Curried Heirloom Carrot Soup

Still winter... though you wouldn't know it based on the SoCal weather!

Even so, I've been in winter comfort food mode. One of my favorite things to make this time of year is root vegetable dishes. I always keep carrots stored away. They're such handy ingredients in so many different dishes. Check out these beautiful organic heirloom carrots.

I whipped them up for lunch, turning them into a lovely little soup. This soup is vegan—instead of cream, I add a few peeled potatoes to give it a creaminess. Though I did serve it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (totally optional). Curry powder gives the soup an unexpected twist.

Did I mention this recipe is easy peasy?

And it's hearty enough to be the centerpiece to a meal. Keeps great in the fridge, and it's even better the next day, if I so say so myself. What else is there to say?

Curried Heirloom Carrot Soup
Serves 4 to 6 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock (plus more for desired thickness)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
about 1 tablespoon maple syrup (possibly more to taste depending on the sweetness of the carrots)
salt and freshly ground pepper
good olive oil for drizzling
creme fraiche or plain Greek yogurt for garnishing (optional)

Directions
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened (about five minutes). Add the garlic and curry powder and saute for another minute, or until fragrant. Add the carrots, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about twenty minutes.

2. Remove from heat and puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender and puree in batches. Season to taste with maple syrup (for extra sweetness), salt, and pepper. Note: more stock may be added to achieve desired consistency.

3. To serve ladle the soup into bowels and drizzle with good olive oil. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain Greek yogurt if desired. Enjoy!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend. I've had some excellent meals—Park's BBQ (my fave Korean BBQ joint), Hungry Cat (killer fresh seafood), and last night we dined at Night + Market (super spicy amazing Thai). It wouldn't be a holiday without excellent eating, right?

After I returned from Italy, I made this soup as part of my post-trip detox. I shared photos on FaceBook and received many recipe requests. 

So... here it is!

My Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup. It's a nice variation on traditional broccoli soup, which is usually loaded with cream and often topped with cheese. This healthier version gets its creaminess from potatoes (a very traditional Indian ingredient). The Indian spices and flavors like ginger make sure this soup packs a big bunch.

Did you know that many of the spices in curry are super good for you? In fact, I might have a turmeric addiction. I eat it every single day, adding it to scrambled eggs for breakfast and other dishes throughout the day. 

So without further ado... here you go!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

Serves 4 to 6 people

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 bunches of broccoli

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable stock
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

pinch of chili flakes (optional)

chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)

Directions1. Remove the tough lower stalks from the broccoli. Roughly chop the florets and stalks. 

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili flakes (optional), and curry powder. Stir to combine and cook for another two minutes.

3. Add the stock and potato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the potato and broccoli are tender. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. 

4. To serve, drizzle with good olive oil and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

Quick Curried Carrot Soup (Vegan)

I've been in a soup-making mode...

I love it for lunch. I love it for dinner. Leftover the next day?

Even better as the flavors soak together. I've been into vegan purees lately using my immersion blender. I swear there's nothing easier to have in your cooking repertoire than vegan purees. They're so tasty—so seemingly fancy—yet so simple that they impress at dinner parties.

Feeling a little under the weather?

Soups are healing for the throat and the winter-weary soul.

Another great tip?

Serve them with a quick cast iron skillet cornbread. I make mine gluten-free and with fresh blackberries (frozen would work great too). Soup and cornbread are a hearty, healthy complete meal.

I almost always have bags of baby carrots in my fridge. They're a great snack, especially with hummus. But they're also great roasted (check out my recipe for Honey Rosemary Baby Carrots) or pureed into a quick soup. Of course, you can use normal-sized carrots too. It's just a bit more prep work peeling and chopping them. The only other big ingredient is a bit of curry powder. The spicy, gingery flavor gives this soup and little bit of added flare. It also comes out of the pantry.

I make this soup all the time. It's basically one of my pantry staples. So I thought I'd finally photograph and write it up for you lovely readers.

You can also swap out carrots for butternut squash in this recipe for a different sort of soup. A great tip—Trader Joe's sells peeled and cubed butternut squash that takes the work out of the prep.

