Winter cobb salad with a creamy citrus dressing

by Sarah Steimer

I love the creaminess of cobb salad dressings, and the citrus flavors in this version give it a wintery boost — in addition to the Christmas-style red and green of the pomegranate and Brussels. There are a lot of flavors and textures to this dish, but certainly not too many that the eater gets lost.

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Pumpkin-chickpea soup

by Sarah Steimer

The original recipe called for an actual pumpkin, but I had to use canned because I couldn't locate a winter squash in the winter. Also, I halved the recipe and made plenty.

•  2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups chickpeas (two 15-ounce cans)
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons of hot sauce (I used Sriracha sauce)

In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the cumin a cook for a few more minutes, then add the chickpeas.

Add the pumpkin puree, stock, tomato paste and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then let simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender (unless you have an immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Place back into the pot and add the cilantro or parsley and the hot sauce. Simmer for a few minutes more.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe adapted from: Local Kitchen

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Spicy chorizo and chickpea stew

by Sarah Steimer

Because the chorizo itself is fairly spicy and salty, make sure not to add much (if any) additional salt. You could also use less than a pound of the meat if you'd rather have more vegetables or beans.

• 1 pound ground chorizo – OR – 1 pound chorizo sausages, cases removed
• olive oil
• 1 large carrot, sliced in half and cut into half-moons
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• dried oregano
• bay leaf

Cook the chorizo in a sauté pan until fully cooked. The meat may appear a little pink, but that’s likely from the chorizo seasoning. Drain the fat/oil from the pan.

In a dutch oven or sturdy pot, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the carrots, onion and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the chorizo, chickpeas, tomatoes and oregano, stirring to incorporate. Add the 2 cups of water and stir, adding the bay leaf to the water (keep it where you can see it).

Bring the stew to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 30 minutes.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf from the soup.

Makes 6 servings.

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Creamy carrot and parsnip soup

by Sarah Steimer

I didn't know what to expect with this soup, but I ended up loving it. I'm not sure of the best way to explain it, but it's earthy without tasting like - well - dirt, thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes.

• olive oil
• 4 large or 6 smaller parsnips (4 cups) cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 medium-sized carrots (2 cups) cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 large onion (1 cup) diced
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• salt and pepper, to taste
• balsamic vinegar (optional)

Heat oil in a dutch oven or sturdy pot over medium-high heat. Add parsnips, carrots and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ad 3/4 cup broth and cook for 10 minutes, or until the broth is evaporated. Add the remaining 5 1/4 cups broth, along with 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a brisk boil. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Puree in a blender or food processor a few cups at a time until smooth.

Add remaining chopped tomatoes. Serve immediately, drizzled with balsamic vinegar if desired and served with a crusty bread. We had it with a great whole-wheat baguette.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from: Vegetarian Times

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Lentil and carrot soup

by Sarah Steimer

This hit the spot - for a few meals. I went ahead and made the full recipe so we had lots of leftovers.

• 3 strips of bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
  

  You could leave the bacon out... but why?

In a Dutch oven, or another 5-quart pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain all but one tablespoon of liquid. Add onions and carrots and cook until softened. Add garlic, cooking until fragrant, and tomato paste.

Add the lentils, thyme, broth and 2 cups of water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes (mine took closer to 30 minutes).

Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper; mix. Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.

Makes 6 servings (we got more out of it).

Recipe: Martha Stewart

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Apple cider hot tottie

by Sarah Steimer

Treat yo'self*

•  2 cups apple cider
• 2 tea bags – choose something mild, such as rooibos
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 shots of bourbon or whiskey
• water

Fill two glasses with 1 cup of cider each. Bring your water to a boil on the stove, then let it sit for about a minute (don’t want to burn the tea). Add the water and a tea bag to the cider. Distribute the 1 tablespoon of honey and two shots between the glasses.

Garnish with a thin slice of apple, cut width-wise so you can see the seed star. You could also try rimming the glass with sugar and cinnamon for an extra kick.

Makes two glasses, served hot.

*

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