Red Endive & Cucumber Salad

I love endive; it's so pretty and such a delicacy, especially the red tipped endive. Mixed with cruncy mini Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and just the right spices ( see recipe below) it makes a beautiful presentation for part of a very healthy meal. I get my endive at Trader Joe's, and it's fairly reasonable.

Recently, my husband eliminated salt, sugar, and white flour from his diet under doctor's orders and needs to limit protein as well. Yikes! what a crazy diet.. It is amazing how many foods have a lot of salt. Being vegetarians, I always thought we ate relatively healthy, but I never realized how much  salt we consume.

I cleaned my pantry and said goodbye to some canned soups ( 900 mg/cup), some canned garbanzo beans and black beans ( you don't want to know the high salt content) and some jars of opened pickles and olives. ( I didn't throw them out, I had some interested customers). I would have purged even more, but my husband protested, and said he hopes he won't be eating like this forever. Me too, it is difficult to say the least. I never realized how much we depend on even healthy-ish convenience foods.

We did a run to Trader Joe's and came up with a whole wheat sodium free bread for him, some no salt and no sugar spiced  applesauce, 21 Salute seasoning without salt,  some frozen brown rice packages for popping in the microwave in a pinch,  some salt free organic butter, some almond butter and some goat milk yogurt ( which turned out to be amazing) .

In an effort to find some interesting food, I turned to the produce isle. I bought a package of mini Persian cucumbers that were labeled as seedless, sweet, and crunchy. I also bought something I had never purchased before. There was a little package of mini red and white Belgian endives. I eyed them over and decided that they would make a healthy and exotic substitute for crackers.

My dinner tonight was to say the least fresh, colorful and creative, but perhaps not so filling. Lots crispy raw veggies.



The crudites of red endive and other vegetables looked and tasted spectacular! The colors, the crispness, and the appeal screamed that I have to take a picture and blog about it.

I guess it was basically a soup and salad meal , but the colors were amazing..Carrot Ginger soup

Red Belgian Endive Salad and Goat Cheese Yogurt Dip

 Individual Salad Ingredients
2 crisp mini cucumbers, sliced with peel
1 red or white Belgian endive , separated
1/4 purple ( red)  onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes ( or any tomato) wedged
1 Tsp. cumin
21 Salute salt less seasoning from Trader Joe's
1/2 lemon squeezed over crudites
2 TBSP olive oil


Directions:
Assemble vegetables on plate and decorate endive around the edges standing up .
Sprinkle tomatoes with cumin ( unless you don't like it)
Sprinkle entire salad with 1 tsp of salute.
Drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
...
Dip:
Goat milk yogurt mixed with fresh herbs and Trader Joe's 21 herb saltue ( salt free spice mix) ( vegans could use coconut or soy yogurt)
..
The salad vegetables were large enough to pick up and use as crudite so you could drizzle the dip over the salad or dip the veggies in the dip.
Here's the soup I ate with the salad :  Carrot Ginger soup



I shared this recipe on the following fabulous blogs:
Tuesday Twister, It's a blog party,  Vegetarian Foody Fridays, Gluten Free Wednesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Fight Back Friday, Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays, Meatless Mondays, The w.h.o.l.e. Gang, Family Food Fridays
Friday Potluck, Seasonal Saturday, , Simply Gluten-Free   Katherine Martinelli cucumber blog hop
Summer Salad Sunday

Every Sunday Easy Natural Food sponsors a salad blog carnival for all kinds of summer salads during the summer

Carrot Ginger Soup ( Vegan Chicken like soup)

Many vegetarian or vegans look for a plant-based broth recipe to serve as their cherished "mock" chicken soup. If you are looking for a wonderful recipe- this is it!!

Although this recipe sounds a bit different, this carrot ginger soup actually makes the perfect substitute, and I've been making it and my friends and relatives have been loving it for years.  

It is a light broth with a rich soothing taste- with many of the vegetables that are usually found in a traditional chicken soup ( but without the chicken of course) 

I've made this soup at family gatherings where most of the guests are not vegetarians. They are always surprised to find out that it is not regular chicken soup! The flavor is so good, it can food even my 93 year old mother in law who still can't quite get the " vegetarian way of eating." 

