Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday season. Cobalt and I didn’t visit our families on the East Coast this year but instead enjoyed quality time together at our new home in Los Angeles. We watched a lot of movies, enjoyed walks around our neighborhood, decorated Ginger Bread Houses (Cobalt made a spaceship), played some board games and ate some good food. Sadly, Christmas Eve and Day met us with a bad cold, leaving us in bed for a couple of day. We are finally feeling better, just in time to start back at our respective occupations.
Besides my job as a Garden Teacher, it feels good to be blogging again! I didn’t do as much planning for 2015 as I ought to have done, but I did photoshoot some recipes that I’m looking forward to sharing with you all soon! I won’t be posting twice a week as I did before; it’ll probably be at least once every two weeks. Finding picture worthy recipes is harder than I thought; not to mention setting up the shots with the correct lighting, decorations and dishes. One day it’ll be a breeze for me. But in the meantime, I’ll keep practicing. :)
Winter has officially started here in Los Angeles, characterized by occasional cold rain and much cooler weather. Indeed, the cleansing waters washing away street filth and dry air is very refreshing in the midst of the drought that’s overwhelmed this city these past few years; but the overcast skies and chilly breezes are a little depressing. And – well – cold. I never knew that 60 degree weather would leave my core shivering all day! In Tennessee we used to wait to wear hats and winter coats until 40-50 degree weather. I guess the higher humidity there makes the air feel warmer…
Today’s recipe is perfect for any cold day. It pairs two high nutrient vegetables – broccoli and kale – with a warm, creamy broth. I made this lower fat than traditional Broccoli Cheddar soup by pairing lowfat milk with corn starch (see instructions below). I hope you enjoy!
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, diced small
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 2 tsp curry powder*
- 4 cups broth (veggie or chicken)
- 3 leaves kale, rolled and sliced thin
- 2 cups lowfat milk
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 TBS cornstarch
- 4 TBS water
- In a large pot, saute the onions until they're clear. Add the broccoli and saute until bright green (3 minutes). Sprinkle in the curry powder and pour in the broth. Let boil for 5 minutes, then add the kale. Wait for the kale to wilt (shouldn't take but a few seconds) and add the milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Puree half the soup in a blender (with some broth) and add it back to the pot.
- While you're waiting for the soup to warm up again, mix together cornstarch and water in a separate bowl. Whisk VERY WELL before adding to the pot.
- Let the soup come back to a boil on medium heat, stirring frequently so the milk doesn't burn. It should thicken up after 10 minutes or so.
- Serve with biscuits, rolls, crackers, or toasted sandwiches!
- *the curry powder is completely optional but is a DELICIOUS and WARM addition to the soup IF you are adventurous :) Trader Joe's has a curry spice bottle for a great price if you're wondering where to get it!
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