It’s that time of year, isn’t it?  The time that many think of being more healthy, adding wholesome food to their diets, exercising more, and yes, losing weight.  There’s nothing quite like a fresh, new calendar year and January 1st to motivate us — even those of us who enjoy telling others resolutions oriented to the above mentioned actions — or any action — are just not our cup of tea.  I am in that group, and smirk at my reflection when I pause long enough to look knowing I’m fooling only myself and that much of my resistance to making New Year’s resolutions has to do with a variety of things, not the least of which is that I know I can make a decision at any time of the year to make a change in my habits.  Why wait for a particular day?

Here and there throughout each week, each month, each year, I am rarely free of thinking about whether I’ve eaten enough vegetables, enough whole grain, food packed with essential vitamins and minerals, drunk enough water, kept portions reasonable, made sure I ate breakfast, use mono-saturated fat in controlled amounts, watch the sugar I stir into my coffee, and work to balance protein and carbs.  Knowing what to eat and how much of it to be in good health is one thing, and living a healthy life style entirely another.  I love to tell myself that all is well because I very rarely eat fast food, or even buy food that is packaged for easy preparation or snacking.  I’ve baked almost nothing in months, and what has been baked usually leaves the house as soon as it’s out of the oven.  It’s never been difficult to avoid chips when they’re in the house, crackers, cookies, or any of the typical snack foods I know others have trouble with.  No, my weakness comes in a wine bottle — one that preferably contains white wine, but I’ll drink red with little or no arm twisting.  I sip, sip, sip it each evening — yes, each –  consuming all that sugar knowing that to make matters worse, I won’t exercise regularly, so the calories add up over time.  And?  It’s alcohol.

I know.

The math is fairly simple though.  If I cut out the wine and get out for a 3-mile walk each day, then surely, I will lose weight, right?  But I make no effort.

The last time I seriously made an effort was five years ago.  In fact it was the reason I started Sass & Veracity.  I thought that if I wrote about all things nutrition, diet, and weight loss, I’d be able to hold myself accountable and lose 50 lbs. in the process.  Losing fifty pounds would get me back to the weight I was in my mid-twenties after the birth of my two oldest boys.  The irony of that is I thought I was overweight then and probably eat far more healthily now (minus the wine).  Five years ago with approximately eight weeks of adopting a diet loosely based on The South Beach Diet,  and regularly scheduled exercise, I managed to lose 10 lbs.  But I struggled to get past a critical psychological point and lost motivation.  The exercise dwindled to be less routine, and well, here I am today, obsessed with the idea of being more thin, but never really doing anything about it.

I think one of the reasons I stopped writing here as much as I have in the past is that spending huge amounts of time thinking about recipes, buying food, writing about it, talking about it, and reading about it all day each day began to make me a bit crazy.  It takes quite a bit of seat time to accomplish that, and since I’m horrible at routine exercise unless it’s at the crack of dawn, my body doesn’t move that much. Counting the number of times I walk up and down our stairs every day doesn’t count.  My husband gave me a requested Wii for my last birthday because I thought it would be easier on my knee than getting out for a walk, and although I do love the yoga stretching and balancing, it’s not been used for more than racing cows on New Year’s Eve in quite a while.

Our complex has a nice little gym with everything I’d need to routinely work out.  There’s a lap pool as well.  Do I use them?  No.  An uninterrupted stretch of beach several miles long is a 5-minute drive from my house, and although I do enjoy walking there, I only manage it once or twice a month.  There’s a rowing machine in our garage propped against the wall that hasn’t been used in years.  I have two sizes of exercise balls, two sizes of hand weights, a stretchy thing with handles I use once every blue moon if it’s laying on the floor blocking my path to the kitchen, and a weighted ball with a handle I blame for the torn meniscus in my right knee I had surgery for a year ago.  I have a Pilates DVD, a great Pilates book, and a variety of On-Demand exercising videos available to me for free if only I’ll turn on the television and actually engage in the exercise. I’ve subscribed to Jillian Michaels and bailed after one workout.  ONE.  I joined Sparks People, set up a profile, and never returned. I ordered Sensa, tried it for two days and decided it was ridiculous, then returned it.  I think I actually was hoodwinked into purchasing Hoodia, but never used it.  I have watched and enjoyed The Biggest Loser for the past five or six seasons, amazed at how much weight the contestants lose, and am only motivated to get off the couch to use my 8-lb. weights to stretch a few times while it’s on.

