Chicken Curry Soup

Typically I leave meat out of my recipes because my boyfriend is a vegetarian but this dish is just for me so I decided to add some meat. Today I decided to make a chicken curry soup because soup is always tastes better the next day making this a perfect healthy dish to bring to work for lunch. This soup was super quick and easy and tastes amazing!! I didn't have all of the ingredients I wanted for this soup like lime and cilantro so I went with what I had. I added a few extra yummy fixins to the recipe below so you can add them if you would like, but if not the soup taste amazing either way.

Ingredients
2 tbs coconut oil
2 chicken breast or tenders, cut into cubes
3 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 tsp basil, chopped
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder 
1 pinch salt

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin ovals
1 celery stalk, chopped

Other Yummy Fixins
cilantro, chopped
lime juice
snap peas
green onions
potato
tofu (in place of chicken)

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot until it melts then add in the garlic, onion and ginger until the become fragrant. Next add in the basil and the rest of the seasonings and saute for 1 minute then add in the chicken, tossing to coat the meat. Once the chicken looks like it is almost cooked add in the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce and the vegetables. Cover and let cook on medium/low for 10-15 minutes. 

Serve warm as is or over rice. 

Carrot Curry with Veggies

This is a great twist to one of my favorite recipes. Carrot Curry Soup with Chickpeas. I have been playing around with my carrot curry recipe and have come up with some fun variations. Last time I made the soup I pureed it then pressed it through a sieve making it super thin and left out the chickpeas making a yummy thin soup. This time I decided to make a thicker curry dish loaded with fixins and it turned out to be amazing! 

Ingredients
Makes 6 servings

10 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 small onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbs coconut oil

1 tsp chopped basil
3 tbs curry powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cardamom
pinch of kosher salt
2 tbs red chili paste
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 can of coconut milk

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 small yukon potatoes, cut into cubes
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted 
8 oz firm tofu, cut into cubes

2-4 cups of rice, cooked

Stove Top

Place the coconut oil in a large pot and heat on medium/low. Once the coconut oil is melted add in the garlic, onions and carrots, saute for 5 minutes. Next add in the basil, curry powder cardamom and coriander and cook for another minute.

Pour the vegetable broth in the pot and bring to medium/high heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until carrots are soft. Once the carrots are soft pour in the coconut milk and use an immersion blender* to puree the curry. Add in the potatoes and chickpeas, cook on medium high temp until potatoes are soft. While the potatoes are cooking make the rice. 

When the potatoes are starting to soften add in the peas and tofu. Cook on low for 3-5 minutes. Serve warm on rice. 

Crockpot
Place the coconut oil, vegetable broth, garlic, onions, carrot, basil, curry powder, cardamom, coriander and chili paste. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Use an immersion blender to puree the curry. Taste for flavor and add seasoning as you'd like. At his time add in the potatoes and chickpeas, cook on high for 1-2 hours.  

10-15 minutes before serving add in the peas and tofu. Serve warm on rice. 

Split Pea Soup -Vegetarian

I don't remember the last time I had split pea soup but I do remember that I very much enjoyed it. When I saw a bag of organic split peas on sale at the grocery I decided it was time for me to give it a shot and see what I could do. With this cold snowy weather all I want is soup anyways so I thought it would be a great idea to whip some up for lunch. 

With the holiday season in full effect I try to eat well as often as possible so for this recipe I decided to skip the ham hocks that traditional split pea soups use and go for a vegetarian version. Split peas are loaded with potassium to help manage your blood pressure, cholesterol-lowering fiber and muscle building protein, making this a good-for-you kind of meal.

Wilson - jumping for joy, it's winter time! 

Grab your immersion blender a deep pot and the ingredients below and make some delicious soup that will keep you warm and healthy this winter

Ingredients
Makes 6 Servings

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
salt
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1 lb green split peas, rinsed
4-5 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 cup of milk, cream or almond milk

Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot. Add in the onion, celery, carrots garlic, bay leaves and a pinch of salt, thyme and cumin. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Once the split peas have been rinsed add them to the pot and cook for 3-5 minutes, then add 4 cups of the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Let the soup cook on a slow simmer for 30-4 minutes or until peas are soft. 

Remove the bay leaves and use an immersion blender or place in a blender to puree, adding in the last cup of broth if needed.. Add in the cream or milk and mix well. Top with parsley and a drizzle of oil. 

