On its Way: Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

You guys. I've held my new cookbook in my hands and I'm in love. Seeing all of the words and photos and recipes come to life in this beautiful hardcover beauty has thrilled me to my core. I'm so happy that Vegetables: A Love Story is beginning to find its way into your kitchens and hearts. The official publication date is just over a week away (October 12th), but I've delivered many preorders to those who've ordered directly from me in Saskatoon, and even sent some copies as far away as Montreal and Vancouver. If you've been following me on social media, you've watched the progress of the book unfold. It's been a journey, that's for sure! I'm simply over the moon that Vegetables: A Love Story is on its way, out into the world, from my kitchen to yours.  

Greek Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Lentils

This is a sponsored post.  I was compensated financially by USA Rice.  All thoughts and feelings and opinions about rice are entirely my own.  As always, I wouldn't tell you about a product  unless I loved it.   


I didn't grow any zucchini this year.  In fact, I didn't grow much of anything except pots of herbs and 3 tomatoes.  No, not tomato plants.  Tomatoes, singular.  I'm not sure why the heck my tomatoes did not flourish, but I have an inkling it's because my yard has become tremendously shady over the past couple of years.  Veg hate shade, that's a known fact.  Good thing I'm dating a vegetable farmer so there has been no shortage of tomatoes, or zucchini or anything else that grows in the ground around here.  If I were an emoji right now, I'd be the one with hearts for eyes.

Turkey Soup with Butternut Squash & Wild Rice

 If you enjoyed turkey at your Thanksgiving dinner (in Canada) last weekend, then no doubt you had a pot of turkey bones bubbling away on your stove at some point this week.  My mom hosted the feast this year, and for a change she did a bacon lattice on top of the 22 pound bird.  I repeat.  Turkey, covered in bacon.  It was a glorious sight to behold.  I was so smitten I forgot to take a photo.  And that's saying something.  The bacon infusion could be detected throughout the meat, and oh sweet lord, the gravy.  So good.  So, if you want to switch things up this year for the holidays, you can't go wrong with slathering turkey in bacon.  Of course, the next day, she brought out her soup pot, tossed some of the bones in (I got a freezer bags worth too - them being lots of bones in that big bird), covered them with water, onion, celery, carrot and simmered them the day away.  Given my thrifty nature, ahem, I save my vegetable scraps from whatever meal prep I'm doing and just tuck them away in a freezer bag as I go along.  That way when it comes time to boil up some bones, you already have your veg, no need to chop up fresh onions, celery, carrot, etc.  Also, fresh parsley, garlic, peppercorns and a pinch of whole cloves are my musts for stock.  Let it simmer long and slow, with bubbles just breaking the surface.  You'll get a nicer flavour than just boiling the crap out of it for one hour.  Remember, most good things in life take a good, long while.  

Salted Pumpkin Panna Cotta & A Side of Mashed

It's the eve of Thanksgiving weekend in Canada...turkeys are being purchased, pumpkin pies are being prepped, there are line ups at the grocery stores and gas stations.  I love this weekend.  The weather is still great, there's very little crazy like there is at Christmas, and all you have to do is be thankful.  Bonus points for crashing through all of the fallen leaves like you're five years old again.  This weekend also means spending time with your family and friends, and eating your way into a food coma.  Or maybe it's a smaller gathering this year - just you and your honey bun, or grandma or cat.  My latest article in Culinaire is all about the intimate Thanksgiving dinner for two, and guys, I made Cornish hen for the first time, so you really should check it out.  Deelicious doesn't describe.  There is also a recipe for this dreamy panna cotta, if you want to omit the pie.  So simple and smooth, plus you can make it in advance.  Ding ding ding!  And lastly, I gussied up some mashed potatoes with kale and squash.  There may be no going back to regular mashed spuds after devouring these.  Read the article in its entirety here.  Happy Thanksgiving, and take care out there.  xoxo Renée