Monthly Meal: February 2008

February of this year was… insane. Ted and I were both working crazy amounts of hours, and I was determined that our hectic schedule wouldn’t result in us gaining weight. Normally I’d turn to salads and more raw foods in this situation; but February is a winter month, so I still wanted to have warm and nutritious meals. My solution: I made a lot of soup. Some were made from a chicken stock base, when the vegetables I used were complimented by it. I made some soups with veggies that have more delicate flavors, and for those soups I opted to use water so not to overwhelm those flavors. Potato Leek soup falls into the latter category because I adore the flavors given to the soup by fragrant leeks.

I don’t know how close this recipe is to the traditional and well-known Irish version. I just know that I like it, and I think that you will, too.

MAIN DISH

Potato Leek Soup

I love, love, love Potato Leek soup. It’s a simple dish that’s easy to make, and it has lots of flavor and nutrients. What’s not to love? If you’d like, serve this soup with some warm bread and roasted garlic.

INGREDIENTS
-2 Tbsp. macadamia nut oil
-2 large leeks
-2 to 4 Yukon gold potatoes, depending on size, peeled and cubed
-6 cups water
-fresh thyme leaves, chopped
-sea salt
-1/2 c. traditional Greek yogurt (I use Fage)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the leeks by chopping off the root ends and the tough dark green leaves. I leave some green at the top of the leek, but not very much. Chop the leeks into 1/2 inch slices, and place them in a colander. Put the colander into a bowl of cold water, swish the leeks around with your hand, and remove them once they’re clean.

In a medium soup pot, heat macadamia nut oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the leeks and cook for about 8 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes and some salt. Add the fresh thyme, to taste. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, until the flavors have started to blend. Add the water and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. The soup will be done when the vegetables have given all of their flavor to the broth.

Add the yogurt to the soup, and serve.

DESSERT

Brownies with Walnuts

These are my favorite brownies, ever. The mixture of white and brown sugars gives them the perfect amount of caramel goodness without overwhelming the chocolate. The reason I use more expensive chocolate (Valrhona) is that it makes a HUGE difference in the taste of the brownies. The recipe only calls for three ounces, so the price difference between the Valrhona and another chocolate brand isn’t that significant; but the increase in flavor and quality is major.

This recipe calls for coconut oil rather than butter. You can definitely make these brownies with butter, though I really like the flavor of the coconut oil. Plus, it has added health benefits, courtesy of lauric acid. And coconut oil behaves a lot like butter when baking, both in texture and in behavior.

You’ll notice the recipe uses a lot of three-eighths measures; this is because I halved the full recipe, which originally called for a 13×9 inch baking dish. That’s a lot of brownies for two people, so I use a half recipe and an 8×8 inch pan.

INGREDIENTS
-3 oz. Valrhona 70% dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
-3/8 c. coconut oil
-2 large eggs
-1 Tbsp. vanilla
-1/4 tsp. sea salt
-1 c. white sugar
-3/8 c. light brown sugar
-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
-1/2 c. chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Coat the inside of an 8×8 inch baking dish with coconut oil using a paper towel, and lightly dust with flour. (Note: if you’re using a glass baking dish such as Pyrex, place it on top of a cookie sheet in the oven.) Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a heavy-bottomed pan or a double-boiler, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil. Mix occasionally with a wooden spoon to make sure the fat blends with the chocolate as they soften and melt. When the mixture is nearly melted, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, salt, and sugars. Beat well for several minutes until light and fluffy. If using a hand mixer, beat for about 8 minutes; if using a stand mixer, beat for about 5 minutes on medium-high. When done, add the chocolate mixture slowly while beating on low speed. Add the flour, adding a little at a time, until JUST mixed. Over-mixing will result in flat brownies, so turn the mixer off right before it’s mixed. Add the walnuts and stir a few times by hand.

Spread batter evenly in the baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes. Check at 20 minutes for doneness if your oven runs hot. When the brownies are done baking, they will still be a little moist in the center; I test for doneness using the toothpick method popular for testing cakes, though I allow for some moistness on the toothpick. If you wait to remove the brownies from the oven until the toothpick comes out clean, the result will be brownies that are burned and dry.

When brownies are done, remove from the oven and let cool for two hours.* Cut into squares and store, or leave the brownies in the pan and cover with foil. If you leave them in the pan, make sure you eat them within a day or so, otherwise they’ll get stale. I’m sure that won’t be a problem, though.

*After checking a few good cookbooks, the general consensus is that brownies should be left to cool without being cut into for at least two hours, if not three. But who are they kidding? I love warm brownies, so I try and make myself (and Ted) wait for at least twenty minutes before we dig in. Sure, the brownies would be a little better if we let them set for longer, but who can resist the smell of freshly baked brownies?

MUSIC

Album: Jack Johnson, Sleep Through the Static

Yeah, Jack Johnson isn’t a unique choice, and the album isn’t even his best. (The Curious George soundtrack, anyone?) But we had great weather this month where we live, and we also worked like crazy this month. As a result, it was much easier for us to choose music that was easy to work to and hard to get tired of. We listened to this album in the car, on our computers, and in the kitchen. And we’re still not sick of it! So Sleep Through the Static might not be an instant indie classic, but whatever. I like it, and it works for this month.