shared it. She said that those few minutes at the higher temperature help give more rise to the muffins and I've found that to be true.***

When muffins are done (tops don't squish down when gently pressed) remove and let cool in the pan for just a minute or two. Remove from the pan to a cooling rack.

***I found it! The site where I learned this tidbit was called Sally's Baking Addiction. :)

Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake

I wish I could remember the source for the recipe that inspired this dish, because I would love to give that cook the credit they deserve. If I ever do find those notes, I will add a note here. **I found it! The recipe that inspired my adaptation was from Taste of Home! :)

This has quickly become one of our favorite dishes. It was so great to find a new thing to do with chicken! We serve it over noodles (egg noodles for my hubby, gluten-free for me) with veggies on the side. One of the things I missed the most when going dairy-free was creamy sauces. This has that creamy feeling I love, and the touch of vinegar gives it a delicious tang. It's not a strong vinegar taste, just enough to give it a lift. :)

Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake
Gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free
Serves 2-4 (easily doubled, just don't fully double the salt)
Takes 45 minutes to an hour, start to finish

Preheat oven to 350

1 to 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

-Lay pieces on a plate or tray and season with salt, pepper, and a little bit of onion powder.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup gluten-free flour mix (I use 2 Tablespoons millet flour/2 Tablespoons tapioca starch)

 ~ season flour with a little salt and black pepper

1 cup low- sodium chicken stock

1 cup thick “cream” from a can of coconut milk (I use Native Forest brand)

 + ¼ cup liquid from the can (if you prefer the sauce a little thinner, just use the whole can)

1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

¼ - ½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried onion flakes

6 ounces marinated artichoke quarters, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons vinegar (I use coconut vinegar)

Two options: cook the entire dish in a saucepan or skillet that can go straight into the oven, or cook in the pan, then transfer to an oven-proof dish for baking.

-Heat olive oil in the skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Lightly cook the chicken breasts on both sides, then set aside on a plate. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low.

-To the remaining oil, add the seasoned flour. It might look too dry but be patient. Keep stirring it, and all the oil should absorb into the flour. Cook, stirring often for one or two minutes.

- Start adding the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring constantly. Be careful, as it will steam madly at first. Stir each addition in well before adding more. If it seems lumpy, you can try using a whisk to smooth it. Add the coconut “cream” and liquid. Let cook, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes. (While waiting, start heating water for the pasta)

- Add seasonings and chopped artichoke quarters and stir into sauce.

- Chop browned chicken into bite-sized chunks and add to sauce. Remove from heat.

-Stir in vinegar. (This just gives a subtle tang to the sauce, not a strong vinegar flavor)

-If using an oven-proof pan, put it directly into the oven at this point.

-If not, transfer sauce to an oven-proof baking dish.

-Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

-Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Pancake Hope

After months of frustration, I may finally be on the trail of a solution to my pancake failures. This has been a long, long frustrating road. I have come closer to slinging a skillet through the window or crying over pancakes than I would ever have imagined. No other food experience in my entire life has provoked such long-lasting frustration.

And then, tonight, I made the best pancakes I've seen since December! They're still not absolutely perfect, but they are a vast improvement on what I've been producing.

The answer? Well, answers...

I have been doing diligent work to reduce refined starches and sugar in my diet. In my zeal, I may have gone a little too far. Both for taste and for browning, I just need more sweetener in the batter.


The larger, hidden factor: my skillet. When choosing which kitchen implements to include in this tiny kitchen (we now live in a travel trailer), I selected one non-stick skillet. Therein lies the main reason for these months of pancake failure. There is just something about this skillet that does not cook pancakes properly! Now, the skillet I've been using was actually a replacement for the first one I'd chosen. That one had a light colored ceramic lining. The current skillet does a slightly better job- it has a more traditional, darker lining...but it's pretty lightweight. It was cheap- what can I say. ;)   There have been times when it has taken fifteen minutes per side to get pancakes to brown, and they were still raw batter in the middle. Revolting, and a massive waste of time.

