Hot and Sour Soup with Bean Sprouts

I was feeling like I was coming down with a cold today, so I decided some healthy hot and sour soup would be perfect.  Having never made it before I headed out to the local grocery store and picked up the ingredients (as I live in a smaller rural community I didn't expect to find everything, but surprisingly I did!)  The complex flavours of this soup epitomize Chinese cooking as they include spice, sweet, sour and savoury...absolutely delicious, easy and I must say, I am feeling tons better after eating a bowlful!!!

HOT AND SOUR SOUP WITH BEAN SPROUTS

Ingredients:

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (I bought a pre-sliced package)

1/2 cup enoki mushrooms***

1/2 cup finely sliced bamboo shoots

4 cups miso stock (I bought cubes as there wasn't miso paste available at the store, but you can also use a chicken stock, the soup will just appear lighter in colour)

1/2 package of firm tofu, finely diced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp water

1 tsp sesame oil

1 egg, beaten

2 green onions thinly sliced

1 large handful of bean sprouts

• Place the bamboo shoots and mushrooms into a large pot with the stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, pepper, salt and tofu.  Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.  Mix the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl until well combined.  Add some of the hot stock and stir well.  Gently pour the cornstarch into the soup stirring well.
• Turn the heat off, add the sesame oil, green onions and bean sprouts.  Gently pour the beaten egg into the soup and stir.
• Serve and enjoy!

*If you want a little more heat in your soup, Add 1 tbsp of sambal oelek or dried chili flakes!

** If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms, place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soften for 20 minutes.  Drain and use.

***Enoki mushrooms are miniature button mushrooms that grow in fibrous clumps.  Simply pull off the desired amount, trim the ends and use!

French Toast with Caramelized Bananas & Pecans

Although I am not a huge fan of French toast, my family definitely is and we had our friends Dave, Siobhan, and their kids staying over for Thanksgiving...so I chose this recipe from Canadian Living because it looked delicious and would feed a crowd at breakfast ~ we paired it with bacon and sausages and it was fantastic!!!

FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS & PECANS

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped pecans

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups 5% cream or milk

 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 loaf of egg bread

2 tbsp butter

Bananas:

2 tbsp butter

6 firm peeled bananas, halved crosswise and lengthwise

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• On a baking sheet, toast pecans in 325F oven for approx. 6 mins.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Cut egg bread into 3/4" thick slices; dip into egg mixture until soaked.
• In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat and cook the slices, in batches and adding more butter as needed, until golden, approx. 3 minutes.  Transfer to 2 rimmed cookie sheets.  Bake in the oven at 350F until puffed and heated through, approx. 8 mins. Place in a large 9" x 13" casserole dish, and set aside.
• Caramelized Bananas:  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt half of the butter over medium high heat.  Fry half of the bananas, turning once, until golden and tender, approx. 3 mins.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining bananas.
• In the same skillet, bring maple syrup and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 2 mins.  Stir in bananas; simmer for 1 minute.
• Spoon over the French toast and sprinkle with the pecans.
• ENJOY!!