Watercress Detox Soup #MeatlessMonday #CleanEating #SpringCleanse

Spring is here, so it means I am on a flab to fab journey. To be honest that's the truth, but I was recently diagnosed with rosacea so it's been my #1 priority to cure naturally! 

In order to be healthy on the outside you have to be healthy on the inside.  Don't you agree?  

Over the past several months, I have been under a lot of stress and anxiety with my dog, Syrus, being sick and passing.  I exposed my body to triggers that could have caused this rosacea outbreak. We know that stress and poor diet do your body no good. 

After the Easter and Passover celebrations, I have been focusing on being
super duper fly.... in a healthy way.  

To start my flab to fab journey aka Spring cleaning of my body, I did a Epsom salt and olive oil liver detox. It was tough but yet amazing at the same time! I will share ALL the nitty gritty (no pun intended!) with you tomorrow.

As being A girl & her food, I still have to attend events, dinners and restaurant previews because this is what I do. But, meanwhile when I am at home, cooking, I will be diligent about what goes into my body.  I will be the mean green anti-rosacea machine. 

Speaking of greens, many people don't know that watercress is the BEST detoxifying food.  I will be throwing it into soups, salads, juices and smoothies and so should you! 

Benefits of Watercress:

Currently is in season so you can find it easily at your local market

Flushes toxins out of the body

Filled with vitamins like B, E, C, zinc and potassium-It has more vitamin c than an orange! 

High in fiber so its a natural diuretic 

Great for the skin as it helps prevent wrinkles 

Filled with iron and calcium 

Anti-inflammatory

Cancer fighting agents

Aids in digestion and weight loss 

Watercress Soup

ingredients 

1 tablespoon coconut oil 

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 cups of homemade bone broth (or stock) 

1 1/2 cup of water 2 bunches watercress, roughly chopped (reserve some watercress as a garnish)

a handful of organic spinach, roughly chopped

Fresh ground pepper and salt 

preparation

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil.  Toss in the onion and garlic, and cook until sizzling and fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the bone broth and water and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce to a simmer for about 1 minute.  Stir in the watercress and spinach. Return to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer.  Season to taste with fresh ground pepper and salt. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly before transferring the soup in the blender.  Puree on high for about 1 minute until smooth.  Pour the watercress soup into the bowls, garnish with fresh watercress and serve. Enjoy! 

Miso Soba Soup

Hi! Did you miss me? I missed you!

Traveling always takes a toll on my body, especially with the dramatic temperature and climate changes showcased in Miami versus Chicago.  I am feeling under the weather, both figuratively and literally, so I wanted to make a soup filled with warming and healing ingredients.  This Miso-soba soup does the trick!  It takes only minutes, and is made with a Japanese “Mother” broth called, dashi, which is full of unami and health benefits!  

Miso

High in antioxidants, which removes dangerous free radicals from the body

Increases the concentrations of beneficial bacteria, probiotics, in the digestive tract.

Aids in digestion but also plays an important role in maintaining and strengthening the immune system.

The nutrients found in miso include vitamin B2, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, iron,and potassium

Miso is also high in amino acids so it provides a large amount of protein.

Reduces risk for breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers 

Strengthens the immune system  and helps to lower LDL cholesterol 

Kombu

Kombu, a sea vegetable, contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that are believed to reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer

Sea vegetables have also been shown to lower blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol

Shiitake Mushrooms

Refereed to as the medicinal mushrooms (maitake and reishi too)

Immune-boosting properties

Reduces blood cholesterol levels

Helps fight cancer

Contains a potent antioxidant called L-ergothioneine and is not destroyed when cooked

Ginger

Alleviates symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases

Anti-inflammatory benefits

Helps diminish nausea

Promotes healthy sweating to assist detoxification

Helps alleviate arthritis pain

Scallions

Low-calorie vegetable

Source of vitamin K, which ways an important role in normal blood clotting

Miso Soba Soup 

ingredients

For the dashi:

1 strip of Eden Foods Kombu

4 cups water

optional: 1/4 cup of bonito flakes 

Note: I swear by Eden Foods soba noodles and kombu 

 For the miso soup:

Dashi Broth (see below)

3 Tablespoons shiro miso

½ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

¼ cup scallions, chopped

4 pieces of bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced

8oz Eden 100% buckwheat soba noodles, cooked

preparation

to make soba noodles:

Add the noodles to boiling water for 8 minutes or until tender. Rinse the cooked noodles with cold water. Make sure don't overcook! 

to make the dashi:

Gently rinse or wipe off the dust on the  kombu piece. Place the strip in a medium pot with 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure not to let it boil as it can make the kombu flavor will turn bitter. Once the kombu strip is soft, remove it and bring the dashi to a boil. Let it boil for a 2-3 minutes. 