Enjoy! 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I know you're thinking "Another soup? Come'on Arica switch it up". 

But with this weather...

I can't help but want to cook soup, soup and more soup. I'm sure glad I decided on soup for dinner this week because this recipe is a first for me and boy is it YUMMY! 

Ingredients
Makes 4 Servings

3 garlic cloves
1/2 yellow onion
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 tbs tarragon
4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup of cream
pinch of salt 
3 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets (1 set aside separated) 
3 carrots, peeled and chopped

Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot to medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, tarragon and potato and 2/3 of the broccoli, cook until onions are translucent. Next add in the broth, cover and cook on med/high for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft enough to puree. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper then puree the soup. After the soup is smooth add in the cream, carrots and the rest of the broccoli, cover and cook on med/low for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Serve with cheddar cheese and chives. Enjoy!!! 


CROCKPOT IT!!!!
Place all of the ingredients (except the cream, carrots & 1/3 of broccoli) in a crockpot on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6. Puree the soup then add in the cream, carrots and 1/3 of broccoli. Cover and continue to cook on med/low for another 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. 

Zucchini & Fennel Soup

I really enjoy making soup, it makes the a great leftover meal plus you can easily freeze it and save it for another day and it still tastes great. This Zucchini and Fennel Soup recipe is quite delicious and very easy to make on the stove on in a crockpot.  I hope you enjoy it! 

This picture doesn't do this soup any justice so don't judge this book by it's cover.

Ingredients
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbs butter
3 garlic cloves
1/2 red onion
3 large zucchini, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped (fronds set aside for garnish)
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of water
1 tsp thyme 
S&P

1/4 cup milk (optional)- add in before pureeing 

Crockpot Instructions
Place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4. One the vegetables are super tender use an immersion blender of stand blender to puree. Serve warm with fronds for garnish. 

Stove-Top Instructions
Place the butter, onion and garlic in a large pot and turn heat to medium. Once the butter has melted and the onion and garlic are fragrant add in the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes. 
One the vegetables are super tender use an immersion blender of stand blender to puree. Serve warm with fronds for garnish. 

Carrot & Apple Curry Soup

When I think of fall food I think of squash, apples and pumpkins; specifically soups, stews and curries. This soup was inspired by fall goodies that I picked up down in Apple Hill. Apple Hill is an amazing area in El Dorado Hills, CA where there are over dozens of small farms and ranches with produce stands and specialty shops for tourists and locals alike. I scored all kinds of goodies on this trip like apple butter, local honey, a Lady Godiva pumpkin, spaghetti squash and some basic veggies like celery, potatoes and carrots. 

I am calling in a favor on this recipe... I want to know what you think I should change. I love the way this soup turned out on my first try but I think it is missing a little something. I am open to comments and flavor suggestions from those who decide to re-create this dish. My only suggestion is to keep it savory, not sweet. I look forward to seeing your comments below.

I decided to break out the crockpot for this recipe but you can easily do this on the stove-top if you choose. If you are using a crockpot, place all of the ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours,otherwise follow the stove-top instructions below.

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 apples, peeled and chopped
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp all spice
1-2 tbs curry powder
S&P
4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk
1-2 tbs red curry paste- set aside

Place 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot and bring to a medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until fragrant then add in the rest of the ingredients except the curry paste and coconut milk. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. In a small bowl whisk the curry paste into the coconut milk until smooth  then add it into the pot with the rest of the fixins, cover and cook for 5-10 more minutes on low until vegetables are very soft. Use an immersion blender or a stand blender to puree the soup. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt and green onions. 

Enjoy! 

Thai Vegetable Soup with Udon Noodles

This yummy soup is very similar to my Lemon Grass Coconut Soup recipe but with out the lemon grass plus a few more veggies. It is a pretty simple and delicious dish to just throw together. You can even toss it all in the crockpot and let it cook on low while you are at work, just add in the cooked noodles when you get home and serve. 

Ingredients
Makes 4-6 servings

1/2 tbs olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ground ginger
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup snow peas
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup bell peppers, sliced
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 
1/8 cup basil, chopped

2 cans of coconut milk (or 1 cup broth + 1 can coconut milk)
2 tbs red curry paste

1 lime, juiced
2 tbs soy sauce

In a large pot, bring the oil to a medium heat and saute the garlic, celery and ginger for 3 minutes. Add in the snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms and bell peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. 

