"Happy Cooking" by Giada De Laurentiis Review with Recipe 'Chicken Marsala Meatballs'

Happy Weekend!  Hope your week went well!  It's getting really busy around here, and I  am loving all the hustle and bustle this time of year  brings! With all the Holiday Cheer, warm feelings spending time with the ones we love dear! Hot chocolate, marshmallows, and fresh  baked Christmas Cookies! Katelyn had her Christmas Concert  (it was titled Winter, but I'm old school, back in the day it was Christmas), I'm halfway done with Christmas decorations. Lindsay and I had fun, decorating the staircase and  the banister above the living room!

Tonight we're going to a Christmas party, and
I said I'd make an appetizer!
For the Holidays, I'm trying to eat a little
healthier!

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy, and I haven't even had a chance to browse through,
Giada's new Cookbook, (affiliate link)
 "Happy Cooking: Make Every Meal Count ... Without Stressing Out "!

I was excited to get her new book. Giada's someone I feel is a kindered spirit of mine.

She says in her book, that "she is happiest when she is in the kitchen."

I feel the exact same way! 

{except for cleaning up the dishes}

There were more than several recipes that caught my attention, and keep in mind,

I quickly browsed through it, and I really loved seeing what she's been cooking up!

My favorite recipes included, a Gluten Free Lemon-Cumin Chicken and Pesto, Monte Cristo sandwhiches {left over turkey}, and 

it was a toss up between Key Lime Panna Cotta or Limoncello Parfaits! 

3 Things I like About this Book

• There are several reasons why I choose my cookbooks, and it's not only just for the recipes, but a cook book must have provocative food photographs, that inspire me to make a recipe. The photos in Giada's cookbook, are absolutely lovely, the ingredients look fresh, and the food looks amazing!

• The book  is divided up into chapters, breakfast, pasta and risotto of course, Holiday, there is even a healthy eating chapter, and what better way to end a meal than with a sweet tempting dessert!
• What I really enjoyed about this book  is Giada's passion for sharing her love of cooking. from explaining what the different names of pasta are, how to well stock a pantry to help take out the stress of cooking, to how to host a party!

The recipe I chose, looked healthy to try.

A light elegant antipasti,

Chicken Marsala Meatballs with a Red Wine Crimini sauce 

{adapted from Happy Cooking}

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbls. milk

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbls. Marsala wine {I used Cabernet}

1 pound ground chicken breast

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, beaten

2 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. sea salt divided

pinch of black pepper

2 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Canola oil for frying

8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, I used Portabellas

1 large shallot minced

1 1/2 tsp. flour

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, milk, and 1 Tablespoon of the wine. Let the crumbs soak for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, parmesan, egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I used a spoon to mix the ingredients together. Do not overmix, and set in refrigerator for 2 hours. I probably should have, because the mix wasn't cold enough to hold the shape of a meatball, they turned out a little wonky.

In a medium skillet, add enough oil,to come up 1-in on the side. Heat oil to medium low. Working quickly scoop 2 Tbls. of mix out and shape mixture into a ball, using your hands. Gently drop meatballs, one at a time into the hot oil, being very careful not to splash the very hot oil. Fry the meatballs, rotating them with a wooden spoon until they are a golden color. I cooked mine about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

In another medium skillet, heat 1 Tbls olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and 1/2 tsp. sea salt and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the shallot begins to soften.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the flour and 1 Tbls. olive oil to make a paste or roux. Add 1/3 cup of wine, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm and garnish with more parmesan cheese.

To read more reviews on {affiliate link}

Happy Cooking: Make Every Meal Count ... Without Stressing Out ;

 via Amazon, click the photo below.

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Pam Krauss Books; 1St Edition edition (November 3, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-13: 978-0804187923

Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 1 x 9.8 inches

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time!

xo,

 

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Disclaimer: I received my copy of Happy Cooking for review purposes from

 Blogging for Books but all opinions are my own.

Vanilla Crescents {Vanillekipferl}

Happy Weekend! This weekend has been fun! 

