There may be a substitute!

Sweet delicious cream! It comes in so many forms: whipped, iced, heavy, half and half, and my favorite...fraîche.

No matter the form, it never fails to delight our taste buds; however, 

***Please brace yourself, as I am about to use the "H" word***

cream is not always the Healthiest option we have.

The other day my culinary prowess was challenged by the cravings of an ill loved one.  He was craving the delicious and oh-not-so-nutritious goodness of the cult soup icon, THE La Madeleine Tomato Basil Soup. 

Now I know this soup is absolutely delectable but I think my friend put it best in an email. "Yes! La Madeleine's tomato basil is utterly sublime but it's def one of those foods that's best enjoyed naive of the "health" slash "nutrition" facts."

Faced with this conundrum, I began to research. I searched for "cream substitute", "cream soup substitute", and all of the many variations and permutations of those words. There were many returns on these searches; varying from cream cheese to a flour paste, none struck me as being my "soul mate" of substitutes. On a last ditch effort, I came across a website that hosts recipes for vegan friendly meals. They offered a silken tofu alternative to cream. What an interesting proposition! One of the most healthful foods being alternated for one of, possibly, the worst.

And so, I ventured forth... with my trusty tomato basil soup recipe in hand and a new substitute for cream.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cans of diced tomatoes (Italian style is best; which has oregano, garlic, and basil already in it)
2. 1 package of silken soft tofu, drained
3. 1 medium onion, chopped
4. 3 tablespoons of minced garlic (the more the better, I say)
5. 2 tablespoons of dried basil
6. 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herb blend
7. 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
8. salt and pepper to taste
9. olive oil
10. 2 small pats of butter **OPTIONAL**

*You will need a blender for this recipe

Method

1. Purée the drained tofu in the blender
2. Add one can of tomatoes to the puréed tofu and blend together
3. In a soup pot, once the oil is hot, sauté the garlic and onions
4. Once the onions have become translucent, add the remaining can of tomatoes
5. Cook for about 5 minutes and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste
6. Add the tomato mix from the pot to the blender * you may have to do it in portions
7. Once all of the tomatoes and tofu have been puréed together, pour everything back into the pot
8. Flavor with the dried herbs and vinegar, salt and pepper as needed.
9. Let everything come to a rolling boil and turn the heat down to medium/low to simmer for about 15 minutes
10. If you so desire, add in the pats of butter and stir into the soup once you have finished your simmer. 
11. Pour into a bowl and garnish with some delicious grilled cheese or a piece of garlic toast. We enjoyed this meal with a small feta sprinkled green salad and smallish grilled white cheddar sandwiches.

Not wanting to toot my own horn, but this may have been one of the best renditions of tomato basil soup I have EVER made. The others who tried it will undoubtedly vouch for the preceding statement.  I even had it for lunch two days in a row and it was still delicious! Being packed full of lycopene and protein, it leaves you with a satisfied and healthful fullness.

Although there was a crinkling of the nose when my "secret" ingredient was found out, my first guinea pig did give my soup a 7/8 out of 10. He says a "10" would only be attainable with the addition of cream rather than tofu.  I think next time, I just won't tell him ;-) 

I am excited to see what other deliciousness can be derived from the humble, yet incredibly versatile tofu.

Let me know what interesting substitutions you have come across in your culinary crusades.

XO,
DV


P.S. I once again apologize for the lack of pictures. The next one will be just as visually stimulating as it is emotionally. 

Delightfully in love

  This post was inspired by a friend at work. She is the ultimate lover of love. We constantly have conversations about everything love. With it being Valentine's Day, I thought it appropriate to dedicate this post to Hillary, the champion of love and all of it's delights!

  So, Valentine's Day... why do we celebrate it? Well of course, there's all that LOVE in the air, but have you wondered what/why/who started it all?

  A quick search on my favorite online tool shows the day first became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages of Geoffrey Chaucer, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer wrote:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

["For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."]

Valentine was thought to be a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering young men to remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. Valentine was arrested and thrown in jail. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, the jailer's daughter. It was a note that read "From your Valentine."