Tonight, to test my theory, I have used Lee's small egg skillet to cook my pancakes. The results are balm to my soul. They are browning, and they are mostly cooked in the middle. A little more fine-tuning on the consistency of the batter, and I think I'll have it nailed.

Ironically, cooking two batches of pancakes one single cake at a time in this small skillet has actually been faster than cooking several at a time in the large skillet!

I have added a new skillet to my shopping list for tomorrow. Life is too precious to waste so many hours on revolting pancakes of disappointment when a new skillet can solve everything.

I'll take some more time to choose it than I did the last one- making sure it has a dark lining and a nice, heavy bottom. I may have to spend a few more dollars than I did last time, but it will be worth it.
(I usually buy my pots and pans at Ross Dress For Less- I can generally find higher quality tools for less money than at a department store. I do love a good deal.)  :)

It is a sincere, deep relief to have finally solved this unbelievably frustrating mystery.

"Everything-free" Waffles ~ New and Improved!

These are so good!

And~ they are: gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, rice-free, nightshade-free and refined-sugar-free. Did I miss any? :)

For a while now, I have been tinkering with my waffle recipe (originally shared on 5/4/18). Over the past week, I have been pulling together my thoughts on the final tweaks, and tonight I gave them a try. The results are just what I hoped for- crispy, golden, tender and tasty.

See how light and tender they are inside?

Here it is, at long last, my revised and much improved waffle recipe:

(Everything-free) "Buttermilk" Waffles
Makes about eight 4-inch waffles. 

Make flax gel "eggs"
In a small saucepan, combine
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon flax seeds

~Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Boil one minute, strain out seeds and save gel. Let it cool while you prepare the other ingredients. Store leftover gel in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. It's easier to measure when warm. Once it's cold, it has the texture of egg white.

I have tried other egg substitutes, but the flax gel really gives the best result.

Make "buttermilk"
In a glass measuring cup:
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
add alternative milk to equal one cup. (I use Unsweetened Vanilla coconut milk beverage)
~ Let this sit and curdle while you move on.

Dry ingredients:
1 Cup millet flour
1 Cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
2 heaping Tablespoons coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:
the milk/lemon mixture, plus...
3 Tablespoons flax gel
1/3 cup neutral flavored oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (optional, but yummy)

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk thoroughly. In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients, whisk lightly, then add to dry. Whisk vigorously until batter thickens.

(From what I've read, the xanthan gum requires active movement to hydrate it and to activate its thickening properties.)

Let the batter rest while the waffle iron heats. In my experience, gluten-free batters stick badly. I use a standard baking spray, and spray the iron lightly every time I add batter. We have a big, four-square Belgian waffle baker. I use a medium-sized cookie scoop and drop a dollop of waffle batter in the center of each square. I used to put a big blob of batter in the center of the baker, to make one big, connected waffle, but the center wouldn't bake properly. Once I switched to making four individual waffles, they baked just fine.

Bake until crisp and golden brown. I put mine on a cooling rack as soon as they come out of the waffle iron. This keeps them from getting soggy. Store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator.

This recipe doubles well. I've learned, with most recipes, to double everything but the salt. Using about 1 1/2 times the salt works out well.

This makes a delicious Saturday morning breakfast! I used some as a base for Strawberry shortcake recently~ delicious with coconut-milk whipped topping or non-dairy vanilla ice cream. :)

As leftovers, they don't retain their crispness. I don't mind that, but if you want more crisp leftovers, you might try toasting them in a toaster, or even re-heating in the waffle iron. I'd be interested to know how well that works.

Happy eating, and thanks for stopping by!

Why have my pancakes been failing???

There are reasons why I have not been posting breakfast recipes on here lately.

For weeks now, I have been encountering such frustration and disappointment when I make pancakes that I finally have to stop trying. This is sad, because pancakes are one of my favorite things in the world. They just make me happy. So do cupcakes. They're just so happy and so good.

Except when they're not.