Pulling out the Christmas decorations,

singing Christmas Carols, decking the halls!

What better way to start the first Holiday Weekend, 

than baking cookies and sipping Hot chocolate!

Part of my love for baking, is my love of powdered sugar, especially vanilla infused powdered sugar. Vanillekipferl are an Austrian, German and Hungarian small, crescent shaped biscuits, that are usually made with ground almonds or hazelnuts, and flavored with vanilla, with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. Traditionally, they are made at Christmas. They are said to have been created in the shape of the Turkish crescent to celebrate the victory of the Hungarian army over the Turkish in one of the many wars between the nations.

(affiliate link) The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet,

 that inspired me. The only note I would add to baking these cookies, is not to wait until these cookies are completely cooled to roll them in the vanilla powdered sugar. I waited until they were warm enough to handle, but act fast, because they did cool down very quickly.

And here I am blogging with a hot cup of cocoa, and taking a bite of these delictable, buttery cookies. They have just the right amount of sweetness, with a wonderful vanilla flavor.

Vanilla Crescents {Vanillekipferl}
Adapted from Food & Wine - Cindy Mushet

2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 tablespoons pure Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
pinch of Salt

Vanilla Infused Powdered sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 325℉.


• In an electric mixer, combine the butter and confectioners sugar for 5 minutes.


• Add vanilla, flour and salt just until combined.


• On a floured surface, spoon out tablespoons of the dough and roll into 3-inch strips. Form the strips into crescent shapes.


• Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes (switching oven position halfway), or until the bottoms are golden and the tops are pale blond.


• In a small bowl , add the remaining half of the powdered sugar, (adding more as necessary), and roll warm cookies in it to coat.
• Set cookies aside to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time! xo,

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Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore and Cheesy Jalapeno Casserole

Happy Wednesday! How is your week going? My week has been going pretty good so far! Today I am excited to share with you a book on a subject that I'm learning more about; Detoxifying my body, with a cleaner eating lifestyle.

For me, the word diet does not mean cutting calories, or any other fad eating meal plans, that promise you will lose weight if you eat more protein, or eating less carbs, and I'll be honest, the idea of eating only fruits, vegetables, soups and salads all day does not appeal to me either.It's funny that I received this book, and my brother in law was looking for more information on detoxifying. I'm only slightly skeptical on the whole idea of clean eating for as little as three days. I did try Dr. Oz's 3 day Detox and I did feel better it's just that going to school for my Nutrition's degree, I lean more to eating a well balanced diet, cutting out all the chemicals out of the food we eat, eating less sugar, and I'm so happy to see that Organic food is not only becoming readily available, but I've noticed it's not as expensive to eat organic as it used to be, as more people become aware of GMOs and are creating a demand for eating a healthier lifestyle.

First I want to start by saying I am not a doctor, this post is only my review on ( affiliate)
Everyday Detox: 100 Easy Recipes to Remove Toxins, Promote Gut Health, and Lose Weight Naturally !

Here's what I liked about Everyday Detox; even though this book is written with a focus on clean eating, it also gives the options for the recipes to substitute, omitting or adding certain items to make them Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, or Omnivore friendly by adding a high quality meat to a dish.

The core of this book, is based on my belief as well, that Megan Gilmore points out, "Short term cleanses and detox programs are just another form of procrastination allowing you to avoid the real task at hand~ making lasting life style changes!"

There is a 7-Day Detox menu to jumpstart your detox, full of fresh fruits, vegetables and salad, one day for dinner is a Maple and Mustard Grilled Salmon, personally, I'd be adding more high quality proteins and Gluten Free recipes to the menu. There are some delicious sounding recipes on the Detox menu, like Banana Coconut muffins, Go-To Greek Salad, and Dark Chocolate pudding. Megan also suggests for those with a sweet tooth, that it is ok to indulge in a few pieces of Dark Chocolate with at least 70% cacao.

