Classic Butternut Squash Soup

I adapted this recipe from one on the site for the Whole Foods Co-Op to make a simple, classic butternut squash soup with mild seasoning. Yes, winter is just as good of a time for squash soup as fall.   I was debating what to put on it for a garnish for this photo and I tasted it again and thought, oh...the sage flavor is so delicious in this soup.  And then  I remembered I had some dried sage hanging in my window so decided to crumble that and put it on top of a dollop of goat yogurt.  Ah...beautiful. But OOPS. As I looked at the recipe again I realized there was no sage in this soup.  There was thyme, but no sage.   No thyme for sage? Or no sagely advice for thyme?  Or only sage and thymely advice?  I'm soooooo confused.  And delighted I made this wonderful soup.  

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cups cubed butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp ground thyme
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
dash of freshly ground black pepper 


Preparation:
Heat oil in a large soup pot.  Add carrot, celery and onion.  Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 - 4 minutes.  Stir in butternut squash, thyme, broth, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 30 minutes.  Puree to desired consistency, using an immersion blender or other device.  I used my VitaMix and it was velvet creamy.


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 6          

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium:  66 mg
Total Carbs: 19 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 3 g

Cocomole

I don't know if those of you who subscribe to my blog will receive this by Valentine's Day or not, but I will send it out to CyberSpace in high hopes that it will. I had planned to do it earlier this week, but Tom and I decided to do a celebration get-away for a couple of days.  It was a combination of a Valentine's Day celebration, a belated anniversary celebration, and an improved health celebration since my surgery on February 15, 2013.  Yes, much to celebrate!  So this blog post was put on hold until we returned this afternoon.  

This Valentine's dessert may seem downright weird to you.  But I discovered there is more to make with an avocado than guacamole.  Combined with cocoa powder it is Cocomole!  I was first introduced to the idea of combining avocado with cacao powder by my son Dan, who works at the Wedge Co-Op in Mpls.  I asked him what was the difference between cacao powder and regular cocoa powder and he explained that cacao is the raw unprocessed form of chocolate and supposedly retains more of its nutrients. Cocoa is the more processed form because it has been dried and roasted and is what we typically find on the grocery shelves.  I used cacao powder that I purchased from the bulk bin at the Duluth Whole Foods Co-op so that I could buy just a small amount of it. You could certainly use cocoa powder for this recipe if that is what you have in your cupboard.

The original idea Dan gave me included only avocado, cacao powder and some natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup.  I tried that and thought it was ok, but decided to add a bit more Pzazz with a banana and coconut milk.  Definitely the Pzazz I was looking for!  Yes, the fat content looks high for this pudding, but remember that it comes from a healthy source of fat found in the avocado, and hopefully my digestive system will handle it well. 

May your Valentine's Day be filled with love and Pzazz!   

Ingredients:
1 medium banana
1 avocado
6 Tablespoons lite coconut milk
(I used canned Taste of Thai coconut milk)
4 teaspoons raw cacao powder or coco powder





Preparation:
Blend all of it together in device of your choice.  (I used my Magic Bullet, but because it was quite thick, it didn't do quite as good of a job as I had hoped, so I mashed it more with a mortar/pestle.)  You can also put this into the freezer to make more of a frozen dessert.  Garnish with a dollop of pureed strawberries or raspberries.  I pureed the strawberries in the chopper attachment of my Cuisinart Smart Stick and it worked like a charm for a small amount.

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 2
Serving Size: Scant 1/2 cup
Calories: 234
Total Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 15 mg
Total Carbs: 21 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 3 g

Potato and Cauliflower Soup

Yummy...more potatoes and more cauliflower, quickly combined into soup.  And you can vary it to meet your dietary needs in so many ways.   I made it one day with almond milk and another day I made it without the milk and simply increased the broth to 4 cups.  And your choice of milk is whatever fits your needs and tastes best....almond, soy, dairy, goat, or coconut....or whatever is available in your pantry.  Last week I made this for a friend using full-fat dairy milk, and I added some Parmesan cheese for her.  So think of this as a simple template for potato-cauliflower soup and then vary it with Pzazz!

Despite the bland white color of cauliflower, it is still a nutritional powerhouse, providing Vitamins C, K and B6, as well as folate, pantothenic acid, potassium and manganese.  What surprised me most as I looked at its nutritional profile was that cauliflower is also a source of protein. But if you want even more protein in this soup, try adding some silken tofu, whey powder, or egg white protein powder.  

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb. russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1" cubes 
1 lb. cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces 
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 
1 cup low-fat milk of your choice (I used almond milk so that is what I used in the nutritional analysis.)


Optional:  Add 1/2 cup grated cheese of your choice (Parmesan, goat, vegan alternatives.  Not included in nutritional analysis.)  

Preparation:
Place potatoes and cauliflower florets into a large soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the vegetables are tender when stabbed with a fork,around 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain water. Add chicken stock and the milk to the pot.  Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth and creamy. If the soup is too thick for your preferences, add a bit more broth. Season with freshly ground black pepper.  A sprinkle of paprika on top is a great addition, too.   