In a large bowl mix 1/4 cup of the coconut milk with the curry paste until smooth then add in the rest of the coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, cilantro and basil. Stir well and pour into the veggies. Cover and cook on low for 15-20 minutes. Cook the udon noodles while the soup is cooking, drain and add to the soup. Serve warm. Enjoy!

**I like to top my soup with a little siracha for some extra heat.

Okra Gumbo - Vegetarian

I ate a lot of delicious gumbo growing up in Louisiana and it seems like everyone had their own way of making it unique. I didn't get into cooking until after I moved out of Louisiana so I didn't spend much time watching my family cook. and learning their ways and I totally regret it. 

 

 This was my first try and making gumbo and since the b/f doesn't eat meat I decided to see how a vegetarian gumbo would turn out. I know I should have cooked the roux much longer but I started cooking dinner very late and just gave up way too soon so make sure you have a good 45 minutes to make the roux until it is brown. I still loved the taste of my gumbo but I do wish it was darker. 

 Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup butter or vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning 
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 3 cups cut okra
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp gumbo file (optional)
• 32 oz no-chicken broth 
• 2 cups of cooked rice

Heat the butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat then add in the flour and stir constantly for at least 15 minutes. Add in the Cajun seasoning and continue to stir for another 15-20 minutes or until roux is a very dark brown. 

Then add in the onion, garlic, bell peppers, celery, okra, salt and gumbo file and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the broth, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for atleast 15 minutes or longer. 

While the soup is cooking make your rice. Serve warm over rice with a sprinkle of gumbo file. and enjoy! 


*I bought some lump crab meat or myself and threw it on top of my serving and next time I will have to add in some shrimp and make a good seafood gumbo.

Lentil & Vegetable Stew

There is nothing fancy about this stew I just though it was delicious and easy so I decided to share it with you. The fixinxs in this stew are the random vegetables I had in the fridge left over from my CSA box from the past few weeks but you could add just about any other vegetables to this stew and it would be tasty.

 I used my crockpot for this one and because this stew cooked for so long the lentils practically disappeared and gave the soup a nice thick consistency. If you don't use a crockpot your stew may come out differently but still just as tasty.

Ingredients
Makes 4-6 servings

 1 tbs olive oil
1 rutabaga, peeled and cubed
1 daikon radish, peeled and cut into slices
3 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 small carrots, peeled and sliced
1 spring onion, sliced (any type on onion will do)
2 celery stalks, sliced thin
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 cup lentils (red or green), rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt 

2 tsp herbs de provence
4 cups of broth (plus more in case the stew thickens too much)

Crock-pot Directions 

Place the above ingredients into a crockpot and stir until everything is mixed well. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. 

Stove-top Directions 
Place the olive oil in a large pot and bring to a medium heat. Add in the garlic, onion and celery, cook for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir well, cover and cook for 40 minutes or more. You may have to cook for up to an hour but this depends on the time you have in the kitchen and your preference on the consistency. 

ENJOY! 

Red Curry Butternut Squash

Squash is such a good hearty vegetable that is good for so many different kinds dishes. I have had a butternut squash on the counter for a few days and could not decide what I wanted to do with it. So I did what I usually do when I don't know what I want to make. I search through the cabinets and the fridge and make a list of all of the fixins I have to get creative with then I sit down with my list and brainstorm. One of the things I found in the cabinet was an unopened jar of red curry paste (one of my favorite condiments) so I decided to make red curry butternut squash. The past few curry recipes I've made were pureed vegetable curry dishes so this one is a new one for me. I invited a few girlfriends come over  for some wine and to help me eat this dish and it was a hit! 

Ingredients

1 tbs coconut oil 
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tsp ginger, crushed
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tbs red curry paste
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 bell pepper, chopped into large squares
1 tsp curry powder

2 cups cooked rice

Heat 1 tbs of coconut oil in a large deep pan to medium heat. Add in the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant. Next add in the curry paste and a squeeze of lime juice stir well. 

Pour the coconut milk and vegetable broth into the pan, whisk until clumps are gone then add in the squash, bell pepper and curry powder. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium/low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until soft. 

Place 1/2 cup of rice on a plate and top with curry the curry squash. 

I served the squash with Sauteed Leeks, Greens. 

Celery Root Soup with Truffle Oil

Have you ever seen one of these vegetables? 

