Back from a little break + lentil and coconut curry stew

We've been staying busy lately! Despite that, I've still been cooking, so do not fret, dear readers. I have some recipes up my sleeve and will be posting a few here very soon, including this great curry soup.

I got a chance to go on a solo trip down to Oregon to visit my family a little over a week ago, which was great. Great quality time. Then it was back to work, fun with friends, ultimate frisbee, tried a couple new restaurants, some "Goodwill hunting" (as Zack calls it) for some neat dishes (which the blog will definitely benefit from), and some great exploring around the Mukilteo area. Spring is coming, and life is good. And curry is always good. Which leads me to this wonderful recipe...

Lentil and coconut curry stew

As adapted from The Little Red House, who adapted their recipe from Scaling Back.

Serves 4-6, depending on serving size.

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil 

2 cups lentils (I used a mixture of brown and red)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 large carrots, sliced

1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1 heaping tablespoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup tomato paste

7 cups water

1 15-oz. can coconut milk

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Juice of two limes

Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving (optional)

Heat coconut oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, carrot, and jalapeño. Cook until veggies are almost tender. Add garlic, ginger, curry, spices, salt, and tomato paste; continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add water, coconut milk, lentils, and chickpeas; bring to low boil and cook, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, until lentils are tender. Stir in lime juice, and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and fresh, warm naan, if desired.

This soup was very delicious and comforting. I'm not sure if I got the curry paste and spice ratio completely right (the color of my soup was a little different from the pictures of The Little Red House's version). Furthermore, the recipe did not indicate how many ounces of coconut milk to use (they just said "one can," and we all know there are different sizes of cans out there), but I figured 15-oz. was probably standard? That being said, the curry stew was great, all the same. I'm betting that this would be lovely over some warm rice, although we skipped that and had some whole-wheat naan from Trader Joe's instead. 

This lentil and coconut curry has a little kick, a beautiful, complex flavor, and the lentils add such satisfying texture. It's a keeper, just may need to make some minor adjustments when it comes to ingredient amounts. If you're into curry, it's definitely worth a try. Enjoy.

Indian chicken and spinach curry + herb and spice quinoa

Do you ever see a recipe and you are oh-so-excited to make it, but then as you realize you are not even a quarter of the way through cooking, you realize this meal is going to be a bit of an ordeal? Let's just say, it's always good when such recipes turn out well. And delicious. Especially on a weeknight. Because if they don't, doing dishes afterwards is enough to undo you. That is, if eating the meal hasn't already.

I love when cookbooks include a "goes well with" note at the end of a recipe. It's like free, professional help with food pairing. It's nice. Just remember not to bite off more than you can chew on a weeknight. This is more of a reminder to myself than anything.

All that being said, this curry and quinoa creation was pretty tasty. Maybe try it on a weekend.

Indian chicken and spinach curry

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients for the curry:

10 oz. baby spinach

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 large tomatoes (or a few small ones), quartered

4 garlic cloves

1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeño, sliced lengthwise and seeded 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 lb. 2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Bring large saucepan of water to boil and add spinach. Cook briefly, just until wilting, then strain, reserving cooking water. Put spinach and a scant 1/2 cup of the cooking water into a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer pureed spinach to a bowl and set aside to cool. Using the same food processor (don't worry about washing), blend garam masala, salt, onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and a little water until smooth. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and throw in cumin seeds. Wait a few seconds until they start crackling, then pour in tomato mixture. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip in spinach, chicken, and cream (if using), and stir well. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Herb and spice quinoa

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

This side dish recipe actually calls for basmati rice, but I decided to try quinoa. The quinoa was great, but be warned - it definitely does not look as pretty as the pilaf rice.

Serves 4.

