Healthy Living
Chorba is a type of soup found in national cuisines across the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The beets in this recipe add a beautiful reddish-purple color to the soup as well as powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. Low in fat, high in fiber, and an abundance of flavor in every bite, this soup is sure to keep you warm on even the coldest winter days. It may also be served without blending, either over rice or as-is with a hearty whole-grain bread for a complete meal.
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
6-8 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 cup dry barley
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 carrots, chopped
2 beets, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh sugar snap peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen green beans
2-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup roughly chopped beet greens (loosely packed)
Directions
Heat 2 to 4 tablespoons broth over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Add green beans, sugar snap peas, beets, carrots, tomatoes, and corn to the pot. Add chickpeas, barley, and enough broth to cover vegetables by 2 to 3 inches. Simmer over low to medium-low heat stirring occasionally for 45 to 50 minutes, adding more broth as needed to keep vegetables covered.
During the last few minutes of cooking, add beet greens. Cook until tender, around 5 minutes.
Remove 2 to 3 cups of soup, add to blender, and process until smooth. Return to soup pot and stir. Alternately, if you have an immersion blender you may instead use this for 10 to 15 seconds, pulsing to blend about 1/3 of the soup. Serve in a bowl over rice.
Note: Feel free to add your favorite vegetable or adjust the amounts to your taste.
Per serving (1/12 of recipe): 159 calories; 1.2 g fat; 0.2 g saturated fat; 6.2% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 5.7 g protein; 33.6 g carbohydrates; 5.8 g sugar; 7 g fiber; 613 mg sodium; 60 mg calcium; 2.2 mg iron; 11.3 mg vitamin C; 1,896 mcg beta-carotene; 0.8 mg vitamin E
Source: Kendra Cogsdill
Please feel free to tailor PCRM recipes to suit your individual dietary needs.
This Spanish-style rice is extremely easy and very versatile. Serve it as a side dish, or add your favorite plant-protein for a one pot meal! Makes 8 servings Ingredients 2 cups dry brown rice Directions Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside. Combine onion, bell peppers, garlic, paprika, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and rice and mix well. Add salt to taste. Per serving (1/8 of recipe): 200 calories; 1.7 g fat; 0.3 g saturated fat; 7.5% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 5.2 g protein; 42.1 g carbohydrates; 2 g sugar; 6.6 g fiber; 325 mg sodium; 30 mg calcium; 1.4 mg iron; 27.8 mg vitamin C; 709 mcg beta-carotene; 1.3 mg vitamin E Source: The Power of Your Plate by Neal Barnard, M.D.
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup water
6 ounces tomato paste
salt, to taste
Pure maple syrup is unquestionably delicious, but it’s also high in calories and a bit expensive. To reduce the cost to your waistline and your wallet, try this fabulous blend. It is so easy to make, adds a bit of extra nutrition, and extends the maple syrup while retaining all of its magnificent flavor. It’s the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Makes about 1 cup Ingredients 1/2 cup pure maple syrup Directions Source: Breaking the Food Seduction by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jo Stepaniak
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Stir together maple syrup and applesauce until well blended. Serve at room temperature, or warm briefly over low heat. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Per serving: 118 calories; 0.1 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0.7% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.1 g protein; 30.5 g carbohydrates; 26.4 g sugar; 0.4 g fiber; 4 mg sodium; 28 mg calcium; 0.5 mg iron; 0.4 mg vitamin C; 4 mcg beta-carotene; 0.1 mg vitamin E
A friend of mine sent me this gluten free vegan recipe so everyone can enjoy a healthy dessert.