Here a Chick, there a Chick, everywhere a Chickpea Soup

Sunday evening is a good time to soak a pot a beans for cooking the next day. Last night a put up a pot of organic chickpeas for the soup I'm making today.
Trying out the NY sunday Times recipe for Chickpea Soup;

NY Times Chickpea soup

My Health Coaching Website is live. Take a peek.

As many of you know, I am a student of the Institute for Integrated Nutrition in NYC. I am having an amazing year studying to be a Health Coach!
 This is my new website! Take a peek and see what kinds of Healthy tips and services I will be offering once I graduate!

Click on this link:
Becky's Whole World Health

I've just discovered the Fabulous Beekman Boys

I never heard of the Fabulous Beekman Boys before  I received an email from Williams Sonoma promoting their Heirloom Vegetable Gardening program this past weekend.  Of course I ran over to WS to buy my vegetable seeds and logged onto their Website:


The Fabulous Beekman Boys


Oh, they have a show on Green Planet too!

I'm loving them.  They are 2 city guys who buy a farm near our upstate (wanna be a farm ) in Schoharie County, NY.  I love that they have the same dream Tom and I have of creating a sustainable farming lifestyle.
Can't wait to see what they come up with.

Whats Cooking

Trying to make some dishes ahead of time so I can get back to my  Health Coach studying and dreaded year end paper work.
I like to cook in the morning, so this morning I started a pot of Vegetable Stock to use for the week. Today I will be making  Curried Roasted Butternut/Sweet potato soup with some of the stock, and some Baked (Fried) Breaded Eggplant.
Did you notice that Eggplant is hard to come by this winter? It's because of the crop failures in Mexico. I make Eggplant for my husband Tom because it is one of those foods he can't live without.  I prefer to eat Eggplant only at the end of the summer when it is in season on the East coast.

Sofrito

Today I'm mixing up a large batch of Sofrito. 

Sofrito is a seasoning staple in Spanish foods.

 Made of : Onions, Garlic, Green frying peppers, Red Bell peppers,Tomatoes, and Cilantro. Make a large batch and freeze in small freezer bags or 1/2 pint mason jars, just be sure to fill the mason jar only half full to allow for expansion in the freezer. If not then the jar will crack!

In my house, sofrito makes its way into everything from yellow rice, black bean soup, sauce for spaghetti and meatballs to braised chicken and sautéed shrimp. Not only that, it freezes beautifully, so in about In 10 minutes you can make enough sofrito to flavor a dozen dishes. I’m telling you, this stuff is great.  Add sofrito to some of your own favorite dishes that could use a little boost. You will change the way you cook. I guarantee it.

2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks


3 to 4 Italian frying peppers or cubanelle peppers 


16 to 20 cloves garlic, peeled


2 large bunches cilantro, washed




3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks


1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks

Makes about 4 cups

Chop the onion and Italian Green peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully.

Tonight I made Puerto Rican Style Brown Rice and Black Beans. with some of my Sofrito. Yummy!!!!!!

Black beans are believed to be healthier than Blueberries! Great recipe for keeping your blood sugar levels from spiking too.