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 130
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 93 mg
Total Carbs: 27 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 5 g

Sweet Potato Soup from FarmersMarket.com

I bought a couple of cans of Farmers Market Organic Sweet Potato Puree on sale at Thanksgiving, (am I caught in a time warp that hasn't brought me to Valentine's Day yet???) and I had one can remaining in my cupboard.  So looked at the website for the Farmers Market brand and found a recipe for this soup to polish it off.  It has a classic sweet potato taste, with traditional spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves to create a comforting, nourishing soup for another cold day in Duluth. My only modifications were to use coconut oil rather than olive oil, and to reduce the amount of vegetable broth. For variation, I added about 1/4 cup coconut milk to a serving one day (not included in nutritional analysis) and that was delicious, too.  

So, I know I should be thinking Valentine's Day and all things red and sweet and chocolate. Hmmmmm......I'll think about that for a while.  Stay tuned to see what I create for Valentine's Pzazz.  

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped carrot
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
15 oz. can Farmers Market Sweet Potato Puree (1.5 cups)
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves




Preparation:
Saute the celery, onion, and carrots in the oil.  Add the garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Transfer the sauteed vegetables into a food processor or other device (Magic Bullet) and add one cup of the broth.  Puree to a smooth consistency. Return it to the soup pot, and add the sweet potato puree and the remaining broth.  Stir well to combine.  Add the spices.  Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors.  

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 5
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 91
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 110 mg
Total Carbs: 20 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g

New Art!

It's here! My son, Dan, made this new illustration for my blog as my Christmas present.  Isn't it beautiful!!  He had carefully asked me about what vegetables I love and use most in my recipes, as well as what type of "feel" I wanted to inspire on this blog.  He captured my responses to those questions amazingly well.  

It has taken me a bit of time to remember how to import the image into the blog, as well as how to customize the features on the blog.  Those might require a few more "tinkerings", so I appreciate your patience with my lack of high-tech skills as I continue to work on it.  But you can be assured that the organization of the site will remain the same, as many of you have commented about how easy it is to navigate this site.   

To read more about Dan and how to contact him to do illustrations for your needs, see the Illustrator Tab above.   In addition to being a talented illustrator, he works at the premier natural foods co-op, The Wedge, in Minneapolis.  His knowledge of healthy food has soared since working there and the two of us often have fascinating conversations about health, nutrition, and tasty delights.   The creativity of The Wedge is a good fit for his personality, skills, and interests.  

Broccoli Stalk-Potato Soup

This is my adaptation of a recipe from Soup Bible (2007, Penguin Books). It makes use of those broccoli stalks that are often discarded in favor of using only the broccoli florets.  But why waste them when they can be whipped into such a lovely soup?  With the "polar vortex" swooping down upon us once again (though I don't think it ever left Duluth), a hearty bone-warming soup is my most reliable technique for comfort.  This one truly nourishes me in many ways.   I omitted the creme fraiche and butter from the original recipe and I didn't miss them a bit in terms of taste.   

And this soup is a favorite because it has potato in it.  So what's up with me and potatoes lately? I am having potatoes in some form at least three times a day because I love them, I easily digest them,  and because I am trying desperately to gain weight.  ( I know...I know...that's not a common problem in the general population but it is typical for those of us with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.)  It's not easy to gain weight when I can't eat most fats, with the exception of coconut oil, which doesn't require pancreatic enzymes to digest.  But being as underweight as I am puts me at risk for many complications and discomforts....like freezing in this brutally cold weather!  Another helping of soup, please.  

For one meal, I finely minced ham in the chopper attachment to my Cuisinart Smart Stick and then put it with broth in the Magic Bullet to puree it and then mixed it into the soup.  Great way to add protein. 

So add some Pzazz and warmth to your day with this soup!

Peeled and chopped broccoli stalks

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil 
2 leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green portion only), and
        rinsed thoroughly of any grit

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 pounds broccoli stalks, peeled and thinly sliced
       (4 cups chopped)
1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed into 1" pieces 

  (this makes about 1 cup)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
freshly ground black pepper
Lemon pepper seasoning

Preparation:  
In a soup pot, heat oil and add leeks and garlic. Cook over gentle heat until soft. Add broccoli stalks and potato and pour in broth. Slowly bring to a boil, and cook, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and cool a little.

Puree soup until smooth. (My immersion blender stick worked well for this soup.) Gently reheat.  Sprinkle with a bit of lemon pepper seasoning. Potential garnishes: croutons, chopped chives, chopped scallions.  



Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe:  4
Serving Size:  1 cup
Calories:  171
Total Fat:  4 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium 123 mg
Total Carbs:  29 g
Dietary Fiber:  2 g
Protein:  10 g 

Potato Leek Soup - Quick Version

I adapted this recipe from one in The Dysphagia Cookbook by Elayne Achilles. The original recipe included half and half, so I omitted that, and it was still fabulous.   I think it was the white wine that made it so tasty. Besides the great taste, the ease of making this soup won me over immediately. Simply put all of the ingredients in a pot and let it cook.   I had posted a recipe for Potato Leek Soup in November, 2012, and it was also delicious, but was much more complicated to make.  This recipe is the kind I love - easy and full of Pzazz!  


Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 leeks, cut into 1-inch pieces (use all of white and half of green part)

3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves 

Possible garnishes:  yogurt, finely minced scallions, parsley, or celery leaves.







Preparation:
In a 5-quart pot, cook the potatoes, leeks, broth, wine, pepper and bay leaves until the vegetables are quite tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly and remove the bay leaves. Puree to desired consistency. My immersion blender stick worked great for this soup.   Savor on a cold winter day!

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 150
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol:  3 mg
Sodium: 567 mg
Total Carbs: 32 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 4 g