Tag: sodium free

Heirloom Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger Bisque

Heirloom Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger Bisque

It all started with a bunch of rainbow heirloom carrots I snatched up at Trader Joes. I mean I literally snatched up the last doggone bunch! The feeling of joy. Excitement. Happiness. To me it was like winning the freaken lottery or something. Immediately, notions of roasting those babies with warm spices and pureeing them into a comforting pot of soup raced through my head. Is this going to be a perfect Saturday or what?!

You might say – come on – get a grip on it – it’s just a bunch of carrots. Not so. Do you have any idea the blood, sweat and tears that farmer went through growing those carrots? It’s true. Heirloom carrots come from seeds that are at least 50 years old. Those seeds were handpicked by that farmer for specific traits. And heirlooms are much harder to grow which is why you rarely see them at the supermarket.

Carrots 101

In ancient times all carrots were white and grown for their leaves and seeds – much like parsley, dill and coriander are. They contain 32,000 different genes and two recessive ones contributed to a build up of carotinoids. It is believed that early farmers grew colorful carrots quite unintentionally.

All carrots are extremely nutrient dense with each color having a different nutritional profile. Orange carrots are so brightly colored because they have the highest amount of carotenoids. Red carrots get their color from high amounts of lycopene. Yellow carrots get their color from high amounts of lutein. Purple carrots get their color from high levels of anthrocyanin. White carrots are albino and not a source of carotine but contain high amounts of polyacetylenes which is an organic anti-cancer compound.

Daily consumption of potassium and sodium rich carrots can prevent plaque build up in the arteries (don’t confuse the sodium found naturally in whole foods with table salt). With their high content of carotenoids, vitamin A and C, and polyphenols, carrots help regulate cholesterol. Studies show a direct link between carrot intake and reduced risk of prostate cancer and the polyacetylenes found in carrots protect against leukemia and colorectal cancer.

Look at those long thin colorful beauties!

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch of heirloom carrot (tops removed)
  • 3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in pieces)
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 large sweet onion chopped
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 3 tbsps. peeled and chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 cups unsweetened plant based milk
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsps garlic powder
  • 3 tsps Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • Red pepper flakes(garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spritz with water. Season with garlic powder, cinnamon, rosemary, paprika and ginger. Roast in oven set at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
  2. Put onions, celery, ginger, plant based milk, vinegar and cayenne pepper in a large pot and cook on medium heat stirring intermittently until vegetables are soft.
  3. Add the roasted vegetables and broth bringing to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes stirring intermittently.
  4. Remove from heat then puree with an immersion or high speed blender. Adjust spices as needed.
  5. Garnish with red pepper flakes.
The smell of all those earthy warm spices and roasted vegetables permeated throughout the entire house. Sheer excitement and happiness!
With red pepper flakes and croutons made from Ezekial bread
With plain fat free yogurt

Chilled Tomato Cucumber Soup (Gazpacho)

Gazpacho: A light cold soup of Spanish origin made from raw fresh garden vegetables

Chilled Tomato Cucumber Soup

A bumper crop of tomatoes and cucumbers were the inspiration behind this soup. Well – that and several weeks of high 80 degree days with no cooling off in sight. Cold soup on hot summer days is refreshing and hydrating. This gazpacho recipe is loaded with flavor and a super fun way to make use of your home grown produce. Picking vegetables fresh from the garden means vitamin content will be at their highest and, absolutely hands down, homegrown vegetables taste a zillion times better then grocery store produce.

Don’t have space for a garden? You can still experience the joy by growing just about any vegetable and herb in containers on a balcany, patio, deck, terrace or even rooftop. Vertical hydroponic tower gardens are the latest craze for growing fresh food year round even in the basement. This year I bought whiskey barrels and my cherry and beefsteak tomatoes are thriving along with cucumbers, bell peppers and strawberries. Too soon to tell with the sweet potatoes. I also have containers with oregano, basil, chives and parsley along with mint and spearmint in the woods flowerbeds. Tending to the gardens, even small scale ones like my own, is pure joy and using the produce to create healthy eats is sheer happiness.

If you don’t have a garden go to a local farmers market. Many markets like Sandy Acres Farm in Harpersfield, Ohio pick their produce the day it sells. West Orchard is my favorite in Perry, Ohio. Located on the fertile shores of Lake Erie I swear zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and corn never tasted better. Visiting local markets is not only a great outing but you’ll be sure to bring home perfectly ripe produce that is generally cheaper then the grocery store. Additionally there’s the satisfaction of supporting community and small business owners.

Not everyone can afford to buy fresh produce especially in these times of food price over-inflation. Many cities have community gardens where residents pitch in to grow and tend to the crops and then help themselves to what is available. The Life Brand Cowboy church in Painesville, Ohio opens their doors to anyone in need of fresh fruits and vegetables the first Saturday of every month. In fact, there are many other churches that offer free fresh produce programs. So check out what is available in your community.

Red peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes fresh off the vine!

