The Book Tour Stops Here: Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope with Raspberry Yogurt Fool

What happens when you pack up the characters of a much beloved novel, published in 1811, and move them lock, stock and barrel to today's social-media and celebrity gossip ridden times? Joanna Trollope answers the question when she takes on Jane's Austen's classic novel Sense and Sensibility and gives it a modern re-telling. In Trollope's updated Sense & Sensibility, the storyline stays the same; John Dashwood makes a deathbed promise to his father that he will care for his stepmother and three half-sisters. With his wife's constant prodding however, that promise falls flat and the Dashwood women find themselves unwelcome guests in what was their home, and left without the security and lifestyle that they are used to. Relocated to a tiny country cottage, the burdens of the family fall on sensible Elinor, while emotional Marianne's sensibilities are tested by a passionate love and betrayal. 

I am a Jane Austen lover and fan of (well-written) variations of Austen's work--although I usually gravitate toward the Pride and Prejudice ones as it is my favorite of her novels. I was curious to see how well Trollope was able to modernize the story, while staying true to the original and overall I think she did a good job given the challenges of making the values and mores of society in the late 1700's relevant to today. Not an easy task. The basic personalities of the characters remain the same and this was a bit problematic. It's easy to understand the constraints placed on women's lives a few hundred years ago when inheritances were passed on to males and a young woman or man needed to make a smart match to secure their lives--a time when a broken engagement or an impulsive act could bring ruin on an entire family. When looked at from today's standards, the behaviors and lack of maturity and common sense made my frustration level with most of the characters rise. Marianne's immaturity and impetuousness while still somewhat annoying, can be more easily accepted based on her age and the time period in Austen's novel. In this book, even allowing for the health issues brought on by her severe and chronic asthma (smart touch), I just wanted to smack her--constantly and hard, and tell her to grow up. Edward's refusal to break his engagement with Lucy, honorable in the original--just seems stupid and makes him weak and spineless here. I actually spent most of the book hoping that Elinor and Colonel ("Bill") Brandon would defy the original plot line, dump the 'losers' and just fall in love with each other. Even my favorite Elinor needs a shake and maybe a few Xanax to boot, as stoic and steady in the original seems like clinical depression here. In today's age, the Dashwood women (and Edward) really needed to pull their 'big-girl panties' up and become productive members of society--college loans, career placement services, a stint as a barista--whatever it takes to survive in their new reality. 

Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Harper (October 29, 2013)

Still, I think that staying so true to the original storyline in such different times was admirable of Trollope and while it may not have completely worked, it made for entertaining reading. The dialogue had wit and humor and it was fun to see how Trollope updated the various characters lives--I love that Colonel Brandon did his 'good works' by establishing a rehab center for soldiers and addicts. My favorite part of the updating was the humorous impact of modern communication on the characters and story--all the texting, tweeting, emailing, etc. A scene at a gathering where Marianne is rebuffed by Willoughby is a simple encounter that would have just caused a few raised eyebrows in the original story but, in this adaptation, it becomes a complete Marianne 'meltdown' that appears all over YouTube. 

Although, this book wasn't a complete love for me simply because the story doesn't have quite the same impact in modern times, it was both fun and engaging. It also caused me to reread Austen's classic--something I haven't done in a few years, and to watch it on Netflix (the 2008 BBC mini-series)--a little extra Jane immersion is never a bad thing. ;-) Jane Austen purists might look askance, but if you like a bit of modern fluffy fun worked into your Austen, or if you just enjoy a breezy and clever modern-day romance, you will like this one. You can check out what other bloggers on this TLC Book Tour had to say about Trollope's Sense & Sensibility here. 

Author Notes: Joanna Trollope is the #1 bestselling author of eighteen novels, including The Soldier’s Wife, Daughters-in-Law, Friday Nights, The Other Family, Marrying the Mistress, and The Rector’s Wife. Her works have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and several have been adapted for television. She was appointed to the Order of the British Empire in 1996 for her services to literature, and served as the Chair of Judges for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012. She lives in London and Gloucestershire.

For my dish inspired by the book, there is a sufficient amount of food and drink worked into the story--much of it comfort food like chamomile tea, macaroni and cheese, roasted potatoes, apple crumble... There's even a buffet with catered dishes by Ottolenghi. (Having just spent six months cooking weekly Yotam Ottolenghi recipes with I Heart Cooking Clubs, I loved that modern cultural reference.) 

