Super Healthy Nutrient Dense Green Soup

  

Many of us love those healthy “green drinks” we have concocted for us on the spot at our local juice bars.  They’re so nutrient dense!   Alas, I’ve an economical way to get all those nutrients….in a soup. I’ve been preparing “green soups” for years because I believe them to be oh so healthy.  So, here is my recipe 
for nutrient dense “green” soup. 

1 bunch organic kale

½ bunch or about 12 leaves organic dandelion
    or swiss chard

1 bunch organic spinach

1 large carrot, chopped to ¼”

1 medium-large onion, chopped to ¼”

1 large celery stalk, strings removed,
      chopped to ¼”

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ eggplant, skin removed, cut into ½" cubes

1 small red potato, skin removed, cut in ½" cubes --
   (optional for a thicker soup)

1 cube Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Broth w/sea salt *  
    -- or 2 cups prepared organic vegetable broth

1-teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon dried coriander leaves

½ teaspoon curry powder

Salt and pepper

Thoroughly wash all greens and set in a colander. 
Remove tough lower stems on all the greens, then cut in 1” strips. 
Place in large bowl.

If using the Rapunzel vegetable broth cube, dissolve it in two cups
near boiling water.  Set aside.

In a 4-quart pot, heat 3 tablespoons veggie broth on medium 
high heat until it sizzles, then quickly add in onions.  Saute for
about 4 minutes until they are soft.  Then add garlic, carrot and 
celery and stir and sauté another 2 minutes.  
Then add eggplant and potato and stir and sauté 2-3 minutes until 
all veggies are soft.  Then add 8 oz (one cup) of the veggie broth.  
Stir.  Add kale, dandelion and ½ of
the spinach.  Stir.  Add remaining veggie broth and 2.5 cups water.  
Stir.  Add in turmeric, coriander or cilantro and salt, stir well.  
Bring to boil.  Then turn heat down and simmer for 18 minutes
until all is very tender. Stir in remaining spinach (this gives the soup 
a nice rich green color).   Remove from heat to cool down.  Put 90% 
of it in a blender.  (Leave the other 10% of vegetables in the pot.)  
Blend to puree then pour back into soup pot with remaining 
veggies.  Now you have a thick pureed soup with little veggie 
chunks too.

Season to taste with a little salt and very little pepper.

*available at better health food stores

Eat nutrient dense foods for better health

Having read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I decided to give his healthy eating style a try. (I eat really healthy already but I wanted to follow his regime precisely to see how it felt). I followed his program for 10 days and I lost 5 pounds But it's not the weight loss that excites me (I really don't need to lose weight), its the way I felt including a mindset that eating much more nutrient dense foods as a lifestyle can actually decrease risks of illness and slow aging. Terrific, I'll take that! Basically his philosophy is "eat a plant based diet". Not an easy thing for most of us to do. I did it for 10 days and think its a good lifestyle, especially the not eating animal protein and fat. I'm grateful that I've always loved fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, and that I'm not interested in consuming white flour products or sweets. The experience of reading "Eat to Live" and going on the plan for a short time gives me more experience to help my clients eat better and get healthier. I love being "The Wellness Chef".

Eat to Live

                                 
Run, don't walk, to your closest bookstore -  or click to your favorite on-line bookseller - and purchase "Eat To Live" by John Fuhrman, MD. He has become one of my healthy food gurus because he is brilliant in what he has to say and how he says it so clearly in the book.  It's time we all listen up.  Basically, he says what a lot of folks are saying now-a-days....that we as American's have been eating too much of the wrong foods, those being foods that are low in nutrients and high in calories.  He states a diet rich in nutrient dense foods with low calories helps us loose weight, feel better, avoid and even possibly reverse disease,  and live longer.  Get the book, read it and eat his way......live a better, longer life.   I do, and I will continue.

