It's Winter, I think

It's winter, I think.

It's January and the stores are still selling scarfs and hats, but the other day at the zoo there were people wearing shorts.

It was hot.

I was hot.

I want hot cocoa, and slippers, cute sweaters and boots.

I want to bundle myself up and have nothing better to do but read a book under a blanket.

I want slow simmered stews and soups to warm up to.






I think I made something just right for both winter and unseasonably warm freak winters.

It's still a stew by definition. It's still comforting, slightly rich, and even warming. But it's a little brighter with the addition of lime and lemongrass.

It's a recipe that you could easily fidget with; adding different veggies, omitting meat if that's your thing, or serve it with some extra garnishes like peanuts and scallions.

Coconut Green Curry Beef Stew

serves 6-8

1 lb beef cut for stew (sometimes I just buy a chuck roast and cut it myself)

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, but into 1 inch chunks

1 jalapeno, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 teaspoon lemon grass, grated (the stuff in the tube is pretty good too)*

1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 can coconut milk

2 Tablespoons green curry paste

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos (or tamara sauce)

1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 cups broth of your liking

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

3 cups chopped spinach

Preheat the oven to 250º. In a large heavy bottom pan heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Season the stew meat with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in separate batches if you need to as to not crowd them. I like to brown it very well to add some really good flavor. Add all the meat back to the pot, turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, red pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl mix together the coconut milk, green curry, and peanut butter. Add the cilantro, lemongrass, and coconut mixture to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste. Add just enough broth to cover the stew. Stir and put a lid on the pot and put it in the oven.

Bake for 2/12 or 3 hours until the beef is tender. Remove from the oven and stir in the spinach and garbanzo beans.

Serve over rice (actually I found I like this better NEXT to the rice so I could get a nice spoon of meat and broth, then a sweet bite of rice).

*If you cannot find lemongrass (or have everything on hand but and still want to make it) you can just add an entire half of a lime to the pot when you add the cilantro and coconut mixture. I tried it and loved it. Don't squeeze it, but slice a lime in half and through the whole thing in there.

It's nice to pretend it's frosty outside while eating this with all the windows open wide. I guess it just wouldn't be Arizona without citrus and flip flops in January.

***Next Wednesday get ready for a new feature - Wednesday Raw.

As part of my resolutions I decided to eat more raw foods. Wednesday sounded like a good day to document it all. Any good raw recipes I need to try?***