Ingredients for quinoa:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup cashew nuts
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken stock
1 large handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 large handfuls cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast cashew nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Shake pan constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add almonds and continue shaking pan 1-2 minutes longer until nuts are golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Split open cardamom pods on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife. This helps release their flavor. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add split cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Stir-fry 10-20 seconds until seeds start to crackle, then add onion, cooking 3-4 minutes until soft. Bring chicken stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, and onion and spice mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed all liquid, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff quinoa with a fork and toss together with toasted nuts, parsley, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

First of all, cumin seeds. They are so fragrant, not to mention the way they crackle in the pan. They are the epitome of the word "crackle." Even more so than Rice Krispies. For real. If you haven't cooked with them, you should give it a try. They're fun. Secondly, cardamom pods - at first I thought I was just going to take the easy way out and use the ground cardamom I had on hand. But then I thought, "No, this is Explorations of an Amateur Cook; I should be willing to try anything!" So I did. The funny part is that I snatched two cardamom pods out of a loose leaf tea I also had on hand to use in this recipe. No judging. Ha ha.

It was also quite humorous that the chicken thighs I had purchased for the curry went missing. Not quite sure where they got left or ended up. But Zack, being the wonderful husband and sous chef that he is, picked up some more for me on his way home from work making this meal possible.

This curry and quinoa was a little ambitious for a weeknight, but it was very tasty. Lots of steps, but satisfying in the end. And I cooked with cardamom seeds for the first time, not to mention putting my own spin on the herb and spice pilaf rice (quinoa, in this case). Plus, mixing up my own garam masala spice mixture (follow the link to it as seen in my ingredient list). An Explorations success if I do say so myself.

The recipes are coming at full force, so don't be too long before you check back here again. Cheers.

Week Five: Beef Barley Soup, Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta, and Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

Beef Barley Soup

This week, I was craving warm, comfort food. Thus, beef and barley soup. This recipe is pretty darn quick and easy. And it is the ultimate cozy, comfort-food inspired meal. The beef and barley combination is classic; the flavors and textures meld so perfectly together. I just love barley too; it's a really hearty grain.

Find the Whole Living recipe here: Beef Barley Soup.

I like to buy "stew beef" for recipes like this. It's already chunked into pieces. Since they are usually pretty hefty chunks, I tend to cut the pieces into halves or thirds. That way, you don't feel like you are gnawing through your meal as much.

This is a great weeknight recipe, and it made for a great lunch the next day.

Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta

This recipe came from Clean Eating magazine. Find the recipe here: Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta. What drew me to this recipe was the bright green, almost chunky pesto.

I love pesto. But I really don't like using store bought pesto unless I have to. I mean, it's kind of brown-looking and I can never remember how long it's been in the refrigerator. Seriously, let's think about this. Pestos are usually made from basil, and we all know how long fresh basil lasts. Usually, I've had it about two seconds before the leaves start browning and it starts smelling kind of rancid. I guess that's a good reason to have it growing fresh at home. However, I have read lately that if you're dealing with store bought fresh basil, it's good to trim the ends, place in a glass of water at room temperature, and trim the stems/change the water every day until used. Supposedly, it can last up to two weeks when stored this way (I have yet to see this happen).

Now, that I'm done (well, almost) with my basil and pesto rant, let's talk about this delicious recipe. Blanching and shocking the basil leaves and green beans keep them nice and bright green. What an incredible idea! (I think that's what the makers of store bought pesto are missing out on.) The pesto in this recipe, combined with whole-wheat pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes, is truly rustic as the recipe name implies. It was really good.

Word to the wise though. This pesto has garlic (of course). Which is great. But uh, it was pretty strong in this recipe. I don't know if I used too much or if it's flavor was heightened when added to the extra virgin olive oil for the pesto, but it was potent. Like Zack-and-I-were-still-tasting-it-the-next-day potent. Zack was so worried that his patients would notice his garlic breath that he passed on his lunch leftovers to his unsuspecting co-worker. (Who absolutely loved the pasta, by the way.) So, you have been warned. Delicious, but garlic-strong.

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

This curry recipe was a Pinterest find. What's new, right? Find the recipe here: Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice.

Zack loves curry. He could eat it everyday. And he loves Indian. So this recipe was a very good find. Other than the fact that I used brown rice instead of basmati, and the dish took a little longer to cook than indicated as a result, this was great. Oh and other than the fact that I was like crying from the time I started dicing the onion all the way until I was done eating this piping-hot (temperature-wise) and spicy meal. So good though.

The chicken was so tender and the spices are perfect. And as Zack says, the combination of the hot, spicy with the cool, fresh tomatoes is really good. Plus, it's a one-pot meal and you will have plenty of leftovers. 

