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.

Winter Citrus Salad.

It's flu season and New York (among other states) has been declared a state of public health emergency.  I know it happens every year, but this year seems espcecially bad.  I've never had a flu shot and haven't had the flu since 7th grade.  I'm certainly not rushing out to get a shot in the arm.  Instead I'm washing my hands frequently, drinking plenty of water and eating my fruits and veggies.

When we think about fighting colds and flus, we often look to Vitamin C.  The antioxidants in Vitamin C can help fight off free radicals that can damage healthy cells and the vitamin itself helps fuel the immune system, especially when fighting an infection.  Aside from taking supplements, a delicious way to get some more Vitamin C in is citrus fruit.  Winter also happens to be high citrus season, meaning citrus is available in a wide variety and peak of ripeness, all at cheap prices.  Is it just a coincidence that citrus season coincides with cold and flu season?  I'll leave that to the scientists and leave you with this citrus salad.

In addition to some orange and lime, I added some jicama for crunch, onions and mint for flavor, and a pinch of cayenne to help clear those sinuses.  Enjoy and be well.

 

Winter Citrus Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 1

1 orange, peeled and sliced into rounds
1/2 jicama, julienned
1-2 thin slices red onion
 several leaves fresh mint, slice thinly
half a lime
salt and pepper to taste
pinch cayenne pepper    

Arrange jicama, orange slices and onion on plate.  Top with mint.  Squeeze juice of half of lime over top.  Season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.

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.