GourGanics Vegan Ginger Scented Curry Soup

This week has been a doozy for us here at GourGanics. We lost a good family friend and Sarah for one, is feeling run down (headache and runny nose) and generally sad and bummed out. We all get that way. But what to do? One of the best ways to chase the sniffles away and push more fluids is by preparing a spiced dish. I like to take about 1/2 a package firm tofu and use it as the base protein for this dish. I always try to have ginger on hand. Get this. Fresh ginger goes bad so quickly that I always freeze it. Anytime I need the taste of fresh ginger, I can pull it out of the freezer and grate it right into my dish. I learned that on Food Network, I’m pretty sure this whole dish can be attributed to me watching Rachel Ray and Aarti’s Party. Although this actual recipe is a GourGanics original. This is a thick and satisfying dish though it’s short on fat and big on flavor. I like to add about three tablespoons of Spicy GourGanics, the curry I use has organic coriander in it, so the organic Cumin and roasted garlic flavor in GourGanics adds both heat and balance. I also use just a little bit of organic coconut oil right before I grate my ginger on top. It gives the taste of coconut without tons of extra fat.

So here’s what you need:

4-7 good shakes Organic Hot Curry Powder (we like Frontier brand)

3 tablespoons spicy GourGanics

1/2 cup chopped organic onion

1/2 cup chopped organic celery

1/3 cup diced organic carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet organic potato (par cooked in microwave and cut into chunks)

1/2 package extra firm tofu, in larger diced pieces

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

drizzle olive oil

Fresh ginger to taste ( I use a a small root in its entirety)

1 cup organic veggie broth

Here’s what to do:

Put your sweet potato in the microwave on the potato setting but make sure it doesn’t overcook. If you are opposed to the microwave, bake it in your oven at 350 degrees for about 1/2 an hour.

Drizzle put a small amount of olive oil in pan and allow it to get warm, but not so hot it shimmers. Add tofu, lots of curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes per side, so it  has texture and a little nutty color to it. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and sautee for 5 minutes, adding veggie stock in small amounts as you go. Add remainder of broth, coconut oil, sweet potato and grate ginger to taste. Cook for 2 more minutes and you are done. I like to grate on one more bit of ginger before serving.

I often add Organic jasmine white rice to the bowl but it’s also delicious as is. After eating a small amount of this soup, my need for a drink increases (pushing fluids) and I actually feel an energetic boost. Sometimes I’ll venture out for a walk or just snuggle into the covers for a mid day nap if my schedule allows. Are you a meat lover? Replace the tofu with Organic Chicken thighs.

Gluten-Free Organic Butternut Squash Fries

Here’s whatcha need:
1/2 Organic butternut squash
lots of kosher salt

If you like sweet potato fries try these delicious baked organic squash fries. They are not quite as sweet as sweet potato fries so they go really well with GourGanics salsa as a dipping sauce. They’re so warm and crisp and wholesome. Zero fat, lower calories, as Rachel Ray would say, “figure friendly.” Good for you, good for the environment (keeping America beautiful counts.) Enjoy these crispy crunchy fried treats without guilt. Dip them in salsa for a sweet and spicy extravaganza that will BLOW YOUR MIND! ‘

Here’s what to do:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel and de-seed your organic butternut squash slice it in half.  Then cut it up into French fry shapes.  Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover lightly with kosher salt. Place tray in your pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or so, flipping halfway through baking.

Serve ‘em up hot with Spicy GourGanics.

GourGanics Vegetarian Tamales

Have you ever made homemade tamales? This is very fun, simple enough more work than most recipes here but  oh so delicious. This is an Old Guatemalan recipe that I have adapted from Vegetarian Times Magazine. Some Latin markets and Whole Foods carry frozen banana leaves (many organic).

Here’s whatcha need:

Flour (MASA)

3 1/2 cups organic masa harina (Bob’s Red Mill makes some)

2 tps. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

10 tbs organic vegetable shortening (Spectrum naturals)

1 cup low-sodium organic vegetable broth

Filling

3 poblano chiles (organic if possible)

2 tbs olive oil

1 medium organic onion (chopped) about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup low sodium veggie broth

1/2 tsp dried organic Mexican oregano

1 cup pitted green olives, sliced

8 9 inch square banana leaf

Sauce

1/2 cup GourGanics Spicy salsa

3 tbs sherry vinegar

1 tbs smoked paprika

1/2 cup roasted almonds

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup olive oil

To make Masa: combine masa, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Add 2 1/4 cups ht water in a bowl and beat on medium speed until crumbly. Increase speed till medium-high. Add shortening and broth, 1 tbs. at a time. Beat 15 minutes, till light and fluffy. To test texture, drop a spoon of masa in the water, if it floats it is ready.

