Cheesy Broccoli Soup

It's getting a bit chillier. Fall is here. The time has come. The time for soup that is!

I made my first batch of pumpkin soup of the season last week and boy was it good.

This cheesy broccoli soup is equally delicious. You could top it with homemade croutons but it had been a long week and I was tired so I decided to just smash a few crackers instead. The result was instant comfort!

 

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil = 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile d'olive
• 2 cloves garlic, minced = 2 gousses d'ail, émincées
• 1 small onion, chopped = 1 petit oignon, coupé en morceaux
• 1 medium russet potato, diced = 1 pomme de terre, coupée en petits dés
• Salt and pepper = sel et poivre
• 1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 ¼ lb), cut into florets = 1 grosse tête de broccoli (environ 550-600 g), coupée en petits bouquets
• 3 cups water = 700 ml d'eau
• 1 cup milk = 235 ml de lait
• 6 ounces sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1 ½ cup) = 170 g de cheddar, râpé
• A few Ritz crackers, smashed (optional) = quelques crackers salés (style Ritz ou TUC), écrasés en miettes (facultatif)

 

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, potato, season with salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 6-7 minutes.

Add the broccoli florets and water and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for a few minutes, until broccoli is tender. Remove from heat and, using a handheld immersion blender, purée the vegetable mixture until smooth. Return to the heat, add the milk and simmer until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until completely melted. Check seasonings and add more salt/pepper if needed. Ladle into 4 bowls and top with smashed crackers. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Apple Smoothie

 

Have you gone apple-picking yet? We have. What a fun family outing! Apple pie, muffins and sauce are definitely on the agenda but I am also trying to come up with new ideas to use all those apples we brought home. This apple smoothie is one of them. It's a great after-school snack and it almost tastes like apple pie... except, it's much faster to make and it's healthier for you!

Makes 1

• ½ cup Greek yogurt = 110 g de yaourt grec
• 1 medium apple, sliced = 1 pomme, coupée en tranches
• ½ cup milk = 120 ml de lait
• 1 tablespoon almond granola = 1 cuillère à soupe de granola (ou muesli) aux amandes
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup = 1 cuillère à soupe de miel ou de sirop d'érable
• Dash of cinnamon = une pincée de canelle en poudre

Mix all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Breakfast Pizza

I hope I didn't lose too many readers with that title! Make it “Snack Pizza” if you prefer. Or serve it with mixed greens for a quick lunch. I personally like eating it as a mid-morning breakfast, after an energizing work-out.

Makes 1

• 1 whole wheat Middle Eastern flatbread (or pita) = 1 pain pita, au blé complet
• 1 to 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese = 1 à 2 cuillères à soupe de ricotta
• Dash of garlic powder = une pincée d'ail en poudre
• Dash black pepper = une pincée de poivre
• A few baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped = quelques jeunes pousses d'épinards, grossièrement hâchées
• A few grape tomatoes, halved = quelques tomates cerises, coupées en deux
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf

Mix ricotta with garlic and pepper. Spread on one side of the flatbread.
Top with spinach and tomatoes and crack egg in the center.
Broil in oven for a few minutes until bread is golden brown and egg is set.
Sprinkle a little salt and/or pepper if you wish. Enjoy!

Note: if you are not a fan of the goey, runny yolk, simply beat the egg in a separate bowl and pour in the center of the pizza, then broil as directed.

Oatmeal Squares

I adore old-fashioned oats. They add so much flavor and texture to cookies and pancakes. I have tried a few oatmeal bar recipes, some with less butter and more sugar, and I found this ratio to yield the best bars: buttery, crumbly, moist and not too sweet. Grab a square and a glass of cold milk and you have a tasty after-school snack!

Makes 36 squares

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour = 180 g de farine
• 2 tablespoon(s) brown sugar = 2 cuillères à soupe de cassonade
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature = 225 g de beurre
• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats = 120 g de flocons d'avoine
• ½ cup granulated sugar = 100g de sucre
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf
• ¾ cup jam (any flavor you like) = 225 g de confiture (n'importe quel fruit)

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13” baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 3-in. overhang on two sides.