It’s pathetic.

But when I think of going on a diet to assist me in changing some of my habits, I can’t help but feel so much of what I could achieve is temporary — or even dangerous.  Eating like a cave man?  Um, no thank you.  Subjecting myself to extreme detox diets to lose weight fast?  Not worth it.  A liquid meal substitute based diet?  Not when I know that eating fresh vegetables is ultimately more beneficial and with fewer calories than most liquid diets.  No, it has to be a combination of ideas — something with the support of a routine, eating and cooking food I already enjoy, and with flexibility I need built in. Most importantly, I need to be interested in it without it taking over my life.  Instead, it needs to become my life, quietly, and routinely — like nothing has changed.

I have no excuses.  I’m retired.  (Insert much happy dancing here!) I used to gaze longingly at the people going on their morning walk as I drove past on my way to work thinking, if only I didn’t have to go to work.  Even now, I see them outside the window next to where I’m sitting — walking, jogging, cycling — all while I sit on this ball thinking and writing.  So what are my obstacles, perceived or real?  My knee still bothers me, but I know which exercises will continue to strengthen it.  Spending time in the evening watching television with my husband could be an obstacle as well, but I’ll work on that. Ultimately, my biggest obstacle is doing anything mindless.  If I can’t read, or listen, think constructively, or plan while I’m exercising, it’s like being put in a cage.  Even music does little to fend off the crazies.  Is it possible to meditate while exercising?

So where is all of this going?  We’ll call it the starting line in the sand of a different direction with a predetermined destination.  And to make it legitimate:  reduce my caloric intake by 400 calories a day + increase calories burned by 400 a day.  It should take about 32 weeks to reach my goal weight of 140 lbs. just in time to celebrate a couple of milestones.  I’m not motivated by little black dresses or high-heeled shoes and never have been, but this could definitely keep me focused as a little reward.

So it appears I’m beginning something, doesn’t it?  Cheer me along, please?

Now, let’s have soup.

 Mulligatawny Detox Soup

from Gluten-Free Goddess

Ingredients

avocado oil

garlic

fresh ginger

curry powder

turmeric

cayenne

red onion

carrots

cauliflower

Granny Smith apples

sweet potato

cabbage

water

vegetable juice

chick peas

sea salt

coconut milk

lime

brown rice syrup

apple slices & cilantro

For ingredient quantities and directions, please visit Gluten-Free Goddess.

Notes:

• Mulligatawny soup is one of those things I’d heard of, but never tried.  Traditionally it’s made with a meat base but the variations on the basic recipe are numerous and often can be packed with calories.
• I made this soup a few months ago for myself thinking I’d nip the impending holiday indulgences in the bud before they happened, if that makes any sense at all.  Think prescriptive here.
• I tried it both chunky and pureed — both are packed with incredible flavor, so it’s up to you.  The puree is quite elegant and satisfying.
• It’s a rare event when I pull it off, but I followed Karina’s recipe exactly and so glad I did.
• I didn’t have either brown rice syrup or avocado oil, but located them at Sprouts.
• It freezes quite nicely in small lidded containers — enough for 1 good sized serving and makes enough to last a week.
• Perfect for now since giving your body a nice flush after all the food and beverage indulgences the last couple of months.
•  Turmeric gives this soup its bright color.  It’s known for its powerful anti-inflammatory qualities, even in very small quantities.  I truly enjoy its exotic taste and aroma.
• Avocado oil is a monosaturated fat (healthy fat) like olive oil, but is far more delicate in flavor, so it won’t have the tendency to stand out in a recipe like olive oil can.
• Ginger is best known for its ability to sooth the intestines — especially when they’ve been taxed.  Think ginger tea…
• Cabbage is also a powerhouse for anti-inflammatory benefits — and there’s a bunch of it in this recipe!

