Chickpea Stew Nearly Passes the Histamine Hurdle

Looks like I'm off to a rocky start with this low histamine diet. I've been scouring my ridiculous amount of recipes for weeks to figure out which ones don't include any high-histamine foods, and other ones that I could alter.

Honestly, it has not been an easy process, so I've been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to make this Chickpea Vegetable Stew because it seemed like it would easily fit the bill. But as soon as I started cooking it, I realized that the main ingredient in harissa is tomatoes, and I really didn't want to leave its tangy, warming flavor out of the dish. Well, the recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon, so I'm hoping that's a low enough amount that it still counts as low!

Since citrus also is high on the histamine scale, I subbed out the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar, which still is on the naughty list since it's a vinegar, but it's on the more acceptable side than more fermented vinegars like wine and balsamic vinegars.

So the cheating begins, but when you calculate the amount of harissa and vinegar that will be in one bowl of this delicious soup, I do still feel that I can call it a low-histamine recipe. It's kind of like when you put a pint of heavy cream in a soup. I used to think that I would end up eating so much saturated fat by doing that, but if it's balanced out by enough vegetables and broth, you really don't end up eating a huge amount of cream.

Needless to say, the stew is fabulous! I definitely do miss the serious zing from lemon compared with the more subtle hues of apple cider vinegar, but it still balances out the harissa beautifully.

Warming Up with Tom Ka

I should have known that the mere mention of Tom Ka Gai would make me crave the delicious Thai soup, especially with the current cold snap that's taken over nearly the entire nation. The blend of sweet and sour combined with the curry and red pepper flakes warms me to the bone, and the Authentic Thai Coconut Soup recipe that I always use from All Recipes is easily adaptable to whatever I happen to have in my fridge.

Although previously I always used the shrimp called for in the recipe, I've since learned that shrimp are not the most environmentally friendly seafood to eat (although there are better options, according to Seafood Watch). This time, I instead used a couple of shredded chicken breasts from a roasted chicken &emdash; whose carcass was also used to make the chicken stock I substituted for the water called for in the recipe.

And instead of shiitake mushrooms, I sauteed in coconut oil 8 ounces each of enoki and king oyster mushrooms and added that to the soup instead. One of the important tips I learned in my aforementioned "Food and Medicinal Mushrooms" class is that mushrooms should always be eaten cooked because our bodies are unable to break down their cell walls. And when I say cooked, I mean cooked. That means after they release all of their liquids, keep on cooking them until they start to brown and dry. You will notice a much more potent flavor and a meatier texture &emdash; please give it a try and let me know what you think!

I also added a few fried tofu cubes sliced in 1/4-inch slices to each bowl, and garnished the soup with both green onions and fresh chopped basil. End result? Delicious!

Roasted bell pepper soup is savory, sweet and spicy

How could I get anything but an A for this delicious-looking soup?

Tomorrow is my final presentation in my Soups and Seasonings with Intuition class, and I daresay I've expanded my skill set exponentially with this class (thanks chef Omid Roustaei - just in case you Google yourself again!). I feel more confident with my experimentations now that I have a lot more of the basics down, and yet I also feel more ready to think outside of the box.

And although this savory, sweet and spicy roasted red bell pepper soup might not be too far outside of the box, it's pretty darn delicious.

Creamy Chipotle Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup
3 bell peppers
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 large leek, white and light green parts sliced thin and rinsed well
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup crème fraiche, divided (optional)
¼ cup chopped chives, divided (optional)

If you’re using a barbecue or gas stove, roast peppers over the flames and turn frequently until they’re completely charred. Or if using an electric stove, cut peppers in half, remove seeds and membrane, and broil 2 inches from heat source skin-side up until the skin is black and blistering, about 20-30 minutes. Place charred peppers in a bowl, cover and let set for 15 minutes. Peel skin off and roughly chop roasted peppers.

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat pan. Add leeks and garlic, and cook until leeks begin to wilt and brighten in color, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in chile powder until vegetables are well coated. Add roasted peppers, broth and salt, then bring to a boil. Cover soup and simmer until leek is soft, about 10 minutes.

While soup simmering, heat half-and-half in a medium saucepan. In another saucepan, make a roux by heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until thick, 3-4 minutes. Keep whisking, then slowly add warm half-and-half to the roux. Keep whisking until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer until thick, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree soup in a blender until it is completely smooth. Add blended soup to the thickened half-and-half and stir. Heat if needed, then serve immediately or store for up to four days.

Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and chives, if desired.

Preparation time: 1 hour (including time to roast peppers)
Makes: 4 (12-ounce) servings
Nutritional information (per 12-ounce bowl): Calories 425; Fat 32.9 grams; Carbohydrates 23.9 grams; Protein 10.3 grams.

Stomach-Soothing Minestrone

There are Sundays when I spend the whole day cooking a feast, then there are Sundays when all I want to do is make some nutritious, cleansing soup. After Nate and Deb's wedding on Saturday night, this was definitely a day of cleansing (when I was finally able to move off of the couch!), which meant soup was on the menu.

Because I knew zucchini, spinach and cannellini beans would play a major role, I narrowed in on a couple of minestrone recipes then got creative, making enough beans for both the soup and a bean spread, and roasting a couple of red bell peppers that I also used for both.

Thanks to my chef constantly extolling the values of using a pressure cooker, I finally used mine for something other than beets and made both the beans and the soup in it. To make beans, simply cover them with about 2 inches of water, add a 2-inch piece of kombu (a seaweed that is supposed to make the beans more tender) and bring to a full boil. Let boil fully, uncovered, for 5 minutes, then skim the surface to remove the gassy foam. Then cover and pressure-cook for 35 minutes to 1 hour, until beans are soft. If you check the beans and they're not done, be sure to add more water if it's needed. When beans are fininshed, drain the water and use immediately or store in a sealed container for up to three days.

Minestrone Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts, diced (or use 3-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or less if using store-bought broth)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup zucchini, chopped
2 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 cup uncooked elbow noodles
10 ounches fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Parmesan cheese

Heat pressure cooker over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and stir until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken (if using shredded chicken, add with the broth), and stir occasionally until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Stir in diced peppers, tomatoes, broth and spices and bring to a simmer.

Add zucchini and cannellini beans, bring to boil, then add noodles and cover. Pressure cook for 10 minutes; remove lid, stir in spinach and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Cannellini Bean and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Spread
2 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 roasted red bell pepper (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Place beans, bell pepper, salt and chile flakes in a food processor and slowly drizzle in olive oil as you run the machine. When mixture begins to run smoothly, add lemon juice. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Note: Feel free to add 1 to 2 cloves of minced garlic, if desired. Just keep in mind that the flavor can get pretty potent if you're planning to use the bean spread for more than a day.

I'm learning Soups and Seasoning with Intuition!

So, did I mention that I'm taking a cooking class at my school? And I'm not talking about a measly two-hour cooking class where you learn the basics of Thai cooking or something like that. I'm talking about a full-on, 11-week class through our top-notch culinary program — just another kick-ass perk of working for a natural health university!

Needless to say, Mom and Charlie both were not impressed when I shared with them the big news. I bragged about the knife skills I would learn, Charlie said, "I could teach you that." I bragged about the course title, "Soups and Seasonings with Intuition," and Mom just looked at me like I was a fool to take a class when I could just teach myself to cook like she did.

Maybe I'm just too American, but I want to learn from the experts. I want to learn which foods pair well together and how to make my dishes pretty. And I want to feel confident about the food that I'm making.

So far, not so good. Sure, it's a cooking class, but it's a class that aims to teach us how to cook our own food, so we're not using recipes, we're just being given a topic and told to run with it. Week one was a vegetable broth, and although my decision to add smoked paprika to the mix was a bold one, I'm not sure if it was such a tasty one.

But the whole point of the class is to learn, and learn I already have. Our always-encouraging teacher, Chef Omid Roustaei, told us a secret that I probably should have learned from my mother, but I didn't. Every week, he takes the scraps of all of the vegetables I've been putting in my compost bin (onion skins, carrot ends, kale stalks, etc), and makes broth out of them to make his grains with or even to use as a soup base.

When I'd just cooked up my first batch and told Bryan what I was doing, he pointed out that Mom does that too, except she uses those scraps not necessarily as a broth, but she puts them in the soups she makes each day, which is why every time I have one of her soups the ingredients are different. She puts my wastefulness to shame, even after I've made this beautiful, flavor vegetable stock!

Leftover Christmas Ham, Day 4: Split Pea Soup

Although the main reason I made a 12-pound Christmas Ham for just Bryan and me was because we wanted plenty of leftover ham, another reason was because I had big plans for the bone.

