There. That's probably the most controversial blog title you'll see all year.
As you can guess I am firmly, much to my own surprise, in the pro-brussel sprouts category. If you don't believe me just go to P. F. Chang's and order their lemon brussel sprouts that have been shaved and cooked on the wok until just tender and slightly charred. They will change your mind forever. That's not all you can do with them though. Basically my technique is to avoid anything like steaming or boiling and instead focus on roasting and sauteing so that you get as much flavor into the sprout as possible. I had pretty good success this evening with a simple vegetable and sausage casserole.
After spending a long weekend down at the beach and eating fairly standard restaurant fare I was filling the need to bring in some serious vegetable power. Fortunately pinterest gave me some inspiration. The original recipe is here, but I'm sure you can guess I didn't follow it completely. Basically I browned some kielbasa while I cut up sweet potato, carrots, a turnip, mushrooms, onions, and pound of brussel sprouts. I tossed the veggies with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and poured a vegetable broth that I'd seasoned with lemon juice, garlic, sage, and tarragon over the top. Then it all went into the oven as described. It came out quite well, and, even though I'd cooked the brussel sprouts with some liquid, they still came out very tasty. While I'm not a rabid seasonal cook, I do like generally cooking with the seasons, and this really easy root vegetable casserole (although it's more of a roast) was a great choice on a day when my brain was fogged up with "just back from a trip" and "let me take a flying leap at these responsibilities I haven't thought about for four days."
Pictures coming soon. I really like my new 50mm lens. It does stuff my other lens just can't do, as you'll see.
Also, I have a post in the works on Christian progressivism. I've just got some church stuff I need to get sorted out before I move on to play time.
And yeah. Eat your sprouts. They're good for you.
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Creamy Chicken Autumn Soup
We had the good fortune to have our pastor and his wife join Allen's folks over here for dinner, and since I'm a huge fan of keeping things simple for company I decided to have soup and cornbread with chocolate pudding for dessert. It's a basic menu, but when you combine a flavorful autumnal soup with an absolutely flawless cornbread recipe you really don't need anything else.
Cornbread:
I use the link above with a few minor changes. When using buttermilk you can get good results changing the baking powder to baking soda. I didn't realize this, but when my mother-in-law mixed offered to mix up the cornbread for me she said that's what her mother used when mixing up cornbread with buttermilk. It must work because we ended up with a pan of moist, perfectly brown cornbread with a delightfully dense, spongy texture. A cast iron pan is crucial for this. Also, I cook with lard. You should too if you possibly can.
The second change I made is that I soaked my cornmeal overnight in the buttermilk. Trina, along with others, recommends soaking grains, and I really think you get the best cornbread this way. Sacrilege I know, but I've been known to add a pinch of sugar to my cornbread batter just to counteract the slightly bitter corn taste. When you soak your cornmeal though you lose that bitterness and end up with a lighter, just barely sweet cornbread without adding any sugar or wheat flour. I have to think it's more digestible too. Just put your cornmeal in a bowl with the recommended amount of buttermilk and let it sit until you're ready to bake. Mix in the rest of the ingredients as normal and enjoy some excellent cornbread.
Creamy Chicken Autumn Soup:
Ingredients
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
4 large carrots
2 med sweet potatoes
3 med parsnips
4 stalks celery
1 celery root (or 1-2lbs potatoes)
portabella mushrooms
frozen corn
frozen spinach
milk or almond milk
rosemary
parsley
salt
pepper
chipotle
chicken stock
2lb chicken thighs
cheddar cheese
bacon bits
I made this soup potato and dairy free since Allen and my mother-in-law feel best on that diet, and that's why I used celery root and almond milk. If you eat potatoes you can just sub the potatoes back in for the celery root.
Ok, basic soup recipe here. Dice your onions and add them to a pot with a little oil and the minced garlic and let them cook down a bit while you chop the other veggies. Add everything to your pot (except the potatoes or celery root) along with salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Top off with water and bring everything to a boil. While that's cooking boil up your diced celery root with a little salt and pepper until very tender. Add some milk and some of the soup liquid to the celery root and puree until very smooth. I had a large pot of soup, so I added some cornstarch and white rice flour for extra thickeners. About 2 tablespoons each I think. Pour your puree into the soup and let simmer.