Serve with Gluten Free Blackberry Cornbread

Quick Curried Carrot Soup (Vegan)
Serves 4 to 6 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
1 pound baby carrots
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon curry powder (or more to taste)
1 bunch fresh thyme tied together with kitchen twine or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
good olive oil for drizzling

Directions
1. Place the carrots, garlic cloves, stock, and thyme into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

2. Remove from heat and fish out the bunch of thyme if using fresh thyme. Stir in the curry powder and maple syrup. Puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender and puree in batches. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: more stock or water may be added to achieve desired consistency.

3. To serve ladle the soup into bowels and drizzle with good olive oil. If desired garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup

Happy new year!

Can you believe it's 2013? Did you make your new year resolutions?

I've got about ten or so... you can read about them here on my author blog. One very exciting possibility—a cookbook based on my blog. I'll provide more details as it starts to come together.

After spending a week back East cooking with my mother, I was inspired to whip up a feast for New Year's Eve. I started the meal with this Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup. The squash is roasted in the oven and then pureed into a velvety rich soup, spiked with curry powder and coconut milk. I garnish it with lump crab meat, cilantro, and toasted pepitos—this adds both texture and flavor.

The resulting soup is spicy, decadent, and creamy (but without dairy). To make it vegan, simply leave out the crab. This is perfect dish for these cold January days.

Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup

Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about one hour
Gluten-free; dairy-free; easy to veganize

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 tablespoon maple syrup
salt and freshly ground pepper

for garnishing:
fresh cilantro, chopped
toasted pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
lump crab meat (about 1/4 cup per serving)
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place the squash in a roasting pan. Rub the inside of the squash with the olive oil, thyme, and chili flakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the squash face down and poke holes in the skin with a knife. Roast the squash in the oven for about 50 minutes or until tender.

3. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skin and place it in a blender. Add the curry powder, garlic cloves, maple syrup, and vegetable stock and puree until smooth, adding more stock as needed for desired consistence.

4. Pour the newly pureed soup into a pot on the stovetop. Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the crab, cilantro  and pepitos. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.  Enjoy!

Cherry Almond Roasted Cauliflower

Rainy Los Angeles endures...

...but I kind of enjoy it. This is our version of winter, I suppose, and I shouldn't complain. Only the Adorable Monster's fluff does not do so well in the rain. No dog park runs for him lately. He's currently snoozing on the sofa, the first of many naps he'll take today.

My day consists of revising. I'm hard at work wrapping up my new novel for my agent. Doing my final polish pass. I'd love to finish it before the holiday, so I'm hunkered down working a ton.

But I am still cooking—a girl has to eat, right?

Here's a delicious recipe for cauliflower, quietly one of the most versatile vegetables. In this case, I roast it in the oven, then toss it with curry powder, lemon juice, dried cherries, and slivered almonds. The resulting dish is spicy, a little sour, sweet, rich, and crunchy—all at the same time.

How can you say no to that?

While it works great as a side dish, it's substantial enough to be stand alone too.

Cherry Almond Roasted Cauliflower

Serves about two people
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, cut into smaller florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup roasted slivered almonds
chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.

3. Remove from the the oven and toss right away with the curry powder and lemon juice. Check seasoning for salt and pepper, adding more if needed. To serve, toss the cauliflower with the almonds and cherries and garnish with the cilantro. Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken & Cauliflower

Happy Monday & Happy November!

This is a big week with so much in flux. The East Coast still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. A huge election tomorrow. The holiday season approaching.

When the weather turns colder and everything gets hectic (though it seems to be ninety degrees in LA), I turn to my slow-cooker to provide healthy, homemade comfort food. I love throwing my ingredients in there first thing in the morning and smelling them cooking all day long. I also love feeling like somebody else cooked me dinner, even though I did the work.

This is an easy, healthy slow-cooker dish I threw together last week. The main ingredients are chicken thighs and cauliflower, but I also threw in curry spices, green peas, and red bell pepper. I served the dish over brown rice for a warm, tender meal.

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken & Cauliflower

Serves 6-8 people
Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 4-6 hours on high (6-8 hours on low)
Dairy-free; gluten-free

Ingredients

1 pound organic chicken thighs
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons curry powder (any curry blend will work)
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)
brown rice for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Whisk the tomato paste and curry powder into the chicken broth. Place all of the ingredients into the slow-cooker, stirring to combine.

2. Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, ladle the Chicken & Cauliflower Curried Stew over brown rice and garnish with a little chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Curried Coconut Lentil Soup

It's soup weather.

Translation: it's cold and rainy and December, so all you want to eat is something warm and comforting!

This is the kind of weather that makes it tough to get out of bed (especially if you attended KROQ's Almost Acoustic Xmas last night). And unfortunately, it's raining on my farmers market parade. I will probably hit Whole Foods later in the day instead.

The Adorable Monster has the right idea—he's snoozing on the sofa, curled up into a tight bundle of fluffiness.

So I thought I'd write up this recipe that I made the other week for today. It's a Curried Coconut Lentil Soup. Even though this soup is vegan, the curry seasonings, fresh ginger, and coconut milk imbue it with a rich, creamy flavor. I also added quinoa (extra protein and fiber) to the mix.

This soup is sure to spice up any dreary winter day.

Curried Coconut Lentil Soup
Serves 6-8 people
Cooking time: about 50 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup red split lentils
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• about 7 cups of filtered water
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can (14 oz.) light coconut milk
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh chopped cilantro for garnishing
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and stir to combine. Cook for one or two more minutes.
2. Rinse the lentils and split peas until the water is no longer murky. Add the lentils, split peas, quinoa, and bay leaf to the pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or so, allowing the soup to thicken to desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, then more water can be added (though I like this soup nice and thick).
4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Curried Sea Bass with Coconut Milk

Curried Sea Bass with Coconut Milk

Today is one of those days where I'm tackling a huge To Do List. You know the kind... too many entries... certain tasks that get procrastinated and carried over to the next list day after day... like purchasing our Thanksgiving plane tickets, or getting new window treatments for the bedroom.

If truth be told, I'm a To Do List junkie. There I said it!

But they do help me stay organized. It's a way to get all those annoying voices telling me to do things out of my head and down on to a piece of paper, so I focus on my actual life and living in the moment. So they are a blessing, too.

Wow, venting really makes me feel better! Oh, how do I love blogging?

So onto today's recipe for Curried Sea Bass with Coconut Milk. I've made this dish twice in two weeks, which should tell you how much I adore it.

It's a light curry made with coconut oil and coconut milk, fresh ginger, cherry tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro. The local sea bass is very gently poached in the curry, rendering it succulent and flavorful. The flavors taste bright and remarkably fresh. Plus, it's a one pot meal that's a cinch to prepare.

I love serving the curry over a brown basmati rice, but any type of whole grain would be great. As for the fish, I used sea bass in this incarnation, but I've also made it with sole. Almost any white fish would work beautifully.

It's also great -- if not better -- as leftovers the next day.

I'm sure I'll be making this again soon...

Curried Sea Bass with Coconut Milk
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Dairy-free; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound sea bass or other white fish, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers. Saute until beginning to soften.
2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. Saute until the tomatoes begin to break down. 
3. Then, stir in the curry powder and cook for another two minutes, or until fragrant.
4. Add the coconut milk and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Add the fish and cilantro. Simmer the fish in the broth for a few minutes, until it's cooked through and flakes apart.
6. To serve, ladle the curry over brown basmati rice. Garnish with a little chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• local sea bass, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, baby spring onions, garlic, ginger, and cilantro from the West Hollywood Farmers Market
• hot curry powder from All Spice
• coconut oil from Kelapo
• coconut milk and organic vegetable stock from Trader Joe's

Meatless Monday: Slow-Cooker Cauliflower And Potatoes With Indian Spices (Aloo Gobi)

Here we go for Meatless Monday!

Not only am I always looking for fast, healthy meals, but I'm also a fiend for Indian food.  I simply can't get enough of the tumeric, cumin, corriander, ginger and garlic.  Oh, the flavor!  It's like a party on my tongue.  And oh, the health benefits!  I could write a thesis on just about every one of these glorious spices.  Ginger is great for digestion, reduces inflammation, may help lower cholesterol and even fight cancer.  Tumeric is considered to be a powerful anti-inflammatory that may protect against arthritis, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.  So put that in your pipe and smoke it!  Err... I mean, eat it!