 
At the beginning of the book, Belle (Mrs.) Dashwood is picking raspberries in the fruit cage at Norwood when greedy Fanny, with no interest in raspberries other than feeling that they, along with everything else at Norland Park belong to her, confronts her about Edward's interest in Elinor. Raspberries stuck in my head and I could think of no better way to use them than in a fool, as more than one character in the book is at least a tad foolish at times, if not constantly. ;-) Fools, an English dessert, were made traditionally by folding pureed stewed fruit (classically gooseberries) into a sweet custard. Nowadays, whipped cream usually takes the place of the custard and having recently enjoyed the whipped cream/Greek yogurt combination in Donna Hay's Passionfruit (Lilikoi) and Yogurt Parfaits, I decided to morph the mixture into a modernized Raspberry Yogurt Fool. A little alcohol never hurts, so I added in a bit of framboise (raspberry liquor) for extra flavor.   
  

Raspberry Yogurt Fool
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen, with inspiration from Donna Hay
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups whipping cream 
2 cups Greek-style natural yogurt 
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted 
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries + extra fresh raspberries to garnish if desired
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Framboise (raspberry liquor)
Fresh mint to garnish (optional)

Whip cream in a large mixing bowl soft peaks form. 

Place raspberries, vanilla and framboise in a food processor or mini chop and pulse until mostly blended, with small chunks remaining. Gently fold the Greek yogurt and raspberry puree through the whipped cream until combined. 

Place mixture in dessert glasses or bowls. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint to serve.

Notes/Results: Cool and creamy + fruit and alcohol are a winning combination in my book. The yogurt and cream make for a nice balance of fluffy and dense and the framboise adds that extra punch of raspberry flavor. Not too sweet, it's a nice and elegant little dessert or snack. I will make it again.

Note: A review copy of "Sense & Sensibility" was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.   
 

Tomato + Goat Cheese + (Sea Asparagus) Pesto Squares: Easy Mini Tarts for Holiday Entertaining

A quick and easy little pupu (appetizer) that is perfect for the holidays, and localized with a couple of special ingredients. At I Heart Cooking Clubs we are celebrating tarts and pies this week. I fear crusts. They intimidate me. Sad, I know. ;-) It's not even about having a bad experience with them--the few times I have attempted pastry crust it has turned out fine. I just don't like the stress and hassle. So, I looked for the most simple Donna Hay "tart" recipe I could find and came across these Tomato + Goat Cheese Squares from the December/January 2011 holiday issue of Donna Hay Magazine. 

In the Short Cuts: Cheats + Quick Fixes section, the crust is puff pastry, scored and baked with cherry tomatoes, then topped with pesto, goat cheese and baby arugula leaves. In between rainstorms this weekend, I headed to the little farmers market by my house and was 'sampled' to death ;-) by the sea asparagus (aka samphire) guy--with bites of salad dressing, salsa verde, pesto and the briny little fronds themselves. The Ocean Pesto, made with sea asparagus and macadamia nuts, is one of my favorites so I thought it would be fun to use it on these little squares and add a bit of sea asparagus on top instead of the arugula leaves.

Tomato + Goat Cheese + (Sea Asparagus) Pesto Squares
Adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 54
(Makes 36)

 Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. (400 degrees F.)

Using a small, sharp knife, score 1 sheet thawed store-bought puff pastry with 36 x 4cm squares (36 squares total). Top squares with halved yellow and red cherry tomatoes, brush with oil and bake 20-25 minutes. 

Top with goat cheese, store-bought pesto and baby arugula leaves to serve.

Notes/Results: These are fun little bites of crispy, buttery pastry with the sweet local baby tomatoes contrasting nicely with the pesto, tangy goat cheese and the briny bits of sea asparagus. I think they would be equally good as the recipe was written with regular pesto and the slightly bitter arugula. Easy to pop into your mouth and very tasty without a lot of effort to put them together making them an excellent addition to the holiday pupu platter. I will make these again. 

You can check out the different tarts and pies the IHCC participants made for the "Are You Calling Me a Tart?" theme this week by going to the post and following the links.  
 

 

Butternut & Sage Pappardelle: A Quick, Easy and Colorful Dinner {#12WksWinterSquash}

I normally don't buy or even look at EveryDay with Rachel Ray magazine but I am glad I picked up the November issue while waiting in the checkout line. First, I found the unique and tasty Baked Wine & Spice Grapes with Gingersnaps that I made for my A Good Year Food 'N Flix entry, then in the same 16 Fast Ideas section, I found this simple Butternut & Sage Pappardelle recipe. I love brown butter sage sauces and flat pappardelle pasta noodles, and the shavings of butternut squash and Parmesan are the perfect add-in. It's a quick and colorful veg-friendly autumn dinner.

