Is it a Soup or a Stew?

Hearty soups and stews are on the menu this time of year.  It always seems that when the first of the cold weather shows, our bodies crave the warmth of thick, warming and brothy dishes.

So put on a sweater and slurp up some soup.  This minestrone will keep you toasty. This is no soup for light-weights.  Big chunks of meat, mushrooms and pasta make this almost a stew.

(By the way, I found the grass-fed Chuck at my local Safeway supermarket.  Kudos to Safeway for stocking more and more grass-fed meats, chicken and eggs.  And kudos to all of you out there who vote with your wallets, making it possible for stores like Safeway to stock their meat departments with high-quality health-promoting product.)

Minestrone with Grass-Fed Chuck Roast

This soup is a meal all on its own.  Serve it alone, or add a green salad on the side if you wish.

The grass-fed chuck I used was tender and delicious.  Be sure not to overcook the meat and do not let the soup come to a boil once the meat has been added.

1 1/2 lb grass fed Chuck cut into bit-sized pieces and gristle cut away (I found the grass-fed chuck at my local Safeway)
3 T olive oil
1 onion chopped medium-fine
2 c celery chopped medium-fine
1 large carrot chopped medium-fine
1 clove of garlic minced
1/3 c red wine
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
32 oz organic beef broth
1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed thoroughly
6 oz mushrooms sliced
5-6 oz quinoa pasta rotelle shaped
2 c water
Generous fresh ground Himalayan pink sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 t oregano dried
1/2 t basil dried
Fresh basil leaves
Optional:  Parmesan Cheese

Add the olive oil to a large soup pot and raise heat to medium-high.  When oil is heated, add half the meat to the pot and brown and sear stirring for several minutes.  Remove meat to a bowl while there is still some pink showing through.  Do not overcook.  Brown and sear the remaining meat.  Remove and let sit.

Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic to the pan and cook until vegetables are turning soft.  Add the 1/3 cup wine.  Add the tomatoes and beef broth and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes with lid on.

Remove lid and add in the cannellini, mushrooms, spices and quinoa pasta.  If the liquid seems to have cooked down and there is not enough broth, add the 2 cups of water.  Cook about 8 minutes.  Add the beef.  Serve with chopped basil on top.

This soup is perfectly delicious without any cheese, so don't feel like you're missing anything if you are avoiding dairy.  If you're not, go ahead and sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese into each bowl.  

Turmeric, Ginger and Kale for a Superfood Soup

Okay...I confess.  I'm a food snob.  I don't put any food in my mouth that doesn't taste delicious.  I simply don't...I won't waste my time and calories on it.

Food should taste fabulous and bring us pleasure.  It only takes a little bit more effort in the kitchen to eat food that bursts forth with flavor. I want joy from my food and I'm willing to do what it takes to get there.

However, food is more than just a wonderful eating experience.  It should also keep our bodies healthy, self renewing and supplied with plenty of natural energy.  And I want one other thing from my food...brain power--none of that basketball head blurry mind feeling for me.  I want top-level thinking performance.

Yes, it's a tall order, but there are plenty of foods out there that easily fit the bill.

Lately, I've been interested in some of the inflammation fighters, specifically turmeric, ginger and kale.  I've never really focused on turmeric before.  Somehow I had the impression it was more of a coloring agent than flavoring agent.  Although I have added it to recipes when called for, I never really noticed much about it.  Boy, was I missing out!  Turmeric has a lovely warm, peppery and earthy flavor that I am starting to crave.

I've been cooking with turmeric for several weeks now and I am absolutely in love with it.  In fact, I woke up this morning obsessing so much about it, that I made a turmeric, ginger and kale soup.  Turmeric soup for breakfast?  Okay, I admit it's a little crazy, but well, why not?  It tastes much better than any old bowl of porridge.  That's what I think!

By the way, fresh turmeric root is available in fall and winter months so start checking your farmer's market now. You might also be able to find it at a local Asian market.

When you cook with turmeric, keep in mind that turmeric absorption in the stomach is aided by the inclusion of freshly ground black pepper, so be generous with the pepper grinder.

Turmeric, ginger and kale.  All three of these ingredients are inflammation fighting power-houses.  Inflammation, as you may know, is a leading cause of many diseases including many cancers, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's, all the auto-immune diseases and diabetes, plus many, many more.

I'll take my medicine in the form of yummy superfood soup, thank you very much!

Turmeric, Ginger, Kale and Garbanzo Bean Superfood Soup

Toss the following ingredients into a large soup pot:
3 T olive oil
2 small onions chopped into small pieces
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 1/2 T fresh turmeric chopped very fine or grated (or 3/4 t dried turmeric)
1 1/2 T fresh ginger chopped very fine or grated

Saute until softened.  Then add:
32 oz organic chicken stock
1 can garbanzo beans rinsed thoroughly
2 large chopped tomatoes
6 lightly packed cups of raw kale
generous fresh ground black pepper and sea salt

Optional:  Add either 1/2 cup organic cream, 1/2 cup goat yogurt or 4 T cashew butter

Let soup simmer until flavors soften and combine, about one hour.  Option:  If you eat dairy products, you can add the cream to thicken and enrich the soup.  If you are on an anti-inflammation diet, try the goat yogurt,  And if you never eat dairy, you can add cashew butter, if desired.