Well, that's all for Week Five. This meal planning thing has been going really well. I enjoy searching for recipes/ideas at the beginning of each week. Goodness, I don't know what people did before the internet. Furthermore, because of the planning that this involves, Zack and I feel like we are eating healthier and we are more satisfied with what we are eating. It's a win-win. I don't plan on stopping now; see you back here soon! Cheers.

Week Two: Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew, Pasta with Light Turkey Ragu, Tortilla Soup, Applesauce, and Pumpkin-Spice Rice Krispie Treats

We are cookin' over here! I don't really know how something as boring as "meal planning" could get me so excited about cooking. I don't know about you working folks out there, but sometimes making dinner isn't the first thing you really want to do after a long day at work. Let alone, making up lunches to take to work the next day after you do dishes from dinner, when you really just want to relax or maybe exercise or hangout with your husband.

Now, I've realized it's not the cooking that I dread doing after work. It's the stress of, "oh, shoot, I need to run to the store because I don't have that on hand" or "wow, I wish I would have realized that this recipe takes like 4 hours to make and we won't be eating until 9 o'clock tonight." That's the thing! If you set aside a little time over the weekend or on Monday to plan out the week and grocery shop, you save yourself so much stress. Plus, it gives you more opportunity to eat more healthily and less of an inclination to grab take-out for lunch. And the idea of being able to pull good menus to use that I have from the past sounds just great.

Lentil and Sweet-Potato Stew.

Alright. So, Lentil and Sweet-Potato Stew. This was really delicious. And again, a recipe I found on Whole Living, one of Martha Stewart's websites. I know, I know...I keep going back to it, but all the recipes are so good! And this stew was no exception. Mildly spicy, with a subtle curry flavor, and packed with vegetables including sweet potato (evidently), onion, carrot, celery, and green beans. I almost considered adding some sort of meat, but I figured that the sweet potato and lentils would make it hearty enough, and they did. This soup stands alone.

When it comes to my next recipe, I have a confession. I do not have a Pinterest account (yet), because if I did, I would spend way too much time browsing recipes, home decor, arts and crafts, and whatever else happened to strike my fancy. Therefore, I have resorted to browsing through recipes only and I am already addicted. Now you may find a wide range in terms of quality when it comes to recipes on Pinterest, but there are also many gems which I simply take a screen-shot of and save for later. He he.

Now that you all know about the values of Pinterest, we can talk about the Penne with Light Turkey Ragu. So simple, and very tasty. Ground turkey, leeks, oregano, basil, tomato...delicious. I love leek; such a great vegetable. The recipe calls for penne, but I just used the pasta I had on hand which happened to be a mix of whole-wheat and regular rotini.

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans.

My third dinner recipe this week was Tortilla Soup with Black Beans, another Whole Living find. This is so easy, but definitely more than satisfactory. I added some ground beef, which I had been saving in the freezer for a time like this, and I'm glad I did. My mind must have been elsewhere when I was making this, however, because I neglected to add spices until towards the end of cooking, and then I forgot to squeeze fresh lime over the soup before serving. Oh well. I think my version will be better tomorrow after marinating in the refrigerator all night, and we still have limes. Ha ha. But even so, it was really delicious and a great go-to weeknight soup. We crushed our tortilla chips over our individual bowls right before serving, so as to prevent tomorrow's leftovers from being full of soggy chips.

To top it all off, Tim and Amy visited us last weekend, and were so kind as to bring us a big bucket of farm-fresh (I believe, Jonathan...?) apples and a watermelon. They even brought us pumpkins they had grown, which was so cool because we were considering getting pumpkins the day before but didn't. So, what to do with a bucket of apples? First thing we thought of was applesauce. My mom makes some great applesauce. Actually, she made an amazing batch with some Gravenstein apples that Tim gave us last year. So I thought she would be the best person to seek applesauce-making advice from.

