Monday, March 5, 2012
I feel chunky monkey!!
Let me start by saying I am not fishing for compliments because honestly that is one of my pet peeves. I hate when skinny people always talk about how much weight they have put on, how people with pretty feet talk about how ugly they are without seeing mine or how people with amazing hair talk about bad hair days (yes, Erin that one is for you). If anyone wants to respond please respond with honesty cause I can take it. I am just having one of those days where I feel fat...even after working out, counting calories and drinking 19 glasses of water...I feel like a chunky monkey. Ok maybe it did have something to do with the cinnamon chip scones this weekend but I did at least run 6 miles to try and counter act them. But seriously I know we all have those days where you just feel blah and don't they just suck.
So what do I do I cook....ahh yeah it may sound counter productive to some of you but I always feel healthier and more in control of my food intake when I cook so that is what I did. And get this I did not drink wine while I cooked....yes that bottle of open wine stared at me with a sad face while I made Thai Dumpling Soup...but I decided flavored water was way healthier.
Speaking of wine I was at a friends house and they offered me pink wine, said that is all they have. Hmmm you may be thinking is this really a friend of Danah's? I know right. I always associate pink wine with being 15 and learning how to drink wine, cheap Beringer white zinfandel, syrupy sweet and being dumb and giggly but thinking you are so classy because you have a wine glass in your hand. Just saying. I know I am being judgmental and there is actually some decent pink wine out there now...but this is one area that I am going to remain a wine snob for now. So here is your challenge find me a pink wine that I can endorse....ready, set, go.....suggestions?
So this recipe can be made with meat or can be made with all veggies and since I hadn't done a vegetarian recipe in awhile that is exactly what I decided to do. Let me start by saying it was the ingredient list that made me fall in love with this recipe. I love coconut milk and the broth is a chicken broth (but vegetable broth can be substituted) and coconut milk mixture. I love curry powder...when there isn't too much of it....especially when its mixed with coconut milk. I also love mushrooms and this recipe calls for shitakes. I do have to say that I couldn't find fresh ones so I had to use the dried ones and reconstitute them and they are a little chewy but they are definitely edible. And seriously I love pot stickers so this soup was an all round win win in my mind.
Start the recipe by sauteing the celery, mushrooms and curry powder until the curry powder is toasted. I love the smell of curry powder being toasted...nutty, spicy and pungent! Then add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce and water and bring to a simmer. I know that some people are grossed out, creeped out or turned off by the idea of fish sauce but really it is just salty so seriously just try it and face that fear. I also learned an interesting thing about coconut milk, did you know it separates? So you should always stir it to combine the solids on the top and the liquid on the bottom. I also have to say that I know that the stores sell light coconut milk but I always stay true to my recipe with coconut milk so unless it calls for light I get full strength.
Add the green beans and bell peppers and simmer until crisp tender. Add the pot stickers and cook for about 4 minutes...please make sure they are not still frozen...and its a good excuse to put one in your mouth. Stir in the lime juice and add additional fish sauce or salt to your desired saltiness. Top with scallions and serve with additional lime.
This soup is really very refreshing and has a lot of great flavors. I think it will honestly be even better leftover when I take it for lunch tomorrow. Funny thing is when I was getting the cooking bug tonight I was debating on recipes and it was a toss up between this soup and Smores Cookies...hmm could 2 recipes be anymore different, right?
Well Happy Monday y'all and hope this week is filled with good wine, good friends and good food. Cheers!
So what do I do I cook....ahh yeah it may sound counter productive to some of you but I always feel healthier and more in control of my food intake when I cook so that is what I did. And get this I did not drink wine while I cooked....yes that bottle of open wine stared at me with a sad face while I made Thai Dumpling Soup...but I decided flavored water was way healthier.
Speaking of wine I was at a friends house and they offered me pink wine, said that is all they have. Hmmm you may be thinking is this really a friend of Danah's? I know right. I always associate pink wine with being 15 and learning how to drink wine, cheap Beringer white zinfandel, syrupy sweet and being dumb and giggly but thinking you are so classy because you have a wine glass in your hand. Just saying. I know I am being judgmental and there is actually some decent pink wine out there now...but this is one area that I am going to remain a wine snob for now. So here is your challenge find me a pink wine that I can endorse....ready, set, go.....suggestions?
So this recipe can be made with meat or can be made with all veggies and since I hadn't done a vegetarian recipe in awhile that is exactly what I decided to do. Let me start by saying it was the ingredient list that made me fall in love with this recipe. I love coconut milk and the broth is a chicken broth (but vegetable broth can be substituted) and coconut milk mixture. I love curry powder...when there isn't too much of it....especially when its mixed with coconut milk. I also love mushrooms and this recipe calls for shitakes. I do have to say that I couldn't find fresh ones so I had to use the dried ones and reconstitute them and they are a little chewy but they are definitely edible. And seriously I love pot stickers so this soup was an all round win win in my mind.
Start the recipe by sauteing the celery, mushrooms and curry powder until the curry powder is toasted. I love the smell of curry powder being toasted...nutty, spicy and pungent! Then add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce and water and bring to a simmer. I know that some people are grossed out, creeped out or turned off by the idea of fish sauce but really it is just salty so seriously just try it and face that fear. I also learned an interesting thing about coconut milk, did you know it separates? So you should always stir it to combine the solids on the top and the liquid on the bottom. I also have to say that I know that the stores sell light coconut milk but I always stay true to my recipe with coconut milk so unless it calls for light I get full strength.
Add the green beans and bell peppers and simmer until crisp tender. Add the pot stickers and cook for about 4 minutes...please make sure they are not still frozen...and its a good excuse to put one in your mouth. Stir in the lime juice and add additional fish sauce or salt to your desired saltiness. Top with scallions and serve with additional lime.
This soup is really very refreshing and has a lot of great flavors. I think it will honestly be even better leftover when I take it for lunch tomorrow. Funny thing is when I was getting the cooking bug tonight I was debating on recipes and it was a toss up between this soup and Smores Cookies...hmm could 2 recipes be anymore different, right?
Well Happy Monday y'all and hope this week is filled with good wine, good friends and good food. Cheers!
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