While your soup is simmering brown some bacon in a pan until very crispy. Drain the bacon and immediately add your chicken thighs to the pan and cook them in the bacon grease until just barely cooked through. While the chicken is cooking crumble the bacon and set aside and grate the cheese to set aside. Cut the chicken into bite sided pieces and add to your soup pot along with the frozen spinach and frozen corn (if you haven't added them already).
Season the soup with salt, pepper, chipotle powder, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, and roughly a tablespoon of minced fresh rosemary and simmer 10-15 minutes to let the flavors combine. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles on the side.
This is one of those recipes that sounds so simple - chicken soup with root vegetables - but the flavors are delightfully interesting. The parsley is bright and fresh; the rosemary is pungent; and the bacon and chipotle add a delightfully smoky warmth and depth to a soup under-girded by juicy chicken and a cozy blend of fall vegetables. If you're looking for a new fall soup I recommend you give it a try :)
Cornbread:
I use the link above with a few minor changes. When using buttermilk you can get good results changing the baking powder to baking soda. I didn't realize this, but when my mother-in-law mixed offered to mix up the cornbread for me she said that's what her mother used when mixing up cornbread with buttermilk. It must work because we ended up with a pan of moist, perfectly brown cornbread with a delightfully dense, spongy texture. A cast iron pan is crucial for this. Also, I cook with lard. You should too if you possibly can.
The second change I made is that I soaked my cornmeal overnight in the buttermilk. Trina, along with others, recommends soaking grains, and I really think you get the best cornbread this way. Sacrilege I know, but I've been known to add a pinch of sugar to my cornbread batter just to counteract the slightly bitter corn taste. When you soak your cornmeal though you lose that bitterness and end up with a lighter, just barely sweet cornbread without adding any sugar or wheat flour. I have to think it's more digestible too. Just put your cornmeal in a bowl with the recommended amount of buttermilk and let it sit until you're ready to bake. Mix in the rest of the ingredients as normal and enjoy some excellent cornbread.
Creamy Chicken Autumn Soup:
Ingredients
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
4 large carrots
2 med sweet potatoes
3 med parsnips
4 stalks celery
1 celery root (or 1-2lbs potatoes)
portabella mushrooms
frozen corn
frozen spinach
milk or almond milk
rosemary
parsley
salt
pepper
chipotle
chicken stock
2lb chicken thighs
cheddar cheese
bacon bits
I made this soup potato and dairy free since Allen and my mother-in-law feel best on that diet, and that's why I used celery root and almond milk. If you eat potatoes you can just sub the potatoes back in for the celery root.
Ok, basic soup recipe here. Dice your onions and add them to a pot with a little oil and the minced garlic and let them cook down a bit while you chop the other veggies. Add everything to your pot (except the potatoes or celery root) along with salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Top off with water and bring everything to a boil. While that's cooking boil up your diced celery root with a little salt and pepper until very tender. Add some milk and some of the soup liquid to the celery root and puree until very smooth. I had a large pot of soup, so I added some cornstarch and white rice flour for extra thickeners. About 2 tablespoons each I think. Pour your puree into the soup and let simmer.
While your soup is simmering brown some bacon in a pan until very crispy. Drain the bacon and immediately add your chicken thighs to the pan and cook them in the bacon grease until just barely cooked through. While the chicken is cooking crumble the bacon and set aside and grate the cheese to set aside. Cut the chicken into bite sided pieces and add to your soup pot along with the frozen spinach and frozen corn (if you haven't added them already).
Season the soup with salt, pepper, chipotle powder, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, and roughly a tablespoon of minced fresh rosemary and simmer 10-15 minutes to let the flavors combine. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles on the side.
This is one of those recipes that sounds so simple - chicken soup with root vegetables - but the flavors are delightfully interesting. The parsley is bright and fresh; the rosemary is pungent; and the bacon and chipotle add a delightfully smoky warmth and depth to a soup under-girded by juicy chicken and a cozy blend of fall vegetables. If you're looking for a new fall soup I recommend you give it a try :)
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
a satisfactory pot - Black-eyed Peas and Greens
Yesterday ended up being a tad strenuous at times. I was making a meal for a family in my former homeschooling group (the mom had been the hospital with pneumonia and was just recently back home recovering), and suddenly I found my schedule ramped up by a couple hours so that I could hand off the meal while the father was up our direction. My unhurried plan for making dinner and driving it down went right out the window! So in the midst of scurrying around trying to get veggies chopped and cornbread baked I had a tiny blissful little interlude while fixing a pot of black-eyed peas and collard greens.
