Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

The Indian spices in the soup really make it. I saw the recipe on NYTimes.com and thought it looked great. I tweaked it slightly, but it's a really nice, flavorful soup. Stirring in the buttery toasted mustard and cumin seeds at the end gives it a great bit of textured crunch. Next time, I might add some shallots and another chile, but it's still great as is. Feel free to use chicken broth instead of water if you prefer. 

Serves 4 (probably more)

Chicken Kabobs

We had a big weekend of eating and drinking (see monkey bread), so I wanted something a little lighter for dinner. I found this recipe for kabobs - yum! I had to alter it slightly because I didn't have aleppo pepper, but it worked out great with paprika, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Yogurt is a great base for chicken marinades because it tenderizes the chicken and keeps is juicy when you're cooking at a high temperature. Usually, grilled chicken breast is pretty dry but this chicken is super moist and flavorful. I serve it with pita, tzatziki, babaganoush, and some Greek salad. 

Ingredients:

3 big chicken breasts, cut into 1.5" pieces

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp warm water

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

This is a great winter warming soup. It's spicy, both in the sense that it's a little hot and that it has lots of great spices and seasonings in it. The coconut milk and garam masala make it a little Indian. The cool, tart yogurt is a great addition to the soup. Don't worry if you can't find nigella seeds. If you wanted to add a little protein, I think it could be great with some grilled shrimp thrown in at the bottom, or on top with the garnish.

Ingredients:

1 sweet onion, diced

2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil if you don't have it)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tsbp chili flakes

1/4 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp whole black pepper corns

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chili powder

3 tbsp sriracha

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cider vinegar

Carrot Soup with Dukkah and Yogurt

This is a very simple soup that is jazzed up by the yogurt and dukkah. The dukkah adds a great spice and the cool, tart yogurt is a nice texture in the soup. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into slices

1/2 qt vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp turmeric 

Pinch cayenne

Low fat greek yogurt

Roasted Eggplant with Saffron Yogurt

Here's another Ottolenghi. This was the first I tried and I was very impressed. It has the tartness of the eggplant, the brightness from the pomegranate seeds, the creamy yogurt, freshness from the basil, and the earthy pine nuts. I'd never tried anything with a yogurt dressing and it's great.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

a small pinch of saffron threads (thanks, Alice, for the Zanzibari saffron!!)

3 tbsp hot water

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

coarse sea salt

3 medium eggplants, cut into 3/4" slices

olive oil for brushing

2 tbsp toasted pine nuts