With the start of 2020, we have launched on a brand new year – and a brand new decade! May we all have perfect, 20/20 vision this year (if only in the metaphorical sense) to revisit our aspirations and goals. For me, this mid-winter new year has always been a good time to reevaluate and plan for the future. And while long-term goals are great, having several small goals that are easily attainable will start the year off right. Breaking a big goal down into manageable chunks is crucial. And those chunks should be easy to accomplish and have a time limit. The Chofetz Chaim once said that his resolution for the New Year was to bentch from a bentcher from Rosh Hashanah until Chanukah. That was his goal. It was doable and had a time limit.
Once you accomplish the first goal, creating and accomplishing the next goals becomes easier. For example, if I want to get more exercise over the next year, I can break it down weekly. My first goal is to work out 10 minutes a day for three days this week. It’s easily doable (I can do yoga at home), and there’s a time limit. So far this week, I’ve worked out twice, so I’m going to squeeze in a workout today. Once this goal is achieved, it will give me strength to make a new goal for next week.
Another one of my goals is to make better food choices for two weeks. (This, weirdly enough, coincides with my daughter’s bat mitzva!) It’s been a week already, and I have more fresh vegetables in the house – and eat them, too! I find that when I eat fresh vegetables, everyone eats them with me. They love it when we eat a “rainbow.” Also, if I have a few go-to soups in the refrigerator, they can be heated up, right in time for dinner. As the temperature drops, my thoughts turn to delicious, heartwarming (and hand-warming) foods that can be made ahead. Here are some favorites:
Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie
I love chicken pot pie, and this is a speedier version because you do not have to bake it twice. You can add additional vegetables (parsnip, celery root, corn) as you desire. I adapted this recipe from Spice and Spirit.
2 T. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 potato diced
1/2 c. diced carrots
1/2 c. peas (optional)
6 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
2 c. diced or shredded cooked chicken
4 loaves round (five-inch diameter) bread, regular or sourdough
In a 4-quart pot, heat oil until hot. Add onion, potato, and carrots and sauté until tender (about 10 minutes). Stir in flour, salt, and pepper, and mix quickly and well (trying to remove lumps). Over medium heat, stir in chicken stock to make a thick creamy sauce (stir constantly). Add chicken and peas. Cut the tops off the round breads and hollow them out to make a bowl. Pour in chicken mixture and serve! This can also be served in a bowl with crackers, croutons, or bread.
Cauliflower, Beet, and Potato Soup
I love anything with beets. This is a gorgeous soup, and delicious. I find if I make a “topping bar” with sour cream, chives, croutons, sautéed onions, French onions, etc., my kids enjoy it immensely.
2 c. peeled and diced beets
1 c. peeled and diced potato
1 c. cauliflower florets
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart vegetable broth
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Sour cream for serving (pareve or dairy)
Preheat the oven to 375° F. and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large (stain-proof!) mixing bowl, toss the beets, potato, and cauliflower with the salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of the oil. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the pre-heated oven until the beets and potatoes are knife-tender; about 35 to 45 minutes.
Near the end of the roasting time, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until it begins to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add broth and roasted vegetables to the cooking pot. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all the vegetables are tender enough to mash against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon (about 15 minutes).
Puree the mixture using an immersion blender. Stir balsamic vinegar and taste. Add additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve with pareve or regular sour cream.
Indian Sweet Potato Soup
This is another soup that can be prepared early and reheated several days later. (Or, double the recipe and freeze half.) I really like how the cashews add crunch and creaminess to this soup. These spices are flavorful but not spicy. Garam masala can be gotten at Whole Foods.
2 T. oil
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. garam masala (or substitute 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. ground cloves)
1 tsp. ground turmeric root
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 T. garlic powder
2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
Garnish
1 c. toasted cashews, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onion and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and garlic powder over the vegetables and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the vegetable broth and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Transfer the soup to a counter-top blender and puree, being careful not to let the steam blow the top off the blender. Pour the coconut milk and salt into the blender and pulse until well combined. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve garnished with cashews and cilantro.
Crispy Pita Toast
If you do not serve your soups in a bread bowl, these crispy pita toasts are fantastic. I love how they crunch. For a special treat, try making them with some of the exotic spices listed. Your imagination is the limit. So, if you have some leftover pita and don’t want to freeze it, make these super yummy crispy “crackers.”
4 pita bread rounds
2 T. oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Paprika
Optional: za’atar, Italian spices, Indian spices, and/or chili powder
Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush each of the rounds with oil, and rub the smashed garlic over each of them. Cut each of the rounds into quarters. (To do all 4 at the same time, stack them first.) Lay out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, paprika, and any other spices of your choice. Bake for about 12 minutes until the pitas are crunchy. Serve with soup! These are also great served with hummus or another dip with veggies.
Bracha Shor can be found in various aisles in the grocery store or can be reached for questions or comments at bshor@sweetandgoodcatering.com, follow us on Facebook @Sweet and Good Catering.
