Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Adapted From Cooking Light Magazine

This soup is easy to make and soooo satisfying, almost tastes like dessert.

Perfect for the holidays.  Make it ahead and freeze ,  just add the half and half and/or sour cream after you reheat.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

4 ¾ cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)

3 ½ cups water

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

3 cups chopped carrot (about 1 pound)

¼ cup half and half, (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

 ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup sour cream (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1.       Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender , stirring occasionally.

2.       Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute.

3.       Move onion mixture to side of pan; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to open space in pan.

4.       Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown.

5.       Add sweet potatoes, 3 ½ cups water, broth, and carrot, bring to boil.

6.       Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

7.       Blend with an immersion blender. A great tool for soup, consider purchasing one if you don’t have one.

8.       If you don’t have an immersion blender….place half of soup mixture in a blender.

9.       Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.

10.   Place clean towel over opening in blender lid ( to avoid splatters)

11.   Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl.

12.   Repeat procedure with remain in soup mixture.

13.   Stir in half and half, salt and pepper.

14.   Ladle about I cup soup into bowl. Top with 2 teaspoons sour cream, if desired and parsley.

Yield 8 servings.

Calories: 173; Fat: 6.7g; cholesterol: 18mg; calcium: 77mg; carbohydrate 25.7g; sodium: 415 mg; protein: 3.6g; fiber: 5g; iron: 1mg

Reese’s Cups

(Adapted from Chocolate Recipe From Elanaspantry.com)

1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao powder (Dagoba is a good organic brand)
Pure maple syrup to taste, (I use 4 tsp)

Melt cacao and coconut oil in pan, stir in maple syrup. It will melt fast, do not let it boil or burn, just melt completely, it will affect the taste. I use a mini whisk to mix it all and get it smooth.

• Let cool and pour over fruit, dip fruit in chocolate and refrigerate.
• Pour chocolate in mold and refrigerate for chocolate bars!
• Add coconut, nuts, dried fruit, or whatever you like.
• Reese cups – these are amazing! Use a mini muffin pan. You can use mini muffin paper liners, so they look just like Reese cups, but you don’t have to. Add 1 tsp melted chocolate into each mini muffin paper or space, freeze until solid. Take out and add peanut butter to each cup, about ½ tsp does it, top it with another teaspoon of melted chocolate and then freeze until soid, usually 10 – 15 minutes. Store in freezer or fridge. Keep these handy for sweet tooth attacks!
• Slice bananas, make banana sandwiches with peanut butter, cover with chocolate and freeze.

Chocolates are best kept in the freezer or fridge; coconut oil will separate or melt in room or warm temperatures.

Grab & Go Snacks

Snacks that Need Refrigeration

I always make sure I have snacks with me if I am traveling, or if I think I may not have time for lunch during the workweek. I rely on the following to provide good nutrition and energy, so I am not tempted to eat junk food. Sometimes it requires me to carry a little cooler/lunch bag, but it’s worth it! Invest in a good thermos, like  U-Konserve, (www.ukonserve.com, also available at Healthy Living Market) for hot and cold snacks. 

• Cut up veggie Sticks (carrots, celery, peppers, radishes, jicama, lettuce leaves, arugula)
• Guacamole or hummus
• Cheese Sticks or cut up raw cheese
• Individual goat cheese circles
• Whole Grain Crackers - Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills, and Doctor Kracker are good brands
• Peanut butter and jelly (no sugar) sandwich on sprouted grain bread
• Fruit /Dates / Figs
• Yogurt – low sugar – but not low fat (Brown Cow, Maple Hill, Blue Hill are great brands)
• Dark Chocolate (at least 70% Cocoa) 
• Slices of chicken or turkey wrapped in crunchy collard greens or romaine lettuce leaves
• Hard boiled eggs
• Thermos of homemade soup,  chili or leftovers
• Hail Merry Macaroons and Tarts. Serve at room temperature.  Soooooo good! (In the refrigerated section, Fresh Market and Healthy Living Market) 
• Protein Shake (See recipes)

Snacks That Need No Refrigeration

I keep a Lara Bar, nuts and a packet of almond butter in my purse. Hey, if I get stuck somewhere or my car breaks down, at least I’ll have something good to eat!

