Perfectly (Easy) Paella

This meal serves about four people, seconds included!

You will need:
2 1/2 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 bag (small - should call for 2 1/2 c water) saffron rice mix (comes with the seasonings in the bag!!)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces (you can add half green and half red, too)
one medium onion, diced
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans (drained)
shrimp, chicken, sausage, calamari, clams, mussels (all optional and interchangeable - you will need about 3 cups total of whatever you are putting in)

-Saute the onions and peppers in olive oil in a LARGE pot until the onions are clear (not browned).
-add the chicken or vegetable stock, and bring to a simmer
-add the rice mix, corn, and black beans
-cover on medium heat, stirring occasionally
-If you are adding meat or clams/mussels, add to the pot after ten minutes; re-cover and continue to cook on medium heat
-Add all other seafood after about 15 minutes
-Its done when the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender. (about 25 minutes after adding rice)
- Enjoy!

Fiery Tofu and Coconut Curry Soup

3 tbsp of canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp red curry paste
2 cans of lite coconut milk
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup of shredded ginger root
3 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 bag of shredded carrot
1/2 bag of frozen green beans
1 14oz package of extra firm cubed tofu
1 cup of brown rice

1. heat canola oil in large saucepan add garlic and let saute for 30sec.
2. add curry paste, and stir for about a minute.
3. add brown sugar, continue stirring for another minute.
4. add coconut milk, broth, ginger, and soy sauce. cook for 1/2 hr. over low heat
5. add brown rice, cook for another 15 min on med. heat
6. add green beans, carrots, and tofu, cook for another 10 min over high heat.
7. serve it up!! makes enough for like 7ppl. so it's great for leftovers to heat up when you don't want to cook another time.

Not-too-many-potatoes salad

This is a great alternative to the usual summer potato salads, made of ingredients I picked up at a streetside farmer's market this morning.
Its easy to make, delicious, and is a lot healthier than salads with mayonnaise dressings.

You'll need:
Fresh Green Beans (a good handful) with the ends nipped off
one Idaho Potato, cut into 1" pieces
one medium yellow squash or yellow zucchini, cut into 1" pieces
2 sprigs of parsley (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2-3 basil leaves finely chopped (optional) (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1/4 of one small red onion, minced.
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
4 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Boil water, and add your potatoes. cook until they are tender to spear easily with a fork, but not super tender, as if you would mash them. they should still have a little firmness to them.

Boil water and add the squash for 2-3 minutes, then take out and place in an ice bath.
Repeat with the green beans.

In a small bowl, mix the chopped parsley, basil (optional), vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper with a fork until it is well blended.

Remove the green beans from the ice bath and cut them in half.

Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add the dressing mixture. Don't forget the onion that you chopped at the beginning!
Stir so that all of the ingredients are coated, then cover and store in the refridgerator for one hour.

Enjoy!