Green Smoothie.

Sometimes on long busy days it takes a little extra effort to get plenty of healthful veggies into meals on the run.  On these days, for breakfast especially, I really like a refreshing smoothie that I can load with tons of fruits and veggies and sip throughout the morning.

Juicing seems to be quite en vogue these days, at least in the city, with juice joints popping up all over and everyone touting the benefits of a juice cleanse.  I have yet to add a juicer to my tiny, cluttered kitchen, and instead opt for smoothies made with my trusty immersion blender.  This makes it tough to add hard vegetables like carrots and beets but there may be some benefits to having a smoothie rather than a straight juice.



When the nutrients and sugars in fruits and vegetables are eaten (or drunk) with their fiber, the body is able to more slowly and thoroughly absorb the nutrients.  As an added trick, you can add a little fat in the form of some coconut oil or flax seeds because the fat will slow down sugar absorption, preventing a rapid spike in blood sugar that may cause a sugar high followed by a crash, and promoting a feeling of satiety.  Fiber and fat make for a satisfying drink that will fuel your body for hours.



If you are new to vegetable juices, know that it is a bit of an acquired taste and drinking something bright green may be a turnoff.  I would recommend starting by adding just a handful of fresh spinach leaves to a basic fruit smoothie.  Spinach is soft and mildly flavored enough that you won't really notice it in the finished drink, but you will still have the added benefit of its nutrients.  Once you're comfortable with this, you can start to increase the vegetable to fruit ratio.  Follow the recipe below but try replacing the romaine lettuce with some pineapple or an apple to make it a little sweeter.  Or if you're brave, jump right into this greens heavy recipe.  The citrus and ginger add a good punch of flavors over the greens and with a strong enough blender the consistency is easy to drink.  And check out that green color!  Just in time for St. Patrick's day, you know, after you've had your fill of Guinness and corned beef.

Enjoy!

Green Smoothie

Total time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1 as a meal

Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 stalk of celery, cut into 1" pieces
1 sprig of fresh, flat leaf Italian parsley
1 handful kale, roughly torn into pieces
1 handful fresh spinach leaves
1 handful romaine lettuce leaves, roughly torn into pieces
1 cup cold water or cocunut water
1 T. coconut oil or freshly ground flax seeds (optional)

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Notes: This is best drunk soon after blending as nutrients degrade over time and the fiber may separate from the liquid.  I often put it in a mason jar to take with me in the mornings and a quick shake is all that is needed to get it back together. 

On The Go Frittata.

The other day in class, we were talking about right brain and left brain cooking, the right brain being more scientific and concerned with exact measurements and ingredients, while the left brain is intuitive and founded in the senses.  I tend to cook with my left brain, experimenting and learning along the way.  I'll look up recipes for an ingredient I've never used before or things that require more exact techniques like rice or baked goods.  But for the most part I taste along the way and rely on my senses to decide how things should go.

 

This dish is definitely for the left brain.  There is little, if anything exact about it.  Traditional frittatas are basically an Italian omelet but with the fillings mixed in instead of folded into the cooked eggs.  Sometimes a Spanish Tortilla is mistaken for a frittata because it is basically a crust less quiche with potatoes as the main filling.  I've kind of blended them all together to make a fast and dirty, on the go frittata that is very flexible.  Throw in whatever vegetables you like, whatever is in season, or even whatever needs to be used up from the fridge.  Whip some eggs, pour them over and throw it in the oven.  I've written out the basic recipe I used last, but just about any vegetable will work.  Zucchini, squash, potatoes, kale, spinach, fresh sliced tomatoes are all great.  Feel free to add in other goodies like cheese, ham, bacon, olives, spices or whatever.

Once it's cooked it can be eaten hot, cold or room temperature for any meal of the day.  I can tell you I have eaten this hot for breakfast with some berries, for lunch with a little sweet potato and at room temperature with a salad for dinner.  It stores just fine in the fridge for a few days, just cut a slice whenever you need a quick and portable meal. What did I tell you?  Fast and flexible.



