Spicy Thai Coconut Soup

Oh my.

I love thai.

That rhymed. But don't worry, that's where it will end.

I know it's not fall or winter but I was craving soup. This is an adapted version to a recipe I'm trying to find the original source for. The original poster included a lot of ingredients that I wouldn't eat, so here's my twist.

Ingredients

Coconut oil*
1/2 yellow or red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lemongrass paste**
1 can coconut milk
1 32 oz can Pho broth***
1 healthy squirt of sriracha
1 lb chopped chicken
Handful or two of egg noodles
4 green onions, chopped
Handful of chopped, fresh spinach

Heat up a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and bell pepper, sauté until its super fragrant. Once you've done that add your garlic, lemongrass and ginger, sauté for a few more minutes.

When all of your vegetables are soft add the coconut milk, and broth. Heat this to a low boil and add your sriracha.

 At this point you'll want to toss in your chicken and your egg noodles. Let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes to make sure your chicken is fully cooked but still juicy.

Once you're sure everything is cooked to your liking toss in your green onions and spinach. Let it simmer for a few and serve with a side of sriracha.

Seriously folks, its that easy.

Wine of choice - Sauvignon Blanc - fresh and light to go with the light and spicy soup.

Notes:

*Coconut oil is versatile - don't be alarmed that its a solid. Trust me when I say it liquefies when you heat it up. I recommend Trader Joe's version, I paid $5.99 for this bottle.

**Lemongrass paste can be found next to the fresh herbs in your produce section. It's usually in a
plastic tube.

***Pho broth is organic. Look for it in the organic or whole food section of your grocery store. I found mine at a regular Shaw's.

Next time I'd probably add some shredded zucchini and maybe some carrot matchsticks as well, just for an even bigger nutritional value. This was definitely a keeper and I will be making this over, and over, and over, and over again. :)

Avocado Eggrolls with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

I have been DYING to try and make avocado eggrolls. I can't get enough avocado. Like, ever. And its funny because I never used to like avocado. I think the first time I had one was in California. It's intimidating. It's green, which to anyone says VEGETABLE! EEK! RUN!! Avocado is soft and creamy. There are so many ways to eat/cook avocado I'm sure someone has written a book about it.

All I have to say is... Oh my.

Worth the wait.

Cinco De Mayo was an excellent opportunity to whip these bad boys up with an Apple Radish Slaw marinated in a Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette. My mouth waters just thinking about it... Read on for both DELICIOUS recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe Avocados, sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, tossed in olive oil, and minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 egg roll wrappers
• water (for sealing edges of eggrolls)
• oil (for frying)

Instructions

• Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot or a deep fryer. Place sliced avocado and cilantro in a bowl and gently stir to combine.

• Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry surface, angled towards you like a diamond. Put a few slices of avocado in the center of the wrapper, and top with a couple pieces of sun dried tomatoes. Using your finger dab a little water along the outer edges of the wrapper all the way around (to help seal the egg roll shut).

• Roll up the eggroll by folding up the bottom corner halfway to cover the avocado mixture. Fold the right and left sides of the wrapper towards the center, creating what looks like an open envelope. Roll the base of the envelope (folded portions) towards the remaining corner. Make sure all edges are sealed shut. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers until the avocado mixture is gone.

• Place the egg rolls one or two at a time in the hot oil, and cook until they are golden brown (approximately 2-3 minutes). Seriously, these cook super fast. Don't walk away from your oil or you will burn them. There's no harm in turning them a couple of times to make sure they're cooked the way you want them.

Cut at an angle and enjoy! If you know you're making more than enough for one meal, try cooking a few for less time than the ones you're eating right away. When you go to reheat them put them in a toaster oven, not a microwave, and they will come out just as fresh and crispy.

Cilantro Ranch Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1 tsp Gourmet Garden Garlic (or 1 tsp minced garlic)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 green onion
• 1/2 of a jalapeno
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Ranch Mix

Apple Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 granny smith apple – sliced in matchsticks
• 1 cup carrot matchsticks
• 14 radishes cut into matchsticks
• ½ cup scallions – diced

Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of one lime
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño
• 1 clove garlic – grated
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint – minced

Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl. Throw your veggies in and toss to coat. Serve immediately... but... this was still pretty good the day after.

Enjoy!

Tortilla Chip Casserole

I know its a few days after Cinco de Mayo but I have been CRAVING Mexican, or something of the sort for a while now. This recipe was adapted from a Cooking Light version listed here. I changed a few things to match our personal preferences, but it is still within a reasonable calorie range (under 400) and has most of the same nutrtional value. :) This cooking/eating better thing isn't so hard!

Note - Prep time was a bit extensive... 30+ minutes. I would suggest making this a weekend meal.

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour  
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk  
• 1/2 cup low sodium or unsalted chicken stock 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more to taste) 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese  
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 3 cups shredded chicken breast  
• 4 ounces baked tortilla chips, crushed  
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped 
• 8 ounces lower-sodium enchilada sauce 
• 2.5 ounces shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses (about 2/3 cup)  
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions 

I know I know... the ingredient list looks long... but look at it again. Most of it you already have in your pantry and fridge. Trust me.  

Preheat oven to 350°.
  Heat your vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your onion and cook until soft (probably 4 or 5 minutes).

Add garlic and flour; cook 2 minutes. Your mixture will be thick and grainy. 

Gradually add milk and stock, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. 

Remove from heat; stir in cumin, chili powder, pepper, and cream cheese.

