Apr 2010
The Don't-Change-Anything-Plantain Soup
04/24/10 Filed in: Soup
I was told under no circumstances could I change this recipe. Translation? He liked it alot!
Plantain soup is a very quick and easy soup to dish up. The hardest part is probably finding the plantains. In South Florida, they are ubiquitous, but in Wyoming, I am sure they may be scarce. If you have a latin area of town or a latin grocery store, that will be your best bet.
The plantain is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, and phosphate. Potassium is a significant mineral for the body. It is one of the main blood minerals, called electrolytes, which include sodium and chloride. The balance between sodium and potassium has an important influence on blood pressure. High sodium and low potassium may elevate blood pressure. Potassium also helps to regulate heart function, an organ that we all appreciate working flawlessly. Potassium is essential for protein synthesis, it converts glucose into glycogen which is fuel for muscles, and helps the lungs eliminate carbon dioxide. And that's not all....potassium is needed to maintain a acid/alkali blood balance and has an important role in kidney function.
A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will be naturally rich in potassium. The body contains more potassium to sodium in a ratio of about nine ounces to four. Because of this, the body is programed to conserve sodium. The American diet, with it reliance on preocessed foods, is high in sodium.
Ingredients List:
2 onions, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large green plantains, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 rounded teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 cups vegetable broth
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
olivie oil
1/2 cup cilantro
Pour a few tablespoons of oil in your pot and heat. Add onions, garlic, and celery ad saute until onions become clear. Add cumin, bayleaf and turmeric and saute a minute longer. Add broth and plantains. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer unitl the plantains are soft. This may take 30-40 minutes, it depends on how green your plantains are.
Once the plantains are ready, remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender, a regular blender, or a food processor and puree the soup. Add it back to your pot. If you find the soup too thick, add more broth. Zest your lime and add to the soup. Simmer a few additional minutes. Serve each bowl with some chopped cilantro and a drizzle of lime juice. Enjoy!
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
Plantain soup is a very quick and easy soup to dish up. The hardest part is probably finding the plantains. In South Florida, they are ubiquitous, but in Wyoming, I am sure they may be scarce. If you have a latin area of town or a latin grocery store, that will be your best bet.
The plantain is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, and phosphate. Potassium is a significant mineral for the body. It is one of the main blood minerals, called electrolytes, which include sodium and chloride. The balance between sodium and potassium has an important influence on blood pressure. High sodium and low potassium may elevate blood pressure. Potassium also helps to regulate heart function, an organ that we all appreciate working flawlessly. Potassium is essential for protein synthesis, it converts glucose into glycogen which is fuel for muscles, and helps the lungs eliminate carbon dioxide. And that's not all....potassium is needed to maintain a acid/alkali blood balance and has an important role in kidney function.
A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will be naturally rich in potassium. The body contains more potassium to sodium in a ratio of about nine ounces to four. Because of this, the body is programed to conserve sodium. The American diet, with it reliance on preocessed foods, is high in sodium.
Ingredients List:
2 onions, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large green plantains, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 rounded teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 cups vegetable broth
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
olivie oil
1/2 cup cilantro
Pour a few tablespoons of oil in your pot and heat. Add onions, garlic, and celery ad saute until onions become clear. Add cumin, bayleaf and turmeric and saute a minute longer. Add broth and plantains. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer unitl the plantains are soft. This may take 30-40 minutes, it depends on how green your plantains are.
Once the plantains are ready, remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender, a regular blender, or a food processor and puree the soup. Add it back to your pot. If you find the soup too thick, add more broth. Zest your lime and add to the soup. Simmer a few additional minutes. Serve each bowl with some chopped cilantro and a drizzle of lime juice. Enjoy!
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
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I Grew a Carrot!
04/23/10 Filed in: gardening
I started my garden this winter with a lot of confidence. I am the daughter, of a daughter, of a farmer. I thought I am sure to be a natural. I use to help my mother garden when I was a kid (I was a weed puller.) That definitely gave me relatable job experience. I have been growing herbs and ornamental gardening for years. That cinched it. I was going to be a success!
Well, a sort of beginner's success, anyway. My beans provided me with about four at a time, individual beans that is, and then promply died. My corn was trampled (mostly) by my dog and now has an aphid problem (the ants are working on it!) My zucchini presented one squash that rotted on the vine. My beets are taking forever......
I have had some pleasant surprises as well. My homemade compost has presented tomato plants all over the yard, and they are started to grow tomatoes! Nice bonus, right? My lettuce and cherry tomatoes are providing a consistant yield. And today, I could not wait any longer, and I pulled up my first carrot! Isn't it pretty!