When they are wet, stodgy, and disgusting, the frustration is compounded in exponents. I don't know if that is even a thing- being compounded in exponents, but it sounds like how I feel when that happens. :) The last few times I have made pancakes, they took a ridiculously, agonizingly long time to cook- like fifteen minutes per side! And they were still raw batter in the middle. So frustrating!!

I have wracked my poor brain, trying to figure out why why WHY my pancakes suddenly do not work.

I have considered the fact that, while for twenty-three years I lived at high elevation (4,800+ feet), I now live...everywhere. Since starting our life in the travel trailer a few months ago, we have been in eight different states, at widely varied elevations. This can definitely impact cooking and baking. Relative humidity can also be an important factor. We went from high desert to coastal rainforest to southwestern desert and now to the humid South. This will certainly change things in the kitchen.

This morning, as I took a deep breath, and mixed up a batch of pancake batter (something I've not done for a few weeks), I have been pondering this question yet again. I have two new thoughts on the subject of dramatic pancake failure.

For several years, I have used a specific millet flour. I can only get it from one place and with our life on the road, that has not been possible. That millet flour is called "unifine." It is turned from seed to flour in a specific process that yields an extra-fine flour. I have loved that. So many gluten-free flours feel gritty. The unifine flour has a wonderfully soft, smooth texture. I was able to buy millet flour at a store recently, for which I was very thankful, but it is a little less fine than what I've had in the past. This will affect the texture of batter and dough. The liquids do not absorb the same way when the flour is more coarse.

And just now, while mixing up my batter, I confirmed a suspicion I've had for months. Back when I had a whole kitchen and pantry, I had three different glass measuring cups- 1-cup, 2-cup and 4-cup. In paring down for the small-space life, I chose just the 2-cup measure to travel with me. It is the most versatile, so I figured it would be the most practical option.

Here is the problem: the markings on this measuring cup are wrong! Gah!!!! (take a breath) No wonder I have struggled!!! This morning, I used a different measure, one which came with our pressure cooker. I poured out one-fourth cup of oil into that cup, then poured it into my glass one. It was noticeably below the 1/4 cup mark. When I measured out the juice (I'm making orange-juice cinnamon pancakes), I poured it first into the glass cup. It showed just 3/4 cup in the glass one, but when I poured it into the other, it showed a full cup!!

How can I possibly have good results using recipes I figured out in the past, when the measuring tool that I now use is so dramatically off-base?!!! Beyond that, how can I possibly share recipes and have them work well for other people, when my measurements may be far from what they should be? Several tablespoons difference per cup makes a tremendous difference in the texture of the finished product.

I am writing this while the batter rests. Once I have (sigh) cooked up the pancakes, I will report back on how they turned out. I think I need some calming tea and soothing music so I can face the potential stress of pancakes that will not cook. But maybe it will work this time. Maybe this batch will brown nicely and quickly, and maybe the pancakes will be tender and moist and nicely cooked in the middle. I can hope, right?

~~~~~~~~~~

And....they're okay. Not great, but not terrible. They did brown. I went back to my original pancake recipe recently and realized that I'd been forgetting that little bit of sugar. Even thought it is a lower-glycemic sugar (coconut sugar) it still makes a big difference in browning. These first few out of the pan.....still heavy and sticky inside. Not as bad as before, but not great either. Paul Hollywood would definitely not approve! ;) I've just added more liquid to the batter, to see if thinner ones will cook through.