I theorize that in cooking, as in the rest of life, there are certain sweet spots. Perhaps in your life there's an ideal amount of yard work or a perfect running pace or a peaceful time of day to fold laundry. Whatever you're doing suddenly seems a little more satisfactory. The pace seems a little less frantic. Chopping the onions and searing the roast and stirring up pudding - those things all felt more of less like work. I had a schedule to keep, and gracious knows the one time you send your chocolate pudding off to someone else's house you don't want it to scorch. The peas and greens though. Those were different. I was still bustling around trying to get everything done, but there was something so satisfying in putting some fat back in a pan with a few seasonings and then stirring in the peas and greens with some chicken stock and letting it all simmer until the pot liquid becomes this rich broth just begging to be soaked up with some fresh cornbread. It's simple, instinctual fool. Soul food really. There's just enough slicing and stirring involved to enjoy cooking without it becoming tiring, and especially for those of us in the South it just tastes like home. My father-in-law is pretty darn southern, and he couldn't say enough nice things about this dish.
Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens:
1/4 cup fat back/side meat/or uncooked bacon sliced into thick matchsticks
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (or sub onion)
2-4 cloves minced garlic (around 2tsp)
2-4 bay leaves (depending on size)
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups frozen black eyed peas (I used 1 1/2 packages since that's all I had on hand)
2 cups frozen collard greens (or a similar amount fresh - I'll use either depending on what's available. You can also use kale or turnip greens)
Salt, pepper, red pepper (if desired)
Tamari Sauce/Braggs Amino Acids/Worcestershire Sauce
Put a heavy bottomed sauce pan (or cast iron pan) on medium heat and add your pork. While the fat is rendering mince your garlic and slice your shallots and then add to the pan along with the bay leaves and salt and pepper. Stir frequently for a couple minutes until the shallots and garlic start to turn brown and smell amazing. Pour in your chicken stock along with the collards and black eyed peas and a dash of Tamari Sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and taste to correct seasoning. I like plenty of pepper on mine. You can also play around with a little cumin or freshly chopped marjoram. Simmer for another 15 minutes (up to an hour with low heat and enough liquid) and serve with fresh cornbread or biscuits.
Caveat: This is more cultural memory than recipe so all amounts are estimates. Just use your common sense (and your nose and your tongue), and everything will turn out great!
I theorize that in cooking, as in the rest of life, there are certain sweet spots. Perhaps in your life there's an ideal amount of yard work or a perfect running pace or a peaceful time of day to fold laundry. Whatever you're doing suddenly seems a little more satisfactory. The pace seems a little less frantic. Chopping the onions and searing the roast and stirring up pudding - those things all felt more of less like work. I had a schedule to keep, and gracious knows the one time you send your chocolate pudding off to someone else's house you don't want it to scorch. The peas and greens though. Those were different. I was still bustling around trying to get everything done, but there was something so satisfying in putting some fat back in a pan with a few seasonings and then stirring in the peas and greens with some chicken stock and letting it all simmer until the pot liquid becomes this rich broth just begging to be soaked up with some fresh cornbread. It's simple, instinctual fool. Soul food really. There's just enough slicing and stirring involved to enjoy cooking without it becoming tiring, and especially for those of us in the South it just tastes like home. My father-in-law is pretty darn southern, and he couldn't say enough nice things about this dish.
Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens:
1/4 cup fat back/side meat/or uncooked bacon sliced into thick matchsticks
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (or sub onion)
2-4 cloves minced garlic (around 2tsp)
2-4 bay leaves (depending on size)
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups frozen black eyed peas (I used 1 1/2 packages since that's all I had on hand)
2 cups frozen collard greens (or a similar amount fresh - I'll use either depending on what's available. You can also use kale or turnip greens)
Salt, pepper, red pepper (if desired)
Tamari Sauce/Braggs Amino Acids/Worcestershire Sauce
Put a heavy bottomed sauce pan (or cast iron pan) on medium heat and add your pork. While the fat is rendering mince your garlic and slice your shallots and then add to the pan along with the bay leaves and salt and pepper. Stir frequently for a couple minutes until the shallots and garlic start to turn brown and smell amazing. Pour in your chicken stock along with the collards and black eyed peas and a dash of Tamari Sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and taste to correct seasoning. I like plenty of pepper on mine. You can also play around with a little cumin or freshly chopped marjoram. Simmer for another 15 minutes (up to an hour with low heat and enough liquid) and serve with fresh cornbread or biscuits.
Caveat: This is more cultural memory than recipe so all amounts are estimates. Just use your common sense (and your nose and your tongue), and everything will turn out great!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
"Mexican" stew with roast beef and guacamole
So Sunday while we were at church someone walked into our house and swiped some of our portable electronics - laptops and cameras:( It was one of those "I thought you locked the door" situations that will probably NEVER happen again. Don't worry about feeling silly folks. ALWAYS ask/check to make sure your spouse, kid, friend did indeed lock the door on the way out. The laptop covered in stickers from travels around the country you save could be your own. Fortunately the only irreplaceable things they got were the pictures from our anniversary trip, and they were mostly of kayakers.
But life goes on, and supper must be made. I fixed this soup last night for dinner - easy, yummy, and a great meal to eat while watching Philadelphia Story with Allen.
Ingredients:
1 small roast (around 2lbs - larger if you're feeding more people)
3 carrots
1 bell pepper
2 onions
2 sm-med zucchini
fresh or canned tomatoes
frozen or fresh corn kernels
red wine
beef stock
salt, pepper, cumin, chipotle powder, marjoram
fresh sage, garlic, and parsley
(For the guac)
3-4 ripe avocados
red onion
fresh cilantro
1 lime
salt
Corn chips for garnish
Method:
I've discovered that adding chunks of roast to a soup dresses it up so much more than using plain ground beef, and it's almost as easy! Plus you get that wonderful jus.
Around lunch time season your roast (I had a small eye round) with salt and pepper and place in a dutch oven/roasting pan with some beef stock (or bullion) and red wine. I cooked mine for about 4hrs @ 300 degrees and then let it rest in the oven while I prepped the rest of the veg.
About an hour before serving put some oil to heat in your soup pot while you dice your veggies (except tomatoes) and add to the hot oil along with 3-4 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Then add your can of tomatoes and about 1 1/2 cups of corn along with enough water to cover. Your roast should be very tender. Pour the jus into a measuring cup and drop a few ice cubes in it. Cut the roast into chunks (or shred) and add to your soup pot. Skim the (by now should be solid) fat from the jus and add to the soup. (If you can resist eating it with a spoon right then. Mine smelled that good!)
At this point add some large pinches of ground cumin, a sprinkle of marjoram, and a small handful of chopped parsley. I also threw in a four leaves of chopped fresh sage since I had it on hand. Test for salt and add chipotle powder to your heat tolerance.
While that's cooking go and peel your avocados and plop them in a bowl with 1/4-1/2 a finely chopped red onion, a handful of chopped cilantro, and the juice of half a lime. Tip, start slow with the lime - maybe 1/4 of the juice. Once it gets bitter the only solution is to have another avocado lying around. Ditto with the salt. Remember that corn chips can be very salty.
Smash all the ingredients together (I like to use a pastry cutter) until you like the texture and set aside until you're ready to eat. When the soup is done ladle it up and top each bowl with some crushed tortilla chips and a large dollop of guacamole. My husband isn't doing dairy right now, but some shredded cheese would be great on top as well. Either way better take the chips and guac to the table with you. And beware of seconds. This soup is addicting.
This made enough for two hungry adults (one of which who ate more than she should have) with leftovers for the next day, so I'd say that it should feed a family of five just fine. It's a great way to use up whatever you've got in the fridge. I could see making this with spinach or peas or sweet potatoes (that's what I should have added!) or yellow squash or black beans. Ditto the herbs. It's really about what flavors you like and what's currently in your fridge/pantry. It's also great when you've got folks who might have dairy/gluten allergies or are low carbing it.