What I liked best is Megan Gilmore, makes it easy to understand and how to customize each meal, with fruits, non- starchy vegetables, starches, proteins, including nuts, seeds and dried fruit, as well as neutral items, picking one item, except non-starchy vegetables which you would use to fill the rest of your plate. It is very general, but easy to follow, especially when I really don't like cauliflower, or walnuts, what type of high quality meats to use and starches are good for me and my digestion.

Three Things I liked about this book:

• Simple, easy and quick recipes to follow. No complicated steps or ingredients I don't know the names of. Most ingredients I already had on hand.
• The photographs are bright, clean and although they are minimalistic, almost rustic and earthy looking, they are very beautiful pictures, that are easy to look at.
• I love that you can customize your approach to detoxifying, without having to follow a set plan.

To read more review of (affiliate link) Everyday Detox at Amazon via the picture link below

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: Ten Speed Press (June 2, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1607747227

ISBN-13: 978-1607747222

Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 0.6 x 9 inches

One of the recipes in the book reminded me of  a comfort food, I would love when my mother made it , was spaghetti squash. She'd always top it with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Here I added, jalepenos, goat cheese and cheddar cheese. The jalepenos really gave the squash a kick and the goat cheese calmed it down. My family loved it, and some of you may know, that both my son and husband are Type 1 Diabetics, and some of you may know of someone that is too. In all the years, I'd known that squash is very good for you, I had no idea, just how good. For my son and husband, they pay attention to the amount of carbs, and it's really hard because I am addicted to pasta and fresh baked breads, I could eat them at every meal and every day, when I found out that 2 cups of spaghetti squash has the same amount of carbohydrates that a slice of bread has, I was thrilled. It's easily digested and helps managing their diabetes so much easier.

Cheesy Jalepeno Casserole (adapted from Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore)

1 tsp. of unsalted butter
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
1 small jalpeno, seeded and diced
1/4 cup soft goat cheese or chevre
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 (3 1/2) pound spaghetti squash, halve and seeded,
baked for 45-60 minutes in a preheated 400F oven

1 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound of chicken breast, cooked and diced

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Melt the butter in a 10-in skillet, over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapenos and sauté until soft and the onion becomes translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the chevre, yogurt, and salt. Add the sautéed onion and jalapeno and stir well. Using the times of a fork, scrape the cooked spaghetti squash flesh, and cooked chicken into the bowl and stir well to mix.
4. Transfer the mixture to a 3 1/2 quart casserole dish and top with the Cheddar cheese until the edges are golden 35-40 minutes. Serve warm.

Looking for more delicious and healthy recipes, Megan also blogs and Detoxinista, and has posted some Labor Day recipes.

Connect with Megan:

Facebook     G+      Instagram       Pinterest       Twitter

Wishing you all a beautiful week!
Until next time!
xo,

This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through them help support this website.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

 

Pizza Bianco via Infuse by Eric Prum and Josh Williams

A couple of Summers ago, while Katelyn was over at a friends having a sleepover, her friend's mother made home made pizzas. This is something, I don't know why I haven't made before, maybe because and I know this may seem weird, but my husband and I aren't huge pizza fans, unless it's from a wood burning oven at an authentic Italian restaurant. Since my daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself, that night left a memorable impression on her, and I love to see my children happy, that I've been wanting to make home made pizzas with them!

Then I saw this one photo from my cookbook review of (affiliate link) Infuse: Oil, Spirit, Water  by Eric Prum and Josh Williams, caught my attention. It is a recipe for homemade Pizza Bianco, and my mouth instantly started to water. For one, I love creamy sauces, like alfredo sauce or any white sauce, hopefully with a ton of cheese, and what really interested me was the combination of the honey drizzled over it and an infused chili oil, and chives. 

This sounded seriously incredible I couldn't wait to make it. It turned out to be one of the funnest things for kids to help make in the kitchen. It was so much fun, we had a blast! The girls had fun shaping the dough, and putting on the sauce, cheese and pepperonis! While I made the Pizza Bianco for me and my husband. The recipe for the Pizza is grilled, but I didn't feel like standing out in the heat of mid-day, I simply baked mine.