This recipe is my take on Aloo Gobi, a traditional dish made with cauliflower, potatoes and Indian spices. I also added green peas to the mix. To make this a complete meal, I tossed in garbanzo beans (high in protein) and served the whole kit and caboodle over a long grain brown rice (whole grains people!).

Oh yeah, and this dish is a snap to make!  Just throw all the ingredients into your slow-cooker (click here to view) and let it go.  That's it.  No cooking actually involved - just chopping.  How's that for a fool proof meal?

As I settled into my first bite, I was in heaven - Indian food heaven!  Now this is my idea of comfort food.  Forget the burgers and pizza and fries, this was warm and soothing, flavorful and filling, so good in fact, that I was scraping my bowl and quickly downing seconds.  I even caught Kuzak, a self-proclaimed dissenter when it comes to all things Indian food, sneaking into the kitchen for more!  This recipe is so tasty - and so easy - I promise, you'll want seconds, too.

Slow-Cooker Cauliflower and Potatoes with Indian Spices (Aloo Gobi)
Serves 6-8 people
Cooking time: 4-6 hours in a slow-cooker

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups potatoes, chopped
1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
salt and pepper

optional
2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions
Place all of the ingredients except the salt, pepper and rice into the slower cooker.  Stir to combine.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate, scoop some brown rice in the bottom of a bowl or plate.  Top with a generous portion of the Aloo Gobi.  Sprinkle with the cilantro.  Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
organic cauliflower, organic purple potatoes, ginger and organic onion from The Hollywood Farmers Market

organic elephant garlic, organic canned garbanzo beans, curry powder, tomato paste, organic vegetable broth and organic long grain brown rice from Whole Foods

Music on Tap

Muse - The Resistance

Not only does Muse have a reputation of being one of the best live bands around (and they better be considering they've been touring for the better part of the last seven years), but on this album they finally show their full potential!  Part pro-rock, part-Radiohead, part-Depeche Mode, part-electronica, part-Queen, this album defies categorization.  However, it will rock your socks off!  If you ask me, it's worth buying for hit single "Uprising" alone. 'Nough said.

Click here to check out this album!

Meatless Monday: Curried Acorn Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Ginger-Braised Leeks

Happy Monday, Divas!

After all the weekend's Xmas festivities, plus the surprise baby shower my book group threw for one of our members, I was so exhausted, I fell asleep at nine o'clock last night and slept like a baby all night long.  The good news?  I'm well-rested, refreshed and ready to blog another Meatless Monday recipe for your viewing pleasure.

Today we're going back to soup-land, one of my favorite places to reside, whether it be lunch, dinner or any meal in between.  Also, since the winter squash is still rolling in hot and heavy at the farmers market, this recipe is a great twist on the classic roasted squash soup.  I added toasted curry powder and coconut milk, which is a great way to make this vegan soup a little bit "creamier" without using the cream.  Then, for an added element of flavor and texture, I topped it with some delicious ginger-braised leeks.

Wow!  This soup fires on all flavor cylinders!  It's spicy, sweet, creamy, rich, everything you would want.  This would be a great holiday soup to start any meal that awakens your palate without overpowering it.  For a neat trick, serve a small portion of soup in shot glasses as an amuse bouche to begin your meal.

Curried Acorn Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Ginger-Braised Leeks
Serves 4 people

1 acorn squash, halved and seeded (any winter squash would work)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tbsp curry powder, lightly toasted
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 tbsp maple syrup
salt & pepper

ginger-braised leeks:
2 leeks, tender white parts chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup low sodium vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the acorn squash in a roasting pan.  Rub the inside of the squash with the olive oil, thyme and chili flakes.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Turn the squash face down and poke holes in the skin with a knife.  Place the squash in the oven and roast for about 50 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, to make the ginger-braised leeks, saute the ginger in the 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat for two minutes.  Add the leeks and saute for one more minute.  Then, add the stock and bring to a simmer.  Cover, turn the heat to low, and continue to cook the leeks for about twenty minutes, or until all of the stock has been absorbed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skin and place it in a blender.  Add the toasted curry powder, garlic clove and the vegetable stock and puree until smooth, adding more stock as needed for desired consistence.

