Thursday, July 28, 2011

velvety broccoli broth

Raw vegies are generally better for you since the boiling process strips away precious vitamins and minerals. (I can't even imagine what a microwave does to them.) But raw food can get boring after a while. Why not use the leftover water after boiling to create a soup. I find broccoli to provide the best vegie broth, velvety and buttery.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the brocolli (or spinach or kale), open your fridge and go at it! Add sliced onions, corn, carrots, celery, squash - whatever you've got. Salt, pepper, basil and/or oregano to taste. If you're meat eaters, it's always good to keep some spicy sausage in the freezer, chop it up and add it to simmer in your broth for extra flavor.

So think twice before you strain your vegies' life affirming nutrients down the drain, whip up a quick soup for a yummy and oh-so-good-for-you snack. It freezes great too!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Welcome

Welcome to the Underrated Radish.

Diet has become an ugly word. It evokes images of tasteless meals, calorie counting and humiliating weigh-ins. Actually, a diet is a way of eating. What we choose as our way of eating is entirely up to us as individuals and for those that recognize the power of food in the equation of mind, body and spiritual well being, our diet usually consists of healthful foods.

10 years ago I began battling psoriasis through medication and UVB treatments which were both invasive and ineffective. About 5 years ago I picked up a wonderful book by Deirdre Earls called Your Healing Diet: A Quick Guide to Reversing Psoriasis and Chronic Diseases with Healing Foods. It sat on my bedstand for 3 months before I would commit to reading it. Something inside me knew I was no longer going to be able to eat some of my favorite foods. No more tomatoes or eggplants (they cause inflammation), no more lemon meringue pie (sugar is evil).

I was lucky. I love to cook as much as I love to eat and I have a naturally creative outlook so I was able to craft dishes that stayed away from the nightshades that cause me pain and discover yummy desserts that satisfy my sweet tooth without compromising my health.  I'm setting up this blog to share some of these discoveries with you. Enjoy!