To build your casserole - spread 1/2 cup milk mixture over bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Layer beans, 1 1/2 cups chicken, and 2 ounces chips. Top with 1/2 cup milk mixture. Layer 1 1/2 cups chicken, bell pepper, and 2 ounces chips; top with 1 cup milk mixture and enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

 

      

 

 

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

 

Seriously... who doesn't love cheesy, chickeny, crunchy GOODNESS. Best part is... it's NOT a cheat meal. Just be sure to use low fat cheese and low sodium products.

 

Oh, and don't forget the wine! This is one of the ones I was telling you about. New Zealand Sauvignon. Get it. Try it. Love it. You won't be sorry.

 



Wine Snob - An Education

I want to be a wine snob! They're so educated its almost sexy.

I'm all for trying new things, but with wine, it's hard. I find myself in a rut reaching for the same bottle with every visit to the liquor store. Who wants to buy a bottle of wine they've never had before only to find that they don't like it, and end up pouring it down the kitchen sink with that $10 they just spent on it.

I've been attempting to reach out of my comfort zone to try new things. In my findings I came across this great website - www.winedin.com. Here you can plug in the type of food you're eating (chicken, lobster, fish, etc.) and it'll give you the types of wine you should pair it with. But that's only going to go so far. Ms. Julie, my upcoming guest blogger, suggested going to a wine tasting. It just so happened that my local Busa store was having one, so I made plans to go. By the way... I love Busa. Store is always organized and clean, whenever I have a question there is ALWAYS someone to help.

One word - overwhelming.

19 types of wine (in addition to 3 Tequilas, a Sangria, and, 4 types of beer). How are you supposed to try (and remember) them all? I was curious, so I narrowed down my selections by asking questions. I learned TONS about winemaking in the short time I was there, the old world vs. new world, different types of grapes, and I. Was. Fascinated. The vendors there were knowledgeable about the wines they were serving, what created the different flavors, and how different wines from regions around the world came to their final product. Old world vs. new world is what got me. Old world is Europe, new world is the Americas. There's a difference in the scent and tastes of these wines partly because of how the grapes are processed. One of the vendors spoke about French wines and how with some if you can get past the farmland scent, you can really enjoy the taste.

Below is a breakdown of the ones I tried, my thoughts and my new favorites. I am by no means a professional wine taster so this is my first stab at simplified explanations.

Gallo Signature Series Chardonnay - Delicious. This white was crisp and fruity without being overly sweet. There was almost a smoky flavor to, which is why red drinkers would like this one.
Hot to Trot White Blend - Kentucky Derby Day, had to try this one. This one was crisp and light as well. Was that apple or pear? Or maybe lemon? Whichever, it was beautiful.
*Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc - Well played New Zealand, well played. This is a new favorite of mine. I've always been partial to whites, but my oh my is this one great. Definitely fruity, but smooth, crisp, light and refreshing. After just a taste I wanted a whole glass, then another, and another. It woke me up! I would definitely serve something like this at a BBQ, or a summer get together. I'll be pairing this with a Thai Coconut soup later this week... I'll let you know how it goes.
Villa Antinori Toscana IGT Red - This wine is not for sissies. Rich, deep taste that reaches to your core. The flavor is so full that you don't have to wait long after it hits your taste buds to get the full effect. I love reds that have that hint of chocolate in them because it sweetens up that deep flavor. If you're into rich wines, definitely go with this one.
Erath Pinot Noir (Ms. Julie recommendation) - I was surprised by this one. With the wines I had tasted the Old World wines seemed to have the rich, full flavor that this pinot had. This is an Oregon wine that, I felt, had a very complicated taste. It made you want another sip so you could contemplate the flavors harnessed into the bottle.
Menage A Trois Cabernet Sauvignon - Oh California wines... how I love thee. Sonoma, Lake and Napa regions bring together this full bodied Cabernet. Their website says that it is aged in French and American Oak which gives it a real woodsy flavor. I like it... but read on for a new red favorite.
*Menage A Trois Pinot Noir - I think I dig the Menage A Trois wines because they select grapes from different regions in California. This one is Clarksburg, North Coast and Central Coast. From what the vendor had to say, there's a big difference in the flavors of wines from California because of the different soils of the regions. This Pinot is full bodied without being overly heavy. Note - I had it with chicken parmesan and I felt almost as if it pulled the flavors out of the food I was eating as well. I would highly suggest picking up a bottle.
Treana Red - Another blend, Treana was 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% syrah. I've never had syrah, but this was another good one. Not as heavy as a French Bordeau, but more flavor than some of the California reds I tasted the same day.
Dona Paula Malbec Estate - I haven't been a big fan of Malbec's because of what I felt was an aftertaste. This one wasn't half bad. This Malbec was spicy, earthy and the "finish" felt like more of a flavor rather than an after thought.

Bonus - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - I'm not a big beer drinker, but I sure like Bourbon. And this, this does not taste like beer. It tastes more like a spiked, woodsy, vanilla soda. I'm glad it was only a tasting... alcohol content is high so drink accordingly.

Pick something new. Pair it with something you love. Enjoy. :)

Happy drinking!

Coming soon...

I've been neglecting the beverage side of things, i.e., wine and food parings. My two favorite things!

Coming soon I will have a guest blogger - Ms. Julie - who will be giving advice on beverage pairings to some of the recipes I post here. Obviously I'll taste test and report back - yippee! New project!

Suggestions always welcome. Excited to be kicking it up a notch!