Chicken & lemon soup

 

  

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

12 medium chicken drumsticks	840 g / 29.6 oz
12 baby carrots	400 g / 14.1 oz
4 medium celery stalks	160 g / 5.6 oz
4 medium spring onions	60 g / 2.1 oz
juice from 2 lemons	96 g / 3.4 oz
8 large free-range eggs	400 g / 14.1 oz
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil	104 g / 3.7 oz
4 tbsp plain ghee or butter, grass-fed (or coconut oil)	60 g / 2.1 oz
2 tsp pink Himalayan or sea salt	12 g / 0.42 oz

Step 1

Peel the baby carrots and leave a bit of the green stalk.

Step 2

Cut the celery stalks into approximately ¹⁄₂ inch (~ 1 cm) pieces.

Step 3
Cut the spring onion into slices and wash thoroughly. Leave a bit aside for garnish.

Step 4

Heat some plain ghee in a pot and keep the temperature at medium heat. Add all the vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes while stirring.

Step 5

Add chicken drumsticks seasoned with salt and fry for a minute. Turn on the other side and cook for another minute.

Pour in water (about 2 cups per serving). Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

Step 6

Meanwhile, separate the egg whites and beat them with a whisk until they create soft peaks.

Step 7

Gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. While stirring, slowly pour half of the freshly squeezed lemon juice into the egg mixture.

Step 8

In another bowl, where you have all the olive oil, slowly pour in the rest of the lemon juice while whisking.

Step 9

When the meat and vegetables are ready, remove the pot from heat. Pour the stock through a sieve into another pot and keep on low heat.
Place the meat and carrots in a plate to cool down. You can leave or discard the celery and spring onion - it's up to you.

Step 10

Use a ladle and slowly pour the hot stock into the egg mixture while stirring. Add about 5 ladles of hot stock. This tempers the eggs so they do not curdle.
Then, place the egg mixture all into the pot with hot stock while stirring.

Step 11

Remove the meat from the bones and discard both the bones and the skin. Put in a small bowl together with the carrot and pour over with the mixture of olive oil and lemon juice.

Step 12

Pour the soup in a plate, add meat, carrot and garnish with freshly chopped spring onion and herbs.

HAM HOCK LENTIL SOUP

 INGREDIENTS

A big fat smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons (10 mL) of salt

12 cups (2.8 L) of water

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

Cloves from 1 head of garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups (500 mL) of green lentils

1 heaping tablespoon (20 mL) or more of minced fresh thyme, tarragon, sage, rosemary or oregano

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of cider vinegar

Description

Toss the ham hock, bay leaves and salt into a large pot and submerge in the water. Bring to a slow, steady simmer, then cover and continue cooking until the meat is tender and the broth is rich, at least an hour, maybe two.

Stir in the carrot, onion, celery, garlic and lentils. Cover and continue cooking until the delicious legumes are tender, another hour or so.

Lift the hock onto a plate or cutting board. Discard the skin and fat, and tug and pull the meat from the bone into small bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the pot and reheat.

Just before serving, stir in the fresh aromatic herb and the sharp mustard and vinegar, brightening and balancing the flavors. Ladle, serve and share!

Creamy Broccoli-Pea Soup with Bacon and Cheddar

Cooked broccoli is quite mild in flavor, so we punched things up with sweet frozen peas and added potatoes for a creamy texture. Topped with bacon, Cheddar, sour cream, and chives, it’s like eating a veggie-stuffed baked potato in soup form. Pair any leftovers with half a sandwich for a filling, nutrient-packed lunch.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES / SERVES: 4








Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1¼ cups)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1⁄8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 pounds broccoli, trimmed, florets chopped
1 small Russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1½ cups)
2 cups frozen peas
3 strips lower-sodium bacon, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons reduced-fat (light) sour cream
2 ounces reduced-fat Cheddar, grated (about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 HEAT the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add 5 cups water, raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.

2 ADD the broccoli and potato and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the peas and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Return the soup to the pot.

3 COOK the bacon in a large skillet on medium heat until browned and crisp, turning once, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and press with more paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool enough to handle and set aside.

4 REHEAT the soup on medium-low heat. Stir in the vinegar and season with ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into 4 bowls and top evenly with the sour cream, cheese, reserved bacon, and chives.

NUTRITION (per serving: 1½ cups) 279 calories, 16 g protein, 35 g carbs, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 611 mg sodium