It's always hard to just choose one recipe to use the ham bone in, but every year Split Pea Soup seems to win the toss-up. Maybe it's just one of those recipes I forget about the rest of the year because it's so dang easy to make.

The only recipe I've ever used is one I got from Heather eons ago that uses cubed ham and bouillon cubes instead of a ham bone. But since I used the bone, I used 2 instead of 6 bouillon cubes, and it still was a bit on the unsalty side for those who prefer a sodium bomb.

Heather's Split Pea Soup
1 c. onion, chopped
3/4 c. celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. split peas
8 c. water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 t. pepper
2 bay leaves
2 c. chopped ham
3-4 medium peeled carrots
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Easy!

Leftover Christmas Ham, Day 2: Mac-n-Cheese

Now this is the dish we've been waiting for: Connie's Mac-n-Cheese, spiked with leftover Christmas ham, peas and sprinkled with goat cheese.

I asked Bryan to make it because his just always turns out better. It's so good, in fact, that our friend Leslie gave him a shoutout on her Seattle Weekly "Wino" blog after he cooked her up a batch while she was laid up with a broken shoulder.

We used whole milk to make this creamy deliciousness even more creamy, and for added flavor mixed in a bit of asiago with the cheddar, in addition to the goat cheese that contributed to the crispy topping.

And not to worry, Mom, heeding your wisdom on eating soup before a meal, I whipped up a pot of Stracciatella Soup to help keep our passageways from turning into cheese.

Mom's White Papaya Soup for the Soul

I know I said my Twice-Baked Potatoes are worthy of a meal on their own, but, well, we're pigs. Or maybe we just prefer flavor explosions. Needless to say, I actually paired last night's Twice-Baked Potatoes with a plethora of dishes, including the last two leftover pieces of Lemon Chicken from Greg Atkins' "West Coast Cooking," collard greens with bacon and garlic (prepared like Sauteed Kale), and a first attempt at making one of Mom's amazing soups.

Stephen has been bugging me for months, possibly years, to finally share some of Mom's Chinese soups here, but after last night's attempt I'm reminded of why I've been hesitant to go there. As with everything Mom makes, she does not use a recipe for her soups, but rather just uses what she has, much of which I wouldn't even recognize if I saw it in a store.

Luckily, she dumbed this one down for me, because the only ingredient that really matters in her White Papaya Soup is the white papaya, which gives the broth a sweet and smoky flavor. Every time Mom serves this soup, its additional ingredients vary, from Chinese mushrooms and crunchy Chinese peanuts that add nutty deliciousness to many of her soups, to tofu cut in chunks and oozing with the soup's flavor or a chewy bean curd.

However, in addition to the optional ingredients being a bit difficult to locate, finding the main ingredient for this soup isn't so easy either. I've only ever seen white papaya at Asian stores, and even with the photo at right, I'm not 100 percent sure I could find it again, unless by some small miracle the produce is correctly marked in English!

Like your typical, orange-fleshed papaya, white papaya also aids digestion, and Mom serves it or some other vegetable soup every day before dinner to help get the digestion process going. It probably has something to do with the whole yin-yang cycle, but to Mom, it's just common sense to start the meal with a belly-warming soup.

White Papaya Soup
1 white papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups chicken broth

Add papaya chunks and carrots to chicken broth, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and broth has sweetened from the papaya. Add salt to taste before serving.

Still learning tricks to good ramen

It's a mystery to me that we don't have a plethora of delicious ramen houses considering the plethora of Asian Americans in the Seattle area, but that doesn't stop me ordering it even when I know it's a total rip-off.

So it would make sense that I would just learn how to make the perfect ramen at home, right?

Let the experimenting begin! I bought soba noodles for the first time I-don't-know-how-many-months-ago, and decided to try them today using the mushroom broth from last night's Polenta with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, with some extra chicken broth I had in the fridge.

With a total of about 4 cups of broth, I suspected I might not quite have enough fluids. I really should have trusted my gut instinct when I read that the recipe called for cooking just one bundle of noodles in 6 cups of water (and I was cooking two bundles). But I wanted the noodles to have the delicious mushroom flavor so I just went with it.

By the end, there was definitely a lack of extra fluid, but there was more than enough to cook the noodles and they were extremely flavorful from the broth. I added chives and a sliced boiled egg to each, and each had a bowl full of ramen sans soup, but just as delicious.