If you have a large skillet or sauté pan that can go into a hot oven, go ahead and just cook your vegetables and then pour the eggs right into the same pan.  Otherwise, sauté the vegetables until just done, transfer them to a well greased or parchment lined pie plate and then add the eggs.  Speaking of eggs, this dish is forgiving there as well.  I used 4 whole eggs and 8 egg whites to bring down the calories but whole eggs are just fine.  Use as many as your pan will hold, but leave about a half an inch to the top of the pan because they will expand a bit in the oven.  My 8" pie pan holds about 10 whole eggs over plenty of vegetables.

Enjoy!

 

On The Go Frittata

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
2 T. olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
4 whole eggs, 8 egg whites

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare pie pan by greasing generously or lining with a parchment paper round.  Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in large skillet.  Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper.  Cook until soft and liquid has cooked off, about 7-8 minutes.  Transfer to prepared pie pan.  Add remaining oil to skillet.  Add onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and liquid has been cooked off.  Transfer to pie pan.  Meanwhile, beat eggs in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper.  Pour over cooked vegetables, filling to no more than about 1/2 inch from top of pan.  Bake in oven until eggs are set and lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before slicing. 

Salad soup.

I know Salad Soup sounds gross, bringing to mind soggy and limp leaves of romaine floating in broth.  But trust me, this is a tasty soup that is versatile and, I promise, void of soggy lettuce leaves.  I came up with this for those winter days when you really want the crisp, crunchy goodness of a salad but it's too chilly outside to eat a plate of cold greens.  It's salty, a little sweet, warm, crunchy and filling satisfying many cravings in one big bowl.

The soup is based around the method of Japanese clear soup or Vietnamese pho with some flavors borrowed from the rest of Asia.  Thanks to lots of rich greens it is nutrient dense and low calorie.  It's also a quick meal, especially if the prep is done on the weekends and then all you need to do is assemble the pieces.  This would make a great dinner party, allowing each guest to add what they want to their bowl.  Added bonus: the recipe is Whole30 compliant and easily made vegan.

Below I have written out the basic veggie version, but you could easily add in some tofu pieces or strips of cooked chicken for a little protein.  Or if you really want to get fancy (and make my new favorite version of the soup) swirl a beaten egg or two into the broth when it is heated for an egg drop soup effect.

Note that the broth of this soup is front and center, so now would be a great time to use a flavorful, homemade stock.  The veggies do add plenty of flavor, so canned would do in a pinch, just make sure to taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Also, leeks can be tricky to work with.  There is often dirt hiding inside the many layers so make sure to wash them well.  Some people prefer to use only the white ends.  I don't mind the greens, though because they are tougher they take a little longer to cook.  Because of the fresh garnish, this soup is best eaten immediately, but I have done the chopping and sautéing ahead of time, then simply heated the stock and assembled later on with success.

Enjoy!

Salad Soup

Prep: 10 minutes Cook time:  20 minutes
generously serves 2

For the soup:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, plus 1 teaspoon, if needed
1 yellow onion, sliced in half moons
2 small leeks sliced
2 baby bok choy, quartered
4 cups broth of choice (homemade or canned; chicken, fish or veggie)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)

Garnishes (pick and choose at will):
fresh spinach leaves
Noori strips (Roasted, shredded seaweed)
tofu chunks
sliced, cooked chicken
bean sprouts
celery ribs, sliced in long, thin strips
green onion, sliced
cilantro, roughly chopped
fresh basil leaves
lime slices
sesame oil
chili flakes or sriracha

Heat coconut oil in large pan over medium high heat.  Add onions and leeks and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until onions are translucent and leeks are tender, about 8 minutes (a few tablespoons of water may be helpful to cook the leek greens, in this case cook until water has evaporated).  Move onion and leeks to one side of the pan and increase heat.  Add additional oil, if needed.  Place bok choy pieces cut side down in pan.  Cook until whites are lightly browed on each side and greens are softened, about 1 minute per side.  Divide vegetables among soup bowls.  Meanwhile, heat stock to boil in separate pot.  If using egg: lower heat until stock is still hot, but not boiling.  Slowly pour in beaten egg while stirring the stock.  The egg with separate and flower out.  Remove from heat.  In soup bowls, top leek and bok chop with spinah leaves, Noori, chicken and/or tofu if using.  Then pour hot stock over top, leaving room for other garnishes.  Top with other fresh garnishes as desired.

Cauliflower Soup.

