A traditional Argentine Fiesta: Carbonada

Last week, M and I invited her younger brother and his girlfriend over for a traditional Argentine fiesta. 

We made a gaucho stew that hales from the northern regions of Argentina called Carbonada. While it appeares to call for a lot of ingredients, the truth is its more of a kitchen-sink type of dish, so feel free to get creative with this savory and sweet dish.

We served the stew inside a roasted gourd that is very common here in Argentina called, Zapallio Okaido (cabotea). However any large squash would be fine, but I think acorn squash is the closest Northern American counterpart to the Okaido.

The stew is a savory and sweet dish (that is what the apple and apricots are for). Traditionally the stew was thrown together in the morning and cooked while the gauchos worked and then served at midday when the sun forced the gauchos to stop and rest during the hottest part of the day. 

We invited family over and all shared mate while the stew finished cooking. Once the stew was ready we transferred it to a roasted gourd and served it with a large salad. When we served the stew from inside the gourd, we also scrapped away at the gourd to include some of the flesh of the roasted gourd. If you want, you can skip the roasted gourd, however it does make for a beautiful centrepiece.

While the entire stew takes about 30 minutes of prep and about 1 hour of cooking time, it is a quite easy and very hearty. The stew can also be frozen and saved for future meals.

Carbonada

Serves 5-6

3 medium sized white potatoes - cubed

2 medium sized sweet potatoes - cubed

2 cups of squash or pumkin – cubed

1 cup of brown rice

1 large sweet onion - diced

1 medium red pepper – chopped

3-4 stalks of celery – chopped

¾ red apple – finely cubed

½ cup of dried apricots or a can of dried peaches

1 full ear of corn or 1 can of sweet corn

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 small can of tomato paste

1 cup of white wine

6-7 cups of veggie broth or water

Spices – Start with small amounts and adjust to taste as the stew cooks

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix (marjoram, thyme, parsley and rosemary)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

½ tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 bayleafs

½ teaspoon of organic brown sugar (optional or maple syrup)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Begin by sautéing the onion, red pepper and garlic with a bayleaf in a large pot.

Once the onion begins to turn transparent, add celery, tomatoes, tomato paste, and all the spices into the pot. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, corn, apples and apricots along with 2-3 cups of broth. Mix everything together and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Once the soup comes to a boil, add the cup of rice. If your pot is not large enough, you can cook the rice separately if needed, however if you can, cook the rice with the rest of the dish as the rice will absorb a lot of the flavors.

Once you add the rice, add another 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of sugar (this is optional however the sugar is very minimal and is used to help enhance the other flavors. If you prefer, try using a small amount of maple syrup - unfortunately we don’t have access to maple syrup down here). Turn the heat down so the stew is cooking on a low simmer. As the rice cooks, and the liquid evaporates, continue adding broth or water in small amounts and stir occasional to keep the bottom from burning.

Allow to cook for 30 – 40 minutes.

Preparing the Gourd

If you want to serve this inside of a gourd as we did, start by washing the outside of the gourd, cut the top off and clean out the inside as if you were craving a pumpkin. We put ½ cup of plant-based milk inside the gourd and then roasted it in the oven at 300 until the milk completely evaporated – roughly 20- 30 minutes. Make sure the skin can be easily pierced, and the flesh of the gourd is soft and brightly colored. Let it cool while the stew is finishing and then transfer everything inside. 

This dish would make for a wonder holiday meal, particularly in the fall and winter months as it is quite hardy.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

SUPERFOOD KITCHEN by Julie Morris, and GIVE AWAY Annoucement

This Saturday is the one-year anniversary of BYOL! It’s been a great year of research, reviews, and nutritious vegan recipes. As a big thank you for the tremendous support and generosity you have all shown, I’m excited to be announcing my second give-away! 

A while back, I posted about a new cookbook I had picked up at a cooking demonstration with the author. That was the start of an ongoing friendship with one of the most talented chefs I know, Julie Morris.

(Fritz and Julie)

Not only is she the brilliant brain behind most of Navitas Naturals’ fabulous smoothie creations but she is also the author of the recently released Superfood Kitchen. Over the months we’ve gotten to know one another a bit better, but I’ve always had a slew of “professional” questions for her. Julie is such a cool person she not only agreed to answer my questions, but she offered an amazing superfood recipe that is perfect for cooler months and has agreed to give one lucky reader a copy of her new book. Personally, it is my go to cookbook when I’m feeling inspired and want to make something new. The book is packed full of nutritional information, delicious recipes using some of the healthiest foods found on the planet (and thanks to Navitas Naturals, who Julie is partnered with, readily available) and even has stunning photos of each recipe!

If you enjoy healthy cooking, this is one cookbook you do not want to miss out on!

1) Lets start with a simple definition of what a superfood is, what makes a food a super food in your mind?

