One Minute Green Soup That I Wish I Had on Tap!

I had the last few Persian cucumbers of the season sitting in the fridge. The crispy little things sure will be missed till they show up  at the market again because I can't get enough of this soup I use them for ALL THE TIME. So, that's what I made with them, yet again : )

I eat it at home or I take it with me in a mason jar...great travel food you can sip while long-distance-driving too....just make sure you have a straw! You get the picture...it's just perfect, easy, nourishing food, that's so tasty that it never gets boring (not to me, anyway).

And, yes, I do vary it a little bit, but most of the time I stick with this exact recipe:

Creamy Cucumber Soup 

(makes ~ enough to fill a quart size mason jar)

3 Persian cucumbers

generous handful of cilantro (leaves and stems, entire length)

small jalapeño (or other hot pepper)

2-3 tbsp hemp seeds

1 fat clove of garlic

generous splash of olive oil

pinch or oregano leaves

optional: cayenne for extra heat

½ tsp salt

1 cup (+) water

Blend it up and go! That's it! So quick, so yummy, so green, so nourishing, satisfying and hydrating. What else would you need?

Variations:

Summer time: use fresh basil instead of cilantro.
Calcium boost: use tahini instead of hemp seeds and dill instead of cilantro for another, very yummy, flavor combination and high amounts of calcium and copper.

No matter which of these alternatives you go with, it's a bone-nourishing soup and rather cleansing so it's a great "to-go" food when doing a detox (which is what I am doing with a group of other health-enthusiasts :) yay!). So go and make some! Your bones and skin will thank you...and once you taste it, you might even thank me for the recipe! :)

Enjoy!

Thai-Inspired Creamy Bowl of Deliciousness

A soup, that is.  One that you will never forget! Promise. 

I had my wisdom teeth removed (ouch) and I'm still recovering.  Needless to say, I'm on blended foods and since it's day 10, I'm really tired of eating the same stuff over and over.  So, today, I said "This is it, I'm making something different!"  Savory and buttery is what I wanted....And I could have had a gallon of this... It's simply orgasmic!

Thai-Inspired Creamy Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

(Makes about a quart to serve 1, maybe 2)

1 small red bell pepper

1/2 stalk of celery

1 slender (stalk) lemongrass

1/4 of small red onion (or use 1-2 green onions)

1/2 carrot (or a tiny one)

3 cloves of garlic

ginger to taste (I only used a piece the size of a raisin)

1 tiny hot pepper/jalapeno

2 heaping tbsp coconut butter

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp (to taste) salt 

cilantro (no more than what you can tear off a bunch with three fingers)

~ 3 cups water

Optional: pinch of turmeric, honey (not vegan) or other sweetener, soy or shoyu sauce

To Prepare:
1. Warm the water on the stove top carefully, to desired temperature. (You definitely don't want to bring it to a boil if you chose to stick with eating raw)
2. In the meantime, chop all vegetables into chunks and place them in a blender with the lemongrass (pealed back and the core chopped fine; a bit of a tough task) and the spices you are using along with the coconut butter.
3. Add the water and whirl it all up, adding the cilantro only for the last few seconds of blending.
4. Taste test. Some people like it saltier, some prefer it sweeter.
5. Garnish and serve immediately.

It's savory, warming, and incredibly flavorful and satisfying. Enjoy! : )

♥♥♥

Dita

Lineup of Juices

Alright, as I've promised, here are some juice combinations I like. These are all very cleansing and each one is a power shot in itself, an immune system booster, a multivitamin, and so forth. Real vitamins don't come in pill form, flu-shots are what they are (I won't get into that here) and these are cupfuls of nutrition that will easily replace and surpass whatever any of the well-advertised "other" products promise to give your body. SO get the juicer out of your cabinet and get peeling, chopping, and squeeze some juice out of whatever produce you have, or try some of these:

Here's one of my absolute favorite ones. I love pineapple in every form, mainly freshly cut up and consumed immediately but it's quite the winner juiced too. One thing to keep in mind: the enzymes in the pineapple will start breaking down the protein in the greens so you might want to drink this juice right after you made it. Hmm, this is so yummy. Enjoy!