I was initially going to adapt a pizza dough recipe from Bobby Flay, but when I was going to buy yeast, I noticed Fleischmann's  has yeast specifically for pizza dough. I simply followed the recipe on the back of the package. It was super easy to make, and it took a fraction of the time as using regular yeast, it was ready to use right away. No need for time to allow it to rise.

Pizza Bianco adapted from Infuse

1 recipe for Pizza dough

 (the recipe I used would make 4 thin crust pizzas or 2 thick crust)

1/2  cup ricotta

1 cup Mozzarella or Italian blend cheese 

1/4 cup of honey

*Chili Oil

1. Preheat oven 425F. Stretch pizza dough out onto a pizza stone or I used the bottom of a 10 in springform pan.

2. Top with ricotta and cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes for thin crust, or 20-22 minutes for thick crust.

3. Drizzle honey,  and chili oil. Garnish with chopped chives.

*Chili Oil- Infuse 2 Tbls. crushed red pepper flakes with 8 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil in an 8oz mason jar. Shake to combine. For maximum flavor, let sit in cool, dark place for 2 weeks. It will keep stored for 2 months.

I usually save a slice for you, but there wasn't any left to share. I am so very sorry!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Until next time!

xo,

 

 

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A Week in CASL photos July 13th- July 19th

Happy Beautiful Monday! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend!

What I like about doing a Photo365, is that I get to share with you a peek into what my week has been like, and possibly a sneak peek to what next week will bring. I've tried 365 Photo or Daily photo memes several times before, and surprisingly, I am getting farther posting my photos once a week, instead of once a day. It makes a big difference, and it's really nice to look back and see a slice of my day!

July 14th- Chaos- I waited for this storm all week, and while Chandler to the North and 15 miles South of us, enjoyed all the rain, I only saw about less than 10 minutes worth...But I did enjoy the 20 degree drop in temperature, even 90F with a cool breeze felt comfortable!

via 

July 14th- Calm- I was hoping to take a pic of my lavender plant, but it died while I was out of town for the long holiday weekend, so I am sharing this picture of 'Lavender at Dawn'!
 It's a perfectly calm dawn for a Monday morning!

July 15th- On my mind...Ice Cream...Yesterday, was #NationalIceCreamDay!
 Here's my favorite flavor this Summer...Peach Cobbler IceCream

July 16th- Special to Me...This gorgeous bottle, is a gift from my SIL...she knows how much I love

Seahorses. 

July 17th- Starts with T... A cup of 'Tea' of course!

July 18th- Book...Coming soon, a new book review for 'Infuse'...It's not just for water, this book gives some easy to follow recipes for infusing oils and spirits!

July 19th- Sign...This is a handpaited window sign I saw while on one of our trips to Prescott, AZ! It's from the ApplePan restaurant. They serve up an amazing breakfast, and the staff is always
friendly!

Are you on Instagram? You really should be!! 

You can follow me here on Instagram! 

   I recently started following a photo a day prompt on #fmsphotoaday.

 Let me know if you decide to join in the fun!

Have a great rest of your week! Until next time!

xo, Christine

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Street Vegan by Adam Sobel & Raw Raspberry Chocolate Tart

Hope you are all relaxing this weekend, or

 out there enjoying some Summertime fun!

 

 

 

Do you love doughnuts? Very random I know, but we will get to that In a bit, but first today, I am excited to share with you a fascinating cook book, "Street Vegan"! For an omnivore like myself, I have always been intrigued by the idea of someone not wanting to eat meat. And I've always been that mother who has told her children, "Don't knock it, until you try it"! (unless it's okra)

 

 

 

When my oldest daughter decided she wanted to be vegetarian, almost five years ago, my husband and I were concerned, that she wouldn't receive  the protein she needed for her body. On her 18th birthday she chose 'The Green Vegetarian', for her birthday dinner. My husband ordered the BBQ chicken sandwhich. He almost spit out his sandwhich when told him it wasn't chicken. My favorite meal with her was at 'Pita Jungle', when she took me out to lunch with her first pay check. As I was taking my nutrition classes, I began to understand more about protein intake, and how much we really do need. Then it wasn't so much the amount of protein that she would be getting, but the vitamins and minerals. Again, she showed me, that she was able to eat healthy if not healthier as a vegan.

