recipe Archives - Nesting Story

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Fall has officially arrived here in Ontario, the leaves are changing colour, the mornings are crisp and cool and the days are far too short. It’s a favourite time for most because everyone is excited to break out their cozy sweaters and drink all the pumpkin spice lattes possible. It’s also the time of year when we are all craving cozy comfort food and we don’t mind the oven warming up the house.

Soups are always a smart diner idea in the colder weather and can be prepared ahead of time to help with the everyday chaos we call life. A warm bowl of soup is always a huge hit in my house. I used to be so intimidated by making soup until I actually started making them and they really couldn’t be easier. I also just recently invested in an immersion blender and that is such a HUGE game changer. I question myself …why in the world did I wait so long to buy one. It has up’d my soup game BIG TIME!

I’m sharing one of my family’s favourite recipes with you guys. A Thai Butternut Squash Soup. Not only is it packed with amazing curry and coconut flavours, it warms your body from head to toes. This recipe can be done on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Oh, and the added bonus with this soup, your house smells AMAZING!!!!! You can definitely dial up the heat with this soup or leave it on the more mild coconutty side, either way, the flavours are not compromised.

Like most soups, this recipe is quite healthy loaded with vitamins. Butternut Squash is high in antioxidants, low in calories and high in Vitamins A, B6, C,E and magnesium and potassium (who knew???). The red thai curry paste reduces inflammation, helps with detoxification and aids in digestion. So not only is this soup packed with flavour, its bursting with health benefits.

This soup can be served as the main meal, the first course (which we did this year at Thanksgiving) or as a side dish. Warm Naan bread for dipping makes this comfort food irresistible …

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes, 1-2inch cubes (about 4 cups)
½ cup Cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
1 yellow onion (medium)
2 TBSP of RedThai curry paste
1 15 ounce can of coconut milk
2 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
Optional ½ cup peanuts (unsalted)
Sriracha

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion for about two to three minutes. Add in the ginger and thai curry paste and cook for another five minutes. Make sure when you are stirring you are scraping the bottom of the pot so none of the ingredients burn/stick.

Pour in chicken or vegetable stock slowly, stir well then add in the squash. Stir again making sure everything is combined and bring to a boil. Once a nice rolling boil has been achieved, turn down the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Next use the immersion blender and pulse the soup making it a smooth velvety texture. When using an immersion blender, place the blender at the bottom of the pot and pulse up with short strokes never bringing the head of the blender to the top. I learned this the hard way…what a mess. If you don’t have an immersion blender, in batches pour into a blender until smooth.

Once blended, pour in 90% of the coconut milk into the soup and stir. Then squeeze the fresh lime juice into the soup and allow for the soup to simmer five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
All done!…well almost…

When serving, pour the soup into the bowls (I know…thanks tips), drizzle the reserved coconut milk on top, garnish with cilantro and peanuts if desired and a swirl of Sriracha.

Serve with oven warmed Naan bread…you will thank me!

Tip: Before you pour the coconut milk into the soup, stir well!! If not, when you pour the majority of the milk without stirring, you are left with the watery portion of milk and that doesn’t look as pretty when swirling the remaining on top

Lori is a thirty something year old mom of four, living in the little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Her passions include her family, fashion, and food. She loves preparing simple and delicious recipes that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Easy to Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

With autumn here and colder days fast approaching, it’s always nice to get cosy and eat some delicious food. It’s my belief that your soul needs warm yummy food at this time of year!

Having always had a sweet tooth, baking is something I’ve enjoyed since I was little. Cookies and biscuits are something I haven’t attempted to bake for a long time, but as the chilly autumn evenings have begun closing in, I’ve been called to bake something warm, chocolatey, and delicious!

These are easy to make for even the novice baker, and having not made any type of cookie for years, I was skeptical at first how they would turn out. Not only were they mouthwateringly good, they were also surprisingly simple to make. You can even include your little ones while baking, and have them help stir the ingredients.

Baking cookies is fun for kids! — **Willow is always so excited and happy to help me in the kitchen**

I’m always on the look out for delicious recipes, that are also healthier. With the rolled oats in this recipe you can rest assured that your little one is still getting a healthy dose of protein & other essential nutrients from their chocolate chip cookie after dinner!