~~~~~~~~~~

Oh. And this transition (house to travel trailer) has also meant switching to a gas cookstove, and specifically to a gas stove that does not have a super-low setting for the burners. On the stove I used years ago, Low meant just tiny points of flame. The lowest setting on this stove seems more like medium-low to me. I'm having to re-learn how to cook things like rice, as they'll scorch on the lowest setting. This is also part of the pancake saga, I think. Although I've never cooked pancakes on super-low, ever, I have to with this stove. So many factors!

~~~~~~~~~~

If you have watched the Great British Bake Off, you may get this reference. Remember Catharine? ("Doughnut Doom." "Honestly, I've completely lost it.") Remember her last week on the show, when she was baking crackers? Remember her  "I am so over this!!" face when she dumped the pan of burned crackers on the counter? That is the face I was wearing just now when I dumped pancakes onto the cooling rack.

Pancakes should not be so frustrating. They should be little golden rounds of delicious happiness!

Still waiting on the thinner batch to cook, to see if they actually manage to not be raw batter in the middle.

~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously.How can they be both undercooked and overdone???  If this were bread, I would think "undahproooved." Why why why? Sigh. Okay....if it were bread, this would be caused by being underproved....maybe the pancake batter equivalent is needing more "raising agent?" But I already have a Tablespoon of baking powder to just two cups of flour. Does it seriously need more? It is frustrating to spend the time, and the ingredients ($$$$$) on food and have it turn out so sub-par. I will still eat them. As long as they won't make me sick, I eat the food. Just cannot afford to throw ingredients in the trash if the result doesn't make me happy. Food is food. These are at least not as terrible as the ones a few weeks ago. I almost cried over pancakes. That's how bad it got. I needed a break from the frustration!

~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for taking this little journey with me, through my breakfast struggles. I have some non-breakfast recipes to share soon. Thank goodness for soup! It does not fail me like breakfast has. :)

I hope that you have a lovely day, and that your food is not gross. :)

"Everthing-free" Almond Poppyseed Pancakes

This is still a work in progress, but I've enjoyed them so much that I wanted to get this out there for others to try. These have turned out more thick and fluffy than my pancakes usually are, which has been a nice change.  I have also been experimenting with citrus-poppyseed pancakes, but the results have not yet been quite good enough to share.

I am still tinkering with the type and amount of sweetener. First, I used two tablespoons of coconut sugar, but they were not sweet enough. In the batch I'm making tonight, I used two tablespoons of "Monkfruit" sweetener. I'm sure they would be quite good with refined cane sugar, but I am trying to cut back on that, so I'm working with other options. If sugar is not an issue for you, you could probably use a couple of tablespoons, or maybe even a quarter cup, of regular granulated sugar.

I am writing this post in-between tending pancakes as they cook, and I've just tried the first ones out of the pan. Hmm....the monkfruit sweetener did work, though I think they still need to be just a bit more sweet. They also browned slowly. The type and amount of sweetener used definitely impacts how they brown. Next batch, I may try a little bit of liquid stevia, or maybe some honey or agave nectar, to boost the sweetness. I'll keep you posted. :) Still, they are soft and fluffy and good. :)

On a chilly day, there are few things as comforting as pancakes. Even though they're not quite perfect, these are still tasty, and I hope you enjoy them. :)

"Everthing-free" Almond Poppyseed Pancakes
wheat-free, gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan

makes about ten, 3" pancakes

Dry ingredients: whisk together well in a large bowl

1 cup fine millet flour
1 cup tapioca starch
(this is what I use. I'd be interested to hear how these work using 2 cups of other gluten-free flour blends)
(2 to 4 Tablespoons coconut sugar or other sweetener)
1 Tablespoon flaxmeal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons poppyseeds 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Why I use these flours: millet flour and tapioca starch are almost the only flours/starches that my body will tolerate. Also, I like the texture when they are combined. To me, it resembles unbleached wheat flour.

Wet ingredients:combine in smaller bowl and whisk together well
2 Tablespoons flax gel (see my post from May 4, 2018 for directions on making flax gel)
1/4 cup neutral cooking oil (I used grapeseed oil)
2 teaspoons melted coconut oil (this is important, when not using eggs)
2 teaspoons almond extract (**for the very sensitive, make sure it's gluten-free!)
