Spicy Mexican Black Bean Soup

This is my current favourite to soup to make. Simple and absolutely delicious as can be. Just throw everything in the slow cooker, walk away and get on with your day. I've tried many different online black bean soup recipes but they never turned out quite right. I was always craving the kind of black bean soup that one would find in a tiny little hole in the wall restaurant on some dusty street in Mexico. So after after many disappointing attempts and sad meals of bland and lumpy black bean soups I have finally come up with my own recipe which I feel hits the mark. Since I don't follow a recipe the amounts that I've listed below are somewhat approximate and so feel free to add a little more or a little less of each ingredient. You could also throw in different types of dried peppers if you have them. Enjoy.

Mexican black bean soup

2-3 cups dried black beans
1 onion, quartered
1 jalapeño, deseeded and roughly chopped
4-5 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp pureed chipotle peppers
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp mexican oregano (use regular oregano if you don't have mexican)
chicken stock (probably 5-6 cups at least)
pepper
1 lime

Garnish (optional)

tortilla chips
feta cheese
avocado

Other garnish ideas

roasted pumpkin seeds
plain greek yoghurt
sliced green onion
a spoonful of salsa

Rinse the dried black beans and throw into the slow cooker with the onion, jalapeño (deseeded), garlic, cumin, chipotle and chili powder. Don't worry too much about chopping things nicely since it will all be pureed in the end anyways. I usually throw my garlic in whole and quarter the onion. Fill the slow cooker so all the ingredients are well covered with chicken stock. You may need to add more water or chicken stock later since the black beans will absorb a tonne of liquid. After cooking for 6-7 hours check to ensure beans are cooked all the way through.  Puree in a blender.  At this point you may need to add a little more chicken stock or water so that it is a nice soup-like consistency. Also, taste it and perhaps and adjust the seasoning if needed. Before serving squeeze a  slice of lime into each bowl, this part is ESSENTIAL even though it may not seem important. Sometimes I like to squeeze two slices of lime even! Sprinkle with feta and avocado if you have it and serve with tortilla chips.

A Rather Pleasing Beef Stew

With everyone in this household battling runny noses and hacking coughs, we decided to make some heartwarming and tasty comfort food tonight. We've been making this stew for a few years now whenever the mood strikes and it is a winner. Read No Fail Recipe. Just chop it all up and throw it in a pot and let it simmer for a few hours until perfection and the beef is tender as can be. Perfect for a cold and wet January night. You may be alarmed when you see TWO and a half cups of red wine but don't hesitate or skimp on this....you can thank me later. PS. I did not actually drink that glass of vino in the above picture since I may have mentioned I'm with child but Kelly did so I thought I would add it to the pic. Just thought I'd mention that so you don't judge me.

Well, I've never been to Italy but I can just imagine eating this meal in some cute little hole in the wall mom and pop type place. Mmmmmmm.

Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta
from Epicurious December 2007
Serves 6


3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced into small cubes
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/2 cups dry red wine
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 medium tomatoes, halved
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add beef and sauté, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add wine and thyme, stir well, and bring to boil. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then lower heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until beef is tender, about 2 hours.

Serve with *polenta or some crusty bread

* I like to buy a tube of polenta which can be easily sliced and then grilled or baked with a some olive oil and salt and pepper sprinkled on top.

                                                       Polenta sliced and ready to be baked

Just about ready!

Spicy Turkey Chili with White Beans

Well, September is here and with it invariably comes the end of summer. Lately, in the evenings I've been sitting out on our patio with a cup of tea or glass of wine and savouring the last fleeting moments of summer before it suddenly slips away. Next month will bring rain and more rain and slowly the days will get darker and shorter. So I guess it goes without saying that I can't say I'm exactly excited about the summer ending. But it sure was fun while it lasted.

Not to be all doom and gloom about it all. I mean, I guess there must be some nice things about the impending darkness that is otherwise known as Vancouver fall and winter...like Starbucks pumpkin scones, the Apple Festival, the new season of Dexter, going to one of these fun looking pumpkin patches and a Jane Birkin concert in November that my sister Melody and I have front row tickets to. Okay, I'm starting to feel optimistic already!

For me, September always seems to signify some sort of change.... going back to school, going travelling, starting a new job, having a baby and this year..going back to work in a few weeks after one year of maternity leave. I'm still not sure how I feel about that last bit but I must admit I am looking forward to more adult conversation and having an actual reason to put makeup and clean clothes on in the morning:)

So with all this talk of autumn, I thought I'd share an autumn type of dish with you all: turkey chili with white beans. Classic comfort food. I've been making chili as a staple for so many years now that I don't need a recipe anymore. If you like your chili on the spicier side add more chili powder and peppers and if you prefer it milder add less. Simple as that. Also feel free to add whatever veggies you'd like or have on hand. Mushrooms would be a great addition if you don't have someone in your home "allergic" to them. Serve with some crusty bread or blue corn chips as I did and you really can't go wrong.

