White Bean Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

This is what I am talking about. Winter has finally come with it's snowy snow and super freezing cold temperatures. It just feels right, even if I freeze a little every time I leave the house to walk the dog. But that's ok, it is suppose to happen.

And when it's cold and snowy we are all suppose to eat lots of warm and hearty good things to warm us up in our insides. So we soup.. Soup all day, everyday, all winter long, especially in the case of feeling slightly ill (which I have been for the past week) Eating soup makes everything better.  Soup soup soup.

Soup, what a weird word. Anyway.

This soup is amazingly easy to make and even easier to eat. Full of veggies, spices and lots of beans. A perfect meal to satisfy your frozen self. And bonus, not full of shit. It's super healthy, protein packed and just plan ol good. Warm. hearty, healthy.. What more can you ask for? (you could ask for some crackers and I would probably give them to you)

Soup time!

The stuff. Navy beans, a sweet potato, and some chopped up kale. A couple carrots, an onion, a few cloves of garlic, a little olive oil and water.* And lets not forget some spices.... I used a couple bay leaves, some dried rosemary and thyme. Oh and there should be a lemon here.(I think it rolled off the counter)

*Note. Some people get all up and up about not using a stock in soup. This soup creates it's own stock with all the veggies and spices and time spent simmering but if you want, go ahead and use stock.

Start by chopping up the carrots, the onion, and the garlic and tossing it all into a really big pot along with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and the spices. Stick on the stove on medium high heat for a few minutes until the veggies start to brown.. This gives the veggies and spices a chance to develop more flavor. 

Now chop up the sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss that into the pot too.

And the dried beans and water go into as well. Get it all in there, give it a mix and stick the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, then bring the heat to low.  Add a lid to the pot and let cook for a while,like an hour,  stirring every now and then.

Once the beans in the soup are cooked to your preferred done-ness (I like mine on al dente) remove pot from heat.

Dump in the chopped up kale...

Give it a stir.

And that lemon that rolled away. I found it. So slice up lemon. Ladle a large amount of the soup into a pretty bowl and finish it off with some cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

Soup! Now grab a big spoon, a cozy sweater or blanket (or snuggy) , and maybe some crackers or bread if you feel so inclined and eat. You will be filled with warmth and happiness. 

Have a great day.

-C

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White Bean Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

• 1 cup dried white bean (I used navy, but you could use any white bean you like)
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 bunch of kale (about 5 cups chopped)
• 6-7 cups water (add 6 then another cup as its cooking if you think it needs it)
• 1onion
• 2 carrots
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 heaping tablespoon thyme or Italian seasoning
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried, chopped or ground rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• a lemon (optional but you want it)

Chop carrots, onion and garlic and stick them all into a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil, all the spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stick on the stove and cook until the veggies start to brown. While veggies are cooking, cut sweet potato into 1 inch chunks and toss the potato into the pot along with the beans and the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Stick a lid on the pot and simmer fir about an hour or until the beans are cooked to you liking.

Once the beans are cooked through, dump in the chopped up kale, mix it around, then call it done.

Ladle into bowls, top with cracked pepper (and more salt if you want) and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Grab a spoon, eat the soup. Be happy.

Got some left over... Well yeah, soup for later! (will last in fridge for a few days, but freezes super well too)

Strawberry Chocolate Egg cream

A few month ago I read an article about NYC seltzer water (which I have still yet to have) and fell in love with those super cool glass seltzer bottles. (I really want to get my hands on a few). In the article, there was the mention of egg creams. Now at first I was kind of disgusted because who the hell drinks eggs, but then after doing super duper internet research (google) I found that egg creams are not actual egg.. It's pretty much just bubbly chocolate milk.

Yesterday I was thinking of a non alcoholic beverage that people that are opting out of the alcohol can drink, something maybe a bit different and fun and I had that brain spark.. Egg creams! And I just so happen to be babysitting a gaggle of littles for the day and who better to serve a fun non alcohol drink too! (after that, save all he alcohol for me!) It was perfect cause these littles are down for anything with chocolate and it just so happened to be one of those littles birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDAH BUG!) .so special party drinks were in order.