Seriously, this one is a winner.
But life goes on, and supper must be made. I fixed this soup last night for dinner - easy, yummy, and a great meal to eat while watching Philadelphia Story with Allen.
Ingredients:
1 small roast (around 2lbs - larger if you're feeding more people)
3 carrots
1 bell pepper
2 onions
2 sm-med zucchini
fresh or canned tomatoes
frozen or fresh corn kernels
red wine
beef stock
salt, pepper, cumin, chipotle powder, marjoram
fresh sage, garlic, and parsley
(For the guac)
3-4 ripe avocados
red onion
fresh cilantro
1 lime
salt
Corn chips for garnish
Method:
I've discovered that adding chunks of roast to a soup dresses it up so much more than using plain ground beef, and it's almost as easy! Plus you get that wonderful jus.
Around lunch time season your roast (I had a small eye round) with salt and pepper and place in a dutch oven/roasting pan with some beef stock (or bullion) and red wine. I cooked mine for about 4hrs @ 300 degrees and then let it rest in the oven while I prepped the rest of the veg.
About an hour before serving put some oil to heat in your soup pot while you dice your veggies (except tomatoes) and add to the hot oil along with 3-4 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Then add your can of tomatoes and about 1 1/2 cups of corn along with enough water to cover. Your roast should be very tender. Pour the jus into a measuring cup and drop a few ice cubes in it. Cut the roast into chunks (or shred) and add to your soup pot. Skim the (by now should be solid) fat from the jus and add to the soup. (If you can resist eating it with a spoon right then. Mine smelled that good!)
At this point add some large pinches of ground cumin, a sprinkle of marjoram, and a small handful of chopped parsley. I also threw in a four leaves of chopped fresh sage since I had it on hand. Test for salt and add chipotle powder to your heat tolerance.
While that's cooking go and peel your avocados and plop them in a bowl with 1/4-1/2 a finely chopped red onion, a handful of chopped cilantro, and the juice of half a lime. Tip, start slow with the lime - maybe 1/4 of the juice. Once it gets bitter the only solution is to have another avocado lying around. Ditto with the salt. Remember that corn chips can be very salty.
Smash all the ingredients together (I like to use a pastry cutter) until you like the texture and set aside until you're ready to eat. When the soup is done ladle it up and top each bowl with some crushed tortilla chips and a large dollop of guacamole. My husband isn't doing dairy right now, but some shredded cheese would be great on top as well. Either way better take the chips and guac to the table with you. And beware of seconds. This soup is addicting.
This made enough for two hungry adults (one of which who ate more than she should have) with leftovers for the next day, so I'd say that it should feed a family of five just fine. It's a great way to use up whatever you've got in the fridge. I could see making this with spinach or peas or sweet potatoes (that's what I should have added!) or yellow squash or black beans. Ditto the herbs. It's really about what flavors you like and what's currently in your fridge/pantry. It's also great when you've got folks who might have dairy/gluten allergies or are low carbing it.
Seriously, this one is a winner.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Pasta Shells with Kale and White Wine Sauce
So a while back Allen and I went to this Italian place nearby and had a regular splurge - pasta, wine, tiramisu, the works. Ever since then I've been wanting to return and get this orecchietti with sausage and kale, but then I found out it was a temporary special.
Bummer.
So I put together this little pasta dish instead. It's not the orecchietti that I had last spring, but it's an acceptable substitute for now.
Ingredients:
1lb mild Italian sausage (the original used chicken sausage, but I used pork this time)
1med onion
handful brown mushrooms
1med zucchini
4-5 cloves garlic well minced
1 bunch kale
2tbs (or thereabouts) sundried tomatoes
salt and pepper
veg bullion
white wine
cream
2 large-ish sprigs rosemary
red pepper flakes
Orriecchetti (I used brown rice pasta shells)
Method:
Start your sausages browning and begin chopping your vegetables. Might want to go ahead and put a pot on to boil so you aren't waiting at the last minute. Saute your onions in a little oil until they start to brown and then add your sliced mushrooms and minced garlic. Once your mushrooms are soft toss in the zucchini and sundried tomatoes and top off with a cup or so of white wine (preferably dry), several glugs of cream, one bullion cube (or equiv), and whole rosemary sprigs. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Slice browned sausages and add to the pan. Allow to simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce is reduced and flavors combine. Go ahead and cook your pasta now. In the last couple minutes (while the pasta is cooking) add the chopped kale to the top of the pan and cover with a lid so that the greens wilt. Drain your pasta and toss with sausage and veg. Dish up and eat with a good grating of Parmesan cheese. It's right tasty. Also, kale is good for you :)
Bummer.