1 cup coconut milk (the beverage, not the thick kind in a can)

Directions:
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until very well combined.
Let batter rest before using, anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes.

Cooking: everyone's kitchen and tools are so different that it is hard to give specific cooking directions. For many years, I have used non-stick electric griddles for cooking pancakes. Now that I live full-time in a travel trailer, there is no room for such gadgets. I am adjusting to cooking pancakes in a skillet, and relearning how to cook on a gas stove, which I have not done in almost thirty years! The gas stove I am using does not have a really low setting for the burners, so what is the lowest mark on the knob for me might actually be medium-low on someone else's stove. When I used the electric griddle, I cooked my pancakes at a little less than 350 degrees, usually at about 335-340. I like a slower bake, so the middle cooks before the outside burns. When I cooked them in a skillet on our electric stove, I would set the heat at medium-low. 

With the griddle, I would always spray the surface with cooking spray between every batch. When cooking them in a skillet, I would use oil. I have a nice new (non-toxic) non-stick skillet, so they actually work fine without oil. I don't love the dry surface when they're cooked without any oil at all. If I add oil, the first few pancakes soak it all up and are just dripping with oil by the time they're done. This time, I tried using a little baking spray in the skillet. It worked okay- not much difference from just the dry skillet. There must be a happy medium, somewhere between bone dry and dripping with grease. :)

After my batter rested for about ten minutes, I started heating my skillet. It takes about five minutes to heat. You know your equipment best, so go with what you know. :) I use a scoop to dollop the batter into the pan. It's quick and the pancakes are all fairly equal in size, so they cook at the same rate. Using my two-tablespoon scoop, I got ten pancakes from this batter.

Cook just until the edges of the pancakes start to firm up, but the batter on top is still shiny. Flip carefully, and cook until they are nicely browned and cooked in the middle. I put mine on a cooling rack as they come out of the pan. If they're stacked on a plate, they get soggy.

One came out slightly heart-shaped, very fitting as today is Valentine's Day. :)

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat briefly in the microwave- about ten seconds per pancake works for me.

Enjoy!

Good things coming

I have a couple of recipes that are almost ready for sharing, and I'm pretty excited about both of them. One has become one of my favorite soups...which reminds me that I have another favorite soup recipe to share soon. :) The other is a new pancake recipe that I've been working with. I'm making the pancakes for breakfast again tomorrow, trying one more change and seeing what I think. If it works out, then I am sharing the recipe! I could keep tinkering with it indefinitely, but I'd rather share it so others can start enjoying it, too. :) Down with perfectionism! Up with just go ahead and live life, eat the pancakes, and share the recipe! :) 

Creamy Fish and Veggie Chowder

This recipe was born out of my wondering how to make a soup golden and creamy without using flour, butter or milk. The pureed carrot base gives this an appealing golden color, as well as adding more veggie nutrient goodness. I used to use cashew cream for this, but now I can’t have cashews. Thick coconut milk works very well, giving it a nice creamy texture. I don’t even like fish very much, but I know it’s an important part of a healthy diet so I try to find ways to fix it that work for me. This recipe became part of our regular meal list. Fish and veggies, with healthy fats, made into a soup that tastes fairly luxurious- what’s not to love?

We like this with a mild, white fish. My favorite is Orange Roughy, but it is hard to find. When Schwan's delivery service had it in stock, I would buy several packages! We have used fresh Cod when we could get it, and that was good. I would imagine that salmon could work well, too. I used to use a half pound, but my husband always wished for more fish, so now I use a full pound. I have considered using different seasonings, like maybe tarragon and bay. Someday. :)

I was thinking today, of how this might be made vegetarian/vegan. Of course, just leaving out the fish works well. Then you have a creamy vegetable soup. If you want protein in it, I'm sure there are options that will work. I often think of mushrooms as a good substitute for “meatiness.” I can’t eat them, so can’t experiment with them. Would chunks of something like portobello mushrooms, seasoned and lightly sautéed, be good in this? I could see small cubes of firm tofu, pressed, dusted with seasoned corn starch and lightly fried, going well with this. That would still have the “light” feel of the fish that works so well in this soup.