 

Another interesting concept of Vegetarianism, is the idea of only consuming food in 'Raw' form. The first time I read about eating only a raw diet was from this women, Karyn Calabrese, and her story of why a plant based diet is more beneficial for our health. The first time I saw a slice of her "Raw" cheesecake, I was seriously intrigued. Don't get me wrong, I love me some real cream cheese, cheesecake, but what made her cheesecake so different that I wanted to try it?

 

This is why I got excited to review 'Street Vegan', raw pie recipes, including a 'raw pumpkin' one for the Holidays to try! What I loved about reading the book, were not only looking at the incredibly delicious photos, but this quote from Adam Sobel,  

"I don't make food that pretends to be something it isn't-just food that's overwhelmingly made with love and with intentions to make the world a more blissful, peaceful place"

Adam Sobel, had a dream to start a Vegan Food Truck, "The Cinnamon Snail", and turned it into a successful business, with people waiting not only in lines, but in the zero degree, bitter winter cold, to get their hands and mouths on his food.

 

 (affiliate link)

Street Vegan

Author: Adam Sobel

 Paperback: 272 pages
Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1 x 9 inches

It is the
#1 cookbook for 'Raw' cooking
#5 cookbook for baking (you'll see why)
#13 cookbook for Vegan

 

 

3 Things I liked about this book:

 

• The cookbook is divided into 10 sections, and there is one section completely devoted to 'Doughnuts'. When I saw that I jumped right too it, and there are recipes not just for ' BingCherry Fritters', but Cinnamon Apple and Blueberry-Pine Nut ones. This is the one I really can't wait to try, "Mexican Hot Chocolate Glazed Twists". If you wanted to try your hand at making doughnuts, he explains thoroughly the process of making doughnuts from the beginning, taking flour and leavening ingredients to twisting and frying techniques.
• My second favorite section is the soup section. I am always looking for something out of the ordinary to try, so when my daughter had strep throat and my husband had a dental emergency I made Ginger Laphing vs. Chicken Noodle soup. Other recipes include, Red Wine Minestrone, Cheesey Broccoli Beer Soup, and Maple Butternut Squash Soup. I really like how he denotes recipes as Gluten Free
• A word on the Sandwhich section, the photos are truly mouthwatering, and even my husband who has no idea what Seitan is, really wanted to try the 'Thai Barbecue Seitan Ribs'. In the introduction, Adam lists items in his Vegan pantry. With his recipes, there are in my opinion some exotic ingredients, like Umeboshi Plum Vinegar I still haven't found, along with other ingredients, where I can see his point of view, they are the best and bring out the best flavor, but not all of us have these in our pantries. That is what I like, is being exposed to new flavors, new ingredients, to tempt my tastebuds. 

To read more review about Street Vegan at Amazon via the picture link below.

 

 

Raw Raspberry Chocolate Tart (tweaked a little from Adam Sobel)

 

 

If I hadn't already known that this wasn't a real cheesecake, I would have had absolutely no idea in the world it was a faux one! One bite, and I thought I was enjoying the most decadent chocolate cheesecake, that reminded me, that I was eating a Godiva Dark Chocolate with raspberry bar, that's how amazingly delicious this Raw Raspberry Chocolate tart is. Not forgetting the flavors, the raspberry-orange sauce, really enhances the chocolate with the hint of sea salt, bringing out the dark chocolate flavor even more.

It was also good for me, because I wasn't conscious stricken for eating this guilty pleasure.   

My children ate it, and the only negative comment I got was from my son, who apparently doesn't care for dark chocolate. Weird, I know, but I still love him. All kidding aside. A celebratory slice of raw raspberry chocolate Tart, is in order.