 Mulligatawny Soup from Around the Web:

We Are Never Full — “Mulligatawny Soup — The Brits Really Know How to Shake it Up”

 One Perfect Bite — “Mulligatawny”

Mele Cotte — “Secret Recipe Club:  Mulligatawny”

Making Life Delicious — “Mulligatawny Stew”

My meager pot of tomato plants has finished producing and been cut back to a few stalks jutting from the dark soil they’ve been planted in since May, waiting for me to pull them up.  But I’m lucky to have friends whose plants are still producing and thankfully willing to share.  The challenge for me at times is knowing what to do with them because my own plants have rarely produced more than what we can eat in a salad.  Often my timing is bad in being able to enjoy the lot — just how many tomatoes can two people eat at one sitting, right?  Especially when my husband forgets to bring them home right away and they’re, well, soft.

Into the freezer they go — stems and all.  I put them on a metal tray until they’re hard as rocks, then pour them into a plastic bag for later use.  Last year I managed to save a bag until mid-February when it was a welcome addition to a hearty tomato squash soup.  This year, I’ve already used one frozen bag, but still have two more in the freezer and will enjoy deciding what to make with them.

I’ll have to blame my need to use some of my frozen homegrown tomato stash on this Irish Blue Cheese and Tomato Soup recipe from Soup Chick.   I’m a pushover to begin with because I love tomato soup, but I’ve never had it with blue cheese — let alone bacon.  I was completely intrigued, so of course I had to try it.  I had the tomatoes, but the recipe requires that they are roasted.  Roasting isn’t a problem because I’ve roasted tomatoes several different ways and truly enjoy the flavor.  However I’d never roasted thawed, frozen tomatoes.

I love a good food experiment, don’t you?  Especially when the result is such a satisfyingly, tasty soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Bacon, Cheese, & Orzo Recipe

Ingredients

8 large roasted tomatoes, plus juice
olive oil
3 large cloves garlic
3 strips bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 large stalk of celery, roughly chopped
1 orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth, heated
4 oz blue cheese
2/3 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked whole wheat orzo, optional
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place whole tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment and drizzle olive oil over.  Smash the cloves of garlic with the side of a large knife, peel them and add them to the tomatoes.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
2. Roast at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.
3. While the tomatoes are roasting, if you plan to add the orzo to the soup, prepare that now according to package directions — al dente.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to touch.  If time is short, pour the tomatoes and their juice into a wide shallow bowl to quicken the cooling process.
5. When the tomatoes are cool, remove stems and skin and discard.
6. In a large pot, add the bacon and cook over medium high heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is just beginning to brown around the edges.  Remove the bacon pieces and place them in a small bowl to reserve.
7. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onion, celery, and bell pepper.  Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, just until softened, about 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring to incorporate, and allow to cook 1-2 minutes.
9. Stir the heated vegetable broth over the vegetables, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Allow to cook just until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
10. Add the tomatoes and their juices, continuing to cook until the soup reaches a simmer.
11. Crumble the blue cheese over the soup and stir until melted.
12. If desired, use an immersion blender, blender, or food processor to puree the soup.
13. Pour in the milk and allow it to heat briefly, about 1 minute.
14. Stir in the the cooked orzo if including it in the recipe, then add the bacon pieces, reserving a few to garnish.

Recipe Notes:

• The smaller yellow and orange tomatoes weren’t used in this recipe, but they could have been.  I just wanted to show you how I do just pop them in the freezer.  The first photo was taken earlier this past summer after I returned home from picking my dear friend’s tomatoes while she was on vacation.  Lucky me!  The second two were the last of my crop from last year which I gathered in mid-October right before we went on vacation.  Amazing how my growing season was so much longer last year!
• As usual when I’m inspired by a great recipe, I often don’t have exactly the same ingredients on hand.  In the case of this soup, I was lacking the carrots, but had the bell pepper, and although they’re both orange, of course that’s not why I made the substitution.  Both add a sweetness to the mix and if you consider the holy trinity of gumbo bases (onion, celery, and bell pepper), I knew I would be in the ball park.  I had milk but not cream, found I was out of chicken broth so used veggie, and then only a partial package of blue cheese — about half the required quantity.  And you know the story about the tomatoes from what I mentioned above.
• About those tomatoes:  My goodness they released quite a bit of water during the roasting — definitely more than what I’ve noticed when roasting fresh tomatoes.  They end up being quite soft, but the good thing is, the skins are completely separated from the flesh, so you can pull them right out of the mix simply by using a fork to poke around in it.  There’s no need to chop them, because they’re already so soft.
• We truly enjoyed the flavors in this soup, and because we’re blue-veined cheese lovers, I have to make it again using the required amount of cheese.  I used a mild blue-veined Brie for this recipe and it was a perfect choice.  Nice an creamy.
• Why the whole wheat orzo?  I had it on hand for another meal and decided to add it the next day when I was enjoying a bowl of left-over soup for lunch.  I was remembering a favorite tomato rice soup recipe and thought it might be similar.  It was a great addition, but the soup is excellent without it as well.
• Many thanks to Lydia who also writes The Perfect Pantry, for sharing such a great recipe.