Pour the newly pureed soup into a pot on the stovetop.  Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls.  Top with some of the leeks.  Drizzle with good olive oil and top with a little fresh cracked black pepper.  Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients:

organic acorn squash, organic leeks, ginger, organic garlic, organic thyme and Mission olive oil (used for drizzling) from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic maple syrup, organic low sodium vegetable stock, organic maple syrup and chili flakes from Trader Joe's

organic olive oil (used for cooking) from Whole Foods

Music on Tap:

Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic Volumes 1 & 2

Alright, I'm gonna wager that while most of my dear readers are familiar with Jackson Browne, or at least, you've heard "Running on Empty" pumping out of your radio a handful of times, but you probably don't own these two incredible albums, now available as one collection.  Over the last many years, acclaimed singer-songwriter Jackson Browne has developed a huge cult following for his solo acoustic shows, beautifully captured on these two live albums, the first of which received a Grammy nomination (not that it means anything).

The songs on these albums range from the familiar ("The Pretender") to the obscure to the familiar that you may not know he helped write (The Eagles "Take It Easy"), but they all have one thing in common - Browne's skills as a master songwriter.  So check out this album!

Bonus Tip!  For you LA-area residents, I have a special insider tip for you!  On this Wednesday (December 16th), Jackson Browne will be appearing at Largo as a special guest at the Watkins Family Xmas Show, featuring siblings Sean and Sara Watkins (Nicklecreek) and their fantastic bluegrass band of players.  Other special guests include Grant Lee Phillips and Tom Brosseau! I've already requested my tickets, so viist the Largo website for more information. 

CLICK HERE FOR LARGO'S WEBSITE! 

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT JACKSON BROWNE'S ALBUM, SOLO ACOUSTIC VOLUMES 1 & 2!

Meatless Monday Publishes My Recipe for Slow-Cooked Curried Lentils with Mint Rice!

On this rainy Los Angeles morning, during which we of course briefly lost power, I'm thrilled to announce that Meatless Monday has posted my recipe for slow-cooked Curried Lentils with Mint Rice!

Not only is this dish a snap to make - just throw it in the slow-cooker for all you divas asking for more slow-cooker recpes - but it's also exceptionally healthy!  Low in fat, high in fiber and protein, oh yeah, and did I mention it's delicious?  It has great aromatic flavors with the curry, ginger and mint, and the lentils, carrots and potatoes give it a great, hearty winter feeling.

So give this meatless recipe a try!  I promise you'll love it!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MY RECIPE FOR CURRIED LENTILS WITH MINT RICE ON MEATLESS MONDAY!

Simple Suppers: Curried Shrimp with Brown Rice

Hey Divas, today I'm bringing you another installment in my "Simple Suppers" series!  These are meals that can be cooked up quickly after a long day at work. They require minimal cooking time and typically can be made using one pot.   They're also healthy, featuring my signature combination of protein, fresh vegetables and whole grains.  To view all of my Simple Suppers, CLICK HERE!

Today's recipe is a delicious Curried Shrimp dish that can be made in one pot!  I got the inspiration for this dish at the Studio City Farmers Market on Sunday, where I found a great fish vendor with fresh shrimp for sale.  I also scooped up the organic bell pepper, organic cilantro and organic yellow cherry tomatoes used in this recipe!  I combined these ingredients with some other great flavors, and served the resulting dish over an organic long grain brown rice.  It was so delicious, that I plan to keep this recipe in my regular rotation!

Note: As I've mentioned in previous postings, shrimp is both a healthy source of protein and cooks up quickly!  My Diva Secret of the day is that I always keep a bag of frozen raw shrimp in my freezer to use in a pinch.  It defrosts quickly and tastes delicious.  

Curried Shrimp with Brown Rice

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup tomatoes, chopped (I used yellow cherry tomatoes)
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth or filtered water
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

rice:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups filtered water
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

To make the rice, place the rice, water and olive oil in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.  Allow to rest for about 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the onion and saute until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Next, add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and saute for another minute.  Add the bell pepper and tomato and continue cooking until softened, about 5 more minutes.  Add the vegetable stock and simmer for a few minutes until reduced by half.

Add the shrimp and stir to combine.  Cook the shrimp for about five minutes in the sauce, or until cooked through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate, place some of the rice on a plate and then top with the curried shrimp.  Garnish with cilantro and fresh pepper.  Enjoy!