I suppose I should call this creamy, white concoction Snow Soup in honor of the impending "storm for the record books" about to hit New York City and New England, but I'll stick with Cauliflower Soup for now.

Regardless, it is a hearty and creamy bowl of deliciousness perfect for the cold winter days.  I first made this soup based on this recipe from Gourmet Traveller Australia for a New Year's Eve treat.  While that version is rich and wonderful, I couldn't help but think how I could make a healthier version for easy weekday meals that is also Whole30 compliant and can easily be made vegan.

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is said to be anti-cancer and holds a creaminess in and of itself, so the soup already has a great base.  Then instead of a potato, I used a turnip and celery root which also belong to the cruciferous family, are rich in vitamin C and fiber, and provide more flavor than a potato.  I used coconut oil rather than butter and skipped the cheese, instead infusing the flavorful vegetables with a little curry powder, mustard powder, and my homemade stock in lieu of canned.

The vegetables alone blend into a pretty creamy soup and you could easily stop here for a low calorie meal, but I added a can of coconut milk to bulk it up a bit.  If you want to make it extra special (and you eat bread and cheese) the croutons from the original recipe are delicious, otherwise some toasted, sliced almonds are a nice garnish.

Also note that an immersion or stick blender makes this soup very quick and easy.  A standard blender or food processor could be used just as easily, just be careful if the soup is hot because the steam could cause the lid of the blender to pop off.  Take out the plastic cap in the middle of the lid, if there is one and be sure to hold around the outside of the lid to avoid a steam burn.  As an added bonus I have found this soup to freeze well.   Once soup is room temperature, place in sealable container and freeze.  I defrosted it in the fridge, which took a day or two.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Cauliflower Soup
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller Australia
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
7 cups stock of choice (canned or homemade, chicken or vegetable)
1 can full fat coconut milk, preferably Native Forest Organic (optional)

1 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)

1 teaspoon curry powder, plus more for garnish (optional)
4 teaspoons sliced, toasted almonds for garnish (optional)
sprinkle of cinnamon for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic, turnip and celery root and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add cauliflower and stock and bring to simmer. Cook over medium heat until cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.  Purée soup in pot with an immersion blender until smooth (or allow to cool slightly and blend in batches in a standard blender or food processor, then return to pot).  Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk, mustard powder and curry powder, if using.  Divide soup among bowls.  Sprinkle with curry powder and briefly run a spoon through the top of the soup to create a yellow design through soup.  Top with sliced almonds and cinnamon, if desired.

Making Stock.

Have you ever looked at the label of store bought chicken broth?  You'd be hard pressed to find one that doesn't have a ton of sodium, added sugars or one of any preservatives that are difficult to pronounce.  The best solution I have found is to cook up a big batch at home.  Making chicken or vegetable stock form scratch may sound daunting, but it is actually quite simple and you can control just what goes in to it.   The basic recipe involves onion, carrots, celery, spices and chicken bones.  Easy enough, but I have gotten into the habit of tossing any vegetable scraps into a big baggie in the freezer, as long as they are clean and not rotting at all.

After a week or two it's usually overflowing.  This is really pretty impossible to screw up.  I've used just about every combination of vegetables, whole and scraps and it always comes out beautifully. Then I just grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, eat the meat during the week, then toss the carcass into my stock on the weekend.  It could just as easily be made into a vegetable stock by skipping the chicken.  This is a great way to use up scraps that would otherwise be thrown away.

I put everything in my biggest pot, throw some seasoning on top, and let it simmer away for the afternoon (filling the apartment with the most wonderful smells).  Some recipes call for skimming any fat or foam that forms along the top of the pot, but I have never had this problem.  I guess it depends on how much fat and skin is still on the bones used.  After straining the solids from the liquid, you will have the most flavorful, rich stock, beating any store bought version by a mile, both in flavor and nutrition.

This makes a great base for soups and sauces, but to be honest, I have a hard time not just drinking it by the mug full.  I store my stock in a glass jar in the fridge and it keeps well for a couple of days.  Any longer and I would stick it in the freezer.

