Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Soup made from greens aka Green Soup

For the next few posts I will share what I've been eating for the last year. As a bonus we will have all these wonderful recipes in one place. No worries to the recipe originators, I always give credit where credit is due if I know the source. 

I first discovered a simple recipe for this soup in the January 2013 Reader's Digest. It's from Anna Thomas and her book, "Love Soup". The basics of the soup is using greens to make it. I use a combination of kale, spinach, Swiss chard (regular or rainbow), turnip greens and even collard greens. Just make sure you start with clean greens. If using collards, make sure you cut out the tough stems before using them. This soup is very tasty, good for you, a bowl has 2 or more servings of veggies per day and it's easy to make. The rice gives it a little body. The lemon gives it some brightness and the olive oil garnish is the last bit of added perfection. I'm not sure I will ever give this soup up. 


The basic green soup:

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 2 large yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoons plus 3 cups water, divided
  • 1/4 cup arborio rice
  • 1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)
  • 14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade*
  • Big pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
 
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard (save for another use, such as to add to a stir-fry or other soup). Coarsely chop the chard greens and spinach.
 
3. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.
4. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.
 
To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4 (omitting the lemon), cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reprinted from Eating Well by Anna Thomas. © 2011 Eating Well, Inc.


* To make homemade vegetable stock- Save tops and pieces from carrots, onions, celery, etc. Make sure they've been washed and are now clean. Add to 6 qts of water along with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off heat and strain. Nothing you'll find in a box or can will ever come close to tasting this good. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Almost a year.....

I'm so behind on my blog that it's been almost a year since I last posted. Does this mean that I've stopped eating Gluten Free? No. Now I have 'been wheated' many times in the past year and occasionally have done so to myself. I know you other g/f people out there must do the same. You see someone eating something you miss. Something you just haven't been able to figure out how to cook as of yet. Maybe something a friend makes that you remember was "to die for" and you just had to have a bite or two or the whole darn thing. Then comes the week after and you remember why you went gluten free to begin with. This year I have been treated to several fine recipes and made a few adjustments to my favorites. One recipe that I used to make was a chocolate trifle. Just cake; layered with chocolate pudding and whipped cream and topped with a shaving of dark chocolate. I adjusted it. I took the basic chocolate cake, made from almond flour that I found on Elana's Pantry. It's in her book of almond flour recipes and it's awesome. Here's the link to the recipe in the book: Elana's pantry Chocolate Almond Flour cake   It's awesome. I loved it. I bought the book so I can make it even when the internet is down. That is not a good thing when a lot of your favorite foods are on the web in some folder.

So, back to the recipe. I made this for Thanksgiving one year (now it's a requirement) for turkey day at my mom's. It used to be a regular chocolate trifle but now it's been renamed. My brother John has renamed it to



Chocolate Sin

For the cake.....follow the recipe above from Elana. I promise it's good. I'm picky about my food so I won't steer you wrong. After the cake is cooled, cut it into cubes. About 1 1/2 inches square. They don't have to be exact. After all, nobody will even see them but they do need to be about the same size and too big makes for dry trifle and too small makes for chocolate mush. The end of it gets to be that way a little bit but it shouldn't start that way. Back to the recipe....

Whipped cream. Use the real stuff. The stuff that comes in tubs in the freezer section is gross. It's oil mixed with a lot of sugar, some water, some fake flavoring (yep, they don't even use real vanilla), and preservatives. 

Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy cream- keep it cold
sweetener- I use 2-3 packets of stevia
1/4 tsp clear vanilla

I use my Kitchen-Aide stand mixer but you can use the one you hold in your hands too. Just make sure the bowl and the beaters are cold too. I pop them in the fridge or freezer for at least 45 minutes before whipping. I start off by whipping the cream alone. When it starts to get fluffy but isn't totally whipped, I add the sweetener and the vanilla. Then I finish whipping. Set the bowl aside in the fridge until you're ready.

I also make my own chocolate pudding. I know, it's horrifying that in today's day and age that I make my own. Trust me, it's worth it. If you're short on time, get the large box of sugar free cook n serve chocolate pudding. Instant isn't good enough for this dessert. Don't do it. Plus....you know your own is gluten free and hasn't been cross contaminated. Also, you can control the type and amount of sugar/sweetener you use as well. 

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
dash salt
1/3 cup agave syrup or 12 packets of stevia or 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate- chopped. I use the squares. If you use bittersweet you'll end up with a sweeter pudding. 

1 TBSP vanilla-use the real stuff

Using a double boiler or a smaller pan set into a larger pan of simmering water, mix together the cornstarch and salt. Then add your milks and sweetener. Stir over medium heat until there are no lumps. Once the milks come up to warm, add your chocolate. Stir frequently while it melts. Once it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add the vanilla. Continue to stir while it thickens. Remove from heat. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. Lay plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent pudding skin. Set aside until cool enough to work with.

Set 1/2 cup of whipped cream aside. Layer in trifle dish or other bowl/dish with tall sides.Starting with the pudding, layer like this: pudding, cake cubes, whipped cream. Be sure to spread evenly over cake. Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Top with reserved whipped cream. You can pipe a design on the top, use chocolate shavings or fresh fruit to decorate. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. Enjoy!