5 Tips For Coping With The Covid-19 Pandemic

Tip #1 - Make lots of soup and freeze it!

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Sheltering in Place
At this writing, as the pandemic is spreading across the world, a third of the United States has been told to stay home and isolate. The stress of waiting in isolation might naturally drive us to sit on the couch, watch the news 24/7 and eat "comfort food." Since we might be in this for the long haul, here are a few things to do to get you off the couch.

TIP #1 - Make Soup
A large percentage of the population will get the virus but not all will become seriously ill. That said, many of us will get sick, be home alone or with another family member who is also likely to be sick.  And since we are all isolated, no one will come over and take care of you. So while we are feeling good, make soup. Make LOTS of soup and freeze it. Just start with some sautéed onions, celery, and garlic. Add lots of water or broth and spices like 1 or 2 bay leaves, some thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Fresh ginger is a good addition or sometimes I just steep in a few ginger tea bags. Add your favorite beans. (If you eat meat, throw in some chicken thighs and cook for 20 minutes.) Then start adding vegetables like carrots, peas, corn, kale, green beans, a can of tomatoes, etc. Simmer until the vegetables are soft but not mushy, squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the pot. Cool and freeze. Do not add pasta or rice until you defrost and serve it. 
I have dozens of soup recipes on this blog that you can try also.

TIP #2 - Develop a Routine
After a week of total paralysis, thinking every sniffle and allergy symptom I had was the virus, I finally resumed my daily work schedule. I have a business I do from home and I also help my daughter with her business remotely. Cooking, exercising, and gardening also takes up my time. So I put a to do list together after my morning tea and schedule my day. The schedule keeps me busy and lessens my stress. Give it a try.

TIP #3 - Plant a Garden
If you are lucky enough to have a little yard, start growing your own food. This pandemic will not completely go away until a vaccine is developed and everyone is inoculated. That could take well over a year. Growing food will lessen your need to go to the grocery store and expose yourself to others who may be carrying the virus. If it's still too cold in your area, you can start seeds at home under a grow light.

HOW TO BUILD A RAISED BED GARDEN BOX

BUILDING A RAISED GARDEN WITH WATER TROUGHS

TIP #4 - Self Care
It's more important than ever not to get sick or hurt yourself. Why? Because doctors and hospitals are too busy with Covid-19 patients to see you. So do everything you can to stay healthy.
  * Consume Immune Boosting Foods and Herbs - Include mushrooms, raw garlic and ginger in your diet as well as antioxidant-rich colorful fruits and veggies. Culinary herbs such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary have great antiviral and immune system boosting properties. 

  * Gentle Movement - You're home or out getting some fresh air while social distancing. So you may be thinking, "what a great time to get in shape!" Please avoid overdoing it. If you haven't been running or doing vigorous exercise before the pandemic, start slowly. Remember, if you sprain your ankle or pull your back out, your doctor is not available! Gentle movement will help pump your lymphatic system and boost the production of immune cells that actively protect us against viruses and bacteria. 

  * Dental Care -  Many dentists have temporarily closed their offices during the pandemic so take especially good care of your teeth. You are home so it's easy to brush after every meal. Floss every day and try not to chip a tooth on hard foods. Doug made popcorn the other night and I was super careful not to eat the unpopped kernels for fear of knocking out a crown!

TIP #5 - Try to Disconnect
It's very important to stay informed but don't do it 24/7. The news is grim as the cases skyrocket and you worry about your loved ones spread across the world. Catch up on it periodically but try and detach a bit. I have an especially hard time with this one.

Of course you have heard about keeping your distance, washing your hands often, and not touching your face so I don't need to harp on that. But I will say, TAKE THESE MEASURES SERIOUSLY! And please everyone, STAY SAFE. 

Instant Pot Cauliflower SoupVegan And Gluten Free

This low calorie soup is excellent for weight loss.

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Weight Loss Between the Holidays
I'm probably not alone at wanting to shed the Thanksgiving pounds before the next wave of holidays. I've always been a proponent of healthy soups for making this happen. Here's a easy and delicious soup that is less than 150 calories per hearty serving and also has 6 grams of dietary fiber.

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable which contains the phytochemical sulforaphane. This compound has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which contribute to its ability to prevent and treat several types of cancer. Inflammation also contributes to many long-term chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and more.

The high fiber content of cauliflower not only helps keep you full, contributing to weight loss, but also helps lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, helps feed your gut bacteria, reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, and keeps you regular. 

Instead of using cream, this soup gets its creamy texture from potatoes allowing it to be dairy and cholesterol free.