Here is how the egg creams when down. I made the chocolate syrup. The kids all loved it and where sticking there fingers in it. Then I assembled the egg creams. All the kids took a glass, drank some, and took off. I found 1/2empty cups of drinks around the house. But here is the thing. When I asked if they liked it, two said yes.,one said it was weird but good, and one little ran away from me with the bag of chocolate quinoa bark ! brought. (I didn't run after her) The mr came by a few hours later and tried some of the dregs of one and he wasn't into it at all , but then again he hates chocolate milk and it was sitting around for a while. So the verdict .... not sure.  Kids like it if they like chocolate milk but treat it like they would treat any drink (drink half and abandon the rest). Adults could totally get into it if there is some nostalgia behind it or maybe a shot of vodka added.  So yeah. I think anyone that is interested should definitely try it. And if you do, let me know. I am very curious what people think.

Oh, and to make the afternoon that much more interesting, I am currently still suffering from laryngitis (hahaha) So yesterday was some fun stuff. 

The stuff for the chocolate syrup. Cocoa powder, sugar, water, a pinch of salt and a little splash of vanilla. And for the actual egg cream.. milk (a plain plant, nut, or animal) and strawberry flavored seltzer water. (if you don't like strawberry use any flavor or plain)

To make the syrup, combine the cocoa, sugar, water, vanilla and salt into a sauce pan and bring to a boil while whisking continuously. Keep whisking until sauce starts to thicken then remove from heat and pour into a jar and let cool.

Now for the egg cream assembly

Syrup goes into glass.

Milk into syrup and mix it all around.

And top with seltzer.

Give it another little whirl with a spoon or straw and if you want a more bubbly head, blow into the straw(works the best!)

and get down to business.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

-C

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Strawberry Chocolate Egg Cream

For the chocolate syrup (makes enough for a few egg creams but the syrup is good for anything calling for chocolate)

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt
• splash of vanilla extract

Stuff for one egg cream

• 1 cup cold strawberry flavored seltzer (can use plain or any flavor that you like)
• 1/2 cup cold, plan flavored milk (plant, nut or animal)
• 4-5 tablespoons chocolate syrup

To make the syrup, combine the cocoa, sugar, water, vanilla and salt into a sauce pan and bring to a boil while whisking continuously. turn heat down a little and keep whisking for another 2-3 minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and pour into a jar and let cool.

In a glass that holds are least 16 oz, add in the milk and the chocolate syrup. Mix together (can be shaken or stirred) then pour in about 1 cup of the seltzer water. Give the drink a good mix with a spoon and serve it on up. A straw is recommended to blow bubbles into drink!

Note.. I am aware that there are a few different ways to prepare an egg cream so if you know of a way that is better (milk in last. seltzer mixed with chocolate syrup..). then do it your way!

Popped Quinoa Chocolate Crunch Bark

My family is big. And my family is crazy. This makes for interesting gift giving.Over the years as we have all gotten older and started having littles, our gift giving has evolved. We use to buy each other presents, but then that got a little to intense and expensive. Then we started coming up withweird gift games where we had to buy 10 things made out of wood or glass and did a kind of white elephant things, which was fun, but we all ended up with wooden spoons and shot glasses.  Or the stockings. We did stockings for a few years where we all stuffed something into each of the stockings, but that got kinda lame when everyone started stuffing packs of gum into them....It was getting to be kinda ridiculous. So this year we decided to give secret Santa a try. The deal is that the 9 older siblings drew names and then the 9 cousins drew names, all with a spending limit of $25. It works out for the best because the littles get to have a little fun and participate, and the adults don't have to go and blow stupid money for kinda stupid shit.  Everyone is responsible for one persons gift of happiness..... And they better make it good!