To make the miso-soba soup:

Reduce heat and add an additional cup of water. In a small bowl, laddle one spoonful of the dashi broth and stir in the miso, mixing until a paste is created and there are no clumps present.  Stir the paste into the pot with remaining dashi. 

Add the grated ginger, bok choy and shiitakes, and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.  (Note: If your broth is getting too thick add more water to maintain a thin consistency).

to serve:

Place the soba noodles in a bowl and pour the miso broth with vegetables onto the noodles and garnish with scallions. Serve hot! Enjoy! 

Zurek

Zurek (pronounced 'zhurek") or zur is a Polish soup served traditionally at Easter. A distinctive feature of this soup is its sour taste.  While most soups are derived from a meat or vegetable broth, the base of zurek is zawkas.  Zakwas is super easy to make using rye bread and water, and you can also find it at most Eurporean market stores.  

Many of my non-Polish friends say it's the best soup they have ever had. A wonderful combination of sour, salt and a very appealing creamy texture.  The Easter version always contains biala kilebasa or spicy white sausage, a hard boiled egg and freshly grated horseradish. 

serves 4-6 

ingredients

Zakwas/Kwas

3/4 cup rye flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 crust of rye bread
2 cups warm water 

Zurek

2 large onions, one halved and one roughly chopped
1 carrot, trimmed and peeled
1 parsnip, trimmed and peeled
1 leek, cleaned and trimmed
1/2 celery root, peeled
6 cups water
1 1/2 pound fresh White Polish sausage,kielbasa biala, cut into chucks
3-4 strips of bacon, chopped
1 Lb white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (optional) 
2 cups zakwas
1/4 cup of white horseradish, grated
2 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 Tablespoon dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
3 large hard-cooked eggs, halved

preparation

To make the zakwas or kwas: 

Mix together rye flour, garlic, and crust with lukewarm water. Place all the ingredients in a large storage jar about 1 qt. Think of what you would use to preserve or  for canning fruit. Place the in a warm place, like your windowsill or cupboard, for 5 days. Open the jar and remove any mold from the top and strain. The strained liquid is zakwas. Set aside. 

To make the soup: 

In a large soup pot, bring soup vegetables and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes uncovered.  Strain the broth and discard the vegetables. Meanwhile, in a soup pot, cook the sausage, bacon, onion and garlic over medium high heat until lightly browned. Add the strained broth, bay leaf, marjoram, peppercorns, potatoes (optional) and horseradish. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook for about 20 mins. Stir in zakwas and bring to a boil. Remove the bay leaf and serve with a sliced hard boiled egg and freshly grated horseradish. 

Got Soup?

As my friend Lauren and I were craving some hot soup on a chilly, rainy and dreary day in Chicago. We headed to the new Panera Bread on Division. (It has the best view of the Chicago skyline too!)

I ordered a low-fat vegetarian garden vegetable soup with pesto. It was delicious and the tomatoes, grilled zucchini slices, yellow beans, Swiss chard, cauliflower, bell peppers & barley in a tomato broth were hearty and healthy. 

Lauren had a cold and wanted some chicken soup. On the car ride down she was excited to have it in a bread bowl, so when we got there that is exactly what she ordered.... a low-fat all-natural chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl. As always, she loved the fresh vegetables and all the tender chicken breast with traditional thick egg noodles. 

Panera Bread

400 W. Division Street

Chicago 

Potato & Leek Soup

Steve and I are still trying to get our kitchen restocked and house in order after Kat & Steve's kitchen takeover & challenge. With the production crew gone, we are both exhausted and have been literally non-stop with work & life! We are counting down the days for our mini-vacation and 3-year anniversary celebration in NYC.  I LOVE NYC!!!

