Homestyle Sausage, Potato & Spinach Soup

On a cold and misty day, my mom and I meandered down a paved path in the bay area. My mom stopped on the side of the path and held a tree's leaves between her fingers. "Laurel trees," she explained, and when I still didn't quite get it she said, "Bay Leaves."

I've never given bay leaves their dues: they are easy to skip, as a whole pot of soup usually only calls for one or two leaves. They are subtle, so skipping them is never the end of the world. But delicate flavors have always ranked high in my mom's book: florals, herbals, and creams. 

In the winter she'd make soups with leeks and kielbasa, and stir in cream or (and) shredded provolone at the last minute before turning off the heat. She never skipped the bay leaves. 

This soup is an ode to that day, when I discovered how beautiful laurel trees are and remembered why bay leaves are so important. It is nothing fancy: onions, potatoes, sausage, and spinach in a creamy broth. But simplicity is key here, as you can throw it all in the pot (along with two bay leaves), and let it simmer while you change into slippers, pour a glass of wine, or nibble on a cheese plate. 

Winter officially "arrives" this week, which makes it the perfect time to make a simple cozy soup. Bites of spicy sausage and slurps of flavorful broth will warm you to the bone.

Homestyle Sausage, Potato & Spinach Soup

Published December 19, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced small
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 4 sausages (about 1/2 pound); I used Teton Waters Ranch Hot Links (available at Costco) but you can experiment here. Try kielbasa or spicy Italian to mix it up!
• 2 cups new potatoes, quartered 
• 2 large carrots, diced small
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• Dash cayenne 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 4 cups baby spinach 

Directions:

Instant Pot Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of your Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Slice sausages into bite sized pieces, and add to pot, browning for 3-5 minutes. Then, add potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, broth, pepper, salt and dash of cayenne.
3. Turn Instant Pot to Soup setting, seal lid, and set timer for 10 minutes.
4. When the timer goes off, release pressure and open pot. Stir in spinach and cream. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the soup. Add additional salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Stove Top Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Slice sausages into bite sized pieces, and add to pot, browning for 3-5 minutes. Then, add potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, broth, pepper, salt and dash of cayenne.
3. Bring soup to a simmer, and place lid on pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4. Turn off heat and, stir in spinach and cream. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the soup. Add additional salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Pork Chops with Cherry Wine Reduction Sauce

I always get a little antsy when it comes to waiting for things to come into season. Case in point: this recipe that boldly features cherries. And cherries are coming! They are. But right now it's May and cherry are still weeks away. 

That's the trouble with cherries--you spend so much time anticipating them, and when they finally come it's nearly impossible to make up for the rest of the year. You can eat them every day for a week straight but you still won't be sick of them. That's what waiting does -- it makes things even better than they are. 

But since we won't be dining on bags of cherry for months still, I made this cherry wine sauce, which used cherry preserves rather than fresh cherries and comes out of the pot sweet and tart and savory,  making you want to lick the spoon and the pot and everything else. What can I say? I'm impatient. 

Impatience doesn't always work out for the best, but this time it did. You know those cherries they put out at the store, loooong before cherry season begins? They're not really sweet, not quite a deep red, and not quite ripe yet? Don't buy those. You will be sad. Those no-yet cherries will spoil your appetite for cherry season early. But this sauce--oh, this sauce- it's just the beginning, and will have you licking your plate in glee. 

Serve it over seared pork chops, cauliflower mashers, a bed of spring arugula. Add a side of sautéed mushrooms. Dinner: 🙌

Pork Chops with Cherry Wine Sauce

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

This sauce is perfect for when you’re ready for summer before it’s summer.