A very nutritious salad for those who love Kale

Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Salad

·      3 cups kale, washed, trimmed of thick stems, and sliced to ¼”

·      6-8 large Brussels sprouts, washed, stem removed, then sliced very thin – chiffonade style – about ¼”

·      1 small sweet potato, peeled, then sliced very thin using the slicing edge of a box grater – or - shredded/grated on coarse edge of box grater

·      1 roasted red pepper, sliced very thin

·      ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional:  toast them first)

·      ½ cup shredded red cabbage

·      ¼ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese – optional

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      1 tablespoon walnut oil

·      2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste

·      ½  teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the first 7 ingredients in a large box.  Toss well.  Drizzle in the next 4 ingredients and toss very well.    

49ers and Pea Soup

You might be asking yourself "what do the 49ers and Pea Soup have in common."   Here's what:
Pea soup is green, and so is the turf on a football field.  That's about it, except, it just so happens Scott and I are watching the 49ers and the Giants vie for a chance in the Super Bowl AND, I'm making Pea Soup.  So that's what the two have in common for me today.   And, you might be asking why I would be writing about this. Well, I had to come up with something since my wonderful boyfriend challenged me to write a blog post and then proceeded to give me a subject headline as well as the lead in sentence: "what does Pea Soup and the 49ers have in common".  So, being the frustrated writer that I am I decided to get creative and step up to the challenge of writing a new blog post based on the fact that I really am making Pea Soup today as Scott watches the 49ers play the Giants.  Well, I must admit, I'm sort of watching the game  too....actually I'm doing more listening than watching. I do have a slight interest in this game, especially since I love both San Francisco and New York.  I suppose for most people picking one team over the other is the thing do to but as for me, well, I just can't seem to pick which team is my favorite.  I'm going with "may the best team win."    I know, I know,  sort of an oxymoron.  So, as I tinker in the kitchen tending to a big pot of Pea Soup (with a smoked Ham Hock I got this morning from my favorite grocery store, Gelson's) I am having a good day.  I never thought I would enjoy hanging at home while my man is glued to a football game!  See what love does!  Yep, I love him!  Scott has been asking me to make Pea Soup for a while now.  His Mom use to make it and he has cravings for it.   Now there's a challenge....make a pot of soup as good as Mom.  Ha......I love challenges. 

So, to all you football lovers, 49er fans, Giants fans and lovers of Pea Soup, here's my recipe for Pea Soup with Ham Hock:

• 2 large onions, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons "Better Than Bouillon" Beef Base
• 1-pound bag (2 cups) dried green split peas, rinsed well in cold water
• 1 pound smoked ham hock
• 8 cups water

Place rinsed peas in pot with 8 cups water.  Bring to boil.  Remove from heat and let rest for 1 hr.  Then add to same pot:  onions, celery, carrots, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons "Better than Boulion, Beef" and ham hock.  Bring again to boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Remove ham hock to cutting board.  Allow soup to cool then put 1/2 of the soup through medium mesh sieve, adding it back to pot.  This should impart a thickness to the soup.  Chop ham hock into small pieces and add back to soup pot.  Allow all to cool, about an hour or more.  Then heat and serve.  

Now that I've cooked a huge pot of Pea Soup on this sweet Sunday afternoon, I shall take a break and watch the end of the game.  It's an exciting game......The score is tied -- both teams are playing really well. 

Looking forward to writing my next blog post on Super Bowl Sunday! 

Roasted red peppers.......and sauce too.

Many folks purchase roasted red peppers in a jar.  I like to roast red peppers myself because they taste so wonderful when they are freshly roasted.    I roast several red peppers at once, that way not only can I enjoy the peppers as a side dish (or add to a plated dinner for pretty color), I can also make a roasted red pepper sauce with the extra peppers.  Here's my recipe for roasted red pepper sauce.   This sauce is thick and slightly chunky.  It's really good on grilled meats.

Pre-heat oven to 375. Wash and dry two large organic red bell peppers.  Cut them in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stems.  Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray it generously with olive oil spray.  Place the peppers, cut side down on the baking sheet.  Spray the peppers lightly on the tops.

