what's in the fridge soup

When Jeff and I first met, I used to buy too many vegetables. Okay, maybe not just vegetables, but everything food related. I did have the best of intentions. However, there were always extra tidbits of this and that, which just didn't have a home in any dish - yet. I had to find a solution. One day, Jeff walked into the kitchen and asked what I was making, "What smells so good?", he asked. "It's What's in the Fridge Soup." Then Jeff asked, "Well, what is in it?" I think I giggled, and then said, "everything that used to be in the fridge!" It is possible that I should change the name of the soup to "everything that used to be in the fridge soup", but it just doesn't sound quite right. And I think many, if not most, homes have a soup just like this. Sometimes it has chicken, sometimes meatballs, perhaps leftover spinach pesto, or maybe just a lot of carrots. But the idea is to clear out the fridge, and maybe even the pantry a bit too. I savour soups with the addition of extra greens, as it's a nice change from salad. The soup usually starts with onions sautéed in olive oil. Then maybe some carrots and celery. Probably a couple cans of tomatoes, and a lot of beans. The idea is to come up with something delicious, super-healthful, and could feed a small village for a week. Oh, and the hardest part is washing vegetables and chopping some onions. Otherwise, it's just throw things in a pot, and it all works out in the end. The chickpeas are measured by the cup, as I have great success cooking those in the slowcooker, and then I store them in the freezer for later use. It's super easy, and incredibly economical. I just add a couple inches of dried chickpeas into the slowcooker, and turn it on high - my slowcooker is at least 20 years old, so that might be quite low. I cover the chickpeas with double the water. In an hour, I check to see if they are still covered with water, and if not, I add more water. The cooking time varies greatly by brand, but it will take at least two hours. I just taste them every once in a while. At the end I add salt, let it sit for a couple minutes, and then taste again. Drain the chickpeas. Once they are cool, place in zip bags, or reusable containers and freeze for up to 2 months. What's In the Fridge Soup Ingredients: 2 onions, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 1/2 cup carrots, diced 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups hulled barley, or farro 2 cups pot barley 100 fl. oz. canned tomatoes 750 mL chicken stock 3 cups chickpeas (or one can will do) 1 cans of romano beans 1 can of cannellini beans 1 can of black beans a large bunch of dandelion greens, roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped salt 1. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute until translucent. 2. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for another two minutes. 3. Using a knife, slightly break up the canned tomatoes, before adding to the pot. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and the grains. Bring the pot to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to low and cover. Continue to cook, only until the grains are still a little underdone; approximately 20 minutes, depending upon the type of grain (pearl barley might be less time than pot barley etc.). 4. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans. Add the beans to the pot for 3-5 minutes, just to heat through and soften slightly. 5. Add the chopped dandelion greens, and parsley. Turn off the heat, stir. 6. Season according to taste. Serve, and enjoy!
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cinnamon & pistachio black quinoa

Simplicity is a virtue. Almost every aspect of our lives can be simplified if we think about it, and this never holds more true than in the kitchen. Cooking doesn't need to be complicated, time consuming, or require extensive exotic ingredient lists for every dish. Not only do my favourite dishes allow for a certain margin of fixable error, but also allow me to substitute ingredients ad hoc. Inevitably, there are only a few ingredients. The best dishes hardly ever contain more than three ingredients. The more I read, watch, and experience, the best things are truly basic and elemental in nature. Insalata caprese of tomatoes, mozzerella, and basil, a nearly holy trinity requires ingredient quality. Like a perfectly cooked steak. Not only is the cooking process important, but the cut and quality of the beef easily supersedes all else. Similarly, a gorgeous handmade pasta is truly rare, but contains only a few ingredients, which must be combined in correct proportions, and also worked together in a nearly magical way. Pasta such as this, needs only a simple sauce, if not just butter alone. Certainly, there are exceptions, but isn't there something to be said about the poetic beauty found in a combination of skills and ingredient quality? While I can't always find time to work out my frustrations in a golden-hued pasta dough, I can always try to highlight the flavour of foods by keeping ingredient combinations as simple as possible. Then I have a chance to truly savour the unique flavour of each ingredient, as simple and earthy as it may be. This dish full of healthy antioxidants, fiber, and protein. It works well as a side dish, or as a main salad for lunches. The cinnamon creates a slight exoticism, and I like to think about the travels of Marco Polo, and how exotic and unusual this spice must have first tasted to Venetians. Black quinoa is available at many health food and gourmet stores, although regular quinoa can also be used. Cinnamon & Pistachio Black Quinoa 1 cup black quinoa 1.5 cups of water 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup shelled pistachio's, roughly chopped 2 tsp cinnamon 1. In a medium saucepan with a lid, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Once boiling, lower the temperature to medium-low, allowing the quinoa to continue to simmer for another twelve minutes. 2. Stir in the raisins, pistachio's, and cinnamon. Add a touch more water if necessary. Cook for approximately another three minutes. 3. The quinoa will be cooked when the rings around the middle are just beginning to loosen themselves from the rest of the grain, or cook to taste.
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