I HAVE TWO WAYS THAT I SERVE IT

The first way to serve it is to leave it as a clear broth that I serve with rice noodles or my fabulous  homemade gluten free matzo balls.  

The second version is to simply blend it to make a thick delicious creamy puree. The basic recipe is fast and easy. In fact, you can have homemade healthy soup from prep to table in just 30 minutes!

 Clear Warming Broth Topped With Scallions

Thick Carrot Ginger Puree With Fresh Rosemary

As a broth- it is perfect for cold damp weather, or when you are feeling a little under the weather. It is soothing, light, and nutritious. The combination of carrots and parsnips gives this delicious light soup a slightly sweet taste that is kind of like a -chicken soup and feels healing too. 

Creamy Puree -It can also be made into a creamy thick puree by just blending the broth in the blender or using an immersion blender. Personally, I like it best this way. I like to top it off with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a little handful of fresh thyme from my herb garden. Yum!

Is it healthy? 
You bet ! Carrots are full of beta carotene which converts to Vitamin A, the fresh ginger is bursting with health protecting antioxidants,  the onion has quercetin which boosts immunity, and parsnips provide minerals and potassium. This is an easy, yet healthy soup that the whole family will love.

Now Oil-free too!

I have also updated this recipe so it is not only vegan but oil-free! How did I do that ? Very easily. 

The recipe was already vegan but back in the day, I always thought you need to sauté onions and other vegetables in oil- NOT SO! 

Easy to Sauté Without Oil 

You can easily sauté onions or other vegetables in a small amount of water or broth and the flavor is not much different than when you sautéed in olive oil. You save a ton of un-needed AND unwanted calories. And truthfully olive oil is not as healthy for you when heated- so just don't sauté with oil. Less calories - same delicious flavor.

Why is there an OIL-FREE movement: Why? Why? Why? 

Before you blow off the idea as rubbish ( I did for many years), let's educate ourselves.  Do you realize how many cardiologists are recommending eliminating oil for cooking? read this article 

Pin it Now: Don't forget this soup is pin-worthy!

Author: Judee Algazi from Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

5 cups boiling water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, diced
8 organic carrots, sliced
1 large parsnip, cut into 6 large pieces ( cut down the middle and then cut in threes)
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup grated fresh ginger
1 ball of Asian style rice noodles
3 scallions, chopped for garnish
Himalayan Salt to taste

Directions

Clear Broth Soup

Bring 5 cups water to a boil, turn off heat and set aside. Saute the carrots, onions and ginger in a dutch oven in 1/4 cup of broth or water.  Stir frequently. Add the boiling water, parsley, parsnip and bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer cooking slowly until carrots are tender about 15-20 minutes. Soup can be eaten plain or add a ball of Asian rice noodles and cook until noodle is separated and soft ( about 3-4 minutes). Add salt and pepper if desired and garnish with sliced scallions.

My notes: 
For a real treat leave out the noodles and make my fabulous gluten free matzo balls
Use a wide dutch oven type of pot to make the soup not a tall narrow pot .

Pureed Soup
Follow the directions and at the end puree with an immersion blender ( or in the blender)

  

Saute Vegetables

Add Water and Cook Until Carrots Are Soft

Add Asian Rice Noodles During Last 5 Minutes

Version 1:  Vegetable Soup with rice noodles; add a dash  of cinnamon or allspice for a sweet taste or add salt for a more savory taste.


Version 2:  Add a little salt and puree soup in blender! Yum...

Either way, this recipe makes a great soup!

Tomato Lentil Soup- Italian Style

Do you like Italian Soup? As the weather gets cooler, I keep thinking more and more about piping hot soup!

Personally, I love soup all year round, but I tend to make more soup in the fall and winter. This recipe is different but delightful, especially if you like things a little tangy. If you eat this soup with a hearty salad or over some aromatic basmati brown rice , you can call it dinner.
I must warn you, the soup is filling.

Now, here is the secret ingredient that I use:  Balsamic vinegar! You have used balsamic vinegar in salad dressings, marinades,dips, and you may have even tried it on some veggies or sweet potatoes. Balsamic vinegar is very versatile and imparts an interesting flavor in all kinds of dishes.