But one of the things that I love about Christmas is making all the little something. One year I made them each a veggie shaped pillow, and another they each got a hand made box. (I love to give handmade gifts.)So this year I still wanted to give each of the littles a little something too. And not anything to crazy, just something small. And now that we are not stuffing stockings with gum, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them each a little candy.  They all like chocolate so chocolate it was.  And to zaz it up a little, I popped some quinoa to add some crunch and dear I say, a bit of healthy protein, to the candy. ( sneaky sneaky)

And bonus. this bark can be made in like 5 minutes (1/2 hour to cool) . Wrapped into little wax paper packages with a cute little string, its a super simple, easy, but sweet gift that almost anyone would enjoy (even if you make it and give it to yourself)  And no, you don't have to make it specifically for the holidays, this is just a great little bit of chocolate snack that can be made whenever you damn well please to make it!

The stuff. Chocolate chips (milk, semi sweet, dark, or a mixture) and uncooked quinoa.

Popped quinoa. Fun stuff. Working in small batched,  all you need to do is stick the a layer of uncooked quinoa into a heavy bottom pot, turn heat onto high, grab a spoon and mix the quinoa constantly until it starts to pop. (The seeds will pop up, but as long as you pot is big, they should stay inside) When it starts popping, turn heat down to medium low and continue to stir until the quinoa is golden brown and stops popping as frequently. Don't over pop it our else you will burn it!

Dump the popped quinoa into a holding vessel and pop some more.

Now melt the chocolate. I used the double boiler method (pot of simmering water and a glass bowl) but if you have a microwave, go ahead ans use it.(chocolate in a glass bowl, microwave for 30 second intervals until melted)

Either way you choose, just melt down the chocolate until nice and silky smooth.

Mix the popped quinoa into the melted chocolate...

Then scrap onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and spread out to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Place in the fridge to set up

Once the chocolate has harden, break that shit apart! Big pieces, little pieces. All up to you.

And do what your going to do with it. (wrapped in wax paper with a sting looks so nice if you giving it as a gift)

So simple, so good, so the perfect heartfelt, maybe a little last minutes, gift. Or just a nice little sweet snack with a healthy little kick to it.

And I probably won't be posting until after the holiday so...

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, blah!!!!!

Bye!

-C

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Popped Quinoa Chocolate Crunch Bark

makes 3 cups of bark

• 2 cups chocolate chips (any kind you like)
• 1 cup dried quinoa

To pop quinoa, add enough quinoa to cover the bottom of a heavy bottom pot. Turn heat on high and slowly stir the quinoa until it starts to pop. Once it's popping, turn down to low and continue to stir until all the quinoa is nice and golden brown and the popping isn't as frequent. Dump the quinoa into a bowl ans continue on until you have popped all of it.

To melt chocolate, either use a double boiler (glass boil on top a low boiling pot of water. Add chocolate to bowl and mix until melted) Or use the microwave. (Heat in glass bowl at 30 second intervals until melted)

Combine the popped quinoa to the melted chocolate, mix until combined then pour out onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread the chocolate to about 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch thick with a spatula and place in he fridge to set.

Once chocolate is hard, remove from fridge and break into chunks.

And eat, share, and save a little for later.

Store whatever uneaten candy away from heat.

Peanut Ginger Chickpea Salad Sandwich

My head is in hyper crazy mode lately,and I am sure I am not the only one. There are so many things going on all at once. I can get a little frazzled and fizzled and just plan beat ass tired. And then I think about what to make for dinner.

Boom. My mind melts and my stomach growls. Some nights all I want to do is come home, skip real dinner, and just eat carrots dipped in mustard and call it a night.  But the mr, he can't live off of carrots.(I probably couldn't either) So I make.dinner. (Where is my trophy for being the best?) But nothing to fancy and it needs to be fast ans easy.  I have been thinking more about things that I can make on the fly, things that are healthy and satisfying. Foods I can make that can be wrapped, packed and eaten on a milk crate in between tearing down a wall. And tasty...needs to be good.

Sandwiches. That is where it's at. And this sandwich. Watch out!

