Musings of a wife and mother, born and raised in Hawaii. Far away from home now, but creating and discovering bits of sunshine and paradise in everyday life.
Soups
Instant Potato Veggie Soup Packets

Instant Potato Veggie Soup Packets

It’s been rain, rain, rain in the whole state of California for weeks–definitely soup weather. Laurel, who’s away at college, requested I send her more soup packets to make in her dorm room. Last year I made her some Kale and Chickpea Soup Packets, which she and her friends loved. So I thought I’d stir...
Split Pea Miso Soup

Split Pea Miso Soup

Thunder is rumbling outside as I’m writing this. We’ve had a lot of much needed rain here lately. Soup weather seems here to stay for a while. I came up with an easy soup that requires very few ingredients: a small piece on kombu, 1 cup of split peas, a couple of stalks of celery,...
Chinese Style Spaghetti Squash Soup (No Fin Soup)

Chinese Style Spaghetti Squash Soup (No Fin Soup)

Here’s a simple soup to help use up those ubiquitous spaghetti squash this time of year. Also what better use of the Thanksgiving turkey bones most of us will have later this week than to make some broth that can be used in this recipe? Start by partially cooking the spaghetti squash. I like to...
Chickpea Kale Soup Packets

Chickpea Kale Soup Packets

Some get well sunshine for my sweetie~ It’s hard being away from your child when they’re sick. Only last month we settled Laurel in at college, and already she texted me that she’s sick. Something’s going around in the dorms now. Oh how I wish I could make her a big pot of soup and...
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

The flu season is definitely in full swing all over the country. It knocked me out for the past few weeks, and chicken noodle soup seemed to be mostly what I wanted to eat. When you’re not feeling so well though, and you want to make a nourishing bone broth, a rotisserie chicken comes in...
Strawberry Vanilla Dragonfruit Soup (Cold)

Strawberry Vanilla Dragonfruit Soup (Cold)

Dragonfruit are such unusual and stunning looking fruits. The red fleshed ones make a beautiful pink colored dragonfruit smoothie. I found some great white fleshed ones here at Grocery Outlet of all places, and they were a steal at only $1.50 each. Normally at other stores they run $4-$6 each. Couldn’t resist such a great deal, so...
Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

The first day of 2014 was a gorgeous sunny day here. Too bad a long, lingering cold bug has been making its way through our household. A good bone broth with vegetables, and toasted mochi to the rescue! Not quite ozoni soup, but very, very good! Can’t forget a little drizzle of shoyu-sugar sauce over...
Wild Rice, Leek, and Mushroom Soup

Wild Rice, Leek, and Mushroom Soup

What better comfort on a cold, dreary day than a cup of homemade soup. I’ve been thinking about wild rice and leeks, and this is what I made. Saute sliced leeks and mushrooms (I used one big portobello here) in a little butter and olive oil. Add sea salt and thyme. Let it cook until...
Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup

Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup

This version of a creamy soup uses no cream or milk at all. Remember our mushroom barley pilaf? The one pictured above was made using white button mushrooms and pearl barley. Just blend up a half cup of pilaf with a cup of strong bouillon for the simplest, lowfat creamy soup. Normally when I cook,...
Cabernet Oxtail Stew

Cabernet Oxtail Stew

Instead of a traditional local style oxtail soup in a thin broth with peanuts, I wanted to try making oxtails in a thicker, savory stew. I started off by browning the meat, then onions, and covered it with about half a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, and added mushrooms.