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops, thin cut
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil OR 2 pats butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cherry jam (I chose one that is 100% fruit)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fruity red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• Optional: rosemary for garnish

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, heat 1 teaspoon or coconut oil (or half the butter) over medium heat until melted. Add the minced shallots and garlic, and sprinkle with the salt. Sauté until the shallots are transparent.
2. Add the wine and honey and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the jam and the pepper until the jam is dissolved. Simmer for 10 more minutes until sauce has thickened. Sauce will coat a spoon once thickened.
4. Remove from heat and set aside while you cook the pork chops: heat the remaining coconut oil/butter in a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat and swirl pan to coat in the oil. Pat the chops dry with a towel, and then place in pan. Sear on first side for 3 minutes (cook time is for thin-cut pork chops with no bone — extend this by a few minutes for thick-cut or bone-in chops) and then flip and cook on the second side for 3 more minutes, or until the meat is cooker through and no longer pink in the middle (check with a knife).
5. Serve pork chops hot and spoon cherry wine sauce over each chop. Optional: garnish with rosemary.

Healthy Moo Shu Stir Fry

Update - 4/23/2017: I've been working on my photography, and since this is one of my most popular recipes, I wanted to give the images a revamp! These pictures are new, but the recipe is the same as it's always been. (Original image is at bottom of post for reference).

Usually, I enjoy riding my bike to work. As you pull around a corner and head down a hill, there's no better word than freedom. Do you remember biking around the block as a kid? Just free to roll? Why leave those moments to the kids? When it's Friday afternoon, and you roll out of the office parking lot, the wind in your face, you'll know what I mean. 

I'm writing this post because a few weeks ago I took a spill that landed me face first on the pavement. The asphalt ripped through my (brand new) down coat, my gloves, and scraped up my arms. My helmet saved my head, my sunglasses saved my face -- thank goodness (not to sound all "mom" on you, buuuut Wear your helmet!!). 

A lot of people offered me a ride home that day, and I almost took someone up on it when, after getting so many offers, I started to wonder if maybe I shouldn't ride home. The lazy little voice inside of me liked the sound of a warm car, and someone else at the wheel. The more I thought about it, the more my apprehension grew, until my lazy voice was coupled with my what-if voice, and suddenly I could hear nothing in my mind but whispers of "Warm caaaar..." "Nice and safe...." "Warm car....." "Don't you fall agaaaaain".

Here's the thing: they offered me a ride because I was flustered, and they care. And that was really nice. But what no one can know, unless they can hear your thoughts, is the power of getting up and starting again. When I was a gymnast, this was the golden rule: if you fall, you get right back and try again. Otherwise, that what-if voice will only gain power and become a tyrant you can't ignore.

At first, I rode terribly slow and cautiously. My eyes analyzed every bit of pavement in front of me: Is that the rock I hit? Oh! don't hit that rock. Go way over there, away from that sand pit.

And then, anxious to get through a green light before it turned red, I cautiously peddled a little faster. After a few blocks, I realized I was free again -- all of that negative energy leaving my body with each exhale. It's just my bike. I know how to bike. I love to bike. 

And hey, on the bright side, that crash motivated me to finally get a massage I've desperately been wanting. (Thanks, whiplash!) 

When you fall, get right back up. Find glory in that freedom. And then, find something delicious to eat -- something like this moo shu. 😉

Healthy Moo Shu Stir Fry

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

Pork:
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 pound boneless pork loin OR chicken thighs, cut into 1 x 1/4-inch strips (ask your butcher to do it for you!)
Stir Fry:
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the first three ingredients for the pork/chicken in a shallow pyrex or ziplock bag. Place the pork in the marinade, and either close the ziplock or cover the pyrex. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours.
2. When ready to prepare the stir fry, remove the pork/chicken from the fridge and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once oil sizzles, add the pork/chicken the pan. Cook on pork pieces on one side for 5 minutes, stir and flip on the other side until the pork/chicken is cooked through. Remove pork/chicken from pan.
3. Heat the additional tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, and mushrooms to the pan. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots and the bean sprouts. Stir, and cook for 3 more minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to stir the eggs occasionally, just enough to scramble the eggs.
5. Add the pork/chicken back to the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Drizzle the sauce into the pan, and stir everything until it was well coated. Cook everything for 5 more minutes.