Parsnip and Great Northern Bean Soup with Sage

Wow, how fast time flies! Christmas has come and gone, and my short little vacation to the Olympic Peninsula now remains only in my memories and a few photographs.

Along with adventures trekking through the snow along Hurricane Ridge, we cozied up with family and friends. Good conversation, food, and drinks carried us into each night. We talked about the past, the future, and all the influential people in our lives. It was a time to reflect and be thankful for the family and friends that have supported us every step of the way.

Sadly, my dear grandma passed away the night of Christmas Eve. I will miss her deeply. She was a woman of strength and courage, and one who has loved me from the moment I was born. So much of my success as a young woman, I have her to thank. May she find eternal peace.

Now that Christmas is over, and all the indulgences that follow along, fresh light meals will be the mainstay in my home once again. With parsnips, apples, and great northern beans, I have created a light yet creamy, vegan soup with sage and nutmeg. Slightly sweet and salty this soup will hold hunger cravings at bay and will not weigh you down.

Parsnips are a little sweeter than carrots, but also carry along a lot of fiber. 1 cup of parsnips has only 100 calories and 6.5 grams of fiber, about 25% of your daily needs. In addition parsnips carry along trace minerals such as potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc, as well as high levels of vitamin C and K. Along with great northern beans, which are also high in iron, fiber, and protein, this soup is a well-balanced vegetarian meal.

Serve this soup with bread and salad, and garnish with olive oil sautéed yellow onion, and roasted walnuts.

Creamy Parsnip and Great Northern Bean Soup

Makes about 10 cups

Ingredients:

2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

½ large yellow onion, diced

1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15oz can of Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable broth

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

½ tsp marjoram

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

juice of ½ lemon

¼ tsp apple cider vinegar

freshly grated nutmeg to taste (can also use pre-ground)

Garnish:

Roasted walnuts

½ yellow onion, sliced, sautéed in 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1.  In a large pot over medium heat add 3 Tbsp olive oil, chopped onions, celery, apple, garlic, fresh sage and marjoram.  Stir. Add the salt and pepper. Stir occasionally and allow veggies to sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add the parsnips and the vegetable broth. Allow the stock to simmer about 20 minutes until the parsnips are soft to the bite.

3.  Meanwhile sauté yellow onions for garnish until golden brown. Roast walnuts in a preheated oven for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.

4.  Add the great northern beans and with an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer soup into a food processor or blender to puree. Make sure not to fill your blender too much otherwise it will overflow with soup! You may have to do it in two batches.

5.  Add fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and fresh nutmeg to taste.

6.  Serve garnished with sautéed onions and roasted walnuts. With bread and a side salad this soup will become a whole meal.

Cornbread is my Soul Food

As fall sets in and the leaves are turning, and a light crisp breeze brushes across your cheeks, you know its time to get cozy. I love the light in the fall, warming and orange and am often reminded of my younger childhood years. Fall to me is always full of excitement. School starts, family birthdays are almost every weekend, and Halloween and Thanksgiving are only days away. Scarves and wool sweaters, boots tall or short, start coming out of the back corners of the closet. It is like a new chapter, a new beginning, and a new mindset. So bring on the rain, bring on the winds, and let those few sunny days warm your heart. Its time to start those fireplaces, stock up on teas and cocoa, and huddle around with your favorite people for a game of cards.

Cornbread is my soul food. The coarse ground grits of corn and the delicate hint of maple syrup make my stomach grumble. Even more so, I love it pan toasted in pasture-raised butter. This tops fresh baked cornbread any day! With fall fully present, it is time to break out the comfort foods of cold weather days. Last year I discovered a wonderful recipe by Sally Fallon in her Nourishing Traditions cookbook. This is the recipe I will share with you today and remains to this date the only way I make cornbread.

Most cornbreads I have tried use half or less than half cornmeal. Not only that but the rest is substituted with white flour. This recipe is made mostly with cornmeal and then additional spelt and whole-wheat flours are used. Although light in fat and light in sugar, this recipe remains flavorful and moist. It is simple and easy. All it requires is a day of forethought for optimal fermentation.

