Great Eats: Cabbage/Sauerkraut Soup

Oh, sauerkraut. Why are you so delicious? Most of the time I don't even ask, as I stand there, eating you right from the jar/can. You're just so good!

And calorie-free, which is no small thing - as at one point eating lots of sauerkraut soup helped me shed 70 pounds. And even now, it's such a simple thing - a handful of staples, not even thirty minutes on the stove and BAM, I have a huge pot of delicious, pungent, colorful soup that all together cost less than $5 to make.

It really can't be beat, and the ease of preparation seals the deal. Heavenly with sour cream, but vegan without and if the idea of so much sauerkraut is off-putting, try draining it or if you're so adamant, rinsing the delicious, delicious pickled cabbage.

Great Eats: Tomato & Herb Risotto

Tomato & Herb Risotto

Mmm, risotto. This easy and endlessly adaptable dish has such a poor reputation. There is this image of toil and endless stirring, that is very far from the truth - this is a great grab-and-go dish that can be ready in less than 30 minutes, with hardly any prep-work or thought. It, of course, requires an iota of attention - like anything, but so long as you don't let it burn, you are guaranteed a hearty, flavorful side dish that's filling to be it's own meal.

Vegetarian and vegan too!

Inspired and adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Great Eats: Simple Cauliflower Curry

Oh, cauliflower. Such a humble vegetable. So unassuming and plain-looking, it is ever a staple in my home and yet whenever I get it, the poor thing just sits and sits and sits in my fridge, wilting, forgotten in the furthest corner. And only when all other colorful, tasty vegetables are consumed do I seem to "recall" and grudgingly pull it out and put it out of it's misery.

Which is a shame, because the humble cauliflower is capable of some great feats with a little help of the ever-miraculous coconut milk. Some Indian spices don't hurt either and when you put the three together, the results are always hearty, healthy and wholly pleasant.

As always, the spices make the ingredient list long - the rest is dead easy.

Great Eats: Molasses & Extra Ginger-y Spice Cookies

And so begins the winter baking season. From humble sugar cookies, to biscotti, to more complex affairs, more than presents, it's the baking and the giving of them that, to me, says "Christmas" most of all.

However, my cookies are unlike most - as you'll see, they are as loaded with spices as my curries. I am not interested in making simple, silly cookies - I want mine to be dark, complex - even spicy. For me, it's also important to be conscious of the calories I put into them, and so I'll cut the butter by as much as half. The results are unexpected, and always a crowd-pleaser. In fact, these were taken to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner recently and were quite a hit. 

See why:

Great Eats: Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk Curry

Combing butternut squash, curry powder and coconut milk is some sort of magical trifecta - a potent and accessible combination of hearty, warm spices that is near fool-proof. The curry and coconut milk elevate the humble squash into a soft sponge of flavor and the spices combine for a warming, pleasant dish that is ideal for the long, frigid winter evenings. Plus, making this dish is sure to fill your kitchen with a pleasant, drool-inducing scent that will have any guests dying for a taste. And as if all that isn't enough - this is one of those vegetarian dishes that would make a quick convert from the any meat-eater.
Read on and believe:

Great Eats: An Everyday Masoor Dal (Simple, Quick, Curried Red Lentil)

Even as I found much success in cooking Thai, and as fluent as I am becoming in all things curried and spicy, Indian food, as a whole, is still a daunting concept to me. Sure, I've dappled with it, but my experience and repertoire is limited to a handful of tasty, mushy curries that a authentic, but simplified for an American palette. 

All this didn't stop me from picking up a 5 pound bag of Masoor Dal at my local awesome Indian grocer. Sure, I hardly eat lentils and am still struggling to add them to my diet, but I just had to have them. So I hauled them home along with a 10 pound bag of Basmati rice, some naan, roti, canned sweetened mango deliciousness, yogurt and other goods (not having a car is great when I go wild in an import store), put them away and proceeded to do nothing with them for months. I've actually almost eaten through the bag of rice before I decided to finally do something about them and realized: I've no clue what to do!

Off to the Googles. 30 or so minutes later I had a plan. A delicious plan.

Great Eats: A Perfect Egg

With fresh thyme

When it comes to eggs, less is not only best, it's a requisite. And I've ruined many-an-omelette with a dash of this and a dash of that and suddenly, there was a pungent and tasteless mass of egg in front of me that obviously had missed the mark.

So keep it simple. Eggs are best with just a dash of pink or sea salt, with just a small sprig of something or a hint of spice. Pick one spice - sage, thyme, or dill - or any of a slew - using any more clutters that delicate eggy flavor of eggs.

