Yay, I’m excited that so many people are on board for Hug-a-Carb Month.
I was worried y’all might think it was a stupid idea 
.
.
Thanks so much to everyone who left comments on the Carb/Pasta Debate. I especially appreciated the fact that some people who didn’t agree with me 100% weren’t afraid to voice their opinions. These lovely ladies had some good points, one of which was that everyone is different, and out diets should reflect this difference. If you are a carb-counter and find that this works for you, all the more power to ya! I hope my post didn’t insinuate that my high-carb way of eating is the best way to eat. It’s simply what works for me. (On another note, please click if anyone has advice for Liz.)
Question of the Day:
How are you going to celebrate Hug-a-Carb Month (if you will celebrate it)?
Me? Well of course I will celebrate with many, many bowls of oatmeal, oatbran, fruits, veggies, and blended grains. But I’m also celebrating with this guy:
Creamy polenta with super-fat raisins
(I used the Plump-up-Raisin Trick)
Din-Din Time!
Raisin-y polenta and homemade Kuzu Stew
**(EDIT: Kuzu Stew recipe here) **
/
.
Remember when I said I wanted to try to recreate the fabulous Souen Kuzu Stew?
I did it 
!
Warm and comforting, just like the one at Souen in NYC.
.
Now, go hug your carbs!
You know you want to. 
.
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Ohhh Katie…please cook for me!
Do you know if it is possibe to make polenta in the microwave? And is that whole grain cornmeal?? I can never find whole grain cornmeal at the store…
By the way, I tried your carmelized banana this morning and it was out of this world. Now I know what to do with overripe bananas because they get waaay too sweet for me. Mashing the banana with cinnamon is a whole new experience.
Do you ever make basil pesto? I love a good pine nut and (soy??) parmesan pesto over my long run buddy, pasta.
- Your Fellow Runner
I have been rockin out the cauliflower these days too! Happy SUnday Katie
that stew looks amazing.
do you have the recipe?
emily
The Hungry Yogini posted some delicious looking polenta fries last night, and now I see this beautiful creamy polenta dish…I can feel a craving developing!
That soup looks beautiful – great job recreating the original!
The stew looks amazing and so comforting. That would be great for when the fall sniffles start! Yum
I heart polenta!
Raisins in polenta? Sounds awesome- I love when raisins get all plump in juicy
Mmm! I’m eating a huge bowl of soba noodles right now!
Ahhh raisin polenta! I need that! Your stew looks lovely, too
I think I’ll be celebrating hug-a-carb in a similar fashion to you; i <3 my oats
plump raisins are soooooo much better than little wrinkly dudes! thanks for the tip girl – you always know ways to make my eating experiences 10000 x’s better.. and for that, I owe you my life…or a bowl of banana brulee oats with extra plump raisins — which basically is my lifeeee.
I shall be celebrating hug a carb month with dinner rolls and oatssss and pancakes and waffles and other things that make me happy
Did you ever see those t-shirts that say “I eat carbs” ? We need to get you one of those!
I will be celebrating Hug a Carb month by eating lots of oatmeal, grains, and bread!
Nothing better than a plumped up raisin!
love raisins, my #1 favorite dried fruit, and probably #1 favorite fruit ever
and love adding them in my oats while cooking definitely makes them plumper, you are full of so many tricks! hehe…well hmmm hug a carb month, i think i will start by celebrating it today by sticking to my dinner idea of sprouted pasta with a coconut butternut squash sauce, and not change it around, because the stupid fears around pasta 
but i already today embraced some carbs with my pumpkin oatmeal with raisins and cranberries 
o man but i should’ve looked at your post before so i could have plumped up the raisins 
lots of love
xo
Eliza
mhm, I’ll try polenta with raisins definitely, I’ve been neglecting polenta so much, I have to make up for it
I’ll go now and hug my carbs in a form of a pumpkin muffins
that kuzu stew looks absolutely delicious! your cooking definitely inspires me (i’m making butternut squash tonight thanks to you, actually. i’ve been craving it ever since i found your post.) any chance you’re up for giving out your secret recipe of kuzu stew?
