vegetarian – KP The Real

carrot soup

Temperatures are starting to spike but we’re not in the clear yet, it’s only May. Actually this soup is great at room temperature too….that’s how I’ve been eating it to prevent dirtying a pan (lazy).

Feeds 4-6. You will need a blender.

1 # organic carrots
2 medium/small leeks
3-4 celery stocks (1 1/2 cups chopped)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
1 qt of low sodium Vegetable Stock
1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2
kosher salt
pepper
olive oil
Garnish
6 oz low fat sour cream or creme fraiche
chopped fresh dill
chopped fresh mint
beet horseradish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel carrots, remove ends, and cut into 1-2″ chunks. Place carrot chunks on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Toss around to coat carrots. Place in oven and roast for 15-20 min until fork tender. While carrots cook, clean and chop celery, garlic and leeks, using only the white and lightest green part of the leeks. Place celery, garlic, and leeks in a soup pot with 2 T butter, a sprinkle of kosher salt and cracked pepper, cook on med/low until tender. Add stock and roasted carrots. Simmer on med/low for 20-30 minutes. Get out the blender. In batches, blend warm mixture until smooth, then return to pot. Once all soup is pureed, stir in 1/2 and 1/2, taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. For garnish, mix 2-3 T of chopped dill, and 1-2 T chopped mint, into creme fraiche or sour cream. Place a dollop on each bowl of soup and top with a dab of beet horseradish (available in the refrigerated case near dairy products). This can be served warm or cold.

Spring Barley Salad

March 30, 2024Leave a comment

A combination of a whole grain, light flavorful vinegarette, and lots of spring vegetables makes for a high protein, high fiber, vegetarian salad, side dish, or one bowl meal. Great as a side for Easter Ham or Lamb. Come on in Spring.

Feeds 8-10 as a side dish. Feeds 4-5 as base to a main course. Takes roughly 45 minutes to make.

1 cup of dried Barley, rinsed
2 cups of chopped, celery
1 small bunch of radish, cleaned and cut into matchsticks
5-6 green onions, sliced on the bias
Dill, 1/2 cup chopped
Dill pickles, 1/2 cup chopped
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
Dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
generous cranks of black pepper

Boil water and cook barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool. To make dressing combine vinegar-black pepper and blend or whisk together until combined. Prepare all vegetables. When barley has cooled to room temp, add dressing and veg. Fold together to combine. Taste for salt and pepper, add if needed. If serving later you may add oil if salad seems to dry for you liking.

Magnesium and Roasted Pepitas

February 20, 2024Leave a comment

We NEED it but most of us don’t get enough of it. Why is it that most things we NEED, we don’t get enough of; water, sleep, patience, fun, magnesium? It’s likely most people don’t get enough magnesium because it’s found in minimally processed, whole foods, AND stress, caffeine and alcohol can cause excessive loss of magnesium. Women entering menopause can also experience a drop in magnesium as their levels of estrogen drop.

Why is magnesium so important? If you’re like most people you enjoy a good night sleep and a nice dump regularly. Magnesium is like the comfort zone mineral. Helping with some 300 bio-chemical reactions in the body, it helps regulate blood flow, blood sugar, nerve and muscle function, sleep, mood, and bowel. movements. It helps in balancing the states we associate with being comfortable. Without adequate amounts of magnesium, you could be experiencing cramps, headaches, depression, fatigue, brittle bones, reduced heart health, increased risk of stroke and diabetes.

Popping a magnesium supplement probably won’t stop a heart attack in its tracks but incorporating magnesium rich foods regularly, could prevent the worsening or the beginning of some major health disfunctions. While supplements may be necessary, that is something to discuss with a doctor. Too much magnesium from a supplement could be dangerous. Too much magnesium from food is impossible because excess will be passed through urine. My opinion is to always get as much nutrition from food as you can. By eating foods rich in magnesium, you will also be getting other important nutrients along with fiber, fat, protein, and enzymes that also play a crucial role in over all health. You can’t spot clean your health… wink.

roasted pumpkin seeds. Salty, spicy, and sweet. — They look like they’re covered in dirt, but they’re not. That’s the unique spice blend.

Here are some easy, popular food sources of magnesium. In a particular order, from highest amount to lowest, per oz.

Pumpkin seeds/pepitas, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, black beans, edamame, brown rice, plain yogurt

Roasted Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Pumpkin seeds have 156 mg magnesium per ounce. The recommended daily for adult men and woman is 300-400mg/day. These guys are great for just snacking but also good as a salad crunchie, soup crunchie, mixed in a grain bowl, or on top of hummus. Start eating these and you’ll be sleeping and pooping like a baby in no time.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

10 oz pepitas, unroasted and unsalted
1 1/2 T pink Himalayan fine salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1-2 tsp agave syrup
1-2 T olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss well to distribute oil, agave, and spices. On a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the prepared seeds. Place in the heated oven for 12-15 minutes, start watching after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, laying out on the tray. Once fully cooled, seeds can be stored in a jar or container.

Loaded Vegetarian Taco Dip

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This is probably Taylor’s boyfriend’s favorite snack. Super Bowl anyone? I use the word “dip” reluctantly because it is fully loaded and requires more of a “shovel” than a “dip” of the chip. Buy strong chips to serve with. Don’t be put off by the, seemingly, long list of ingredients or instructions. This recipe comes together easily and is worth the effort.

May take 45 min-1 hour. Gluten Free and Vegetarian (substitutions can be made to make vegan). You will need a serving dish with sides a few inches deep.

Perfect Super Bowl snack. I bet Taylor Swift would LOVE.

1 package of tempeh
1 T coconut aminos
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups water
3 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
1/2 c chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c tomatillo salsa
2 T canned, chopped green chilies (optional)
2/3 cup grated, sharp cheddar cheese
1 roma tomato diced
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 avacado
2 T light sour cream
salt and pepper
Tortilla chips

Start by boiling the tempeh to temper it’s bitter flavor. In a small sauce pan combine 2 1/2 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp brown sugar, 1 T coconut aminos, stir and put over med high heat. While you wait for water to boil, open tempeh package, and slice tempeh into 4 pieces. When water boils, add tempeh to the pan and cover loosely, reducing heat to a simmer. Allow tempeh to simmer for 7 min, then drain and set aside to continue draining and cooling. While tempeh boils and cools, prep the ingredients that will be used as toppers (cilantro, cabbage, tomato). In a small bowl, mash flesh of the avacado, then stir in the 2 T sour cream. Season with a little salt, stir and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 T oil and add the onion and garlic. Warm until fragrant but don’t burn. Crumble the tempeh into the skillet, add taco seasoning and another 1 T oil. Stir to combine, then add 1/2 of the drained beans. Stir with a large spoon mashing most of the beans with the back of the spoons. Add the rest of the beans, chilies, and the salsa, stir to combine. With the heat on low, cover, and let the mixture heat through for a few minutes. Taste mixture adding salt and pepper to taste. Add hot sauce if you’d like, as well.

Transfer bean mixture to your serving dish and top with shredded cheese. Cover the dish, allowing cheese to melt. When cheese has melted, lightly spread avacado and sour cream mixture over cheese. Next, sprinkle with red cabbage, tomato and cilantro. Serve with at room temperature with chips. Touchdown.