Neither had I until last week but this is celeriac or most known as celery root. It totally reminded me of the mandrake plant from Harry Potter and if you don't know what i'm talking about please look it up, it will give you a good laugh. The celeriac has a very strong smell when peeling it and cooking it but it makes a great soup. If you see one of these crazy looking root vegetables around pick it up and give this recipe a try. Enjoy! 

Ingredients
Makes 4 Bowls

1 celeriac, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
2 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt

3 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup almond milk or heavy cream
6 shitake mushrooms, sliced (optional)
truffle oil
parsley or chopped green onions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in the celery root. Boil until very tender then drain.
2. In a separate pot, melt the butter on medium heat and add in the garlic and leeks. Cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring just a few times.
3. Add in the salt, vegetable broth and celery root, cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Once the celery root is very tender either place the soup into a blender or use an immersion blender to puree. 
4. Once the soup is smooth, add in the milk and taste. Season with more salt and garlic powder if you would like, it all depends on how you like it. 
5. Place the soup into a bowl, then the sliced shitakes on top and drizzle a little truffle oil. Garnish with parsley or green onions and serve. 

Quick & Easy Lentil Vegetable Soup

This soup recipe was created with a few random vegetables that I had left over from last weeks CSA vegetable share. This is the kind of soup you could add just about any vegetable into and it would be delicious. I would have loved to add in some chard, celery and turnips but even with just a few ingredients I had in the fridge this recipe turned out to be quite scrumptious.

The star ingredient in this soup was the Herbs de Provence. This was the first time I cooked with this seasoning and it was such a great choice! Herbs de Provence gave this soup so much flavor it tasted as if it took hours to cook.  

Ingredients
Makes 4 Servings

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup lentils
1 large leek, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. fingerling potatoes, cut in half
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 tbs Herbs de Provence 
olive oil

1. Heat 1 tbs olive oil to medium heat in a large pot, add in the leek and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add in 1 more tbs of olive oil, lentils, potatoes, carrots, Herbs de Provence and a pinch of salt, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

3. Pour the broth, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. 

4. Serve warm with a delicious slice of french bread. 

Carrot Curry Soup with Chickpeas

Yum, yum yum!!! I am so glad I made this delicious dish for dinner tonight  I had a bunch of extra carrots and leeks from my past two CSA vegetable boxes and I thought I would make a carrot and leek soup. Before I started cooking I realized I only had a one can of vegetable broth so a traditional soup was out of the question. I also had a can of coconut milk so I thought to myself... why not make carrot curry. What a great decision it was because this recipe is super easy and tasty! If you are looking for something different try this carrot curry out.

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

5-6 carrots, sliced thin
1 small leek (white parts only) chopped
2 tbs coconut oil

2 cups of vegetable broth
1 can of coconut milk
2 tsp chopped cilantro
1 tbs chopped basil
3/4 tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp coriander

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Place the coconut oil in a large pot and heat on medium/low. Once the coconut oil is melted add in the garlic, leeks and carrots, saute for 5 minutes. Next add in the cilantro, basil, curry powder and coriander and cook for another minute.

Pour the vegetable broth in the pot and bring to medium/high heat. Cover and cook for 25 minutes or until carrots are soft. Once the carrots pour in the coconut milk and use an immersion blender* to puree the curry. When the soup is to the consistency you want it add in the chickpeas and warm for just a few minutes. 

*If you don't have an immersion blender just pour the mixture a little at a time into a blender and puree. 

Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Curry Soup

Today it has been snowing about 3 inches every hour and it's still coming down. It took over an hour to get home from work (on a normal day it normally takes about 15 minutes). Driving in the snow with holiday tourists is a nightmare so all I could think about on the drive was getting home and pouring a big glass of red wine!  

Wilson sure was having fun in the snow!

Unfortunately, my driveway is a snow trap and I came home to knee deep snow in my driveway. I have no idea how to work the snow blower so I just pulled right over top of it. After an hour of shoveling I realized the was stuck so I gave up and decided to stay in and cook something delicious. Luckily I had plenty of food in the fridge so I didn't have to go to the grocery. I had some very random ingredients so I decided to get creative, hell  I didn't have anything else to do tonight. I opened the fridge and cupboard and found I had a half of a butternut squash, coconut milk and lots of lentils so I went from there and made a very yummy soup. 

