Monica’s Kitchen Roanoke Chiropractor—spinal adjustments Towers Family Chiropractor

Broccoli Millet Soup

February 1, 2019 by towers

Too healthy-sounding for you? I promise this soup is yummy if you have a good broth. I prefer home-made chicken broth which is extra flavorful and that is what I used in this recipe. If you have some leftover millet grits, making this soup will be even quicker. In fact, if you have some leftover chicken, add that too!

Serves 4

1 large yellow onion, chopped fine

1/4 cup ghee or coconut oil (I used ghee)

2 cups broccoli floretes

1 quart chicken broth

2 cups cooked millet grits

1/4 cup chickpea miso, mashed and mixed well in 1/3 cup of water

sea salt to taste and black pepper if desired

Saute the onion in melted ghee or coconut oil in a medium-sized soup pot over medium heat. Give an occasional stir and saute for about 5 minutes until onions are tender. Layer the broccoli over the onions and cover the soup pot. Let the broccoli steam over the onions with heat on a low setting so onions don’t burn for about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the millet grits and mix well. Again, bring to a simmer to thoroughly heat the millet. Keep heating until the broccoli is tender but still bright green–if you overcook the broccoli it will be a drab green color. Remove from heat and add the miso paste. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lentil Arugula Salad with Noodles

January 11, 2019 by towers

Sprouted lentils again? Well yes, because they are so quick and they store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks once you have them sprouted. For sprouting instructions and a brief discussion go here. We use organic brown rice fettuccine for noodles. Remember that pasta made with any grain–even gluten-free grain– is concentrated starch and may cause blood sugar stress. My solution is to limit the amount I add to a dish and dilute with plenty of vegetables.

Serves 2

1 large onion, chopped fine

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 cup of lentil sprouts

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp. organic tamari

cayenne pepper to taste, optional

1 cup cooked brown rice fettuccine

4 cups young arugula leaves (2 cups per serving)

Cook the noodles following the instructions on the package–use a handful that is about an inch in diameter and break the nookles into 4 inch pieces before you put them in the boiling water. After draining the noodles leave them in the pot so they stay warm but stir a Tbsp. of olive oil into them to reduce stickiness. Set aside.

Saute the onions is a skillet with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Stir for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the cumin and stir. Add lentils and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring every few minutes. Add yeast, tamari, and cayenne if desired. Stir well and heat for a few minutes. Add cooked noodles and toss to mix well.

Serve over bed of arugula.

Lentil Stew

November 28, 2018 by towers

Previous posts on sprouted lentils say it all. When I sprout lentils I use 2 cups dry and get about 5-6 cups sprouted. They will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week to 10 days. These are so easy to make a quick meal that it is worth remembering to sprout some once a month or so. Here’s my latest that was inspired from seeing the lentils and some turkey broth that I made after Thanksgiving dinner in my fridge.

2 cups lentil sprouts

1 large onion

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. cumin powder

1/2 tsp. coriander powder

cayenne, a pinch, optional

2 cups turkey or chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a medium-sized soup pot. Add the chopped onion and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes giving an occasional stir. Add the spices and stir well. Add the lentils. Stir well. Continue heating on medium heat for another few minutes stirring to prevent sticking on bottom of pan. Add broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Can be served alone or over millet grits, rice, or noodles. (I use organic brown rice fettucine.)

–

Potato-Zucchini Salad

July 16, 2018 by towers

Not another zucchini recipe! Perhaps you have noticed a thread in some of these recipes: I aim to lower the carb content of some favorite recipes plus get more vegetables into the diet. In this case, I am making good use of the relatively bland, non-starchy zucchini that is abundant and inexpensive– especially if you garden or know someone who does.

I’ve always loved potato salad in the summer when it’s a relief to serve cold foods. This version is lighter (as you would expect since it dilutes the potato with zucchini) but still very satisfying. We didn’t miss the eggs when I served it, but if you have some boiled eggs on hand you could add a few. We had this with some wild salmon, sauerkraut, and cucumber-parsley-mint juice last night for a simple meal.