  And so we keep the custom alive; sending notes of love, flowers, sweets, and other thoughtful delights to the people we wish to show our love and affection.
What are the special somethings you are doing for your beloved(s)? Plural only because my best friend is always on my Valentine list. 


  I made some strawberry jam centered chocolate muffins for my special someone. He's been working long hours all Valentine's weekend and it is quite probable we won't be able to do a "proper" Valentine's Day. So, we've agreed to have a lovely early breakfast to start our day off. Although, it's not the ideal Valentine's Day, it has all the most important features. Often we tend to get caught up in the minutia of the day, it shouldn't be about the flowers or the dinners. We should instead use the day to remember how wonderfully loved we are and the special people to whom we should return the love.  I think this Valentine's Day is the first that I've learned this lesson to be very true.


  I hope your Valentine's Day is wonderful and filled with love. Even if you're not in a relationship, remember all the love that still surrounds you and how truly blessed you are to have it.
So, whether you show it with muffins or hand written cards don't forget to show it. It's your chance to be as cheesy and lovey dovey as you want! So go gangbusters with the love folks!


With a little extra "XO"
DV

Deligh-TOFU-l

So, I've been bad.... unfaithful to my blog.

Well, I am back and feeling MUCH better I would assert.

What did the trick you ask? The "favorite things" I discussed earlier definitely do the trick!

In the soup category, I have a specific one I should list... Soon Tu Bu. Spicy Korean Soft Tofu soup!

Yes, both delicious and nutritious. Mostly, I believe it has magic powers to rid you of a cold.

Feeling much too ill to make the trip to my local Korean restaurant, I tried my hand at the healing, hearty concoction.
After researching the almighty Google, I came up with a game plan to make this delicacy. I created a sort of hybrid version from the many options I saw online. I was amazed at the ease of process and the incredible taste of my homemade Soon Tu Bu. My bowl even rendered the umami I have tasted in many a bowl purchased at the best Korean establishments.

My recipe will render roughly 10 servings in 2 cup portions. What?! I was sick and was craving this particular soup.
Please note that I can handle quite a bit of heat, so if you feel ambivalent, I would recommend layering the spice in slowly and to your taste. Use the same method with all of the ingredients in fact! I believe this soup to be highly customizable and I know it can suit any taste palette out there; so, play with it and make it your own.
Add mussels and shrimp or even make it completely vegetarian!

Ingredients:

• Half cup of dried anchovies
• 1 small package of dried nori (seaweed); about 6 sheets of 3"x2" pieces
• 1/4 lb of thinly sliced beef; rib-eye is recommended, but I used sirloin
• 3 stalks of Chinese chives
• 1 package of Extra Soft Tofu (it's usually the green package)
• 2 eggs
• 1 can 16oz can of beef broth
• 1 cup of shelled soybeans
• 1/2 cup of dehydrated black mountain fungus
• 7 large fresh shitake mushrooms (dehydrated will work too)
• 3 eggs
• sesame oil
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/4 cup of Korean Chili Flakes
• 1 cup of prepared KimChi cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 medium white onion sliced
• Korean pepper paste (Gochujang)
• Soy Sauce to taste
• 1/4 cup of rice wine
• 1 jalepeno pepper sliced

Method:

• Marinate beef in rice wine, 2tb of soy sauce, 2 cloves of garlic and set aside
• Rehydrate any dehydrated items
• In a heavy bottom pan on medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoon of oil - then add 2 tablespoons of the chili flakes and garlic and saute.  The pepper flakes will turn dark, but don't let them burn. Add the anchovies and let break down and brown (about 2 minutes).
• Add in onion and beef and brown slightly until almost done (about 5 minutes)
• Add mushrooms, Kim-chi and mountain fungus and drop in a spoon of the pepper paste
• Stir everything together and coat with the paste
• Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan
• Let everything come to a rolling boil (about 5 minutes)
• Throw in chives, Jalapeño, soybeans, and diced nori
• Add half a cup of water and wait for rolling boil again
• With a tablespoon, scoop in bits of the tofu into the boiling pot at a time
• Crack the eggs into the boil. Make sure to stir so the eggs break up in the pot.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust with soy sauce, chili flakes, and pepper paste
• Eat alone or serve with rice

Whether you are feeling a little under the weather or are just hankering for something spectacular to make your taste buds dance....try a savory bowl of Soon Tu Bu. 

