A Stack of Dishes

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Healthy Recipes

Cauliflower Soup Made with Bone Broth

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Cauliflower Soup with Bone Broth~ A Stack of DishesEvery year after either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I am left with the turkey carcass, and like so many things, I say to myself- “I’m going to make stock out of that”, and then I don’t.

This year I finally got un-lazy and pulled out my huge stock pot. Though rather than just make broth, I decided to make bone broth, a nutrient dense and flavorful broth.  By simmering the bones for a long long time, a lot of the minerals and nutrients are removed from the bones and meat creating a broth that is rich in amino acids, gelatin, calcium and magnesium, plus more. The gelatin is  known for aiding in digestion, essential for those on the GAPS diet. The broth contains natural glucosamine and chondroitin, which is thought to be therapeutic for joints. The broth also contains proline, which along with vitamin C is great for your skin. The gelatin and collagen also support skin health.

So you can see that this liquid is quite the elixir, but the best part?? It’s delicious!! and couldn’t be easier to make.

cauliflower soup~A stack of dishesInto a stock pot I added the turkey carcass, the turkey wings, an onion, a couple of cloves of mashed garlic, a handful of rough chopped carrots, 2 celery stalks and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and covered the whole lot with fresh water. I then simmered it, covered, all day. It simmered as I cleaned up the wrapping and gift bags, it simmered when I swept and washed the floor, it simmered when I went to the gym, it simmered when I called my Mom and told her about the beautiful gravy and mashed potatoes I made the day before… you get the idea. It just does it’s thing while I did mine.

Finally at the end of the day I strained the liquid through a fine sieve and that was that. The result was a rich luscious broth that cooled into a jelly. (which got me to thinking about making soup dumplings… hmm)  This time when I tossed the carcass into the trash, I felt victorious.

My batch yielded 3 qts of gorgeous broth, which is delicious on it’s own, but I decided to make cauliflower soup. Into a large pot I sweated a pile of onions, a couple of cloves of garlic and some minced celery. Then I tossed in a couple of cups of the afore mentioned mashed potatoes, half a head of cauliflower rough chopped, and a quart of the broth. After about a half hour of low simmering, I pureed it all, added some milk, and the result?

The result was this conversation: [Read more…] about Cauliflower Soup Made with Bone Broth

Coconut Red Lentil Soup and Socca

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Coconut Red Lentil Soup~ A Stack of DishesI’ve gotten onto a bit of an Indian food spree lately. This is a direct result from my trip to NYC a few weeks ago. When Pam and I go to larger cities we often seek out Thai restaurants. After living in Thailand for 5 years Thai food has become comfort food for Pam. So during our first week in NYC we ate Thai just about every day. We have a few favorite restaurants that we return to often when in town, and this time we found a few new places. All quite good for American Thai. We had some delicious Gai Yang, plenty of Kraw Pao Gai, and piles of Som Tam. None had the nose-running spiciness that we adore when in Chiang Mai, but no complaints.

During our second week in NYC we stayed with our friend Claire, and for a switch we all went out for Indian food around the corner from her apartment. The dishes were a new symphony of spices and spiciness that our bellies just adored. Warm curries, cinnamon, cardamom, oniony naan and earthy vegetables.

The delight of the new flavor profiles was doubly enhanced by our visiting with our friend. Claire has done the remarkable thing of completely transforming her self and health over the past couple of years, and a lot of that started with a change in her diet. After years of aches and pains and stubborn weight, Claire shied away from gluten and refined sugars and then ultimately became a Vegan. {well actually a 95% vegan as she calls it, she is not militant. It turns out she enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner just like any good Pilgrim} 

I had not seen Claire much during this transformation phase, but each morning, sitting at her kitchen table while she ate her porridge of grits and lentils, I couldn’t help but be blown away. Claire now has a significantly more svelte physique, but more importantly a lightness of spirit and energy. No- it’s more than that, I dare say that she is somewhat radiant. This from a woman who was gray skies and wore dreary black every day.

After a week of Thanksgiving indulgences, and in the glow of Claire’s revival, you might see how one might fall in love with bowls of Daal.

Coconut Lentil Soup and Socca~ A Stack of DishesBefore leaving NY I tucked into my suitcase fresh spices to bring back home. BTW- spices DO stale in time, so a revamp of your spice rack once a year of so is in order. You’ll be amazed in the difference fresh spices can make to a dish.

So here you have it. A soul satisfying Red Lentil soup made with coconut milk. In addition I fried up a batch of Socca. These are a chickpea flour pancake that have a wonderful creamy texture to them. For you gluten free folks, this is one for the recipe file. I tossed in some black sesame seeds into mine, but like any pancake, they are a blank canvas for any flavor combination. They also take no time at all, so for those nights when you hanker for a starch but don’t want to wait for rice to cook, this would be a fantastic go-to.