Serves 4

3 medium-sized (about 3 inches in diameter) red potatoes, unpeeled but scrubbed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

1 zucchini, about 8 inches long and 2 inches round, quartered lengthwise and then cut across into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 dill pickle, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I had homemade with olive oil on hand)

1 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt, pepper to taste

Steam potatoes covered in a vegetable steamer until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and steam and allow to cool while proceeding with preparing other ingredients.

In a medium-sized serving bowl, whisk the mustard and mayo until smooth. Add the olive oil and blend well. Add the onion, celery, and pickle. If you have the time, allow this mixture to marinate 20-30 minutes to mellow the raw onion.

Now add the potatoes and zucchini and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Best served immediately. It is good the next day but the zucchini pieces won’t be as crisp.

Zucchini Challenge turns into Miso Zucchini Broth

July 13, 2018 by towers

Being a gardener, I’m susceptible to zucchini guilt–feeling very guilty for pitching nature’s bounty in the form of overgrown zucchinis onto the compost pile. It’s hard to keep up with harvesting them, especially once your refrigerator is full of zucchini! I have suggested a practical solution in a previous recipe. Well, it is that time of year again and I thought to remind you about “putting up” zucchini the easy way. If you are faced with the zucchini challenge, visit that post!

Yesterday, I grated 6 medium-sized zucchini; besides the 3 bags of “wrung out” grated zucchini I froze, I also got 1 quart of zucchini “water” which I refrigerated. This morning I had a smoothie for breakfast and instead of water, I used the zucchini juice that is generated by following this previously posted recipe. It was much better with the zucchini juice! Yes, the salt in the zucchini juice will alter the taste but it was more than that. A nice surprise given I was expecting to taste, well, zucchini.

Enjoy the growing season with all its bounty!

Here’s another idea for a quick, nourishing broth using the zucchini “water”:

1 cup zucchini “water”

1/2 tsp. dried onion flakes or granules (not onion salt)

1 tsp. miso (I like “MisoMaster” chickpea miso)

Heat zucchini “water” and onion granules in a saucepan to a simmer. Remove from heat. Place miso in a mug or bowl. Add a little of the hot liquid and mix the miso paste into the liquid until homogenized. Add the rest of the hot liquid to the mug and stir well. Enjoy while warm.

Cauliflower with Pesto

July 5, 2018 by towers

This recipe is a version of a previously posted recipe for green beans with pesto This one uses primarily cauliflower. One other difference is that I used pine nuts which does make pesto extra special. The gluten-free bread shown here was delicious freshly baked and served hot with these veggies. It is easy to make–stay tuned as I will post that recipe next time.

1 head of cauliflower, cored and cut into bite-sized florets

2 cups green beans, cut into 1-2 inch lengths

pesto, follow the link above for that recipe but double it

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare the pesto but double the recipe, and set aside.

Steam the cauliflower in a vegetable steamer until just tender–this means you can pierce the florets with a fork with just a little resistance. Remove from heat and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, drain, and place in a bowl. Now steam the green beans to the same tenderness following the same procedure and then adding to the cauliflower in the bowl. Now use a spoon and mix the vegetables together well. Add the pesto mix and stir well again. Add the olive oil and mix well again. Taste and add more salt if desired. Serve room temperature or keep in refrigerator to serve cold as it will keep for a few days.

Turnips with Carrot and Onion

June 22, 2018 by towers

Turnips are the round tap roots of the turnip plant. Folks from the South may be familiar with turnip greens but the root is good also. If you’ve never seen them in the produce section, they’re about the size and shape of beets but they are white with a purplish blush around the top. Give this low-glycemic vegetable a try–it’s a nutrient-dense Brassica without the characteristic strong taste of this family of vegetables.

Serves 2

1 turnip (the size of a big orange), chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large carrot, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. ghee or coconut oil or a mix of the two
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. clove powder
salt to taste

Slice off the top end of the turnip and carrot and scrub them very well before chopping–no need to peel as long as you can remove all the dirt with a vegetable brush. Melt oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and stir for a few minutes. Add the spices and stir again. Add the carrots and turnips and stir well continuing to cook over medium heat. Cover but give a stir to prevent sticking every few minutes. Check for tenderness after 10 minutes and cook until tender–carrot and turnip pieces should be easily pierced by a fork. Serve immediately.