Butternut & Sage Pappardelle
Adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine, Nov. 2013
(Serves 4)

8 oz fresh or dried pappardelle
1/3 cup butter
1 lb butternut squash--peeled, seeded & shaved into ribbons w/ a peeler
2/3 cup shaved Parmesan
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh sage

Cook pasta, drain, reserving 2/3 cup cooking water.

In a skillet, stir butter over medium heat until it browns, 3 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring, until just tender, 5 minutes. Gently stir in pasta, adding pasta water as needed to moisten; season. 

Divide among plates and top with cheese and sage. 

Notes/Results: Just a few simple ingredients that are fast to put together, taste great and makes for a very pretty plate to serve up. I kept the recipe as written and the only change I would make is peeling thicker slices of the butternut squash as these thinner slices were a bit fragile and broke up easily. On the table fast and fun to eat, I would make this again.

***12 Weeks of Winter Squash***

In addition to Souper Sundays, this yummy squash-filled soup will be linked up to the 12 Weeks of Winter Squash Event hosted by my friends Heather and Joanne. Feel free to link up your winter squash dishes during the week at the linky below--or on one of the other participating blogs. 
 

White Bean and Aborio Rice Soup: Simple Comfort for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Sometimes I just come across a soup that begs to made immediately. I was making a quick tour through Facebook and Vegetarian Times had posted this vegan White Bean and Aborio Rice Soup. Beans, cabbage, creamy rice, fresh rosemary and a delectable-sounding toasted bread and pine nut mixture stirred in at the end--the kind of simple, hearty comfort food perfect for the blustery weekend we are having.   

Vegetarian Times says, "Northern Italian soups are often filled out with rice rather than pasta. Toasted breadcrumbs and pine nuts add an almost cheese-like flavor—without the cheese."

White Bean and Aborio Rice Soup
Vegetarian Times, Jan/Feb 2012 or online here
(Serves 6)

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

2/3 cup Arborio rice
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp) (I added another 2 cloves)
3 1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (I used low-sodium "not-chicken" stock)
2 cups sliced cabbage
1 bay leaf
2 slices Italian bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (1 cup) (I used a ciabatta roll)

1/4 cup pine nuts
1 (15.5-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used 2 cans)

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in pot over medium heat. Add rice, and sauté 6 minutes, or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and rosemary, and cook 2 minutes more. Add broth, cabbage, and bay leaf; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.
 
Pulse bread and pine nuts in food processor until small crumbs form.

Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumb mixture, and sauté 5 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are crisp and toasted.
 
Add beans to soup, and cook 5 minutes more, or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf, and stir in breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Info: Per 1 1/4 Cup Serving: Calories: 268, Protein: 6g, Total Fat: 11g, Sat. Fat: 1g, Carbs: 35g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium: 299 mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 3g

Notes/Results: Love this soup--so quick and easy and so very good. Beans and rosemary are one of my favorite combinations and this soup partners them beautifully. It's a thick, hearty and homey soup. The rice and bread absorb much of the liquid as it sits--so if you like a thinner soup, have more broth on hand to add to it. I did make a few small changes (noted in red above) mainly adding extra garlic and another can of beans. I loves me lots of beans. ;-) This is a great soup to warm you up--I would make it again.

We have some fabulous soups, salads and even cute little cucumber sandwiches waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's take a look!

Janet of The Taste Space starts us off with a soup this week, as well as ending the roundup with a sandwich. She shares this hearty Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew and says, "Loads of black beans and sweet potato chunks are simmered with cumin, oregano and allspice with a broth that is flavoured with red pepper paste (Rob’s creative substitute since we were all out of red bell peppers) and sun-dried tomatoes. Although the balsamic vinegar and lime juice make this special with the tang and acidity."

Joyce of Kitchen Flavours shares creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup and says, "This is a bowl of delicious Roasted Pumpkin Soup. The soup is so "pumpkin-ny-sweet and onion-ny-sweet". I have actually forgotten to add in the honey, but I think it does not really need it, as it is already veggie-sweet from both the pumpkin and the onions. My kids love this soup. The recipe makes quite a lot, it says serves 4, but this could easily feed 8! We have some leftovers, and they were asking for it the next day. Simply rewarm the soup, add a couple of tablespoons of hot water as it has thicken a little, and it is just as good!"