More Tomato Soup Recipes:

What We’re Eating — Roasted Tomato Soup (and some incredible cheese bread!)

Sprouted Kitchen – Roasted Tomato Soup

Joylicious — Roasted Tomato Soup

Our Life in the Kitchen — Tomato Soup

Sassy Radish — Tomato Soup

I’m not sure how many years ago we started the tradition of taking a long weekend trip late in January, but it’s one of my favorites.  I think it all began when I figured out that the holiday presents other than clothing my husband received were rarely used, so I surprised him with a trip to Solvang one year.  The next year it was Monterey, and from that point on, we tried to find somewhere to go just to get away.  Sometimes the boy accompanied us, but most often, it was just the two of us.  One year we may have taken a plane, and the next we’d drive.  We’d talk occasionally about stretching ourselves to go somewhere we hadn’t been before — Monterey, CA is still our favorite — but the whole point of getting away is to relax, and when you’re the semi-unadventurous people we are familiarity facilitates that relaxation.

We don’t go as often as we used to since life isn’t as hectic, but this year my husband charged me with finding somewhere to go within a reasonable driving distance.  I’m thinking it’s because the patio is torn up and figuring what to do with it is a far less attractive option than heading off on a Friday afternoon for anything unrelated to a DIY project.  I don’t blame him.

I asked the boy what he thought, and without hesitation he mentioned Julian.  You may remember me waxing over this small town early last month, and since I’d toyed with the idea of gifting my husband with a get away there before moving on to something else, my research had already been done.

We’re back now, and as much as we might have enjoyed some sign of wintery weather, there wasn’t a trace.  Clear blue skies, dry air, and highs of 65 during the day welcomed us.  The cabin was nestled against a mountainside beneath huge cedars, young pines in the undergrowth, and massive coastal live oaks.  The persistent rush of water from a stream nearby was the only sound to be heard.  We hiked, cooked a little, played cards and Yahtzee, and enjoyed the quiet, our books, and one another’s company.   I took Tessa Kiros’ breathtaking book Falling Cloudberries:  A World of Family Recipes which I finally treated myself to after seeing it for the first time about a year ago, and  read through it over the two days.

When I open it to make one of the many wonderful recipes from now on, I’ll remember last weekend and smile.

Here’s a simple, delicious vegetable soup adapted from one of Kiros’ recipes.  It’s light and full of bright, fresh flavor that will warm you through and through.

Perfect.  Just like our weekend.

Vegetable Bean Soup

1 c. large lima beans, cooked

1 leek, rinsed and sliced

1 zucchini, sliced and quartered

4-5 small red potatoes, chopped

3 small carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 small butternut squash, cubed

1 bunch chard, chopped

4 whole roma tomatoes, canned

1 c. oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 handfull fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 pinches fresh oregano, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

fresh lemon

fruity extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the lima beans ahead of time by soaking them in a pan of water overnight.  Alternatively, bring the beans to a boil, turn the heat off and allow to soak for 1 hour.  Drain the beans, cover them with fresh water and cook partially covered over low heat about 1 hour.  When the beans are tender, remove them from the heat and drain them reserving the broth.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables.  Mix everything except the olive oil and lemon in a large pot.  Add 10 cups of water and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cover the pan and bring the vegetables to a boil.  Turn the heat down to a low simmer, partially cover with a lid and allow to cook about 1 hour.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Add the cooked lima beans and 1 cup of the bean broth.  If desired, with any left over lima beans (some of them are very soft after cooking) mash and stir into the soup.

