Warm From Your Nose Down To Your Toes

I love it when we get to the time of the year when we can open up the windows and the house is full of fresh air.  During the warmer months, our windows are open 24/7, no matter how high or low the temperature gets.  The only down side to this is the nights when the temperature drops into the high forties and you find yourself freezing.  When I find myself cold no matter how many blankets I heap on, I know that it is time for soup.

This evening, as the temperatures dropped to 48°F, I found myself craving a little something to warm my insides so I turned to my collection of soup recipes.  Many of the recipes for soup in my collection requires hours of simmering to prepare them and that just was not something I was interested in tonight.  Tonight, I wanted something relatively quick but I did not want to cut corners on flavor.  I did not have enough vegetables on hand to do a vegetable soup and my Magic Chicken Noodle Soup simply takes too long to make.  Then I found a recipe I had not made in a long, long time:  Peanut Soup.  It is simple, quick and tasty and I just happened to have all of the ingredients I needed on hand.

Peanut Soup is one of those recipes that are so tasty and simple, you have to wonder why you don’t make it all of the time.  The flavors are bold without being over the top, it tastes creamy without containing any cream and you can dress it up and serve it on an elegant table or dress it down and serve it on a basic table.  No matter how you choose to serve it, there is no mistaking that Peanut Soup will keep you warm from your nose all of the way down to your toes!

Peanut Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable broth
• ½ small onion, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Peanuts

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil.
2. Add the diced onion and zucchini and allow to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, tomato paste, peanut butter and soy sauce and stir until well combined.
4. Allow to simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through, stirring occasionally,
5. Add cooked rice, stir to combine and allow to simmer for 3 – 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with peanuts and serve hot.

What kind of soup warms your insides on a cool evening?  Comment below and let me know!

Mmm...Mushrooms

I am not going to lie, I love mushrooms.  I love them raw, I love them cooked, I loved them fresh, I love them canned, I love mushrooms in a box, I love mushrooms with a fox.  I love mushrooms here and there, I love mushrooms everywhere! 

My love of mushrooms began as a child when my parents insisted on ordering mushrooms on pizza.  The passion just grew from there.  I began eating them on salads, as side dishes, as main dishes, raw, cooked…Well, you get the idea.  I love mushrooms and I am willing to eat them any way they are served.

The other day, I was in the mood for stir fry and when I went to my refrigerator to see what I could throw together, there, staring me in the face was two packages of organic mushrooms and a bunch of organic asparagus.  I knew immediately that the only answer to the question of what I was in the mood for was a Mushroom and Asparagus Stir Fry.  I could barely contain my excitement as I got out my rice cooker to get the rice going before I began preparing the sauce and vegetables.

I love Mushroom and Asparagus Stir Fry because it is simple and quick and it makes enough that I can portion out the leftovers and eat them for several days.  In a matter of minutes, I can have the sauce ready to go, the mushrooms cooking and a big pile of asparagus cut into bite size pieces and ready to go in the pan.  My recipe makes four generous portions or six normal size portions that are incredibly filling yet light enough that you will not feel weighed down after a meal.  On the down side, my husband would not touch Mushroom Asparagus Stir Fry with a ten foot pole.  He avoids both vegetables like the plague.  On the up side, that just means that I get to eat it all myself.  (It’s mine!  Mine I say!  All mine! – Insert maniacal laughter here.)

Mushroom Asparagus Stir Fry

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound white button or Baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• Optional:  4 – 6 servings cooked rice or quinoa

Sauce Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or flour

Directions

1. Thoroughly whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cut mushrooms into quarters.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add mushrooms and stir.
5. While mushrooms are cooking, cut asparagus into bite-size pieces.
6. Add the asparagus to the mushrooms, stir to combine, cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp.
7. Add the sauce, stir, cover and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes.
8. Remove from heat, stir and serve over cooked rice or quinoa, making sure to drizzle the pan sauce over to top of the vegetables.

What is your favorite way to eat mushrooms?  Comment below and let me know!