How to diet fast 1 week

Day 266.

We entertained over the weekend, and I was quite pleased with the results of this Thai soup. Entertaining is so easy when you use crockpots----everything in the kitchen is done, and you can really focus on your guests and not need to fiddle in the kitchen.

My friend Hayes has mentioned a few times that her children really like spicy coconut Thai soup, and I was interested to see if I could make it at home. I found two recipes that I pulled from, and used ingredients that I could find easily at our local grocery store. I used one from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, and one from Tyler Florence.

This is an elegant soup, fit to serve to your very best friends.

The Ingredients.

4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you opt for the lite, you many want to add a drop of coconut extract to boost the flavor)
4 limes (3 juiced, 1 for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
4 ounces sliced shitake mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 large vine-ripened tomato, or 4 small-med, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound extra firm tofu, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons red chili paste, to taste (you can use red chili flakes, too)
1 teaspoon white sugar (not pictured, I used a sugar packet)
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot for this soup.

Although there are a lot of ingredients listed, this soup comes together quite quickly. Nothing really needs to be cooked---youre just heating through fully and letting the flavors simmer together.

Pour the broth into the crockpot. Add the juice of three of the limes, and zest one of them until you get 1/2 teaspoon to add. Stir in the sugar and fish sauce. Grate the ginger and add. Stir in the coconut milk. You now have your soup base. Add the red chili paste, 1/2 tsp at a time until you have reached desired heat. I ended up using 1 1/2 tsp. You can always add more after cooking, though, so please go slow and dont overdo it.

Cube the tofu, slice the bell pepper, and mince the garlic. Add to pot. Coarsely chop the shitake mushrooms and the vine-ripened tomatoes. Stir in carefully, so you dont break up the tofu or the tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-4. This soup is finished when it is fully hot, and the flavors have combined nicely.

Ours ended up sitting on warm for an additional 3 hours, and was fine. When in doubt, use the shortest amount of cooking time, and let the pot stay on warm.

Garnish with fresh lime slices.

The Verdict.

I am proud of this soup. It had a great flavor, without being overpowering or too spicy. I paired it with Korean Ribs (but I used stew meat this time) and coconut rice.

Both of my girls tasted the soup before our company arrived, and liked it, but I made this for the adults. The kids had buttered pasta with shredded cheese.

Its the 24th of May, and it is STILL COLD OUTSIDE.

dude. this is getting old.

Im trying my hardest to not complain, and to instead pretend its tropical outside. It looks like in order to have a somewhat-tropical environment this holiday weekend, Im going to have to crank up the thermostat and inflate some plastic palm trees.

or I could just eat some leftover coconut red beans and rice.

The Ingredients.

serves 8

1 cup dried small red beans (soaked overnight, then boiled for 10 minutes)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you prefer to not use full-fat, add a drop or two of coconut extract to intensify the flavor)
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain basmati white rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 limes, cut in wedges (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Sort beans, and soak overnight in a bunch of water. In the morning, drain the water and dump the beans into a large pot of fresh water. Boil rapidly on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before draining and putting into your crockpot.

Red beans MUST be boiled on the stove before added to the slow cooker to kill a possible toxin that occurs naturally. Want more info? click here.

Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the whole can of coconut milk (the creamy stuff, too), and chicken broth. Stir in raw rice and kosher salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans are bite tender. Before eating, squeeze on a bit of lime juice for a fun tropical twist.

The Verdict.

These are some killer beans. I loved how everything cooked together in one pot, and how coconuty the rice tasted. My grandma took home a big Tupperware and reported back that they froze and reheated quite well (she nuked to reheat).

I used chicken broth because I like the flavor it provides, but if youd prefer to keep your meal purely vegetarian, you should use veggie broth. I dont think water would provide enough impact.

more stuff with beans:
dried bean tutorial
cowboy beans
traditional chili
white bean and apple chili
beans and weenies
black bean soup
calico bean soup
bbq beef and bean sandwiches
smoky refried bean soup

and more in the archives!