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of good, fruity olive oil.

Mix and match veggies and greens

Cover the veggies with water and cook

Fresh soup for dinner

Notes:

• I could eat this soup — or any variation of it — all week.  The broth is clear, light, and very flavorful.  Without the drizzle of olive oil, this is nearly fat-free, but the drizzle is worth it.  That and the lemon really add a bright flavor to the soup.
• I enjoyed the lima beans in this — especially the mashed up-stir-it-into-the-broth left over limas.  In fact, I could eat them by themselves.  But if you don’t have the limas or the time, I know some rinsed cannellini beans would work just fine.
• If you don’t have chard, then spinach or kale would be nice, too.
• Dried mushrooms would work well instead of fresh if you don’t have a nice variety of mushrooms available.  Cover them with hot water and allow to soak about 30 minutes.  Drain them — reserving the broth — and chop before adding to the vegetable mix.  Add the filtered broth to the soup pot.
• If you don’t have potatoes, add pasta or rice instead.  Make sure it’s partially cooked before adding it to the pot about 20 minutes before the end of cooking time.
• Use the herbs you enjoy in any combination.

With New Year’s Day less than a week away, I’ve found myself not wanting to wait until the traditional January 1st to promise myself that I’ll turn over a new leaf here and there in my life — or perhaps nine.  Do I hear 25?  After all the cookies and cooking, left-over food,  and dishes to be washed, I’m ready for uncomplicated recipes, less sugar, and more vegetables.  While I’m on the subject, a personal chef would be great, too, but since that isn’t going to happen any time soon, I’ll settle for a soup that’s healthy and easy to prepare.  It’s elegant enough for a formal dinner, but is fabulous heated up for lunch when you want something flavorful and light.

This recipe for asparagus soup is different from a delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup I made recently in that it doesn’t contain milk products to achieve its creaminess.  Instead, a potato is cooked and blended with the other ingredients to thicken the soup.  Should you want a richer soup, a liberal drizzling of a good quality fruity extra virgin olive oil is enjoyable, but not necessary.

If you are one who appreciates a bit of cheese in soup, crumbled feta, goat’s cheese, or a curl of Parmesan are especially nice swirled into a hot bowl of this.

“Creamy” Asparagus Soup

2 lbs. asparagus, peeled, woody stems removed

3 T extra virgin olive oil plus 1/4 c. additional (optional)

1 lg. brown onion, peeled and sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lg. russet potato, peeled and diced

8 c. hot vegetable broth, low sodium

1 T fresh oregano, fresh

salt & cracked pepper to taste

feta, goat’s cheese, Parmesan to finish (optional)

Prepare an ice bath and set aside.  Drop the asparagus into salted, boiling water and cook about 3 minutes or until it turns bright green.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drop into the ice bath to stop the cooking.  After it’s completely cooled, remove the tips and set aside.  Chop the asparagus stems and reserve.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 T of olive oil.  Add the onion and saute until it’s very soft and nearly translucent, about 15 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute longer.  Add the potato dice and stir, cooking for 2-3 minutes before pouring in the hot vegetable broth and oregano.  Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the potato is fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Add the asparagus stem pieces and remove the skillet from the burner.

In batches, ladle the mixture into a blender and puree well.  If you’re going to add the olive oil, do so now.  If desired, once completely blended, pour the soup through a chinois for a more velvety soup.

Garnish with the reserved asparagus tips, cheese, or if you chose not to add the olive oil to the soup during blending, then drizzle over each serving now.

Notes:

• When we go to Las Vegas, we enjoy Todd English’s Olives restaurant at Belagio.  This recipe is an adaptation of his Asparagus Soup with Oregano and Feta Cheese available here.
• Don’t skip the step where you have to peel the asparagus stems and remove the woody stems.  I learned that years ago, ending up with a stringy soup with chunks of tough asparagus.
• Talk about messing up my kitchen — I normally use my immersion blender for soup like this, but it wasn’t doing a great job, so I poured it all into my Cuisinart.  Suffice it to say that that was a liquidy mess, so the blender was the best choice.  Pureed the soup efficiently, and allowed for easier pouring into the chinois.
• The original recipe called for the asparagus tips to be sauteed briefly with the feta.  Although the flavor was good, they weren’t exactly beautiful, so I’d recommend adding the cheese separately.  We had cheese-covered tips left over and that was quite sad.
• This soup is easy to make ahead:  cool completely at room temp, store in a well-sealed container and refrigerate.  Reheat the soup as needed.