“Superfoods” is a term that describes the most nutrient-dense, benefit-rich foods found in nature. This can range from everyday superfoods like spinach or leafy greens, to exotic ones like acai berries and maca root. Looking for foods that have a high nutrient density – an impressive array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals per calorie – is a good way to determine what foods earn the “superfood” star.

2) What are some of your favorite superfoods? Is there one that reins supreme (extra credit if you say lentils :)

Love lentils. Because there are so many different nutrients that are required for holistic health (and every food contains its own alchemy of these nutrients), it’s very difficult to call one superfood better than another. But a couple others I love would be chia seeds for their ease of use and valuable healthy fats; hemp seeds (or hemp powder) for their exceptional source of plant-based protein; and cacao for it’s tremendous antioxidant content, important minerals, and so much more!

3) In your book and talks, you stress some of the more exotic superfoods such as goji berries and wheat grass. Are there slightly more common super foods? If so, what are some of them?

Definitely. Leafy greens are a great example of a “common” superfood: inexpensive, local, fresh, and abundant in benefits… an ideal everyday kind of superfood. Quinoa is another good one, as one of the most nutrient-dense “grains” available. You certainly don’t have to use “exotic” superfoods to garner impressive health benefits, but the goji berries and the wheatgrasses of the world will do nothing but further enhance your health. They’re basically healthy extra credit.

4) What is the one kitchen appliance you couldn't live without?

A blender - I can’t imagine not being able to make a daily smoothie.

5) Are you aware that you share a name with a christian weight-loss motivational speaker? Have you ever been confused for her?

I have been made aware of this, yes! Luckily there’s been no confusion up to this point.

6) Why/when did you go vegan (or plant based)? Is there a difference between plant based and vegan in your opinion?

I became a vegetarian at 14 for compassion reasons, and began my vegan journey several years later because of the health benefits. The vegan effort took a little while to get into balance, mainly because, like your question suggests, there is a big (health-related) difference between plant-based and vegan! Although I’m not big on semantics, I do feel like “plant-based” is a more appropriate term for the kind of work that I do, as it implies a focus on more natural and whole food forms within the vegan category (as opposed to simply vegan, which mainly implies “anything that doesn’t come from an animal”). You won’t find any vegan marshmallows in my books, lets put it that way.

7) What is your favorite snack?

I love keeping soft Medjool dates around for a grab-and-go bite, which I’ll stuff with cacao nibs for a real energy boost. (note: I tried this with Navitas Naturals' Sweet Raw Cacao Nibs, and it is amazing! Better than any cookie I've ever had!)

8) Any advice for people looking to incorporate more whole foods into their diets?

Try and do as much of your shopping as possible at farmers markets, which will ensure that you’re bringing home “real” ingredients, and get you inspired about cooking with them. A practice I have followed for years is making a rule that once a week, I have to bring home something I’ve never used before – it can be a superfood, a strange produce find at the market, or even just a local brand of hot sauce. Then I do some light research on it to “learn” my new food and how to use it. This simple practice keeps cooking exciting, and expands your natural food horizons in a very organic manner.

9) Care to share a favorite recipe?

Of course!

KALE & BLACK-EYED PEA STEW

MAKES 6–8 SERVINGS

There’s always something exciting about a pot of good stuff bubbling away on the stove. Especially whenthat “good stuff” includes powerful ingredients providing a balanced array of minerals, protein, and fiber. Adding the kale at the very end of the cooking ensures that it’s softened enough to be enjoyed, withoutdestroying all of its nutrition through heat. This is the kind of stew that eats like a meal.

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups white onions, diced (about 1 medium onion)

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped

½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups water

2 tablespoons wakame flakes, ground/crushed into fine pieces

3 cups cooked black-eyed peas

1 head kale, stems discarded and leaves chopped

½ lemon, juiced

fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

sea salt to taste

In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook for a few minutes longer. Stir in the herbs and spices, cooking for about 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, water, wakame flakes, black-eyed peas, and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, adding more water if needed. Taste, and adjust salt if desired. After the soup is fully cooked through, stir in the kale and keep over the heat for a minute longer—just enough to wilt the kale. Add the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Top with parsley and serve.

Variation: Add 1 cup diced smoked tofu when you add the black-eyed peas.

SUPERFOOD TIP

Using smoked ingredients like chipotle powder and smoked paprika add an impressive depth of flavor to recipes without compromising nutrition through overcooking. Find these spices in most supermarket.

THE GIVEAWAY:

Here are the rules. First, the winner needs to live in the United States (sorry international readers, no disrespect). The contest will end next Friday, December 14 at midnight. To enter, you must be a subscribed reader to BYOL. To increase your chances of winning leave a comment on this post or/and "like" Superfood Cuisine with Julie Morris" on facebook. 

Good luck and cheers

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