Moroccan Harissa Soup

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I love this spicy rich healthy carrot soup. It tastes exotic, yet is very simple to make.
I put a heart on my bowl of soup because according to 
an IVillage article " Spicy Foods Are Good for Your Heart". 
This recipe calls for a hot Moroccan spice blend called "harissa" 
 - (a pasty combination of hot chili, cumin, coriander, garlic and other spices typically used in North African cooking in countries like Morocco, Algeria,and Tunisia.)- 

I didn't use it; it's too hot for me!! 

 Instead I just used the cumin, coriander and garlic. ( spices contain substantial amounts of immune building and anti-inflammatory antioxidants.) The color and flavor is exceptional because freshly ground spices are brilliantly colored, exceptionally fragrant, and bursting with health giving benefits.


It might be good for the heart, and you might really like it, but it's too hot for me. I toned my recipe down somewhat and just used the cumin, coriander, and garlic. I left out the hot peppers and added some white wine( Chardonnay)  for flavor. However, if you like things hot and spicy , you have to try "harissa" . A prepared version can be purchased in a can in most spice shops but you can make it yourself! It is a staple in most Moroccan homes and is used in many of their recipes. 

Here is a link for an authentic  homemade" harissa" recipe posted by 
Katherine Martinelli   on fabulous her blog.

Authentic Homemade Harissa Recipe Katherine Martinelli   

Fresh Spice Market in Istanbul, Turkey  (photo from our trip to Turkey in 2010)

Moroccan recipes are not new to me, as I already make a wonderful recipe called  Moroccan Spiced Lemon Carrots which I and everyone I've ever served it to adore ( It's lemony, not hot)  So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this recipe in Vegetarian Times  for Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup . I knew it was something we would love to try.

However, I wasn't prepared for how much we would love this soup. My husband and I found it to be exceptional.

 I adapted the recipe somewhat. So, the recipe that follows is my version.

Soup Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 additional TBS olive oil

2 large onions, diced

2 large red bell peppers, diced 

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

8-10 fresh cloves garlic, chopped

3 medium-size carrots, diced

2  russet potatoes, peeled and diced 

6 cup vegetable broth

1 cup tomato juice or V8 juice

2 1/2 tsp. harissa ( a Moroccan spice made from hot peppers) 

Subtitle in place of harissa: 1 tsp cumin +1 tsp coriander

1/2 cup white wine optional  ( the alcohol will cook out completely but imparts a  nice flavor )

Directions

1. In a 6 quart soup pot add olive oil, onion, peppers, and garlic. Sautee on a medium heat for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently until vegetables are soft.    
2. Add carrots and potato and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until potatoes begin to become  brownish . Mix in tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute
3. Add broth, tomato juice, and wine, and harissa. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are soft.

This soup may be seved chunky or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

1. Serve chunky vegetable style ( my favorite) or
2. Transfer mixture in small batches to blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper

 

Sometimes I prefer a milder soup, so I will use the wine for flavoring, but I leave out the cumin and coriander. Obviously,  it tastes different, but is very delicious and soothing . I usually eat my soup chunky.

For an authentic homemade  recipe for harissa,  follow the link to a fabulous blog  by Katherine Martinelli      

Authentic Homemade Harissa Recipe Katherine Martinelli   

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Korean Bibimbap

This post is about my first experience with Korean Bibimbap, not the soup above; However, the soup and the bibimbap are related.

Last week, my husband and I  drove into NYC to visit my son and his girlfriend (now his wife).  We dined at restaurant called," THE SMITH MIDTOWN " at  956 SECOND AVENUE  NYC ( a must try).  

The food was exceptional and gluten free friendly. 

 I ordered the roasted tomato soup with melted cheddar cheese  and a fabulous Greek salad with a wonderful creamy lemony dressing ( one of the best I ever had). 

My husband, my son and his girlfriend all really enjoyed their choices as well; their choices were not gluten free ( the menu ) OK .... I'm getting to the Bibimbap.

On our long walk to the restaurant, my son told me about a vegetarian gluten free entree he had tried at the restaurant once before called,  Bibimbap..  I was intrigued with the name to say the least, but I thought he was making it up just to be funny.

It turned out my son wasn't joking. Bibimbap is a Korean dish that is quite popular in that American restaurant. 

 In fact, shortly after we were seated, a generous order of bibimbap whizzed by us on its way to a nearby table .

The bibimbap was a layered salad made with sushi rice, shiitake mushroom, spinach, pickled carrot, edamame, bean sprouts, a sunny up egg right in the middle. I is served with a wonderful Korean sauce.

According to Wikipedia :
Bibimbap (Korean pronunciation: [bibimbap]^[1]) is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed meal" or "mixed rice". Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg may be added. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.^[2] It can be served either cold or hot.

When I went online, I found out there are many variations of Bibimbap. Sometimes it is layered, sometimes it is arranged by item in a spring form type pan, sometimes it is just mixed together. Some versions are a little more Americanized and contain shredded carrots, zucchini, and more typical American fare. I looked for some on Pinterest, there were tons of recipes. I guess a lot of people are familiar Bibimbap.