It’s only a matter of time once the hint of Fall teases me with cool afternoons that I start thinking of soup.  I’m not partial to any kind of soup in particular as long as it’s warm and satisfying.  Sometimes I long for a clear broth and others something silky and smooth.  This time, I was in the mood for something chunky with a bit of richness — like clam chowder — except I didn’t have clams.  Seafood chowder sounded excellent too, but I wasn’t sure the tilapia I had in the freezer would be the right kind of fish for that.  No, I’d have to settle for the plump pieces of shrimp I had and the sweet corn and potatoes that needed to be used instead.  I just needed to find  a recipe that wouldn’t take up an  afternoon to prepare.

I enjoy my recipe searches because in the process I compare and contrast general quantities of ingredients, consider the variety of spices used and admire an unusual spin here and there.  It’s always nice to find a version that is healthy without taking away the satisfying aspect of the dish, too.   Every once in a while, I find a recipe that stuns me.  In my search for Shrimp and Corn Chowder, I found a recipe that seems to be making its rounds, finding it posted at several different sites.  Serving six, it calls for one quart of half-and-half, one quart of heavy cream, and one-half cup of margerine. Seriously.  I just about fell out of my chair wondering why on Earth it was necessary to put that much fat into a recipe that could easily do with much lighter ingredients and avoid classifying it as diet food.

Thankfully, I found a great recipe at Nook & Pantry, and although I didn’t follow it exactly as written, my version is not too far off.  Shrimp & Corn Chowder anyone?

Shrimp & Corn Chowder

4 ears sweet corn, kernels removed

6 oz. bacon

1 lg. shallot, chopped

3 lg. cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 celery ribs, trimmed and diced

3 T flour

1/4 tsp.  hot paprika

2 dashes cayenne

4 c. good vegetable stock

2 c. milk, 2%

1 lb. fingerlings, cubed, peelings on

1 lb. lg. shrimp, shells & tails removed

Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in the bottom of a medium soup pot until brown, but not yet crispy.  Remove the bacon to some paper towels to drain and pour off all but 1 T of the bacon fat.  Add all the vegetables, stirring over medium heat, cooking until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute stirring occasionally.

Stir in the flour and paprika, coating the vegetables with it and allowing it to cook for a minute or two.

Add the vegetable broth, stirring any flour bits from the bottom of the pot as you pour.  Add the milk, corn, and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 25 minutes.  Add the shrimp and cook just until they turn pink and are cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes:

• This is a hearty chowder with bits and chunks of vegetables or shrimp in every bite.
• The hot paprika is such a wonderful addition to this.  A little bit goes a long way, but if you’re someone who isn’t fond of heat don’t worry.  You’ll have just the slightest hint of warmth at the back of your throat and its quite pleasant.  The pimenton picante or hot paprika I use is made by Chiquilin and is a product of Spain.  If you can’t find it at your market, La Tienda is a great source for Spanish products like paprika and they sell quite a few varieties.
• This recipe makes enough for six good servings and since there are only three of us, we enjoyed it left over even though I worried about the texture of the shrimp with reheating.  Reheat low and slow and the shrimp manages just fine.
• In case you’re wondering about the recipe I mentioned at the beginning of this post, just the heavy cream and half-and-half alone in that recipe racks up almost 6,000 calories of saturated fat.  I’m still amazed!
• I’m thinking I’d like to put a southwest spin on this next time adding a few roasted poblanos and a bit of cilantro.

I love beans.  I always have.  Although you might catch me sampling the piquant flavors of a great baked beans recipe at a barbeque, I’m more of a straight bean sampler.  Someone who enjoys the texture and taste of a big pot of beans without too many other flavors interfering with that of the bean — not all beans, but most, and I’ve sampled quite a few.

I’m always on the look out for ingredients I’ve read about or wanted to try, and when I spot one in the market, it does go in the basket.  There are no particular plans for its use, but I know there will be at some point in time.  This does cause problems in my pantry at times, but at others, it comes in quite handy.