Using cornmeal in place of flour products allows you to bring in both B vitamins as well as antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C into your diet. Also cornmeal is a good source of whole grain fiber. The fermentation process in this cornbread recipe helps reduce the phytic acid content, which can bind to essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Soaking grains in an acidic medium, such as the lime and yogurt, activate the production of phytase, an enzyme produced by good bacteria. Phytase helps neutralize the phytic acid allowing the magnesium, calcium, and zinc available in the grains to be absorbed instead of excreted.

So hurray for fermentation, and yay for some good tasty cornbread!!

Fermented Cornbread (adapted from Nourishing Traditions)

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups medium ground cornmeal

½ cup spelt flour

½ whole-wheat flour

1 ½ cups filtered water

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup non-fat plain yogurt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup organic maple syrup (or honey)

¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1.  Soak cornmeal and other flours in the water, lime juice, and yogurt. Allow to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. It will rise better if soaked for 24 hours.

2.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into a buttered/oiled pan (I used a large cast iron skillet)

3.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

4. Enjoy fresh and warm…..or like me,  heat another iron skillet/pan place a little bit of butter in the center and “toast” a slice of cornbread in the butter. You will find a simply delicious and crispy treat awaiting you!

Optional: Personally I like cornbread kept simple, but you can add cheese, chilies, and/or fresh corn to the recipe to add additional flavors and textures.

Wild Leek Soup with Mâche Salad

Langenargen is beautiful when the sun shines. As of late, the weather has been a roller-coaster with temperatures rising and then dropping by 10 degrees celsius every other day. When the sun is out everyone is walking the promenade enjoying the warm temperatures, as well as the glorious views. However when the sun is gone, and the rain has come with winter temperatures, everyone hides in their warm homes or cafes, leaving the town very empty.Yet these highs and lows are common of April weather. Frustrating for those on spring break, the weather is perfect for the plants and flowers in the Lake Constance region.

The Swiss Alps

Wild leeks, also known as ramps, are now found in every shaded forest here in Germany. They cover the ground like a green blanket, waiting for the locals to harvest them. As the start of spring weather arrives so do the wild leeks, and all the health benefits they carry along.

Fresh wild leeks (ramps)

High in sulfur containing compounds and flavanoids, wild leeks are great for cancer prevention and for boosting the immune system. In addition they are high in Vitamin A and C, both antioxidants, and Vitamin  K, which helps the clotting of blood. Wild leeks have been used for hundreds of years as a medicinal plant in blood tonics, for ease in digestion, and even for atherosclerosis.

In order to harvest these wonderfully healthy and flavorful spring treats, you must bring with you a small shovel, some garden gloves, a basket, and wear long pants and sleeves. Ticks are often found in the forests of Germany and can cause serious diseases, therefore make sure to dress properly. Also, wild leeks can easily be mistaken for Lily of the Valley, which is very toxic when eaten. To be on the safe side, please make sure to educate yourself or go with someone who has prior knowledge. If you are uncomfortable with foraging in the woods, you will most likely find these treats at local farmers markets.

Wild leeks have a strong garlic/onion taste, making them a great addition to many savory recipes. You can use them in soups, in omelets, in casseroles, pretty much anywhere you would commonly use spinach.

     

Mâche Salad

Today I chose to use the wild leeks in a soup served with a delicious mâche (lamb's lettuce) salad. The whole table looked like spring with the fresh green color of the soup and salad.

                             

Wild Leek and Potato Soup
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 bundle Wild Leeks (washed and roughly chopped)
3 medium sized potatoes, washed and diced
2 shallots, diced
2 slices prosciutto, cut into small pieces (optional)
750 ml vegetable broth
100 ml cream
1/2 lemon juice
2 Tblsp olive oil/coconut oil/butter
1 Tblsp honey
splash apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  Heat oil in a medium soup pot and add the shallots, prosciutto, and potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow the shallots to turn glassy and the prosciutto to turn crispy. Stir with a wooden spoon.
2.  Add the wild leeks to the pot and allow them to saute until wilted. Fill the pot with vegetable broth until the potatoes are covered. Allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes.
3.  Once the potatoes are soft they are done and you can remove the pot from the burner. Place the pot onto a hot pad and with an emersion blender, puree the soup.
4. Place the pureed soup back onto the burner on low heat and stir in the cream. Then add the lemon juice, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with bread and butter...and of course a salad.

Side Note: To garnish the soup you can top with additional sauteed onions, croutons, or even a drizzle of cream.