Green Smoothie Soup

So, I really like the green smoothies in the morning, but sometimes I'm not in the mood for raw.  Sometimes I want that smooth creamy, warm goodness of a soup.  And I want the healing, balancing properties of the greens too.  So, a logical leap is to make a pureed soup with the greens.  I've made soups that were green before, like asparagus soup, broccoli soup or pea soup, but this soup is so much more! Those soups are definitely yum, but they just seem so one dimensional compared to the newest batch of soups.

I've made a few of these at this point, and I find that I really crave them after I have pigged out on junk.  They give a huge bump of nutrients, and they are alkaline type foods, which will balance the massive load of sugar you probably just ate while indulging.  They will help ward off sugary cravings too.  All in all, this is an awesome soup.  And, while J feels like the smoothies are too "crunchy" for him, (he won't admit it, he just is never "in the mood for it" when I make them, lol), he will devour the soup.  I love how you can almost feel your body taking in the nutrients!

One of the things that I've learned about cooking is that, once you learn some basic flavour combinations, cooking is really easy.  It's forgiving and unique.  So many of my "recipes" are never the same because I never have all of the same things in the pantry.  Or I am wanting (or not wanting) a particular punch from a certain spice.  Anyway, what I am trying to say that my usual disclaimer applies here, the same as always:  Take measurements with a grain of salt (ha-ha), and don't be afraid to improvise a little!

For these soups you can use broth or water.  I like using a nice chicken stock so that I get all of those nutrients too, but that is not always possible of practical, and water will work just fine too.

The first thing you want to do is prepare the veggies that take the longest to cook.  I like using lentils in my soup because they are pretty nutrient dense, have a bunch of fiber, and help me feel fuller than in I were to just eat the veggies.  So I add my (soaked) lentils to the broth, and which ever veggie is my base - broccoli, asparagus, split peas, etc.  I bring this to a boil and let it simmer.  While that is happening I chop up more veggies and add them in order of how long it takes to cook them.  Some things I like to use are squashes, carrot, parsnip, leeks and cucumber, then I add in some leafy greens like lettuce, arugula, kale, spinach, etc.  To season, thyme and rosemary work nice, but I really like a combo of coriander, sage, and mustard. Hitting it with a bit of balsamic vinegar can add a little umph to it too. Once everything is cooked through and soft, puree.  Again, adding rice or potato can help thicken a soup that is too thin. 

I love eating this with good crunchy bread and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese; it's like heaven!  I bet this would also be good as a cream soup using fresh sour cream or yogurt.

Snacks for kids....or anyone

When I am feeling motivated, I like to prepare a whole bunch of snack type foods, or fillings to use as snacks so that I have easy finger foods on hand for days when I just don't feel up to the ordeal of preparing and cooking every. single. meal.  Which, you know, is most days.  But I only get this benefit when I think ahead.  So here are some easy ideas for those types of days.  Being prepared also helps healthy eating the easiest option.

Option 1:

Kale Chips

This is a super easy and very nutritious snack.  Kale is loaded with vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.  If you aren't crazy about greens, this is a great way to incorporate them in an easy way.  If you still don't like them, crinkle them up and sprinkle them over some other foods.  But I seriously can't stop eating them!

 

 

All you do is put some oil/butter/etc on a baking sheet, put the kale (with the thick ribs removed) on the sheet, and toss slightly to coat the kale.  Sprinkle with salt, and stick them in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Slightly longer if you want them to be extra crispy.  Be very careful not to burn it though. Burnt kale will stink for days!

For some variation, sprinkle with different toppings, such as garlic or onion powder and cayenne pepper, or sesame seeds.  You could also try this with other greens.  You can make up a double batch and store them in an air tight container for a few days too.  If they last that long....

Option 2:

Zucchini "Chips" with Curried Lentil Dip

Making this requires a little planning, but just so you know lentils freeze pretty well.  Especially if you are just eating dip.  I usually soak and cook a big batch of lentils and freeze a bunch of it to use as needed.  I tend to get a little bored of lentils pretty quick, but Nick likes them a lot, so they are nice to have on hand.  And a really inexpensive source of protein, fiber, and a ton of other really important nutrients.  Yes, another power food!

For this batch, I cooked the lentils with a curry mix (coriander, cumin, tumeric, ginger, mustard, chile pepper, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, red pepper, cinnamon, black pepper, saffron), with a dash of cayenne pepper, since Nick actually likes a little spice.  Then I pureed the lentils with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.  Just cut up a bunch of zucchini or other veggie, and there you have it! Carrots would work well with this, but Nick can't chew them very well. 

Option 3:

Granola Bites

These by far take the most amount of effort, so I usually make as many as I can and store them in the fridge for as long as they last.  Which usually isn't very long, especially since J loves them so much!

This is another "use what's in the pantry" type dish.  There is no right or wrong way to make these.  But they are super yummy and portable.  This particular batch used almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, tahini, peanut butter, agave, coconut flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract, raisins, dates, and prunes.

Just cut up the dried fruit, add a bunch of crushed nuts, then add about a tablespoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, then enough of the peanut butter and/or tahini and agave (I usually like to use local honey, but I ran out :( Oh well!) to make the granola balls stick together.  You can experiment with the consistency to see what you like best.  I put them in mini muffin papers, and it works really well for me.  Then I pile them up and stick into an airtight container in the fridge.  Then it's just grab and go!

Happy snacking!!!