Curried Onion Soup

Curried Onion Soup

If you live in the North like I do and have a backyard garden, this is the time of year when you have to watch helplessly as mother nature claims the last of whatever you might have been growing and you are forced to pull up the remnants of your once fruitful plants in anticipation of watching your land be covered in snow.  But if you tended your garden well and stored certain produce correctly, you may still have a few precious root vegetables lying around.  To be honest, I made this soup back in September when the last of my onion crop looked past its prime and  I figured I had better pick them before they began to rot.  But I know of a lot of local gardeners with fresh onions still being picked or brought out of storage.  Obviously, you can purchase all that you need for this soup at your local grocery store as well, but when I made this, I was lucky enough to have a lot of fresh produce still available right out my back door.

Everyone has heard of French Onion Soup, which is a hearty, and often buttery, beefy soup smothered in toast and cheese.  Onions are one of the most healthful foods on the planet and have been consumed and revered for their medicinal properties since ancient times, so in my opinion, the more you can include them in your diet, the better.  Even if you have to cover this soup with bread and cheese, at least you are getting the onions into you first.  What is so great about this recipe is that by adding the flavor of green curry and coconut oil, you transform a traditional soup into something exotic and surprising.  The addition of the chick peas adds some protein and the kale adds a boost of antioxidants and texture.  So as the weather turns and you are craving something to not only nourish your body, but warm your soul, give this soup recipe a try.

Curried Pumpkin Bean Soup with Kale

Curried Pumpkin Bean Soup with Kale

Usually when people cook with pumpkin in the fall it is to make a dessert, such as pumpkin pie, muffins or cookies.  But there are plenty of savory uses for the beloved pumpkin as well.  I was hoping to have a few home grown sugar pumpkins to cook with this year since I planted about a dozen seeds back in the spring, but unfortunately despite many flowering vines, our garden only produced one pumpkin, that is currently helping to decorate the front step.  So for this recipe, and most of the recipes in which I use pumpkin, the canned variety is a fantastic substitute.  I got the inspiration for this soup from a couple of bags of dried beans that I bought from my local organic farm that were so pretty, like little works of art, I had to try them. The best way to cook dried beans, in my opinion, is low and slow in a nice soup, and nothing is easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients into a crock pot.  I had never made a pumpkin soup before, despite my mom telling me all about different creamy squash soups she has made and seeing recipes online and on TV.  I just wanted to make sure it didn't taste too much like pie, or too much like plain squash, but hit a balance right in the middle.  So in addition to the curry powder, I still added in some traditional pumpkin pie spices along with a decent amount of onion and garlic.  The house started to smell amazing within a couple of hours and when I finally opened up the lid to add in the kale, fresh from my garden, I couldn't wait to taste the soup.  The combination of sweet and savory flavors, the hint of spice from the cayenne, combined to make a truly satisfying vegan dish that my husband, son and I all enjoyed.  And every one of the ingredients are their own nutritional superstar, so it is a meal that your body will truly thank you for. I guarantee it will give you energy, boost your immunity and give you that little extra something you need to get through whatever this autumn day may throw your way.

Green Curry Chicken Salad

Green Curry Chicken Salad

This is no ordinary chicken salad.  With lots of fresh vegetables, herbs and a surprising curried mayonnaise, this sandwich filler or green salad topper is perfect for a busy summer dinner on the run.  I may not have been posting many blogs these past few weeks due to my busy summer schedule and desire to be outdoors rather than sitting in front of my computer, but I have still been cooking, inventing and eating some fantastic meals.  I actually made this chicken salad to take as a dinner to one of my son's end of season baseball games back in June and I have been wanting to make it again ever since.  Using store bought cooked chicken made this meal super simple with just a few fresh ingredients to turn it from ordinary into something that would be worthy of serving to friends and family at a picnic or party. The addition of Greek yogurt not only reduces the fat and calories of the dish, it adds another layer of flavor and contributes to the Indian vibe of the recipe at the same time.  And this salad only gets more flavorful the longer it sits, so it is perfect for those occasions when you want to make something ahead of time. So the next time you reach for that container of store made chicken salad, grab the ingredients listed below and give this recipe a try instead!

