Eat. Play. Love.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

In honor of the big day, I thought I’d share a recipe with you that I created last night. It was a soup full of flavor, beta-carotene and other powerful anti-oxidants. I call it, SunCarBochaSnip Soup. You’re thinking, what the hell is that, Kim? Well, it’s a yummy soup I concocted using sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes), carrots, Kabocha squash and parsnips. Hey, it’s what was in the fridge last night! As I was chopping these beauties, I realized that with all of this fiber, it must be a damn good soup for the heart – and the gut, too. So, I roasted them and turned them into a tasty, warming soup.

Want to know why these winter veggies are heart healthy?

Well, let’s start with our sunchoke friends. Full of inulin and fructooligosaccharides, these sunflower and artichoke relatives serve as a great pre-biotic for the healthy gut flora. Basically, pre-biotics feed the good bacteria, also known as probiotics, in your intestines which allows your digestive system to flow and work properly. Also, studies show that inulin helps your heart by lowering blood glucose, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. It’s also helpful with preventing the growth of certain cancers. One final note on this most romantic day of the year, Dr. K. M. Nadkarni, author of the Indian Materia Medica, says that sunchokes are an aphrodisiac and enhancer of semen production! Who knew?

Carrots of course are full of carotenoids which are amazing antioxidants that prevent cancer. They too can help with lowering blood sugar levels and their coumarin content can help prevent blood clotting. Of course this amazing root vegetable is important to eye health, lung health and the health of the body’s other surface tissues (such as the gut lining). If you believe in food energetics, this makes sense. Carrots are roots that are soothing to the digestive system and soak up nutrients for the carrot plant. The digestive system does the same for us which supports the theory that carrots are good for the gut! Anything that is good for the gut, is good for the heart, too.

Full of fiber and vitamin C, winter squash such as Kabocha are a great way to incorporate sweetness in your diet without the refined sugars. Dr. Thomas Levey, Board Certified Cardiologist and author of Stop America’s #1 Killer says the “the lower your vitamin C blood and tissue levels go, the greater your chances of developing significant heart disease.” Like sweet potatoes and carrots, winter squash are also high in carotenoids which protect your body from a variety of cancers. In addition, winter squash are full of potassium which is an important electrolyte for the heart and circulation in the body.

So what about parsnips? These tasty root vegetables are full of fiber and contain about the same amount of calcium as milk. Calcium, of course, is an important mineral essential for heart beat regulation among other things. They are a good source of potassium, too, which is an important heart nutrient. Parsnips are one of my favorite vegetables to add to soup; however, they do impart a strong flavor so keep that in mind.

So, I think you’re ready for the SunCarBochaSnip Soup recipe. Unfortunately, I don’t measure so you’ll have to improvise a bit. Enjoy!

SunCarBocaSnip Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Kabocha squash (you could substitute any winter squash)
• 5-6 carrots
• 5-6 sunchokes
• 2 parsnips
• 2 onions
• handful of fresh parsley
• stock (homemade is best, but you can also use water or a pre-packaged variety)
• 1 TBSP-ish curry powder
• 1 TBSP-ish paprika
• 1 TBSP-ish cumin
• ½ TBSP-ish chile pepper
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice squash, carrots, sunchokes and parsnips. Place in a dish with a little bit of water and roast in the oven at 375 deg for about 45 minutes. Add some olive oil towards the end.
2. Dice the onion and add to a pan with oil (coconut or olive if you keep the heat low). Add the dry the seasonings.
3. Add stock or water.
4. Add roasted veggies and simmer. Add fresh parsley. Adjust seasonings.
5. Puree with an immersion blender.

Fall is a time of transition both in our bodies and our minds. I love all of the beautiful fall crops, but I am particular fond of winter squash with all of their shades of orange and yellow flesh. Of course, I’m also a fan of sweet potatoes, dark leafy cool weather greens such as kale and watercress and root veggies like carrots, turnips, radishes, rutabagas and beets. These foods can help us to prepare for the changes that autumn and winter bring us. If you are a believer in food energetics, like me, you know that root vegetables are grounding and and strengthen the digestive system by detoxifying the liver and aiding the spleen and pancreas.

According to Paul Pitchford, pumpkin, a type of winter squash, relieves damp conditions such as “dysentery, eczema and edema.” The compounds in pumpkin help to clear out mucus from the longs and throat which is great news for fall allergy sufferers. It’s also a great treat for those sweet cravings and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Pumpkin and other winter squash are chock full of beta-carotene and help reduce inflammation in the body.

If you’re interested in learning more about these Fall Foods, Join myself and Whole Foods Chef, Ellen Siegel for our quarterly Fall Healthy Explorations Program, “Fall Foods & Soups,” at the Greenbelt Youth Center on October 4th at 7pm. Learn how to incorporate a variety of produce from the season into your menu plans. We’ll focus on healthy, hearty soups in particular. The event is FREE and sponsored by the Greenbelt Co-op Supermarket and Pharmacy, but you must register by October 3rd at membership@greenbelt.coop or 301.474.0522, ext. 205.

Here’s a soup recipe teaser from Food & Wine…

Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut & Ginger

Ingredients Include:

• 2 large butternut squash (5 pounds total)—halved lengthwise, peeled and seeded
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 leek, white and tender green part only, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 thyme sprig
• Coconut shavings, for garnish (optional)

photo by Kirsten Strecker, Food & Wine