This was originally a vegetable soup that I invented, which I quite enjoyed. Later, I added the fish and then the family liked it better. This makes a nice, light lunch or dinner, especially with a good salad on the side. It would be so good with a nice hearty bread alongside. Once I learn to make a really good gluten- dairy- egg- eveything-free bread, this will be one of the first things I make to go with it.

Kristie’s Creamy Chowder

Dairy-free, gluten-free

(could be vegan/vegetarian)

Serves 4

Total time: about 45 minutes to one hour

1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped small

1 rib of celery, washed, trimmed and chopped small

1 quart of reduced-sodium chicken stock

½ to 1 pound of fresh fish (amount depending on your preference)

               If using it raw, cut the fish into bite-sized pieces, and check for bones.

               If baking first, leave the fillet whole for baking, or if it's quite large,

               cut it into chunks of about four to six inches.

Dried thyme, salt and black pepper (optional: lemon salt), a little garlic powder

1 small head of cauliflower (or half of a large head), washed, cored, and cut into small, bite-sized florets

1 large crown of broccoli (or two smaller crowns), washed, and cut into small, bite-sized florets

1 can thick coconut milk (I use Native Forest brand)

               (or- 1 to 1 ½ cups fairly thick cashew cream)

Dried parsley (about 1/2 teaspoon) 

Dried thyme (about 1 teaspoon)

A little bit of dried onion, about 1/2 teaspoon

There are two ways to do the fish for this chowder: cut it raw and add it at the end, or season and bake it first. I used to do the first way, but have changed, partly because I think it gives more flavor, and also because, when I forget to thaw the fish ahead of time, baking it speeds up the process. 

 

Get all of your other ingredients ready to go, so nothing burns while you frantically prep the next thing. Hear the voice of unfortunate experience there? :)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Put fish fillets into an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle with dried thyme and black pepper. Lemon salt is really tasty on this, but regular salt works just fine. Sprinkle with just a bit of garlic powder. If you can have a "lemon pepper" seasoning blend, that would work well, along with dried thyme. 

 While the fish is baking, heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add the carrots and celery. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then add just enough of the stock to cover the veggies. Cook until they are very soft, adding more stock if necessary so it doesn’t boil dry and burn. (again, the voice of experience)  Once the veggies are soft, pour them and the stock into a bowl to cool. Add the rest of the stock to the pot and add the cauliflower, along with dried thyme and parsley, and a little bit of dried onion. Over medium heat, return to a low boil and cook for about five minutes, then add the broccoli. Cook for five more minutes, or until the veggies are beginning to soften.

Bake  the fish until it is just cooked- just turning opaque (15 minutes?). If it is not quite done, it will finish cooking when added to the soup. You don't want to overcook it, as it may turn to pulp in the soup. Let cool just a little bit, then cut into bite-sized pieces, watching out for bones.

When the cauliflower and broccoli are almost done, add the coconut milk and fish pieces. While that heats, pour the cooked carrots and celery, along with the stock they cooked in, into a blender or food processor. Blend, adding a little stock or water if needed to get it very smooth, then add to the soup pot. Stir well, then taste and adjust salt/seasonings to your preference.

Enjoy! 

*For those who can eat them, fresh onions and garlic would probably be very good in this, and would add good flavor. If you use them, you would want to cut the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic well. I would guess that half of a small yellow onion and one clove of garlic would be enough for this. You could add them along with the carrot and celery, so they would be part of the base puree...or, before cooking the cauliflower, you could add a little oil to the pot and saute the onion until it turns translucent, add the minced garlic and the seasonings, cook very briefly, then add the stock and cauliflower. Whichever way you do it, add the garlic just before the other things are done. It burns so quickly, and makes everything taste bitter.

 

*Cashew Cream- there are several recipes for this on the internet. Basically, you take raw cashews, add an equal amount of water, and let them sit for several hours or overnight, then puree until nice and smooth. When I used cashew cream for this soup, I would start with about 3/4 cup of cashews. I have wondered whether it would be good to discard the soaking water, rinse the nuts, and add fresh water before creaming them.