Baby, it’s cold outside!

It’s my first winter residing full time in Seattle since 2007. I’m digging the change in weather, relishing the crisp, fresh air and the need to wear scarves beyond SoCal Winter Fashion. It’s soup season – a time of year I largely abandoned in my years in San Diego. Now that I have my ultra-nifty-super-incredible crock pot/slow cooker Multi-tasking Machine of Doom I am playing with throwing everything in the pot and stepping away.

The night I made this I was exhausted and suffering from low blood sugar. This is a nightmare position to be in when you are wanting to stick to any dietary plan because your biology will want to take over and force you to call in a pizza or chinese food. To make this meal as quick as possible, I used a rotisserie chicken and my pressure cooker setting. Dinner in 20 minutes? HELL YES. Take that, Domino’s!

Caldo De Pollo

• 1 rotisserie chicken – skin removed
• 1 qt. chicken broth or bone broth
• 5 carrots, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 pound tomatoes, diced (use bottled or aseptic packaged rather than canned, if not using fresh)
• 1 cup Salsa Verde/Tomatillo Salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• cilantro and fresh lime for garnish

Peel the meat from the rotisserie chicken and set aside. The skin and bones can be saved for bone broth, which is highly nutritional and very easy to make. Grab your Instant Pot and add the broth, chicken meat, diced veggies and seasonings. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes and serve, topping with diced, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE:

Mix chicken, carrots, onion, tomatoes, salsa verde, pepper, salt, cumin, oregano, paprika, and garlic together. Pour into a Gallon Freezer and freeze for up to 3 months, removing extra air from the bag as you seal it.

TO COOK:

Remove chicken from bag and place into pressure cooker. Add 1 quart of chicken broth. Attach lid and set to manual for 20 minutes on high pressure. Serve with fresh lime and diced cilantro.

Stovetop: Remove chicken from bag and to a stock pot with one quart of chicken broth. Cook for 30 minutes, or until onions and carrots are cooked through.

This rice pudding recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, AND vegan, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who won’t enjoy it! Made from coconut milk, this warming winter treat provides ample medium-chain triglycerides which are believed to provide energy for athletes and be a fat source that is less likely to be stashed away by the body for future use. Coconut is popular in Ayurvedic medicine and cooking, and is well known for its antimicrobial properties and its ability to balance fats in the bloodstream. I created this recipe in response to having a delicious coconut-ginger tapioca pudding at my local health food store earlier this week.

• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• water
• 2 cups coconut milk (or 1 can + 2 oz. water or non-dairy milk alternative)
• 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup date sugar (or sucanat)
• 1/4 cup candied ginger bits

Place rice in a small saucepan with the cinnamon stick and add water until just covered. Bring rice to a boil and turn heat down to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick.

Add coconut milk, vanilla, and date sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add candied ginger and simmer 15-20 minutes longer, until most of liquid is absorbed. Be sure to turn heat off when some liquid remains, as it will thicken upon cooling.

Serve warm or cold, and garnish with shredded coconut if desired.

Mashed cauliflower is a fantastic alternative to mashed potatoes for those avoiding nightshades or high glycemic potatoes. Surprisingly, these do not taste strongly of cauliflower; rather they pick up the subtle buttery notes and allow spices such as cracked peppercorn and garlic to shine through. Use the recipe below as a baseline and feel free to experiment by adding roasted garlic, basil and sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, dill, or other favorite spices to liven things up!

Aimee’s Easy Mashed Cauliflower

* 2 heads cauliflower
* 1 qt. vegetable broth
* 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Tear florets from the cauliflower head and add to a large stock pot. Cover with broth, bring to a boil and steam until very tender – about 15 minutes.

Transfer florets into Vitamix (this makes them supercreamy!) or a food processor. Add butter or oil, salt and pepper, and any spices you wish to use. Puree on high for 30 seconds – 2 minutes until smooth.

Transfer to a warmed ceramic dish and serve.
Makes about 7 cups.