Chicago is having crisp fall weather right now, it makes me want homemade soup!!! I had potatoes and leeks on hand, so I decided to make a warming, filling and creamy potato & leek soup. If you are using canned or boxed broth this soup will be ready in 20 minutes or less. However, I decided to make my own fresh and homemade broth, as it makes so feel incredibly wholesome. I whipped up a quick vegetable broth (onions,carrots,celery,cabbage,thyme,& parsley) If you have left over mashed potatoes, this is a great way to use them up is my making this soup. I added sweet potato and nutmeg to really get an autumn feel and taste. Feel free to omit those ingredients. 

ingredients 

1 lb Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
1 medium leek, thinly sliced white and greens parts only
1 cup celery, sliced 
1 tablespoon of butter
Coarse salt 
Ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups milk  (optional) 
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
Fresh parsley or chive as garnish (optional) 



preparation

In a saucepan combine potatoes with 1 cup of the broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cool slightly. 

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced leeks and celery, cook for about 4 minutes or until tender. Add the remaining broth, (sweet potato and nutmeg) and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Transfer potato mixture in a blender or food processor and blend or process until smooth. 

Stir in potato mixture, (milk) and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir occasionally for another 5 minutes, until thickened and warmed through.
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Garnish with a fresh herb spring of your choice, I used parsley.

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Purslane and Shaved Zucchini Strips

Happy Meat Free Monday! I purchased baby zucchini, purslane, onions and garlic at the farmers market because I planned to make zucchini soup.  I love zucchini soup served hot or cold. It's creaminess from the pureed zucchini and the flavor of the sauteed onions and garlic make this soup very flavorful and vibrant. Purslane, another ingredient used in the soup, is a wonderful green leafy vegetable that is low in calories and has more omega 3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable plant. It's delicious in a stir fry, salad or even juiced! Both zucchini and purslane are readily available at the farmers markets. 

So why not make this low cal, vegan, and gluten free soup?? It's the best cooling summer soup you can make from your farmer market finds!

ingredients

8 small/baby zucchini. thinly sliced plus some long zucchini shavings/ribbons for garnish
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon  fresh thyme
3 cups of filtered water
1- 1 1/2 cups of purslane leaves
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper


preparation

In a saucepan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the thyme and cook for another minute. Add the zucchini and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until they are tender.  Make sure to stir occasionally and season with salt and pepper.  Add the filtered water and bring to boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool before placing the soup in the blender. Puree in a blender until smooth. Place soup puree in a bowl or jar and refrigerate for a couple hours or until chilled. Ladle the soup in` a bowl and top with the purslane leaves and zucchini shavings.  Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. 
Serve and enjoy!!

Gazpacho

Chicago is having a heat wave right now. 100 degree weather. ¡Hace Calor!  The scorching summer temperature reminds my husband and I of when we lived and studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain.  Last night, I suggested why don't we revive our Andalusian summer memories with a Tapas Tuesday dinner.  Gazpacho is a chilled and raw soup, refreshing, colorful, and flavor packed. Why not cool down with some ice cold gazpacho?  I love making home made soups. They are good for you and nourishing. Gazpacho is simple to make, the ingredients don't break the bank and it requires no cooking! It is a fool proof recipe assuming you know how to turn on your blender! You can garnish with croutons or finely chopped cucumber, onions and peppers. 

ingredients

1 package of  Trader Joe's mini heirloom tomatoes (that's what I had on hand) or 4 ripe tomatoes 

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped (that's what I had on hand)
    or 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 Tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil 
Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper


preparation 


Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until well blended.  Serve cold. Garnish with bread/croutons or finely chopped cucumber, onions and peppers. 

Chicken Pozole

My host Madre in Cuernavaca, Mexico would make pozole for us with hominy corn.
This hearty stew has a special place in my heart as it reminds me of living in Mexico.  Corn is a sacred plant among the Aztecs, so many Mexicans eat pozole on special occasions.  Traditionally the stew is prepared with pork but I prefer the lighter taste of chicken and it's faster to make, the staple ingredient to any pozole is hominy corn.

ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon of Pilsen Latino Seasoning from The Spice House

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper or chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup of onions, chopped

3-4 fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered

1 15 ounce can of hominy, rinsed and drained ( I used La Preferida) 

1 1/2-2 cups of chicken breast cooked and shredded (I used Empire Kosher Organic Chicken Breast)

2 cups of homemade chicken broth or 14 ounces of Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Garnishes:

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Avocado, peeled and cut horizontally 

Radishes, thinly sliced

Fresh cilantro leaves, whole or chopped 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Tortilla Chips 

preparation

Make sure you have your chicken prepared beforehand.  If not, you can buy a rotisserie chicken breast from your local grocer.  

