winter at the farm

My grandma lives on a small farm in eastern Iowa, which has been surrounded over the years by neighborhoods and development but still provides an overgrown pine grove and fields and pastures where my sister and I spent our childhoods playing make-believe.  This Christmas while we were there we were blasted with a fluffy snowstorm, which turned the place into a magical wonderland.  The beauty of snow maybe makes up for horrendous winter driving.

sweet potato coconut curry soup

I am obsessed with soup right now. It is like a winter version of a salad, warm but healthy and the perfect accompaniment to corn bread or biscuits. Soup is also very easy to make--just dump a bunch of veggies and broth in a pot and cook them for a while.  I found this recipe in my "recipe binder" where I have been stashing all the good looking recipes I find in magazines and blogs since college.

If you like coconut, you will be just as in love with this soup as I am.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup

(adapted from an old Shape magazine)

Ingredients:

-2 sweet potatoes

-half a can (~3/4 cup) light coconut milk

-2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or one can broth and 1/2 cup water)

-one red pepper, diced

-one can beans (I used kidney beans)

-2 t. curry powder

-two huge handfuls of spinach

-cilantro

-salt

Wash the sweet potatoes, stab with a fork to vent (yourself and the potato lol), microwave 5-8 minutes or until soft.  USE A POTHOLDER to remove sweet potatoes, slice in half and scoop the insides into a medium to large pot.  Add the coconut milk and mash together until the potatoes are sort of smooth.

Add the vegetable broth, red pepper, beans and curry powder and heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. 

Stir in the spinach and heat until it wilts. Add salt to taste.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro.

hello, 2011

 

 [scenes from New Years in my family's basement]

Here we are, already into the second week of the new year.

Seriously???!!!

I feel like 2011 is going to be a happy one.

I am definitely happy to be back in my little cozy cave apartment, after a nerve-wracking drive back across the Midwest from IL to PA. We had our own personal blizzard cloud literally tracking us along the entire stretch of I-80, which was not being plowed or salted. Ugh I am SO scared of driving in snow and ice. 

Ben has moved into his very own apartment, since my place is way too small for two people. I spent the weekend deep-cleaning and organizing all the stuff that hasn't really been moved since I arrived here in August 2009. It feels amazing to have a clean, semi-organized space. 

This week I am starting my last semester of grad school, which is kind of scary but exciting at the same time. I haven't made any official New Year's "resolutions" but I do have some goals that I would like to accomplish, as well as goals that I HAVE to accomplish (or else!!), including

-finish thesis ...a second category goal

-present thesis at the AAG's (geography conference) in Seattle

-maintain a clean and organized space to live and work

(including cleaning the kitchen every night)

-sew a cute gym bag

-start running regularly again

-blog more recipes

-apply for jobs (aaaaa!!)

-land an amazing job in a fun place to live

-MOVE and start life in the "real world"

If anyone has connections to someone who would like to hire a biologist/geographer specialized in fire ecology, resource management, forest dynamics, and many other things please let me know...

I am trying to project self-confidence, optimism, and excitement towards all the unknowns coming up in my life this year, and not stress out too much.  I can't wait to find out what my next step will be, and am so grateful to have Ben with me to keep me grounded and happy. Bring it on, 2011. I am ready for you.