Yes, it's true. I am a lover of Christmas. Of ALL things Christmas. The chocolate, the music, the tacky and not so tacky decorations. The blinking lights, the blow up lawn ornaments, mandarin oranges, baking and holiday parties. I even buy HTB and I an advent calender each year and proudly stick them on the fridge. My students think I'm cool for doing that (okay- probably crazy, but lets go with cool, okay?). HTB will even play me Christmas music in the middle of the summer if I'm having a bad day and he wants to make me happy!
I love the snow and the cold and bundling up all warm and cozy to go for a walk with HTB late at night after a huge snowfall. When everything is so still and quiet that the normal street we walk down every day is transformed to a glimmering, crystalline, magical wonderland. I love warming up with mulled wine, (or a glass of red on its own will do nicely too!) or a steaming mug of chai tea, or hot chocolate. I excite at the chaos of Christmas shopping and truly love that department store decorations go up in November. I love the atmosphere of anticipation in the last few days before Christmas, where everyone knows that it's only a matter of time until they get to stop and
breathe.
ahhh.
With our wedding just around the corner, both HTB and I are going to be eating more healthily this Holiday season. Oh, sure, we'll indulge too, but for the most part we are planning on eating a ton of one of the most amazing foods on the planet. Warm, filling, delicious, nutritious with infinite variations. Have you guessed yet? Yes! HTB and I are going to be sitting in our little coach house, snuggled in blankets, wearing cozy sweatpants and slippers, hands warmed by our bowls containing..... soup!! mmmmmm soup. Easy to make, easy to digest, and easy on the pocket book too. Yes, this year, soup, of all things is going to be our staple to get us through the holidays.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to take a Macrobiotic cooking class with the ever so lovely, and hilarious,
Jessica Porter. I learned so much about food, nutrition, and also how to chew! Jessica's book, The Hip Chick's guide to Macrobiotics, is funny, informative and full of great recipes. You should get it. Even better, if you get the chance, you should try her
cooking classes!! One of my favourite classes was the soup class. I came home buzzing after that class. Everything in the world just seemed so right, so brilliant, so..... high!! It's amazing what food can do!! My favourite soup from that class (if I
had to pick a favourite) is Joan's Red Lentil-Lemon Soup. HTB and I LOVE it. Like,
REALLY love it. Like, if there are any leftovers I'll even eat it for breakfast so I get to them first, kind of love it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Joan's Red Lentil Lemon Soup
(introduced to me at Jessica Porter's cooking classes!)
by Anne Marie Colbin
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped or in paste)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unrefined sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup dried red lentils
5 cups light vegetable stock, or water
1 bay leaf
2 thin strips lemon rind (sometimes HTB and I add an extra strip if we are feeling particularly lemony)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 thin slices of lemon for garnish
In a 3 to 4 quart soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cumin and cook until the onion is golden, about 6 to 7 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, pick over the red lentils carefully; discard any stones. Rinse. Add to the onions with the stock or water and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam, if necessary. Reduce heat, add the bay leaf and lemon rind, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and lemon rind.
Add the lemon juice to the soup and stir. Pour into bowls and garnish each with a slice of lemon.
Serves 6.
Yummy!! I can't wait to make this later this week!
FYI. For those of you who are following the absolutely riveting results of the hundred push up challenge that HTB and I are doing, we've graduated to week 3! Today my sets were 10,12,7,7 and I maxed out at 11 in the 5th set. Ready for an arm wrestle, anyone?
