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Tag: spinach

Spring Green Soup

We just got back from an impromptu getaway to northern Idaho. My girlfriends and I cooked and ate lots of delicious food, including this spring green soup. 

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This bright, herby, veggie soup is a snap to make. I know I say this about a lot of my recipes, but this one is SO EASY! All you have to do is chop one leek, and the fresh herbs (they are going to get pureed so no need to worry about precision), sauté your veggies for a few minutes, then blend everything together. If you have an immersion blender it will come in handy here. If not you can puree the soup in a blender, or Vitamix, just be very careful when transferring hot soup from the pot.

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Try this recipe and let me know what you think…

Spring Green Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 leek, while and light green parts chopped
  • 2 tsps. sea salt
  • 3 cups of chicken stock
  • 5 cups fresh spinach (about 6-8 oz.)
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen green peas (12 oz.)
  • 1 cup plain (unsweetened) Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon)

Directions:

  1. Heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks and salt and saute for 5 minutes, or just enough to soften the leeks. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add peas and spinach and cook 3-4 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Turn off soup and let it sit for a minute.
  2. Carefully transfer soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender right in the pot). Add yogurt, parsley, mint and lemon juice and blend until the soup is smooth.
  3. To serve, garnish with a few sprigs of mint, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of olive oil. Can be served warm or chilled. Enjoy!

green soup 5.16

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie

It’s the season for camping, backyard BBQs, trips to the coast, and days at the hot springs… anything to get us closer to the sunshine and into the water!

On my recent trip to Florida I was out on the beach in the middle of the day and got a little too much sun. I should have known better and covered up, but I purposefully did not put on sunscreen. In the past few years I have all but stopped using it. Instead I wear a big hat (see the photo below of me and my cute Mom on the beach) and bring a long sleeve shirt if I am going to be out for hours at a time.

Anne mom beach 6.14

 

I’m sure you have been told to slather yourself with sunscreen daily, even in the winter, however you may be doing more harm than good. I believe that getting a blistering sunburn is a bad idea and can cause permanent damage to your skin. I also believe that some sun exposure improves my mental and physical health.

Most commercial sunscreens are loaded with chemicals that not only keep us from producing enough vitamin E, but actually increase our risk of skin cancer. The good news is we can help our skin be more resistant to burning by choosing to eat foods that support our digestive health. This month I offer a delicious healthy not too sweet smoothie that does just that.

 

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie 2

 

This refreshing summer treat is full of healthy, whole foods that nourish skin and may protect both against sunburn and long term skin damage!

 

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

6 small ripe apricots

1/2 cup kale

1/2 cup spinach

1 cup blueberries

1 – 2 cups green tea

1 handful mint leaves

1 large handful ice

1 tsp spirulina powder

* Recipe makes enough for two to share

 

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie

 

How to make

1.  Brew tea to your liking and let cool. I used organic loose leaf jasmine green tea from Whole Foods. You can also apply green tea bags to your skin topically for more relief from a long day in the sun.

2.  Chop or tear up all of your greens – kale, spinach, mint – and measure out amounts.

3.  Combine all ingredients in your blender (starting with just 1 cup of green tea to begin with) and blend thoroughly until you reach desired consistency. Add more ice to thicken and cool, add more tea if you want a thinner smoothie.

4.  Pour in a fun cocktail glass, top with some blueberries and a sprig of mint, and sip on this!

Enjoy!

 

Anne McCranie, owner of Fluid Movement + Massage, is a Portland (Sellwood) Oregon based Licensed Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.