Then place on middle rack in oven for 1/2 hour.  Check the peppers to see if they have begun to turn dark brown on the tops.  If after 1/2 hr they aren't brown, roast them for another 5-10 minutes until they turn dark brown on the tops.  When that happens, they are ready.  The photo below is how they should look.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.  Then slip as much of the skin off as possible.  Discard the skins.

Next, place one garlic clove in food processor and process to a fine mince.  Add  the red peppers, 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, a little salt and pepper and approximately 1/3 cup of your best Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Process well until smooth or chunky. Add more EVOO for a smoother sauce.   Taste and adjust seasoning.  Enjoy warm as a topping on grilled meats or cold as a dipping sauce.

An Apple a Day....Steve had the right idea!

We will all miss you and your brilliance.  Thank you for giving so much to so many.  Rest in peace.

Important information about using canned beans

I know you don't have the time or inclination to purchase dried, organic bulk beans, then soak them overnight, then cook them.  It's very time consuming and requires advance planning.  As a working Chef, I do this frequently because I believe there is nothing better than re-constituted beans.  However, if you're like most people who want to consume more beans now I'd like to recommend canned organic beans. I'm speaking of kidney beans, black beans and garbanzo beans mainly.  Here's the important thing to remember when using canned beans of any kind:  RINSE THE BEANS IN COLD WATER USING A STRAINER.  DRAIN THEM WELL, THEN ADD TO YOUR RECIPES.

There's nothing like homemade soup!

With infinite ways of making soup, there's only one way to start:  select good, fresh ingredients. When selecting your produce, whether it be onions, garlic, green beans, potatoes or any other vegetables using ripe but firm produce assures that clean fresh taste.  (Although I will admit to chopping up a tomato that's over the hill for a salad but not completely gone. Tomatoes are supposed to break down when simmered in a soup anyway.)
I begin with a medium to large saucepan if I'm making soup for just 4 servings.  However, if you find a soup you love, go ahead, double the recipe, get out a larger pot, and make lots!  Here is a hearty Fall soup that's pretty much a meal in itself.  (make extra and freeze some - good for 2 months in freezer)

Autumn Vegetable Soup

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 3 medium carrots, diced to ¾” cubes
• 1 large onion, diced medium
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups of butternut squash that has been cut in ¼” cubes
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• Pinch of cayenne, more to taste
• Kosher salt
• 1 quart homemade or lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 – 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or generous ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 cup canned (or freshly cooked) garbanzo beans

Heat oil in large pot.  Add carrots and onions and stir a occasionally until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add squash, allspice, cayenne and 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes (with juices) and thyme.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook uncovered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about another 10 minutes.  Discard the thyme sprigs before serving.  Season to taste with salt and cayenne.

ARTICHOKES - baked, not steamed

Artichokes are so delicious now and they are plentiful in the markets, even at Costco.  And, the good news is they are on the "safe list" of produce that need not be organically grown.  (Always wash and scrub lightly all vegetables whether they are organic or not.  Then pat them dry before further preparation.)  Here's what I have to tell you about artichokes (in addition to them being a good source of fiber, flavor and nutrients, they are so healthy)!

For as long as I can remember I steamed artichokes to cook them but today I discovered baking them in a 425 degree oven. I trimmed them first, washed them well, embedded 3 peeled, smashed garlic cloves underneath several leaves, drizzled them with white white (or you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice),  EVOO and a little salt and pepper, then wrapped them tightly in tin foil . Bake for 75 minutes. OMG, they are awesome cooked this way. It's a bit more time consuming than steaming.  (If they are jumbo chokes,  bake for 90 minutes).   It's well worth the time. (The time it takes to bake them is unattended so do it while you're prepping the rest of your meal.Try  it.....it's the best.  I'll never steam another artichoke.  And, here's a huge plus about baking them in foil.  There's no pot to clean.  Don't you just love that.