Back in Business

(Edited to include recipe!)

Mission: Accomplish Things is going well this week.  Isn't it amazing that when you have all the time in the world, nothing seems to get done?  That's how I am, at least -- which is why the fact that I get to work from home a lot is both a blessing and a curse.  In theory I save time because I don't need to get dolled up or travel back and forth to/from the office, but in reality I watch a lot of TV and make intricate meals.  I am at the office for day 2 in a row, and get a load of yesterday's activities: I blogged, caught up on blogs I read, tore through a good chunk of my awesome spreadsheet (<3 Excel <3 <3 <3), went to a pilates class downtown, accidentally worked out in the morning too because I forgot I had signed up for said pilates class at night, and cooked a new dish (that I am not actually posting today).  BAM!  Being in a place where other people can see my computer screen keeps me from spending all day looking at restaurant menus and foodie articles.  Because I don't want to get carried away here (whew! all this productivity is just wild!), I will be working from home tomorrow.  Actually I'm enjoying getting things done, but I just have midday appointments, and it's supposed to SNOW!  Fingers crossed for a foot.  Inclement weather = exactly the reason "working from home" was invented.  I'll take it.

Alas, food.  I finally left my friends at Strive NYC for a bigger, better, hotter gym, Crunch.  I'm loving it so far.  The one near me even has a hot yoga studio, so I decided I would give it a shot.  My last hot yoga experience was Bikram (Crunch has Vinyasa), and I hated it.  I felt nauseous for the majority of the class and couldn't stand for a while after.  Fun, right?  Understandably, I stayed far, far away for many, many months.  But this time around, I hydrated, avoided eating less than 2 hours before class, and I did it!  I've actually gone twice now, and I find a little coconut water midday helps a lot.  Last time I followed class with a GREEN MONSTER, Jenna style, and it was perrrfect.  I didn't use protein powder this time, like she does, but I've tried it before and it works that way too.  I just get weirded out by protein additives.

Green Monster Smoothie!

1 frozen banana

a few ice cubes

heaping tbsp almond butter

huge handful spinach

squirt of agave

1 cup almond milk

If it sounds gross to you, don't worry, I'm with you.  It sounds like a very, very bad idea.  But it is not.  Pinky swear!  Plus, I like any excuse to drink from a straw, and I love my CTB glass, which, um, I'm pretty sure someone stole for me at homecoming.  Ahhh, I miss Collegetown.  Note: I do not condone thievery!  (Usually.)

And now I give you last week's real masterpiece, which (don't hate me) I can't give the recipe for because it's in a cookbook on my bookshelf and I'm at the office.  (See?  Blessing and curse.  Told ya.)  But I'll post it later.

Coconut Curried Vegetable Stew

adapted from Nava Atlas's The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

(post edited to include recipe now!)

1 1/2 tbsp light olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

4 medium potatoes, any firm variety, peeled and diced (I like sweet potatoes with this flavor profile)

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed (or fresh!)

1-2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or to taste (LOVE fresh ginger!)

2-3 teaspoons good-quality curry powder or to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

One 15-oz can light coconut milk (leftover from my flatbread debacle)

Salt to taste

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed (or more!)

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.  Add the nion and garlic and saute over medium heat until golden.  Add the potatoes, carrots, and 2 cups of water, and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer gently until potatoes are about half tender, 10-15 minutes. (Check on them earlier!  Mine got tender very quickly.)

2. Add the cauliflower, green beans, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric.  Cover and continue to simmer very gently until the vegetables are tender, about 20 mins.

3. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the base.  Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt.  If time allows, let the stew stand for 1 hour or so before serving.

4. Just before serving, heat the stew and taste to correct the seasonings.  Stir in the peas and cook just until the peas are heated through, then serve in shallow bowls.

 Serves 6-8.  (I halved it and it still made me about 4 light meals)

It comes together quite easily, and if you use frozen stuff, even faster.  I went with mostly fresh, other than the peas.  Peas are so underrated!  I love 'em.  In high school I used to "defrost" them by running them under hot water, then cold water (I swear they taste better cold).   Anyway, the coloring seems a little off here, because in real life it's definitely got that bright yellow curry glow.  I actually added a little chipotle powder at the end because it needed more kick, but in retrospect, I might have gone with black pepper and some more curry powder.  This is one of my old favorites because it's a one pot wonder and it freezes pretty well for easy weeknight dinners later on.  Nava (we're on a first name basis) suggests serving it with a grain, but I honestly think it's self sufficient.  If you're a protein nut, then you may need a little oomph added in (maybe a protein grain like quinoa), but I tend to eat light at dinner anyway.

And now, it's back to business.  Think snow!