Monday, March 17, 2008

A Day Off from KB's.....spicy bean soup

Sunday....yoga, yes, cooking, yes, KB's, no! I had to take a complete day off from any kettlebell swings to recover from this last week. Not only did I personally have my own workouts, but I routinely swing with clients all week...I was tired!


So, I got up early, as usual, and decided to clean out my fridge. I had made 3 quarts of turkey stock (and cooked some neck and thigh meat), the day before, and I soaked some beans, for chili, but I was too tired to do anything with the beans. I was so tired I had even considered throwing out the pre-soaked beans....but I knew at the very least I could cook them in the pressure cooker for 20-30 minutes, with just water, and use them another time.

But since I was in "clean out" mode, I took inventory of all of the veggies that had to be used up, added some barley, split peas, and lentils to the beans (red and white), and made a spicy soup with turkey stock, and turkey sausage, (hot and mild).

Spicy Soup with Sausage

Variety of beans 1 1/2 - 2 c. total (pre-soaked)

barley 1/4 c., split pea 1/2 c., lentils 1/2 c. (not soaked)


Saute in 1-2 tbl. oil, onion, celery, carrot, peppers (variety of red bell, jalapeno, Anaheim...whatever!), and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 5- 10 min, add garlic the last minute of cooking.


I add the spices next, just before I add in the liquid ingredients.....dried basil 1 tbl., oregano 1 tbl., thyme 1/2 tbl., 2 bay leaves.

Now the bean mixture, 1 can diced tomatoes (sm or lg), tomato paste (2 tbl.), 1 tbl sugar, a good splash of red vinegar (or balsamic), and water or stock to cover by 1-2 inches.


(You can add about 2 t. salt at this point, or season after cooking)


Bring to high pressure, cook for 25 min. letting the pressure come down naturally, OR bring to a boil on 5 quart pot, turn down heat and simmer partially covered for 2-2 1/2 hours. I added the cooked italian sausage at the end, because I had to go to the store and get it! (I made the soup @ 6am, before the markets opened!) I used turkey sausage because I was using the turkey stock I had made the day before, but you can use any ground meat, cooked sausage (chorizo, andouille) or no meat!


I have seen a "soup" bean mixture at the stores for about $2.79 lb., but beans only cost $.79-$.99 lb...ridiculous, since I have an assortment myself I just made my own!

I finished up the veggie "clean out", by shredding and chopping salad.....the end of cabbages, 1 carrot, green onions....bummer, I used all my jalapenos in the soup! Time for yoga, then the Farmers Market, and one last stop.....Whole Foods for sausage.



PS If I do this soup again, I will make it more "soupy" by adding a little more water or stock. That's part of what cooking is all about, making adjustments, first, by doing and then practicing....it's just cooking, lol!

7 comments:

fawn said...

Tracy,
Looks super yummy!

Tracy Reifkind said...

Fawn,

I'm going through withdrawl....please more recipes! Whatcha been cooking?

I do the warm salads regularly, and the pork shoulder, in the pressure cooker, is "off the hook"...what's next?

One thing I haven't done yet, maybe today...the aoli. I need to get over the fear!

themom45 said...

Traci, It's nice to take a day off now and then. The last two weeks you've really hit it hard, good work. It keeps us all who follow your blog striving for more, thanks.

The bean soup looks amazing! When you cook, do you cook just for yourself? Or does your Husband Mark and your Son's also follow this same type diet. I guess I'm asking do you have to make seperate meals for the rest of the family?
Tha Mom

Tracy Reifkind said...

themom,

My oldest son woild sit down and eat everything I make, twice over, but my youngest, who's 18, technically an adult, has his own job, therefore his own paycheck, and would rather order a pizza than eat a bowl of soup or pasta, these days.

But that's been more so since he's been away from home and, unfortunately, has gotten used to fast, convenient, over-flavored foods.

On the flip side he,and his brother, are adventurous when it comes to food, they'll try anything, but "health food" comes in last(that's what I make, lol). Both boys love my pastas and risottos, which I don't make too often because they're not here anymore.

Mark on the other hand, has a very specific way of eating....up until recently, didn't eat much of my cooking. He has a high metabloism and eats quite a few calorie dense foods.

I feel as if I would of cooked this way from the time my family was young, no one would eat any differently than I do....it's all yummy stuff. And with the pressure cooker I can make big meals, inexpensively, ass well as healthy.

Gabi said...

Tracy,
reading your blog has convinced me to use more legumes - my family is now a bunch of chili-worshippers :)
I've just bought some, so now I also know, what I'm going to do with them, thank you :)
One question: do you sometimes cook chickpeas? They're not really known over here, hard to get, too, but not impossible, so I'm thinking of trying them.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Gabi,

I love garbanzo beans, (chick peas), but they inparticular give me gas, even with a pre-soak. But they're worth it...I just have to plan for it, LOL

When Fawn Friday was here she based her cooking class around the chick pea, and I have some recent blog post with picrures and recipes for her Garbanzo Bean, Pulled Pork Soup with Shrimp, Mussels, and Grilled Chard, as well as a warm Spinach Salad with Garbanzos, Pork, Radicchio, Bleu Cheese, and Citrus Dressing.

I rarely included legumes into food choices before meeting Fawn, but she has me hooked. For me personally though, I've had to cut back from almost daily consumtion to about twice weekly, because I need to eat other types of grains too, like barley or brown rice.

Gabi said...

Thanks, Tracy,
that was inspiring enough - found them, bought them, soaked them. Up to tomorrow's cooking adventure :)
And of course, long live Fawn Friday, too :)