Thai Red Curry Coconut Soup

Using Light Coconut Milk will cut down on the fat and calories in the soup, and I swear you will not taste the difference.  That is really the only slightly unhealthy ingredient.  The rest is low fat, low carb and high in nutrition. Even better if you use low sodium, organic chicken broth.  Use whatever veggies you have in the fridge, or use what I have listed here:

Recipe:  Thai Red Curry Coconut Soup

1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken chopped in bite sized chunks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 − 3 Tablespoons red curry paste (found in the asian cooking aisle in a jar)
2 cartons chicken stock
⅔ - 1 cup light coconut milk
~ 1 cup of sliced baby portabello, shitake, or gourmet mix mushrooms
~ 1 teaspoon minced ginger
~ 1 teaspoon minced lemongrass
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup chopped green beans
a few basil leaves
(If you like the spice, add one or two hot thai chilies, whole, scored down the side)
3 −4 serving sizes of rice noodles (as per the box)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Brown the chicken in the oil first, then add the curry paste.  Throw everything else in except the noodles.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least an hour.  About 20 minutes before serving, add the noodles.  Serve when noodles are cooked through and soft.  Serve with beans sprouts and basil or cilantro.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Crock Pot, Slow Cooker, you know, the winter cooking pot, creator of all comfort foods during the hibernation season…  (It's really cold as I write this).

This is great, because even though it takes a bit of forethought, you can basically throw everything in the pot and forget about it.  In fact, DO forget about it.  Go about your day in an ordinary fashion and then SURPRISE yourself when you walk in the the door and it smells like someone dropped by and cooked you dinner :)

Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

2 cans black beans
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken cut in smallish pieces
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 − 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 package True Lime or juice from ½ lime
2 cloves minced or grated garlic
Salt
⅔ cup fresh salsa

Turn on low for a minimum of 3 hours…  you'll know when it's ready.

To assemble:  on warmed corn tortillas, layer with guacamole, fresh salsa, cheese, cabbage, cilantro

Favourite Things

This is my top fav from 2013:  True Lime/Lemon/Grapefruit/Orange

A slice of fruit, in a little package.  No added sugar/chemicals, etc.  Use it in water (you'll drink a lot more!); use it in cooking; put the Lemon on popcorn with truffle salt and parmesan; the list is endlesssssssssss

I ordered in bulk from Amazon, but I've seen the lemon and lime in the baking aisle.