Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup

Winter is the time for lots of clothing, wishing electricity wasn’t so expensive in Ontario so you could turn on the heating more and hot food. Lots of hot food. Preferably whilst smuggled up with a favourite pillow or stuffed friend on your Lazy Lounge Sofa.

What are some ways you keep warm in winter?

My favourite warm-me-up tactic is a huge bowl of savory or sweet dessert soup or a cup of tea. Or all three. Yum.

I try to use more ginger in my cooking when the weather is cold as the humble root helps to warm you up from inside out. It is also really good for you.

Ginger goes really well with sweet potato for a sweet end to a meal that’s healthy too.

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet potato cubes

Approximately 1 inch knob of ginger (add more if you like it spicier)

Honey or sugar to taste

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut sweet potato into cubes.

2. Peel ginger and slice into smaller pieces.

3. Put sweet potato and ginger into a pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Lower heat and continue simmering till sweet potatoes are soft and cooked through.

4. Add sugar or honey to taste.

Too Tired to Cook?

There are days when it just takes too much effort to whip up a meal - no matter how simple it is.

Here are some budget friendly frozen meals that will tide you through those times:

Frozen Meals:

Try VH or Healthy Choice Steamers from Walmart for $2.97 and $2.94 respectively.

Throw these in the oven for a delicious snack or meal. I love the Alfredo and meatball flavours. Two boxes for $5 at Walmart (when on sale).

This brand of lasagna is really good. Throw the creamy chicken lasagna in the oven for a warm, indulgent meal. $4.99 at Walmart.

How to Cut Broccoli

Not for eating! Meet Broccolini, my TV buddy

Ever struggled with cutting broccoli and ended up with a kitchen counter that looks like the scene of a horror movie vegetable massacre?

Check out this video for a simple, fuss-free way to cut broccoli.

Also works for its buddy cauliflower.

Asian Pear and Goji Berry Tea

Herbal tea, fruit tea, liang te, chai, aromatica . . . These are all names for a brew of fruit and/ or herbs you can drink hot on a cold day and cold on a warm day.

There’s nothing more comforting than getting cosy on your Lazy Lounge Sofa with a book in one hand or a good movie and a cup of tea in the other.

One of my favourites is the Asian Pear and Goji Berry tea. It’s especially good when you have a cough or sore throat as it helps soothe your throat. An added bonus is that unlike cough mixtures or awful lozenges, this tastes yummy.

Asian pears are a source of potassium, fiber, vitamin C and K and copper. They are sweet and crisp and can be found in major supermarkets and Asian stores throughout Ontario. Asian pears generally come in three varieties. The ones on the right being the most common ones found in Canada. My favourite is the first one though as I think it has the best flavour and sweetness of all three. It is also the cutest as it has a pink tinge to it which looks like its blushing. Unfortunately, it tends to be really expensive in Canada. For cooking purposes, the one on the bottom right is probably the best as it’s easy to find in most stores and usually really affordable (around $1 – $1.50 per pound or less on average depending on where you get them).

Considered both a fruit and a herb, goji berries are also called wolfberries, which I think is a much cooler name for the little red fruit. Low in calories and high in fiber, they can be used for teas, soups (dessert and savoury) or eaten raw as a snack.

According to Toronto based health and nutrition expert Rosanna Lee, these little berries are an excellent source of antioxidants.

Goji berries are full of beta-carotene which helps promote healthy skin. They are high in vitamin C and can boost the immune system and aid in recovery from a cold.

Many Asians use the little berries in soups, desserts and teas as they are believed to be good for eye health.

However, goji berries may cause a negative reaction in people using blood thinners or taking diabetic medication. So, if you’re one of those people, please check with your doctor first.

Ingredients:

1 Asian Pear peeled and cut into cubes

1 tbsp Goji Berries

Honey or sugar

Makes around 3 – 4 cups

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut Asian Pear into cubes.

2. Place in pot with Goji Berries and around 5 cups water.

3. Boil till the fruit is soft and liquid is brown (maple syrup like) in colour.

4. Add honey or sugar to taste.

5. Enjoy warm with your book or movie or refrigerate for a cool, refreshing drink later.

Turkey, Carrot and Potato Stew

It's the happiest time of the year! Christmas is just around the corner and it looks like it's going to be a white, snow-covered one in Toronto this year.

One of my favourite things about Canada is how cheap turkey is here. Walmart, No Frills and many major supermarkets are having promotions for turkeys in the lead up to the festive season and the birds can be found for as low as 0.97 a pound.

Oh, you delicious bird

Turkey also happens to be high in protein which helps increase the feeling of satiety and make you feel fuller longer. It contains the mineral selenium, which may decrease the risk of colorectal, prostate, lung, bladder, skin, esophageal, and gastric cancers.

The main quibble I have about turkey is its size. I always end up with way too much turkey after roasting one. As awesome as it is, eating turkey for a few weeks on end is no fun.

I decided to chop up my bird into parts, use one, freeze the others and stew it instead. And you know what? Turkey tastes even better stewed. Roast turkey can be a trifle dry sometimes but stewed turkey is juicy, tender and oh-so-tasty!

The unused turkey can be left in the freezer till desired.

Ingredients:

A quarter small turkey (around 1.5 kg)

10 potatoes

3 carrots

Soy sauce to taste

3 tbsps Oyster sauce

1/2 inch piece of ginger

Preparation:

1. Chop (in my case, hack) turkey into four parts and place three in the freezer.

2. Wash and clean turkey being used for stew.

3. Peel carrots and potatoes and chop into large cubes/ pieces.

4. Peel ginger and slice.

5. Place ingredients in pot and add oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons soy sauce.

6. Fill pot till around 3/4 full with water.

7. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

8. Remove turkey and shred or chop into large pieces. Replace in pot.

9. Continue cooking for another 20 minutes or so till turkey and vegetables are cooked through and liquid is reduced. Add more soy sauce if needed.

10. Enjoy on its own or with rice/ bread/ pita.

It's Not Easy Being A Turkey at Christmas

Ever wonder how a turkey feels come Christmas time? Merry Christmas doesn't hold have quite the same ring to it when you're a turkey.

Watch the hilarious video below about an evil chicken bullying a soon-to-become Christmas dinner turkey!

Giant Panda Enjoying Snow at Toronto Zoo

Snow is back in Toronto and it's certainly making its presence felt, blanketing Toronto in a sheet of white.

I'm not personally a fan of snow or winter but the giant panda in the Toronto zoo seems to love playing in it! 😍