The Sweet Bright & Green 

1 cucumber

2 inch thick slice of a pineapple

piece of ginger

few leaves of greens

Next, a savory one that I love so much, especially after drinking a lot of sweet juice:
It can get pretty boring and sometimes I feel I "need" salt and something savory....that's when I make this, serve it in a bowl, and eat it like soup instead of drinking it.

Savory Savior Amidst The Sweets

1 fat carrot

1 large tomato/several cherry tomatoes

5-6 stalks celery

1 cucumber

2-3 cloves garlic

1/2 cayenne pepper (or add some ground cayenne powder)

optional: 2-3 leaves romaine lettuce, salt

This one is a wonderful liver cleanser. The burdock root is very earthy and, in a way, almost spicy. It has a very distinct taste that doesn't really resemble anything. I like it, sometimes even crave it, ok, not crave it but you know, I really feel like it, or wait, is that the same thing? I don't know :) Anyway, if it's new to you start with a smaller piece and see if you like it:

Earthy Liver Cleanser 

1 lemon (with no peel)

1-2 oranges (with no peel)

1-2 leaves collard greens

3-4 stalks celery

1/2 cucumber

1 small burdock root

piece of ginger

Similarly, just by replacing the burdock root with a small carrot you'll get a somewhat less bright green but sweeter juice, which you might prefer:

Citrus With Greens and Roots

1-2 oranges (with no peel)

1 lemon (with no peel)

1-2 leaves collard greens

3-4 stalks celery

1/2 cucumber

1 small carrot

piece of ginger

Enjoy! Ah, the beauty of creating delicious combinations... Happy Juicing! : )
Love.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

This time of the year, with holidays approaching, is also about the time when (at least on the Northern hemisphere) the temperature is starting to take a bigger dip. Cooler mornings might call for a cup of warm chocolate and cooler evenings for a bowl of warming soup to cozy up on the couch with. Lucky us, spices of warm energy are available most places year-round and on top of that it's pumpkin season, yay! I'm pretty sure these bright orange squashes are not just for Jack-O Lanterns or pies. Some can be made into soups or stews. And so I do...

Pumpkins' Treat
Pumpkins are very filling and highly nutritious. Being rich in fiber, extremely high in vitamin A, high in vitamin C,  and rich in minerals like potassium, iron and manganese, the favorite holiday squash will nourish your eyes and skin, has anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities, and will help keep your bones strong.


Pumpkin Curry
(Makes 4 bowls)
1 small pumpkin*
1 small carrot
2 stalks green onion
1 small piece ginger
1/4 cup coconut butter
1 fresh cayenne pepper (or use some ground cayenne)
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups water

* I know this is relative but I didn't weigh or measure this squash. It was one of those "personal" size pumpkins, about 6-7 in (15-18 cm) across.


Preparations:
1. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and slice into wedges. It's easier to peel the wedges one by one in my opinion.
2. Shred your wedges and place all of it into a pot along with the carrot, the onion, the ginger, and the pepper chopped. Add 3 cups water (or enough to cover the ingredients).
3. Gently warm it up on a very low flame while stirring it.
4. Place the contents of the pot and the rest of the ingredients, salt and spices, in a blender and process until you get a creamy and smooth texture.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon or garnish with thinly sliced onions, etc.

If it's really cold where you are, sit by the fire and slurp away...

Happy raw & cozy times! : )

Soup That's Worth the Tears

As the weather has taken quite a sudden turn and the temperature's dropping the heat's getting turned up in my kitchen. I love my food spicy year round and will enjoy some raw dishes warm during the colder months but this is more than just a warm soup.  

Consider yourself warned: it's one thing that chopping onions will make you cry but this is also a sinus cleanser alright. It would be a great soup on a cold, rainy day when you're wrapped up on the couch in "under the weather" mode. Warm, savory, and memorably strong. I love spicy, hot, pungent, etc, foods but I even think it's quite strong. You may use less of the onions and/or add more water and more tahini (or oil) to cut the sharpness of it all.

