Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tasty Tuesday!

I'm so glad everypug is loving Tasty Tuesday. I love blogging about food almost as much a I love eating it! Today's recipe is relatively new to Mom. When it comes to cooking, Mom takes the KISS approach. She's not opposed to trying new recipes and ingredients but she doesn't like to make a big deal out of food because like she always says, it's just food.

Mom came across this recipe earlier this year and after making it for the first time, declared it her new favorite. Then she started reading The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone and came across a blurb about nightshade foods. Alicia doesn't eat nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, and eggplant) because they contain alkaloids, a group of substances found in these foods that can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function, and may also compromise joint function. Hmmm. This bothered Mom because she loves these foods and doesn't want to give them up. I did a little research on nightshades and found that the amount of alkaloids is very low in nightshade foods when compared with other nightshade plants, thus health problems from nightshade foods may only occur in individuals who are especially sensitive to these alkaloid substances. Thank goodness! Cooking apparently lowers the alkaloid content of nightshades by about 40-50%, so only highly sensitive individuals may want to avoid this category of food.

Red-Pepper Soup with Basil Cream
via CookingLight.com
Serves 6

3 small cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
1 jar (12-ounce) marinated roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for basil cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Sauté garlic and onion with olive oil in large pot over medium heat for 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth. Cook for 15 minutes.

Add fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and sugar and puree in a blender or food processor.

For basil cream, stir sour cream and heavy cream together with chopped basil and salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve soup with dollop of basil cream and chopped basil

Notes:

Mom doesn't eat the soup with the basil cream. She feels the soup is delicious on its own and that it doesn't need an accompaniment. At 152 calories and 11 grams of fat, it's my guess that the basil cream is the source of most of the fat.

There can never be enough garlic in anything for Mom so she doubles the amount.

Marinated roasted red peppers come in a glass jar and this is a good thing because you can reuse the jar for storing the soup. You can also make your own if you have the time. If you belong to a CSA or your farmer's market has red peppers in late August when they are in season, I'd recommend buying a bunch and canning them. This is a surefire way to have them on hand when you need them.

Even though the recipe calls for chicken broth, Mom substitutes vegetable broth.

Refined sugar makes it way into so many recipes. It's amazing how we need to sweeten everything up in order to eat it. Mom has started experimenting with sugar alternatives and will be using brown rice syrup in place of sugar next time she makes this soup. Agave nectar had been touted as a great sugar substitute in recent years but so much bad press has come out how it's no better than high fructose corn syrup.

A regular blender or food processor would do the trick but an immersion blender is the quickest, easiest way to blend soup. Mom can't rave about hers enough. They've really come down in price and it's a small kitchen applicance that you'll never regret you purchased. You'll use it over and over again while wondering how you ever lived without it.


This would be a great first course or meal for Meatless Mondays. Removing meat from your diet one day a week has a huge positive impact on the planet. You may even find yourself not missing meat when Tuesday rolls around as you wait patiently for another Tasty Tuesday installment.

26 comments:

Sequoia & Petunia & Emma said...

Oooh this sounds so good and its good for you! And Mom so wants to do meatless Monday...but getting Dad on bored hmmmm we shall see! Maybe it can be Mom Meatless Monday ;)

THE PUGLET said...

My human doesn't believe in cooking but we are SO making this!!

Archie and Melissa said...

hi stubby!
oh how yummy!
we love your tasty tuesdays!
xoxoxo
m & e

Deborah said...

This looks great! Very tasty, but you can tell you know what you are doing because you know how to change the recipe...me on the other hand would follow it step by step! Yum Yum!!

dw said...

Hey Stubby! That recipe sounds great! I really like roasted red peppers -- they were on the sandwich I had when I was out with your mom and it was fantastic! I'll definitely have to try this soup. :)

Salinger The Pug said...

Ohhhhhh my...mom is SALIVATING at the screen right now!