 

 

For the raspberry sauce:

 

12 oz. of raspberries

the zest and juice of one medium lemon

2 Tbls. pure agave nectar/ pure maple syrup ( I bought it at Trader Joe's)

1/4 tsp. sea salt

 

for the chocolate-almond crust:

1 3/4 cups raw almonds

1/4 cacao powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 Tbls. pure agave nectar/ maple syrup

1 Tbls. melted coconut oil

 

for the raspberry- chocolate filling

2 2/3 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked in water for 30 minutes

2/3 cup agave nectar/ maple syrup

1 1/4 cups melted coconut oil

1 cup cacao powder

 2/3 cup fresh raspberries

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. sea salt

 

Mini chocolate chips for garnish (he used cacao nibs)

 

1. The raspberry sauce: Puree together the raspberries, orange zest and juice, salt, and agave nectar in a blender. I prefer a smooth sauce, so I would strain it, to remove the raspberry seeds. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

 

2. The chocolate-almond crust- I had some raw almond meal on hand that I made for these

Cookie Dough bites. Lightly grease a 9-in spring form pan with coconut oil. In a food processer, process the almonds, cacao powder, and salt until the almonds look like almond meal. Add the vanilla, agave nectar and coconut oil, and continue to process for 45 seconds until the dough for the crush looks crumbly. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides half an inch. Chill the crust, for half an hour to an hour before pouring in filling.

 

3. Make the raspberry-chocolate filling: Drain the cashews and place in the blender, with the agave nectar, coconut oil, cacao powder, raspberries, salt and vanilla. He added 1 cup of water, I did not. Puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender, and pour into chilled crust.

Refrigerate over night until firm to the touch. Store the pie, covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

4. To serve, plate each slice with 2 Tablespoons of  raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries and mini chocolate chips.

 

Have a beautiful weekend!

Until next time!

xo, Christine

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through them help support this website.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this honest review.

 

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Metamorphosis Monday

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Chicken Noodle Soup vs. Ginger Laphing

First, let me make it perfectly clear, I am not, I repeat not a Vegetarian, just in case you were the tiniest bit curious. I know this, because I just about ate a pound of smoked prime rib my husband smoked this past weekend!

Secondly, getting strep throat on Summer break, is something my daughter absolutely did not plan on doing during her vacation, but she did, so off to Urgent care we went!

While we are sitting in the waiting area, I brought this cookbook (affiliate link) Street Vegan that I received to review for Blogging for Books (review soon to be posted). The story behind Ginger Laphing, is that it is a Tibetan soup that you find out on the busy streets prepared from street carts. With the soba noodles, bok choy and vegetable broth, this is a very nourishing soup, making it an absolutely delicious alternative to chicken noodle soup.

We won't talk about the weather here in Arizona, because as you all know by now, it's hot, hot, hot, but it's a dry heat, right! You're probably thinking why is she making soup? It's a good thing I did too, and I will tell you why!

Perusing the recipes in the cookbook, this recipe surprisingly caught my eye, "Ginger Laphing", which reminded me of the Vitnamese noodle soup 'Pho' that my oldest daughter who does happen to be Vegetarian took me to a restaurant while I visited her up in Washington in February last year. She was suffering from a terrible head cold, and wanted a gigantic bowl of 'Pho'.  Pho can be made vegetarian as well!

Unlike 'Pho', the recipe for 'Ginger Laphing' has the addition of potatoes, is vegetarian, as well as Gluten-Free friendly!

When I made this soup I made a few changes and found a trick that made eating hot, steamy soup on a Summer day quite enjoyable!

The recipe calls for Tamari, which my belief was it was just like Soy Sauce. Surprisingly, they are similar, but Tamari is wheat free making it safe to use if you have Gluten allergies. Since we don't I just used regular soy sauce. It also calls for roasted peanuts for garnish, my son has nut allergies, so I omitted those. For added protein, I did in fact add diced, cooked chicken to it. Here's the tip to making soup a pleasure to eat during the Summer.

While I was cooking the noodles, I refrigerated the potatoes. When the noodles were done, I took the cold potatoes and added them to the soup. The soup was still warm enough to enjoy, without being way too hot! It also made for a light meal, since none of us really feel like eating much in this heat!

