Creamy broccoli and almond soup

Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods.

It's an excellent source of vitamins K, C and A, as well as folic acid and fibre; and a very good source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and the vitamins B6 and E.

Many of its health benefits are due to its phytonutrients.

Broccoli is rich in phytochemicals called glucosinolates with well-evidenced anti-cancer properties and the carotenoid lutein, which is a powerful antioxidant known to prevent macular degeneration.

Creamy broccoli and almond soup is is one of my favourite plant-based soup recipes. It's delicious, easy to prepare and very satisfying.

The creamy texture comes from the ground almonds and gently sauted onions and it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and added sugar-free.

Recipe

Yield

• Makes 4 servings

Serving size

• 340g/12oz

Calories per serving

• 151

Tools

• Thick-based cooking pot
• Simple hand blender

Prepare ahead

• Store any portions leftover in the refrigerator or freezer

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 white onions (300g/10½oz) (roughly chopped)
• 1 head broccoli (400g/14oz), washed and cut into small florets. Cut stalks into small pieces. Set aside a few florets, cut into bite-sized pieces, to add at the end.
• 2-3 cups water
• 3 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 dessertspoon sweet white miso, dissolved in a little water to make it easier to mix into the dish         without lumps
• 1 tsp flaked almonds

Method

Add olive oil and a small pinch of salt to a thick-based pan. Add the chopped onions and spices and sweat gently over a low heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

Sweat - A technique by which ingredients, particularly vegetables, are cooked gently in a small amount of fat over low heat, in a tightly covered pot. With this method, the ingredients soften without browning, and cook in their own juices. 

Sweating is different from sautéing, which is cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil or other fat in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat.

Add broccoli florets (apart from the small handful of florets you’ve put to one side) and the chopped broccoli stalks.

Add enough water to just cover the vegetables. Don’t add too much water at this stage otherwise the soup will end up watery and it will take you ages to reduce it. If the soup is too thick, you can always add more water later. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the broccoli is soft enough to blend. Don’t overcook it otherwise the broccoli will lose its vibrant green colour.

Blend the soup with a simple hand blender. Add the ground almonds and sweet white miso to taste.

Add the small broccoli florets you set aside and simmer for a further 2 minutes, until they are cooked al dente.

al dente [al-DEN -tay] An Italian phrase meaning “to the tooth,” used to describe pasta or other food that is cooked only until it offers a slight resistance when bitten into, but which is not soft or overdone.

Serve the soup garnished with flaked almonds.

There are many dishes you can make using broccoli. Check out my recipe for purple spouting broccoli with mushrooms and arame.

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Pecan pie - free from dairy, gluten, added sugar

Yesterday our friends Judy, Nick and Viki came for lunch, along with their 1 year old West Highland Terrier, Poppy.

Poppy

For dessert, I made this Pecan Pie, which is free from wheat, dairy and added sugar. The sweetness comes from the natural whole ingredients - carrots, dates, pecan nuts, coconut and cinnamon.

It went down so well that Nick asked me for the recipe.

I must stress that this dish is sweet and is thus best served as a treat for special occasions rather than consumed on a regular basis. Although it contains a relatively high level of natural sugars, it also contains many other beneficial nutrients, so is much better for you than, say, cheesecake.

Carrots provide the highest source of provitamin A carotenes of the commonly consumed vegetables. Two carrots provide roughly 4050 retinol equivalents, or four times the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.

Vitamin A is required for:

• Antioxidant protection from damaging effects of oxidation/free radicals, pollutants 
• Eye health and vision
• Strengthening the immune system
• Growth, repair and formation of body tissues
• Bone, nerve, teeth formation
• Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
• The lining of the digestive tract

Carrots also provide excellent levels of vitamin K, biotin and dietary fibre; and very good levels of vitamins C and B6, potassium and vitamin B1.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds that help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Carrots also promote good vision, especially night vision. Beta-carotene, which is present in high levels in carrots, provides protection against macular degeneration and the development of senile cataracts.

Dates are among the most alkaline of foods and contain a special type of soluble fibre called beta-D-glucan. Beta-D-glucan fibre has been shown to decrease the body's absorption of cholesterol and to slow or delay absorption of glucose in the small intestine, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels even.

Laboratory studies have shown that dates are also surprisingly rich in antioxidant and anticancer compounds.

Pecan nuts owe much of their flavour to their high fat content, most of which is in the form of heart-healthy mono-unsaturated oleic acid.

Pecans also contain significant amounts of plant sterols, which are known to lower cholesterol levels.

Pecans are an excellent source of vitamin B1; and a good source of vitamins B3, B5, B6 and vitamin E. They are also rich in minerals, particularly manganese, molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium, selenium and calcium.

Coconut contains saturated fat and is an excellent source of manganese, molybdenum and copper.

Proving that delicious can also be healthy, here we go...

Ingredients

Ingredients for Pecan Pie

For the base

• 1 cup (85g/3oz) desiccated coconut
• 1 cup (100g/3.5oz) pecan nuts (chopped)
• 70g/2.5oz dried dates (chopped)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp water

For the topping

• 4 carrots(240g/8.5oz) (peeled and grated)
• 140g (5oz) dried dates (chopped)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (170g/6oz) ground almonds
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup (150ml/5 fl oz) hot water
• 20-25 pecan nuts for decoration

Method

1) Put dried ingredients for base in a food processor and blend until they form into a dough-like ball. Add 1-2 tbsp water if necessary to make the mixture stick together.

2) Press base mixture into a pie dish and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees C (gas mark 3/325 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5 to 10 minutes until just turning golden brown at the edges. Take care not to overcook - pecan nuts can burn easily.

3) Add the grated carrots, dried dates and cinnamon to a small pan, add 1/2 cup of hot water and simmer until the carrots and dates are soft. Add a little more water if necessary. Blend together with ground almonds until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If you find the mixture is a bit soft, just add some more ground almonds; if it's too dry, add a little more water.

4) Spread mixture on top of base using a spatula or a spoon and knife and decorate with pecan nuts. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees C (gas mark 3/325 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes until lightly brown. Serve warm or cold.

Nutritional information

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