As you can see from the picture, my cabbage is growing nicely. It has loved all the rain we have had recently. I am real excited that the centers are starting to form. If nothing else happens, they are beautiful to look at.
My kale has been consistent all winter. I keep taking a few leaves for my smoothies or for sauted greens or for soup and it keeps growing. We are having a great relationship. I am curious at what point it will get too hot for this plant.
And my peppers are experiencing a second life. When first planted, they began to flourish. Then we had uncharacteristically cold weather and they kind of ...well, chilled. And now I have jalapenos, green peppers, mammoth jalapenos, pimentos, cayenne, and these adorable red hot peppers.
I am taking volunteers to pull the volunteers, you know, the weeds. No experience required and you get to take away enormous satisfaction of a cleared spot. Oh and some kale, too!
Now, I am researching what I can grow successfully in the brutal heat and torrential rains of the summer. Stay posted........
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
Well, a sort of beginner's success, anyway. My beans provided me with about four at a time, individual beans that is, and then promply died. My corn was trampled (mostly) by my dog and now has an aphid problem (the ants are working on it!) My zucchini presented one squash that rotted on the vine. My beets are taking forever......
I have had some pleasant surprises as well. My homemade compost has presented tomato plants all over the yard, and they are started to grow tomatoes! Nice bonus, right? My lettuce and cherry tomatoes are providing a consistant yield. And today, I could not wait any longer, and I pulled up my first carrot! Isn't it pretty!
As you can see from the picture, my cabbage is growing nicely. It has loved all the rain we have had recently. I am real excited that the centers are starting to form. If nothing else happens, they are beautiful to look at.
My kale has been consistent all winter. I keep taking a few leaves for my smoothies or for sauted greens or for soup and it keeps growing. We are having a great relationship. I am curious at what point it will get too hot for this plant.
And my peppers are experiencing a second life. When first planted, they began to flourish. Then we had uncharacteristically cold weather and they kind of ...well, chilled. And now I have jalapenos, green peppers, mammoth jalapenos, pimentos, cayenne, and these adorable red hot peppers.
I am taking volunteers to pull the volunteers, you know, the weeds. No experience required and you get to take away enormous satisfaction of a cleared spot. Oh and some kale, too!
Now, I am researching what I can grow successfully in the brutal heat and torrential rains of the summer. Stay posted........
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
Ginger Whimsy and My Morning Smoothie
04/19/10
I love ginger. I drink ginger tea, use fresh or powdered ginger in my cooking, I snack on candied ginger, and now, thanks to my friend, I put ginger in my green smoothie.
I went to dinner a week or two ago with a group of friends. Over appetizers, one friend mentioned her amazing new blender (a blendtec) and the smoothie that she makes each morning. What caught my ear out of the cornecopia of ingredients, was the ginger. She uses fresh ginger in her smoothie. Hhmmmmm.......
I have tried a lot of different things in my smoothies, but it just never crossed my mind to throw in a chunk of peeled ginger. Now, over the past week, I have put a piece in each and every smoothie. I love it!
I think we all know that ginger is a root and grows in tropical climates. Ginger is considered a good source of potassium, magnesium, copper, maganese and vitamin B6. Ginger has been used in a medicinal capacity for centuries by several cultures. The active compounds in ginger are gingerols and shogaols. Here's a brief rundown of ginger's benefits.
So you are probably thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah.....but what about the smoothie?
Slice a piece of ginger about 1/4 inch thick. Peel it and add it to the blender. Add one peeled banana, 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt, a handful of spinach or kale, 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel or juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons of flax seed, 1 to 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds, and one cup almond milk. Blend. Pour. Enjoy!
The addition of aloe makes this a very digestion friendly smoothie. All ingredients are optional and I encourage experimentation. Find your favorite ginger smoothie and share.
(Please forgive the picture. It is truely terrible.)
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
I went to dinner a week or two ago with a group of friends. Over appetizers, one friend mentioned her amazing new blender (a blendtec) and the smoothie that she makes each morning. What caught my ear out of the cornecopia of ingredients, was the ginger. She uses fresh ginger in her smoothie. Hhmmmmm.......
I have tried a lot of different things in my smoothies, but it just never crossed my mind to throw in a chunk of peeled ginger. Now, over the past week, I have put a piece in each and every smoothie. I love it!
I think we all know that ginger is a root and grows in tropical climates. Ginger is considered a good source of potassium, magnesium, copper, maganese and vitamin B6. Ginger has been used in a medicinal capacity for centuries by several cultures. The active compounds in ginger are gingerols and shogaols. Here's a brief rundown of ginger's benefits.
- Ginger aids in digestion. It increases the body's production of saliva and digestive fluids, thereby relieving indigeston, stomach cramps, gas and diarrhea.
