I like thicker soups, somewhere just below a stew, and so a maple syrup and corn bisque sounded awesome. It is really good, and relatively easy to prepare, just a bit of vegetable chopping and some immersion blending. For variations, you might want to try increasing the spice content, just for some added kick.

Type of meal	Cuisine	Difficulty
Soup	North American	Easy
Cooking Time	Yield	Rating
Prep: 20 min Cooking: 35 min Total: 55 min	6 servings	🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil
• 12 baby carrots, diced (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 medium unpeeled white or yellow potato, chopped into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
• 3 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2.5 cups veggie broth
• 13- to 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (shake the can well before opening)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pinches of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Sous-Chef Preparations

1. Dice the sweet onion, 3 celery stalks, and 12 baby carrots.
2. Chop the medium potato into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Make 2.5 cups of veggie broth.

Main preparations

1. Add the 2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil to a large stock pot and place over medium heat.
2. Sauté the diced onion and celery for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid burning.
3. Add the diced baby carrots, cubed potato, 3 cups frozen corn kernels, 2.5 cups veggie broth, 13- to 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 2 pinches of red pepper flakes.
4. Bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to low, add the cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes to soften the potato and carrots.
6. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to reduce to a bisque texture.
7. Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup and mix by hand.

Variations / Notes

• If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a normal blender at step 6.
• You could serve the soup with more maple syrup at the table, and add toppings like crackers or croutons for texture.
• If you prefer a soup with a bit more “kick”, you could add additional spices to give it more of a SouthWestern flavour.

See additional photos below.

I was looking for a new dish to try that wasn’t too complicated, with a bit of southwestern zing to it. This one isn’t too aggressive; most of the zing comes from the salsa, so you can determine your own heat level. The time required is a little deceptive, as you can do all of the prep while the quinoa is cooking. It isn’t the most appetizing looking under the top layer, but it is pretty yummy.

Type of meal	Cuisine	Difficulty
Dinner, Main, Chicken	North American	Easy
Cooking Time	Yield	Rating
Prep: 15 min Cooking: 15 min Baking: 25 min Total: 55 min	6-8 servings	🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry quinoa (when cooked, this will make 6 cups)
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1½ cups shredded pre-cooked rotisserie chicken
• 15-ounce jar salsa (mild, medium or hot)
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  
  Topping
• Crumbled tortilla chips
• Sour cream
  
  Alternate toppings
• Diced avocado
• Chopped cilantro
• Shredded iceberg lettuce

Sous-Chef Preparations

1. Cook 2 cups of quinoa according to package directions, adding 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. [Estimated time: 15 minutes]
2. While the quinoa is cooking:
   1. Grease 8×11″ glass or ceramic casserole dish (preferably with a lid).
   2. Add to the casserole dish the 1½ cups shredded pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, 15-ounce jar of salsa, 2 cups frozen corn kernels, and half of the shredded cheese (1½ cups).
3. Once the quinoa is done cooking, set aside for the desired setting time and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
4. Add the quinoa to the casserole dish and mix well.
5. Add the remaining Cheddar cheese (1½ cups) evenly over the top.
6. Put the lid on the casserole dish. If you don’t have a lid, you can tent some aluminum foil.

Main preparations

1. Bake for 15 minutes covered (lid or foil).
2. Uncover and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. The cheese should be bubbly.

Variations / Notes

• The original recipe called for two cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, but we prefer not to include them.
• Another variation omitted the chicken to make it simply vegetarian.