Tag Archives: cilantro

June 14, 2011 · 1:30 pm

BAJA CORN CHOWDER

Fresh corn is so good this time of year. When I created this chowder I was interested in making a corn chowder with a Baja twist, but I wanted a chowder that celebrated the crisp sweetness of the corn and did not drown it out with too many other flavors…it deserves to be the star! This chowder will thicken the longer it sits. If it becomes too thick, add some water or some more broth. I also like to have different textures in my chowder. You are more than welcome to blend all of the soup…I prefer to blend some of the soup and keep some of the corn and veggies chunky.

Below I listed some flavor options for those who are looking for a little more zing. This time I made the chowder as it is written in the recipe below without the flavor options…I will add those next time I make the chowder.

INGREDIENTS – Serves 4-6

1-2Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

¾ cup celery, finely diced

¾ cup carrot, finely diced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground coriander

3 cups corn (I used grilled corn)

32 ounces vegetable broth

6 corn tortillas, browned

Pepper to taste

ADDITIONAL FLAVOR OPTIONS

½-1 jalapeno, very finely diced

1 tsp. cumin

GARNISH

Chopped cilantro

Dash paprika (for color)

Lime wedges

Heat the olive oil in your soup pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrot (and jalapeno if using).

After sautéing for 5-7 minutes, add the coriander, salt, and pepper (and cumin if using). Mix well to combine.

Add the corn and mix well.

Pour the broth into the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Once the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Place the tortillas onto the top of the soup for 2-3 minutes (this will soften them).

Remove the tortillas from the top of the soup and put them in your blender (I use my Vitamix). Pour 6-8 ladles of soup and veggies over the tortillas.

Very carefully blend the tortillas and soup (Always be VERY careful when blending hot liquids). You may need to do the blending in two batches.

Return the blended soup to the soup pot and mix well.

The soup is now ready to be served with the cilantro, lime, and a dash of paprika.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

8 Comments

Filed under Gluten Free, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tagged as Baja Corn Chowder, cilantro, corn, corn chowder recipe, corn tortilla, tortilla soup, vegan, vegan corn chowder, vegan tortilla soup, vegetarian

March 29, 2011 · 1:34 pm

FRESH MEX CORN SALAD

I am so happy that Spring is here! Although it isn’t quite April yet, we definitely are experiencing the “showers” part. Now that Spring has arrived, the amazing produce Spring brings has started making its way into farmer’s markets and the grocery stores…yay!

While I do cook this salad slightly, it would be very good completely raw as well.

INGREDIENTS

6 cups freshly cut corn (I used 8 small ears)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

½ head cilantro, chopped

1 ½ cups jicama, diced

1 lime

1 tsp olive oil

½-1 tsp ground cumin

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Pour the tsp of olive oil into a pan. Over medium heat lightly sauté the onions and peppers for 2 minutes (you want to maintain their crunch). Add the corn and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Squeeze in the juice of the lime and turn off the heat. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste. Sprinkle in the cumin and mix well. Add the cilantro and jicama and mix thoroughly.

Let the freshness of the ingredients speak for itself. Do not overpower the salad by adding too many spices.

This salad tastes phenomenal accompanied by flavorful black beans…I ate this for lunch three days in a row!

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

5 Comments

Filed under Gluten Free, Main Dish, Recipes, Salad, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tagged as bell pepper, cilantro, corn, corn salad, gluten free, healthy salad, jicama, lime, onion, spring salad, vegan, vegetarian

February 9, 2011 · 2:57 am

MUNG BEAN NOODLE SOUP – With Miso Broth

Mung Bean Noodle Soup

I am a big soup fan. A few nights ago when we were getting ready to go on our ski trip to Mammoth, I needed to make dinner with the food we had on hand…I wanted to try and minimize what we had to leave in the fridge. Noodle soup is always a good option. I keep mung bean noodles (also known as Saifun Noodles) in the pantry for nights like those. Usually each package of dry noodles comes with three bundles of noodles inside, so they pack a big punch for a small cost.

I didn’t have any broth in the pantry, but I did have some outstanding miso in the fridge from South River Miso Company, so that became the basis of my soup broth. South River Miso is a great small company that really focuses on quality and their products are really special. To find out more about their company and order their products click here.

South River Miso

INGREDIENTS

Mung Bean Noodles (1 bundle per adult / half for each kid)

Broth of your choice

Vegetables of your choosing (i.e. onion, green onion, leek, spinach, kale, mushrooms, bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, jalapeno, sea veggies)

Accompaniments (Guilin Chili Sauce, sesame oil, tamari, Sriracha, white pepper)

I begin by soaking the mung bean bundles in hot water.

Dry Mung Bean Noodles

Pour Hot Water Over Noodles

I tend to make a very mild broth with the intent that people will personalize their soup at the table. Our family’s taste tends to cover the whole spectrum from very mild to crazy spicy! To make the broth this time I boiled water and added leeks to it for flavor.

Cut the Leeks Lengthwise and Clean

Water With Leeks

Once the leeks have flavored the broth, ladle some hot water into a bowl and mix the miso paste into the water in the bowl.

