Intervention: Chana Masala

Time for another intervention!  I decided to try to make my favorite Indian dish - chana masala.  I was surprised at how simple it was to make such a flavor-packed dish.  The hardest part was hunting down all of the spices I needed!  Even though the dish was short a few spices (grrrr), the end result was still delicious!!  Top with some yogurt sauce (yogurt, diced tomato, and cilantro) and serve with rice or naan - who needs take-out?! 

Chana Masala
(Recipe modified from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute over medium heat until browned, about five minutes.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add the spices. Continue to cook for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes, removing any caramelized morsels that may have stuck to the pan.

Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt. NOTE:  This makes a big batch, but any leftovers reheat really well.  I think it's even better the next day, after all the flavors have had time to hang out and get to know each other!

Chana Masala
(Recipe modified from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt


Directions:


1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute over medium heat until browned, about five minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the spices. Continue to cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, removing any caramelized morsels that may have stuck to the pan.
4. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt.

Intervention: Creamy Zucchini Soup

Yesterday's caramel cupcakes brought me close to my sugar max.  So I decided to take a break from the sweets and post a savory recipe.  This recipe is perfect for a quick, weeknight meal.  It's hearty, with just the right amount of heat.  You won't have leftovers with this soup!

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
4 small to medium zucchinis (I used yellow, but any variety would work), chopped
2 teaspoons thyme (fresh or dried)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 wedges of Laughing Cow cheese
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Directions:

Place oil in a stock pot and heat over medium-low heat.  Saute the onion, jalapeno, garlic and thyme in the oil until the onions are translucent, 3-4 minutes.

Add the zucchinis and saute for another 3-4 minutes.  Add the stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring the contents to a boil.  Simmer until the zucchinis are tender.  Remove from heat and add the cheese wedges.  The cheese won't break down and incorporate until you blend the soup, so don't worry if it looks less than appetizing at this step.

In small batches, blend the soup in a blender until smooth.  Since you're working with a warm liquid, it's really important to do small batches.  The first time I made this, I was impatient, did big a big batch, and ended up with soup all over my kitchen!

Serve and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.