Roots and rhizomes delight
Ingredients:
- ½ a potato
- 2 carrots
- 2 small sweet potatoes
- 2 white radish
- Leek
- Onion
- Spices: all spice, bay leaf, pepper, staranise, cardamom, black cardamom, chilli pepper, coriander seeds, rosemary, cinnamon bark.
Preparation:
- Sauté the onions and leek in some olive oil and with a pinch of salt till wilted
- Add vegetables (diced in small cubes) and sauté for 1-2 minutes, and then add the spices, stock (vegetable, chicken or beef). You can add left over chicken or meat.
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes
- Leave to cool for some time, remove whole spices. You can serve like this or cream it with hand blander. In this case you might need to add water till desired consistency.
- ½ a potato
- 2 carrots
- 2 small sweet potatoes
- 2 white radish
- Leek
- Onion
- Spices: all spice, bay leaf, pepper, staranise, cardamom, black cardamom, chilli pepper, coriander seeds, rosemary, cinnamon bark.
Preparation:
- Sauté the onions and leek in some olive oil and with a pinch of salt till wilted
- Add vegetables (diced in small cubes) and sauté for 1-2 minutes, and then add the spices, stock (vegetable, chicken or beef). You can add left over chicken or meat.
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes
- Leave to cool for some time, remove whole spices. You can serve like this or cream it with hand blander. In this case you might need to add water till desired consistency.
Mood Lifting Soup
Barley grains, lentils, beans and legumes are rich in the amino acid tryptophan used by the body to synthesize the feeling-good neurotransmitter, serotonin. Try this simple, easy to make recipe... And, yes... If you are feeling down or disheartened, I still want you to get into the kitchen and prepare it yourself ... Moving and engaging in a physical activity as simple as preparing a dish elevate your brain level of motivational neurotransmittors.
You will need:
- 1/2 cup lentils
- 2 heaped tablespoons whole grain barley
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1 small tomato cut in 4
- 1 small onion finely hashed
- cardamom, sea salt, pepper to taste
Sauté the onions in some olive oil with a pinch of salt till wilted
Add the lentils and barley and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrot and tomato, then add the stock and the cardamom.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender.
Leave to cool for some time then cream it with a hand blander.
Add water till desired consistency and bring back to boil.
You can add left over chicken or turkey. These too are great source of tryptophan.
Serve hot with slices of whole grain/mixed seeds bread and a bowel of fresh green salad.
You will need:
- 1/2 cup lentils
- 2 heaped tablespoons whole grain barley
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1 small tomato cut in 4
- 1 small onion finely hashed
- cardamom, sea salt, pepper to taste
Sauté the onions in some olive oil with a pinch of salt till wilted
Add the lentils and barley and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrot and tomato, then add the stock and the cardamom.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender.
Leave to cool for some time then cream it with a hand blander.
Add water till desired consistency and bring back to boil.
You can add left over chicken or turkey. These too are great source of tryptophan.
Serve hot with slices of whole grain/mixed seeds bread and a bowel of fresh green salad.
