Aromatic Kidney Bean Stew and Dessert-a-licious Smoothie

An extreme close up, thank you iPhone : )

Aromatic Kidney Bean Stew
Serves 2
Quantity can be increased by adding mild-flavored vegetables like zucchini, chayote, or celery.
Excellent served over red quinoa that has been rinsed, soaked, rinsed again, and cooked

Ingredients
1 15 oz. can of kidney beans
1 box (4 cups) vegetable broth
1 red onion, diced
5-6 small roasting potatoes, quartered (or 1 large potato cut into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (I used king trumpets--I like their chewy texture, but they didn't add much flavor)
1-2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1/4 teaspoon cumin whole seeds or powder
tiny sprinkling of asefotida (optional)
black pepper
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
tamari sauce to taste

Method
Healthy saute onions and add potatoes and bay leaves after a few minutes.  Cook 5-10 more minutes, adding broth when pan runs dry, until potatoes just start to become tender.  Add mushrooms, remaining broth, and spices.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the aroma becomes thick and savory (when it is still not ready it smells more raw and tangy--I don't know how to describe it).  The smell will transition from cool to warm.  Once warm scented, add nutritional yeast and tamari.  If the flavor is too bright, take some liquid from the stew and whisk in a tablespoon or so of rice flour (or flour of choice) and then mix that into the stew.

Comments
I loved this soup but didn't try it on my husband as he wasn't home.  It was very fragrant and could be adapted in almost any direction (add leafy greens, tomato paste, garbanzo beans, garlic, or summer squash).  It was sort of an experiment because I don't really know how to use tarragon but I would say it was a success. I venture to guess that the tarragon made the bay leaves' flavors pop because this really stood out despite the fact that there were only two.  The soup will have a warmer feel if you use another variety of mushrooms.  The king trumpets are not very flavorful and if you want a fuller bodied soup I would use creminis or shitakes.  Kidney beans and I have a bitter-sweet history, so if you try this soup and love it, or not, do let me know.

I will be making it again!  (Read: 4 stars!)

Thanks again, iPhone.

Dessert-a-licious Smoothie
Serves 2

Ingredients
3 dates
5 dried figs
5 frozen cherries
nuts equivalent to 3/4 cup (I used almonds, cashews, and walnuts)
water to process

Method
Blend in Vita-mix until very smooth.

Comments
Very sweet but just sweet enough!  I had to omit the strawberry ice cream from tonight's menu.  I added regular oats and flax seed to the leftovers of this smoothie and set in fridge overnight to make overnight oats.  I just love having breakfast ready in the morning.

Another iPhone shot, this time with professional lighting.  Well, not professional.  It's backlit by my fishtank : )

Kale Salad

Just wanted to post a photo of the delicious green salad that I bragged about the other day.  I loved it so much that I made it again for a quick five minute lunch!  (Ingredients: rubbed kale leaves, chopped sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, roasted butternut squash, olive oil and white wine vinegar).

It's so easy being vegan!!!

**Good night, healthy friends**