Broccoli Cauliflower Avocado Soup

There is so much to love about a healthy and tasty batch of homemade soup, simple to prepare and you really can’t mess them up. If you are not a huge fan of broccoli or cauliflower, I bet this soup will convert you to love them. A delicious and healthy creamy puréed soup is formed when you combine the two together and add a whole avocado.

Serving size: 1 cup

Yield: 8 servings

Tip: Any type of broth or boullion, vegetarian or not, can be used in this soup.

You might need to puree this soup in two batches because the volume is quite large. If so, divide the avocado in half so it mixes well into each batch. You combine all of the soup at the end and give a good mix.

Ingredients

1 large Onion roughly chopped

a few cloves of Garlic, roughly chopped

splash of Olive Oil

a few pinches of Cracked Black Pepper

a few pinches of Smoked Paprika

a few pinches dried Thyme

1 bunch of Broccoli, cleaned, remove stems and break into large florets

1 head of Cauliflower, cleaned and cut into large pieces

3 cups of hot Broth (my favorites are Vegetable or Chicken)

1 pitted Avocado, cut into quarters

Preparation

1. Heat a large soup pot with a splash of olive oil, onion, garlic and spices over medium high heat.

2. When it starts to sizzle reduce heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes until lightly brown, softened and fragrant. Stir occasionally.

3. Add the cauliflower and broccoli and cook these a few minutes with the onions.

4.  Add the hot broth to the soup pot, increase the heat back to medium high and bring to a boil.

5.  Reduce heat back to medium, partially cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and you can mash them with a fork.

6.  Remove soup from the stovetop and let it cool a bit.

7. Add avocado.

8. Purée with and immersion blender, blender or food processor until you get a smooth texture.

If you like your soup thicker, feel free to add more broth.

Roasted Pumpkin Hummus

The winter bring us an abundance of delicious local squash and pumpkins. The tricky part has been finding different ways to eat the squash without getting repetitive and boring. I’m not sure why I’d never thought of this recipe before, but the idea for roasted pumpkin squash popped into my head and I couldn’t resist giving it a shot and I’m glad I did! It turned out fantastic!

 Ingredients:

1/2 squash or pumpkin – roasted

1/2 can chickpeas

1/3 cup tahini

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle virgin  oil

Pinch salt

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup water

1 head garlic – roasted

Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

2.       Roast the squash and garlic at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.   

a.       Peel and cut the squash into 1 inch pieces just to help it cook a bit quicker,

b.      For the garlic, just slice the tip of the head off, drizzle with a bit of virgin  oil and wrap tightly in foil.

3.       Once the roasting is done, combine all ingredients into a food processor and let it go!

4.       When the desired consistency is reached, transfer to a bowl..

*Some people like it a bit warm right out of the processor or chilled.

Jazz Up Your Salad!

Forget about your traditional iceberg lettuce topped with bottled salad dressing!
Fresh salads can be fun and easy to make - not to mention nutritious!
Most salads are made with a variety of fresh vegetables containing vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are essential for our health and may even prevent disease. Most salads are also low in calories and fat-an important part of any well-balanced diet. Salads can be much more than just vegetables! They can be eaten as a side dish or as an entire meal.

Check out these tips for jazzing up your lettuce salad: 

1. Start out with some fresh lettuce - the darker green it is, the more nutrients it has.
Try mixing several kinds of lettuce, such as:
• Spinach • Cabbage • Romaine • Chicory • Butterhead • Watercress • Red Leaf • Fennel

2. Add a variety of fresh veggies!
• Artichoke • Mushrooms • Asparagus • Onion • Beets • Parsley • Broccoli • Tender Parsnips
• Carrots • Peppers • Cauliflower • Radishes • Celery • Scallions • Corn • Sugar Snap Peas
• Cucumber • Tomato • Ginger • Turnips • Jicama • Water Chestnuts • Kohlrabi • Frozen Peas
• Leeks

3. Experiment with new flavors! Add some untraditional salad ingredients to jazz up the flavor:
• Strawberries • Dried Cranberries • Pecans • Grapes • Pineapple • Almonds • Apples • Olives
• Pine Nuts • Mandarin Oranges • Peanuts • Soy Nuts • Raisins • Walnuts

Quick Lettuce Tips...
 
• Use lettuce as soon as possible after purchase.
• When storing, remove wilted leaves and only wash prior to using.
• As with all produce, the outer surface may carry dirt and bacteria. After removing the outer leaves, wash your hands before rinsing and chopping the inner leaves to prevent contamination.
 • Use a salad spinner for lettuce leaves or other veggies. Your salad will taste fresh without the excess water from washing, and it will last longer when stored.

• Keep unwashed lettuce in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper.

Top it off with a light and flavorful dressing!
 
• Choose an oil-based dressing more often than a creamy one.
• When choosing a creamy dressing, try a "light" version.
• "Fat-free" types can be higher in sodium and lower in taste!
• Try making your own homemade dressing.
• Use low-fat cottage cheese instead of dressing.
• Stick to 2 Tbsp of any kind of dressing.

Go easy on the "extras"
 
Some additions to salads can add too many calories and fat.
Here are some things to use sparingly:
• Bacon • Fried Noodles • Croutons • Egg • Pasta and Potato Salads

Make it a meal! 

Any salad can become a meal by adding a source of protein to it. Try these:
• Grilled Chicken • Grilled Pork • Steak Strips • Shrimp • Salmon • Garbanzo Beans • Black Beans • Kidney Beans