Thai-Spiced Sweet Potato Chowder

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red curry paste or to taste
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), orange-flesh variety cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 3-1/2 cups)
• 2 cups homemade vegetable stock or purchased vegetable broth
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 3-inch piece fresh lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• Juice of half a lime

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté onions over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and curry paste; cook 3 minutes more, stirring. Add sweet potatoes, vegetable stock or broth, coconut milk, lemongrass and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 to 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Cool slightly and discard lemongrass.

Remove about half the mixture from the pan. In small batches, place mixture in a blender or food processor; cover and blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to soup mixture in pan. Add salt and pepper and heat through. Stir in lime juice. Ladle chowder into warm bowls and serve. 

Makes about 6 ¾-cup servings

Sausage and Kale Soup

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, in all
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, washed, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock or a purchased free-range, organic chicken broth
• 1/2  pound turkey Polish Kielbasa sausage, sliced in half-inch rounds
• Sea salt and black pepper
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bunch kale, washed, trimmed of the thick stems and leaves finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add onions.  Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until onions are translucent; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Remove the onions and garlic from the saucepan, and set aside in a bowl.

Add the chicken stock or broth to the pan and bring to a boil; add the potatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer the potatoes for about 10 to 15 minutes or until just tender.  (You should be able to push a fork into a potato without much resistance.)

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the sausage slices until the sausage is golden brown. Drain the sausage and set aside in a bowl.  

When the potatoes are tender, add the reserved onions, garlic and kale to the pot.  Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the sausage and season with salt and peppers to taste.  Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve. 

Serves 2 to 4

You can make this dish in about 20 minutes, and the spices have a warming effect on the body without adding uncomfortable heat

Chana Masala (Spicy Chickpea Curry)

• 2 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, cut in small dice
• 1 15-oz. can chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, undrained
• 1 small, hot red chili pepper, split
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric, or 2 teaspoons dry
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds fried in 2 teaspoons oil until seeds pop
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
• 2 cups cooked basmati brown rice
• 2 cups steamed spinach
• Mango chutney

In a large skillet, heat the ghee, butter or vegetable oil over a medium-high flame. Add the mustard, fennel, cumin and coriander seeds. Cook for about 10-20 seconds until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Immediately add the garlic, onion and tomatoes.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2minutes.  Add the chickpeas, chili pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper, lemon juice, salt, and a half cup or so of water, so it is a bit soupy.

Cook uncovered over a medium-low flame for about 15 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Garnish with cilantro and serve over rice with steamed spinach and mango chutney on the side.  Yum! 

Serves 2 as a main course