A big thanks to Kroger for sponsoring this post and for challenging me to think inside the pantry. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m heading into the third year of my PhD program in a little over a week, and I can’t help but feel like I’m battening down the hatches for a big storm. I’ve kicked into total preparation mode, trying to get the maximum amount of stuff done now in order to make the months ahead a little smoother. One by one, simple things like get a haircut, get teeth cleaned, and get cholesterol checked are being crossed off my to-do list. Next up: new breaks!
Even with all the preparation, the semester will undoubtedly get away from me. Hours clocked at my desk will bubble out of control like a neglected pot full of pasta on a hot stove, and I’ll find myself falling into a sad routine of expensive takeout. Don’t get me wrong, I love takeout on occasion, but even I have my limits!
This semester, I’m giving something new a try: ONLINE GROCERY SHOPPING. Who’s excited?? (It’s me.) Though I’ve converted to doing most of my shopping online, I’d never thought to try ordering groceries on the web. Now that I have a couple of years of grad school under my belt, I know there will be times during the semester when I’ll find myself so stretched that I only have enough time to grocery shop OR cook. Not BOTH. That’s the truth folks, and it’s not a problem unique to grad school. Life just keeps getting crazier and crazier, doesn’t it?
To give this whole online grocery shopping idea a shot, I ordered a box of pantry items and household staples through Kroger‘s new shipping service, that recently rolled out in Columbus. The platform is super simple–you can search for specific products or shop by department, and the offerings include pantry, cleaning, beauty, baby, home, and pet items. You can also set up recurring orders. Say for example you like to have a carton of sparkling water and a box of protein bars each week. Through Kroger’s shipping service, you can set this up to ship out to you automatically each week. You even save 5% on all these “set and save” orders, and you know I’m ALL about saving money.
Late one Tuesday night, at around 11:30pm on a school night to be exact, I ordered my first box from Kroger from the comfort of my bed. My box included several items that are on my weekly shopping list, things like garbanzo beans and canned tomatoes, plus some bathroom odds and ends that I was low on. Somewhere around the time I added dark chocolate salted caramels to my order, I decided to challenge myself to create a recipe using only pantry items — things that I can easily snag through Kroger’s shipping service and that can hang out in my cabinet without risk of spoiling if I don’t get to them in a few weeks. Ultimately, I wanted to create a simple, back-pocket recipe that can be easily modified depending on what I have on hand.
And so was born this spicy peanut butter curry stew, a healthy, stick-to-your ribs, comforting meal that comes together in about twenty minutes and makes enough for leftovers. As an added bonus, this stew can be paired with ANY vegetable you happen to have on hand. A few ideas: toss in a couple large handfuls of fresh spinach, add some roasted cauliflower, or even some peas. Garnishes are totally optional. Dig around in your pantry and in the deepest darkest corners of your fridge and see what you happen to have on hand. Green onion, chopped herbs, peanuts, and a big dollop of Greek yogurt all work great here.
GUESS WHAT? For a limited time, you can get 15% off plus free shipping on your first order with Kroger‘s new shipping service! Just use the promo code SHIP15. Shipping is always free if you spend $35 or more (no membership required).
A quick, comforting stew that's big on flavor but requires only a handful of pantry ingredients!
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 3 tbsp red curry paste
- 28 ounces fire roasted whole tomatoes, liquid reserved
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 tsp vinegar, preferably rice wine
- 1 tbsp hot sauce, preferably sriracha
- 1 tsp salt
- optional garnishes (see recipe notes)
Heat a large skillet or stock pot over medium high heat. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and curry paste to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to incorporate the onions and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant.
Add the whole tomatoes to the skillet (reserve the liquid for later use). Use a wooden spoon to break down the tomatoes into small pieces. Cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated, then add the coconut milk. Stir to combine.
Add the garbanzo beans, vinegar, hot sauce, and salt to the skillet and stir to combine. If the stew is too thick, add some of the reserved tomato juice to the skillet. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stew garnishes are optional, but great choices include chopped peanuts, green onion, and fresh herbs. This stew is easily adaptable, so consider adding whatever vegetables you have on hand. Fresh spinach, roasted cauliflower, or peas are great add-ins. Serve this stew as a standalone entree or with rice or flatbread.
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Note: if you don’t have onion or garlic on hand, this recipe can be made without them (a true pantry-friendly meal!), but I would recommend adding additional dried herbs (such as garlic powder or onion powder) to compensate.
2 Comments
This looks amazing, and I already have the ingredients on hand, so I will definitely make it this week! How was it with the light coconut milk? Asking because I have both light and full-fat coconut milk on hand . . .
The peanut butter adds plenty of healthy fats in my opinion — so I felt full-fat coconut milk was overkill. But you could use whichever you prefer!