Two Veggies, Two Apples: Two Fall Soups

The apple season has started.

Obviously, apples are perfect crunched on their own, and at this time of year, used in baked goods from muffins and breads to pies. However, they make great additions to soups too. A classic for example is curried pumpkin and apple soup. Having avoided apples for a while, I am now getting back to them and I got the chance to pair them in soups with two other more green veggies in recent weeks.

In the wake of Food Day 2014, I got more inspiration from the Food Day Eat Real Recipe Collection and made a slightly modified version of Dan Barber's fennel and apple soup. This is a nice and simple, and fairly cost effective soup to make, and I was able to find the fresh (and main) ingredients at the Farmers Market: 3 fennel bulbs, 1 apple, a mild onion variety which I used instead of shallots, and fresh thyme which I always keep in the fridge and replenish.

I also did not use vegetable stock but simply water. I compensated by using a little cooking white wine when sauteing the onion, one of the first steps of the recipe. The next step is to saute the sliced fennel bulbs with the diced apple, cover with water (or stock), throw in some fennel seeds (optional if you do not have any) and let cook until tender (about 30'). The final step is to puree in the blender and finish with olive oil. So, very easy does it for this recipe, a great quality for mid-week dinners.

Prior to this soup, I had also made a kale and apple soup on National Kale Day which I posted on Instagram. Yet again, this is a very simple and nutritional soup to make. The making of this soup was quite similar to making the first soup, substituting a good bunch of curly kale or dino kale for the fennel. I added some quinoa (about a cup) to bulk the soup up and turn it into a complete meal, and used sage to boost the flavor and give it that Fall / seasonal taste. This actually worked quite well.

Dinosaur Kale From The CUESA Ferry Building Farmers Market (Marin Roots Farm)

So both these soups are very easy to make, comforting for shortening and cooler days, seasonal, relatively low cost, and delicious. And being both nutrient dense, will definitely keep the Doctor away :).

Happy Fall Soup Making!

By the way:

• You can also finish the soups with some dairy or non-dairy cream if you are so inclined.
• You can also use a meat-based stock if you are so inclined.
• Both soups will satisfy gluten-free, dairy-free (without cream :)), healthy, Meatless-Monday, clean, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, flexitarian and reducetarian eaters (success! :))

Beyond Spinach And Kale: Market-Fresh Green Smoothies

There is spinach and kale… And there is more than spinach and kale.

Fresh smoothies are a great way to (re)fuel morning, lunch, evening and any time in between.  And judging by the number of blog posts and pictures on the blogospheres and instaspheres, they are *very* popular. And very colorful.

Fresh Farmers Market Spinach

There are a lot of great ways and options for making them, including fruit juices, dairies or non-dairy liquid bases, protein powders, and an array of smoothie-friendly fruits. And veggies, which add fibers and nutrients. I have been using greens in my smoothies for some time now, and until recently I had been mostly using the usual suspects: spinach and kale, which have become the de facto go-to greens all around.

Purslane

Then, at a Farmers Market run a few months ago, I decided to purchase some purslane. I was looking around for inspiration on what to do with it, and I came across Clotilde Dusoulier's great post on 45 ways to use purslane, in which she mentioned smoothies. I gave it a try, and got hooked.

Lambs quarters

Since then, I have been trying all sorts of fresh market greens, including lambs quarters, which I love in all possible ways (and I will have to tell more on that some time) and red and green amaranth, which is beautifully rich in minerals and proteins.

Red Amaranth

I have not entirely ditched the spinach and kale either, rather I have focused on less traditional types, including New-Zealand spinach which has a great flavor and is also rich in mineral, Red Russian kale and Siberian kale in addition to the usual dino and curly kales. 

Green Amaranth

In fact, all these “non-traditional” greens, which, for some are sometimes considered weeds and can be foraged, are true nutritional wonders, providing not only minerals and vitamins but antioxidants and/or omega-3 acids. 

Red Russian Kale

Some of these greens impart a definite taste but if too strong, that taste can be moderated with raw cocoa powder, vanilla and the right combination of fruits. At this point, an all time favorite is this simple basic green smoothie: almond milk, banana, greens, vanilla extract, and, optionally: 1/2 date or maple syrup for extra sweetness, said cocoa powder, frozen berries, gluten-free oats, nuts (walnuts in particular) and/or protein powder.

So hale to kale, but there is definitely a smoothie life after it. :)

By the way:

• In NYC, there are great vendors for all the listed green at Union Square Green Market,  a few other Green Markets, including, among other great ones, Lani’s and Bodhitree. Monkshood nursery, an organic vendor, is present at some Green Markets. In the Bay Area, vendors that provide great organic greens include Marin Roots at CUESA and Three Sisters farm at CUESA and Berkeley’s Farmers Market. This list will be updated!
• Smoothies are naturally gluten-free and can be made dairy free and low in FODMAP with low FODMAP fruits and sweeteners.