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Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
Vegan, Dairy and Gluten Free
[makes 6 servings]

Requirements
Hand Held Immersion Blender 
Instant Pot

Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed, cut into florets
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth*
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
*5 cups for stovetop recipe

Directions
Heat the oil in the Instant Pot by pressing the “Sauté” button. Add the onion and celery and cook until they soften, stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes. Press the “Off” button.

Add the cauliflower, potatoes, 4 cups of broth, bay leaf, salt, black and cayenne pepper to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid, press the “Manual” button, and set for 4 minutes at high pressure. When done, quickly release the pressure and remove the lid carefully with the steam pointed towards the back. 

(To cook on the stovetop, heat the oil in a soup pot and sauté the onion and celery for several minutes. Add the cauliflower and potatoes, 5 cups of broth, the bay leaf, salt, black and cayenne pepper. Cook on a low boil, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Continue with the recipe.)

Remove a cup or more of the cooked vegetables, roughly chop and set aside. 

Remove the bay leaf and add the lemon juice. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining soup until smooth. You can also do this in a blender but take care not to over process.

For a chunky soup, remove some of the cooked vegetables before you blend the soup and put them back in after blending. Skip this step for a completely blended soup.

An immersion blender makes blending a lot easier.

Stir in the chopped vegetables, adjust seasoning if needed,  and serve. 

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (6): 149 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 60 mg omega-3 and 219 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 6 g dietary fiber, and 438 mg sodium.

Holiday Recipes Deserve Homemade BrothInstant Pot And Stove Top Vegetable Broth

Homemade broth is far superior to store bought.

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Homemade Broth is Far Superior

When I'm in a hurry, I often just use a Rapunzel bouillon cube for broth. I find most boxed broths taste like dishwater or they can be over salted and just unusable. But for my holiday recipes, I like to make my own broth. Especially on Thanksgiving when I need broth for soup, stuffing, and cooking potatoes or side veggies. 

You can either use fresh vegetables for your broth or veggie scraps that you have been saving in the freezer. But since it's a holiday, let's go all out and use fresh vegetables and herbs. 

Use your Instant Pot for a quick and easy broth or cook or simmer on the stovetop which is just as easy but takes a bit longer. You can double the recipe if needed.

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Instant Pot or Stovetop Vegetable Broth

Vegan, Dairy and Gluten Free

[makes 4 cups]

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cups coarsely chopped onions

1 cup coarsely chopped leeks

1 1/2 cups thickly sliced celery

1 1/2 cups thickly sliced carrots

1 cup mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, cut in half

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs parsley

1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon peppercorns

Salt to taste

Directions

For the Instant Pot:

Heat the oil in the Instant Pot by pressing the SAUTE button. Add the veggies and garlic and cook until they just begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 4 to 5 minutes. Press the OFF button.

Add the remaining ingredients. Cover with water and stir. Secure the lid and press the MANUAL button and set for 10 minutes at high pressure. When done, press OFF and let the pressure come down naturally. Remove the lid carefully with the steam pointed towards the back. 

Strain out the vegetables and herbs. Use immediately or refrigerate or freeze for later use.

For the Stove Top:

Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and saute the vegetables and garlic, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover with water, stir, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least an hour. Strain out the vegetables and herbs. Use immediately or refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Instant Pot Coconut Curry Zucchini SoupVegan And Gluten Free

A good way to use your garden zucchini!

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It's Zucchini Time
There have been years when I've planted so many zucchini that I was ready to set the garden on fire.  This year I promised myself I would scale back and only planted a single zucchini. However, it's so prolific that I'm still having a hard time keeping up with it. So you may be seeing more zucchini recipes this summer.

My one and only zucchini plant.

Today's recipe also uses potatoes since we just harvested over 50 pounds of new potatoes a few days ago. They are so easy to grow and what's better than a freshly harvested new potato?

Our potato harvest.

Although I cook this in my Instant Pot, you can easily make this on the stovetop. I include notes on stovetop directions below.

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Coconut Curry Zucchini Soup

Vegan, Gluten and Dairy Free

[Makes 9 Cups]

Requirements

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Hand Immersion Blender

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (~1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sweet curry

1/2 teaspoon hot curry, or to taste

2 pounds zucchini, sliced

1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 can lite coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

Heat the oil in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE function. Add the onions and ginger and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the sweet and hot curry. (To make on the stovetop, do this step in a large saucepan.)

Stir the curry into the onions.

Add the zucchini, potatoes, broth, coconut milk and salt.

Sliced zucchini and diced potatoes.

Lite coconut milk has plenty of flavor and
creaminess but far fewer fat and calories.

Secure the lid, press the MANUAL button, and set for 5 minutes under high pressure. When done, press the OFF button and quickly release the pressure. (To make this on the stovetop, simmer in the large sauce, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Continue with recipe.)