Coconut Whipped Cream

May 22, 2018 by towers

Dairy-free whipped cream? Yes, this really works. Just be sure your can of classic organic coconut milk (only the full fat version) is very cold by refrigerating it overnight. Then once you open the can, be sure to scoop out only the white solid part (not the liquid in the bottom of the can) that has set up in the upper half of the can. The liquid in the bottom can be saved and used for smoothies. Keep the white solid part cold until you are ready to “whip”. Also, chill the bowl you will be using to whip the “cream”.

1 can organic, full-fat coconut milk, chilled in the refrigerator overnight
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Scoop out the solid white coconut in the top of the can (as described above) and place in a bowl that has been chilled in the refrigerator. Whip with an electric beater. When beautifully creamy, add the honey and vanilla. Beat again until well mixed. Serve immediately or chill until served.

Macadamia Chocolates

May 22, 2018 by towers

Wholesome ingredients make the best desserts. These chocolate pieces are yummy alone or as topping on berries served with coconut whipped cream. Other nuts can be substituted for the macadamia nuts. Also, this mix would work as a chocolate layer on peanut butter or almond butter squares or fat bombs. Desserts do not have to be high in starch or sugar–I prefer them being higher in good quality fats. Here’s a good example of that principle.

2 Tbsp. cacao butter
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. ghee
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Redmond’s or Himalayan salt

Spread the chopped nuts in the bottom of a 8X12-inch shallow baking tray or dish. Set aside.

Melt first three ingredients in a double boiler–only warm enough so that it melts. Mix well Take off heat. Stir in the honey, cacao powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth; pour over the nuts. Refrigerate until hardened–at least 2 hours. Cut into 2-inch squares. Remove with spatula and serve cold.

Marinated Cauliflower

May 14, 2018 by towers

When the summer heat hits, vegetables served cold are a good way to go. Cultured or fermented vegetables are very popular now but don’t forget about marinating the more fibrous veggies too–cauliflower and broccoli are perfect for marinating. By partially cooking them before marinating them they are easier to digest but will still be crisp.

Other ingredient options are olives, grated carrots, chopped sweet red pepper, minced parsley, scallions, etc. I hope you have fresh herbs from your backyard or patio–fresh is best!

This mix of vegetables can be served over mixed salad greens or in place of steamed vegetables on your “perfect plate”.

Serves 4

Dressing for marinade:

1/4 cup of avocado oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. minced, fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped, fresh chives or 1 Tbsp. dried chives
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Vegetables:
1 head of cauliflower, broken and cut into small florets
1/4 cup pitted, chopped olives of your choice, optional
1 cup shredded carrots, optional
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper, optional
1/2 cup minced parsley, optional
1/2 cup chopped scallions, optional

Mix the dressing by placing all dressing ingredients except the chives in a blender container and blend well. Stir in the chives. Set aside and steam the cauliflower

Place the cauliflower florets in a vegetable steamer with the lid on and steam over boiling water for about 5 minutes–watch closely, stirring a few times, and pierce with a fork each time you stir. As soon as you can pierce a floret, remove steamer from heat and rinse the cauliflower with cold water briefly. Do not overcook! Place them in a bowl. Add dressing and other vegetables. Stir well until vegetables are coated with the dressing. Refrigerate until well-chilled for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Broccoli Millet Soup

Lentil Arugula Salad with Noodles

Lentil Stew

Potato-Zucchini Salad

Zucchini Challenge turns into Miso Zucchini Broth

Cauliflower with Pesto

Turnips with Carrot and Onion

Coconut Whipped Cream

Macadamia Chocolates

Marinated Cauliflower

Good Nutrition

Broccoli Millet Soup

Children’s Adjustments

Children with back pain

Towers Family Chiropractic