Of course, Mom's dumplings are better

Why would I listen to some random lady at the grocery store instead of listening to my own mother?

Since returning from a long-overdue trip to Mexico last week, I've been craving nothing but comfort food to warm my bones now that the Pacific Northwest fall has finally hit. Finally, I decided it was time to make chicken soup with Mom's fluffy, delicious dumplings made from Bisquick.

But when I asked an employee at Albertson's where the Bisquick was, she asked me what I was making. "Dumplings," I said, wondering why the heck she was being so nosy. Then she got even nosier. "Oh, you don't want to use Bisquick," she said, then proceeded to tell me that her mom made dumplings with just flour and water and they were absolutely the best, blah blah blah.

Problem is, I believed her. I looked up a recipe for dumplings that used 2 cups of flour, 1/3 cup of shortening, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup of milk and they were ... not as good as Mom's. They look good, though!

But I could give a rip how my dumplings look. I want Mom's dumplings! Looks like I'll be heading back to the store for some Bisquick soon!

My first Bastyr recipe: Carrot Ginger Soup

Photo from Derek Sheppard.

Just so you don't get the wrong idea, I'm certainly not complaining about having a full-time job. Especially since the perks come with a whole new set of recipes that I definitely will be experimenting with in these pages.

Over the weekend, the second edition of my e-newsletter went out, and it included a link to one of our cafeteria's favorite recipes, Carrot Ginger Soup. I was hoping to give the recipe a whirl before I actually included it in the newsletter, especially since I was a bit wary of the huge portions of garlic and ginger: 1/4 cup each! But it turned out delicious, tasting just like the soup that's made in a much bigger batch for the Bastyr campus. Well, mine wasn't quite as smooth, since I didn't bother to pass it through a wire strainer after blending it. But it sure went down smooth!

More fun with sunchokes

Now that I'm working at Bastyr University, I'm trying to familiarize myself a little more with food allergies and other special diets, and what better place to start than blogs?

One of the first I'd ever heard of is Gluten-Free Girl, who in addition to being local, was one of the first people who brought celiac disease and other gluten-intolerance issues to the mainstream. It certainly helps that her husband is an amazing chef who once owned the Madison Park restaurant Impromptu, where we were able to take a friend who also has celiac disease on a rare a fear-free meal for her birthday.

Between the amazing creations by the Gluten-Free Girl and her husband, I don't think they're missing the gluten much. Take, for instance, this Potato-Sunchoke Soup with Homemade Chile Oil, which I just had to try after perusing her blog for something else entirely.

Of course, I took the very lazy way out (I nixed the chile oil and the straining), and will share that version with you.

Potato-Sunchoke Soup
2 T. olive oil
2 oz. prosciutto, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. sunchokes, scrubbed and cut in chunks
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
5 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. cream
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven then add prosciutto and stir until crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove prosciutto to a plate lined with paper towels, then stir in onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add sunchokes and continue stirring for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and stir to coat, then pour in broth. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in a blender, then pour into a new pot. Add cream, and stir to heat through. Then add lemon juice and nutmeg and stir again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve each bowl with the crispy prosciutto sprinkled on top.

Mom's "secret" dumpling recipe: Bisquick

 

In the midst of yesterday's deary rain, I stopped by Mom's for a quick visit and she made a corresponding meal of stew with dumplings. I was excited to finally get the recipe for her dumplings, which I've loved ever since I was a child. Well, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I imagined. She uses Bisquick. Mixed with water. How easy is that?

 

I gotta say, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't some secret trick to their fluffy goodness, but it's so nice that every once in a while, getting a recipe from Mom isn't like pulling teeth.

 

Unfortunately, the stew recipe wasn't quite as easy to get out of her, but I'm sure her dumplings would taste marvelous with this Chicken Soup (but maybe leave out the rice!).

And Thanksgiving planning has begun

I might have had a bit too much fun at Oktoberfest because last week I got hit with my first major cold of the season. For most of the week, I was pretty much worthless in the kitchen, although I did manage to make my favorite Big Apple Pancake with hash browns and bacon when my appetite finally began to return.

But even without an appetite, I still wanted to cook so badly that I spent possibly hours scouring November's edition of Food & Wine, and I even woke up early one morning to plan Thanksgiving. I know it's a bit early, but I thought a little forward thinking would give me time to give a few of the dishes a test drive this year.

