Kitchen Confidant

Don’t just veg out; veg UP your meals with Kitchen Pantry.

The only thing better than having a personal chef is having a personal sous chef. When someone else handles the arduous, repetitive, and time-consuming prep work, you’re free to simply create whenever inspiration (or hunger) strikes. That’s where Kitchen Pantry comes in, doing all the shopping, chopping, slicing, and dicing for you. Order raw, fresh ingredients that are ready to cook or eat right away, without any of the typical hassle. Pick from a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, sweet and savory, plus some kitchen staples and fully cooked snacks to satisfy the most urgent cravings.

Sometimes the ease of using such conveniences is the difference between eating a healthy dinner or resorting to a bag of potato chips. It’s one thing to buy four pounds of onions to make French onion soup, and another thing entirely to actually break them down, through tired, tear-filled eyes. There’s no shame in doing what it takes to get healthy food on the table.

It’s also a boon to those who have disabilities that would otherwise prevent them from cooking. Being able to nourish yourself should be a right, not a privilege. Having more options allows greater accessibility for everyone.

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Make home cooking faster than ordering takeout by starting with perfectly diced mirepoix that’s ready when you are. No measuring needed for those who prefer to rely on instinct rather than written recipes, without any risk of going too far astray.

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This post was made possible as a collaboration with Kitchen Pantry. My opinions can not be bought and all content is original. This page may contain affiliate links; thank you for supporting my blog!

Grab the Melon by Its Horns

Sharply spiked, thorny, and clad in an arresting hue of traffic cone orange, it was clear that this alien fruit was coming home with me from the moment we first met. It was just too bizarre to put back down, despite its pointed protests.

The kiwano, otherwise known as a horned melon, is truly a sight to behold. It becomes even more alluring once cracked open, revealing downright monstrous innards of large seeds suspended in a jelly-like green morass. Best described as an African cucumber, the flavor is quite similar to this familiar vegetable. Some claim to taste notes of banana and lemon as well, suggesting that it would be well suited for both sweet and savory applications. Unfortunately, the truth is considerably more bitter: The gooey mess is impossible to eat out of hand, watery at best but entirely bland at worst, and overall, quite disappointing.

Talk about misjudging a book by its cover!

That said, it has its charm as an exotic garnish, based entirely on its unnerving, almost unnaturally neon hue. Shock and amaze your friends this Halloween by presenting them with a ghastly glass of rice pudding, topped by this exotic produce pick.

You can’t beat it for shock value, but truth be told… You wouldn’t be losing anything in the flavor department if you left out the kiwano. No recipe needed here, as any rice pudding formula will do the trick. However, consider this your warning: While the kiwano does have horns, it certainly won’t bite back.

Peas and Thank You

Perhaps I jumped the gun a bit, but with such great temptation staring me straight in the eyes, my will to respect the seasons and their respective vegetative offerings was instantly reduced to zero. After a day of brilliant sunshine and even being able to leave my heavy winter coat at home, can you really blame me? I’m over winter, and considering the waning piles of dirty snow left on sidewalks, I think it’s finally starting to relinquish its icy grip, ever so slowly. Thus, when I saw those dazzling green pearls sitting alluringly in the refrigerated grocery case, shelled and ready to go, I snatched up that last parcel of fresh peas before anyone could talk me out of it. Enough beating around the bush- Let’s just get on with spring already.

To really honor such a lovely main ingredient, a brilliantly simple formula for pea soup sounded like just the thing to kick this season off right. Hardly even worthy of a written recipe, this is a dish that nonetheless is worth your attention, because it draws out the fresh, green flavor from each tender sphere, and allows them to shine. As a dish shared by Sue Cadwell, my boss, mentor, and best friend, I could hardly expect anything otherwise. A gentle swirl of vegan sour creme added the touch of richness I was craving, but it’s also perfectly delicious with a drizzle of olive oil to finish, or left entirely unadorned. If you wanted to liven things up, consider adding a splash of lemon juice, a pinch of smoked paprika, or a few springs of fresh mint, too.

Since shelling so many peas could be an endeavor requiring much more zen-like patience than the average person can manage, should shelled fresh peas be unavailable, go right ahead and substitute frozen. They’re just as tasty, if slightly less vibrant.

Yield: Makes Approximately 3 Quarts

Fresh Pea Soup

Fresh Pea Soup

A simple fresh pea soup that draws out the bright, green flavor from each tender sphere, and allows them to shine.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 4 Cups Chopped Yellow Onions
  • 4 – 7 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 Pound Fresh, Shelled Peas (or Frozen)
  • Salt, to Taste
  • Vegan Sour Creme

Instructions

  1. Coat the bottom of a large stock pot with the olive oil, and set over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions briefly, stirring well to coat with the oil, and add in 4 cups of the broth. Cover, and cook for approximately 20 minutes. You don’t want them to brown or caramelize at all, but cook down practically to mush. lid, cook until they’re mushy without browning.
  2. Rinse peas under hot water and thaw if frozen. Toss them into the pot of onions and stock, and cook gently for 5 – 10 minutes until tender, if using fresh. For frozen peas, immediately turn off the heat and don’t let them cook much at all. You want to preserve that brilliant green color, and they’ve already been blanched prior to freezing so they’re pre-cooked.
  3. Transfer the mixture to your blender and puree, adding more broth if desired until the soup reaches your ideal thickness. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the capacity of your blender. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Top with “sour creme” to serve, if desired.

Notes

By Health in a Hurry Chef/Owner Sue Cadwell

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1607mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g