I made some awesome veggie soup today. I put a cup or so of pearl barley in a pot with about 8 cups of water. While I waited for this to boil I cut up one pork loin chop and fast fried the chunks. Then I cleaned, sliced and chopped the following vegetables:
- 2 small onions
- a few stalks of celery (the last of them from the middle part)
- 2 skinny carrots
- about 1/4 of a small head of cauliflower
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium russet potato
- a few broccoli florets
- 6 radishes cut into thick slices
- small amount of chick peas left over from my
hummus
After the water began to boil I put in the onions, celery, carrots and pork cubes and boiled them all until tender. I added some light soy sauce and Himalayan crystal salt sparingly as flavouring. I didn't add too much because I wanted the taste to come from the vegetables.
Once this mixture boiled and the barley began to soften, I added all the other vegetables and cooked them just until they began to soften. Then the soup was done. This is perfect soup for the cooler weather we are now experiencing. The days are either filled with wind and rain, or they are a bit mixed with sunshine and cloud and a hint of chill. We are gearing up for winter and if advance reports are to be believed, it is supposed to be a cold one!
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| This soup was very delicious and the whole wheat fried bread was tasty too! |
While the soup was cooking, I whipped up some batter for some fried bannock bread. This was made with 2 and half cups of whole wheat flour and about 1 and a half cups of white flour. Add a bit of salt and a few tablespoons of baking powder. After mixing these dry ingredients together add just enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough. When the water is all mixed in you can determine whether you need more water, or more flour, to make a nice soft dough. You will have the right consistency when the dough does not stick to your fingers or the counter top when you pull it apart.
Next, roll the dough on the countertop and cut off some pieces off to flatten. After you cut off a piece, flatten it between your hands or press it against the countertop. Then make a few cuts through each piece so that it will cook evenly when fried. Heat some oil in the frying pan and let it get hot, then lay a few pieces of the dough into the frying pan. When the dough begins to rise, which will only take a short while, turn it over carefully so you don't splash oil on yourself or onto the burners. Once the dough is cooked on both sides, place each piece of cooked bread on a paper towel to blot out excess oil.
Tips: Too much loose flour on your dough pieces will burn in your oil and begin to smell so do watch carefully. Also, I find that the mixture with the whole wheat will burn easier than using white flour alone, so don't leave each piece to cook too long on one side. You will know when it is done by seeing the golden brown colour. In my case, you will see the dough is a little more than medium brown. It is not burned, nor does it taste burned. If you like your bread lighter, the oil must be very hot when you put the dough into it or it will take too long too cook or it will not be cooked through when you take it out. Finally, your dough will rise quite a bit due to the baking powder. If you want a bread that is less high, then be sure to roll it out or pat it out more thinly before frying. If you are diabetic like me, limit yourself to one bannock bread at your meal or as a snack. Traditionally this bread is eaten with butter on it or jam, or sometimes both. Enjoy!
I thought I would end this post with something different. It captures in a short video why I am changing my diet and why I'm finally getting serious about finding more and more ways to reduce bad fats, increase good fats, eliminate junk and artificial sweeteners and add more good nutrition through fresh and wholesome foods.
