A potential paleo confession + the soup that heals

You may have seen it coming. I mean, I'm very passionate about healthy and wholesome cooking. It started with strange produce from our former fruit and vegetable delivery. Then it was whole-wheat this, quinoa that. Barley, lentils, beans. Now, I don't know what to think. All I know is that I can't get "paleo" and "wheat belly" off my mind.

Don't freak out - I'm not a convert yet. But Zack and I are headed in that direction; at least for now. You may be seeing a lot of low carb, low sugar recipes coming your way. And to my surprise, Zack is very on board...could this be because there will be more meat involved, I wonder? I'm no expert when it comes down to the nitty-gritty eat this, not that, but we'll see where this goes.

For now, I bring you "the soup that heals." Man. If you need a way to awaken your senses and cleanse your soul, this is the soup for you. The wholesomeness, the spice - it just feels good. It dinner doesn't get much healthier than a homemade broth overflowing with fresh veggies.

A magic healing soup

As adapted from The First Mess.

Serves 2.

Note: whatever vegetables you decide to use, be sure they are sliced or peeled rather finely. The cooking/tenderizing of the vegetables is dependent upon the hot broth alone, so you don't want your veggies to be too chunky. Also, the ingredient portions listed here will serve 2; I doubled the recipe when I made it, saving the broth and fresh-cut veggies in separate containers, re-heated the broth the next day and submerged the veggies in it.

Ingredients for broth:

1 whole lemon, halved

2 celery stalks, cut up into a few pieces

1 onion, quartered

5 shiitake mushroom stems (reserve caps for soup)

1 red chili pepper, halved

1 3-inch piece of fresh ginger

1 clove of garlic, smashed

5 twigs of fresh thyme

Handful of fresh cilantro stems (reserve cilantro leaves for soup)

Heaping 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce

5 cups water

To serve:

1.5 cups finely sliced vegetables per serving (I used carrots, snow peas, shiitake mushroom caps, and whole leaves of baby spinach)

Garnish:

Fresh cilantro leaves

Sliced green onions

Sprouts (I used micro-greens from Trader Joe's)

Sesame oil

Sriracha

Lime wedges

Make the broth: combine all broth ingredients in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Pour 5 cups of water over the top and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cooking for 30-45 minutes (longer if you want a more concentrated broth). Strain the broth and return to pot, keeping hot.

You can slice up vegetables and garnishes while broth is simmering. Arrange vegetables in serving bowls, then ladle/pour hot broth over top. Stir around a bit so vegetables are completely submerged to tenderize. Garnish as desired and serve.

This soup was very delicious. It is light on the appetite though, so we supplemented with a little beef and asparagus Japanese take-out. And it was spicy. We love heat over here, but be sure to not overdue it with the chili pepper if heat is not your thing (don't throw in all the seeds as I did, perhaps). Furthermore, may test taste at 30 minutes; I let it simmer for a good 45 minutes, so it was concentrated. Come to think of it, if you're not into heat, this may not be the soup for you. I think it might be too simple without it. This is a great recipe though.

Well, here's to all the healthy and belly-friendly dishes coming your way. Stay tuned!

Rice Bowl with Ground Turkey, Edamame, and Toasted Chickpeas

This was one of those saw a good-looking recipe, took what I liked, and made it my own types of meals. Okay, it was the toasted chickpeas that lured me in. If there are chickpeas involved, I am a goner. I'm toast. I'm taken. I just love them. I don't really know why; I mean, they're not that incredible. They're mainly known for being mashed and processed into hummus. Never the less, I like them. A lot.

This rice bowl was really delicious. Because I made a ton, we've been eating it the last couple days and I think it keeps getting better. The first night, I think I was overly consumed with all the flavors because I had been standing over all the skillets and saucepans for too long. I found it to be mediocre when I had a bite. But the next day, it was really good! All about texture and the subtle Asian flavor that come through.

Get some brown rice cooking first. Then, steam florets of cauliflower and thinly sliced ginger in a steamer basket over a saucepan of simmering water. Season with salt and cook until tender, adding in some frozen edamame towards the end of cooking. Meanwhile, saute ground turkey in some neutral-tasting oil (such as canola) until cooked and browned, breaking into little bits. Also, heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high and add chickpeas (drained and rinsed), toasting until slightly crisp. Add a little butter and thinly sliced scallions, stirring to combine, then remove from heat.

Combine the vegetables, ground turkey, and chickpeas, then spoon over brown rice. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. And enjoy.

Asian-Style Salmon with Sauteed Carrots and Leeks

And the Asian-inspired dishes continue.

I found this recipe in a cookbook put out by the American Institute for Cancer Research; it's titled The New American Plate Cookbook. And this salmon dish is actually one of the recipes featured on the cover. The book is really beautiful and has awesome pictures (I'm not going to lie; I only buy or check-out cookbooks with plenty of pictures). The visual catalyst - whether it be fresh, colorful ingredients or a luring picture - is what makes me want to cook. Okay, I know I sound like some sort of dork saying that, but it's true.

Anyways. This cookbook challenges the traditional American plate (a.k.a. large slab of meat with potatoes and a vegetable) with recipes full of vegetables, whole grains, herbs, and nuts (which should make up at least two-thirds of your plate). Some lean meat can make up the last third.

This salmon recipe had Zack's co-workers jealous the next day when he brought leftovers to work. It's good. And it's different. Combine low-sodium soy sauce, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Chinese-style mustard, and Chinese five-spice powder. Marinate salmon fillets in this mixture for up to an hour in the refrigerator. Broil until cooked through.

Toast sesame seeds in a canola oil coated skillet until golden, stirring constantly. Transfer to a small dish. Saute julienned carrots and leeks until tender for about 5 minutes in the same skillet used for the sesame seeds. Add chicken stock, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until no liquid remains. Spoon over salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice and/or quinoa.

What made this recipe so incredible was the crust that developed on the salmon. The marinade gave it a beautiful browned quality, and I have to say, this may have been some of the best salmon I've ever had. In the sense, of its preparation; it was so flavorful and the texture was perfect. Just pull one fillet apart to be sure it's cooked all the way through (good thing we did so because ours took a little longer than expected). And the vegetables were a perfect match. The Chinese flavors are so aromatic and delicious. Definitely making this again. Cheers. 

Sesame Brown Rice Salad with Shredded Chicken and Peanuts

Yes, it's been awhile. But I've got a great recipe to share in this post. This dish has great flavor. The sesame oil, canola oil, and fresh lime juice dressing is really delicious. It has Chinese chicken salad written all over it. If you want something light and healthy, this is a good choice. I also think it would be really great for lunch.

Just cook your rice, add shredded cooked chicken, shredded carrot, green onion, dry-roasted peanuts, and cilantro. Then drizzle the oil mixture over the rice mixture.

Grain salads are perfect for making ahead of time, but I learned that the grains will absorb the dressing too much as they sit. To counteract this, you can adjust the seasoning just before serving by adding some fresh citrus juice, a pinch of salt, and some fresh ground black pepper. Serve at room temperature.

You may have noticed that we're backing off the pasta a little. I love pasta. So much. But I've got to learn how to cook some other things too, yeah? Keep your eye out for some more fresh and healthy, and also some warm and comforting fit-for-fall meals. I am loving fall here in Washington. We have had some gorgeous weather. Cold, crisp air and sunny skies, wind and swirling leaves, a little rain here and there. Pumpkin, anyone?