To make filling: Preheat oven to broil. Place chilis on baking sheet; broil 8 to 10 minutes until blackened on all sides, turning occasionally. Place in a bowl, cover with a lid and steam for 10 minutes. Pull of charred skin, rinse in water, take off stems and remove seeds. Dice into 1/2 inch pieces. Meanwhile, warm oil in skillet, brown onions, add raisins, Spicy GourGanics, chopped poblanos, simmer. Add olives. cool.

To assemble Tamales: Soften banana leaves over heat of gas or electric burner. Place each leaf, shiny side up on top of a 10 inch foil square. Spread 1/2 cup masa over center of banana leaf. Top with heaping 1 tbs filling. Fold over sides and then ends of banana leaf over filling. then wrap in foil square.

Stack Tamales in steamer basket and simmer for one hour or until masa is pulling away from leaf.

To make Sauce: Puree peppers, sherry vinegar, spicy GourGanics and paprika in blender until smooth. Add almonds, breadcrumbs, garlic puree until smooth. Add olive oil and run blender until sauce is smooth.

SERVE: remove and discard foil. Serve with sauce and salsa.

 

 

GourGanics Healthy Yummy Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe has a few steps and while still very easy, it is a little more complicated than most, but I love the results. I first make crock pot pulled chicken. I then take the juices from the mixture (rich with overcooked veggies) and put the whole thing through a food milll to create a smooth enchilada sauce. Then it’s as simple as quickly assembling the enchiladas and baking them for 35 minutes in the oven.

Here’s what you need to make the chicken and enchilada sauce:

1 package organic chicken ( I used bone-in thighs and breasts)

1/2 cup white wine

1 large organic onion chopped rough

1/2 cup Spicy GourGanics Salsa

splash water

dash salt

Veggies your family loves.  ( I rough chopped squash, baby spinach, a few tomatoes, rough chopped bell peppers, tomatillos and eggplant from my garden just because I had them and they add extra healthy nutrients to the broth)

Here’s what to do:

Open the pack of chicken, rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Add a little salt if desired. Add any veggies you have hanging around, plus rough chopped onion. Then cover with wine, water and salsa. Cook it slow and low all day long while you are at work or play. When we got home, the house smelled amazing! I extracted the chicken from the broth and took a quick shower while it cooled just a little.  It was falling off the bone at this time. I used two forks to pull the chicken apart and added two tablespoons of salsa and a little broth to the pulled chicken mixture just to flavor the chicken and keep it moist. Set aside to use to fill enchiladas.

To make the smooth enchilada sauce:

I ran all of the cooking juices from the crock pot through a food mill. The sauce is velvety and smooth. You won’t need it all for this recipe but you can freeze it as “spicy enchilada sauce” and make this recipe using cooked chicken next time around. It also the perfect base for tortilla soup.

Here’s what you need to make enchiladas:

1 pack organic corn or flour tortillas

1/2 jar USDA organic GourGanics SPICY salsa

1/2 cup organic sour cream or Greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups organic melting cheese ( I used a mexican Colby, cheddar and Jack blend)

Organic pulled chicken from recipe above

Here’s what to do:

Mix spicy salsa with Greek yogurt or sour cream. (Any remaining mixture makes an excellent salad dressing or baked potato topping).

Add one small ladle of enchilada sauce to bottom of a Pyrex pan. Dip a tortilla into the enchilada mixture until it is a little wet and pliable, then place 1/4 cup pulled chicken, dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, handful of cheese. Roll tortillas like a crepe. Cover with cheese. Repeat until pan is full. Then cover with enchilada sauce and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

GourGanics Crock Pot Pulled Chicken

This is a super simple recipe that I made AGAIN this weekend. The work was all done while I  played at the beach with my family. I used this recipe to make pulled chicken enchiladas, a more elaborate dish I will post soon, but you can just serve it warm over rice, toss with pasta or on soft rolls. This is a master recipe you can do so much with. Don’t forget to freeze some of the juices you used to stew your pulled chicken–it makes a fantastic spicy broth for soup.

Here’s what you need:

1 package organic chicken ( I used bone-in thighs and breasts)

1/2 cup white wine

1 large organic onion chopped rough

1/2 cup Spicy GourGanics Salsa

splash water

Anything else you like ( I rough chopped squash, baby spinach, a few tomatoes and other veggies from my garden just because I had then and they add extra healthy nutrients to the broth)

Here’s what to do:

Open the pack of chicken, rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Add a little salt if desired. Add any veggies you have hanging around, plus rough chopped onion. Then cover with wine, water and salsa. You are done. I cooked it slow and low all day long while we biked to the beach. When we got home, the house smelled amazing! I extracted the chicken from the broth and took a quick shower while it cooled just a little.  It was falling off the bone at this time. I used two forks to pull the chicken apart and added two tablespoons of salsa and a little broth to the pulled mixture just to flavor the chicken and keep it moist.

That’s it! Toss with pasta, add to cooked rice, serve on warm rolls. You can add chopped frozen mango, canned kidney beans, fresh or frozen corn to the mixture for variety.