Like now.

Beans are one of those thrifty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meals that is also very good for you.  And since everyone seems to be thinking about health after the sweet laden holidays, and perhaps trying to recover from the sticker shock as well, beans are perfect.

I swear my shopping cart left skid marks on the floor when I saw the package of heirloom scarlet runner beans.  They were enormous and mottled in color, and until that point in time, I’d only imagined them in full summery scarlet bloom growing chaotically on a picket fence — like sweet peas without the varied pastel colors.  I swear I didn’t know the plant actually produced beans that could be eaten, but I’ve never been much of a vegetable gardener, unfortunately.

The package didn’t appear to hold that many beans, so I didn’t hesitate to prepare the entire bag for the three of us.  Meatless Monday has turned into meatless Tuesday and Wednesday lunch, and yes, there is still enough to share.

Definitely cost effective, but also full of nutrients, like vitamin B-17 which is believed to be a cancer-fighter.  They’re low in saturated fat, and can help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  It really is true that they’re good for your heart just like that ditty goes.

And then there were those rutabagas…

Heirloom Scarlet Runner Bean & Vegetable Soup

12 oz. dried scarlet runner beans
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 lg. brown onion, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
1 leek, white & light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
3 rutabagas, peeled and cubed
1/2 heat cabbage, sliced
1 c. cooked white rice optional

The night before, soak the beans in water making sure they’re covered by 1-2 inches.  The next day about 4 hours before serving, drain the soaking water, then refill the pot to cover the beans, again by at least 2 inches.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 3 hours.  If necessary, add more water during cooking time to keep beans covered by one inch.

Taste test the beans to make sure they’re tender before removing them from the heat, and draining them.  Reserve the bean broth and place beans in a bowl to set aside.

In the same pot the beans cooked in, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and stir occasionally until soft and just beginning to brown.  Add the garlic, herbs, and salt, mixing well, and continue cooking for and additional 2-3 minutes.

Add 4 c. of hot water, stirring to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil.  Add the rutabagas and leek to the mix and continue to cook at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Taste to correct seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Return the beans to the mixture and 2 c. of the reserved bean broth.  Place the sliced cabbage over the mixture and put a lid on the pot to allow the cabbage to cook, about 10 minutes.  Stir the cabbage into the mixture when it’s softened, and if necessary, add more bean broth to achieve the consistency you desire.

Serve really hot with some shaved parmesan or a sprinkle of feta.  On the second night, add a salad.  For lunch the next day, sprinkle on some habanero sauce.  Mmmm….

Notes:

• This recipe was adapted from Alice Water’s “Winter Minestrone” which she adapted from a recipe in The Art of Simple Food. Her recipe uses cannellini beans and potatoes with turnips.
• These are some seriously tough beans!  Even after the over night soak, they needed to cook forever!  Definitely a candidate for a pressure cooker if you have one.
• When I soak beans overnight I do so in cold water.  If I want to speed things up a bit, I bring the beans to a boil, and then let them soak.  I think these beans needed the heat and boil and then an overnight soak.
• When the beans were cooking, I had to add quite a bit of water during the day.  I don’t have an exact quantity, but would estimate about 4-5 cups of water or more.  I was surprised.
• The bean broth is very dark but flavorful.  Make sure it’s seasoned properly or you’ll be treated to something fairly bland.
• My husband liked it, but my 16-year-old wasn’t thrilled.  He had a bowl two nights in a row, though, so he gets credit for that.  He said the texture of the beans wasn’t great, but I think it’s because they still may not have been completely done.
• I’m curious about scarlet runner beans now and am looking for different recipes.  I’m thinking tomatoes would be excellent, and chard.  Let me know if you have a good one, and don’t forget to eat your beans!  Your body will thank you years from now, and your wallet will thank you now.
• This is a pleasant soup that many flavors can be tasted in.  The rutabagas provide a bit of sweetness which is delicious.
• Toward the end of the cooking time, I included a cup of cooked rice I had in the fridge.  My son likes rice, and although it didn’t do anything to take away from the dish, it didn’t especially add anything, either.  Talk about taking thrifty over the edge.
• Plan for the future:  Cook the beans until tender, reduce the quantity for the soup and freeze the rest for future use and experimentation.