So read on and learn how to bake the most delicious, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, melt in your mouth oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes around 16 cookies

Dry ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, cold (can sub for vegan butter like Earth Balance)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (can sub for vegan chocolate chips, or switch for raisins)

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl (little hands can help stir!) Heat the oven to 350F (180C).

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until combined, and resembles a smooth thick paste. If you have a hand blender I recommend using it, as the cold butter does take some working to combine with the sugar.

3. Mix in the vanilla extract and chocolate chips (or raisins).

4. Mix dry and wet ingredients until a dough forms. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time if the dough isn’t sticking together. The goal isn’t to have one large thick ball of dough, but rather test you can work the dough into balls and they stay together.

oatmeal chocolate chip cookie batter — **This crumbly consistency of dough will combine easily. Be careful not to add too much water**

5. Take roughly two tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, place on an overproof tray. Lightly press the top of the ball to flatten slightly.

6. Bake for 14-18 minutes until the cookies start to brown around the edges. The cookies will still look raw and be soft, but TRUST ME, they will firm up as they cool. I’ve ruined batches by cooking longer than needed thinking they weren’t ready, only to find that when they cool they’re overdone and too dry.

waiting for cookies — **Our house was filled with chants of “cookie cookie cookie” until they were done**

Let me know how you get on with these cookies! They make a great desert alone or with ice cream, or as an after lunch treat in the school lunch boxes. Enjoy!

Roseanne is the blogger behind the honest and inspirational personal blog Roseanne Writes. Native to Scotland and now calling Canada home, Rosanne helps mothers navigate motherhood while remaining true to themselves. You learn more about Roseanne and follow her personal blog here.

Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

When summer rolls around and berries are finally in season, this Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe is my go to dessert.

Raise your hand if you have a specific food that when you smell it, it immediately brings you back to your childhood days.

Smells trigger memories for me…turkey on Thanksgiving, pasta sauce simmering, but my most favourite is the smell of strawberry rhubarb crisp It screams summer to me. So light, so fresh, and oh so delicious. It takes me back to my carefree (before having kids)…summer days.

But wait …it’s healthy too!! My love language is definitely food, eating it yes, but more than that, preparing it for my family.

So when summer rolls around and berries are finally in season, this Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe is my go to dessert. I even requested my mom plant rhubarb in her garden this past summer and it grew like crazy!!

Lets bake.

Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Filling:

6 stalks of rhubarb, cut into ½ thick pieces

2 cups of strawberries, hulled and sliced

¼ cup of sugar (optional, I actually cut out the sugar because the sweetness of the strawberries is enough)

Topping:

1 cup of all purpose flour

½ cup of rolled oats

⅓ cup of sugar (again optional, i deleted the sugar here too)

⅓ cup of firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup of butter, melted

Instructions:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and use a 9 x13 baking dish (if the baking dish is smaller that’s ok, it will be a thicker slice of heaven)

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together using a fork. Then slowly add in the melted butter creating a crumb like mixture.

Spread the crumb mixture over the berries

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until you see the berries bubbling. Bake it a bit longer if you like the crisp even crispier.

Best served warm with vanilla bean ice cream

Another yummy way to enjoy this is with vanilla Greek yogurt. My kids have been eating it cold for breakfast with yogurt all summer long

A delicious fresh strawberry crisp is the perfect summer dessert.

Enjoy!!!

Tip ** buy the rhubarb in bulk and freeze it in batches of 6 stalks, that way it’s ready to go for this recipe

Lori is a thirty something year old mom of four, living in the little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Her passions include her family, fashion, and food. She loves preparing simple and delicious recipes that both kids and adults will enjoy.

The Easiest Tomato and Avocado Summer Dip

Growing up in an Italian household, we were lucky to have parents that poured, and continue to pour their heart and soul into harvesting a garden from spring into fall. Fresh vegetables and herbs were only a few minutes walk away, which at the time we didn’t realize how spoiled we actually were. Tomato and cucumber salads were a daily staple in our kitchen….and the juicier the tomatoes, the better. The combination of vegetables, extra virgin olive oil and feta-such simple ingredients, but a flavour explosion in your mouth!

My father would stop and pick up fresh Italian bread on the way home from work for us to tear apart and dip into the juices.

Fast forward to my kids, they love it and request it just as much as my siblings and myself did, and it being so healthy and simple to make, I can’t say no.

