Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Chipotle burrito

This is the easiest meal and so good. It's not exactly Chipotle but still fun.

1 onion
1-2 bell peppers, your choice of color
mushrooms
bake yourself tortillas from costco (in the fridge section)
1 can black beans
cilantro lime rice
Whatever toppings you like, pico, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole

RICE, for one cup
use broth instead of water, or bullion
add half a bunch of cilantro
juice of 1-2 lemons or five drops of lime essential oil
clove of garlic
cook regularly

Sautee the onions with bell pepper and mushroom in a little garlic. Leave the pepers crunchy. I sautee the mushrooms and peppers separately. Heat the black beans. Cook the tortillas. Pile on your favorites and done. Tiny little mexican masterpiece.

Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is more art than science. I experiment with what I have on hand and it turns on a bit different each time. But always yummy.

1 Large butternut squash
1 onion
2-3 cups of mixture of whatever veggies you have on hand. I recommend celery, carrots, bell pepper, peas, green beans.
2 garlic cloves
1 cup milk or cream
4 cups water or chicken broth
3 T nutritional yeast
seasonings, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg
salt and pepper

Bake the squash. I put mine whole in the oven on 350 and leave it in for 45min-1.5 hours, depending on how big it is. Cut it open, remove seeds and skin
Add squash to large pot with all the ingredients except the seasonings. (you can sautee the onion first if you want.)
Using a hand blender to make the soup creamy. If you don't have one, you'll have to transfer the soup to the blender.
After everything is blended, add some seasoning. I generally use about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a few shakes of nutmeg and clove. If it's not enough, add some more. Remember that it's easier to put spice in than take it away.

Serve with sourdough toast or your favorite bread.


Thai Yellow Curry

This is my cheap and easy meal that I pull out for emergencies. You have to get curry paste, fish sauce, and coconut milk from the Asian market, but it's so worth it.

2 T oil
2-3 T yellow curry paste
1 can coconut milk
2 T sugar
3 T fish sauce
2-3 medium sized potatoes, cut up in chunks
1-2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, cut into large rings

On medium heat, add oil and paste into pot. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add coconut milk plus 1/3 can water.
Add potatoes and carrots, simmer for 15 min
Add onion, fish sauce, sugar. Simmer for 20 min.
Serve over rice, I like jasmine or basmati.