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat, add the onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, seasoning and crushed red peppers.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatillos and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and hominy; bring to a boil and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook for about 3 minutes or until the chicken is heated through. Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Use a ladle to pour the pozole into a bowl.  Squeeze fresh lime juice and add all the garnishes. Serve the pozole immediately. 

My husband likes to break the tortillas chips into the pozole. Enjoy!

Consume de Pollo

When I was in college, I spent two consecutive summer breaks studying in Cuernavaca, Mexico. While there, I lived with a host family, Familia Alvarez. They taught me so much about Mexican culture and food. Mi Madre would make consume de pollo served with sliced avocados, chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lime wedges from her garden. She told me limon verde brings out the flavor in food.  I also came across consume de pollo while staying at a spa in Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico. At the Ixtapan Spa, the meals are calorie controlled and consume de pollo is served daily.  Don't question why aren't there noodles or rice; the soup is delicioso.

ingredients

2 cups of homemade chicken broth

1/2 avocado, sliced lengthwise

1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

1 lime, juiced 

preparation

Ladle broth into a bowl, add avocados and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Squeeze the fresh lime thoroughly over the soup. Enjoy! 

Homemade Chicken Broth

ingredients

1 organic and kosher chicken, washed ( I use Kosher Empire)

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1/2 head of cabbage

2 stalks of celery, chopped in half

1 medium yellow onion, halved

2 carrots, peeled and chopped in half

1 parsnip, peeled

1 garlic clove, peeled

5 sprigs of parsley

1 teaspoon of salt 

preparation

In a large soup pot (3qt), place chicken and add about 10 cups of water covering the chicken. Bring to boil over high heat.  Boil for about 20-25 minutes or until a layer of foam rises to the top. Remove from heat. Drain and rinse the chicken and pot or you can skim the layer with a spoon. The layer of foam is impurities and fat. Return chicken to pot and add 10 cups of water covering the chicken. Put all ingredients into the soup pot, bring to boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 1 hour.  Let the stock and chicken cool before straining and storing. Enjoy!

Carrot Ginger Soup

A girl returned home from Paris, finding herself in a huge snowstorm and with empty refrigerator.

After shoveling the snow, a girl came up with this soup using the few fresh and nutritious ingredients, in hope to warm up with something sweet n' spicy.  This soup is colorful, fragrant, and extremely comforting for a snowy Friday night.

ingredients

1 tablespoon of coconut oil 

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced

2 cups Earthbound Farm organic carrots, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons of curry powder 

2 cups of vegetable broth 

1 14-ounce can of Trader Joe's Light Coconut Milk

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot. Add onion and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes until soft.

Stir in carrots, curry powder, and vegetable stock, bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until carrots are soft. Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process until it is smooth. Remember to let the soup cool slightly before you puree.  Return soup to pot, stir in coconut milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat slowly and serve. Garnish with cliantro, 

Eat. Cook & Enjoy! 

Butternut Squash Bisque

A Girl LOVES this fragrant and creamy soup in the fall and winter months when its in season. As you may know, I love to cook and eat what's local, organic, and in season whenever possible.  

The recipe below is a great lunch or dinner on Meat Free Monday, or feel free to serve it up at Thanksgiving. It's super easy to make and it's HEALTHY! 

ingredients 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2-3 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash 

(I used one squash)

1 quart of vegetable stock or chicken stock 

1 1/2 cup of cubed sweet potatoes

1 1/2 cup of cubed apples

1 teaspoon paprika 

1-1 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives and plus some for garnish

Sea Salt

Fresh ground pepper

preparation

In a large saucepan or dutch oven with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. 

Add the onions and cook for about 5 miuntes or until soft.

Add the squash, sweet potatoes, apples, stock and paprika and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 35 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Before the next step, let the soup cool down. You don't want to burn yourself!

Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Return the soup into saucepan or dutch oven.

Season with sea salt, pepper and more paprika to your taste preference.

Reheat the soup if needed.

Stir in the chives just before serving and garnish.