Let me know what you think!

I apologize for my lack of pictures in this post, but if you're hungry for some visually edible delights, check out my friend Rachel's blog. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but the recipes for delectable delights will make you reconsider eating healthy!

Spicy and Hot, what more could a girl want?

My next post will leave you tantalized and panting with the overwhelming delight of sensory overload.

However, all the delight the snow brought also seems to have brought me a cold. So, sit tight while I take delight in the things that bring me comfort when I'm feeling a little under the weather.

In no specific order:

1. Lots of Vicks VapoRub
2. TheraFlu
3. Tea with Lemon, Ginger, and Honey
4. My new vanilla scented lounge socks
5. The company of loved ones
6. Singing songs with my newly found stuffy voice
7. Delicious soups of all sorts
8. Books
9. Extra thick lotion-infused tissues
10. Halls Zinc drops
11. Double blankets on the bed, to ensure extra toastiness

Perhaps if I were to heed the life-long warning of my parents to button up, bundle up, and keep my feet warm, I wouldn't be in this mess. Oh well, you live and learn. 

XO

DV

Let it snow, let it snow, LET IT SNOW!

Is there anything more delightful than snow? Yes, I saw the heads shake in derision as I typed that last line. Well "boo" to the naysayers! While for some of you Northerners, snow is often an unwelcome sign of heavy laborious hours of shoveling ahead; for a Texas girl, such as myself, the first snowfall of the year is quite the event.

It generally starts with a rumor, a whisper if you would, of snow coming in the next week by the weather man. Then, the temperature begins to drop and you pull out that big heavy coat, fine maybe just a small leather jacket in  Dallas. The forecast starts to show teeny tiny little flakes falling from the clouds. And before you know it, you are sitting in church when a little girl, with joy in her voice, begins to proclaim, "IT'S SNOWING OUTSIDE"!

And she has every right to be excited! It is lovely and magical. There is almost nothing, outside of fairy dust and champagne bubbles, which bring the delicate and enchanting beauty of snow.

Crystallized leaves

Snow falling amidst the palms

I am well aware the pictures above are not what people would call a hard snowfall, but for me it was plenty. A good start of snow to come.  Last year, we had heavy enough snowfall to warrant the making of some rather large snow people (I'm trying to be PC, folks). I am sure there are people who used this little opportunity to start honing their skills and snow people making. If you are one of those, please do share. I would love any tips, mine was a bit lacking last year.

Why I requested tips

I thought about going into more detail about snow and all it's crystalline water ice , but what is the point of that? We all studied it and know it's just frozen cloud droplets .Wouldn't you rather know that Leuven, Belgium is considered the snowball capital of the WORLD? Or that, snowflakes are actually clear or transparent and not white; the prisms break up the light making them appear to be white.

I hope you have been able to delight in a bit of snow this winter. I don't believe I am quite done with it just yet. Neither are these guys.

Pondering the mysteries of snow

XO
DV

To be delighted...

What delights you? Have you ever really thought about it? What does the word "delight" mean to you?
I looked it up for all of our benefit and have found it defined as 1) To take great pleasure or joy, 2) to give great pleasure of joy, and 3) extreme pleasure or satisfaction.

That being said, my purpose of starting this blog was to share some of the things that delight me. I was inspired by a simple coffee mug this morning. One that has been sitting in my cupboard for at least a few years now, given to me by a friend upon her return from Germany. It makes me giggle every time I use it and for some reason, I always forget how wonderful it truly is; serving not only as a morning perker-upper, but also a reminder of my dear friend who thought enough of me to gift it. (I am pretty sure she is aware of her contribution.)

I have not had any blogging experience to note, other than some Xanga to pass the time in school, so please bear with me and I will do my level best to try to delight you. I am also holding out hope my photography will improve as well.

I hope to touch on some of the delightful simplicities we often overlook in our busy lives and to give them new meaning.

Thanks for the initial vote of confidence.

XO
DV