So I put together this little pasta dish instead. It's not the orecchietti that I had last spring, but it's an acceptable substitute for now.
Ingredients:
1lb mild Italian sausage (the original used chicken sausage, but I used pork this time)
1med onion
handful brown mushrooms
1med zucchini
4-5 cloves garlic well minced
1 bunch kale
2tbs (or thereabouts) sundried tomatoes
salt and pepper
veg bullion
white wine
cream
2 large-ish sprigs rosemary
red pepper flakes
Orriecchetti (I used brown rice pasta shells)
Method:
Start your sausages browning and begin chopping your vegetables. Might want to go ahead and put a pot on to boil so you aren't waiting at the last minute. Saute your onions in a little oil until they start to brown and then add your sliced mushrooms and minced garlic. Once your mushrooms are soft toss in the zucchini and sundried tomatoes and top off with a cup or so of white wine (preferably dry), several glugs of cream, one bullion cube (or equiv), and whole rosemary sprigs. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Slice browned sausages and add to the pan. Allow to simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce is reduced and flavors combine. Go ahead and cook your pasta now. In the last couple minutes (while the pasta is cooking) add the chopped kale to the top of the pan and cover with a lid so that the greens wilt. Drain your pasta and toss with sausage and veg. Dish up and eat with a good grating of Parmesan cheese. It's right tasty. Also, kale is good for you :)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Beef and Veg Soup with Sweet Potato
Speaking of food I thought I'd better get this recipe down while I remember it. So after all the brew pub burgers and diner fare we enjoyed while traveling through Northern California last week I figured it was time to dial things back about 4 notches and get a little dietary repair work done. Since we hadn't gone grocery shopping since getting back home this soup ended up being a tasty conglomeration of leftover veggies and freezer stash foods. It's a variation of the old classic "brown up some hamburger and toss in a bunch of veggies with some tomato product" that we all know and love. Allen and I both really enjoyed this soup. It's filling but light. I think between the two of us we ate half the pot. I was also excited to see an actual brothy soup emerge instead of the wet casseroles I often make (yeah, umm, I've made soups that have ended up thicker than most stews. It's a habit I'm trying to break.)
Ingredients:
1 1/2lb ground beef
1 large onion (think cat head large)
6 or so carrots
1/2 bag frozen spinach
1/2 bag frozen corn (I used trader joe's roasted corn which I love because you get a great roasted/smokey/char flavor in soups without having to actually roast/smoke/char anything yourself)
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
2lbs (approx) of peeled, diced sweet potatoes
any other veg you can scrounge out of the fridge (in my case one zucchini and a bell pepper)
seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, beef stock
Method:
Just about what you'd expect. Brown your meat together with the onion and quickly saute your veg to start them cooking. I sauteed the sweet potato in a separate pan with some butter, salt, garlic, cumin, and coriander thinking that getting them a little brown might help the flavor, but I can't tell how well that worked. Anyway, once your onion is soft pour in the can of tomatoes, add your frozen veg, stir in a tablespoon of bullion, fill up with water, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
For seasoning I started with basic salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I was out of fresh) to taste and then started playing around with the cumin and coriander. You want enough cumin so that you get a earthy, smoky sort of heat without it going full on tex-mex. I'd start with 3/4 tsp and go from there. Ditto for the coriander. You should taste the coriander but not be overwhelmed by it. Toss in some cayenne to taste.
Serve with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.
