Foodie Friday

Finally, the muggy, sticky weather here in New Jersey broke, and there was a delicious chill in the air as I stepped out on the back porch this morning. Ahhh… and speaking of delicious, I had a cup of absolute comfort for breakfast – Nature’s Path Organic Maple Nut Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal. It was hot, creamy and sweet, with a bit of crunch from the organic hazelnuts and altogether perfect for a cool autumn morning. One packet does contain 210 calories,

but it is nutrient dense, and nutrient dense foods will leave you more satisfied, so I recommend eating this first thing in the morning. (Nutrient-rich foods contain a wide variety and significant amount of essential nutrients, so your body can be chemically satisfied with a relatively small amount.) Then mid-morning I suggest eating some protein/carb combo (like a cup of yogurt with nuts, or an apple with some organic peanut butter). Of course, be sure these work with any dietary restrictions you may have! And since I’m not a certified dietician, these are only ideas I’m sharing that have worked for me, or have been written about/recommended by people in the industry.

No, I’m not trying to do a commercial pitch for the product, but periodically I will be offering you recommendations for foods and recipes and nutrition information, so you can exercise your cooking muscles and add to your toolbox of healthy eating tips, tricks and tools.

I also received a great soup recipe this week from the weekly newsletter of the George Mateljan Foundation – it’s a “Super Energy Kale Soup”, chock full of carrots, kale, garlic and mmm-mmm good! It takes about 40 minutes from start to finish, serves four, and the only thing I changed is taking out the red potatoes and switching them with sweet potatoes. Of course, you can add other favorite veggies as you choose to make it even more colorful and nutritious (I may add some red pepper flakes for an extra little kick). I’ve added the recipe below. I just love-love-love to make soup in the fall and winter, so I’ll be making this on Sunday. Soup, homemade bread, snuggle down and watch the game with family/friends – love it! Go Steelers!

So there you have it, foodie friends – have a cooking musclefest this weekend, and enjoy!

Blessings,

Linda

SUPER ENERGY KALE SOUP

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium carrot, diced into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
1 cup diced celery
2 sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups kale, rinsed, stems removed and chopped very fine
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried sage
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop garlic and onions and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot.
Healthy sautee onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.
Add garlic and continue to sautee for another minute.
Add broth, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil on high heat.
Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and kale and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 more minutes.
Add rest of ingredients and cook another 5 minutes. If you want to simmer for a longer time for extra flavor and richness, you may need to add a little more broth.
Serves 4