Chicken Stock

Makes as much as your largest pot can hold
(I usually get about 12 cups)

About 1 gallon ziploc bag full of vegetable scraps (carrot peels, onion tops and skins, potato peels, celery hearts, fennel greens, herb stems, etc.)
1 chicken carcass and skin
2-3 gloves garlic
2 bay leafs
1 tsp. pepper (whole peppercorns or ground)
1 Tbls. salt
3-4 sprigs fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary work well, I just use up whatever I have on hand)
Water

Place vegetables, carcass and spices in the largest pot you have.  (I just pull my veggie scraps out of the freezer and dump the bag in but fresh works fine too, again this is nearly impossible to screw up.)  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow stock to simmer for several hours, making sure there is enough water to keep the solids covered.  Skim any fat or foam that forms at the surface.  I let the pot simmer while I'm doing other things around the apartment, probably around 3 or 4 hours.  Strain the mixture through a sieve to separate the solids from the liquid.  Discard solids.  Allow stock to cool to room temperature.  Use in soup or sauce, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.  After the stock has cooled in the fridge, a layer of fat may form on top.  Scrape off and discard before use. 

Haricots verts.

 Green beans are full of beneficial vitamins and antioxidants.  Although they are most in season during the summer, they are readily available year round in most grocery stores.

True haricots verts are a French variety that have less water content, making them thinner and often stronger in flavor.  Personally, I think the conventional type are just fine.  The extra water keeps them crunchy so you get that nice snap when you bite into them.

Here I have foregone the normal steam preparation to retain as much crunch as possible.  These make a nice side dish for roasted chicken, or could make an easy, light lunch with a poached egg laid across the top.  I've written the recipe for one large serving, but it can easily be stretched to serve to a crowd.  Enjoy.

Haricots Verts

Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 5 min
Serves 1

2 handfuls fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1 Tbls. coconut oil  (olive oil also works)
1 Tbls. Champagne vinegar (or red or white or rice, etc.)
Sprinkling of fresh herbs (I used parsley, tarragon, mint and thyme)
A few sliced almonds
Salt and pepper

Place coconut oil in skillet and melt over high heat.  When pan is hot, add green beans and toss to coat in oil.  Cook quickly, tossing the pan frequently so beans are cooked evenly.  Cook to desired doneness, approximately 5 minutes.  Arrange beans on plate.  Drizzle with vinegar.  Sprinkle with herbs and almonds.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hearty Bolognese.

It looks like New York has decided to have a winter this year, after a brief and mild season last year.  When the weather turns chilly, I crave hearty and savory dishes, preferably all packaged together in a big, warm bowl.  One of my favorites is Bolognese sauce.

It is easy to put together and only gets better the longer it sits on the stove or in the fridge, allowing the flavors to meld.  The traditional recipe calls for veal or pork, rather than beef, cooked with pancetta, carrots and onion, then finished with tomato sauce, wine and milk.  This heavy stew is typically served over a wide noodle. 

 

This all sounds lovely, but the version I have created is a little lighter, without sacrificing flavor and I spooned mine over baked spaghetti squash, though, truth be told, I could eat the sauce alone by the bowl full.

 I also got wild this time and threw in some fennel.  It only adds to the flavor.

 This recipe is also Whole30 compliant with no dairy, sugar or wine.  It would be great with a simple green salad or some steamed green beans, then again it is already chock full of veggies and protein.  Enjoy.

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves a hearty dinner for 4

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 Cup olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, greens removed, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste, optional
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground sirloin, preferably grass-fed
1 can tomato paste, no added sugar
1 can crushed tomatoes, no added sugar
1 bay leaf
Handful fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
Several fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Begin by carefully splitting the spaghetti squash from the stem end with a large knife.  Scrape out seeds and pulp and discard.  Rub each squash half with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Place squash cut side down on cookie sheet covered in tinfoil.  Bake squash until fork can easily pierce skin, approximately 45 minutes.  Allow squash to cool, remaining face down on cookie sheet.  Once cool enough to handle, take a fork to scrape out squash flesh into "spaghetti."  Set aside.

Meanwhile, begin the sauce.  Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed soup pot or large skillet.  Add onions and fennel.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.  Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and fennel is tender, approximately 7 minutes.  Create a well in the middle of the vegetables by moving them to the edges of pan, then add garlic to middle of pan so that it is directly on the heat.  Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add ground beef and cook until browned.  Stir in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.  Add herbs and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 10 minutes.   Drizzle remaining olive oil over top.  Serve sauce over spaghetti squash.