Businesses Mentioned:

Studio City Farmers Market
Ventura Place
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 655-7744

Taking place on Sundays from 8am-1pm, this is a great market featuring a variety of vendors, including a few excellent organic ones, and lots of fun stuff for kids, such as a petting zoo and pony rides when I visited last week!  I especially loved the specialty olive oil vendor and scooped up two bottles of locally made California olive oil!  Stop by to taste test their olive oils and balsamic vinegars.  A great alternative to the larger Hollywood Farmers Market if you're looking for a smaller, easier to manage market.  

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE!

Source for Ingredients:

black shrimp, organic bell pepper, organic onion, organic cilantro & organic yellow cherry tomatoes from Studio City Farmers Market

organic garlic and ginger from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic long grain brown rice from Whole Foods

organic low sodium vegetable broth from Trader Joe's

Slow-Cooker Curried Lentils with Mint Rice

I've just survived the horror of all horrors!

For the first time in as long as I can remember, hell maybe even since the dawn of the Adorable Monster, it's actually raining in Los Angeles.  Now given Los Angelenos general disdain for all moisture that hurls from the sky, you might think that's the horror I endured, but you'd be wrong.  I actually enjoy the rain - it's refreshing, cleansing, it washes the smog out of the sky and the soot off the streets.

It was what happened after it rained.  My house lost power.  For almost 10 hours.  That's how craptacular this city is!  It rains one measly day a year, and the freaking power goes out.  I mean, it's not like it was even windy or anything.

No Power = No Internet!

This was the horror of all horrors, but I've survived to blog another day!  I escaped the house with the A-Girl and we grabbed dinner and a movie while Kuzak slaved late into the night, preparing for his trial next week.  The poor Monster sat alone in the dark house, but besides giving me an extra hyperactive greeting complete with excitement pee when I returned home, he seems otherwise unaffected by the outage.

Enough about me, and onto FOOD!  Today I'm bringing you another "Meatless Monday" recipe.  Now I'm perfectly aware that it is not Monday, but the idea behind the Meatless Monday campaign, a nonprofit initiative associated with the Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, is to persuade people to consider eating vegetarian once a week.  I'm a big supporter of this cause!  Just reducing meat consumption by one day a week can have enormous impact on both your health and the health of the planet.  Plus, I figure if I post this recipe today, you'll have time to figure out how to make it by Monday!

In addition to supporting the idea of one meatless meal a week, I am also a big advocate of convincing people to serve much smaller portions of meat than is normal in the U.S., the land of the supersized!  My suggestions are also in line with what the FDA recommends.  I suggest portions of meat be 4 ounces (or less) per person.  All of my recipes are served in this proportion.  Not only is this the healthier choice, it will also save you real cashola in your grocery bills.  I regularly buy fillets of fish and break them down at home into smaller servings.

So in support of this cause, I'm bringing you my recipe for Curried Lentils with Mint Rice!  I love beans, and when paired with a whole grain rice, they serve as a complete protein.  The great thing about lentils is that they require no soaking (so no advance preparation needed).  I always keep a bag of organic lentils stashed in my cupboard at all times.

I cooked my lentils in my favorite slow-cooker, but they would be great cooked stove top as well.  I paired the lentils with a simple long grain brown rice tossed with chopped mint.  The mint offers a fantastic counterbalance to the spicy curry and adds a great component to this dish.

So next Monday, try going without meat!  Making this recipe would be a great start!

Slow-Cooker Curried Lentils with Mint Rice
Serves 4-6 

2 cups lentils
8-10 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups baby carrots or 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks
6 small potatoes, quartered
salt & pepper

mint rice:
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mint, chopped, plus extra for garnishing

Directions:

Place all ingredients except the salt & pepper into the slow-cooker.  Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, until the lentils are cooked and the carrots and potatoes are tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the rice, place two cups of filtered water, the rice and the olive oil in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low and cover.  Cook for about 35-40 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat, allow to cool for 10 minutes and toss with the mint.

To plate, spoon some of the mint rice onto a plate and top with the lentils.  Garnish with chopped mint.  Enjoy!