Coconut Red Lentil Soup
I made a huge pot of this and kept it in the fridge. During these cold days and holiday indulgences a friendly bowl of healthy Daal and rice is heaven.
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311 calories
34 g
0 g
15 g
14 g
13 g
333 g
621 g
3 g
0 g
2 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
333g
Servings
8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311
Calories from Fat 127
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g
23%
Saturated Fat 13g
63%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 621mg
26%
Total Carbohydrates 34g
11%
Dietary Fiber 10g
40%
Sugars 3g
Protein 14g
Vitamin A
31%
Vitamin C
8%
Calcium
6%
Iron
30%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup yellow split peas
  2. 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
  3. 7 cups water
  4. 1 medium carrot, sliced into 1/4" coins
  5. 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  6. 2 Tablespoons Bolt's curry powder (I used hot)
  7. 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  8. 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  9. 1/3 vup tomato paste
  10. 1 14oz can light coconut milk (full fat coconut milk makes a creamier dish)
  11. 2 teaspoons salt
  12. 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped
Instructions
  1. Thoroughly rinse the lentils and peas, picking through to remove any debris or stones. Place them in a large pot and add the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, add the carrot and half the ginger. Cover and cook until tender, abut 30 minutes. While the lentils and peas cook, in a small dry skillet over low heat, toast the curry powder. Take care not to burn it. You will get a burst of curry aroma coming from the pan, remove from the heat and scrape the powder into a bowl. Add the coconut oil to the pan and add half of the scallions and the remaining ginger. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add the toasted curry powder and stir to combine. Add the contents of the pan to the lentils along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add more water if the consistency gets too thick. Serve with Socca and top with the remaining scallion and a dollop of yogurt if you like.
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
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calories
311
fat
15g
protein
14g
carbs
34g
more
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
A Stack of Dishes http://astackofdishes.com/
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Socca~ Chickpea Pancakes
These cakes are gluten free and have a lovely creamy texture to them that is addicting.
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266 calories
31 g
0 g
12 g
10 g
7 g
121 g
162 g
5 g
0 g
4 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
121g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 266
Calories from Fat 102
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12g
18%
Saturated Fat 7g
33%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 162mg
7%
Total Carbohydrates 31g
10%
Dietary Fiber 9g
37%
Sugars 5g
Protein 10g
Vitamin A
1%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
10%
Iron
21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  2. 1 cup water
  3. 2 tablespoons warmed coconut oil
  4. 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
  5. 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  7. coconut oil for frying
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and stir thoroughly. Allow the batter to sit for at least 15 minutes for the flour to completely hydrate. You may adjust the thickness of the batter by adding more water if necessary.
  2. Place a large skillet over a medium flame and prepare with either cooking spray or a small amount of coconut oil. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes.
  3. Like any pancake you can make them any size you desire.
Notes
  1. The pancakes are best served warm, but I honestly have no complaints with them being at room temperature. You may make them up in advance and then simply rewarm then in a dry pan for a minute or two before serving.
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calories
266
fat
12g
protein
10g
carbs
31g
more
A Stack of Dishes http://astackofdishes.com/
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One Simple Change

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0sc2

Because sometimes it’s the simplest things that can make the biggest difference. Congratulations to my friend Winnie Abramson for her new delightful book, One Simple Change. It’s a petite powerhouse of great ideas and insights on how to make easy changes that can change your life. Just imagine how wonderful it would be if each week we did one small easy thing for ourselves! As Winnie describes it:

One Simple Change takes a holistic approach. It will help you discover how to live in a way that will make you feel great while you decrease your risk for a number of chronic diseases. In addition making the simple changes suggested in this book with benefit not just your personal health but the health of our planet as well.

As you can see from my page markers there are tons of wonderful ideas that resonated with me right off the bat. Start the day with a glass of water, eat real food, and one of my favorites- cook more. Winnie writes with an easy personal voice that offers gentle support without being preachy. Each chapter is short and succinct, making it easy to read in those off moments of the day.

Might I suggest, you can become one of the cool kids on the morning train. This gem sports a sleek design and gorgeous orange cover which will look chic when you pull it out of your handbag, (like my pal Maggie Batista at Eat Boutique does). This is the sort of book that makes for a great Holiday gift. Think stocking stuffer, Secret Santa. Or even better, get a bunch of copies for the office and get everyone in on making One Simple Change together!

OSC1

With Winnie’s permission A Healthy Hunger will be running a regular column on this concept. I’ve done a more extensive review of the book, which you can read here. The first installment is A Healthy Breakfast. I’m including the recipe here, but please pop over and read the full post on why and how to make this a part of your day.  

EggandGrits

Poached Eggs and Grits with Spinach and Smoked Salt
This is a bowl of goodness that can be easily transformed into different taste profiles. The scallions, sesame oil and smoked salt give this version an Asian flair. Add salsa and beans for a Mexican touch!
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116 calories
7 g
186 g
6 g
7 g
2 g
298 g
534 g
0 g
0 g
4 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
298g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116
Calories from Fat 55
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6g
9%
Saturated Fat 2g
9%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 186mg
62%
Sodium 534mg
22%
Total Carbohydrates 7g
2%
Dietary Fiber 1g
3%
Sugars 0g
Protein 7g
Vitamin A
34%
Vitamin C
8%
Calcium
5%
Iron
9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup Grits, quick cooking
  2. 3 cups water
  3. 1/4 tsp salt
  4. 4 eggs, large, preferably organic
  5. 1-2 tablespoons white vinegar
  6. 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  7. 1 scallion, sliced
  8. 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  9. 1/2 teaspoon smoked salt
Instructions
  1. Set a medium sauce pan with 2" of warm water with the vinegar on the stove to boil. Reduce to a simmer and carefully crack each egg into the water. The vinegar will bind the egg so it will contain itself.
  2. Gently simmer the eggs for 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
  3. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, warm the 3 cups of water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring the the boil. While stirring add the grits. Lower the heat and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
  4. Divide the grits between 4 bowls, sprinkle the spinach leaves on top, add the egg. Finish the dish with the sliced scallion, a few drops of sesame oil and a sprinkling of smoked salt.
Notes
  1. A double batch of grits can be made and refrigerated to be reheated another day. Use within 3 days.
  2. Personal note: I sometimes make my grits in my rice cooker. This relieves me of having to watch the pot and I find it easier to clean than a pan.
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calories
116
fat
6g
protein
7g
carbs
7g
more
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