Happy What's for Dinner? Wednesday! I hope you survived April Fool's Day okay and got to play a joke or too on some unsuspecting victims. I didn't try to fool anyone, but Wordpress definitely played a trick or two on me!
This week's meal is something to help my friends in cooler climates warm up a little as they wait for warm weather to finally arrive. I'm sharing a recipe for Cornmeal Dumpling Soup with Red Beans and Kale. Besides warming you up from the inside out, this soup is gluten and meat free. Pair it with your favorite salad and some fresh bread (gluten free if needed) for a complete dinner. The inspiration from this recipe comes from one I found on the website Simply Gluten Free. It's been altered quite a bit to take the total cook time down from 4hrs to less than 40 mins, but you might want to check out the site if you're more of a pro than I am!
OK....I have a little confession. I did think of my friends up north while selecting this recipe, but I initially picked it because I discovered this situation when doing a little spring cleaning two weeks ago:
You're looking at not one, not two, but THREE "things" of cornmeal! Yes, one is yellow cornmeal and two are white cornmeal, but I'm pretty sure a girl only needs one of these at a time. I'm really not sure how this happened, but if you're in Houston, TX and need some cornmeal, I'd love to share some of the wealth. I need to take back that valuable pantry real estate so I can add to my slightly obscene collection of fancy oils.
If you stopped by last week, you know I shared a recipe that also included cornmeal. The recipe was quite scrumptious, but when I found it I was SO excited to have located a yummy, healthy chicken fingers recipe (want it? get it HERE>>) that I overlooked the fact that it really wasn't going to make a dent in the cornmeal invasion. This week's recipe is definitely a better attempt to solve my cornmeal crisis.
So without further ado, here's what you need to make Cornmeal Dumpling Soup for four people:
Ingredients:
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed with water
1 onion
1/2 cup of mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce (*make sure yours is gluten free if you're avoiding the ingredient)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb kale, ribs removed and chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup gluten free flour blend (I used brown rice flour)
3/4 cornmeal (take that, cornmeal invasion!)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup water
1 bunch green onions, minced
crushed red pepper (optional, but recommended)
Accessories (optional):
Witch hat
Green face paint
Broomstick
Putting it all together:
Step One: Grab a large pot and add in your red beans, onion, and 8 cups of water (you may want to add more or less water later depending on how "chunky" you like your soup). Bring your caldron (WAY more fun than saying pot, right?) of goodies to a boil and throw on your witch accessories, if desired or if you need to cast a spell today. Need help finding a spell? Check HERE>>
Step Two: Let out an evil laugh and turn the heat on your stove top down so everything simmers. You can put away your witch hat for now if you'd like :) Add your soy sauce, pepper, kale (a witch has to stay trendy, my friends!), and balsamic vinegar and cover your pot for 20 minutes.
Step Three: While you wait, make your dumpling batter. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal (and rejoice if you have as much as I do), sugar, salt, and baking powder. Next, add in 1/2 cup of your green onions. Check on your caldron and add a little more salt, if needed. Take a few laps around the house on your broomstick to get in a little cardio and scare any guests if desired.
Step Four: By now those 20 minutes of simmering should be up. Drop your dumpling batter into your caldron/pot by large tablespoons. Cover it up again and let it continue to simmer for a final 15 minutes. Take one last broomstick calorie burning fly-by.
Step Five: Dinner will be served when you portion out your soup and top it with some green onions and crushed red pepper! Take off your witch disguise or don't. It's up to you.
Do you plan on trying this recipe? Have you ever cooked in costume? Share your thoughts and comments below and this recipe if you enjoyed it!