In a food processor, pulse ½ cup (= 60 g) flour, brown sugar and ¼ cup (= 55 g) butter until the mixture forms large crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in ½ cup (= 40 g) oats. Set aside.

In the same food processor (no need to clean!), combine the granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 cup (= 120 g) flour and ¾ cup (= 170 g) butter until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Add the egg and pulse until blended. Transfer to a large bowl, fold in the remaining 1 cup (= 80 g) oats and spread into the prepared pan.

Spread the jam evenly over the batter. Crumble the remaining mixture over the jam. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using the overhangs, transfer the bar to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares. Enjoy!

Chicken with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

This is an easy chicken dish that tastes so flavorful thanks to the combination of perfectly ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. Fantastic for a late summer dinner!

Serves 4

• 4 chicken cutlets or 2 large boneless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded thin = 4 escalopes de poulet fines
• Salt & pepper = sel et poivre
• A few tablespoons flour = quelques cuillères de farine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile d'olive
• ¼ cup white wine = 60 ml de vin blanc
• ½ cup chicken broth = 120 ml de bouillon de poulet
• 2 tomatoes, chopped = 2 tomates, coupées en dés
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream = 2 cuillères à soupe de crème fraiche liquide
• A few basil leaves, chopped = quelques feuilles de basilic frais, ciselées

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, sprinkle with flour and shake to remove excess.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Sauté cutlets on both sides and transfer to a plate.

Deglaze pan with wine and cook until almost all evaporated. Add broth and return cutlets and their juices to pan. Cook for a couple minutes until done. Transfer cutlets to a serving platter. Stir chopped tomatoes and heavy cream into sauce in the pan. Heat through and pour over cutlets. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Dill Potato Salad

I am not a big fan of potato salad when it's drowned in full-fat mayo. So be warned: my version is not really creamy. If you want, you can even substitute half the light mayo for Greek yogurt, it will add a nice tang. Don't omit the celery, its crunch and flavor really work well here.

Serves 4-6

• 6 medium red potatoes, scrubbed clean and diced = 6 pommes de terre rouges, nettoyées et coupées en cubes
• 3 eggs = 3 oeufs
• 1 large celery, finely chopped (about ½ cup) = 1 grosse branche de céleri, coupé en petits morceaux
• ½ cup light mayonnaise or veganaise = 100 g de mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice = 2 cuillères à soupe de jus de cornichons doux
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard = 1 cuillère à soupe de moutarde forte
• Salt & pepper to taste = sel et poivre
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried, for garnish = 1 cuillère à soupe d'aneth fraiche ciselée ou 1 cuillère à café séchée, pour décorer

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cook eggs stand for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

In a large bowl, mix mayo, pickle juice and mustard. Add potatoes, eggs and celery and stir gently until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until chilled or overnight. Garnish with fresh dill before serving. Enjoy!

Salsa & Black Bean Stuffed Avocado

All fat is not created equal. There is actually fat that's good for you and avocado is a perfect example. It is also nutrient-dense, providing multiple vitamins and phytochemicals that help keep your body healthy.

For a quick appetizer or lunch, stuff the avocado with any type of fresh chunky salsa or pico de gallo you like: the traditional tomato/onion/cilantro is fantastic but a fruity mango salsa would work too. Add black beans to boost the protein and fiber benefits. Serve as soon as you make to prevent the avocado creamy flesh from turning black.

Serves 4

• 2 avocados, halved and pitted = 2 avocats, coupés en deux et dénoyautés
• sea salt, to taste = sel
• 1 lime = 1 citron vert
• ¼ cup fresh salsa or pico de gallo = 4 cuillères à soupe de salsa
• ¼ cup (cooked) black beans, drained = 4 cuillères à soupe de haricots noirs (cuits)

Season avocados with salt and squeeze lime over each half.

In a bowl, combine salsa and beans. Divide evenly between avocado halves. Serve immediately. Enjoy!