We're TOTALLY making this! We'll blog about it too!

We should call it "Red Nightshade Soup" cuz it sounds like it's something naughty!!!

Love,
S-Dog

Those Elgin Pugs said...

Oh Stubby!!!

Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This sounds good! Mommy wanted to buy that A. Silverstone book when it first came out, but just never gots around to it. That is very interesting about the pot. & tom. & eggplant. Now that really peaked Mommy interests with her foody food alleries and alls. Blah blah. But never the less, she's always eating stuffs anyways. Stubby...will you make this for me???
xoxox Josie

agent99 said...

Mom says it looks YUM! She loves those roasted pepper thingys, we can't understand why!!
SHe said sumthin about a cook-off with S-dog's mom.

love
Gen & the Foo

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Hi Stubby
Doesn't this soup sound good to have on a nice rainy day? It would smell so good when it cooked and taste so good.!
thank you again for finding us another tuesday recipe!
love
tweedles

Oakley and Swisher said...

That looks tasty indeed stub man!!

Lots of Licks (and soupy slurps)

Oak and Swish

Anonymous said...

I love finding new recipes that are outside of what i normally do. :) Its fun to see if they are a complete failure or something worthy of trying again. :)
I am working on meatless meals but the husband LOVES his meat lol. I made homemade tomoato sauce with gnocci and zuchini and he was very upset there was no meat. :p

Kelly said...

Okay, Stubby... I am drooling over here! YUMMMM!!!!

Stubby said...

Hi Sequoia & Tuni! I'm so glad your mom wants to do Meatless Mondays. It's really easy to do - think pizza, peanut butter sandwiches, soups, etc. As for your dad, tell him that one day a week won't kill him!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Puglet! Why doesn't your human cook? What does she eat?

This recipe is so super easy that if Mom can make it then your human can too. Please let me know how the soup turns out.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Melissa & Emmitt! Yummy for sure. Mom lets me lick the bowl when she's down and it's delicious!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Deborah! Please try the recipe because it's so simple to make. There's nothing wrong with following the recipe without substituting. Mom really doesn't know what she's doing but she knows what she likes and what she doesn't like!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi dw! Marinated roasted red peppers are the bomb! Mom told me all about the sandwiches you guys had together last week and I asked her why she didn't bring any home for me. She told me neither of you left any on your plates. Maybe next time.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Sal! I knew your mom would love this recipe. It's definitely a keeper and something to have on hand all the time.

I like "Red Nightshade Soup". Maybe you and Pugsley can serve it at your ceremony this summer.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Josie! Mom got the Alicia book from the library so we'll let you know if it's worth buying.

Your mom may have problems with the nightshade foods, but she'll have to discuss it with her doctor.

I'll definitely have Mom make this soup for you. Maybe we can come over to your house and make it. Have your mom email my mom.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Gen & the Foo! Your mom has got to make this soup. You guys will totally love it.

Mom is not going to have a cookoff with Sal's mom but maybe your mom can. I'll volunteer to be part of the eat-off!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Tweedles! What a great idea to make this soup on a rainy day! It's really delicious any day but very comforting and warming to eat as you watch the raindrops fall to earth.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Oakley & Swisher! So glad you are loving this recipe. I can't wait to see the different variations that everyone comes up with.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Lex! You definitely have to make this soup. You won't be disappointed and you can dress it up or down however you like.

That tomato sauce sounds delicious. I can't believe your husband asked where the meat was. That totally sounds like something my dad would ask!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Pearly Poo! Tell your momma to make this soup for you because I think it would help with your allergies. Hope you're feeling better sweetie!

Stubby xoxo

Smushie Ranch said...

Oh this sounds delicious! Mom says she's gonna give it a try. Thanks for posting!

Stella, Gunther and Betty

Stubby said...

Hi Stella, Gunther & Betty! Tell your mom that you have to lick the bowl when she's finished. You will love this soup!

Stubby xoxo