She uses an adapted version of Julia Child's recipe from The Way to Cook. Basically, wash, peel, and quarter apples (you can leave on peels or reserve some peels to put in the pot, then sieve out later (Julia says they give flavor and body to the sauce)). Place apples in a heavy-bottomed pot with fresh squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and a little cinnamon. Cover and set over low heat (this is key); the apples will slowly soften, rendering juices. Stir and mash frequently until tender, about 30-45 minutes. At this point, if using apple peel, you can push the sauce through a sieve, return to pot, and add some sugar and vanilla extract, cooking a little longer.

I, being an amateur, just kind of threw some peels in with my peeled apples, thinking I would just pull them out later. But they kind of got mashed up too. Oh well. We skipped the sieving and ended up with some delicious, chunky applesauce. The apples were not quite as tender as I would have liked (I think we man-handled the apples a little too much with aggressive mashing), but Zack thought it was perfect and our friends enjoyed it too. Oh, and we used brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.

And lastly, our dessert of the week was Pumpkin-Spice Rice Krispie Treats, another Pinterest find. We made these to take over to our friends' house on the evening of Halloween. So festive, so tasty. It's amazing what a little pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg will do for a traditional treat.

Pumpkin-Spice Rice Krispie Treats.

Well, that's all for Week Two. Cheers.

Curry-Rubbed Salmon with Napa Slaw and Brown Rice

Dinner last night (and lunch today): salmon with a fresh veggie slaw and brown rice. I've sufficiently explored the Italian avenue of cooking for the time being. In other words, I'll be avoiding pasta for a little while. I need to push myself beyond repeatedly combining the contents of a couple saute pans into one pot and mixing it together. Don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot by doing so. I've been pushed to use strange vegetables and explore new flavor combinations. But for this next cooking stage in my life, I want to learn about fish and meat. About fresh and nutrient-rich side dishes. Hence, wild salmon and slaw!

Fish is so good for you. And I do not eat it nearly enough. So, I'm pushing myself. And I don't think Zack is arguing. Omego-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, nutrient- and vitamin-rich...all the things you don't really know that much about, but always hear that you need more of. Plus, have you seen the color of salmon? So vibrant. And I'm holding to something my dad says: you know it's good for you if it's vibrant and bright in color. And such is salmon. We didn't do too much to this fish. Just curry-rubbed it and placed it in the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source. Golden with a crisp finish. The curry was an excellent idea. What great flavor. What a great spice. If you like Indian influences, they you'll like this. It was a nice way to try something other than the usual lemon-marinated salmon (although, that is good also).

Oh, and the slaw! I always thought slaw had to be heavily doused in mayonnaise. But no. There's lime juice and grapeseed oil (which is a little expensive, but apparently like the best oil you can use)! And wow. The lime and grapeseed just richen the flavors of the carrots, napa cabbage, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Give it time to marinate too. It was even better the next day. So fresh with great crunch. If you're tired of salad, this could be a great side to a lot of things.

Not too bad of a start for my new direction. And I even have an orange-walnut olive oil cake to be showing up here soon. Get ready. More to come!

Curried Chicken and Rice Soup

Dinner last night. We had carrots, chicken stock, onion, rice, and dill on hand. A trip to the store for chicken and curry powder, and the recipe was basically complete.

Combine the chicken, carrots, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. In another saucepan, heat a little butter and add onion, a little sugar and salt, and cook until onion is soft (and soft it was). I've learned my lesson finally. Add curry powder, rice, and more stock. Increase heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken, shred it, then return it to the saucepan it was in. Then use a blender or immersion blender to puree the rice mixture. Combine the two saucepans' contents, add herbs, and it's complete!

This soup was really delicious and comforting. Kind of like the soup you would want if you were sick in bed. Or not sick. Either way it would be good. And the curry smells SO good. Zack was pleased when he came home to a curry-scented kitchen.

And the herb and cheese oven fries appear once again. They were just so incredibly tasty the first time, and we still had more potatoes to use up. I know everyone loves mashed potatoes, but because everyone loves mashed potatoes, you tend to have them a lot and I don't want to get tired of them, so I like to roast or bake them fries-style. Plus, I think oven baked fries remind me of the "chips" we had in New Zealand. They were so good then, and they're so good now.

Well, we are having leftover soup today and we're going to Oregon this weekend. So the recipes may be limited, but I have a couple good ones in mind. More to come soon! Cheers.