Eggplant Parmesan Soup Recipe

I've started off this year eating more soup. It's amazing what can go in soup. I mean, pretty much anything. And many classic comfort food dishes can be transformed into soup. Macaroni and cheese, baked potato, even eggplant parmesan. I got the idea to make this soup when I was contacted by Whole Foods about a Parmigiano Reggiano promotion they were planning. I wanted to make something with the flavors of eggplant parmesan, but lighter and healthier. I used a few croutons and roasted the eggplant, instead of breading and frying it and skipped the mozzarella altogether. And you know what? It still pretty much has the flavor of eggplant parmesan! I thought I was being terribly original, but it turns out there are several eggplant parmesan soup recipes out there on the internets. I topped my soup with a couple tablespoons of Pamigiano Reggiano. It's the cheese that really makes the soup into something special. It adds that distinctive flavor and texture. I'm sorry th...

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Ed Kenny talks Hawaiian Food

I've been a fan of the restaurant Town in Kaimuki since I first dined there back in 2008 . I always make a point of visiting whenever I'm in Honolulu. Ed Kenney is the chef and owner, and a great voice for sustainability in the food system. He's very approachable, in fact you'll see him shopping at the farmers market most weekends. He also has his finger on the pulse of what's happening so on my last visit I got a sat down to chat with him about the local Oahu food scene and since I'm heading back tomorrow, I thought it's about time I shared this interview... What do you think would surprise most people about the food scene here? We have different kinds of visitors, the Cheesecake Factory here is the highest grossing location in the world. Then there are the Opentable people who look for places to eat before they even get here, but it's still a small group. People know the chains and the upper crust spots, but what makes it really amazing is the middle...

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The Good Food Awards 2012 January 13-14

Photo credit: Marc Fiorito Now in it's second year, the Good Food Awards comes to the San Francisco Ferry Building this weekend. It's a celebration of food in the categories of beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, preserves and spirits. The awards draw attention to the most delicious, authentic (no artificial ingredients) and responsible food (GMO-free, respect and fair compensation). More details on the guiding principles here . The awards are a great way to learn about some of the best speciality foods being produced in America today and if you come to the award ceremony or the marketplace, a chance to meet the makers firsthand. After the winners are announced, the winning products and the rest of the finalists and even last year's winners, will be available nationwide in a dedicated Good Food Awards e-store on Gilt Taste . Other sponsors include Whole Foods Market , Williams-Sonoma and Bi-Rite Market so expect some of the winners to be carried at th...

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Sweet Treats for January

It's January and while Christmas cookie season is officially over, some of us still need a treat before Valentine's Day rolls around.... When I was offered samples of Almondina cookies I was happy to accept. I'm already a big fan of these crunchy cookie crisps with chewy bits of fruit. But I had no idea how many flavors there were. I have always bought the original version which has almonds and raisins. Like a very thin style of Italian biscotti, they are hard and crunchy but some have a chewy bit of fruit like raisins or cherries. They also come in a bran version that I think would be particularly good for breakfast. The spice versions of the cooke in cinnaroma, gingerspice and pumpkin spice are all great, so are the chocolate ones, and still only about 100 calories for 3. Almondina cookies are perfect for those who are trying to eat healthier. They are so low in sugar, they actually make a very good cookie to add to a cheese plate. There is no butter or oil in the base ...

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