Coconut Chili Lime Steamed Shrimp

Coconut Chili Lime Steamed Shrimp

It has been awhile since my last post, probably the longest I have gone since starting this adventure six months ago. I have a feeling I am not going to have much time to cook in the near future since I will be running around to my kids' sporting events every night for the next three months.  I have been joking that unless I write about all the ways in which to make a peanut butter sandwich, I will probably only be publishing one or two new posts per week.

During that time, this recipe might become a weekend staple, because after running around all week, and Saturdays too, the last thing I have energy for is an elaborate meal.  This is one of those one pot wonders that you can leave and forget about for a few minutes and it does the work for you.  The flavors are mild but complex and the shrimp can be served with whatever type of starch or salad you prefer.  Sometimes fast and easy food can be super nutritious.

Purple Rice Chili

Purple Rice Chili

This past weekend I hosted a baby "sprinkle" shower for a dear friend of mine and since she is having a boy I tried to make many of the dishes on my menu (naturally) blue.  I had heard of red rice and black rice, but until I started searching online, I had never heard of purple rice.  Although not blue, I thought it might be something interesting to try for a vegan dish I wanted to make to have in a crock pot during the party.  Obviously, you could make this recipe using any type of rice you prefer, but I had fun experimenting with something new, and the color of the rice alone is pretty spectacular.  It did however turn my colorful bean mixture a deep dark purple, more like black bean soup, but it tasted better than it looked and piled high with simple toppings, it was visually appealing at the party as well.  

It is a very simple recipe to make, similar to a lot of my other bean and rice soups, but this recipe makes a lot.  I cooked it the day before the party, let it cool for awhile on my counter (since it has no meat it can sit out longer than the usual two hour limit), and then put it in the fridge overnight.  The next day I transferred it into my crock pot to have at the party and offered plain Greek yogurt, fresh salsa and shredded cheddar cheese to put on top.  Since it was a cold January day, the chili was definitely a hit and although there were only about 16 people at the party and enough food to feed an army, more than half of this was eaten. Which means that although everyone liked it, I also have left overs, which I love!

Red Bean and Red Rice Chili

Red Bean and Red Rice Chili

Winter weather has arrived in full force here in the Poconos, complete with a dusting of snow on the ground this morning.  When the weather gets cold, nothing warms me up better than a hot bowl of thick, hearty soup and this red bean and red rice chili is exactly that. Flavorful, but not spicy, hearty and filling without being heavy, this vegan chili is the perfect winter evening meal.  I cooked it during the afternoon and let it simmer on the stove for a couple of hours to let the flavors meld and when I was hungry and ready to feed my family, dinner was ready as well.  It is quick and easy to prepare and the ingredients are not expensive, so it is the perfect dish to serve to a cold and hungry group. Enjoy!

My Mom's Pantry Soup

My Mom's Pantry Soup

My mom is an amazing cook.  If it were not for her instruction, guidance and enthusiasm about food I have no doubt that I would never be as creative in the kitchen as I am now.  My earliest memories are of happily watching my mom bake cookies, make bread and chop vegetables.  I thought she was amazing, and of course I still do.  This past weekend she was the gracious host to a family reunion gathering that numbered 22 people.  Like a pro, she (over)fed us all and the whole weekend went as smoothly as we could have ever hoped for.  Early on in the planning she asked me what I thought she should serve to this growing group of cousins, and my first thought was soup.  A large pot of soup.  Well, she took my advice, but used the soup for lunch, and went on to also make an elaborate dinner of pasta, salads, baked chicken and roasted vegetables.

When making her soup, however, she kindly took photos so that I could post her original recipe for what she dubbed "my pantry soup". Most of the ingredients came from her cupboard and you can basically make different versions of this soup depending on what canned and fresh vegetables you have on hand.  It almost tastes like a brothy chili, but not at all spicy, and I even added some of the left over baked organic chicken to it as a leftover dinner and it was amazing.  It is simple to put together, quick to cook and feeds a large crowd of people.  And it is incredible filling, flavorful and full of nutrients.

Spicy High Protein Black Bean Chili

Spicy High Protein Black Bean Chili

Today is definitely one of those rainy days that just makes you want to curl up under a blanket with a good book and a bowl of soup and stay put for awhile.  I didn't have the luxury of the blanket or the book yet, but I definitely enjoyed the soup, or in this case, chili.  I love cooking with beans because they are a meatless, high protein way to satisfy even the strongest appetite. Like most of my recipes, this one can be switched around depending on what type of beans and veggies you prefer or have on hand, because it is the basic process and seasonings that make it so deliciously simple.  Because I wanted more protein, I decided to add TVP (textured vegetable protein), which is basically just dried soy beans, into this chili, but that is completely optional. Either way, this is quick to throw together, can sit on the stove simmering for hours and will feed a family of 4-6 easily.  So feed your body, mind and spirit tonight with this bowl of healthfulness.