It seems there’s never a dull moment in Australia. Only weeks after we dried out from the last Queensland floods, we’re being hit again with bucketing rain, fierce winds, and more flooding. Roads that just reopened are back under water.
Thankfully things aren’t as severe as last month, but it’s still raining and the winds have picked up. We’re keeping a close eye on storm reports and watching the river levels in town and making sure we have plenty of candles and batteries for torches in case the power goes off for more than a few minutes at a time.
In the meantime, I am LOVING these cozy days at home.
Today I edited photos for various projects, secured three more writing assignments, then I pulled on Bear’s coat and hat and headed out into the rain.
Slipping and sliding in the mud, splashing through the puddles, I got all the animals fed, taking time to ooh and aah over our nine new baby Muscovy ducklings. They are the cutest little things, born right in the midst of a storm, looking like lemon yellow puffballs in a sea of mud.
Then I puttered in my garden, pulling plants past their prime for the goats to nibble on, collecting tiny cherry tomatoes, purple bush beans, and marking that gorgeous silverbeet for dinner tomorrow night.
It was so good to get outside in the fresh air, feel the misty rain on my face, and smell the loamy earth.
I’ve been making lots of hearty fare to keep us warm and nourished on these stormy days. Loaves of cranberry coconut bread for French Toast and olive pesto bread to go with Garlicky White Bean Soup.
Remember the White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Dip I made a while ago? Well, I followed through on my idea of turning it into a soup, adding more chicken stock, a whole lot more garlic, and a cup of artichoke hearts. It turned out even better than I anticipated and was so creamy Bear thought for sure it was made with potatoes instead of beans. We loved it, especially with toasted and buttered slices of Olive Pesto Bread.
What’s the weather like in your part of the world?
Garlicky White Bean Soup with Artichokes and Red Bell Pepper
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked white beans (about 3 cans, drained)
1 can artichoke hearts drained and rinsed
6 roasted, marinated red bell peppers (capsicum)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
- When ready to serve, pour into saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until bubbling.
Thanks for asking, Krista. The weather in Sydney is warm and very humid after the weekend rain. A couple of trees across power lines on Sunday after the storm, but nowhere near as bad as Kiama.
Fairly typical February, really!
That sounds so beautiful, @google-01bbdd9fc7f53cd54265810538a0c5c5:disqus 🙂 We have not had sun for two weeks except for the occasional burst through the clouds. I’m really looking forward to seeing it again. 🙂 So glad you are safe and sound.
So glad your days are cozy instead of flooded! And that soup definitely looks delicious…
Thank you, @UlyssesSRant:disqus 🙂 Me too! It was touch and go yesterday, but as of this morning the roads are still open. Yay! 🙂
‘Tis remarkable, isn’t it…how often we take things like “open roads” for granted?
It sure is. 🙂 And it’s amazing how just a few meters of flood waters can keep you stuck.
We’re starting to thaw out up here in Norway – 6 degrees yesterday!
Oh gosh, Andrea! I’m glad it’s warming up a bit for you. I hope Spring comes SOON!!! 🙂
We are still in need of comfort food like this heartwarming soup but Spring is in the air.
I’m so glad you can smell/see Spring, @d58b26e263bfdbd99d844b965c5cbbfb:disqus 🙂 I remember how much Spring meant when I lived in Northern Canada. 🙂
I am sorry to hear that there is lots of rain around again, but you certainly know how to make the most of your time inside Krista. I love the sound of this recipe, thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
It is definitely one of my favorite soups on these rainy days, @wanderingsheila:disqus . 🙂 I even had it for breakfast yesterday! 🙂
Those purple bush beans are huge. What do you do with them?
Well, when I get ones that are too big, @785d136664c76cb584d58ee2e8b9d430:disqus , I dry them to plant next year. The small and medium ones I like to saute with ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Yum!! 🙂
Beautiful as usual. Do the purple beans turn green when cooked?
Thank you, @budgetjan:disqus 🙂 Yes, alas, they do turn green when cooked. So I’m hoping to start picking them when they’re very small and tender and eating them raw. 🙂
Such a lovely soup! Perfect for a cozy rainy day at home. I love the idea of turning a great dip into soup. Now you have me thinking of making spinach artichoke soup or turning my favorite Thai peanut dip into a soup.
Oh my, @8c55800e368a37aa499c24f6424eb7b2:disqus – those would make delicious soups! 🙂
I would be totally okay with rain so long as it meant I also had a flourishing garden to go with it! How lovely! And this soup – the perfect bowl of comfort amongst all that rain.
Yes, the garden DOES make the rain more bearable, @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus 🙂 And the sun is glimmering through the clouds a bit today. Hooray! 🙂
It’s such a wet, dreary snowing day in Toronto, this soup looks perfect.
It is perfect rainy day food, Ayngelina 🙂
As you are harvesting all sorts of amazing and beautiful vegies, we’ve got crocus and daffodil bulbs poking their greenery from beneath a frozen ground. And as you’ve got baby ducky poof balls looking all kinds of gorgeous, we’ve got baby cows and sheeps following their mamas all round the fields. New life and hope of good things are in the air! Thanks for sharing.
Ohhh, it makes me happy to think of the little lambs and calves toddling about. 🙂 SO cute. 🙂