 Use Real Butter. is a blog. She has a wonderful pictorial tutorial of how to make bibimbap step by step.. If you want to make it, check out her blog because the post was entertaining and the photos and tutorials wonderful. ( for me of course, I would leave out the beef)


Have you ever had Bibimbap? Have you ever heard of Bibimbap? What's your Bibimbap story

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Mardi Gras Creole Red Beans and Rice

I don't usually make a special dish for Mardi Gras, but once I tasted these delicious spicy Creole red beans and rice, it got me in the mood!! I love making them because they can be made in the crock pot.

I teach in a private boarding school, and today the French classes are wearing colorful masks, celebrating, making crepes, dressing up etc. Even our school dining service jumped in by decorating the dining hall with colorful masks and metallic looking plastic beaded necklaces. They even featured a wonderful Louisiana Creole red bean dish for lunch that of course was gluten free. 

The creole beans and rice were  sooo good that I took a picture of my meal (above) and secured the recipe. It's a fast and easy meal that can be eaten over some healthy brown rice..

Thanks to my friends Peter and Paula for bringing back Official Mardi Gras Beads from New Orleans 

I discoveed  that red beans and rice have always been a popular meal in New Orleans, as well as traditionally eaten on Mardi Gras. This spicy red beans and rice recipe is based on an authentic Louisiana Creole recipe. Although the original recipe included sausage, my school omitted it and made a vegetarian version because of a diverse population of students and faculty a good number who don't eat meat. I've tried it by adding plant-based vegan sausage. 

You can make the recipe the fast way by using cooked beans or the slow way by  using dried kidney beans that you soak overnight  and cook for about 3 hours on the stovetop.

Personally, I like making bean dishes in the crock pot. I can start in the morning and have a hot tasty dish by noon. Ok, I love my crock pot and use it every chance I get. It makes life and clean up so easy!

**Update 2025 : I now use my Instant Pot instead!!!

In addition, this is a pretty healthy meal and very economical.


Ingredients:
1 pound of dried kidney beans soaked overnight.
When ready to use, rinse and set aside 
2 large onions, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 large can diced tomatoes or 5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp of Cajun seasoning (or salt, pepper, hot pepper, basil and thyme to taste)

Directions :

Dutch Oven: Put onions, red pepper, celery, and garlic in a large Dutch oven type pan. Add tomatoes, uncooked soaked overnight dried beans, and Cajun seasoning. Stir well and add water to cover beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until beans are soft about 3 hours. ** or forget the water and just use 2 cans of kidney beans and cook for about 30 minutes until well mingled. Optional: Add cooked and sliced vegan sausage. 

Crock Pot:
Put onions, red pepper, celery, and garlic in a crock pot. Add tomatoes, uncooked soaked overnight dried beans, and Cajun seasoning. Stir well and add water to cover beans. Cook on high for 3 ish hours or until beans are soft or cook on low for 6-7 hours. Optional: Add cooked and slice vegan sausage before serving.

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Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Cap

Large portobello mushroom caps are a  hearty base for this vegetable stuffed lasagna type dish. The mushroom cap is easy to work with and lends itself to stuffing. One thing I really love about this recipe is that it doesn't contain any noodle products that it is not high in carbohydrates or calories. You can enjoy the tasty filling without the carbs and of course it's gluten free.

I've  been into mushrooms lately. I've been eating them raw in my salads, adding them to soups, and sauteing them over my food. I usually buy the little packages of sliced white or small portobello mushrooms, but this time I went for the large portobello mushroom caps and experimented to see what I could come up with.! I made this for lunch today and really enjoyed it. I ate it with a salad  and had some fruit for dessert.

Mushrooms are very low in calories ( do they have any calories?), so they are a great food to eat when you are trying to lose a little weight.

I made this recipe into a really a low- cal entree that was fast and easy.
I give it about 3 "Points Plus" per cap on Weight Watchers!
(If you are not looking to lose weight, feel free to use full fat cheeses! )

This is Ginger. She was our weekend guest!

 
Ingredients: Makes 4 mushroom caps 

4 portobello mushroom caps
1 cup ricotta cheese ( I used no fat ricotta) or use mashed tofu if you want it dairy free
1 cup cooked spinach, ( I used frozen make sure to drain well )
1 T tomato paste
6 Tablespoons low fat shredded cheddar
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium onion , chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Insides of mushrooms

Directions:

Prepare mushrooms
Wipe each musroom well with a damp paper towel ( ok, i have to wash mine!!)
Scoop out the insides and chop to add to filling.
Set mushrooms aside to get ready to fill.



t;

scooped out mushroom ( the bottom is white)

Filling:
In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese and cooked spinach and set aside.
Saute onions, tomato, garlic, mushrooms in a little olive oil spray in a skillet. Add tomato paste and cook a little longer.
Transfer vegetables to ricotta cheese and spinach mixture. Add 4 T of shredded cheddar and mix well.
Stuff mushrooms with the filling and top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Place mushrooms on baking sheet and bake ( preheat overn) at 350 for 15 minutes or place in toaster oven.




Mix ricotta cheese, cooked and drained spinach



Saute onions, tomato, mushroom, garlic, and tomato paste

Add sauteed vegetables to ricotta mixture

If filling is left over make into a patty or two and bake next to the mushrooms.

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