COTTER CRUNCH: Food is LOVE

Most people are dreading Monday (unless you got that artic blast and have a snow day, yea!!). Not us, just rain. But I’ll take it. No complaints here. Just happy to have a new week, a fresh week! Last week was such a blur that I really don’t even wanna count it. Life was totally on pause and that’s probably a good thing (in the end).

Saturday we were up in Dallas for my Nana’s memorial. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The words people said, the flowers, the pictures, etc. So many people were impacted by her and her life.
After the memorial is was back to my parents house for a “little” reception. Little is an understatement because in reality, it was HUGE! So many family friends, relatives, etc. It was bigger than party. It was an event! I know she would have loved it. But there is one the thing that happened that really stuck with me. My mom’s best friends (basically all my second mom’s growing up) all came over with TONS AND TONS of homemade dishes, drinks, etc. They cleaned the house for her, put out food, took care of everyone, etc. When I went back to the kitchen to help clean up, I looked at all the left over food and couldn’t help but blurt out “wow, what are we going to do with all this food?” Cindy (a dear family friend and another second mom to me) looked at me with great passion and said “Lindsay…..Food is LOVE.” I took it in for a moment and replied back, “ Well we got a LOT of love today, THANK YOU!”

With that being said, I felt a warmth in my soul, joy in my heart, and a hunger to LOVE!
Back to Austin we go and I couldn’t wait to warm ourselves up with this recipe inspired by LOVE!

(GF) Jamaican Jerk JAMBALAYA

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
2 tsp clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon chile powder
3/4 teaspoon beet sugar or brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup purple cabbage
2/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup red kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup black beans, drained (optional)
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or coconut aminos
chopped fresh cilantro and cheese (topping)- I used DAIYA on top.
1 or 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 to 1 1/2 cups diced sausage (chicken, pork, etc). You can also use shrimp, tofu or tempeh, etc. (I tried it out with chicken sausage and tempeh in honor of Heather)

Directions

Place meat/ tempeh/shrimp in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. You can skip this step if you buy the fully cooked sausage.
Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is tender. Add the celery/carrots/cabbage, and cook until tender. Season with black pepper, paprika, chile powder, sugar, salt, and cloves. Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans. Pour in water to cover. You might add in some vegetable brother for extra flavor. Bring to a boil, then stir in the meat and cooked brown rice. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in the vinegar or aminos and serve hot topped with fresh cilantro and cheese.

Dang, can you feel that love? I hope so!

So this also leaves me with one question. If food is love, why do we (society) have such “issues” with it. Some abuse it, while others neglect it?? I don’t have the answer to this, but it something I’ve been thinking a lot about.

How do you LOVE with FOOD?

Cheers,

p.s.

Playlist and a workout challenge are on my list to post. I need a break from all my seriousness, haha!