RECIPE: Green Soup

I saw a recipe for green soup that looked very healthy and easy, but there were several vegetables we don't care for in the list of ingredients, so I decided to improvise. I'm glad I did because this soup IS easy, healthy and VERY tasty!
GREEN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 large bunches of Broccoli
1 large bunch of Asparagus
6 cups Spinach
6 cups organic Chicken Broth (I substituted Wildtree Chicken Bouillon Soup Base and water)
Sea Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash and chop vegetables.

2. Put olive oil in a large deep soup pot, turning heat to medium-high.
3. Put asparagus in the pot and allow the pieces to soften. Watch and stir often, as you don't want the asparagus to brown.

4. Add broccoli pieces all at one time. Allow them to soften - about 2 - 4 minutes. 

5. Add 2 cups of organic Chicken Broth and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add remaining chicken broth and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Add all the spinach and cook an additional 3 - 5 minutes.

8. Turn flame/heat off and add sea salt and pepper to taste. 

9. Transfer the soup into a blender (2 cups at a time) and puree soup. Pour pureed soup into a large pot and continue until all the soup has been pureed.
10. Taste. Season, as needed. Other seasonings may be added, but it's recommended to add any extra seasoning per bowl rather than seasoning the entire batch.
Serve and enjoy!

The photo below has been added since the original post. I just wanted to show the soup with our dinner the following evening. Left over Vegetable Breakfast Casserole, a baked acorn squash and a steamed artichoke. Yes, we're definitely eating our veggies! (Dessert was blueberry sorbet!)

**This soup freezes well and can be doubled. Be sure to cool completely before storing it in containers.

RECIPE: Roasted Vegetables - Asparagus, Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

You've probably seen my version of Roasted Broccoli - If not, give it a try - You'll be glad you did!

ROASTED VEGETABLES - PLAIN AND SIMPLE

INGREDIENTS:
Olive Oil

1 bunch fresh Asparagus
Sea Salt
fresh ground Pepper
Greek seasoning
Parmesan Cheese

6 Carrots
Sea Salt
ground Cinnamon

1 Sweet Potato (I used a white sweet potato)
Sea Salt
fresh ground Pepper (use a dash of Cayenne pepper for an added bite!)
1 tablespoon pure Maple Syrup (or Agave)
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil (or ghee or butter)
2 tablespoons chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash vegetables, making sure they are all thoroughly dry before you season them. The seasoning sticks better when they are dry, so it's best to wash it well in advance.
A) I left the asparagus in whole spears.
B) Peel, then cut carrots into bite-sized pieces. (You could use baby carrots instead.)
C) Cut the sweet potato into thin slices.
3. Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a deep dish baking stone or whatever kind of dish you'd use for roasting. Coating the dish evenly. This time I used a 9X13 dish lined with aluminum foil.

 4. Place vegetables into pan and sprinkle olive oil evenly on top. Sprinkle the asparagus with sea salt and pepper. Toss and repeat. You can do all of this in a plastic bag, but I think it leaves too mush olive oil on the vegetables. Sprinkle the carrots with a dash of sea salt and some cinnamon. Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with sea salt and pepper.

5. Bake in center of the oven for a total of about 30 minutes, depending on your oven. Check at 10 minutes to turn vegetables to expose bottom sides. Roast 10 more minutes, then check again.
6. Melt the coconut oil, add syrup and chopped pecans.
7. At 20 minutes sprinkle asparagus with parmesan cheese, if desired. (We do!) Stir syrup/butter/nut mixture over sweet potatoes, coating them somewhat evenly. It's okay if some gets on the carrots ... =)
8. Continue roasting for another 10 minutes. Some of the vegetables will be golden brown. The glaze with caramelize on the sweet potatoes.

 Makes for a colorful, healthy, nutritious meal!

RECIPE: Guacamole

Fajita chicken, Mexican rice, hot and spicy roasted sweet potatoes ... Sounds like guacamole would fit right in! Good thing I had a few avocados and tomatoes to spare!

INGREDIENTS:
2 avocados
1 tomato
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel and mash avocado in a bowl.

2. Wash and dice tomato, removing excess water.
3. Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, tomato, onion, chili powder, pepper and salt.

4. It's best made at least 30 minutes in advance so the flavors blend.

RECIPE: Paleo Mexican Cauliflower "Rice"

What's a Mexican dinner without rice? Well, I never was a big rice fan, but Conrad likes it, so I decided to look for alternate ideas of how to fill the "rice void" in a Mexican meal. I have seen several posts about people using cauliflower as a rice substitute in a lot of dishes. Even though neither of us care much for cauliflower I thought it was worth a try. After all, I bought one today to the tune of $1.29 ... Gotta love living in California! I decided to try different seasonings and spices to "mask" the taste. It didn't need much!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 head cauliflower
1 tomato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
sea salt
ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash and cut cauliflower into flowerettes and microwave for 4 minutes.
2. Peel a tomato and remove seeds and water. Pulse in a food processor.
3. Pulse cauliflower in food processor until it's the consistency of rice.
4. Heat a pan over medium heat for one minute, then add olive oil.

5. Add cauliflower and saute for several minutes making sure it's soft.
6. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin and tomato.

7. Stir and simmer for another minute to make sure tomatoes are warm.
8. Serve with chicken, guacamole, and whatever your favorite Mexican dishes are.

Trust me - It does not taste like cauliflower - It tastes like Mexican rice!

RECIPE: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

I love sweet potatoes and I am very glad that the Paleo Lifestyle allows for the occasional consumption of such a wonderful, tasty vegetable. I found a recipe earlier today that contained sugar, so I decided to give it a more Paleo flair. I was serving this dish with a meal based on a Mexican theme, so I decided to spice it up some. When making this dish you can change the "heat index" by adjusting the final ingredient. (By the way, I often cook for two, so feel free to adjust the quantities accordingly.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 large sweet potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter)
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and peel sweet potato.
3. Cut into sections approximately 1/2 inch thick, then cut in half.
4. Coat each piece with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt.

5. Roast potato sections for approximately 25 minute, stirring occasionally.
6. Melt coconut oil or butter, then add agave, cinnamon, nuts and cayenne pepper, and stir well. 
7. Pour over sweet potatoes and enjoy!