Warming Kale Soup

Spring is a fickle month in the Northeast.  One day the sun warms and flowers start to pop open, then next it's cold and rainy.  This week is the latter, sending a chill reminiscent of the recent winter past.  So it's a great week for some warm soup with some of our very favorite superfoods, including kale.

This recipe comes from Many Paths, One Journey to Health, a cookbook published by the Holistic Moms Network based upon member-submitted, kid-tested recipes.  These are simple, real food recipes for real people!

Enjoy!


Kale and Cannellini Bean Soup  (From our Farm to Table Section)

2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 1/2 c. chopped onions
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 1/2 c. peeled, chopped tomatoes
6 c. vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 T. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
3 med. potatoes, diced
1-2 bunches kale, stems removed and chopped
2 c. cooked cannellini beans
1 c. chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
Pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry garlic and fennel seeds in oil, stirring constantly, approximately one minute.  Add, onions, cook another two minus.  Add carrots and parsnips, stirring and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, and oregano.  Bring to a coil and cook for approximately 10 minutes.  Add potatoes and kale, cooking for approximately 20 more minutes and sun-dried tomatoes.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.  Remove pot from heat, stir in saffron and salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!


Order your own cookbook from the Holistic Moms Network here and enjoy all of our recipes, all year long!

Let's Do Brunch! Coconut Banana French Toast

With warmer weather approaching, we love to enjoy lazy weekends which include tasty treats for breakfast or brunch.  This easy french toast recipe will have your kids begging for more and will give you all a fun taste of the tropics!

This recipe comes from Many Paths, One Journey to Health, a cookbook published by the Holistic Moms Network based upon member-submitted, kid-tested recipes.  These are simple, real food recipes for real people!


Enjoy!


Coconut Banana French Toast  (From our Vegetarian Section)

1-2 ripe bananas
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 load day old bread
1/4 c. soy or rice milk (or milk of your choice)

Preheat a skillet to medium high.  In a blender, combine the bananas with the coconut milk.  Blend until smooth and pour into a shallow baking dish.  If the consistency is too thick, whisk in some milk to reach the desired consistency.  Slice the bread to your desired thickness and soak bread in the banana coconut milk mixture for one minute on each side.  Oil or butter the skillet and add bread, allowing to cook a few minutes on each side until a thin crust forms, then flip and cook on the other side.  Top with sliced banana, maple syrup, or a topping of your choice!


Order your own cookbook from the Holistic Moms Network here and enjoy all of our recipes, all year long!

We're Expecting! A Garden, That Is!

Gardening is not part of our family legacy.  My urbanite parents had little interest in growing their own food and opted for modern conveniences at every turn.  But as a holistic-minded parent, my distrust of our food supply combined with a desire for affordable, organic and local produce has led me down the path of becoming a gardener.  Remarkably, it feels very much like becoming a parent.

The early days were filled with excitement and wonder.  I pored over seed and gardening catalogs with awe.  At first I thought I needed all the latest and greatest gear, the little gadgets to make my gardening adventure a success.  But both budget and space limitations forced me to make more realistic choices, just as I had when my first child came into the world.  I do, however, wish that someone would throw me a Garden Shower and bestow wonderful gifts to prepare for the journey ahead.  Alas, that is not on the horizon.

Selecting our seeds was another fun step.  My son and I picked a variety of items to plant, from our favorite veggies to some intriguing herbs.  We read up online and in books and magazines, cultivating advice from a wide range of sources.  Yet as I dive in, I find myself full of uncertainty.  I peer over the fences of neighbors to see what their gardens look like, chat with anyone I can find with a green thumb, and try to find assurances that we, too, will become good gardeners.

Our little seedlings have sprouted and we look on with glee and amazement.  "Oh, mom, they're so cute!" my son utters.  Indeed they are.  But are they getting enough light and water?  When do we harden them to help them thrive outdoors?  And transplanting - how soon?  I eye the weather and prepare myself for the next journey.  I want to nurture them and guide them, but also give them their space.  I hope that at least there are not tumultuous teenage years ahead, and am thankful that we don't have to worry about them staying out late or straying far from home.

I have not even planted our little sprouts and already I am wanting to grow our garden family.  There are sure to be many challenges ahead.  Pests and critters, drought or hornworms.  Like parenthood, I know I have just begun.  But the rewards are already so evident.  The wonder of nature never ceases to amaze me.  I may be a novice and learning as I go but gardening, like parenting, is forcing me to live in the moment and stay attuned to present with all its blessings and challenges.  Perhaps by our third or fourth year, I will become a seasoned expert and will share tales of our plants over coffee with other local gardeners.  For now, I sit in hopeful anticipation of what is to come and are very thankful that at least our garden is not preventing me from sleeping through the night.

Contributed by Nancy Peplinsky, Founder and Director of the Holistic Moms Network, and mother to two amazing boys. 

Healthy Chocolate Mousse

This is not an April Fool's joke, although you might fool the kids with this one!  Creamy, delicious chocolate mousse can be healthy and dairy free.  Just use this simple recipe to make a tasty treat that you can enjoy and not feel guilty about!

This recipe comes from Many Paths, One Journey to Health, a cookbook published by the Holistic Moms Network based upon member-submitted, kid-tested recipes.  These are simple, real food recipes for real people!

Enjoy!


Chocolate (Avocado) Mousse  (From our Raw Foods Section)

1 cup almond milk
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
10 medjool dates (pitted and soaked in water to soften)
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or high power blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides.  For best taste, chill before serving.


Order your own cookbooks from the Holistic Moms Network here and enjoy all of our recipes, all year long!