Happy fall all!

Lorelei xox


Turkey Chili (serves 5-6)


1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can plum tomatoes (795ml)
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped finely
1 fresh corn on the cobb, shave off corn with a knife (a handful of frozen corn also works)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1-2 tsp pureed fresh chipotle peppers
1 zucchini, chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp cumin
1 can white kidney beans
1 package ground turkey
1 caribbean red hot pepper

garnish options

shredded sharp cheddar
blue corn chips
dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt

To make vegetarian or vegan

Omit ground turkey and add another vegetable of your choice.

Fry onion until soft. Next add the garlic, jalapeno and turkey and fry until mostly cooked. Add peppers, corn, canned tomatoes, fresh tomato, tomato paste, beans, zucchini, cumin and chili powder. Simmer for at least 30-45 minutes until cooked. You could also make this in a slow cooker if you have one.

Something Borrowed: Curried Lentil Soup

This past weekend I was honoured to be invited to my beautiful friend Sandeep and her husband Jora's traditional Indian wedding ceremony in Surrey, BC. This was my first time attending such an event and it did not disappoint. Some memories of this day include the soothing sounds of tabla guitar, dazzling displays of bangles and vibrant colored saris, sweet scents of pakoras, lentil dal, butter chicken and chai tea. And smiles from all wishing the best to come for this young couple.

The night before the wedding, I was also lucky enough to also be invited to her family home for the pre-wedding traditional festivities for the bride. My friends, my sister Ashley and I were invited to take part in one tradition of rubbing a mixture of tumeric and oil on the brides henna laden arms which helps beautify her skin for the impending nuptials. I am so in love with the henna right now (see pictures below). I would consider doing it myself if I knew it would not look completely ridiculous on my whitey arms. Oh well.

Inspired by this magical weekend, here is a recipe for curried lentil soup that I saw in bon appetit last year and earmarked it with the promise to make it one day. I doubled the recipe so we'd have lots for leftovers and I have to say it was one of those times where it tasted even better the next day. The spices and flavors only got better with time.

Curried Lentil Soup

from bon appetit December 2010

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

2 Tbsp (or more)curry powder

1 cup french green lentils

4-5 cups water 

1 15 ounce can chickpeas

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp butter

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in large pot and fry onion and carrot until onion is soft. Add half of garlic and fry until carrots are soft, about 4 minutes. Add curry powder and fry for another minute or so. Add lentils and 4 cups water, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are soft.

While this is cooking puree chickees, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water and remaining garlic and olive oil.

Once lentils are cooked add chickpea mixture and butter and mix in. Season with salt, pepper and additional curry powder if needed. Also, adjust consistency by adding more water at this point.

Sprinkle each bowl with sliced green onion and squeeze a wedge of lemon into each bowl.

Here are some pics from the festivities.

A Bowl of Comfort: Lentil and Vegetable Stew with Kale

Even though it is now officially spring, this never ending Vancouver rain and a lingering cold have me craving some good ol comfort food. I came upon this recipe in the March 2011 issue of bon appetit and knew it would be a winner and no, not just because it calls for my favourite vegetable Kale. This recipe also calls for rutabaga and celery root which I have never used nor could I identify even if I tried. After a quick trip to the grocery store I discovered that celery root is not the same as celery afterall.

Lentil and Vegetable Stew with Kale

adapted slightly from bon appetit

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery root, peeled and chopped

1 pound dried brown lentils (I used 2 cups, last of my supply)

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence (I had never heard of this either)

8 cups vegetable broth

1 large bunch Kale, ribs removed and chopped

Fry the onions in the oil with salt and pepper to taste. Add the next 3 ingredients and fry until lightly browned. Next, add the lentils, broth, herbs and kale and cook until lentils are soft all the way through. I made a small change to the recipe by pureeing 1 cup of the stew in order to make the broth thicker and I also crumbled some soft feta cheese on top. Yum! I'm starting to feel this cold go away already!

Food for baby

Now that my little guy is 6 months old, he is starting to eat a small amount of solid foods. I first gave him iron fortified rice and oat cereal and now I am additionally introducing a new fruit or vegetable puree every 4 days as recommended in order to reduce future allergies. A great online resource called wholesomebaby describes a simple way to make and store baby food using ice cube trays and so I thought I'd give it a try. Each cube of the ice cube tray can hold roughly 1 oz of baby puree which is the ideal serving size. Making your own baby food is a great way to save a few bucks as well as keeping things healthier for your baby by using organic fruits and veggies when possible.

Yam and Carrot Puree

1. steam 1 large yam and 3 carrots (steaming maintains the most nutrients)
2. puree in blender or other appliance
3. add a small amount of water, formula or breast milk to thin the puree if needed
4. pour into ice-cube tray (most newer trays are BPA free)
5. freeze
6. pop out of ice cube tray into a freezer zip-lock bag and label
7. remove from freezer and thaw when it's time to feed baby