Also in the pumpkin patch this week is Judee from Gluten Free A-Z Blog, here with Paleo Pumpkin Pie Soup. Judee says, "The blog carnivals have been overflowing with pumpkin recipes, so I wanted to join in. However, aside from making a wonderful vegan traditional pumpkin pie, I've only used pumpkin for soup. So, I decided to make a pumpkin pie soup! The recipe is easy, the taste is sweet and delightful, and the ingredients are nutritious, vegan , paleo friendly, and of course gluten free. What a creation!" 

My pal Sue from Couscous & Consciousness is celebrating the bounty of spring "down under" with a colorful plate of Green Tea Soba Noodles with Soy-Roasted Salmon and Broad Bean & Radish Salad with Wasabi Ginger Dressing. She says, "This dish was the perfect combination of fresh spring ingredients, put together in a light and healthy way, and best of all ... preparation was quick and simple - whole thing on the table in less than 30 minutes.  I'll definitely be making this again a few times before spring passes into summer."

 
Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is back this week with a pretty homegrown-herb-flecked Potato Salad with Dill Vinaigrette and says, "With my first dill harvest of the season I seasoned a quick potato salad. You can use mayonnaise instead of yogurt for a stronger taste."

 
KIm of Stirring the Pot made Donna Hay's seasonally-perfect Brie and Crispy Bread Salad with Cranberry Dressing and says, "This recipe is for those of you, who like me, look for a way to make a sensible meal out of bread and cheese.  And by sensible I mean that I convinced myself this salad was healthy because it called for spinach and contained fruit.  Because really...all that brie cheese was just a little over a serving, right?  And that bread, well we have to have some carbs every once in awhile, right?  However you rationalize it, this salad was delicious."  

Janet of The Taste Space shares these adorable little Cucumber Avocado Sandwiches with Dill and Mint and says, "Enter the cucumber sandwich. Not a tea sandwich, this one replaces the bread for cucumber, creating a crunchy bite-sized nimbler. Easy to add to your plate and no fussy sauce that can leach and contaminate the next dish over. (I have adopted the 2 plate strategy for potlucks- 1 plate for savoury and 1 plate for desserts!) Perfect for those who want a gluten-free and nut-free snack… and raw, to boot. For me right now, raw has become more synonymous with easy food prep."

Thanks to everyone for joining in this week! If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on my side bar for all of the details. 

Have a happy, healthy week!

Passionfruit (Lilikoi) and Yogurt Parfaits

Hawaii is pretty much a two season place; summer from about May through October and winter from November through April. Since there is only an average temperature shift of about 10 degrees between those two times, the growing season for locally-grown produce is long and many items are available year-round. Still, there are times or growing seasons for some items--particularly fruit and the easiest way to find out what is in season is to head to a farmers market.

Since the theme for I Heart Cooking Clubs this week is In Season, I paged through my Donna Hay books to get some general thoughts/ideas and over the weekend, I set out to see what was in season at my local farmer's market and what struck my fancy. At the first booth was a big basket of just picked passion fruit--or lilikoi as it's known here. The growing season for lilikoi runs from about August through December. Its sweet and tangy flavor is one of my favorites and since it is popular in Australia, Donna Hay has scads of recipes for it. 

I ended up going with something very simple--Passionfruit and Yogurt Parfaits. (Donna and I seem to be on an 'ambiguous-is-it breakfast-or-dessert?' kick. See Banana Maple Bread Puddings and Chocolate French Toast) This one eats more like a mousse--pillowy whipped cream is folded into yogurt, sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla bean and layered with passion fruit pulp--delicious whenever the mood strikes. 

 
Passionfruit (Lilikoi) and Yogurt Parfaits 
Donna Hay via The Telegraph 3/2012 
(Makes 4)

1 1/2 cups pouring cream 
1 1/2 cups Greek-style natural yogurt 
1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted 
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 
2/3 cup passionfruit pulp, plus extra, to serve 
125g raspberries 

Place the cream in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold through the yogurt, icing sugar and vanilla until well combined. 

Divide half the yogurt mixture between 4 x 1 1/2-cup capacity glasses. Top with half the passionfruit pulp and repeat the layers. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Top with raspberries and extra passionfruit to serve.

TIP: You can add your favourite fruits to the parfaits. try other berries or chopped stone fruits.

Notes/Results: I am a fan of anything that has a smooth, creamy mousse or pudding mouthfeel, so this one is perfect for me. Whipped cream and Greek yogurt work so well together--the cream adds the light and fluffy aspects and the yogurt gives it creamy substance and cuts down the sweet. With the lilikoi puree, it keeps things tangy enough that the entire dessert isn't too sweet. Although raspberries aren't grown here or particularly in season right now, I had a few leftover and I like the pop of color that they add. This one is quick and easy to toss together--I will make it again.