Nothing to do with this sandwich but I am sitting here at 8pm on the couch, writing out this post, getting a face time call from a 5 year old little. He really needs to talk to me.... and about what? What does a 5 year old need to talk about this late at night? Well he needs to talk birthday cake, a duh. He needs to show me his cake diagram he made that consists of 9 full sized pieces of paper taped together. (he said the cake didn't have to be that big). And he cannot possibly go to sleep until I am aware of his cake design. Well little dude, I got it. A chocolate/vanilla/red/green/and purple cake only 2 feet high, in the shape of mind craft and flavored like happiness. I am on it. Now go to bed.

So yeah, back to sandwich. This is probably one of the quickest, most satisfying sandwich that I have ever made in my entire life (seriously) Creamy and rich peanut ginger smothered chickpeas paired with crisp, slightly tangy veggies.. Ridiculously fast and easy to make. A sandwich that is worth having a famous person eat it, declare it #1, rename it the (insert cool famous person name) sandwich and forever be known in the sandwich world. But until then, or before then, you can get on this sandwich band wagon and say you ate it before it was famous. You will then be the coolest person ever. (maybe a slight exaggeration)

The stuff. Chick peas in bean juice, apple cider vinegar, a big scoop of creamy peanut butter, some soy sauce, a few cloves of garlic, fresh ginger and a little bit of honey, Also going to need some cabbage, a carrot and a half of ared onion.

Do this first... Slice the veggies as thinly as you can, stick them into a bowl and splash with apple cider vinegar. Give it a good toss and set aside.

Grab another bowl and stick in the peanut butter, soy, and honey. Grate or super finely mince the garlic and about a tablespoon of the fresh ginger and add that in, along with a splash or two of the apple cider vinegar. Grab a little whisk (a fork will do) and start mixing.

As your whisking, add in about 2-3 tablepoons of the bean juice. Whisk until the sauce is light and fluffy.

Strain the chickpeas from the remaining liquid,  toss them into the sauce and mix all around.

Sandwich time.. I think you get the idea. The veggies and the beans get stuck onto the bread.

And closed onto each other. A sandwich to make anyone, anytime, anywhere, all day long....HAPPY.

Bye!

-C

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Peanut Ginger Chickpea Salad Sandwich

makes 2-3 sandwiches

• 2 cups chickpeas (and a few tablespoons of the bean juice)
• 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter (I am a fan of Trader Joe's)
• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar if vegan
• 1 tablespoon soy (I actually used Braggs liquid aminos, but either will work)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (plus another tablespoon for veggies)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• Abut 1 1/2 cups of shredded cabbage
• a small carrot shredded or thinly sliced
• 1/2 a small red onion sliced super thin
• bread/wrap/whatever you want to sandwich the salad in

Right away stick the carrot, cabbage, and the onion into a shallow bowl and drizzle on about 1tablespoon of vinegar. Give them a good toss and set aside. ( the longer they sit, the better they taste)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, soy, and the other 1 tablespoon vinegar. Grate or mince the garlic and the fresh ginger and add that in as well. As you are whisking this together, add in about 2 tablespoons of the bean juice. Mix until light and fluffy. Strain the remaining juice from the chickpeas and add them into the sauce. Toss to coat.

Note... I did not show it, but i mashed the chick peas a little bit, so they were not all rolling around and completely falling off the bread.. so you might want to do it too.

Now compile the sandwich.. A handful of the crispy sour veggies and a scoop or two (or however much you want) of the chick peas goes in between two slices of bread (or in a wrap). Toast the bread if you wish.

And eat. Smile, lick your fingers, and be satisfied that you can forever make this amazing sandwich in like 3 minutes whenever you feel like it and that it is most likely going to have a cool famous person name.

Beet- Sweet Potato And Lentil Casserole

Once in a while I make a dinner that the mr does not want to eat, like anything with too much corn or things made with lots of vinegar... not his taste. Don't get me wrong, most of the time, he will eat what I make (casue he loves me) but he clearly doesn't really like it. And that's when pup usually gets left over for dinner. (He always likes everything that I cook)

One of those things that I know the mr doesn't like are beets. Sure, he will eat things that has a few beets in it, but once he found out that this casserole starred beets, his eyes widened and he looked worried, like "oh great, but please don't make me eat this". Not to worry. He was getting pasta for dinner because this casserole was not for him. It was for me. It has everything that I love in the word (food wise ) tossed together and baked into a pretty skillet, just for me. Plus the beets, sweet potato and kale were the last from the farm share.  So it was my good by farm food, casserole of greatness. And I didn't want to share.

