White Bean-Cilantro Dip

Last Friday, I was weary of eating hummus and needed a new fiber rich, but smoothly pureed alternative. Hmmmm, what flavors and ingredients could I marry today?   Inspired once again by what I had available, I quickly pronounced nuptials for white beans and cilantro, and they lived happily ever after.  Valentines Day is definitely on my mind.  Hopefully, the garlic in this dip won't squelch that too much.  


I brought a batch of this dip with me when I stayed with my friend Tahirih this weekend. (She kindly offered to take care of me while my husband was away.)  Tahirih thought the dip was so delicious  that we made another batch of it this morning.  Rather than using canned beans, she soaked  beans yesterday for several hours, then cooked them.  There are many benefits of soaking and cooking beans rather than using canned ones.  First, of course, is the improved taste.  Secondly, the linings of most cans contain Bisphenol A (BPA) that is known to be harmful to one's health and recent studies have confirmed that the BPA in can linings often leaks into the food, thus use of canned foods should be minimized.  Third, the sodium content of most canned beans is quite high. Fourth, soaking and cooking your own beans is vastly cheaper than buying them in a can.  So you might be wondering why I had canned beans in my pantry.  Well, the convenience of canned beans for days when my energy is low is the primary reason.


The dip was a hit with Tahirih's husband, Ron, and daughter, Malika as they ate it with fresh vegetables. I ate mine with tasty whole wheat crackers.   It was fun to arrange Tahirih's beautiful platter with the dip, vegetables and crackers and to know that "my food" is often delicious to other palates, too.   


Ingredients:
1 16-oz can white beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked white beans)
6 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 Tablespoon olive oil (use a light rather than heavy tasting variety)
2-4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 clove minced garlic (or 1/4  teaspoon garlic powder)
(If you cook your own beans, add sea salt to desired taste)


Preparation:
Combine all ingredients and process with a food processor or with an immersion blender.  Kiss your sweetie.  


Nutrition: (calculated using canned white beans)
Servings per recipe: 12
Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
Calories: 47
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 147 mg
Total Carbs: 7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g

Purchased Soups

There are times when I don't have any good pureed soups in the freezer and I'm not feeling well enough to make anything. For those times, it's good to have some purchased soups in the pantry.  I don't eat many foods from a can, but there are times when it becomes necessary.So here's a list of my favorite soups to buy.  For those that need to be pureed a bit more, I pour the soup into a deep glass measuring cup and then use my immersion hand-held blender. Then it is quick to warm up in the microwave and cleaning up is quick, too.  The benefit of all of these soups is that the nutritional information is listed on the package, making it easy to fit them into my diabetes eating plan.  


Amy's Kitchen: (all organic)
Low-Fat Tomato Soup
Split Pea Soup (may need to be pureed more)
Light in Sodium Butternut Squash Soup 
Thai Coconut Soup (may need to be pureed more)
Curried Lentil Soup (may need to be pureed more) 


Pacific Natural Foods: (all organic)
Thai Sweet Potato Soup (may need to be pureed more)
Curried Red Lentil Soup (may need to be pureed more)
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato (may need to be pureed more) 
Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup (may need to be pureed more) 
Butternut Squash Soup 


Imagine Natural Creations:  (all organic) 
Garden Broccoli Soup (may need to be pureed more) 
Acorn Squash and Mango Soup
Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup 

Broccoli-Tofu Soup

Broccoli-Tofu Soup

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been struggling with my health this past week and have needed to be even more cautious than usual choosing what to eat.  So today as I was feeling a bit better, I made a new combination that turned out great.  It's simply pureed broccoli with silken tofu added to it, spiced with soy sauce and a pinch of Five-Spice Powder.  Silken tofu is a great addition to soups to make it creamy without adding fat or many carbohydrates while also packing a punch of protein. For soups, I generally buy Mori-Nu Silken Tofu in the Extra Firm variety.  Tofu readily absorbs whatever flavor you put with it, making it ideal for adding to soups.   Most of all, I knew as I ate this for lunch that it wouldn't create any digestive tract blockages and the fiber in the pureed broccoli would keep my sluggish bowels on the move.   