When complete, open the cover and tilt so that the steam comes out the back and away from your face. 

Using a hand immersion blender, blend the soup until fairly smooth but leaving some small chunks of zucchini and potatoes.

You still want to see the specs of zucchini.

Stir in the lime juice and adjust salt if necessary and serve.

Nutrition

(Per cup): 112 calories, 5 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, and 276 mg sodium.

Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup

These large, fluffy vegetarian matzo balls are 
made in an Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.

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With Passover approaching, here's an easy way to make matzo ball soup in your Instant Pot. One of the secrets of making great matzo balls is to never uncover the pot while they are cooking. Well, there's no chance of that happening while they are locked in a pressure cooker! 

For this recipe, I'm using Manischewitz Matzo Meal, not a matzo ball mix.

Matzo Ball Soup
Vegetarian
[makes 8 matzo balls/4 servings]

Requirements
Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
For the Matzo Balls
1/2 cup Manischewitz Matzo Meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 eggs from happy chickens
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
For the Soup
8 cups water
2 stalks celery, small diced or thinly sliced
1 cup small diced onion
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 Rapunzel vegetarian boullion cube
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt to taste

Directions
Make the matzo balls. In a small bowl, mix the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and dried parsley. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs and then mix in the olive oil and matzo meal mixture and then two tablespoons of water. Blend until the mixture is uniform. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the mixture firms up, about 20 to 30 minutes.  

In the meantime, add the soup ingredients to your instant pot. Using the “Sauté” button, bring the broth to a brisk boil. Stir well.

Soup ingredients

Remove the matzo ball mixture from the refrigerator. With moistened hands, form the mixture into 8 (1-inch) matzo balls. Turn the Instant Pot off (it will continue to boil), and drop the matzo balls into the pot. Do not stir.

Immediately secure the lid, making sure the top vent is closed. Press the “Manual” button and set for 15 minutes at high pressure. When done, quickly release the pressure and remove the lid carefully with the steam venting towards the back.

I was surprised to see how big these turned out!

Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per serving (2 matzo balls plus soup):  185 calories, 10 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 71 mg omega-3 and 973 mg omega-6 fatty acids*, 140 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 721 mg salt (not counting salt to taste.)

* Fatty acids do not include contribution from the matzo meal since that information is not listed by the manufacturer. To increase the beneficial omega-3 content, use omega-3 eggs.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash SoupOnly 117 Calories Per Serving

This simple butternut squash soup is a
great first course for your holiday dinner.

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For healthy, vegan holiday recipes, check out
my ebook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

Quick and Easy Soup in the Instant Pot
With several dozen butternut squash from my harvest, I've been trying to create a really simple, delicious, and healthy recipe so that I can enjoy them over the next few months. This recipe, using my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, makes a steamy, brothy soup that makes a wonderful beginning to any meal. I will be hauling a few of my squash to my daughter's house next week so that we can serve this soup on Thanksgiving day.

Butternut squash can sometimes be tough to cut and a bit intimidating, so check out my post, An Easy Way to Cut a Butternut Squash Without a Machete.

If you don't have an Instant Pot, follow the Stove Top recipe below.


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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Vegan, Dairy and Gluten Free
[makes 6 servings]

Requirements
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Immersion Blender

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, cleaned and diced
4 cups vegetable broth*
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

* broth can be replaced by 4 cups water and a large Rapunzel vegan bouillon cube

Directions (Using an Instant Pot)
Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on the SAUTE function. Add the onions and celery and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off the Instant Pot.

Add the diced butternut squash, broth, and salt and hit the MANUAL button on the Instant Pot and set for 6 minutes under high pressure. Make sure the quick release switch in the closed position. When done, hit the OFF button and let the pressure release naturally.

When complete, open the cover and tilt so that the steam comes out the back and away from your face. 

Add the applesauce, cayenne pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon of thyme and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. 

Stir in the lemon juice and adjust salt and cayenne to taste. It should still be warm enough but if not, use the SAUTE function and heat for several minutes. 

Pour into large cups or small soup bowls, top with the remaining fresh thyme and serve. 

Directions (On the Stove Top)
Heat the oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add the diced butternut squash, broth, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the applesauce, cayenne pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon of thyme and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. 

Stir in the lemon juice and adjust salt and cayenne to taste.

Pour into large cups or small soup bowls, top with the remaining fresh thyme and serve.  

Nutrition
Per serving: 117 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 58 mg omega-3 and 263 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 2 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, and 551 mg sodium.

Basil Tomato Soup With Corn & Cavatelli PastaFreeze A Big Batch For Winter

Yellow tomatoes make a delightful soup.