Ingredients:
1 1/2lb ground beef
1 large onion (think cat head large)
6 or so carrots
1/2 bag frozen spinach
1/2 bag frozen corn (I used trader joe's roasted corn which I love because you get a great roasted/smokey/char flavor in soups without having to actually roast/smoke/char anything yourself)
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
2lbs (approx) of peeled, diced sweet potatoes
any other veg you can scrounge out of the fridge (in my case one zucchini and a bell pepper)
seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, beef stock
Method:
Just about what you'd expect. Brown your meat together with the onion and quickly saute your veg to start them cooking. I sauteed the sweet potato in a separate pan with some butter, salt, garlic, cumin, and coriander thinking that getting them a little brown might help the flavor, but I can't tell how well that worked. Anyway, once your onion is soft pour in the can of tomatoes, add your frozen veg, stir in a tablespoon of bullion, fill up with water, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
For seasoning I started with basic salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I was out of fresh) to taste and then started playing around with the cumin and coriander. You want enough cumin so that you get a earthy, smoky sort of heat without it going full on tex-mex. I'd start with 3/4 tsp and go from there. Ditto for the coriander. You should taste the coriander but not be overwhelmed by it. Toss in some cayenne to taste.
Serve with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Flax Seed is my new friend
Recently I've started adding flax seed to my fruit smoothies, and I think it's really improving my focus and energy levels. Yesterday I spent the whole day cooking giant batches of everything to share with some friends of ours who have twin babies and recently moved. When I was done we had some lovely pot roast, zucchini bread, garlicy rosemary dinner rolls made with fresh ground flour (love my vitamix so much!), and two chicken pot pies made with homemade stock, and I didn't crash once. Yeah the kitchen still isn't back together, but with my history of depression, low energy, and poor focus I felt really good about what I accomplished. Taking my supplements regularly is a huge part of all that, but I'm also thinking that the extra omega-3s and antioxidants are helping. That's brain food right there.
In case you're wondering what I put in my smoothies here's my basic formula:
1 scoop whey protein powder (got to have protein!)
1 scoop fiber blend (helps slow sugar absorption and keeps me feeling good)
1 scoop green food mix (pick your favorite powdered greens supplement)
1/2 frozen banana (makes it sweet and creamy)
small handful whole flax seed (a genuine super food)
1T cocoanut oil (If you don't like nut oils then leave it out. All I can say is that my cholesterol is just fine, and I haven't gained any weight on it.)
From there I add whatever sounds good at the moment. Peach Mango Strawberry is great, and I really like making an all berry blend with a bit of pineapple. I top it off with kefir and orange juice, but yoghurt and any other fruit juice on hand will work. I've used carrot juice in the past occasionally with good results. If you have any blood sugar issues a bit of cinnamon will help even things out.
I know that sounds like a whole lot for one meal, but I keep everything by the blender and can put together lunch in 5 minutes max. Plus, it really does taste great. Just make sure you pick a fiber that doesn't have an offensive taste. Slippery Elm powder, for instance, can be pretty nasty. Apple pectin and psyllium hulls do much better. Once you drink a class of this you've gotten in good oils, probiotics, your fruit for the day, fiber, and gotten a start on your leafy greens. Did I mention that it's also taken care of my ice-cream cravings? Not bad for lunch :)
In case you're wondering what I put in my smoothies here's my basic formula:
1 scoop whey protein powder (got to have protein!)
1 scoop fiber blend (helps slow sugar absorption and keeps me feeling good)
1 scoop green food mix (pick your favorite powdered greens supplement)
1/2 frozen banana (makes it sweet and creamy)
small handful whole flax seed (a genuine super food)
1T cocoanut oil (If you don't like nut oils then leave it out. All I can say is that my cholesterol is just fine, and I haven't gained any weight on it.)
From there I add whatever sounds good at the moment. Peach Mango Strawberry is great, and I really like making an all berry blend with a bit of pineapple. I top it off with kefir and orange juice, but yoghurt and any other fruit juice on hand will work. I've used carrot juice in the past occasionally with good results. If you have any blood sugar issues a bit of cinnamon will help even things out.
I know that sounds like a whole lot for one meal, but I keep everything by the blender and can put together lunch in 5 minutes max. Plus, it really does taste great. Just make sure you pick a fiber that doesn't have an offensive taste. Slippery Elm powder, for instance, can be pretty nasty. Apple pectin and psyllium hulls do much better. Once you drink a class of this you've gotten in good oils, probiotics, your fruit for the day, fiber, and gotten a start on your leafy greens. Did I mention that it's also taken care of my ice-cream cravings? Not bad for lunch :)
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