Soups, sweets and savouries

The recipe for Asparagus Soup can be found below (Picture source: Home Hardware)

 

This week's Hot Home column is all about healthy eating, and I promised to share a few recipes, including ones I used to test the new NutriCook pressure cooker from T-Fal (which I loved, by the way). So here goes:

Bread pudding, from T-Fal

I used the new NutriCook pressure cooker from T-Fal for this, but it would work with a variety of steaming methods.

What you need

3 slices thick egg bread, cubed

½ cup frozen cranberries

3 eggs, beaten

¾ cup 2 per cent milk

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 What you do

Spray four ramekins with non-stick spray

Combine eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla

Mix in  bread cubes and cranberries

Divide between ramekins and cover each with a piece of tin foil

Steam as directed according to your steamer

For a savoury alternative, substitute coconut milk for plain milk and stir in ¼ cup of PC’s Blue Menu Pad Thai cooking sauce. Add toasted walnuts or pinenuts instead of cranberries. You can also try using an artisanal bread, ½ grated parmesan , roasted walnuts and freshly ground thyme.

 

I think that homemade soups are a fast and easy shortcut to healthier eating, as you control all the ingredients. Spring may not yet have sprung quite yet, but as soon as it does, try this creamy asparagus soup recipe by Anna Olson used with permission from Home Hardware BTW, pressure cookers are fantastic for making soups, as well.

 What you need

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup onion, diced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock

5 cups fresh asparagus, diced

I tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

Salt and pepper

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

What you do

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, about five minutes

Sift in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for four minutes

Add ½ cup milk and stir vigorously to create a paste. Switch to a whisk and add the milk, one cup at a time, whisking constantly

Whisk in chicken stock. Stir in the asparagus, thyme, and bay lead. Simmer uncovered for ten minutes, or until asparagus is tender

Remove the bat leaf and stir in vermouth. Season to taste

Serve soup with crumbled goat cheese and chopped chives

If you want more healthy eating tips, go to the website for Dieticans Canada.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Maria Davidson]

Pressure cookers are by far not a new invention, but with improved technology they have become safer and easier to use than ever.
Homemade soup is delicious and perfect in the winter months, but nothing is worse than waiting hours upon hours for your masterpiece to be complete and ready to eat. Even worse, soups are generally better the next day, giving you even longer to wait.