Chilled Cucumber Soup with Mint

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC Friday, June 28, 2013 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Organic Beauty Chilled Cucumber Soup, Cook, Cucumber, detox, Healthy Cooking Permalink 0

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

This delicious chilled cucumber soup is super detoxifying, and is a perfect light summer dinner for those balmy nights. The pine nuts add some bulk and healthy fats, giving the soup a super yummy consistency. Due to the high water content of cucumbers, this soup is also amazing for beauty, hydrating skin, and weight loss!

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Mint

Serves 2

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 lemon, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups pure water
1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Blend everything except fresh mint together until smooth — about 3 minutes in a high-speed blender. Add mint and blend for 15 seconds. Garnish with as extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of mint or dill. Serve chilled with some rye toast.

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Quick Vegan Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC Friday, June 28, 2013 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Organic Beauty, Recipes Coconut milk, Cook, cooking, dinner, healthy recipes Permalink 0

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

This creamy tomato soup is going to become a fast favorite for the whole family. The quinoa and coconut milk lend the soup and delicious rich creaminess that’s so good, you won’t even miss the dairy! Plus, the cooked tomatoes are loaded with tons of lycopene, which is an amazing antioxidant.

Quick Vegan Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Serves 4

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 (28 oz.) can organic diced tomatoes with juice

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, plus a bit more for garnish

1 tsp raw organic apple cider vinegar (or more, if you’d like a little more acidity)

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth, or 1 cup water with 1-2 tbsp Seitenbacher vegetable broth powder

1/2 cup organic coconut milk (you can also use almond milk)

1 tbsp cooked quinoa or millet (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and juice and apple cider vinegar, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add broth, quinoa, and basil. Bring to a boil again. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, stir, and remove from heat. Blend with immersion blender or in standing blender, in batches if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a bit of basil, and serve with a slice of whole grain bread.

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Quick White Bean and Kale Soup

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC Friday, June 28, 2013 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Recipes Cook, diet, dinner, dinner soups, food Permalink 0

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

This quick and delicious soup makes for a hearty and healthy dinner. A rainbow of colors tells you you’re getting tons of yummy vitamins, and the beans mean everyone will feel full and satisfied from a vegetable protein that won’t weigh you down!

Quick White Bean and Kale Soup

Serves 4

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 (32 oz) carton of low-sodium organic vegetable broth, or 4 cups of water seasoned with Seitenbacher broth powder

4 cups packed chopped kale

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 (14.5 oz) can of organic, unsalted cannelini beans

1 (14.5 oz) can of organic diced tomatoes

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another two minutes. Add carrots and cook another minute. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil. Cook about 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add beans and kale and cook until kale is tender, about another 5-7 minutes. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with rye or multigrain toast.