I’ve done a few different variations of this recipe but my most recent has turned into a new favourite of my families. Combining our two favourite dips, guacamole and tomato salad seemed like an obvious recipe to create. It really couldn’t be easier to make and I guarantee people will be asking you for the recipe. The sweetness of the tomatoes, the creaminess of the avocado and the saltiness of the feta-magic. Best served with a chilled glass of white wine or a delicious margarita.

You can use corn chips to dip into this variation of guacamole, as a side dish, or my personal favourite, spread on toasted sourdough bread.

Now that we are into the warm weather of summer, the vegetables are local, fresh and easily accessible. What’s better then sitting in your backyard during our long summer days and nights enjoying a healthy dip that’s bursting full of flavour?

Tomato Avocado Dip

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup onion, choose your favourite, red or yellow

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Basil, chopped

4ounces feta, crumbled

2 avocados, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

This dip is best made ahead of time, stored in the fridge, allowing the flavours and dressing to marinate. Chop and add the avocado just prior to serving the dip. Turn up some latin music, pour yourself a refreshing drink, and just sit back and relax. Maybe even close your eyes and pretend you’re on a beach in Mexico.

I hope you guys give this recipe try and love it as much as I do.

Lori xo

Grocery shopping for our family of six: fresh, tasty and budget friendly

This blog post was created in partnership with FreshCo.

It took me a long time to find my groove when it comes to grocery shopping and preparing meals for six people. It’s not an easy task. But when you add on trying to prepare fresh healthy meals for your family, and not breaking the bank, the entire process can feel overwhelming.

For a few years there, my husband and I were just in survival mode. We had four young kids and would reach for what was convenient over what was healthy and probably more cost effective. But as the dust settled, and we had a closer look at our bank accounts, we knew something had to change.

One of the biggest changes our family had made over the last few months is ordering in less and actually meal planning and getting what we need at the grocery store. I may not be so far out of the trenches that I am cooking gourmet meals for our family, but I have mastered a few healthy, family-friendly meals that I can make in bulk and then reuse the leftovers in other meals.

What is my number one go-to meal? A roast, including roasted vegetables, which I cannot get enough of, especially during the winter. Now with Christmas over, it is time to reel in the spending and be very strategic when it comes to feeding my family.

Here is how I typically approach my meal planning and grocery shopping for our family of six…

For us, I have found what works best is for me to only plan for three days at a time. This is less daunting, and then if something derails us, like illness, I won’t be wasting a week’s worth of food. I am starting to base more and more of our meals around what is on sale at the moment, using our local grocery store’s mobile flyer to help build my list. I find that FreshCo not only has great deals, but will even price match.

I don’t mind popping out to the grocery store a few times a week either, I think that’s because I can wrap my head around a small grocery shop rather than a massive shop, which can take up hours of my day to shop and then put away the groceries.

These mini grocery shops can also make it more manageable when I have all four kids in tow.

I have my staples that I stick to, and always buy our produce first. I will typically plan out two fresh meals and grab an easier back-up meal like frozen lasagna, just in case, well… life happens.

Roasts are one of the easiest meals to prepare in my opinion. It is a meal in one, but the best part is, it’s easy to make a large quantity without extra hassle. This is a must when you have four kids. I always go to the recipe my mother passed down to me and I will share with you.

Start by pre-heating your oven. You will have to check the weight of your roast and determine how long to cook it for. Often a quick Google search can answer this question for you. Take your roast, (either pork or beef), and lay it in a roasting pan, fat side up. Although I have a nice roasting pan, I have been using disposable tin pans for easier cleanup lately.

Cut up your vegetables and place them around your roast. I highly recommend carrots, potatoes, onions and my personal favourite… parsnips.

Here’s where the magic comes in… you quickly season your roast and vegetables with pepper and salt, toss on a few dabs of butter and then squirt your favourite steak sauce all over it. Yes, you heard me right; the secret is the steak sauce. I love using HP sauce on my roasts. It has a great kick which really compliments the flavour of the vegetables. Yum!

Then cover and cook for the recommended time.
Afterwards, you have a beautiful roast that will most likely last you a few meals…

…and an abundance of roasted vegetables that I love to add to pastas and salads for days to come.

I am excited, as my kids get older, and life becomes a little easier, I cannot wait to add more and more meal ideas to my arsenal. It is exciting finding ways to shop and meal plan that actually work and save us money.

Disclosure: This post has been generously sponsored by the makers of FreshCo but the opinions expressed are my own.