Destinations Diva

With the onset of the Fall season, it's time to make use of the abundance of fall vegetables.  This savory soup is garnished with sour cream and makes a perfect dish to serve on a chilly Halloween night!  This is a great vegetarian and can easily be a great vegan soup. Curried Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup Serve 6 Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter  1 cup diced onion 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 small butternut squash—peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (or 2 packages frozen butternut squash)* 1 cup chopped carrots  1 tablespoon Thai curry paste or 2 teaspoons curry powder  1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional) 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (or coconut milk) 2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup sour cream, or to taste (optional) Directions Add olive oil and melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook...

I'm still on my Weight Watcher's journey which was inspired by my desire to be healthy and keep up with my family during my travels.  Being at a healthy weight can open up a whole realm of possibilities for travel.   Food is such a passion of mine.  I love cooking and teaching. In my cooking classes, I always try to be innovative with my recipes.  My Cajun background inspires me to add a little "Joie de Vive" or zest of life into each dish.  I'm now also adding a healthy element to all of my dishes.  Cooking healthy recipes doesn't mean sacrificing flavor.  In fact, it adds a whole new dimension of flavor! In my cooking classes, I had a request to make Shepherd's Pie.  This is usually a quite heavy dish with beef, gravy and mashed potatoes.  My version is lightened up considerably.  I've added a great mix of veggies which add a new depth of flavor while also  lightening up the calorie load.   Healthier S...