Peanut Stew

This stew is so delicious!  You can add peppers to spice it up but sadly, my daughter can't handle spicy foods.  Sigh.

This is a great vegetarian meal where you will not miss the meat.  It is so hearty and yummy. If we had cold weather here, it would be especially good then.  But I'll still eat in in 90 degree weather.  But for my friends and family in the throes of winter, make this now! You won't be disappointed. It might taste even better the second day.

1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 red onion, diced
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Cooked basmati rice

Preheat oven to 425 and roast eggplant for approximately 30 minutes.  Set aside. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat coconut oil over medium heat.  Add ginger and onions and seasonings (salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne) stir well and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Then add the diced tomatoes, stock, and eggplant and cook for about 10 minutes. Add peanut butter and stir until melted and combined.  Add garbanzo beans and zucchini and cover then continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off heat and add lemon juice and top with cilantro.  Or just add the cilantro to individual bowls.  Serve in a nice big bowl on top of a bed of basmati rice (or couscous).

Cranberry Pecan Granola

This is my latest obsession!  I make this granola almost weekly now and I savor every little bite.  It is so easy to make and so much better than a lot of granola on the shelves these days.  I love it with pecans and cranberries but you can easily substitute it for whatever nut and dried fruit you prefer (or have on hand).



Ingredients
3 cups rolled or old fashioned oats (not instant)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans
2-3 tablespoons flaxseeds

Preheat oven to 300.  In a large bowl, mix oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt.  Add molasses, oil, and vanilla.  Press into a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, add pecans and flaxseeds.  Press the granola down and then cook another 15 minutes.  If you like big chunks of granola, allow to cool completely in baking sheet.  If you prefer looser granola, cool for a couple minutes in baking sheet then stir it around and then let cool.  Mix in dried cranberries.  That's it!  Easy and delicious.  Store it in an airtight container.

If you like it chunky, make sure you press it down well and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Granola stores beautifully in large mason jars.

Shawarma style chicken

I have been craving chicken shawarma for a while now and decided to do an at-home version.  This is not true shawarma though because real shawarma isn't roasted in the oven. But it is really good.  Really good. I made some hummus and tzatziki sauce and bought some pita to complete the meal. I made a lot so we could have it for leftovers too (but that's always a struggle because my husband wants to eat all of it right away).

Ingredients

Marinade:
11 cup greek yogurt
2 large cloves garlic, minced
juice of large lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon smokey paprika
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg


2 lbs chicken, cut into thin strips
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients for marinade in a plastic bag and add chicken.  Marinate for 3-4 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and add chicken.  Roast for 15 minutes then remove from heat.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and some of the chicken (don't overcrowd) and sauté until brown.  Continue this process until all chicken is browned.