Ingredients:
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 12.3-oz package Silken Tofu, extra firm
1/2 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
pinch of Five-Spice Powder


Preparation:
Place the broccoli florets in a 6 cup glass measuring container with the vegetable broth.  Microwave on high power till the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes.  Puree the broccoli and broth with a hand-held immersion blender in the glass container. Add the tofu and seasonings and puree it a bit more.


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 3
Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups
Calories: 95
Total Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 201 mg
Total Carbs: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 11 g

Squash Soup with Fennel

Squash Soup with Fennel

I haven't been feeling well for the past week (I'll spare you the details) but had started this post last week and will finally get it published today.  It was great to have this soup available when I didn't have the energy to make anything.


My friend, Julie, shared her copy of Food and Wine magazine recently.   In it I found a recipe for Red Kuri Squash Soup by the renown chef, Alice Waters. The recipe used red kuri squash, which is a type of winter squash that I'm not familiar with, and also used a fennel bulb, which I have never used before either. But I did have some more sweet dumpling squash that a friend had given us just about 2 weeks ago, so I decided to use it as a substitute for the squash in this recipe.  Since sweet dumpling is a highly ridged squash that can't be peeled easily like a red kuri or butternut squash, I simply baked it whole in the oven, then scooped it out for use in this soup.  The original recipe also used butter  and a garnish of toasted pecans, both of which I omitted from my version.  I also added about half of the roasted fennel wedges to the soup before I pureed it, then used some as a garnish.  Of course, I had to take the garnish off before I actually ate it, but it looked so appealing with the decoration.  


I liked the simplicity of this recipe, too.   Simmering the onions with the squash and bay leaf in water is the kind of ease I need many days.


Fennel.  Hmmmm.  I generally associate fennel with French cooking, but wasn't even sure about that. Then I looked in Tom's trust-worthy Joy of Cooking cookbook, where fennel is described as an anise-flavored root with stalks and leaves and is frequently found in Italian markets.  Shows you what I know - or more accurately - what I don't know.  Further reading about fennel at WHFoods told me that, yes,  fennel is a frequent contribution to Mediterranean cooking.  It is described as  crunchy and slightly sweet.  Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which the stalks emanate.  The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds.  The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible.  Fennel belongs to the same family as parsley, carrots, dill and coriander.


WHFoods also described  fennel as including its own unique combination of phytonutrients that give it strong antioxident activity.  The most fascinating phytonutrient compound in fennel, however, may be anethole.  In animal studies, the anethole in fennel has been shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent the occurrence of cancer.  So the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits of fennel made it an enticing new herb to try.   When I purchased it, I was also immediately fascinated by the beauty of the lacy leaves, and thought they would make an appealing garnish for the soup or other foods I might be making.   

Fennel

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs.red kuri or butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (3 cups)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted (or 1 Tablespoon olive oil)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sweet Dumpling Squash

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large saucepan, combine the cubed squash with the chopped onion, bay leaf and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover and simmer over low heat until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Simmering Squash

Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the fennel wedges with the coconut oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.  Roast for about 25 minutes, until the fennel is tender and starting to brown.

Roasted fennel wedges

Discard the bay leaf from the soup.  Add about half of the roasted fennel wedges, saving the remainder for garnish.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender, adding liquid to desired consistency.  I added about 2 more cups of water.  Season the soup with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fennel wedges and the lacy leaves.

Fennel wedges added to cooked squash

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 53
Total Fat: 2 g

Squash Soup with Fennel wedges and leaves

Cholesterol:0   mg                            
Sodium:  14 mg
Total Carbs: 10  g
Dietary Fiber: 3
Protein: 1

Spinach-Chard Filled Egg White Omelet

Earlier this week, my good friend, Julie, and I basked in the glorious sunshine and winter beauty of Lake Superior.  The ice capped rocks, the icicles frozen on logs, the silhouette of bare trees against the azure sky inspired and awed us.   After a quick walk along Brighton Beach we drove further up the shore to New Scenic Cafe for lunch.  The few times that I have been there,  New Scenic Cafe has been eager and cheerful to accommodate my dietary needs by pureeing vegetables and reducing fat, without compromising taste and presentation.   And they have done this at no extra charge.  I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for exquisite food with an amazing view of Lake Superior.  The food has always been delightful and this meal was no exception. Julie and I  lingered over our lunch,  thankful for a window view with bright sunshine and thankful for friendship that has endured many years.  