• Lara Bars or Raw Revolution Bars
• Jerky – Krave or Grass Fed Jerkys (low sugar, no nitrates) *
• Vermont Meat Sticks
• Artichoke Hearts (keeps in the jar until opened)
• Crackers - Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills, Doctor Kracker,  Ak - Mak
• Individual Packets of peanut butter or almond butter
• Roasted Red Peppers (keeps in the jar until opened)
• Mixed Raw NutsAdd some raw Cacao Nibs for a little chocolate flavor!
• Trail Mix – make your own – nuts, seeds, goji berries, raisins, dried cranberries, currants
• Standard Process or Vega One Nutritional Shake Packet *
• Raw Reserve Green Super Food*
• Organic Green Tea or Other Tea Bags (You can always find hot water somewhere, even McDonalds)

*Health Food Store or www.Vitacost.com. 

One Pan Chicken Cacciatore

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• I medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Italian green peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size strips
•  (Italian peppers can be found in Hannaford, they are a bit spicy so if you don’t like a little heat regular green peppers work fine)
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushroom
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/3  cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1.    In large skillet, heat oil and cook onions and chicken on high heat until lightly browned.
2.    Add peppers and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.
3.    Add remaining ingredients; cover and simmer 45 minutes. 
4.    Serve with a side of Tinkyada rice pasta and green salad.
5.    Make a double batch ..this freezes well. 

How To Choose An Egg

If you are looking for a quick, easy, healthy food in a cute little package, eggs are it! Eggs are a great source of protein, (all essential amino acids) vitamin A, D, E, and some B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. The yolk also contains fat, lecithin, and cholesterol. Don’t panic about cholesterol, our body needs good sources of cholesterol and a whole egg is a great source. 

Eggs are a great simple food, but it is not so simple to purchase them anymore.  It’s worse than trying to decide which designer jeans to buy.  Cage free, pastured, pasture--raised, free-range, free-roaming, hormone-free, natural, antibiotic-free, omega-3 enriched. It seems eggs have gone designer! Some even have their own logo stamped right on the egg. Well, I will help you sort it all out.  

If you have access to an organic farm that raises chickens, you are lucky. Eggs from chickens that are raised the way they used to be 100 or more years ago, allowing chickens to roam free and forage are your best choice. You can usually find these locally farmed raised chickens and eggs at your local farmer’s market. Farmers are usually very willing (and proud) to discuss with you how their chickens are kept and what they eat. Most farmer’s markets require certain standards from their farmers including that  products are made or grown locally and that the farmer is mindful of harmful fertilizers and pest control. Products at farmer’s markets are not necessarily organic, but many are using organic methods although they may not have the organic certification. Certification is quite costly to acquire, not always financially feasible for small farms. 

If buying eggs at the supermarket, your best choice is certified organic eggs. Check the carton for the green and white circle seal: USDA Organic. These eggs are regulated by the USDA as meeting certain standards which include: “Prohibits cages, prohibits use of antibiotics, requires access to outdoors, requires organic feed.” So with USDA organic, you are already getting cage free eggs. Cartons just marked cage free are not regulated by any agency so as long as chickens are out of their cages for a period of time, even inside the barn, they can be labeled, cage-free. 

Another good choice is animal welfare approved.  Eggs with this label are regulated by the very strict regulations of the Animal Welfare Institute. 

All the other labels do not contain the same amount of regulation or best practices to raise the best quality chickens and eggs. Pastured-raised and free-range sound nice but unless you know the farm, there is no legal or regulated definition of these terms. All natural is one of the most misleading terms on any food label. As defined by the USDA, it means nothing was added, but does not indicate how it was raised, fed, or if it received antibiotics.  Chickens and eggs are already natural! 