Businesses Mentioned:

Meatless Monday

A nonprofit initiative associated with the Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, their goal is to persuade people to go without meat one day a week!  Their fabulous website is packed with health news and meatless recipes to inspire your cooking!  CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE!

Source for Ingredients:

organic lentils, organic potatoes, organic mint, organic long-grain brown rice & organic carrots from Whole Foods

Simple Suppers: Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry

I'm a huge fan of slow-cooking!  It's a healthy way to cook, needing almost no fat, and it's great for all busy divas.  You throw your dinner together in the morning, and when you come home, presto chango, dinner is ready!  Yesterday, I purchased a brand new crock pot from Target, and I couldn't be more excited to test it out.  The new one is larger, so I can cook whole chickens, and it has a fancy timer!

In celebration of my new purchase, here's one of my favorite slow-cooker recipes for Chicken Curry, one of my favorite dishes in the whole world!  I make this dish at least once or twice a month on average, and maybe even once a week sometimes. Not only do I love chicken curry for its complete deliciousness, I also love it for its health benefits!  First and foremost, curry contains spices like tumeric that have major anti-inflammatory benefits.  You really can't get enough of that stuff in your diet!  Second, this dish has a nice mixture of protein (chicken), vegetables (onions, carrots, peppers, garlic) and carbs (potatoes & rice).  For an extra healthy version, serve the curry over a brown basmati or other long grain rice instead of the traditional white rice.

This is also a great dish to serve for company!  I even made it for my Dad's 60th birthday party this summer.  Allow your guests to serve themselves family style and provide a bunch of fun garnishes for them to choose from, such as chopped peanuts, cilantro, bean sprouts and lime wedges.

Note: For vegetarians & vegans, tofu may be substituted for the chicken and vegetable broth for the chicken broth, making this a perfect meatless recipe!

Domestic Diva's Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry

1 lb organic chicken thighs, excess fat removed
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
6 small yukon gold potatoes, halved
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick pieces
1 tbsp curry powder
3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 can light coconut milk
salt & pepper

rice:
1 cup basmati rice or other long grain rice
2 cups water
1 tsp olive oil

garnishes (optional):
cilantro, chopped
lime wedges
peanuts, toasted & chopped
bean sprouts

Directions:

Place all the ingredients except the coconut milk, salt and pepper into the slow-cooker, stirring to combine.  Make sure that the chicken broth covers all the ingredients.  Cook on high for about 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.

Once the chicken is tender and cooked through, stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt & pepper.

To plate, put some rice in a bowl and ladle the curry on top.  Then, add preferred garnishes & enjoy!

Source for Ingredients:

organic chicken from Trader Joe's

organic bell pepper and organic carrots from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic onion, organic garlic, organic ginger & organic curry power from Whole Foods

Music on Tap:

Steve Martin - The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo

Doesn't it seem like some people have all the talent?  In addition to his comedy and prolific writing, Steve Martin also happens to be an accomplished songwriter and banjo musician!  His new bluegrass album is fantastic, full of warmth, charm and great wit, all characteristics associated with Steve Martin himself.  Tonight, Kuzak and I fortunate enough to be catching his life performancewith the Steep Canyon Rangers at a small venue called Largo, one of our favorite places to see live music in Los Angeles!  It promises to be a real treat!

CLICK HERE FOR AMAZON LINK TO THIS ALBUM!

My other upcoming live shows include Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) at The Orpheum on Sunday night.  He's performing with Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nigel Godrich (Beck, Radiohead) and Joey Waronker (REM, Beck).  Wow!  And, finally, Pearl Jam at the Gibson Ampitheater, my birthday present to Kuzak.  We'll be sitting in our Ten Club fan seats, of course!

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Hey Divas! I'm back from a whirlwind weekend at the Greenbrier, a beautiful hotel right over the border in West Virginia that dates back to 1778. The brief reprieve from was much needed, but I'm happy to report that I'm back at the stove and ready to bring you tons more great recipes this week. First up, I'm blogging one of the best soups I've made in recent memory - Curried Cauliflower Soup. This recipe is vegetarian, so as promised, I'm continuing to bring you great meatless recipes at least once a week!

