Cooking with Alison

Archive for the ‘Soups and Salads’ Category

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Miso Soup Recipe

In Asian, Soups, Soups and Salads on January 4, 2011 at am

Miso soup is a simple Japanese soup that consists mainly of dashi stock and miso paste.  Miso paste is available in a variety of colours (ie. yellow or red) and flavours (ie. salty or sweet).  Additional ingredients, such as seaweed, tofu, mushrooms, and/or pork, are often added to this soup.  Although instant miso soup powders are widely available, this soup is very easy to make (minus the MSG and preservatives).  Traditionally, wakame is the seaweed of choice, but this time, I used dulse, a red seaweed that I bought in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (photo below).  See my post on how to use dulse here.

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Dulse

In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, How-To, Sides and Sauces, Soups and Salads on January 2, 2011 at am

Update:  This photo was published in TAPS The Beer Magazine in the November/December 2012 issue!

I had never heard of dulse until I started making travel plans to the east coast of Canada.  So when we were in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Krystal and I went looking for this and were lucky enough to find it at the City Market.  We purchased a bag of hand picked, sun dried dulse and brought it back to Ontario.  I wanted to share what I’ve learned as this might be of interest [in particular] to vegetarians, vegans, gardening enthusiasts and people who have anemia or hypothyroidism.  Note:  If you have hyperthyroidism, however, it may not be appropriate for you to consume dulse.

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Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Goat Cheese, Raisins, Walnuts

In Soups and Salads on December 31, 2010 at am

Quinoa is high in nutrients and an excellent plant-based source of protein.  I usually make quinoa salads in the warmer months.  But in the fall and winter, I like to enjoy this quinoa salad warm.  I love the contradicting textures and flavours of this healthy and filling dish.  For example, I love the creaminess and richness of the goat cheese, the crunch from the nuts, the sweetness and chewiness of the raisins, and the crisp sour bites of apple.  See my other quinoa recipes here and here.

I have compared quinoa purchased from Bulk Barn to Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa.  I found that Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa held its shape more firmly, had a better texture, and tasted better.  So in my opinion, it is worth it to pay [much] more for the brand name product.

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Sesame Noodle Salad Recipe

In Rice and Noodle Dishes, Soups and Salads on December 29, 2010 at am

This is an asian inspired noodle salad that Ed loves to eat.  Similar versions of this dish are sometimes referred to as “dragon noodles”.  It is served cold or at room temperature and is great for picnics or pot lucks.  I love the toasted sesame oil but I have to warn you, the noodles themselves are high in calories!  You could easily add julienned and stir fried onions, red pepper, carrots, broccoli florets and/or whole snow peas to this if you wanted more colour and texture.

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Caesar Dressing Recipe

In Sides and Sauces, Soups and Salads on November 25, 2010 at am

Caesar salads are very popular in my home.  They’re Ed’s favourite and I enjoy them too even though I’m not a big fan of leafy salads.  I like to make my own bacon bits and croutons (see my crouton recipe here).  Here I share with you my favourite caesar dressing recipe.

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Croutons Recipe

In Soups and Salads on November 24, 2010 at am

Ed loves caesar salads, so every now and then I’ll make a batch of homemade croutons for him.  (See my recipe for caesar dressing here.)  Making croutons is also a great way to use up old bread so you don’t have to waste food.  I prefer using baguettes for this but any bread will work.  Just keep in mind that the denser the bread, the harder the croutons will be on your teeth.

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Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe

In Soups and Salads on November 4, 2010 at am

Quinoa is high in nutrients and an excellent plant-based source of protein.  Since it is basically flavourless, it is very versatile for salad making.  You can use whatever vegetables, herbs, cheeses, vinaigrette, etc. that you like.  Here I’ve made a greek style quinoa salad.  See my other quinoa recipes here and here.

I have compared quinoa purchased from Bulk Barn to Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa.  I found that Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa held its shape more firmly, had a better texture, and tasted better.  So in my opinion, it is worth it to pay [much] more for the brand name product.

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Mango Quinoa Salad Recipe

In Soups and Salads on November 2, 2010 at am

In an attempt to reduce the amount of meat that I eat, I started making quinoa salads more regularly since quinoa is high in nutrients and an excellent plant-based source of protein.  I have compared quinoa purchased from Bulk Barn to Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa.  I found that Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa held its shape more firmly, had a better texture, and tasted better (even though both sources of quinoa are basically flavourless).  So in my opinion, it is worth it to pay [much] more for the brand name product.

This variation of quinoa salad was inspired by mango ceviche (recipe here).  See my other quinoa salad recipes here and here.

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Bok Choy Soup

In Asian, Soups, Soups and Salads on October 19, 2010 at am

This soup takes less than 10 minutes to make.  When my mom makes this, she only uses broth, water, baby bok choy, and ginger.  So it can be as simple as that.  Just be sure to wash the vegetables very very well, especially if you’re using shanghai bok choy because a lot of dirt and bugs collect between the leaves.  Although full sized bok choy will work, I much prefer the taste and texture of baby bok choy.  

Note:  I used baby shanghai bok choy for the soup in the photo below. 

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New England Clam Chowder Reviews and Recipe

In Reviews, Soups and Salads on October 8, 2010 at am

My sister and I celebrated her birthday by taking a cruise along the east coast of Canada and the USA (New England).  Being a huge fan of clam chowder, I was naturally excited to try New England clam chowder from New England.  Unfortunately, having only a few hours at each port, we were only able to try clam chowder from Boston, MA, and Bar Harbor, Maine.  But we were not disappointed.  We also sampled two major brands of oyster crackers.  Here I share my reviews of the chowders and the oyster crackers, as well as my own recipe for a quick and easy New England clam chowder (photos at the very bottom of this post).  Be warned, this is a full fat, high caloried recipe.

New England Clam Chowder Reviews

Boston, MA

When we were in Boston, we tried the “New England Clam Chowda ‘Voted Boston’s Best’ ” from Boston Chowda and it was the best I have ever had!  Photo below.  To start, the temperature of the soup was piping hot.  The potatoes were cooked perfectly, the clam’s weren’t overcooked or tough, and the consistency of the soup was exactly how I like it, creamy and substantial but not too thick.  Also, the ratio of potatoes and clams to soup was perfect.  Boston Chowda can be found at the Prudential Center (where we had it), at Quincy Market in Faneuil Hall, and in North Andover.  We didn’t have a chance to taste test the clam chowder from Legal’s Seafood – a restaurant that is often voted as having the best clam chowder – but I plan to the next time I visit the city.

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Parsley Salad

In Soups and Salads on September 6, 2010 at pm

If you love the taste of fresh Italian parsley or if you have a ton of it in your herb garden, try making a parsley salad.  It can be eaten as a side salad or it can be used as a garnish.  I suggest only using young parsley as parsley leaves toughen as they mature.

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Pancetta Balsamic Vinaigrette

In Sides and Sauces, Soups and Salads on June 19, 2010 at pm

This is one of my (and Ed’s) favourite vinaigrette recipes.  It’s very versatile.  We love it on salad and for dipping bread served with shavings of parmesan cheese.  Giada even suggests tossing it with pasta, so I used it to make a pasta salad recently.  If you put it in a pretty glass container, it makes a great gift (it’ll look prettier if you throw a whole sprig or two of rosemary into the bottle).  I’ve included this in gift baskets for various occasions before.

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