I ordered a sandwich from the menu that contained slabs of sauteed tofu with spinach leaves.  The waiter said that the chef would be able to easily puree the spinach into a spread for the sandwich.  When the sandwich arrived, I peered inside and was intrigued by the "just right consistency" which wasn't too thin nor too chunky. How did the chef do it? What tool did he use?  When I puree vegetables using my immersion blender or regular blender, a small amount of liquid is required, so the consistency of my creations is generally too thin to spread. My friend asked the waiter the questions about what tool the chef used. (I was too busy snarfing down the delicious sandwich.)  The waiter said the chef used a VitaMix to accomplish it.  Wow.  I am only vaguely familiar with a VitaMix, but know it is quite large and quite expensive.  I couldn't imagine how such a large device could be used for such a small quantity.  But I was on a new mission.  

Spinach and chard stems sauteing

One of my nutritional goals is to include vegetables in every meal.  Doing so for breakfast seems the most challenging.  Before I developed the need to puree my vegetables to prevent obstructions, I frequently made egg white omelets filled with sauteed vegetables of many types. But I hadn't figured out how to puree or pulverize vegetables to a consistency that wasn't too thin for omelets.  The meal at New Scenic Cafe inspired me to try new techniques.  So I dug out the Chopper/Grinder attachment to my Cuisinart Smart Stick and used it to process some sauteed spinach with some chard stems.  

Spinach-Chard Filling on Omelet

After using the Chopper/Grinder attachment, I inspected the mixture.  Hmmmm...would it pass the guideline given to me by my gastroenterologist - i.e. vegetables need to easily squeeze through a tube of toothpaste and without any stringiness.  Not quite.  So then I put the mixture in my vintage General Electric Food Processor, on which only one of the buttons now actually work.  Well, even missing the full range of buttons for processing, it did the trick.   The spinach/chard mixture was just right for placing in an omelet for my breakfast this morning.  It might look ugly as a stand-alone food, but tucked inside an omelet, it was tasty, nutritious, filling, and digestible.

Ingredients:
1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup chopped chard stems
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 egg whites

Preparation:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add finely chopped chard stems and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add chopped spinach and saute until tender.  Remove from pan, cool slightly and then  place in a food processor and process to desired consistency.   Set aside.  Meanwhile, spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Beat egg whites until fluffy, and add seasoning as desired.  Pour egg whites into the cooking pan and cook gently over low heat, adding a cover to ensure the eggs are done on top.  When nearly finished cooking, spoon the spinach/chard mixture onto half of the omelet and fold the other half over it.  

For variation another time, I think I will add reduced-fat feta cheese and a sprinkle of Greek seasoning and a sprinkle of True Lemon crystals.


Nutrition: (includes egg whites for omelet) 
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 1 omelet
Calories: 116
Total Fat: 5  g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium: 204 mg
Total Carbs: 5 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 17 g

Quick Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup with Nutmeg

It's important for me to have some quick and easy ways to incorporate pureed vegetables in my meals.  This soup is a favorite one that I created because not only is it extremely quick, the nutmeg seasoning adds just the right amount of punch to give a satisfying taste experience.  I try to keep bags of broccoli and cauliflower in the freezer for times when I simply don't have the energy to make anything more complicated.  The vibrant green color of this soup makes it particularly appealing.  It is similar to the recipe I posted earlier for Quick Cauliflower and Broccoli soup, but this one uses nutmeg.  Compensating for the lack of varied textures with an assortment of spices is one of the most important strategies I have learned on this journey into Pureed Pzazz.  Using this soup as a starter, you can use a variety of seasonings to create your own favorite combinations.  