So yeah, if you are not a fan of beets, or any of the other stuff in this casserole for that matter, then don't make it. But if you are awesome and know the greatness of the beet, especially paired with lentils and sweet potato, well I suggest you go and make this right away. And bonus... it's super healthy and hardy which make for a great dinner on a cold night and after all the holiday food last week. 

The stuff. A large sweet potato, a couple of big beets and some dried lentils.  Gonna want some veggies, like an onion, carrots, cabbage and kale. Also want garlic, some salt and pepper, water and tiny bit of olive oil.

First thing first, get the beets and the sweet potato in a pot to boil* Just dice then up and toss into a pot with enough water to submerge the roots. Sprinkle in a bit of water ad bring to a boil, stick a lid on pot, and turn hat to medium. 

*Note. I boiled my beets and sweet potato in one pot because well, I just didn't want to have one more pot to wash. But if you do this, your sweet potato will turn slightly pink, whichI think is really pretty. If you want your sweet potato puree to look orange, gonna have to dirty another pot and boil the beets separately.

And chop up our veggies and mince the garlic. Drizzle a tiny amount of oil into a skillet or pot, toss in veggies (minus the kale) and cook on medium heat just until they start to soften a tiny bit. Once the veggies are cooked, remove them from heat, add in chopped kale, and set aside.

And make your lentils. (i used the pot I just cooked the veggies in. The less dishes the better!) Water and lentils into pot with a pinch of salt, bring to boil, cover and place on low until lentils are tender.

Cooked and ready to go!

When the beets and sweet potato are fork tender, drain water into a jar and separate the beets from the potato (if you boiled them together). Blend the beets then the sweet potato until it’s the consistency that you would enjoy eating it (I like a little bit of chunk, not completely smooth) Use the drained water to thin out as much as you need/want.

All the stuff ready to compile.

Grab the cooked veggies and toss them into a oven safe skillet or casserole dish and mix together with the lentils. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Now evenly spread the beet puree on top of the veggies

Then ever so gently, spread the sweet potato on top of that.

Give the top a good pinch of salt and pepper and stick the thing into the oven.

Remove from oven when the sweet potato has browned andis slightly crispy.

And scoop a big old scoop into a bowl, grab a fork, and stuff your face!

Happy today day!

-C

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Remove from oven, let cook for a few minutes then eat it with a fork, a spoon, or your fingers.

Beet Sweet Potato and Lentil Casserole

Make 3-4 servings (or one serving for me!)

• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 medium beets
• 1 cup cried lentils
• 2 cups water
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• a medium yellow onion
• 2 carrots
• ¼ head of cabbage
• a few kale leaves
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Note.. I did not add extra seasoning to this because I love the taste just as it is. But if you are feeling like it needs some seasoning, just add some in.

Start by chopping the beets and sweet potato into medium sized chunks and boiling them until they are fork tender. You can do this either in two separate pots or in one large pot. (if in one pot, the sweet potato will turn a little pink)

Once those are boiling, chop up all the veggies (not the kale yet) and the garlic and toss into a pot or skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and cook on medium heat until the veggies are slightly tender. Remove from heat, add in chopped kale and set aside.

And make the lentils ( I cooked the veggies in the pot, removed them ans used the pot to make the lentils... less dishes). Dump the 2 cups water, a pinch of salt, and the lentils into a pot.  Bring to boil, cover, then turn heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes until the lentil are tender.

Preheat oven to 400

Once everything is cooked and ready to go, dump the lentils and the veggies into oven safe skillet or casserole dish and mix around. Take beet puree and spread evenly over the mixture. Then do the same with the sweet potato puree.  Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper and stick the casserole into the oven to bake until the top is all browned and slightly crunchy (about 30 minutes)

Remove from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, then eat it. Fork, spoon, or your fingers work.