Don’t worry there are no spoilers in this post– all I am going to say is that I was a big fan of the books and I thought this movie was amazing! (If you don’t know what the heck I am talking about, go here to find out what The Hunger Games are and here is the official movie website.)
{ 1. Read the trilogy ASAP! 2. Jennifer Lawrence transformed into Katniss 3. The cast at the Vanity Fair photoshoot 4. I love Rue, aka Amandla Stenberg 5. Elizabeth Banks was the perfect Effie 6. Lenny Kravitz did good as Cinna 7. Team Gale or Team Peeta? }
For me, it has been one of the best translations of a book onto the big screens that I have seen. I had my doubts when I first saw the casting because none of the characters really looked like how I had imagined but I loved what each actor and actress brought to their characters. Katniss and Rue were perfect…I think I cried more in this movie than in Titanic and Armageddon put together! And what really sucks is that you are sobbing in a theater and you don’t want to sound ridiculous so it’s all silent but your nose is running, your chest is heaving, and you can’t breathe. It’s gotta be good if it breaks you down like that lol.
So here are a few recipes inspired by the book! Special thank you to my friend Bao, who recently re-read the book and wrote me a very detailed list of all the foods that were mentioned so I could figure out what to make haha.
Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever be in your favor! (I am obviously way too into this.)
Carrot Soup
From the dinner after the reaping on the train, one of the many dishes Katniss and Peeta were served was a thick carrot soup. At first when I was looking through Bao’s list, I was a little worried because there were lots of meat dishes and only a few veggie ones and one of them was carrot soup. Carrot soup? That didn’t sound fun or exciting at all! I am also personally not a fan of pureed soups…but this recipe completely changed my mind from the first spoonful! It’s a delicious way to cook carrots and perfect for cozy nights in when it’s cold and rainy outside (such as last night). Also good when you are restricted to soups and mushy foods by your dentist. This soup is also pretty hearty and is packed with flavor.
This recipe was adapted from Marissa McClellan‘s post on Slashfood.com- Carrot Soup: The Original Moosewood Cookbook Recipe. I chose this recipe because it actually gives you different options for spices and liquids you use and it has the word “moose” in the title of the cookbook! Here is what I went with as well as the substitutions I made to make this vegan-friendly.
This recipe yields about 4-6 servings
You will need a blender, immersion blender, or food processor for this recipe.
- 1/2 pound organic carrots, chopped
- 2 cups of water or broth or water + vegan bouillon (I went with the water with bouillon)
- 1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 TBS oil or vegan butter
- 1/4 of an onion, chopped
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 1 heaping TBS of herbs de provence or dried thyme and basil
- 1 to 2 cups of non-dairy milk, as needed to thin out soup (I used unsweetened soy milk)
- salt, to taste (I don’t add additional salt if using a bouillon because it provides enough flavor)
- almonds, sliced or chopped or toasted breadcrumbs for garnish (optional)
In a medium pot, combine carrots, potato, and your choice of water/broth/water + bouillon. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until veggies are soft. When done, remove from heat.
While the veggies are simmering, in a separate pan, melt the butter. Add the onions, garlic, and almonds. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes or so.
In your blender or food processor, place both the carrot mixture and sauteed onion mixture. Blend until it is smooth.
If using an immersion blender, add the sauteed onions to the carrot mixture and blend in the pot.
After blending, add the non-dairy milk to thin out. My soup is a chowder-y consistency and I added about 1 1/2 cup of the non-dairy milk. Blend until all ingredients are well incorporated and soup is smooth.
Transfer to serving dishes and garnish with sliced or chopped almonds or toasted bread crumbs. I also like to eat this with warm, thick slices of artisan bread.
Braised Kale with Cherry Tomatoes
One of the side dishes served the night the winners of the games are introduced at The Capitol was bitter greens with tomatoes “the size of peas.” I am not sure where to find tomatoes the size of peas so I had to use cherry tomatoes for this recipe. It’s a quick and easy way to cook those healthy leafy greens we always hear we need to eat more of!
This recipe is from The Mayo Clinic.
Makes about 4 to 6 servings.
- about 5 to 6 oz of kale or collard greens
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- olive oil, for cooking
In a large pan (that has a lid) heat up some olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and cook for a few minutes. Add the kale and broth. Stir, lower the heat, cover pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Kale should be a beautiful bright green color and some of the liquid will have evaporated.
Stir in the tomatoes and cook uncovered until the kale is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