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Not every meal has to be completely from scratch or complicated to be healthy, delicious and fun.  I had a jar of curry sauce that was going to expire in about a month and being a stickler for those "best by" dates and hating to waste anything I knew I had to use it up.  So last minute I raided my pantry and my freezer and came up with this meal.  I was not planning on putting it on my blog at first, but then figured, why not? It might not be that original, or that inventive, but sometimes simple and quick are just as good. Full of high protein shrimp and beans, fiber rich brown rice and super nutritious spinach and garlic it is a meal that is as good for as it is easy to throw together.  If you always keep items like this stocked in your pantry and freezer, a gourmet meal is never far away.

Curried Chickpea and Brown Rice Salad

Curried Chickpea and Brown Rice Salad
served over a bed of organic spinach

Life as a stay at home mom, or a working mom as I now feel like I am, can be very busy and hectic.  Sometimes I give in and just plan to stop somewhere for dinner with the kids and grab an egg sandwich or a chicken wrap to go.  But that costs more money, is usually not nearly as nutritious as something I would make on my own, and definitely not as satisfying.  Perhaps I am influenced by the example that my mother set when I was little. While cheering me on at the sidelines of my softball games, soccer practices and swim meets, she usually would be eating a home cooked meal in a to go container while most other parents either bought something unhealthy from the snack bar or complained about having to wait to eat until they went home.  She usually had a plate all warmed up and ready for my dad as well, and her dedication to providing a nutritious meal not only for her family, but for herself, impresses me to this day.

So this past weekend when I had time to work in the kitchen I took advantage.  Instead of planning to stop at Subway or the grocery store to grab a quick meal during my busy Monday evening rush, I made a large batch of this salad, shared some with my husband for lunch that day and packaged up a big bowl to take for dinner the next night.  Since this meal is vegan, there is no need to keep it constantly refrigerated.  It honestly tastes best when left at room temperature for an hour or two so it was perfect when I took it out to eat while my kids were in dance class last night. And unlike some other parents who I know where complaining about being hungry and having to wait for dinner, I was well fed, and had something to do to keep me busy while my children took their classes. It is definitely delicious, and of course since it is made with all whole grain, all natural, plant based ingredients, it is a nutrient rich powerhouse of a meal as well. 

Coconut Curry Noodles

Coconut Curry Noodles

Usually when I go to the grocery store I have a very detailed list and a fairly good idea of what I plan to serve for meals for the next few days.  I rarely succumb to impulse buys and besides waiting to see what produce looks the best, I pretty much know exactly what I am going to buy when I walk in the door.  But every once in awhile I see something that I just have to try and then scramble around trying to figure out what else I need to buy in order to turn that ingredient into a meal.  This is what happened when shopping yesterday and I happened to see a box of purple corn and rice noodles.  I have cooked with rice noodles many times before because my son loves all kinds of Asian inspired noodle dishes and I love cooking inventive and adventurous meals that I know he will enjoy.  But what was I going to make with these intriguing purple noodles?

As I stood there in the aisle I tried to think of what I already had at home so that I wouldn't have to add too much more to my list and break my budget. Luckily I keep a fairly well stocked pantry and quickly realized that with the addition of a few fresh veggies I had enough to make a new meal using the purple noodles that was sure to please my family and be quick and easy to whip together on a school night.  You could definitely change up this recipe with your favorite vegetables, and a different protein source.  Fresh cooked shrimp, or even raw ones that you could then cook in the coconut milk (if you have more time), or cooked organic chicken or tofu would be delicious in the recipe, but I used the canned shrimp because I always have it on hand and it is an easy and convenient source of protein.

Now don't get all concerned about the level of fat in this meal because of the use of coconut milk.  Yes, the regular kind can be high in fat, but because it comes from a plant source as opposed to a cut of beef or a block of cheese, it is the kind of saturated fat that your body actually needs. Of course you could use a lighter version of coconut milk, but you will sacrifice the creamy texture and the satisfying richness of the dish.  Just because something is low in fat or lower in calories, doesn't necessarily make it healthier.  Plus when you eat "real" food, the way nature intended it to be, you won't be inclined to overeat afterwards.  This is the type of meal where you will not need a lot to be satisfied and although you could have dessert afterwards, you may not crave it like you would with other entrees.  And yes, my plateful is huge, but I did a heavy work out this morning and have been busy in the kitchen ever since. So now it is time to eat!!!

purple corn and rice noodles