Now that we’re having consistently cooler weather, I am craving homemade soup. I’ve never been a fan of brothy, chunky soups, but thick pureed soups are right up my alley. Featuring creamy butternut squash, broth, a mix of comforting spices and a hint of tart granny smith apple, this soup is incredibly easy to make. In addition to being delicious and flavorful, did I mention that it’s also healthy?
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‘Tis the season for fun and festive events. Fresh off a lovely wedding in New Hampshire at a cozy venue complete with a roaring fire, 15 foot Christmas tree and rustic-chic holiday decorations galore, I’m ready to embrace the holiday season. Lucky for me (and you!), there are two great holiday themed local markets to enjoy this weekend: The Eat Boutique Holiday Local Market and SoWa Holiday Market.
Cucumber Water
Life’s about simple pleasures, right? Whether you entertain a lot, or are looking for a new way to ‘spice’ up your daily H2O, I’ve got an idea for you: cucumber water. Inspired by my former roommate Gabi, adding a few thin cucumber slices to a pitcher or glass of water generates wonderful results. The water is not overwhelmingly cucumber flavored, the taste is more like an essence. Somewhat luxurious and spa-like, yet incredible simple, there’s a wow factor associated with cucumber water. Just ask my mom’s book club (hi mom!).
Have you ever tried cucumber water? If so, what did you think?
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Caribbean Succotash
The first hints of fall may be in the air, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready for the changing of the seasons. Inspired by a Jamaican recipe in Bon Appétit’s January 2011 issue, I recently whipped up a scrumptious vegan-friendly Caribbean Succotash. Made with a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables, including lima beans, carrots, zucchini, corn and cucumber, this dish is incredibly quick and easy to prepare.
Though the ingredients are fairly simple, what makes this dish extra special is the wonderful combination of fresh thyme, unsweetened coconut milk, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Not sure about you, but I’m clearly not clever enough in the kitchen to dream up that recipe combination! I am, however, clever enough to test and share this recipe with my dear blog readers!
While I don’t want to post the recipe on my blog for copyright reasons, please view it here on Epicurious. I can, however, share a few tips that helped me prepare this recipe. I omitted the onion and red bell pepper due to heartburn issues (boo hoo). I also found it helpful to use frozen lima beans and corn, in addition to pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store to save time. I also opted for light, unsweetened coconut milk to lighten up the dish a bit. My last tip is to chop the cucumber and keep it in a separate tupperware container if you’re planning to enjoy warm leftovers of this dish, as I don’t like the idea of microwaving cucumber.
Tips and swaps aside, the end result was fantastic and I’m sure the original recipe is equally incredible. Creamy with a subtle sweetness from the light coconut milk, the hints of cayenne, nutmeg and fresh thyme really round this dish out. I also love dishes with a good amount of crunch to them and the coconut milk sauce does a nice job of dressing the veggies without rendering them mushy after a few days in the refrigerator. I’ll be making this recipe again the next time I need a tropical boost. Hear that old man winter?
Buon Appetito!
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Photo by Le Pain Quotidien
SavvyBostonian Note: I traveled to NYC the weekend before Hurricane Irene.
I cannot resist the thrill of a jam-packed weekend in New York City, so when my favorite dynamic duo invited me for a visit, I jumped at the opportunity. Before I knew it, I was hopping aboard the Acela with visions of wine bars, sightseeing adventures and lots of amazing food.