Originally, I tried a basic recipe for tomato lentil soup that a friend had given me. It sounded good,  but each time I made it, it was a little bland. I tried to fix it up, but it was still on the bland side.

 I saw a bottle of balsamic vinegar staring at me from the pantry shelf. I thought , "why not?"
Who would have known that lentils and balsamic vinegar are a perfect match.
Wow! The flavor of the soup was transformed.

 I am fussy about my balsamic vinegar. Some brands taste better than others. I usually buy a bottle that says it is made in Modena, Italy.

Make sure you purchase authentic Balsamic Vinegar
"Commercial balsamic vinegar can be a mix of a variety of ingredients, including wine vinegar, water, sugar, conservatives, caramel, and flavoring. There are no standards to ensure that you are getting a quality product. These may be labeled as "Balsamic Vinegar",but they are only pale imitators--not the real thing.

True traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, or Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, is only produced in Modena, Italy and is strictly regulated and controlled by their government. Only an exclusive group of about one hundred families are authorized to make traditional balsamic vinegar. The grapes used to make the balsamic vinegar are grown and harvested in Modena, Italy. They are then crushed, and the juice is cooked over open flame for hours to create a syrupy "must." The must then ages for a minimum of 12 years in a sequence of wooden casks that infuse it with its unique flavor. After this lengthy process, the balsamic vinegar must then pass a panel of five expert tasters. If it is deemed perfect, then it is allowed to be called Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena" ( quoted from : http://www.houseofbalsamic.com/vinegar)

Is balsamic vinegar healthy? You bet! Read on..quoted from:

" Each grape that will ultimately transform into balsamic vinegar is a tiny gem packed with powerful restorative qualities. Tucked within each grape seed are pycnogenols, potent antioxidants that can fight stress, arthritis, allergies and cardiovascular disease. The skin of the grape seed contains tannin, another antioxidant that Harvard University researchers have shown controls weight and slows down the aging process.

Far from being just beautiful and delectable, red grapes contain a bioflavonoid called quercetin that fortifies the immune system, allowing it to fight inflammation, infection and even cancer. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin report that flavonoids from grapes also combat heart disease by preventing buildup in the arteries.

In addition to these substances is another true prize of the grape—resveratrol. This therapeutic powerhouse is a restorative wonder and may be a magic bullet in the battle against aging. Studies from the University of Illinois show that it inhibits tumor growth and France’s Liver Research Study Group has found that resveratrol may prevent liver cancer. Other scientists report that it may even prevent breast cancer by halting the development of a linked enzyme."quoted from:  http://www.houseofbalsamic.com/vinegar/healing-properties

OK HERE IS MY RECIPE :   

Tangy Tomato Lentil Soup Italian Style
Ingredients:
3/4  of a 16 oz bag brown lentils, rinsed and soaked for about 2-3  hours
1 cup chopped tomatoes ( fresh or canned)
Olive oil spray and 1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup onions, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, diced or pressed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sliced carrots
3 stalks of celery, sliced
5 cups of water. ( may need to add more as it cooks)
5 cups of vegetable broth
2- 3 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP  fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste and splash of balsamic vinegar for serving


Directions:
Soak the lentils for about 2 hours in water and then drain

Spray the bottom of a tall soup soup pan with olive oil spray and add the olive oil. Add onions and allow to saute for about 2 minutes.

When onions are soft, add chopped tomatoes, garlic, and the fresh lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.

Stir well and saute for about 2  minutes. Then add lentils and allow to saute in mixture for about 2 full minutes while you stir, coat and toast lentils

 Add water, celery, carrots and bring to a boil. Simmer with a lid for about 20 minutes, then remove lid and continue to cook until lentils and vegetables are very soft. ( add 1/2 cup of water if needed) Add salt, pepper, and an extra splash of balsamic vinegar at the end.

Step by Step with Pictures.





Assemble Ingredients

Prepare Ingredients

 

Soak lentils for 2-3 hours

Follow directions and cook until lentils are soft



Add sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and another splash of balsamic vinegar

       
                                         Pumpkin Farm in Bucks County

                                                       CRAZY PUMPKINS

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