Ingredients

Makes 3-4 servings

1 garlic clove, diced

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1 tbs coconut oil

3 cups of cooked butternut squash

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbs curry powder

1/2 tsp coriander

S&P

1 tbs chopped cilantro

1 cup of cooked lentils

Heat the coconut oil on med/low in a large pot and saute the garlic and onion for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Add in the butternut squash and vegetable broth. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until butternut squash is very soft. Using an immersion blender puree the soup. Once the soup is smooth add in the lentils, seasoning, cilantro and coconut milk. Serve warm and garnish with cilantro. 

Creamy Potato & Vegetable Soup

http://mountainbountyfarm.com/

Living in the mountains makes it tough to get great produce all year long but luckily we have an amazing CSA program. It is a little pricy up front but it is totally worth it! I get a fresh box of winter vegetables delivered to a location near me once a week for 24 weeks.

It has been two weeks now since the first CSA box arrived but I have been traveling too much and working too hard so I have not had a get creative and come up with fun recipes, until now! I was out of town when the last box was delivered but when I came home the b/f left me some leeks, fingerling potatoes, an onion and some carrots. I immediately thought about making potato soup but I only had about 3 cups of potatoes so I decided to just throw in a few other vegetables I had in the fridge and make something delicious. There are a few steps in making this soup but over all it is pretty simple.

http://www.peppercreekfarms.com/

 
One of my secret ingredients in the soup and lots of other dishes I make is an awesome  a Parmesan Garlic Bread Dipping Blend that I found at Boudin in San Francisco. I'm on my second jar of this goodness because it tastes so good in just about everything from pizzas to sandwiches.

 Ingredients

• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup leeks, bottom parts sliced into rings
• 1 small bulb of garlic
• 3 cups fingerling potatoes, partially peeled
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbs parmesan garlic
• cracked pepper  
• OPTIONAL - 2 tbs sour cream + 1/2 cup cream or milk

1. Roast Garlic - Preheat the oven to 400. Chop the top off of your garlic, exposing the cloves. Drizzle olive oil on the garlic until it is covered. Wrap the garlic in foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. When the garlic is ready simply squeeze the cloves out one by one.
2. Boil Potatoes - In a large pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add in a dash of salt and olive oil. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Drain the potatoes, reserving 2 cups of the potato water for your soup. 
3. Sautee Veggies - While the potatoes are boiling, saute the celery, leeks and carrots in a pan for 3-5 minutes. 

Place the potatoes and garlic in the large pot, add in the vegetable broth and use a mixer or immersion blender to puree the potatoes until nice and smooth. Season with salt, Parmesan garlic and pepper. If you choose to use milk and sour cream add it now and stir well. Once the soup is seasoned and smooth add in the sauteed vegetable. Cook on low for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Quinoa Chili

You  might think "sweet potato and quinoa chili? That's weird". The b/f thought the same thing when I told him what I was cooking for dinner but he sure as heck went back for seconds! This chili is packed full of protein and good for you! Give it a shot and I promise you'll love it! 

Chili Seasoning

• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbs red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt

Mix the seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 2 tbs olive oil, separted
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed

Fixins

• shredded cheddar cheese
• green  onions

Place the vegetable broth with a dash of olive oil in a small pot, bring to a boil then add in the quinoa. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. 

While the quinoa is cooking heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot. Saute the garlic, celery, bell pepper and onion for 5 minutes. Next add the sweet potato and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth, cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until sweet potato starts to soften. Reduce the heat to medium/low, add in the chili seasoning, stewed tomatoes and beans. Cover and for at least 15 minutes. If you want to let it sit turn the heat on low and keep on the stove as long as you like. Once you are ready to serve the chili add the quinoa to the chili and serve. 

Lemon Grass Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai)

In the mood for some yummy and healthy Thai? This soup is so easy to make and takes very little effort but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen! 

This soup is perfect as a side dish or your main course. If you want to add some carbs to the soup I suggest adding come cooked udon noodles. If you are one of my carnivorousness friends just add some cooked chicken (cubed). 

Ingredients (Makes 3-4 large bowls)

• 2 cans coconut milk
• 3 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 2 stalks of lemon grass, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup of ginger cut into small chunks
• 1 pkg of extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
• 1 green bell pepper
• 8oz package of baby bella mushrooms sliced in half
• 3 tbs red curry paste
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 1/4 cup of cilantro (save some for garnish)
• 2 tbs chives, for garnish

Place the coconut milk, broth, lemon grass and ginger in a large pot over medium/low heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. In a small bowl mix the curry paste, soy sauce and lime juice until all clumps are gone. After 20 minutes remove the lemon grass piece and discard them. Next add the curry mixture to the soup along with the tofu, bell pepper, mushrooms and cilantro. Cover and cook on medium heat for another 10-15 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve warm and garnish with extra cilantro and chives.

