Broccoli Soup: Pureed and Simple

This is my adaptation of a recipe I found at Eating Well.  I made it about a year ago, but never took the time to post it. The original recipe used half-n-half but I omitted that and the soup was still great without it.   It is quick and easy to prepare and packed with nutrients.  Broccoli is one of those great super-foods that is rich in cancer-fighting vitamins and phytochemicals.  Super-Pzazz!

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley
8 cups chopped broccoli (stems and florets)
2 cups water
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:
1.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the coconut oil melts. Add onion and celery, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 - 6 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
2.  Stir in broccoli. Add water and broth; bring to a lively simmer over high heat.  Reduce heat to maintain the simmer and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes.
3.  Puree the soup in batches in the blender or with an immersion stick until smooth.  Stir in salt and pepper. If you want it more heavily seasoned, you can put in additional dried thyme and/or parsley.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 69
Total Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Sodium: 458 mg
Total Carbs: 7 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 4 g

Mustard Dill Sauce

This is an excellent sauce to put on any fish, but it was particularly tasty on the Tuna-Salmon Loaf made by Tahirih for me. Tahirih remembered having a mustard-dill sauce on salmon many years ago, so I looked on-line to find a similar recipe and this is what I found and adapted to meet my needs. Delicious!   I used it on salmon loaf and turkey loaf, both made by very gracious friends in the last month.  Pzazz is having gracious, giving friends in time of need.  Thank you dear ones!

And yes, here are more flower photos from my garden last year.   Time to start dreaming of the perennials blooming again, surprising us with their persistence, resilience and joy. 


Ingredients:
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt

Garden Iris, 2012

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon Splenda                                                 

      (original recipe used honey)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry dill weed

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and chill for about 30 minutes before serving. It can be warmed slightly to put on warm fish. 


Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 12
Serving Size: 4 teaspoons
Calories: 11
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 121 mg
Total Carbs: 1 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 0 g

Tuna Salmon Loaf

This is my "makeover" for a recipe I found on SparkPeople. Try this recipe as is or add your favorite herbs.

My friend, Tahirih,  made this for me last weekend. She suggested putting a mustard-dill sauce on top. I found a recipe for a sauce that worked well for me and complimented the salmon-tuna loaf with the right amount of Pzazz! The sauce is a separate blog post and is not included in the nutritional analysis for this tuna-salmon loaf.  

I didn't take a photo of this high protein entree.  But, on this frigid day in Duluth,  I thought you might enjoy this photo of the yellow lady slippers from my garden last spring. It is a reminder that, indeed, spring is eternal and will grace our days with its hope and joy again.    

Yellow Lady Slippers in my garden, 2012

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can pink or red Salmon, undrained *

1  5 oz. can albacore tuna in water, drained
1 medium egg and 2 egg whites  
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon dried chives
1/2 cup rolled oats (quick or regular, but not instant)
1/8 teaspoon Savory seasoning 
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, more or less according to taste

* I leave the skin and bones in to get the benefit of the Omega-3s and such in the skin and the more bio-available calcium in the bones. If you thoroughly mash the canned salmon in its juice, or run it through a food processor, you'll never know they're there.

Preparation:
Spray a 8 x 8" pan or a 1 quart casserole with PAM or similar no fat cooking spray or lightly oil it. Or you can use Tahirih's clever idea of putting equal portions into 8 muffin tins so each piece is a cute little round.  Pzazz for sure!

Turn oven on to 350° .

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Press into prepared tins or dish.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until edges are golden brown. 


Nutrition per serving:  
Servings per recipe: 8                                                
Serving Size: 1 piece
Calories: 170
Total Fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Sodium: 199 mg
Total Carbs: 3g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 24 g

Salmon Loaf

This is a recipe I adapted from The Dysphagia Cookbook., by Elayne Achilles.  The original recipe used 2 tablespoons butter, and I experimented with other oils but it just didn't work as well, so I finally decided on 1 tablespoon of butter and that worked well for me.  Salmon is especially high in healthy polunsaturated fats called omega-3s and seem to be tolerated by my digestive system without too much duress.  

Sorry, no photo of this delightful high-protein entree that fits my criteria of being able to squeeze through a tube of toothpaste in order to minimize digestive tract blockages.    My health challenges continue to force me to use my energy on only the essentials.  It has been enormously helpful to have these recipes available for friends to make for me during this difficult time. Thanks to my "Helping Hands"!