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Yellow Tomatoes

I picked up a yellow tomato plant at the farmer's market this spring. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the strain, but it grew the biggest, most beautiful, low-acid, tomatoes I've ever experienced. Some of them were a pound and a half! I am definitely going to save its seeds so that I can grow them again next year. Since they are late producers, I'm still harvesting them, even though it's early October.

Since I've already canned dozens of jars of red tomatoes, I thought I'd make and freeze lots of soup so that we could enjoy it this winter. (If you are going to freeze this soup, do so without the corn or pasta. It will take up less freezer space and you can add the corn and cooked pasta when you use it.) It's also a very versatile soup so add any veggies and grain you desire. Or for protein, add some beans or peas. The combinations are endless. This may become one of your favorite soups - it's certainly becoming one of mine.

I developed this recipe using a combination of yellow tomatoes and pink brandywines that are also late producers and are low in acid. You can make this soup with any tomato, but it's best when you use ones that are pulpy, not watery.

Heirloom yellow and pink brandywine tomatoes

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Basil Tomato Soup

Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free with gluten-free pasta

[makes about 8 cups]

Requirements

Hand Immersion Blender

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound new potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 to 5 pounds tomatoes, quartered (8 cups)

4 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice, as needed

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1 1/2 cups corn kernels (if frozen, thaw)

4 ounces dry pasta or more (cavatelli or shells)

Directions

Add oil to a large soup pot. Cook the onion and red bell pepper on medium-low heat until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the tomatoes are falling apart. I do not remove the skin or seeds because the immersion blender crushes them up pretty well, but if you want, you can pull out the skins with a long fork during the time it's simmering.

While the soup is simmering, prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.

Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. I prefer an immersion blender rather than a high speed blender, because the immersion blender leaves the soup thicker. If you have to use a blender, don't over process.

Blend until smooth with an immersion blender

Adjust salt and pepper and add lemon juice until it reaches the desired acidity. Stir in the fresh basil.

If you are going to freeze this soup for later, let cool and put in a freezer-safe jar. Allow room at the top as it will expand.

To serve, stir in the corn and cooked pasta. Top with additional fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Curried Kabocha Squash, Potato, and Zucchini Soup

Curry-flavored, blended soup featuring kabocha squash.

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Harvest Time
I harvested my mini-kabocha squash and potatoes and still have a few zucchini left on the vine so I thought I'd combine them in this tasty soup. Kabocha adds a lovely sweetness to the soup and the potatoes make it creamy and thick. The soup is lightly flavored with curry.

Mini kabocha squash

Purple and gold potatoes

Ingredients for Curried Kabocha Squash,
Potato, and Zucchini Soup.

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Curried Kabocha Squash, Potato and Zucchini Soup
Vegetarian or Vegan, Gluten Free
[Makes 4 servings]

Requirements
Soup pot
Blender or Immersion blender

Ingredients
1 small kabocha (~1 1/2 pound)
1 pound yukon gold potatoes
1 small purple potato*
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Earth Balance (vegan) or ghee**
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sweet curry
1/4 teaspoon hot curry
2 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste

* If you do not use a purple potato, increase the Yukon golds to 1 1/4 pounds.
** ghee is clarified butter and is well tolerated by those allergic to dairy protein and/or those who are lactose intolerant. 

Directions
Peel the kabocha squash, remove seeds, and slice. Usually I don't peel kabocha squash, but in this soup, I think the texture is smoother without the skin. Set aside.

Peeled and sliced kabocha squash.

Peel the potatoes and dice the Yukon golds. The purple potato will be removed before the soup is blended, so just cut that one in half.

Heat the oil and Earth Balance or ghee in a soup pot or Dutch oven on medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for several minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the curry seasoning and stir to coat the onions. 

Stir the onions and garlic with the curry seasoning.

Add the broth, kabocha squash, potatoes, and zucchini. Cook until the vegetables are firm.

Remove a few slices of zucchini, kabocha, and the purple potato halves. The purple potatoes may take a little longer since they are not diced or sliced as small as the other vegetables. But do not overcook them.

Dice the removed vegetables and set aside. (If you want a totally blended soup without little chunks of veggies, omit this step). 

Remove a few slices of zucchini and kabocha as well as the purple potato. 

Continue to simmer the rest of the soup until the ingredients are very soft and start to fall apart, about 20 to 30 minutes. Blend the soup with a hand immersion blender or place in a blender and process until smooth.

Blending with an immersion blender is much faster
and easier than using a blender. Cleanup is easier too.

Stir in the chopped vegetables, simmer a minute or so until they are heated, and serve.