Ingredients:
1 cup frozen or fresh broccoli florets
1 cup frozen or fresh cauliflower florets
Approximately 1 cup water
Nutmeg, to desired taste
Sea salt to desired taste

Preparation:
Put the broccoli and cauliflower with water into a microwave safe 4-cup container.  (I like to use my 4-cup glass Pyrex measuring cup for most soups that I make in the microwave because I can then simply put the immersion blender into this container to puree the contents. Then I have only one dish to wash.) Microwave on high for about 5 - 6 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.  Cool slightly, then puree with an immersion blender.  Add nutmeg to desired taste.  A small amount of sea salt can also be added to desired taste.  

Nutrition: (doesn't include salt)
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: Approx. 1 1/2 cup
Calories: 53
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 49 mg
Total Carbs: 9 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 3 g

Spinach and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger

What I make for soup during the winter is often dependent on what I still have in my freezer from the garden last year, or what is on sale at the market.   The special this week was two 10 oz. bags of fresh spinach for $1.49.  This would yield a lot of soup.  So I made a variation of Anna Thomas' recipe for Green Soup with Ginger, using all spinach rather than a combination of chard and spinach.  I also reduced the amount of vegetable broth to one cup rather than two cups and reduced the amount of salt from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1/2 teaspoon.  


I checked out a copy of Anna Thomas' cookbook, Love Soup (2009), from the library and have been devouring it nightly like a great mystery novel.    (So my secret is out.  I can read a cookbook with as much delight as other people read novels.  I read novels and find them captivating, too. But a cookbook....oh, I relish it!)  Her approach to creating soup is similar to mine and she is apparently mesmerized by green soups in the same way that I am, though she is not dependent on them as I am.   While some people may think green soups are somehow repulsive, I see them as nourishing, wholesome, and appealing.   To prevent digestive tract obstructions,  I cannot eat raw vegetables and even when cooked, I need to have them pureed or finely pulverized.  So green soups using leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, chard, and mustard greens become my primary source of healthy, green vegetables.  Such nutrient dense soups are an important element in my overall food plan to boost my immune system and hopefully minimize growth of the tumor.   


I am fortunate to still have about 5 leeks of the 100 that Tom harvested from our vegetable garden last year.  I stored them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag and they are nearing the point of becoming too soft to use, so using two small ones in this soup seemed logical.   Leeks add a distinctly exquisite flavor to any soup, which is why Tom planted so many of them last year for me.  If you aren't familiar with leeks, they are like a mild, mellow tasting onion.  People who generally don't like onions often find they like the taste of leeks.   


But, if you don't have access to leeks like I did,  and aren't willing to pay the current high price for them in the market, I think you could probably omit the leeks.  Though you will miss the mellow flavor of the leeks. 


I frequently add ginger to my soups for a variety of reasons. First, I love the taste.  Second, ginger is often noted to be an aid for digestion and assimilation of food and I need all the help I can get in that category!


Ingredients: 

1 large yellow onion, chopped                            
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
(or 2 Tablespoons olive oil)
1/2  teaspoon sea salt
1 large sweet potato  (about 14 oz)
1 large leek, white and light green part only
10 oz. fresh spinach
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger, or more if desired
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Reduced-fat feta cheese for garnish


Preparation: 
Slowly cook the onion with a sprinkle of salt in the oil, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 20 - 30 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, peel and dice the sweet potato and put it in a large soup pot with 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt.  Thoroughly wash the leek and spinach, chop them coarsely, and add them to the pot, along with the chopped ginger.

Bring the sweet potato/leeks/spinach to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.  Add the onions.  When the vegetables are soft, add the vegetable broth and puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender.    Add a splash of  lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper to taste.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with reduced-fat feta cheese, if desired.

Nutrition: (does not include feta cheese as garnish)
Servings per recipe: 5
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 108
Total Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 316 mg
Total Carbs: 18 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 3