When people tell me they cannot afford an all organic diet,  (most people cannot) I let them know which foods are best to buy organic. Organic eggs are one of them! 

I hope this simplifies your egg shopping. If you want to explore this issue further the websites below will give you more detailed information.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/04/03/unscrambling-egg-carton-labels

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/guide_egg_labels.html

This is one of my favorite egg recipes. It includes good quality protein, whole grain carbohydrates, vegetables and fat, and so easy and versatile you can whip it up easily for any meal of the day. If I get home late from work and I’m too tired to really cook, this is my go-to meal. 

Let me know your thoughts or comments on this article or a topic you’d like to see. You email me at: lisaobrien.nutrition@gmail.com  

Very Special Egg Breakfast

Easy, delicious and satisfying any time of day.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 organic, free range egg
• 1 tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
• 1 slice sprouted grain bread (look in the freezer aisle – I like Ezekiel or Alvarado Street Bakery)Chopped tomato, avocado, or other veggies of choice (this is good with grilled veggies too)

Directions:
 
1. Fill pot with a few inches of water. Bring to boil.
2. Crack egg into a small cup or bowl.
3. Lower heat so water is barely bubbling.
4. Lower the cup into the water to gentle release the egg.
5. Toast bread, chop veggies.
6. Keep an eye on the egg as it starts to set. After 3 minutes, pick it up with a slotted spoon and touch the top to see if it’s close to being done (if you prefer the yolk more runny). Continue to cook if desired.
7. Place avocado and/or veggies on top of toast. My favorite is avocado and sliced cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and/or a drizzle of olive oil, if you like. Place the egg right on top and enjoy!
 
Note: If I’m not using avocado, I’ll use a small pat of butter, or goat cheese (my favorite), on the toast or drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes before I place the egg on top.
A fried egg also works well, when I don’t have time to poach an egg. 

Collard Green Wrap with Lemony White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• zest of 1 organic lemon
• juice of half of lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 collard greens, (look for tender leaves, fresh from the garden or farmer’s market is best)

Directions:

1. Add white beans to a bowl and gently mash with a fork (they don’t all have to be completely mashed).
2. Add chopped celery to the beans.
3. In a small bowl, add Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and whisk with olive oil until creamy.
4. Add dressing to the beans and celery, add salt and pepper to taste, and gently mix until combined.
5. Cut off the tip of the Collard green stalk and spoon 1/3 of the white bean salad or “mock tuna salad” onto the bottom half of the green (lengthwise).
6. Roll up the green, and slice into 3 even rolls.
7. If you’d like more color, add some chopped or shredded carrots to the wrap. Enjoy!

Variations:

Instead of the white cannellini beans, you can substitute this vegan tuna salad with tuna or cubed chicken or you own version of chicken, turkey or tuna salad.

Chunky Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 Ripe avocados
• 1 large tomato (or 2 small)
• 2 limes
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 -3 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
• Multigrain chips or endive…. (what?)

Directions:

1.    Dice avocado, tomato and onion into equal sizes.
2.    Add to a large bowl.  In a small bowl, juice both limes and mix with sea salt to make a sort of salty lime-ade.
3.    Pour lime juice mixture over chopped veggies.
4.    Top with cilantro, if desired and stir to combine.
5.    Serve with multigrain tortilla chips OR a crunchy veggie like Belgian endive.  Pull off endive leaf and dip into guac like a chip,
6.    Enjoy!

To spice this up a bit add minced garlic, ¼ - 1/2  tsp cumin, cayenne and/ or chili powder. 

If this recipe is too large just reduce the ingredients, something like 1 avocado, 1 small tomato, ½ small red onion, ½ lime and pinch of salt makes a nice serving for 1 or 2. One serving for me, I love this stuff ! 