With fresh sage

Using fresh spices also helps tremendously. If you're bored with whatever's in your pantry - source it fresh. The fresh spices a touch of luxury and also an immense improvement in flavor to any dish, but especially here.

But if you're looking to really switch it up, mix equal parts ketchup and sweet chili sauce and eat your eggs with it. And before you judge me, just try it! The sauce is tasty, sweet and a slightly spicy mixture and I'll take any chance to add it to my diet. Just be sure to use the ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup.

Great Eats: Rice Noodle Massaman Curry

What absolutely kills me when it comes to any kind of Ethnic market is seeing things on their shelves which are obviously a staple in the diets of millions of people, of entire ethnicities, countries and continents but that are nonetheless completely alien to me.

Like fresh rice noodles. A simple thing, for sure, but not anything I've ever bought or cooked; I don't think I've ever eaten them and in fact, it wasn't even apparent to me they could be had, "fresh."

How silly of me. After a few trips to the Thai market, I picked up a package, intending to make them that very day, but then - well, life happened, and a month later they were the last thing at the bottom of my refrigerator. In that month, however, curries have taken over as a thing I do all the time and when I found myself again craving that familiar warmth and aroma, and pressed for time and indridients, I threw caution to the wind and decided to experiment.

The results were delicious.

Great Eats: Massaman/Green Curry with Thai Basil & Bell Peppers

Of all the curries I've made, I am torn between the green and massaman curries, for being my absolute favorite. The green curries are great for their adaptability and the slightly sweet, light flavor that still carries enough heat to clear your sinuses. The massaman curries are hearty, flavorful and with the addition of lotus root, a thrilling addition to any palate.

So one day, I found myself with all the ingredients for a green curry, but no green curry paste and with a freshly opened jar of massaman curry paste. Not wanting to see my thai eggplant and thai basil wilt, I decided to toss caution to the wind and combine the two. Before, I tried doing the same with a red curry and it did not go over too well, so I was hesitant. But, with a few alterations to my "base" recipe, it came out beyond splendid!

Recipe follows break!

Great Eats: Lotus Root and Sweet Potato Massaman Curry

Recently, a friend and I met downtown Chicago after work for dinner. We ended up at Thai Urban Kitchen, a solid Thai/sushi eatery with an impressive bar and lunch menu. I ordered a fragrant dish with tofu, vegetables, lotus root and sweet potato that all swam in a fragrant, sweet-spicy dull red sauce that was unlike any of the many Thai curries I so dearly adore.

Obviously I was in heaven and from the first bite, and had to try making it myself. After searching around, I found this recipe.

The Massaman, or Muslim curry leans towards Indian cuisine and is a Thai take on a hearty stew. Often made with beef and potatoes, the dish calls for tamarind paste, along with the more usual lemongrass, galangal, chiles and other spices common in Thai cuisine.

Here is my mostly vegetarian take on this fantastic dish:


2 lotus root pods, peeled, diced thinly and again cut in half
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, quartered
1/2 package of firm tofu, drained and diced into small pieces
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
1/2 of green bell pepper
1/2 cup water ( I fill half of the can from the coconut milk to get more flavor)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small chunks
3 bay leaves (fresh are best)
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

3.5 tbs. Mae Ploy brand Massaman curry paste
* I prefer to use the Mae Ploy brand of curry paste and add additional spices later *
~3 tsp. palm sugar
1 tsp. tamarind paste, OR 1.5 Tbsp. lime juice OR 1 tsp fish sauce
(actually, adding all three sounds really tasty)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (mine wasn't hot enough)
1/4 tsp of turmeric, coriander and cardamom

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil, then add the paste. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance, but do not burn it - add water or some coconut milk to keep it moving.
Add coconut milk and stir. Bring to a boil. Add carrot, and lotus root. Also add the water and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover curry. Simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, until the lotus root begins to soften, stirring ocassionally. While it simmers, microwave the sweet potato for a few minutes, until softened and then add to curry. Add green pepper and tofu. Keep simmerin' away until the lotus root is soft to your taste.
Then, add the cumin seeds and any additional spices into the hot curry. Stir and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce/tamarind/lime/spices if not salty or flavorful enough.

And that's it! It's so very simple and so very delicious. A perfect dish for the early fall chilly weather. I left the lotus root a little crunchy in the middle, for a more hearty flavor - cook it to your taste, don't be afraid to experiment and share with your friends!

Serve with a side of basmati or jasmine rice.