Onion's Magic
These tear jerkers are high in vitamins C and B6 (pyridoxine), manganese, a fairly hard-to-get mineral, and rich in fiber. Besides being a strong anti-inflammatory, they're known for their sulfur content and being hosts of the enzyme allinase. This enzyme, also present in garlic, is what gives them their pungent chemicals, makes you "cry" while chopping them, makes you "smell" like onions, and defends the plant from animals that get the idea that they should be their next snack. The B6 helps efficient metabolism and prevent heart disease, is important for brain function, and it's mood-elevating. Sulfur is very good for your liver, will benefit your hair, skin, brain, and bones. Quercitin, a flavonoid you'll find more of in onions than anything else, has a myraid of health benefits. It's what's responsible for the blood-thinning effect of onions, it will help you fight asthma and bronchitis and help with diabetes. It has antibiotic and antiviral characteristics, and provides this vegetable with powerful anti-cancer properties.

So here's what you do for a wonderful-smelling kitchen and a healthy, warming soup:

French Onion Soup

(Serves 3-4)
Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup shoyu sauce (contains soy!)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp raw tahini

4-5 cups gently heated (NOT hot or boiling) water

1/4 cup vinegar / lemon juice

Directions:
0. Slice the onion and the garlic as thinly as you can, place them on a plate, drizzle them with the shoyu sauce, and let them marinate in the dehydrator for about an hour at 115°F (46°C).
1. You may follow or skip "step 0" and then, in a high-speed blender, process all (save a little bit of the marinated onions for garnish if you like) ingredients until creamy.
2. Pour small servings in cups or bowls, garnish, and offer crackers, croutons, bread, etc. on the side.
Don't forget the box of tissue either!
...and have a good week : )

Chill Out, Cherries Are In Season!

My dearest Grandma always made this for Summer-time picnics or on hot days at home when we were kids. She makes the best fruit soups, of course. I'm just trying to imitate or reinvent her recipes and make raw versions of her magical creations. She uses sour cherries, the really dark (and sour, as the label suggest) cherries that are ever-so-popular in Europe but not quite so easy to come across in the States. At least, I have never seen any at any of the farmers' markets or stores. Anybody out there has had any luck???

So using "regular" cherries this would probably come out sweeter, hence the lemon juice. It can be warmed up in a dehydrator or gently warmed on the stove top but for hot days such as we've been having here (106 °F /  41°C over the weekend) in the Bay Area, "chilled" is the name of the game for sure.

Chilling Cherry Soup
(Serves 2...maybe)
2 handfuls of red cherries (plus extra for garnish)
4-4 cups nut mylk (or ~3/4 cup nuts and 3 cups water)*
juice of 1 lemon
1-3 tbsp coconut nectar / honey (not vegan) or other sweetener
lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch or two of ground cloves
optional: vanilla

* I recommend almond/cashew/macademia mylk (or using almonds/cashews/macademias and water) because they have a more neutral flavor. If you're using nuts and water you might want to make the mylk first by blending them and maybe even straining it if you prefer a really smooth mylk with no fiber. If you do not mind the nut pulp in your soup (I sure don't) then don't bother to make the mylk separately first. While almonds are better used when soaked for 4-8 hours beforehand, cashews and macademias do not need to be soaked at all.

Directions
Remove the pits from the cherries and throw everything in a blender. Gradually increasing the speed, blend it all until you have a very smooth consistency. Taste test and adjust ingredients. Give it a whirl again.
Serve immediately or chill for a while first. Pour into serving bowls and garnish with the remaining cherries, nut crumbs, maybe coconut sugar or maple crystals (not raw), etc.
Chill out...

