Lentil and Prosciutto Soup

To satisfy those soup cravings on cold days like these, try this lentil and prosciutto soup out that's hearty enough to satisfy a dinner-sized appetite. Lentils are ridiculously rich in protein, fiber and folate, and a solid source of iron too.

Serves 4

• 1 large onion
• 2 small carrots 
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 roma tomato
• 4 oz prosciutto
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley

Dice the onion, carrots, celery and tomato, then set aside. 

Remove as much of fat off the sliced prosciutto as possible, then cut roughly into 1-inch pieces. 

Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high. Add prosciutto and saute for a 1-2min to release smoky flavor. Add diced onion, carrot and celery and let cook for 8min, stirring often. 

Add rinsed lentils, chicken broth, pepper and salt to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer 30min. 

With 10min left in simmering time, stir in fresh chopped parsley. 

Serve with bread for dunking. Also tastes great with gnocchi for an even more filling meal. 

Asian-inspired Cucumber Cups

This healthy and refreshing appetizer is perfect because it won't fill your guests up before a meal. Plus they're pretty to look at! And it's a perfect way to use up some of the to die for spicy peanut sauce from my Chicken Nood Wraps recipe! 

Yield: 10 cucumber cups (+/- depending on length of cucumber)

• spicy peanut sauce: 

• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch section of fresh ginger, minced
• 2 small chilis, minced, with seeds 
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (1-2 limes) 
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• note: this yields more peanut sauce than you will need, but it lasts a few days in the fridge, and can easily be used up for stir-fry, thai curry, veggie dip, etc. 
• 1 cucumber
• 1 small carrot
• 30 lo-mein  noodles (approx) 
• 10 peanuts, crushed

Prepare peanut sauce. Start by mincing the garlic, ginger and chilis. Heat a small amount of olive oil to a small frying pan over med-high. Add garlic, ginger and chilis. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, til fragrant and the edges of the garlic turn golden brown. Remove pan from heat and set aside. 

Juice lime(s) and pour into small sauce pan with lid. Combine all other peanut sauce ingredients, including the cooked garlic, ginger and chili peppers with lime juice in sauce pan. Cook over low heat til peanut butter melts. Stir frequently to mix and prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom. Remove from heat, cover with lid and set aside. 

Set a small pot of water to boil and cook noodles per package instructions. Rinse with cold water and strain. 

Peel carrot. Cut carrot into thin strips using peeler and set strips aside (note: you'll likely only need half of a small carrot). 

Wash cucumber. Using a peeler, strip the length of the cucumber four times, creating a stripe pattern (optional step, just to make it look pretty). Slice cucumber into 1 1/2 inch "cups". Using a small spoon, scoop out the center. Be sure to leave 1/8-1/4 inch at the bottom to hold cup contents. 

Scoop a small dollop of peanut sauce to coat the bottom of the cucumber cup. 

* Make sure your hands are washed and clean for this part! *

Gather 1-2 noodles with 1-2 strips of carrot, holding them at one end between your finger and thumb. Use your other hand to twirl the length of the noodles and carrot around your finger. Carefully slide the coiled noodles and carrot off your finger and into the cucumber cup. Press the coil gently into the cup to ensure the ends don't spring loose. Repeat until all cucumber cups are stuffed. 

Top each coil with another small dollop of peanut sauce. Sprinkle crushed peanuts over top. 

Guacamole

During one of our various wanders through the town of San Juan del Sur, we stepped into the locals market strip behind the store fronts along the street. The inside of this square block was alive in a completely different way than the rest of town. Children played with their puppies, while their parents minded the grocery shops, and women prepared food in back kitchens where unidentifiable smells wafted out of. It was clear we had to make some purchases here to bring back to our jungle lodge. I settled on guacamole because I was amused by the shape and color of the avocados found in the market, and gathered the necessary ingredients. 

Makes enough for 1-2 people.

• 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 tomato 
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1 large, ripe avocado
• 1/2 small lime 
• salt and pepper, to taste
• smoked paprika
• tortilla chips or whatever vessel you prefer to use as a carrier of guac to mouth

Very finely dice/mince the onion, tomato and jalepeno. Place into serving dish. 