You can check out what is In Season for the other IHCC participants by following the links at the post. 

What seasonal foods/ingredients are you enjoying right now?

 

'A Very Different Butternut Soup' from "Extraordinary Vegan" by Alan Roettinger for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays and the 12 Weeks of Winter Squash Event {#12WksWinterSquash}

A creamy butternut soup can be perfect for a drizzly fall/winter day. Combine that butternut squash with roasted red pepper, yams, smoked paprika, chile powder and a pinch of saffron and it elevates a basic soup and it becomes extraordinary. This week's soup is aptly named 'A Very Different Butternut Soup' and it comes from Extraordinary Vegan by Alan Roettinger. 

I am always looking for vegan cookbooks with unique recipes to keep my taste buds happy so I was pleased to receive a copy of Extraordinary Vegan to review. Written by a private chef (and writer, food designer and public speaker), the 100+ recipes are elegant enough to entertain with, but easy enough to recreate at home. I have tried three recipes so far--Miso Broth with Ginger (made with a vegan kombu dashi stock instead of the fish-based bonito stock), Banana-Mint Smoothie (coconut water, bananas, hempseeds, dates and mint), and finally the butternut soup. All recipes were written clearly, were easy to follow, tasted great and a little extra twist of interesting ingredients that make them memorable. Coming soon--I picked up some little striped eggplant at the farmers market this weekend to make Grilled Baby Eggplants with Ras El Hanout tonight and the Masoor Dal with Kabocha Squash is on the menu for later this week. Other recipes tagged in my book include Green Garbanzo and Fresh Kale Soup, Nutty Chocolate Protein Bars with Chia Seeds, Curried Mushrooms and Peas, Carrot-Cardamom Rice with Saffron, Blood Orange Sorbet and Bananas en Papillote. 

Paperback / 150 pages 

Book Publishing Company 2013 

Extraordinary Vegan is a great little book for vegans looking for something new, non-vegans looking for tempting recipes that reduce their consumption of animal products and improve their health and diet, and any foodies who just like to eat well and deliciously. 

'A Very Different Butternut Soup' is the recipe that I kept going back to in the book. The list of ingredients sounded so tempting--who can argue with 12 cloves of garlic and smoked paprika?! I kept the recipe pretty much as written but chives were not looking particularly appealing at the market so I topped mine with some pumpkin seeds--toasted with cumin, chile and smoked paprika instead. 

Roettinger says, "I'm an avid fan of all winter squashes, and butternut squash is among my favorites. However, I've found that almost all butternut squash soups tend to taste alike, so I endeavored to make a version that's both unique and extraordinary. This exceptional rendition includes roasted peppers, smoked paprika, and saffron, and I think you'll find it uncommonly delicious."   

'A Very Different Butternut Soup' 
Extraordinary Vegan by Alan Roettinger
(Makes 8 Servings)

3 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
12 cloves garlic, minced
4 roasted red peppers, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 small yams, peeled and diced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
8 cups water
3 unsalted vegetable bouillon cubes
4 bay leaves
pinch of saffron (optional--see note)
1/2 tsp hot red chile powder
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp snipped chives for garnish (I used toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and stir until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium high and add the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are nearly dry, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the squash, yams, salt, and smoked paprika, and stir to mix well. Add the water, bouillon cubes, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. 

Working in batches, transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and process until smooth. Strain the soup into a clean soup pot (I didn't feel the need to strain it) and add the optional saffrom and hot chile powder. Season with pepper to taste. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Serve at once, garnished with the chives.

Author's Note: Roettinger says, "Go for extraordinary:  Although the saffron is optional, I highly recommend including it. Saffron is fairly expensive, but it only takes a very small amount to do the job. In this recipe, it adds a near-transcendental layer of flavor and elevates the dish to truly exceptional heights. Once you start using saffron, you're bound to become addicted to it, as I am."