Hot Water

Add the Miso Paste

Pour the miso mixture back into the hot water and leeks.

Add the Miso Mixture Back In

Flavor with tamari if needed.

Add Tamari If Needed

Now prepare the bowls for the soup.

Put Raw Sliced Onions and Spinach Into Bowls

Add the soaked noodles.

Soaked Noodles

Bowls With Noodles

Add a TINY Splash of Sesame OIl For Taste

Pour the boiling hot prepared broth over the noodles and cover for a few minutes. The hot broth will cook the onion and spinach.

Covered Soup Bowls...Cooking the Veggies

Now serve with the accompaniments.

Soup Toppings

Sauce and Spice Close-up

Flavor your soup and enjoy. I was in a kale mood, so I completely covered my soup with kale before I put the broth in and covered it with a lid.

My Soup Bowl

6 Comments

Filed under Gluten Free, Main Dish, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tagged as basil, cilantro, Guilin Chili Sauce, Kale, miso, mung bean noodle, onion, recipe, Saifun noodle, sesame oil, soup, South River Miso, spinach, Sriracha, vegan, vegetarian, white pepper

January 31, 2011 · 5:36 am

CURRIED RED LENTIL STEW

Curried Red Lentil Stew

The weather turned cold in Southern California today which made it the perfect opportunity to make some stew. In my continuing quest to clean out the pantry I saw that I had a bunch of red lentils, so those became the base of the stew. As I often do, I went to epicurious to look through their recipes containing red lentils. I came across one by Ruth Cousineau (from Gourmet Magazine 2/2009) that I based this stew on, but as usual I tweaked it to make it healthier and to include ingredients that I had in my fridge. This was a very hearty and filling dinner…not to mention tasty!

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4-6 main course servings)

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. butternut or kambocha squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs.s minced peeled ginger
1 Tbs. curry powder (preferably Madras)
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 cups water
1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Accompaniment: cooked brown basmati rice & chopped cilantro

Ingredients

Heat oil in a large pot and add in the squash,onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and salt. Cook until soft and beginning to brown (15-20 minutes) stirring occasionally.

Into the Pot to Soften

Softened & Ready for Spices

Add in the curry powder and pepper. Stir to incorporate.

All Spiced-Up

Add in the lentils and water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Simmer for 25 to 40 minutes until the lentils are cooked. At the end stir in the lemon juice and taste to see if any additional salt or pepper is needed.

Add the Lentils & Water

Serve over brown basmati rice and top with chopped cilantro.

Curried Red Lentil Stew

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

1 Comment

Filed under Beans/Legumes, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tagged as basmati rice, butternut squash, carrot, celery, cilantro, curry, garlic, ginger, kambocho squash, lemon, onion, red lentil, vegan, vegetarian

January 20, 2011 · 2:43 pm

CROCK POT BLACK BEAN SOUP – Guest Blog by Catherine McCord of Weelicious

I am so excited to announce that we have a guest blog today from Catherine McCord of Weelicious!!!

Catherine McCord of Weelicious

I have been following Catherine’s blog for quite some time now and am always inspired by her recipe posts (many of which are plant based). I too am a mom and am always looking for fast, healthy, and economical meals. This following recipe is a definite winner! Enjoy Catherine’s post…

CATHERINE MCCORD’S CROCKPOT BLACK BEAN SOUP

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

If you follow weelicious with any regularity, you know that I have a very intimate relationship with my crock pot — it’s like my best friend. Coming back after the holiday, with school starting back up, endlessly busy schedules to juggle and so on, my crock pot has been my salvation for getting hearty foods that everyone wants to eat made easily. A vendor at our local farmer’s market offers the most beautiful assortment of beans, and since black beans are one of our family favorites and cook beautifully in the crock pot, I buy them from him all of the time. Packed with protein and dietary fiber, black beans make for a filling, inexpensive and nutritious vegetarian meal that everyone can enjoy.

I really loved making this soup with my kids, because, like me, they love using the crock pot. But the real fun for them started when it was time to puree everything. Kenya, being an incredibly curious, almost 4 year-old boy who loves anything with a motor, was totally game to help me out with the hand-blender. As he gripped it and pressed the power button, he was enthralled as he made the beans transform into a creamy, rich soup. But if it was fun for me to witness the blast Kenya had, watching Chloe drink three helpings straight out of her bowl ensured that this soup will be in our regular mealtime rotation!

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup (Serves 6)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Cups Dried Black Beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 32 oz Chicken Broth or Vegetable Stock, low sodium
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Water

Accompaniments: Yogurt, Sour Cream, Crème Fraiche

1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes.
2. Add chopped garlic and sauté an additional minute.
3. Place the onion garlic mixture into the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
5. Using either a hand blender or traditional blender, puree the ingredients to your desired texture (I like to get it so a few pieces of beans are still visible so the soup is thick and still has a bit of texture).
6. Top with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche.
7. Serve.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

8 Comments

Filed under Beans/Legumes, Crock Pot, Gluten Free, Guest Blog, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as beans, black beans, Catherine McCord, cilantro, crock pot, garlic, onion, soup, vegan, vegetarian, Weelicious