I was particularly intrigued by the Asian-American Thanksgiving feast from chef Joanne Chang, whose Pan-Asian flavors might appeal a bit more to my Asian relatives than the more traditional Thanksgiving recipes. But one look (it was actually more like six) at the Soy-Sauce-and-Honey-Glazed Turkey and I knew that I would have to be a much more advanced cook to pull that off with a home full of people.

Instead, I think we're going to stick with the brining theme with this Pimenton-Brined Turkey, because it both shortens the cooking time and diminishes the need for frequent basting, which is just more realistic for me. The accompanying side dishes: Smoky Chorizo Stuffing; and Creamed Haricot Vert and Corn Casserole.

Not that I've completely ruled out the Asian-American Thanksgiving, especially after my delicious success last night with its Thai Red-Curry Squash Soup (pictured above with Creamy Chicken-and-Mushroom Fricassee). Considering how much my family loved the last Roasted Butternut Squash soup I made them, this curry-coconut soup that's smooth like butter would definitely be just as much of a hit.

And, of course, there's always next year.

Tomato-Basil Soup hearkens to youth

When I was just a wee thing, one of our favorite late-night haunts was Minnie's on Lower Queen Anne. There weren't a lot of places that would take underage kids, and we were so over Denny's and Beth's. So when we stumbled across a place that served brie and a Tomato-Basil Soup that was to die for, we thought we were wearing the fanciest pants in town.

But then I went to Minnie's as an adult, and realized it was just another hole-in-the-wall that just happened to have an amazing Tomato-Basil Soup recipe. So after Heather tracked that recipe down, we never went back and it eventually closed.

Maybe this soup isn't exactly the same - I think Minnie's used a lot more butter and cream, but hey, nothing is stopping you from doing that, too, with this versatile recipe.

Tomato-Basil Soup

2 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 28-oz. cans whole tomatoes

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1 c. basil, chopped chiffonade

Heat butter in a large stockpot. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic for the last minute.

Add tomatoes, bring to a low boil and simmer for 35 minutes, covered. (I usually pulse the tomatoes in a food processor before adding them, but you can just add them whole to the pot and crush them with your spoon since you'll be blending it all later.) Stir a couple of times throughout cooking.

Remove pot from heat and let cool about 5 minutes. Puree soup in a blender in batches, then return to a new stockpot with cream and reheat. Add Parmesan and stir until melted, then add basil, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Note: This last time I accidentally used the Italian-style tomatoes with basil, and it turned out quite tasty!

Mai Ling's Minestrone ... for the day

Fall does more than just instill nostalgia for Oktoberfest. It also creates a need to create and devour rich, hearty soups.

Of course, Mom would prefer it if soups were a part of our daily diet, as they are in her house, where she serves soup before every meal. You see, it's not just a ritual that's done at Asian restaurants, it's actually a tradition that I believe has multiple health reasons: 1) to heat your belly and prepare it for hot, solid food, and 2) to fill your belly and keep you from overeating during the meal.

Unfortunately, there aren't actually any recipes for the soups that Mom makes. I've asked, believe me, but it just seems like she throws together whatever mishmash of vegetables, mushrooms and soup bones she has on hand. I'm sure the basic combinations come from something that once resembled a recipe or maybe just flavors she remembers from childhood, but it's going to take me some time to be able to share them with you.

So bear with me, and know that in the meantime, she's also passed on that ability to throw together a mishmash of whatever is in the refrigerator to yours truly, although right now I'm still wading through typical American fare. You're going to have to wait for the Asian soups, which are intimidating when your mom could throw down Bobby Flay with just a pair of chopsticks and some soy sauce.

I'm not sure what exactly defines a Minestrone soup, but I know they often have beans and noodles in them, so we'll just call this

Mai Ling's Minestrone
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced carrot
1 c. sliced celery
4 c. chicken broth
1 14.5-oz. can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (or just use normal tomatoes and add basil and oregano)
2 frozen chicken breasts
1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans
1 15.5-oz. can garbanzo beans
1 c. dried macaroni (or other noodle of your choice)
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a stockpot. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add onions, carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes and chicken and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Meanwhile, add macaroni to soup and cook according to package directions.

When macaroni is cooked, add chicken, both cans of beans and pepper to heat through, then serve.