Hello, Fall: Spicy Chicken Stew and GRAINSTORM Chocolate Chip Cookies

My perfect fall afternoon: Coming home from a long, gray, dreary day and curling up on the couch with my coziest blanket and a cup of tea. Soaking up a few rays of surprise sunshine and devouring a good book. Then, when hunger creeps up... going to the kitchen and reheating a bowl of this soup.

 This soup will warm your soul. It is hearty and filling and was even more delicious on the second and third days than it was the first. I know I have said it before, but nothing cheers me up at the end of the day than a big bowl of soup. The only thing better is if there is a cute boy at home to help warm me up!

And if there are cookies.
 

I didn’t make this cookie recipe. The cookies are made with a fabulous baking mix by Grainstorm. I did bake them though. And I am so glad I did. They take five whole minutes to throw together and not much longer to bake and they are SO yummy. Seriously. I want to have these cookies in the house forever and always. I never want to be without one. But that won’t happen if I keep eating them like I have been.

Fresh from the oven.

With Tea.

Without Tea.

Before breakfast, after dinner, after lunch - wrapped in saran wrap, crumbly and squished at the bottom of my backpack... basically anytime and place I can get my hands on them. I can't resist them.

And it doesn't help that they are "healthy". It really just gives me another excuse to eat them without hesitation!


I first heard about Grainstorm when I bought a Groupon from them last year. I have since ordered from them twice more.  They are a great little company; "a small family artisan food enterprise in Toronto, Canada dedicated to the idea that baked goods can actually be wholesome, real food". I love it! I only wish their products were available in B.C. stores.  The baking mixes are all whole grain/stone ground and are quite healthy (compared to what I usually bake). You might not be able to tell by the recipes on this blog, but I have been making an effort to cut out a lot of the white processed flours from my diet, and Grainstorm has made me feel that it is possible to enjoy yummy treats while doing this. Thanks Grainstorm! If you want to try their products check out their website here! I also LOVE the pancake mix for Sunday morning. And shipping within Canada is only $5!

For this Recipe I used the All Oatmeal Rustic Cookie Base. 

Package Ingredients: Organic whole ground and flaked oat groats, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic unrefined cane juice, baking soda, sea salt.

What you add: 2 Eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tsp. Vanilla

My additions: 1 Cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, 2 Tbs. sunflower seeds, 1 Tsp. cinnamon. 

Here's the soup recipe. Enjoy your Thursday!

Spicy Chicken Stew with Potatoes, White Beans, and Kale

This is a riff on a recipe I made quite a lot last winter, often with Italian sausage and spices like fennel and thyme. I swapped the sausage for chicken and mixed it up a bit with the chillies and cumin, and it was really good. I also had lots of beautiful farmers market produce on hand so I used whatever felt right. Feel free to mix it up according to what you have in your crisper drawer. 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, cut into 1 Inch cubes

1 Medium onion, diced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

2 Green chilies, seeded and diced very small

1 1/2 Tsp. cumin

1 Tsp. Mexican oregano

½ Tsp. smoked paprika

¼ Tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Carrots

1 Red pepper (I used 1 small blue jay pepper and ½ sweet banana pepper, from our farmers market)

About 4 cups small red potatoes quartered (or any potato cut into 1 inch cubes)

1 bunch kale

3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 Cans canellini or white kidney beans

1 Cup heavy cream or half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Drizzle about 1 Tbsp. of oil and add the chicken. When chicken is lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes, remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Set aside.

2. Add more oil to the pan if needed. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, chili, and spices and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the rest of the vegetables, except the kale, to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes more.

4. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

5. When the potatoes and carrots are cooked through, add the beans and kale to the pot. Add the chicken back in. Cover and continue to let the soup simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

6. Slowly stir the heavy cream into the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 

Henry likes his with melty cheese. I enjoy mine with some warm buttered bread. And some Grey's Anatomy.

I hope your Thursday night is delightful!

Xo,

Maia

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

It felt like real fall this weekend. The kind of fall I had growing up in a small town in the interior. It was slightly chilly and windy, but now and then rays of sun broke through the gray skies. Leaves crunched under your feet. There were cookies and cups of tea with friends. Sweaters I’d packed away in the spring came out of their hiding places. 

 

But sure enough, Monday morning I woke up in the dark, rain hammering the windows.  I wanted nothing more than to burrow deeper under the covers, and to stay that way all day. But alas, I am a grown up. I have responsibilities (ugh). Chin up. Buck up. Don’t forget your umbrella. 

Knowing you are coming home to this dinner makes a cold, wet commute a bit more bearable. It is hearty enough for a cozy Sunday dinner, but using canned beans makes it a cinch to throw together on a busy weeknight as well. 

 And with the chipotle and cayenne peppers, it packs quite a punch in the spice department. If you feel the sniffles coming on, this might just do the trick. Sweet potatoes and beans are quickly becoming a favorite combination of mine. I hope you like them too.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

 

As always I am a chicken when it comes to spiciness, this was enough to warm me up and clear my sinuses too. If you like more heat, add another chipotle pepper or up the cayenne to ¼ tsp. 

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 Medium onion, diced

3 Cloves garlic

2 Carrots, diced into rounds

1 Red bell pepper, diced

2 Chipotle peppers in Adobo, chopped to smithereens or crushed with a spoon

2 Tsp.  ground cumin

1 Tsp. chili powder

1 Tsp. paprika

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1-2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 can (800 ml) whole tomatoes and their juice

2 Cobs fresh corn, removed from cob or 1 cup frozen corn (I used a combination)

2 cans (540 ml) black beans

2 Tbsp. liquid honey

Toppings (optional)

Avocado

Cilantro, roughly chopped

Lime Wedges

Sour Cream

Shredded Cheese

1. Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, drizzled with olive oil (go around the pan twice). When pan is hot add the onions and garlic and saute.