Gazpacho & Breadsticks

Breadsticks and bread were already in the "oven". Their aromas were filling up all corners of the house and I was like a little kid checking on them every half an hour to see if they were ready to eat. Be ready for your home to smell at least as lovely as your favorite bakery that you walk into on a Saturday morning when the crisp, baked-to-perfection pastries and rolls, etc. are just taken out of the oven. I promise I'll post the bread recipe next. So much rain and gloomy skies (and my lack of lighting) make it a bit difficult to take pictures so if you're inpatient, talk to Mother Nature and put in an order for some sunshine in the Bay Area, thanks! While it's been pretty chilly lately, last weekend's temperatures still allowed for some cold soup. As I said, breadsticks were already in the making and I had to make something to eat them with, right? So I did, and here are the recipes.
Back in August, when I was in Barcelona, I couldn't get enough of the tomato based veggie soup, Gazpacho. I just love that stuff. In a bowl, a cup, out of a bottle, served up any way I'll have it all. I've experimented with it over that past few months and it's really fun to change it up with different herbs added. Here are the approximate proportions for the version I love the most:

Gazpacho
(Serves maybe 2)

2 large tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

1 small carrot
1/4 red bell pepper 

1 green onion / chunk of onion

1 clove of garlic (optional)

1 stalk celery

salt & pepper

oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

1.5 cup water
optional*

*Add some berbere (typical Ethiopian spice mix) to turn up the heat on this savory bowl of blended veggies.

Blend all the ingredients until you get the smoothest juice-like soup, just as it's served traditionally.
Alternative: I sometimes run the blender for a shorter period and let the soup stay somewhat chunky. I told you I like to experiment with it and I really like it with the rougher texture too. Good for days when you feel like chewing ; )

Pour the soup into serving bowls, drizzle some olive oil on top and offer breadsticks (recipe follows) or crackers/chips with it. Oh so good.

Breadsticks
1 cup buckwheat groats*
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup flax seeds 
  2 stalks green onion

1 stalk fresh spring garlic / 1 clove garlic

 splash of olive oil

 ~ ½ tsp (or more) salt
basil, oregano to taste

*The buckwheat groats need to be soaked overnight and then sprouted for a day. Then, you can use the "buckwheaties" to make the breadsticks....so plan ahead!

Process all of the ingredients until they're evenly mixed. Taste test your mixture, add more herbs, salt, other ingredients, if needed, and process a little longer, then spread it out about half an inch (1.2-1.5 cm) thick on a teflex sheet. Score it to get sticks of the desired width and dehydrate at 115 ˚F (46˚C) for a couple of ours before flipping it onto a screen and dehydrating it 1-3 hours longer. Dehydration times depend on so many things so just keep checking on the sticks or if you're away don't worry because leaving them in there for a couple of hours longer will not hurt them. It will at least keep them warm. They're the best fresh out of the "oven"! These are great with salads and to take them along for a snack at work/school or when you're on the road, so you might wanna make an extra batch or too. The truth is, you'll probably end up with half as much as what you put in the dehydrator, especially if you have a big family and many walk by the "oven" every now and then. Good luck and enjoy! : )

Soup & Fries

It can get so crazy with the preparations for Thanksgiving, right? Today I didn't get to eat lunch till the mid afternoon and by that time I was so starved and wanted something that took but moments to prep. I had been playing with the idea of recreating my mom's spinach dish (or stew)...Spenót, as we called it, and which I never really liked as a child, ha! I always favored the sour sorrel version, oh how much I miss it! Anyway, the beloved spinach "stew" more than just grew on me and served as an inspiration for this soup. And the fries? Well, they're the no-fry "french fries" that are still starchy and oily and satisfying but in a healthy way : ). They're made using jicamas, which, by the way, must be in season because the farmers are selling them and they've been a regular (and ever-growing in size) at the grocery stores too.
Make the fries first if you don't want your warm soup to get cold! 

Jicama Fries
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1 jicama (mine was about the size of a large orange)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic (pressed or finely chopped)
salt
optional: chipotle chili powder or other seasoning

Cut up the jicama into "fries". Mix the oil with garlic and salt and whatever seasoning you're using and in a large bowl, toss the jicama with the mixture. You have fries!

Jicama is a high fiber food and very rich in vitamin C. It's a crunchy way to get some satisfying starches into your body.