Ingredients:
1/4 cup Egg Beaters

1/3 cup crushed cracker crumbs or dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 15-oz, can red or pink salmon

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the Egg Beaters. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, turmeric, onion powder, and sage. Add the melted butter and salmon and mix very well. Press into a 5 x 7 glass baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove from the pan and cut into 6 pieces. 

This recipe can also be doubled easily and individual pieces frozen for later use.  Use a 9 x 13 baking pan when making a double batch.  

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 6 (for single batch) 
Serving Size: 1 piece
Calories: 156
Total Fat: 8 g
Cholesterol:40   mg
Sodium: 537  mg
Total Carbs: 5 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 
Protein: 15 g 

Home from the Hospital

Lake Superior Shore Jan. 2012 

For my followers who have been wondering why there have not been any recent posts, I was in the hospital from December 31, 2012, through January 8, 2013.  I am home now and hope to post some new recipes soon.   

When asked how I am, my response is "grateful".  Incredibly grateful.  Grateful to be home; grateful for Julie for her comfort, love and calming presence; grateful for my husband who supports and loves me no matter what circumstances this cancer bring into our lives; grateful to special nurses who made my stay at the hospital more pleasant; grateful to my health care team for their vigilant care and attentiveness.   Grateful for memories of my time with Tom on the shores of Lake Superior one year ago.  

I am also grateful for you, my followers, who inspire me and energize me with a purpose.  I hope to post some recipes I tried in December for main entrees for soft protein, like salmon loaf, crab cakes, and tuna loaf. 

Lake Superior Shore January 2012 

Roasted Red Pepper Soup for Christmas

Merry Christmas dear friends and followers of my blog!   May you find moments of great peace, contentment, and joy during your celebrations and contemplative moments.   

I made this quick and easy soup today in preparation for my Christmas Dinner.  It is from the December 2007 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  The vibrant taste is wonderful.  

Ingredients:

Simmering soup

6 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons  finely shredded orange peel
2 cups orange juice
4 7-oz. jars roasted red sweet peppers, drained (3 cups)
2 large onions, chopped (2 cups)
2 teaspoons sugar


Preparation:
In a large pot, combine all ingredients plus a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. (I didn't add this extra salt, because I know the broth is already high in salt.) Bring to boiling, then reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cool slightly. Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until smooth. Or it can be pureed in a blender.  
  
Nutrition per serving: As listed in the recipe in the magazine
Servings per recipe: 12
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 50
Total Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 1 mg                                        
Sodium: 579 mg
(The sodium is less is you don't add the 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
Total Carbs: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g

Sweet Potato Pancakes

This has been my morning treat in recent days.  It nourishes me with savory taste, vitamin-packed sweet potatoes and protein.  And it only takes ten minutes to make if you have roasted sweet potatoes waiting for you in the refrigerator.  I often make large quantities of roasted sweet potatoes and use them in a variety of ways.  This is one of my favorite uses for them.  Great way to start my day with Pzazz.  The fresh rosemary is the star ingredient.  I don't think the taste would be nearly so fine with dried rosemary.  

Ingredients:
1 cup cubed raw sweet potato (1/2 " cubes) to make 3/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or less if desired)
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer)
Approximately 3/4 cup Egg Beaters or similar egg substitute

Optional toppings:
Ricotta cheese
Yogurt with maple syrup
Rosemary sprigs


Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the sweet potato cubes with the rosemary, oil and a dash of salt.  Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender.  The one cup of cubed raw sweet potato will yield about 3/4 cup after roasting. Roasting a large quantity of sweet potatoes to have available is a great time-saver.  Put 3/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes into a Magic Bullet pr similar appliance with the egg substitute, and puree until smooth.  I have also used a combination of egg whites and Egg Beaters, using about equal amounts of both.  Pour the batter into six pancakes on a griddle which has a small amount of coconut oil on it to fry the pancakes.   These pancakes take a bit longer to cook than typical pancakes to ensure the center is thoroughly cooked.  I made the mistake on my first trial of not having the batter thin enough so the inside was still a bit gooey.  After about three trials, I think I figured out the right proportion of sweet potato to egg mixture.  Feel free to adjust to fit your preference.  These store well in the refrigerator to reheat another morning or for a healthy side dish.

A mixture of 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup and 2 -3 Tablespoons plain yogurt makes a delicious topping. One time I put a dollop of ricotta cheese on top.  Whatever Pzazz you want to add is up to you!

Nutrition: (does not include toppings) 
Servings per recipe: 2 servings of 3 pancakes each
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 180
Total Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Sodium: 354 mg
Total Carbs: 18 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 18 g