CAJUN STEW

We were at the grocery store and my husband picked up some chicken andouille sausage. I made this up tonight and I think it's a winner. You can leave the sausage out, although it's all natural with no additives, no nitrates, and is low fat (just chicken and spices). For myself I would add hot sauce and cayenne, but Herbie doesn't like super spicy foods, so I omitted. Probably better to let people spice on their own anyway.


1 sweet onion, diced
4 celery hearts, diced
2 small green peppers, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
SAUTE IN LARGE POT until translucent
ADD
3 cloves chopped garlic, saute
ADD
2 cans petite cut diced tomatoes (get the no salt added if possible), juice and all
either some zatarains cajun seasoning OR, cayenne, paprika, splenda, salt, garlic powder
LET simmer
IN THE MEANTIME, in a large saute pan....
1 package smoked chicken andouille sausage, cut in to 1/4 inch slices and then cut in half (or you could create your own with ground chicken or turkey, chicken stock, and spices
12 oz shrimp, either cooked no tail or uncooked, cut them in 1/3rds
2 chicken breasts, cut in to chunks
SAUTE sausage, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are translucent, drain. Add to vegetable base
BROWN chicken breast chunks, add to vegetable base.
Let simmer, add 1/4 cup or so of fresh squeezed orange juice.
ADD
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
ADD
1 can kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and puree with chicken stock.
ADD as much cut up okra as you like.
LET SIMMER.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Place the following in a blender or food processor
-2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
-two cloves garlic
-juice of a lemon
-olive oil
-a little water or chicken stock
-salt
-pepper
-fresh thyme (or you can use sage)
-a little cayenne

Blend until smooth.
Great as an alternative to mozzarella in a caprese salad or sandwich*
-spread toasted bread* with some tuscan white bean dip
-placed two basil leaves on top of the dip
-placed two thin tomato slices on top of the basil
-fresh ground black pepper on the tomato slices
-few crystals of sea salt on the tomato slices
-drizzle some really good balsamic

CURRIED CHICK PEA AND MANGO SOUP

This started out as a side dish and thought it would be nice as a soup, it worked well.
-Saute one onion and three cloves of garlic in a saute pan, add two cans drained and rinsed chickpeas
-add 2 oz fat free plain yogurt with no added sugar, stir
-add curry powder and garlic powder to taste, plus salt and pepper
Let this cook for a little while
In the meantime-
take the flesh of two mangos and throw it in the blender with some chicken stock.
Blend until smooth.
Add mixture to curried chickpeas.
Either eat as a side or throw back in the blender and make a nice creamy curry soup.
If you eat as a soup, serve with a garnish of finely minced mint/cucumber/a little yogurt.

FRESH CORN SALSA/SALAD

This will serve 3-4 hungry people as a topping/salad

-4 ears corn, cleaned, kernels removed (you eat the corn raw)
p1/2 sweet onion, chopped to size of corn kernels
-toss with good balsamic vinegar
-a little pepper
- optional extra virgin olive oil

before serving, chiffonade fresh basil (or just chop) and toss in salad.

We served this over grilled pork tenderloin and it was really yummy. Would be great with fish too.

CORN WITH BRUSCHETTA

-4 ears sweet corn
- spray non stick pan with olive oil spray
- add corn
- add garlic powder

cook through just to heat, or, grill then remove kernels

THEN:
make bruschetta topping

- petite cut diced tomatoes (or fresh)
- minced garlic
- a little balsamic
- fresh or dried chopped basil
-salt
-pepper.

MIX
a little bit of the bruschetta topping in to the corn.EAT....this is really good, filling

BEAN SOUP: VARIETALS

I have to credit my dad for this recipe for making bean soup which he gave me a year ago when I called him back east while I was driving home from work and I needed to make dinner FAST. Very simple, there are a variety of combinations based on what kind of beans you like, spices, herbs, etc... takes about 5 minutes, and the key to the flavor is the anchovy....REALLY.

-2 cans black, pinto, garbanzo, cannellini, OR white beans, okay if they are not rinsed and drained (whatever you like best)
-1 clove garlic
-1 flat fillet of anchovy
-handful of parsley
-handful your choice of herb: cilantro (best with black bean, pinto, or garbanzo), basil (best with cannellini or white) ,or any other herb you like
-a little bit of olive oil
-chicken stock to desired consistency (I start with half a cup)
-spice of choice cumin with black bean or pinto, thyme with cannellini or white beans, curry with garbanzo, etc, etc

Throw all of this in a blender and BLEND AWAY...add salt and pepper to taste and a little more olive oil.
Put in pot and place on stove just to heat.

Add a little more chopped parsley and you are good to GO........

FRENCH POTATO SALAD (CAN ALSO BE MADE WITH BUTTER BEANS IF YOU DON'T EAT POTATOES)

This can be done with butter beans if you do not eat potatoes

-16-20 small red potatoes, boiled or cooked in zip and steam bag (or 2 cans butter beans, rinsed and drained)

Dressing:
-apple cider vinegar
-2 tbsp dijon
-salt
-pepper
-extra virgin olive oil to thicken

Mix together, use as much dressing as needed on potatoes or beans

ADD
- chopped chives
- chopped tarragon
- chopped parsley

UPDATE TO THIS.....if you add a few drops of white truffle oil to this salad it takes it to a whole new place (leave out the tarragon in this case).......would be killer with some grilled pork tenderloin that has been marinated and then crusted some dried wild mushroom dust and dehydrated cherry dust....