Spinach Stew / Soup
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
3-4 loose cups of spinach
1 sliver of celery root
1 clove of garlic
2 green onions (without the tops)
2.5 tbsp tahini or a generous handful of cashews
splash of olive oil
~3/4 cup warm water
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Cut the celery into smaller pieces and blend all of the ingredients until you get a smooth consistency. Taste test and adjust seasoning. Serve with the fries, crackers, or salad, etc.

Spinach should be called a superfood. It's incredibly nutritious, full of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and most all vitamins and minerals so I won't even bore you with a list. Spinach, it's what Popeye ate, right? What else do you need to be convinced about its health benefits? : ) Ok, but seriously, it will help prevent cancer, heart disease, and cataracts, yes carrots are not the only vegetables that are good for your eyes!

Ok, time to start working on the Thanksgiving meal. What are you making?

Creamy Celery Root Soup

Yes, I know, my last post was soup too. Well, I've been on a soup-creating marathon and this is just the beginning. There's nothing like a bowl of tasty, warm soup on a cool day. Celery root soup is one I always liked cooked so I had to come up with a raw version and voilà, here it is. It couldn't have come out better...

Health Benefits of Celery
The list is quite long so you will thank yourself for using it. Celery is at least as good for you as it is aromatic and flavorful. The root is more commonly used in European countries but it's available at grocery stores in the U.S. too, and through all seasons. It is very high in fiber and happens to be a great weight-loss food due to its low calorie content. It's full of antioxidants, high in vitamin C, and K, and calcium, which boils down to its abilities to boost your immune system, to help prevent cancer, and to strengthen your bones. Its anti-inflammatory qualities provide relief from joint pain so they are a very good vegetable to snack on if you have arthritis. It can help diminish migraines and calm your nerves ....and the list goes on. It's a good idea to make friends with this crunchy vegetable if you haven't yet done so.

Raw Creamy Celery Root Soup
Approximate Ingredients:
(Makes 1 good size bowl)
1 small carrot
1/2 celery root
2 green onions
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp (or more) tahini or a generous handful of cashews
1.5-2 cups (or as needed) warm water
1/2 tsp salt 
little turmeric (if you like it)
cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cumin to taste

Directions:
It's so simple that I could just say: "Peel, chop, blend, and you're done" but I will break it down:
1. Peel the celery root and the garlic (to avoid having to peel the garlic put the whole cloves into a garlic press to squeeze them out...the peel will be left behind)
2. Chop all the ingredients into smaller pieces to help your blender
3. Place everything (with only some of the water) in the blender and whirl it up
4 Taste test it and add more salt, spices and water as necessary
5. Pour into bowl(s) immediately, drizzle with olive oil if you'd like and garnish with your favorite herbs/spices, etc. Enjoy and be grateful for every spoonful! : )

P.S: I have a new favorite that I will be posting soon! Have I mentioned that I love soups???

Savory Carrot Soup

It’s in the 60s and it’s pouring rain. Yes, it’s turned cooler, even in Los Angeles!

Being a busy graduate student, I’ve been living on nuts and heavier sweet snacks from the local store but I’m quite bored with them. All of the raw snack are absolutely delicious and I will miss being so close to the best store in the U.S. once we move, but it was just time for something homemade that’s also warming and satisfying.

I love soups and I am an expert of cooked soups but haven’t made many raw ones. This one is going to be a regular during the cooler months for sure. It’s so delicious, pure, creamy, warm and satisfying (I'm typing away while eating it) and still raw. And hey, what soup takes just a couple of minutes to make? This one does…

Raw Carrot Ginger Soup

Approximate Ingredients:

(Serves 2, if you're lucky)

3 large carrots

2.5-3 cups warm water

3 green onions (I didn't use the green tops)

2 cloves of garlic

1 slice ginger

2.5 tbsp tahini or a generous handful of cashews

1 tsp salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

(olive oil to drizzle)

Directions:

1. Chop the carrots, onions, garlic and ginger into smaller pieces to make it easier on your blender.

2. Blend all ingredients with the water added little by little because you might not need it all.

3. Taste test and adjust seasoning

4. Pour into serving bowls and drizzle with some olive oil.

5. Garnish with green onions or sprinkle some herbs, spices, etc. on top and serve with crackers (like these or these) or just by itself. Heavenly! : )

Health note 
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, good for improved eyesight, clearer skin and healthier lungs. They come out near the top when it comes to beta-carotine content, which is an antioxidant to strengthen your immune system and protect you from cancer. The sweet roots are rich in fiber, vitamin K and C, and potassium, an important mineral for heart-health. Bunnies' favorites will also help a sore throat and reduce coughs. They can lower your cholesterol and your blood pressure, have antiseptic qualities, and lessen your risk for arthritis. Lots of reasons to make carrot soup!

Miso Soup Got Spiced Up

Maitake mushroom

We’ve had a few evenings on the chilly side lately and nothing feels better after a long day at school (or work) than sitting down with a huge bowl of miso soup and enjoying every spoonful of it. For the last 6 or 7 years I started every single day with a cup of miso but since I don’t do that anymore it is a special treat to have once in a while.

Miso soup is very well known in Asian communities and is consumed on a daily bases. While, in Japan, its history goes back centuries, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that this nurturing soybean paste was introduced in Europe, and later in the United States, as a main component of a new, cancer-prevention diet. With the macrobiotic movement spreading so rapidly, so did the availability of miso in health food stores. In macrobiotics, we refer to it as the “poor people’s health insurance”!!!

What is miso?
Miso is a fermented paste, traditionally made of soybeans, rice, sea salt, and koji, or some kind of a starter. Nowadays you can easily find soy-free versions as well. The fermentation time will affect the color, the texture and the flavor. In general, the longer it was fermented, the darker the color and the stronger the flavor. If you’ve never tried it, you will probably want to start with a “light” miso, which will be a lighter color and will taste very sweet. The stronger versions will be much more on the salty side. They are the ones that were aged for 1 to 3 years and appear darker brown in color.

One-year, light, brown rice miso paste

What’s in it for me?
Besides its flavor and versatility (it can also be used in salad dressings, spreads, marinades, as a flavoring, etc.), miso offers many health benefits, which is what gets me excited the most!
To mention just a few, it
•    restores beneficial microflora in the intestines
•    helps reduce the risk of many types of cancer
•    contains alkaloids that chelate heavy metals
•    is high in vitamin K, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6
•    is rich in minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron
•    helps digestion
•    is a very good source of complete protein….good news for vegans! : )
…and there are many more!

Ready to test it?

Miso Soup
Ingredients:
(Serves 1-2)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp or 1 in piece wakame
2-3 shiitake or maitake mushrooms*
red chili pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp miso paste
green onions to garnish

*Shitakes are sold fresh or dried (in whole or sliced). If you’re using the dried version, you can rehydrate them by soaking them in water for a few minutes. If they’re sliced, you can use a handful in the soup right away, soaking is unnecessary. I prefer using fresh Maitake. They're sold as fresh, whole heads in health food stores.

Dried shiitake mushrooms and miso

Directions:
Put the water, the wakame, the mushrooms, and the chili flakes (if you are using any) into a small pot and warm it (if you eat raw) or get it hot but do not boil it. Let the vegetables simmer for a few minutes. While you’re waiting, take a little bit of the warm water out and mix it with the miso until you get a very smooth paste.  You can do this in one of the serving bowls. Pour this paste back into the pot and let it simmer for a minute on very low heat and make sure you do not boil it! (You can even turn off the flame at this point and just leave the soup sit on the stove top for a minute.) It is very important to watch it because if you boil miso you will kill the enzymes and will miss out on the health benefits. Give it a stir and pour into serving bowls. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

More options:
You can start with just making a broth and skipping all the vegetables or try it with just the wakame.
If you eat tofu, you can add a couple of half inch slices cubed up.
Some people add soy sauce or shoyu.
Also, you can add any of your favorite vegetables cut into small pieces. I like to add daikon radish and, because of the color, thinly sliced carrots are a nice addition too.