What I really loved most about this soup are the flavors. You have the spiciness from the chili, the sweet tanginess from the vinegar, the saltiness from the soy sauce, along with the flavors of the ginger, and sesame oil, making a lovely rich broth.

Oh before I forget, I am not going to say this is better than my Mother's or my MIL's chicken noodle soup, because God knows, I will be struck down for blasphemy, since both women when they make homemade chicken noodle soup, make their noodles from scratch! I will admit, that this is definitely more satisfying and tastes better than good old store bought canned chicken noodle soup, and much better for you, because only god knows what chemicals are put into store bought canned soup!

Ginger Laphing (adapted from Street Vegan)

2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 sliced green onions

4 tsp. minced and peeled fresh ginger

1 Serrano minced and seeded

2 garlic cloves minced

5 cups vegetable, chicken or beef broth

3 Tbls. soy sauce or tamari (GF)

2 Tbls. brown rice vinegar

1 bundle (2-3 oz) soba noodles

1 head of bok choy, leaves separated

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts (for garnish)

1. Place potatoes in a medium pot, covered with 4 cups of water and cooked for 7 minutes or until soft. Drain them in a colander.

2. Heat the sesame oil in same pot. Saute the sliced green onion, ginger, chile, and garlic in the hot oil, stirring. Once the garlic has softened, approximately 4 minutes, add tamari or soy sauce, the broth, and vinegar; bring to a boil.

3. Break the bundle of soba noodles in half and stir them in the broth. Cook for 2 minutes until the noodles are al dente. Stir in potatoes, and bok choy. Serve immediately.

Garnish with more sliced green onions and chopped roasted peanuts.

Hope you all have a great day!

Until next time!

xo Christine



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Hearth and Soul

A Week in CASL photos: June 1- June 7

Happy Monday!  I am glad you stopped by to visit me today! Hope you all had a fun and relaxing weekend! It was a fun birthday weekend around here! The girls baked cupcakes, while I was busy in the kitchen. Lindsay gave her grandmother the stepping stone she made. I didn't get a chance to get a picture, but if they say a picture is worth a thousand words, Oh My! I love that her and my oldest daughter are so artistic and creative, because Lindsay not only painted the stone with all these bright colors, she even gave her handprint finger nails as she painted them this peacock green color! I'll be sure and get a picture next time I visit my mother in law!

What I like about doing a Photo365, is that I get to share with you a peek into what my week has been like, and possibly a sneak peek to what next week will bring. I've tried 365 Photo or Daily photo memes several times before, and surprisingly, I am getting farther posting my photos once a week, instead of once a day. It makes a big difference, and it's really nice to look back and see a slice of my day!

June 1- Many...Too many Sprinkles *never* If you like Ice Cream, be sure to check out my Giveaway going on until June 15, and my Ice Cream Social going on for the month of June.

June 2- Starts with B- Almost Brunch...Blackberries and Bananas in a blue bowl!

June 3-Looking Up- I love looking up in the sky to see the moon against a blue sky!

June 4-Looking down...My very first Peonies..I am swooning!!So Pretty, love it! Found them at Trader Joes!

 

June 5th- About Me...Me, my husband, my children, and the things I love, mostly coastal, seashells, tropical colors, and turquoise ocean waves. The almost completed gallery wall, just missing one more photo!

 



 

June 6th- Silly- This past weekend, for the birthday party, my husband and sister in law, decided to recreate an old photo.

 

 

June 7th- Forgotten...While at the party we were all reminiscing over old photos. We found this one, of me and my husband going to prom. My sister in law was asking me to find pictures of my husband with hair, or as she called them 'hair photos'. I forgot this year marked 25 years, since prom, and graduation. We admit it, but almost forget what my husband looked like with hair, and for the life of all of us, we couldn't remember who's white car was in the driveway!

 

 

Are you on Instagram? You really should be!!  You can find me here on Instagram! 

 

   I recently started following a photo a day prompt on #fmsphotoaday.

 Let me know if you decide to join in the fun!

Have a great rest of your week! Until next time!

xo, Christine

 

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