Ingredients:

  • 6 large tomatoes
  • 12-15 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large (or 2 small) red bell peppers
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
  • 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup date syrup
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

  • Peel the tomatoes by cutting an “X” at the bottom and remove the core. Place them in a pot of boiling water for one minute. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl filled with ice water for another minute. The peels will easily slide off using your hands.
This year most of my tomatoes developed brown zipper lines. They are still delicious but definitely not going to win blue ribbons at the state fair! In my research it seems this may be due to uneven watering.
Boil for one minute
Setting the tomatoes in a bath of cold water cools them down so peels are easily removed by hand
  • Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then cut in small pieces.
  • Chop the onions and red bell pepper
  • Mince the garlic and jalapenos
  • Place everything in a large bowl and stir together
Just look at all the vibrant colors and the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber associated with those colors!
  • Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl. You may choose to remove the seeds but I did not. Add the balsamic vinaigrette, juice of one lime, date syrup and black pepper. Stir. Marinate for at least 2 hours to let the tomatoes soak up the flavors.
  • Puree into a smooth, creamy mixture.
Cherry tomatoes are the sweetest tomatoes which is what makes this gazpacho special. But the real hidden gem in this soup is the date syrup which, by the way, is a completely whole food plant based natural sweetener. It can be tricky to find but lately I’ve been lucking out at Meijers.
The pureed cherry tomato mixture. It was difficult doing the taste test without wanting to eat the whole doggone thing!
  • Puree half of the tomato / cucumber mixture in a high speed blender or food processor. Combine the pureed vegetable mixure and the pureed cherry tomato mixture with the rest of the cut up vegetables.

If you prefer a chunky, salsa like gazpacho then omit pureeing half of the tomato cucumber mixture. I would still puree the marinated cherry tomato mixture though.

This Chilled Tomato Cucumber Soup has become my new summertime favorite and I hope it becomes yours too. So long as the tomatoes and cucumbers keep on growing I will continue to whip up more and more batches. The best of health to all my friends!

Enjoyed eating this soup outside on a candlelit deck on a balmy 90 degree evening with crickets chirping and toads croaking. My husband is always skeptical of my plant based meals but he gave this soup an A+.
Garnished with freshly picked oregano. I think some chunks of avocado on top would have also been a good idea for some added healthy fat (especially if this was the main meal).

Zucchini-Basil Summer Soup

Zucchini Basil Summer Soup

The inspiration for this soup was a big huge indoor basil plant gifted to me by my son and daughter-in-law and a bumper crop of zucchini. Yep we are in the thick of zucchini season here in Ohio. For weeks I have been thinking about how I would concoct a soup using these two star ingredients and decided to practice the KISS principle – keep it simple stupid. Because zucchini is high in fiber – 2 grams in one medium zucchini – it is quite filling in and of itself. So this simple little soup contains only 5 modest ingredients. Zucchini is also 90% water which is why is cooks so quickly. So making this soup takes a mere 30 – 45 minutes including prep time. The result is thin, light and refreshing while delivering mega nutrients and vitamins. There’s more good news. Zucchini is a superfood rich in the anti-oxidants lutein and zeaxanthin the majority of which is found in the skin. Both of these anti-oxidants protect the eyes from free radical damage caused by exposure to oxygen and light.

I was recently describing lean, clean, green eating to a patient who made an interesting comment, “it’s like buying an extra life insurance policy.” Well I never really thought of it that way but you are right on the money Adella!

The gifted basil plant
Served piping hot or chilled this soup is sure to be a hit at your next garden party!

Ingredients

  • 3 large zucchinis unpeeled and cut in pieces
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 medium sweet vidalia onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups sodium free vegetable broth
  • 3 tsp. ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1 cup cooked whole wheat rotini pasta (optional)
Zucchini, basil, vidalia onion, garlic, black pepper and vegetable broth

Directions

  1. Saute onions and garlic in a soup pot using 4-5 tbsp. water on high until onions become translucent.
  2. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini are tender (usually about 10 minutes tops).
  3. Add the black pepper and basil, stir on low heat until the basil is wilted.
  4. Puree the mixture in a high speed blender or food processor small batches at a time. Note: you may like your soup hot but your blender does not. Allow the mixture to cool down a bit before blending. Fill up only halfway and please make sure the lid is on tightly. When finished, remove the center cap to allow the steam to escape then, very slowly, remove the lid. Learn from my mistakes!
  5. Return mixture to the soup pot and heat back up again.
  6. If you are looking for a more filling soup then add a small amount of the cooked rotini to the bowl before ladeling in the soup. I added a smidgen of dill to the rotini which gave it a nice additional flavor. I also added a tiny bit of red pepper flakes as a garnish which gave it a nice little kick.
Oh my goodness – the sweet perfumey smell of basil cooking in the soup is heavenly. The reason basil smells so good is a volatile, aromatic compound called eugenol. Eugenol is an oil which can be extracted from the leaves and is one of the most powerful antioxidants and free-radical scavengers!
This little $10.00 Cuisinart garlic press has been a treasured member of the family for many years now. Some people love to mince garlic like Emeril Lagassi but I, for the life of me, have never mastered that art.
I mean look at how beautiful and made with summer garden fresh ingredients.
With a small amount of rotini although honestly this soup is filling enough without.
Leftovers the next day for lunch were served with avocado spread on a whole wheat wasa cracker. I spritzed a little lime juice in the soup which gave it an even more delightful taste.