Nutritionals: Per Serving: 184 calories, 3g protein, 7g fat, (6 g sat fat), 32g carbohydrates, 481 mg sodium, 194mg calcium, 3g fiber     

Notes/Results: There are some soups that I know I am going to love just by the way it smells while it is simmering away on the stove--and this was one of those. All that garlic, red peppers and spices blend together to make a soup that had me drooling before it hit the bowl. The color is extraordinary on its own--a brilliant orangey-red. (It would be a gorgeous starter on a Thanksgiving table.) The flavor is excellent--you get the sweetness from the squash and yams, the smokiness of the paprika, then a subtle heat from the chile. The garlic and roasted red pepper flavors are there but don't overpower and the saffron is a elegant touch. The soup is thick and very creamy from the pureed vegetables alone.The recipe called for it to be strained back into the pot, but I eliminated that and poured it directly in from my Vita-Mix. Served with slices of cardamom-raisin rye bread from the farmers market and it is a warming, tasty and filling light lunch or dinner. I would make this again. 

Note: I received a copy of Extraordinary Vegan from the publisher in return for an honest review. I received no monetary compensation to review it and as always, my thoughts, feedback and experiences cooking from it are entirely my own. 

Now, we have some good friends waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's take a look!

Janet of The Taste Space shares a hearty stew-ish curry adapted from Heidi Swanson, this Red Thai Curry with Asparagus, Zucchini and Tofu (Heidi’s Weeknight Curry) and says, "Red thai curry paste infuses a coconut milk-based broth which is simmered with vegetables and tofu. Sadly, the vegetables look a tad plain; a tad monochromatic in the white/green shades; but they worked really well together. The cauliflower was firm, the asparagus tender crisp, the zucchini meltingly tender and soft cubes of tofu."

Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is back this week with a harvest-perfect Pumpkin and Apple Soup with Ginger. She says, "We were really amazed by the rich taste of this pumpkin soup, without any cheese or cream, but only spices like turmeric and ginger, and a topping of chives and apple sticks."

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog made this fast and easy Fresh Spinach and Garlic Soup and says, "I had spinach and garlic saute left over from last night's dinner. I simply took the leftovers ( spinach and garlic saute) and added some vegetable broth. Whizzed it in my Nutribullet ( which I love) till smooth or you could use any blender and voila-  soup. I heated the soup, dusted it with some nutmeg ( or you could use curry powder which has nutmeg , cloves, cinnamon etc) and licked the bowl clean. It was delicious."

My pal Sue of Couscous and Consciousness shares both a salad and a sandwich this week. First this colorful Roasted Beetroot, Leek & Walnut Salad with Tamarind Dressing & Pomegranate. Sue says, "The combination of earthy beetroot with sweet, delicate leeks, peppery rocket, and crunchy walnuts is great even before you douse it all in a bold, garlicky, tangy dressing and finish it off with pomegranate seeds that explode in your mouth with their tangy juice and crunch." 

Next Sue made these delectable Green Olive Tapenade & Mozzarella French Toast Sandwiches adapted from Donna Hay and says, "I hope you'll give this sandwich a try.  The tart, briny, lemony, herbaceous flavours of the tapenade are a great foil to the creamy mozzarella, and there is no better way I know to encase such a filling than with soft-on-the-inside-crunchy-on-the-outside french toast with a parmesan crust.  Yes, that's right ... parmesan crust ... didn't see that coming, did you?!"

Here with another wonderful Donna Hay sandwich adaptation is Joyce of Kitchen Flavours with these pretty Ham and Green Coral Blini Sandwiches. Joyce says, "This is so delicious! If you have not tried the combination of mayo-lemon zest, do give it a try. The blinis are soft-tender, very tasty and has a light fragrance from the garlic, which is really very pleasant, a great addition for a savoury touch. Though I have not used any fresh fennel, as it is not always available here, the green coral works very well, I guess, any green veggies that works in a salad would be great."

A warm welcome to Little Joy Factory, joining us at Souper Sundays for the first time this week--all the way from Singapore. Contributing to the parade of Donna Hay-inspired sandwiches with these mouthwatering Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Cheese Brioche. She says, "Caramelised onion relish is the little touch in this sandwich.  It brought slight sweetness to the sandwiches, which is quite unusual to our taste.   I made it myself based on a recipe from the web."  

Here at Kahakai Kitchen, I loved Donna Hay's simple and oh-so-decadent Chocolate French Toast Sandwiches and had to share them in the Souper Sundays roundup. The melted dark chocolate in between the sweet French toast was already delicious but I added a light sprinkle of sea salt for a wonderful sweet & slightly salty combination. Yum!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their fabulous dishes! If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details. 

***12 Weeks of Winter Squash***

In addition to Souper Sundays, this yummy squash-filled soup will be linked up to the 12 Weeks of Winter Squash Event when it goes live tomorrow, Monday, November 4.

Have a happy, healthy week!