Sweet & Spicy Chinese Green Beans

I had this incredible dish for the first time recently and within days I had picked up the ingredients to remake it. Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables, so it was nice to find a new and delicious way to prepare them.

This is great as a main course (esp for lunch!), perhaps with rice, or as a side dish with other Asian entrees. Super cheap, fast and easy to make.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Thai chili garlic paste

2 green onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (for garnish, if desired)

Directions:Heat a nonstick skillet or wok on medium high; add oil. Add the green beans and stir fry them for about 6 minutes, or until they start to brown a bit. Toss in garlic, green onions, and chili-garlic paste. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and about 1/4 cup water. Cook for a few more minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off and the green beans are still crisp, but a bit softened and shriveled. Do not overcook, or the green beans will be mushy. Remove from heat and serve while warm, sprinkled with red pepper flakes if desired. 

Curried Cauliflower and Potato Soup

The depth of flavor in this soup is amazing, considering how few ingredients are in it, and that it's completely vegan - there is no cheese, no butter, no cream, none of the things that I associate with a really creamy and delicious soup. I almost added some cream at the end, just out of habit, but decided to follow the recipe I had, and it turned out perfectly without it!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, ends removed, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large baking potato, cubed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Garnish:  Fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, garlic, and carrots until soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add the cauliflower and potato, vegetable broth, and seasonings.  Simmer until cauliflower and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste.

I served this chunky, but for a creamier soup, you could puree the mixture with a food processor or immersion blender.

Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve, maybe with some crusty bread on the side.  Enjoy!

Note:  You could also make this soup with a brightly colored seasonal cauliflower - a green or yellow cauliflower would pair great with the yellow shade the turmeric adds to the broth.

Spicy Stewed Mexican Potatoes (Papas Guisadas)

This is a super easy dish to make that is hearty, but still healthy.  I like to make a big batch of this, serve it as a side dish, and then eat the leftovers for lunch for a couple of days.

Yield:  5-8 medium servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 pounds russet or red potatoes, cubed

3 serrano peppers, diced (remove seeds for a less spicy dish)

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 large tomatoes, diced

1 whole bunch cilantro, stems removed

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh oregano

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Cook in boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside.

In a blender, add the fresh and crushed tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, chiles and garlic. Blend until smooth.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over high heat until slightly soft. Add the potato cubes and continue frying. Once the potatoes are cooked through and have started to brown, pour the sauce over the potatoes, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 more minutes.

Potatoes should be soft and tinged with the color of the tomato before this dish is ready.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro, then serve. This dish is great as a meal, a side dish, or in tortillas as vegetarian tacos.  Enjoy!