- Ginger aids in circulation. It stimulates blood circulation which cleanses the kidneys and bowels and encourages the skin's natural rejuvenation process.
- Ginger aids in the relief of arthritis. Ginger oil can be massaged topically to relieve localised pain.
- Ginger can warm the body and effectively assist in breaking a fever. It can help break up phlegm in the lungs caused by asthma or bronchitis
- Ginger combined with cumin and coriander helps to break down high protein foods such as meat and beans, and lessens the formation of uric acid in the body.
So you are probably thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah.....but what about the smoothie?
Slice a piece of ginger about 1/4 inch thick. Peel it and add it to the blender. Add one peeled banana, 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt, a handful of spinach or kale, 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel or juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons of flax seed, 1 to 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds, and one cup almond milk. Blend. Pour. Enjoy!
The addition of aloe makes this a very digestion friendly smoothie. All ingredients are optional and I encourage experimentation. Find your favorite ginger smoothie and share.
(Please forgive the picture. It is truely terrible.)
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
Good Ole Fashioned Lentil Soup
04/12/10 Filed in: Soup
My favorite by far, lentil soup is the ultimate in comforting warm meals. ( Split pea comes in a close second.) Quick and easy to make, lentil soup is both nutritious and delicious.
Soup is a great way to have a hot meal for lunch or a nice light dinner. If you steer clear of dairy based soups, you will also enjoy a low calorie meal with soup. When I make a pot of soup, I fill several single-serve pyrex dishes for lunches. These will keep in the fridge for a week or easily freeze for several months. I also lke to make soup a day ahead of when I plan to eat it. Much like stews or sauces, the flavors in your soup will mature if you provide some additional time.
Ingredients List:
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic , minced
2 large carrots, sliced
2 cups french or brown lentils
1 cup tomato sauce
1 quart vegetable broth
1 quart water
2 generous teaspoons cumin
1 generous teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until the onion begins to become transluscent. Add the carrot and spices and stir in. Sautee an additional 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir in. Add the tomato sauce and stir in. Pour in the vegetable stock and the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until lentils are soft and the flavors are well blended. Approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
The Green Gables Cafe
04/04/10 Filed in: Restaurants
An apology to all my followers....all five of you! I have been very busy at the day job. You know, the one that actually pays the mortgage? I have many accumulated posts that just need to get organized and edited and will be up soon.
I don't know about you, but when I get busy, I get basic. I resort to the well worn recipes that my family loves and are quick and easy to make. Many of the recipes I will be posting soon are easy favorites that can feed a family for a couple of days.
Also, when I get busy, I go out. Now don't sound so surprised. I am a normal person who ikes to take a break from cooking and dishes just like anyone else. I eat out normally about once a week. (That is the night that my husband "cooks.")
Recently, my Mom and I treated ourselves to lunch. We went to the Green Gables Cafe in downtown Coral Gables. The Green Gables Cafe is an organic restaurant with many selections suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They are open for breakfast and lunch weekdays serving primarily the business crowd.
The inside is fresh and reminiscent of spring. The day we stopped by was also a gorgeous spring day so the effect was magnified. The service was impeccable. Attentive and friendly, you can see that this group loves what they do and that your comfort and enjoyment is their top priority.
I could tell that the restaurant had some regulars that nestled up to the bar-like counter for a quick snack or lunch. They seemed to be busy working a local pick-up lunch business as well.
The menu has a set selection for soup of the day based on the day of the week. Being a Thursday, the special was butternut squash soup. My mother and I are both big soup lovers and consequently ordered a cup each. The soup was creamy and full of flavor without being too rich. A very enjoyable soup, it tasted as though it was something you could easily replicate at home.
For the main entree, I ordered from the daily special menu. Refried black beans quesadia style with guacamole and tomato salsa on the side. This may sound plain, bu the refried black beans were full of flavor and the tortilla was soft and fresh. The salsa and guacamole added the zest
My mom ordered the crabcake salad. (She is a crabcake fiend, and tries them everywhere.) Though the cakes appear small, they was little to no filler in them. You get almost all crabmeat with seasoning. The greens were freash and, even better, organic.
Just as an aside, I also ordered a lemonade which came unsweetened. I thought this was very thoughtful as I perfer mine much less sweet than most. I was disappointed, however, by the type of sweetners offered; simple refined Dixie sugar and the standard fake sweeterners. Suffice it to say, but I left mine unsweetened.
You can see, that Mom was happy!
Overall, I definitely reccommend the Green Gables Cafe for your casual dining pleasure. The service is outstanding, and the food is of the highest quality.
Check them out
http://www.greengablescafe.com/" rel="external">here.
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.