I plan on celebrating it with some oats in jar
<3 jess
hehe you’re too cute! it’s sad that the whole atkins movement made us all fear carbs. some mornings after i eat my delicious bowl of oats+banana or nut butter i catch myself thinking ‘wow you just ate way too many carbs, you should have had yogurt or eggs instead’ how crazy is that!!! i love carbs but it’s definitely been a love/hate relationship and i admire you for your 100% love relationship with carbs. i want to be there!!
I unconditionally love carbs! Today’s contribution to Hug-a-Carb Month (only listing Katie-recipes); Banana Brulee Oat Bran and Apple-Raisin blended wheatberries.
The stew looks yummy and the polenta seems sooooo creamy! Aaaah, I should really make polenta again soon.
Gosh, that polenta looks awesome- now you got me all ravenous again! Hug-a-carb is such a bright idea- I shall celebrate with lots of pasta, brown rice and my beloved “oatgurt”- horray carbs and horray Katie!
Another carb-lover here!! Woot woot!
Could you possibly post the recipe for that stew? Looks delish!
Oh, and I’m celebrating Hug-a-carb month with some creamy polenta triangles — mmmmmm!!!! =P
Kuzu stew recipe please!
I just had a bowl of oats for dinner. I’m loving me some carbs!
Katie… i think i went a little above and beyond for ‘HAC month”. Check out my latest post to see what i mean….
Worry not though… the oats are going to be FLOWING again… after a nap.
Yum, that stew looks fantastic!
I think I’ll start by having more carbs for lunch
I usually get enough carbs for breakfast (hello, oatmeal!) and dinner (usually brown rice with Korean food), so I tend to avoid them during lunch. I’ll start tomorrow with a huge wrap that I just packed (not those low carb ones, that wouldn’t be hugging a carb, hehe), chock full of veggies, peach salsa, and tofu salad mmm!
Carbs & me = good friends. I like plenty of agave, brown sugar (even if it’s refined and not raw, I still like it) and just really I am not afraid of carbs at all. Too few carbs and I get grumpy and shakey. So I need my fuel that way
Mmm, I love polenta that is still soft, it’s perfect for breakfast! I think I might be the only person that has to work to get grains! I totally know that they’re an ultra important part of a vegan diet, but the vast majority of the time I am perfectly content without them in my meals! I have to make an effort to think about incorporating grains into my daily eats!
-Eve
Ooo I haven’t tried adding raisins in my polenta. I LOVE polenta (so yummy and easy to make).. that actually sounds like a delicious breakfast too.
This looks soooo good! I love raisins and am always looking for things to add the to! Thanks for the post!
Hmm I think multiple bowls of hot cereal will be on the menu, as well as sandwiches and pasta!
Quick Q: what brand of polenta do you use? I have found them to be quite variable in texture, but yours looks so velvety smooth!
Your stew looks delish!
Wow that looks really good! You need to be a chef!
i plan on celebrating hug a carb month with some of your delicious looking pancake recipes!! im not sure which one yet though, so it looks like i’ll just have to try a new one each week to get maximum carb lovin
have a great day girl!
Oh, I want that polenta with raisins!! I don’t know how to make polenta, but it sure looks delicious!! *drool*
We are celebrating hug a carb month with lots of homemade pasta, blended oatmeal, lots of fruit, and the usual batches of muffins and raw (grain-based) cookies. Oh, and I bought a big bag of bulgur and feel like using some of that this month too. It’s getting cold outside (-2C/28F) and hot cooked carbs warm me up from the inside and keep me warm. Mmmm… Hug a carb month is my favourite month!
My brother and I both just hugged your Brownie Batter Pancakes. I think I could eat them every morning.
gah! yummmy! you definatly need to come be my personal chef. please? heehee
that soup looks decadent <3
I love polenta, sweet or savory. Yum!
Yay for Hug a carb month! I’m definitely carbariffic. If it weren’t for carbs I don’t know what on earth I’d be dishing up around here!
I am in love with raisins–my fav is cinn raisin bread! Yum! Speaking of which, I should go put a batch in my bread machine soon
{ 6 trackbacks }