2. When the onions begin to turn translucent, reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, peppers, chipotle peppers and spices. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook for a couple of minutes; it should begin to smell quite aromatic. Then add the sweet potatoes and let everything cook for a few minutes more. 

3. Add the tomatoes, corn and 1 cup of stock to the pot. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula as you stir.

4. Bring the stew to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the broth has reduced.

5. When the sweet potatoes are cooked through, add the black beans. Be sure to drain them in a colander and rinse with a bit of cool water before dumping them into the pot.

6. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed. Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of honey, just to counter act the spice and add some sweetness.  At this point I added ½ cup more broth. You can add more broth if you like or leave it as is. It depends entirely on how soupy you like your chili.

7. Once the beans have heated through you can serve up your chili. Top individual bowls with whichever toppings you prefer and enjoy. I think Cilantro, lime, and sour cream are a must, while The Boy loves avocado and melted cheese.  

This recipe made 2 big dinners for two of us, with leftovers for lunches. In fact, I’ve put a couple of containers in the freezer for quick workday lunches down the road. 

Future Maia loves when past Maia looks out for her like that.

Creamy Corn Chowder with Crab and Bacon

 I am really into soup. Like reeeeally into it. Between September and March I get a little bit obsessed. Soup is just everything food should be to me. A bowl of soup on a cold night is like a big hug. It is the only antidote to the rainy Vancouver weather. It is warming and nourishing and cozy. Soup can be anything you want it to be. It can be hearty and filling or healthy and light. Rich and indulgent or bright and refreshing. Another good thing about soup? Only one pot to wash!

And for couples/ families with conflicting schedules, soup makes life easy. I like to make a big pot on Sunday (or put it in the slow cooker on Sunday night to have on Monday). Keep some stuff for salads and
sandwiches or burritos on hand and it will feed us for most of the week.

That-boy-I-live-with isn’t a huge fan of soup; he tends to think they are more of a side dish than the main event. I take this as a challenge and try to make soups that are chunky and hearty one-pot meals in a bowl. When I ask if he likes whatever I made for dinner, he will always say that it is “fine”, regardless of how much he likes it. It’s when he goes back for seconds that I know I have won. One thing I will tell you is that he definitely went back for seconds of this.

It is usually bacon, potatoes, or cheese that will win him over. And this soup has 2 out of 3.

Creamy Chowder with Crab and Bacon
Makes 1 large pot (about 8 bowls)

The Jalapeno adds flavour and just a touch of spice. I am a wimp when it comes to heat, but if you like things hot, go ahead and add another pepper.  Cayenne pepper or hot sauce would work as well. Oh, and use real crab please? You will notice the difference, I promise (Psst... I got mine at Costco.I don't think it's Ocean-wise.Don't tell).

Ingredients

6 stips bacon, chopped

1 medium white onion, diced small

2 jalepeno peppers, deseeded and diced very small

3 cloves garlic, smashed or pressed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp. Smoked paprika

¼ tsp. White pepper

2 cups red new potatoes – quartered (or 2 cups of any potato, chopped into rough chunks)

5 ears corn – cut off cobs

5-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock

220 grams (or ½ tub) cooked crab meat

1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (yes, 1 whole cup)

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon to pot and saute until the bacon begins to crisp up and fat is rendered. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon, set them on a dish lined with paper towel to absorb fat, and set aside. 
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onions. You can add a drizzle of olive oil here if you did not have a lot of bacon fat. When the onions are translucent, add the jalapeno, garlic, bell pepper and spices. I salted my soup here and did not salt it at the end. It is up to you when you do it.** 
3. After about 5 minutes the onions should start to brown and the peppers will begin to cook. At this point add your chopped potatoes. Allow these to cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock. ***
4. Add the stock and corn and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are cooked though.
5. Stir the crab meat into the pot and add the bacon back in as well.
6. Just before serving, add the cream to the pot. Make sure your soup is not boiling when you do this or there is a chance it could curdle. I have never had this happen, but I have heard rumors. Add salt to taste, if necessary. 

Optional: Chop some fresh tomatoes and ripe avocado into chunks, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of course salt. Place on top of each bowl right before serving. Not necessary but definitely yummy.

And have some warm crusty bread on hand for dipping.


Enjoy! 

XO, 




Maia

** A note about Salt: I tend not to measure the salt I add to my soups, I just take the salt grinder and go around the pot a couple of times until it feels right. If you don’t have good eye for amounts, I suggest you wait until the soup is almost done, taste the broth, and then add salt a bit at a time until it makes you happy. Always err on the side of caution when using store bought broth, as you can never be sure how salty they will be.

*** A note about stock: If you have homemade stock on hand that is of course the best. But it is rare that I have that, since I only roast a chicken a couple of times a year. Instead, I use better than bullion stock bases. I sometimes buy the liquid stock in the tetra packs and it works well too. I just find this more convenient for when I want a little bit of stock, and it is cheaper too. Since it is soup season again, I might stock up on the liquid kind again. If you do buy the liquid stuff, go for reduced sodium. With the better than bullion, I use 6 cups of water with the amount of base meant for 4-5 cups, since I find it too salty at full strength. Whatever you do, please don’t use those dried up cubes of bullion. Who really knows what’s in those???