Watercress Soup

COOK TIME:    20 MINUTES    SERVES : 4 MAIN HELPINGS

I remember my Granny making me and my sister watercress soup when we came down to stay with her from London, on the weekends.  Watercress has such a lovely peppery flavour that gives this soup a certain 'je ne sais quoi'. It's so simple to make that whenever I see watercress lying patiently in the grocery isle, I pick up a couple of bunches and get cooking. I also add the leaves to my salads in place of the perennial favourite, Arugula (aka rocket). It's a lovely change-up. 

NUTRITIONAL BITES

Watercress received the highest score on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) of 1,000, which in simple terms means that it is one of the most nutrient dense foods available. Worth adding to your shopping list! 

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches of watercress
1 tablespoon of butter or ghee (but not coconut oil as the flavour will overpower the watercress)
1 medium onion or 4 shallots, diced
1 parsnip, diced very small
2 medium carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
Vegetable stock or water to cover veggies by 1”
Celtic sea salt 

LET'S COOK!

1. Melt the oil in large pan and add your diced onion, sautéing for several minutes
2. Add the rest of the vegetables (except the watercress), sautéing them for 3 minutes then pour in the stock or water and cook till the vegetables have softened - about 5 minutes  
3. Now add the watercress (stalks and all)  and gently cooked for 2 minutes - we want to avoid over cooking the watercress as much as possible and destroying its nutritional treasures
4. Pour into a blender and blend till smooth and creamy. Pour back into the cooking pot and add Celtic sea salt to your taste. 
5. I like to garnish with savoury cashew cream (see my recipe, Nonna's No Cream Cream of Spinach Soup)

Buckwheat Breakfast Parfait

PRE TIME: 5-10 MINS   SERVES: 2

SOAK TIME: Overnight     BLEND TIME: 10 Minutes    SERVES: 2 

I love this ‘no cook’ gluten-free buckwheat parfait as it has the protein (nut milk, nut butter, hemp and chia seeds)  fibre (chia and hemp seeds) and healthy fats (hemp and chia seeds, nut butter and nut milk) to start you us off on a solid foundation for the day. It's such a time-saver - simply throw the ingredients into your blender and whizz it up! This delicious, quick and easy recipe requires just two minutes of prep time from you the night before: Just place 1/2 cup of buckwheat groats in a glass container filled with warm water and  the juice of 1/4 lemon squeezed into it. Cover and leave on the countertop till morning. 

Why Soak?

• Grains contain phytic acid which binds to minerals in the gastrointestional tract preventing absorption, which can lead to mineral dificiencies. Soaking with lemon juice helps break down the phytic acid so proper absorption can occur

• Grains also have high amounts of enzymes inhibitors and soaking the grains neutralizes the enzymes allowing for proper digestion

Nutritional Bites

Buckwheat is not a cereal grain as many people think, but a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. Did you know that diets containing buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids?  In addition, Buckwheat is a good source of magnesium, which helps to relax our blood vessels and improve blood flow. So it’s a win-win for our cardiovascular system!

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats (not 'Kasha' which is the brown colored, toasted buckwheat)
2 tablespoon of ground chia or flax seeds
2 tablespoon of hemp seeds
1 cup of nut milk or filtered water
2 Medjool date OR 1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoon of nut butter (I love hazelnut butter as it gives that ‘nutella’ flavour)
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or the seeds scraped out from 1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder (helps to stabilize our blood sugar and keep energy levels stable)
Sprinkle of cinnamon for the top

Let's Blend!

1. In the morning, grab your sieve and rinse the buckwheat groats thoroughly - before rinsing them you will see they have a slimy appearance which is normal. Don't panic - it's just from the enzymes that protect the seed

2. Place the groats in your blender with all the ingredients except the cinnamon

3. Blend on high speed until it’s smooth and creamy – adding more milk or water if it is too thick)

4. Pour into a pretty bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and your are good to go!