Looking for something else to cook along with theThai Lemon Grass Coconut Soup check out my Udon Noodles with a Thai Peanut Sauce recipe here.

Crockpot Vegetarian Chilli

Growing up my folks made some delicious chili. It wasn't anything fancy just kidney beans, ground meat, the regular fixins and a packet of McCormick Chili Seasoning served over rice with a slice of good ol' American cheese! Living with a vegetarian I of course had to change my chili making ways otherwise I'd have way too many leftovers. I don't keep American cheese in the house anymore but  cheddar cheese does the trick. 

The best thing about making chili is that you can toss all the fixins in the crockpot and enjoy the day! Sunday morning I was craving an outdoor adventure but knew I had a ton of things to do before the work week so it was time to break out the crockpot! I threw the fixins in the crockpot and went on a nice long snowy hike with my friend Tiara. With the chili in the crockpot I was able to enjoy the hike and not think about dinner. It was a snowy trek up the hill but it sure was beautiful! A few of the Aspens still had glowing yellow leaves and the ground was covered with snow. Most of all Wilson (my pup) was having a blast chasing his pal Roxy in circles.

 When I got home I could smell the chili from outside, what a delicous aroma! One day when you feel like breaking out the crockpot, give this recipe a try and enjoy.

                                                                Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
2 cups dried kidney beans*8 oz mushrooms, chopped
3 zucchini, cut into semi-circles
1/2 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans stewed tomatoes

Chili Seasoning:

• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbs red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt

Mix the seasoning in a small bowl. Prep your veggies and place them in the crockpot starting with the beans first. Add in the vegetable broth, stewed tomatoes and the seasoning, giving it a quick stir but try to keep the beans on the bottom. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve warm with cheddar cheese and chives.

* Soak the beans 24 hours prior, rinse and drain

Cauliflower Curry with Kale, Squash & Carrots

I have been have been going curry crazy in the kitchen. I picked up a green cauliflower at the produce market and decided what the heck I will try and make cauliflower curry. It is getting easier and easier to make curry so now I can just play around with the ingredients.  

The curry does not photograph very well but it sure tastes yummy! 

• 1 cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbs olive oil, separated
• 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 tbs red curry paste
• 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1 1/4 tsp coriander
• S&P
• 4 kale leaves
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 325. Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbs of olive oil. Place on a nonstick pan and bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the onion and garlic into a food processor and chop until very fine. Place 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add the onion/garlic mixture, basil, coriander and curry powder into the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in the curry paste into the coconut milk until smooth then add the coconut milk and vegetable broth to the pot and let simmer on low. Once the cauliflower is done cooking place it in the pot, cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft.

Using an immersion blender or counter top blender puree the curry until smooth. When the curry is smooth add in the kale, squash and carrots, cover and cook on medium heat for another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm over rice.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

My favorite part about making a yummy soup is serving it with fresh baked bread! For Christmas last year my boyfriend gave me a great book for baking in the mountains. At first I was intimidated by baking bread but by following the recipes in my high altitude baking cook book it was pretty hard to screw it up. Now every chance I get the time to make bread I'm in the kitchen kneading the dough by hand . If you have thought about baking bread I totally suggest jumping right into it because it sure does make soup a complete meal.

This recipe is quite easy and yummy! I made this soup before I bought my immersion blender and well it a little messy pouring portions into blender so I totally suggest using my new favorite soup gadget, an immersion blender.

•  1 lb of asparagus
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (vegan? try using coconut or almond milk)
• 4 cups veggie broth
•  S&P + Lemon Pepper
• 2 tbs sunflower oil (olive oil works too)

Preheat the oven to 325. Chop the asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces (reserve a few of the tips for garnish). Toss the asparagus pieces into a bowl with 1 tbs oil and a dash of lemon pepper. Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Meanwhile, pour 1 tbs of oil into a large pot on medium heat. Once the pot is hot add the garlic and onion, cook for 3-5 minutes. When the asparagus is done add it to the pot along with the veggie broth and cook for 5-10 minutes. Use your immersion blender carefully to puree the soup. (If you do not have an immersion blender pour the soup in small batches into a blender and blend until smooth.) At this point you should slowly add in the cream and stir well to blend. 

Serve warm with the asparagus tip for garnish.