Halve the avocado and remove pit. Hold the avocado, skin side to palm, and squeeze flesh into serving dish. Spoon out any avocado remaining on skin. 

Squeeze juice of half a lime by hand into serving dish. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Mash all ingredients together using spoon or fork until the desired consistency is achieved. Top with smoked paprika, then dip away!

Volcano Wraps

On our honeymoon, we went volcano boarding at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua. It was a challenging hike given the strong winds, and overall a petrifying experience. The rewards of this adventure came in the form of a gash in my left shin caused by fallen volcanic rock, black ash lodged firmly into every crevasse of my body, a wind-designed hairstyle that impenetrable by brush, comb or fingers, and a delightful lunch made by our guide at Quetzaltrekkers. This meal tastes extraordinarily good devoured while sitting on a hammock, sipping on a Toña cerveza, but tastes just as good now that we're back home, reminiscing about the goodtimes in Nica. 

Going down the side of Cerro Negro
as slowly and fearlessly as possible. 

Victory meal for volcano boarding survivors.

Makes 4-5 medium wraps. 

Nica journaling

• 3 large carrots
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 roma tomato
• 1 ear of corn (use frozen if fresh isn't available)
• 1 very small onion (more or less to taste)
• 1 squeeze of lime
• salt and pepper, to taste
• soft, medium, whole wheat tortilla wraps
• 14oz squeeze pouch Ducal refried beans (canned variety is close enough if you don't live near any Mexican & South American grocery stores)
• topping: spicy nacho Doritos

 

Peel carrots, then shred through large-hole shredder of your grater. Place shredded carrots into large salad bowl. 

Wash cucumber (you only need half), then quarter lengthwise before slicing thinly. I prefer thin slices, but you can make chunkier if it suits you. Add sliced cuke to salad bowl. 

Wash tomato, slice in half, then remove seeds and slime. Dice, then add to bowl. 

Shuck the corn, then take a sharp knife to slice the kernels off in swaths. I lay the corn flat on a large chopping board instead of holding it vertically so the kernels don't fall everywhere. Add kernels to salad bowl. 

Dice as much onion as you'd like and add to the mix. I use most of a small onion, because although I don't mind the taste of raw onion, it is not meant to overpower the salad. 

Add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to the salad, then toss to mix. 

Wrap assembly can be done however you like, but this is the order I like:  Squeeze a good dollop of refried beans into the center of the wrap. Pick up the wrap and fold lightly to evenly distribute beans. Re-open the wrap, crush a few spicy doritos into the beans, then pile high with salad mix, before topping off with a few more crushed spicy doritos. Hot sauce can be added if you are a fan of goodness. Fold up, enjoy and repeat as necessary! 

Brussel Sprout & Avocado Hash

After a busy year finishing my practicum and teaching adorable preschoolers, there's time again now to get back to food posts! 

Brussel sprouts (don't hate) pack a lot of nutrients and, surprisingly, are a complete protein! Combined with avocado (which also contains 3gr of protein per cup), another one of the healthiest foods you can put in your mouth, this hash makes a seriously filling lunch. It actually was my lunch today, but it's likely more palatable to most as a side dish. 

Yield: side dish for 2-4 people (or a filling lunch/dinner for 1)

• 15-20 brussel sprouts
• 1 large avocado, ripe
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Wash and trim brussel sprouts. Slice lengthwise into quarters. 

Slice avocado in half and remove pit. Halve the avocado again and carefully remove peel. Halve the quartered avocado, then slice into bite-size chunks.

Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a non-stick pan. Add brussel sprouts and stir to evenly coat pan with olive oil. Let saute for 5min. Add minced garlic to pan and reduce heat to medium. Add a few tablespoons of water, as necessary, to steam-fry brussel sprouts for another 5-10 minutes, or until tender, but firm. Add avocado, salt and paprika. Increase to med-high heat and saute for another few minutes until avocado is heated through, but still holds shape. 

Plate the brussel sprout and avocado hash, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.