Healthy Cooking


By Frances Goulart


MMmm Good...Warming Winter Soups


physically and emotionally. It is the ultimate comfort food. Hav- ing been drunk, or spooned up since Neolithic times, soup is integral to every one of the world's great cuisines. In Japan, it is often sipped as the first meal of the day in the form of fish broth, while in the Netherlands it is polished off as dessert. Soup is the Teutonic word for the bread soup in Portugal known as sop, as panade in France and garbure in Italy. Why is soup so good for you? According to reports from the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables in a bowl of homemade soup) is associated with a re- duced risk of many common forms of cancer. Produce-rich soup also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and degenerative disease such as arthritis and diabetes. Soup made with winter vegetables such as sweet potatoes


I


and kale is rich in healing phytonutrients which have been linked to health benefits throughout the body. The key to tapping the true power of these healing compounds, according to the USDA’s Human Nutrition Department, is in combining them, as in soup-making.


Sweet Potato Chowder


2 tablespoons olive oil 2 red or yellow onions, chopped 1-1/4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 3 cups water


Sea salt as needed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves 1 bunch kale 1 bunch chard 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 3 cups vegetable broth or mild miso broth Freshly ground black pepper Fresh lemon juice


• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onions and a pinch of salt and stir often until onions are soft and browned, about 10 minutes. • Place sweet potatoes in a kettle or soup pot and cover with the water, sage leaves and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, over heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. • Wash kale and chard and trim away tough stems. Chop and add to sweet potatoes along with garlic and broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. • Add onions to soup and cool slightly


f you're not feeling MMmmm good as the days shorten and darken, soup can help. From broth and borscht to mulliga- tawny and vichyssoise, soup has a long history of healing,


• Puree soup mixture in blender or food processor in batches, and then return to the pot. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice. • Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, toasted almonds or sautéed cubes of tofu. Variations; Substitute yams for sweet potatoes, use turnip greens or mustard greens in place of kale. Serves 4-6


Winter Minestrone


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced or put through garlic press 1-1/2 cup diced and seeded tomatoes with juices ½ tsp dried thyme and ½ tsp dried oregano 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed 8 cups water 1 bay leaf Cayenne pepper Chopped parsley


Salt and fresh ground pepper 2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach ½ cup cooked brown rice or quinoa ¼ cup grated hard cheese


• Heat oil in heavy soup pot over medium heat and cook carrot and onion, stirring until tender • Stir in garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, thyme and oregano.


• Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes • Stir in lentils and bring to a boil. Add bay leaf, and cayenne. Simmer 30 minutes. Add salt and simmer another 20 minutes. • Add spinach and rice or quinoa. Simmer another 10 minutes .Adjust seasoning; add salt if needed Remove bay leaf, stir in parsley. • Top each bowl with grated cheese and a grind of black pepper. Serve with crusty whole grain bread. Variation: Substitute parsnip for the carrot, use chard in place of spinach. Serves 4-6.


Frances Sheridan Goulart is the author of sixteen books on health and nutrition including the recent SUPER IMMUNITY FOODS: A Complete Program to Boost Wellness, Speed Re- covery and Keep Your Body Strong. She also teaches yoga and Pilates in Darien, New Canaan, Danbury and Ridgefield where she lives. Visit her websites for more information. www.fsgoulart. com, www.yogapilatescoach.ning.com.


www.naturalnutmeg.com January 2011 31


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40