Creamy Swiss Chard Soup

This one is adapted from the book Twenty One Day Tummy Diet.

Ingredients:
1 bunch white Swiss chard chopped
5 oz baby spinach chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 cup chopped green onions or chives
2.5 cups water or broth
2 tbsp 1/3 fat cream cheese
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
drizzle of lemon juice (optional)

Heat the oil in large pan or dutch oven. Add chopped red bell pepper and green onions and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add Swiss Chard, and spinach and continue frying for another minute. Add water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the greens are wilted. Add almond butter and cream cheese and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Cool. Using an immersion blender lightly blend the soup into puree or leave some chunks like I do. You can also transfer some to a food processor and blend. Makes about 2 servings.

I drizzled some lemon juice and enjoyed on a frigidly cold day for lunch!

A. Soup. A. Week. Spicy Lentil and Chard Greens in Coconut Milk

Like mango, coconut is another of my favorite fruit/vegetables. It is found in abundance in India. While shredded coconut is used in curries, kichidi and dal, one of my favorites is chutney. In southern India, most houses in addition to mango trees have coconut trees. Drinking coconut juices in summertime is cooling and refreshing.

February’s theme it seems was coconut. Maybe it was my trip to the tropical paradise, The Bahamas or the simple fact that I crave mango and coconut and devour anything that has mango, and coconut. And guess what this past weekend what do I see at my favorite store Trader Joes, but these assorted mango and coconut goodies!

This week’s soup has lentils, greens and coconut. Can’t go wrong with that. I almost felt tempted to add some mango! This is adapted from The Sprouted Garden. I came across this a few months ago. Remember the  coconut oil that I bought? It was for this soup recipe 🙂

Cardamon is another very typical Indian spice that is extensively used in sweets and spice mixes in curries and other recipes. And gives this soup a very refreshing aroma!

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
A handful of swiss chard greens (or any other greens spinach or kale)
1  cup coconut milk whole preferably
1 yellow onion chopped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamon
1 tsp turmeric or curry powder
a few pepper flakes
salt and fresh ground black pepper
roasted or plain coconut flakes to garnish
juice of one lemon or orange
cilantro to garnish

Soak lentils for 6-8 hours. I usually soak mine over night. Soaking longer doesn’t do any harm.

Bring lentils, 3 cups of broth or water and curry powder (or tumeric) to a boil.Reduce to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and fry till lightly brown. Add spices – cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, and fresh pepper flakes.

Transfer the onion and spice mix to the lentils. Add coconut milk, lemon (or orange) juice and shard greens. For a creamier look use whole coconut milk. I did end up using a mix of whole and some light coconut milk. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper. Mix well and keep for 5-10 minutes until the greens wilt. Serve warm with some chopped cilantro and roasted or plain coconut flakes. Makes 4 servings.

A. Soup. A. Week Chickpea Soup for the Soul

It has been a dismal week. Cold, cloudy and gloomy. Even days forecast to push temperatures into the 60s proved false. Cold and flu season is rampant. This week’s soup is simple and soothing for the throat and the soul.

I rarely use chard greens, so when I came across this recipe I thought it would be a perfect addition to my A. Soup. A Week. Also this was the week I went almost vegan to follow the VedgedOut Green Smoothie Challenge. The recipe for this soup with some slight modifications perfectly fit the parameters of the challenge.

Ingredients:
1 cup raw chickpeas
1-2 cups of chard greens
1 carrot diced
1 celery stick diced
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno pepper thinly sliced
1 shallot minced
a piece of ginger
1-2 roma tomatoes
some lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups water or broth
1 tsp dry parsley

If using raw chickpeas, soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Pressure cook and set aside. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse chickpeas.

As I was doing the challenge, I did not use any oil. But you can saute the vegetables in oil. Add onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, and tomatoes to a large pan or dutch oven. Add broth or water and bring to a boil. Add chickpeas. Reduce flame and cook for about 20 minutes. Add chard greens. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the greens wilt.

Serve warm. Makes 3-4 helpings.

This is adapted from Eat Live Run. Oh…. I let the Chicken out 🙂