Covenant Natural Health Care

Recipe: Artichoke Soup

I've been making Giada De Laurentiis's Creamy Artichoke Soup for years, but since getting married two and a half years ago, I've had to change up the recipe to make it dairy-free so that my husband could enjoy it.

Serve soup with a salad and you've got a nutritious, hearty meal.

Shopping List:
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 leeks, white part only, washed well and chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions: Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and stir. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the artichokes, stock, salt, and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with chives.

Recipe: Chunky Beef Chili

Soups and chili are staples in our house during the winter months. They are easy to prepare, last for several meals and can be made in large batches and frozen for a future meal.

Enjoy this healthy recipe submitted by one of our clients who just recently started her journey to good health.

Shopping List:
• 1 Pound ground beef
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Small onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 Each large red and green bell peppers (or yellow), coarsely chopped
• 2 Cups butternut squash, peeled and coarsely chopped.
• 1 Package (10-oz) frozen organic corn
• 2 Cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes (or throw in several fresh tomatoes instead—no need to cut as they will fall apart as they cook)
• 15oz Beef stock (preferably homemade)
• 1½ Teaspoon chili powder
• 1Teaspoon ground cumin

Directions: Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven or small stockpot, stirring until cooked through, then drain. Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers and squash and mix well. Stir in corn, tomatoes, beans, broth, chili powder and cumin. Simmer for 30 minutes. Refrigerate any leftovers. Great to freeze for later!

• Ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef in this recipe (or any chili recipe).
• Make this recipe spicy by adding crushed red pepper or diced hot peppers.

Recipe: Chunky Vegetable & Beef Soup

This recipe is one of the most protein-packed, nutrient-dense soups I've ever made. It's flavorful and hearty, perfect for any meal of the day. Couple it with a piece of whole grain bread and leafy-green salad and you've got yourself a delicious, nutritious meal. But, wait, don't thank me ... this recipe came from one of our clients. You can [virtually] meet her by watching her video testimonial online.

Shopping List (as much organic as possible):
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 1/2  Pounds chuck roast
• 2 Cups carrots, chopped
• 2 Cups celery, chopped  (including leaves)
• 1-2 Cups onion, chopped
• ¼ Head cabbage, chopped (optional, but good!)
• 1 Cup green pepper, chopped
• 30oz (equivalent of 2-15 oz cans) Stewed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Bay leaf
• 10oz Mixed frozen vegetables (green beans and peas)
• 1/2 Cup zucchini, chopped
• 1 Can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Optional ingredients that I added:
• 6 garlic gloves
• Onion powder
• Dried basil

Directions:
• Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the roast in the oil on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
• Cover with 8-10 cups of water. Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer on low to med-low for 30 minutes.
• Add chopped onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, green pepper, bay leaf, stewed tomatoes, salt and pepper.  
• Simmer on low for 1 hour.
• Add the frozen mixed vegetables and simmer another 20-30 minutes.
• Take out the meat, remove and discard the bones, add the meat back to the soup.  Simmer on low until ready to eat.
• Remove the bay leaf
• Ladle into a bowl and enjoy!

• Debbi also makes homemade, organic broth/stock from local resources that does not contain sugars, MSG, or artificial flavors like most commercial brands. If you're local to the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana area and you're interested in buying homemade broth locally, you can contact Debbi via email for pricing and delivery options.
• Save time on this recipe by making the beef and beef stock a few days beforehand.
• Click here for other soup recipes we've posted lately.

Recipe: Hearty Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

I will admit to going overboard when it comes to buying a turkey for Thanksgiving—I always fear there won't be enough for everyone. So, I err on the side of caution and get an extra-large bird. I've realized there is no downside to this, except maybe the increased cooking time. Otherwise, there are a lot of leftovers to freeze, eat for the next couple of weeks, or to make soups and casseroles.  Being that it's cold outside, I couldn't resist making a hearty, nutritious pot of soup with some of my leftover turkey—enough for dinner and tomorrow's lunch and to freeze for a future dinner.

This recipe is loaded with lots of vegetables, homemade broth, delicious wild rice, and fresh parsley, making it perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Shopping List:
2 tablespoons organic, sweet cream butter
3 large carrots, chopped
7 celery stalks, chopped
8oz white button mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 onion, chopped
1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
8 cups homemade turkey or chicken broth
3 cups wild rice, cooked
Salt & Pepper, to taste
3 1/2 cups turkey, cooked and cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons fresh parsley

Directions: Heat butter in a soup pot and add carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft. Stir in the gluten-free oat flour and let cook for a few minutes longer. Pour in the homemade broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the wild rice, turkey, and parsley and cook until turkey is warmed all the way through, about several minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Double or triple this recipe and freeze for several future meals. This hearty, nutritious soup also makes a nice gift for friends or family who aren't feeling well. Plus, if you don't have turkey, you can substitute chicken insted.

What to do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with plates filled with healthy, savory food. One of my favorite things about holiday cooking is the leftovers. They are great for freezing and pulling out later for an easy meal.

Here are some ways you can use up some of those leftovers.

Pumpkin puree
• Make pumpkin pancakes (use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose and honey or sucanat instead of sugar)
• Bake a batch of pumpkin muffins, save some to eat now and freeze the rest
• Make pumpkin soup and freeze for a later meal

Sweet Potatoes
• Make a pot of creamy sweet potato soup (skip the maple syrup and bacon)

Turkey and turkey bones
• Make your own turkey broth. Here are some tips from Debbi, one of our clients:
Add coarsely chopped celery, carrots and onion for a wholesome stock. Gently simmer for a couple of days in a slow cooker. The last 10 minutes, add a bunch of parsley for added nutrients. Let cool and discard the bones and vegetables. Remove the fat from the top and make into soup or freeze for future use.
• Freeze leftover turkey for later meals or make a pot of turkey soup

Chopped vegetables:
• Toss into the pot to make turkey broth
• Make a hearty vegetable soup
• Refrigerate for easy snacking during the week

Bread
• Make homemade croutons for soups and salads

Have a great weekend!