Curried Carrot Soup

You aren’t going to believe how delicious this soup is!  The best part is it took less than an hour to make it.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of carrots, chopped (helpful hint… the smaller you cut the carrots, the less time they take to cook)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 avocado

1 tsp. yellow curry powder

1 tsp. red curry powder

raw pumpkin seeds ( I used a handful)

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary

4 basil leaves

Chives for garnish

4 cups water (you could use milk, cream, coconut milk if you wish)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. lime juice

Put your pot on the stove over a medium-high heat.  When it is hot, add the olive oil.  When it gets shimmery it is ready.

Add the chopped carrots and onions. Stir them around so they get coated in olive oil.

Let them cook a couple of minutes then add your chopped garlic.

Let them cook until the onions and carrots start to caramelize.

Add the water and let it come to a boil.

Turn it down so it won’t boil over.

I added the herbs at this point.  I also added the curry powders.  Stir to mix in.

Let it simmer until the carrots are soft.

Once your carrots are soft, it is ready.  You can eat it like it is or your can blend it all together.

I chose to blend mine together.  I used a hand blender (you know, that boat motor looking thingy).  You could use food processor or blender.  Whatever you have handy.

Blend it up.

Stir in, by hand,  the lime juice and pumpkin seeds after you blend it.

Right before you serve it, add some sliced avocado to the bowl of soup and sprinkle it with some chives.

Curried carrot soup

Spring is in the air

Spring is in the air in, at least Texas. That is if you consider temperatures in the 90s spring.  It is our spring and we love it!  And I love my garden!  It gave me most of the goodies for my dish.

I wanted to make a dish that said spring to me.  Pasta salad was calling to me.  Here’s how I did it:

1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked

2 radishes and their leaves, finely chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

Handful of kale, finely chopped

Handful of swiss chard, finely chopped

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

Some fresh Thai basil

Some fresh Oregano

Juice of one lime, and some zest

I put the pasta on to cook.  In the last three minutes of the cooking I added the finely chopped radish leaves. Cooking them makes the prickly parts palatable. At this point my radishes are pretty mature so long gone are the tender, young leaves.  Doesn’t matter, they are just as delicious, they just require a bit more attention.

Once the pasta is cooked, cool it with running water.  Once it is cooled, add the other ingredients and mix well.

All done.  Spring Pasta Salad ready to serve.

Spring Pasta Salad

Sesame Spinach From Garden to Plate

We raided the garden and came up with some yummy goodness!  I threw it together making my version of Sesame Spinach (mind you that version changes each time with what ingredients I have on hand)

Ingredients:

Fresh spinach, about 4 cups (I ran a knife through them so they would be bite size)

Radishes (sliced, I used the leaves as well)

Onion (sliced and I used the green tops as well – waste not, want not)

Sesame seeds (toasted)

Coconut oil (a little less than a tablespoon)

Salt and pepper to taste (I used maybe a 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper)

Directions:

Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan.  Set them aside once toasted.  I put them on one of the plates I was going to serve dinner on.  No one will know and anyway who wants to wash an extra dish? Not me!

raw sesame seeds

Toasting sesame seeds

Put your coconut oil in the pan to melt (it is solid at room temperature, unless you are in our house in August)

Saute the onions and radish slices for a couple of minutes.

saute onions and radishes

Add the radish leaves and saute them for a minute or two. (long enough for you to run a knife through your spinach a couple of times to make them bite size)

Add radish leaves

Add your spinach and cover.  Let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Add spinach

Once it has wilted to half the volume add the sesame seeds, salt and pepper (or spices of choice).

Add seeds and spices

Cook about two minutes more.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Sesame spinach with leftover baked chicken

You can add garlic if you like.

If you don’t want the sesame seeds, you can add a few drops of sesame oil instead.  You’ll get the flavor and no seeds to pick from your teeth.

You can omit the salt and add soy sauce if you like.  The options are endless…  It is your meal, you can add or leave out whatever you want!

Lentils Everyone Will Eat

Lentils, lentils, lentils… a great meal or a great addition to any meal.  They are so easy a child can cook them.

Ingredients

1 lb dried lentils

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

Herbs of choice (I used oregano, parsley, thyme and Thai basil)

Olive oil (enough to saute the onion, about 1 tbsp)

4 cups water or stock

Directions

Saute the onion in olive oil until it starts to turn clear.

saute onion

saute until starts to turn clear

Add herbs and garlic

Add herbs and garlic

Add lentils and 4 cups liquid.

Add liquid

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are done.

Lentils

Serve warm and enjoy!

Chicken and Rice on a Stormy Night

Looking for a way to use up your left over chicken?  I made a dish that was perfect for a stormy April evening using left over chicken.

Ingredients:

Left over chicken (or you could use fresh) shredded or cubed

Carrots (I used 3 whole carrots), chopped

Onion ( I used about a half), chopped

Brown rice (about half a cup)

Lentils (about half a cup)

3 cups of water (about)

Herbs of choice (I used oregano)

Directions:

Bring 3 cups water to boil and add brown rice.

After about 2o minutes add the lentils, onions and chopped carrots.

After about 15 minutes add chicken ( I also added the left over peppers and onions I had with my chicken)

Cook until rice is done.

chicken and rice

Serve warm

 

 

Oh So Tender and Easy Stove Top Pork Roast

I like to use a few pots and pans as I can when I cook (means less clean up).  Here’s a one pot wonder for you.  Stove top pork roast.  It makes a very tender delicious roast.

Ingredients:

Pork sirloin tip

Herbs of choice (I used fresh ones.  Sage, oregano, and thyme)

Spices of choice (I used paprika and ginger)

Carrots

Sweet potatoes (as you can see I don’t peel mine.  Lots of goodness in the skin.)

Green Pepper

Onion

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

Directions:

Over medium high heat sear all sides of the pork roast.

sear pork

Turn heat down to medium low.

Medium Low Heat

Slice onions, peppers, carrots and sweet potato and put into pan.

Put herbs and spices on pork.

in pan

Add liquid (chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water)

Cover and cook until pork is cooked through. About 40 minutes.

Serve it with a vegetable (I served it with green beans) and you’ve covered all your food groups for a well-rounded meal.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Tacos

Tacos, tacos, tacos.  Fast, easy and portable!

Ingredients:

Eggs

Peppers (for me a mixture of hot and mild are best)

Onions

Mushrooms (cook ’em if you have ’em)

Spinach

Cheese

Tortillas ( I used homemade whole wheat tortillas – I will post that recipe later)

Directions:

Saute pepper, mushrooms and onions until onions start to turn clear.

Add spinach and saute for a minute.

Beat eggs and add to pan

Scramble eggs with vegetables

Once eggs are cooked, fill warm tortillas with egg mixture and top with cheese.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Breakfast Tacos

They are delicious! As you can tell from the picture I couldn’t wait to take a bite. Oh, and please don’t laugh at my not so round tortillas.  That is one thing in the kitchen I haven’t mastered…. rolling tortillas evenly escapes me!