Other ways to enjoy guacamole:

• On top of a beef or turkey  burger, makes it a lot  more interesting especially if you are omitting the bun.
• On a salad with some grilled fish or shrimp. 
• Add to Mexican Spinach Burritos
• Top quinoa or brown rice with black beans, salsa, shredded lettuce,  guacamole and sour cream….mmmmmmmm, soooooo good! A quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

Avocados contain protein, carbohydrate and good quality fat.  They are rich in potassium and are also particularly good in many other minerals, including magnesium, iron, and manganese. 

Chocolate Banana Protein Shake

When I get home from the grocery market  I immediately peel some bananas, seal them in bags and put them in the freezer….and  those bananas that got a little too ripe and you don’t have time to use them – throw them in the freezer.  Then they are ready for a delicious shake for a quick breakfast, lunch or snack. Using frozen fruit makes the shake cold and thick. Sometimes it is sooo thick I use a spoon. A delicious frozen treat!

Ingredients:

•    8 oz water or unsweetened almond, hemp, or coconut milk                        
•    2 generous scoops Standard Process Complete (Plain, Vanilla or Chocolate)
•    2 tsp of Dagoba Organic Cacao powder.
•    1 tablespoon flax oil or Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil (Vitacost.com)
•    ½ - 1 whole frozen banana
•    1 tsp pure maple syrup, raw honey or stevia, if needed for sweetness.

Directions:
 
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. 

Variations:

• Use Vanilla or chocolate Spiru-tein protein powder or
• When using SP complete you may want to add a little vanilla flavor or a touch of raw honey or agave syrup for sweetness,  just a little – about 1 teaspoon.
• Vanilla powder with frozen mango or raspberries. 
• You can use ground flax seeds or chia seeds instead of the oil for omega -3 fatty acids.
• Experiment with other frozen fruits and berries. 
• Chocolate banana shake with a scoop of raw peanut or almond butter.
• If you are having trouble eating more greens you can add any finely chopped greens to the shake. Spinach, Swiss chard, baby kale or wheatgrass works well. (you can find frozen wheatgrass “shots” in the freezer of your local health food store.)
• Experiment and come up with your own concoctions!

Other Protein Powders I like, look for organic and Non-GMO on the label: 

Garden Of Life Raw Protein

• Peaceful Planet – The Supreme Meal is also a good protein powder. Its soy free and contains spirulina, flax and greens and blood glucose support.
   

Carrot Kugel

Tastes like pumpkin pie on your dinner plate!

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cups chopped carrots (approximately 2lbs)
• ¼ cup agave nectar or honey
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon orange rind
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup blanched almond flour

Instructions:

1. Cook carrots in a steamer until soft, about 20 minutes
2. Blend carrots, agave, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange rind, eggs and almond flour until smooth in vitamix.
(You can use a blender but you’ll have to do in batches. It may be a little chunky this way. )
3. Place mixture in a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish
4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour, until browned around the edges and done in the center
5. Serve warm out of the oven, or allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight and serve cold.
This makes great leftovers hot or cold. Serve with an egg on top for breakfast, or with butter and pure maple syrup for a delicious treat. 

Bacon-Braised Escarole

Impress your company with this one, it takes a little more time….but it’s worth it!

Serves 8.  
(Halve ingredients for 4, best served freshly made.)
Working Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 strips nitrate-free bacon, cut crosswise into ¼ inch strips
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 heads escarole, torn into large pieces
• 3 tablespoons soy or shoyu sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

1.    In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins to crisp, 8 minutes
2.    Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, 2-3 minutes.
3.    Stir in tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more.
4.    Season with salt and pepper.
5.    Add escarole, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper.
6.    Stir until escarole wilts, 3-4 minutes.
7.    Add more salt and pepper, if desired, before serving.

Per Serving: Protein: 7g; fat:11g; carbohydrate 15g; fiber:9g; sodium:589mcg; cholesterol:15mg; calories: 177