This soup is a cinch to throw together after a long day at work and it's filling enough to eat for dinner. Oh, and did I mention that it boasts awesome health benefits? Curry, a mix of different herbs and spices, has been shown to be one of the most powerful anti-inflammatories you can consume. This is primarily due to the presence or tumeric, the spice that lends curry it's bright yellow color, which is both a potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Tumeric has also been used in lab studies to treat cancerous tumors. In other words, the more curry you eat, the better, and this soup is a great way to get more tumeric into your diet!


Curried Cauliflower Soup

1 head organic cauliflower, chopped
2 small red potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
salt and freshly ground pepper

optional: garlic chives or parsley for garnishing

Directions:

Warm the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until cooked, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, toast the curry powder over medium low heat for a few minutes until it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to burn. Add the toasted curry powder to the pan and mix with the onion and celery. Cook for another two minutes.

Add the cauliflower, potatoes and stock and bring to a bowl. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked through.

Puree the soup until smooth and then return to the stove top. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with chopped garlic chives or parsley. Enjoy!

TGIF Part 2: Curry-Dusted Tilapia with Caramelized Onions & Sweet Pea Puree

For Part 2 of my TGIF supper, I settled on this lovely, healthy, light main course. Tilapia is a wonderful fish for many reasons! First, it's got light, firm flesh that cooks up beautifully. Second, while it's usually farm raised, it's a vegetarian fish so the environmental and health impacts are minimal. Third, it's got all the healthy stuff fish has including omega 3's. Lastly, and maybe best of all, it's exceedingly easy on the pocket book. My two filets from Whole Foods cost me less than $4. Also, this is one of the few proteins I'll buy at Trader Joe's.

For my dish, I decided to use curry powder to flavor my fish! I always keep curry powder in my cabinet. It's one of the most versatile spice blends on the planet. I combined the fish a sweet pea puree, easy to whip up, supremely healthy, and organic frozen sweet peas are a freezer staple in my house. Also, did I mention that the color on this dish is fab? The final ingredient is caramelized onions. These three flavor profiles work together beautifully, each exhibiting a subtle sweetness and creating layers of taste. So for a quick, light, healthy, inexpensive dinner, try this recipe! I promise you'll think it's divalicious!

Domestic Diva's Curry Dusted Tilapia with Caramelized Onions & Sweet Pea Puree

Fish Ingredients:

2 tilapia filets (Red Snapper also works, or try scallops for a decadent twist!)
1 tsp curry power
2 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Pea Puree Ingredients:

1 cup organic frozen sweet peas
1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Caramelized Onion Ingredients:
2 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 medium onion sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper

Directions:

To make the pea puree, lace the frozen peas, chicken stock and garlic on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer for ten minutes or under the peas and cooked.


Once the peas are cooked, puree the peas, stock and garlic along with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may adjust the thickness by adding more stock as needed.

Meanwhile, to make the carmelized onions, heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally,


Once they're caramelized (about 10-12 minutes), remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste.


Then, to prepare the tilapia, remove the filets from the fridge, rinse them and pat dry. Dust the fish with the curry powder and then add salt and pepper. Allow it to come to room temperature.


In a large saute pan, heat the oil over high heat for a few minutes. Once it's hot, add the fish. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes before flipping it. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Remove from heat and serve.


To plate, spread some of the pea puree in the bottom of the dish. Top with the onions.


Finally, add the fish on top. Squeeze lemon juice on top of the fish and serve.


Wine Paring Notes: Rivers-Marie 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

With dinner, we paired this robust wine from our cellar, and even though it's not a traditional pairing, we figured what the hell! Rivers-Marie (click here) is without a doubt one of my favorite Sonoma Coast wine producers. They're a tiny operation, so small that most big critics don't even review their wines. They're known for their pinot noirs which are wonderful wines, but a big surprise is that their cabernet is fabulous too! Sourced from a small vineyard near the top of Howell Mountain, I specifically love the 2003, it's a soft, full wine with lovely character.

Kuzak's on their mailing list, and you can join it also by going to their website (link posted above). You'll get offerings with a chance to buy their wines on release. This is the best way to get into great, California wines. The quality is top notch because they're coming straight from the winemakers, and you'll also get the best pricing on release. In fact, many times, especially for harder to find wines and small productions, you could sell your bottles for more on the secondary market than you pay on release (not that we would do that!). This is how we get most of our California wines.