Creamy Creme de Celery Soup

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photo via healthybodynow.net

by Francine

Bet you don't know how healthy celery is. Well, maybe you do. . .Recently I happened to see it on a list of foods that support healthy blood pressure. That got me curious and I started doing a little digging about what other hidden health benefits celery offers. My mom used to say celery is "nature's tooth brush." I figuredTarzan and Jane ate it for just that reason. When my daughter was little, I used to prepare healthy (and yummy, of course) after school snacks for her --including celery sticks filled with a bit of low-fat cream cheese (Neuchatel) and alfalfa sprouts on top, or just plain alongside carrot sticks, cucumber, whatever other crunchy veggie on hand. . .

Delicious just plain 'naked', in salads, soups, or a variety of other dishes that involve veggies, celery offers us a variety of reasons to eat them (and did I mention the crunchy factor is fun?). Check out some of the many health benefits of this chlorophyll-filled wonder (adapted from an article posted 10/10/12 by Diana Herrington on the care2 site)

* Celery has blood pressure reducing properties. It contains active phthalides, which relax the muscles of the arteries that regulate blood pressure so the vessels dilate. Phthalides also reduce stress hormones, which can cause blood vessels to constrict.

*Celery is purported to be a negative calorie food, which means it takes the body more calories to digest it than the food itself contains. While this is not strictly accurate, a single stalk of celery still has only a few calories due to being full of cellulose. The addition of celery to your diet will help your weight loss efforts.  

*Celery contains plant hormones that calm and soothe the central nervous system, which will make losing weight an easier thing to do. (Plus, it just feels better to be calm. . . )

*Celery leaves are a source of flavonoid antioxidants zeaxanthin, lutein and beta-carotene, which have antioxidant, cancer-protective, and immune-boosting functions

So while you're crunching away on a stalk of celery, how about making some soup for a chilly day? Come on. Let's go.

Here's what you need to have ready:

2 lbs. celery, coarsely chopped

1 lb. green onions or leeks, coarsely chopped (or a combo)

2 carrots, diced in 1/2" squares

Set aside:

1/4 cup oil (olive) and 3 TB unbleached flour that have been combined in a 4-quart saucepan. Let these bubble together over low heat for about 2 minutes.

Whisk in:

8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (try to use organic, low-sodium)

Reserve 1 cup each of celery and carrots, then add the rest of the chopped vegetables to the thickened broth. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and put it all through a food mill, or let it cool and blend in a blender until smooth.

While the vegetables are simmering in the thickened broth, saute until tender:

2 TB oil

the reserved celery and carrot pieces

Add the sauteed veggies to the blended broth mixture along with:

1 1/2 cups soft tofu, blended smooth and creamy

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

NOTE: When reheating the soup, try not to let it boil.

Enjoy! And btw--my dog loves bite-size pieces as a snack. In fact, she can't get enough of them. :)

Resources:
care2.com
Tofu Cookery, by Louise Hagler

It's a Lemon

Lemon Pepper Baked Tofu

Here's another fabulous recipe from savvyvegetarian.com. One of the things I like about it is the fact that lemon is a prominent ingredient. It's not just the flavor of lemon I adore, but also the health benefits. This for instance:

photo via duartefruittrees.com

"The two biggest are lemons’ strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser."-www.beliefnet.com.

The article also states that the ancient Egyptians believed lemons provided powerful protection against a host of poisons, backed up by today's research. Calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene--all these promote immunity and fight infection.

Baked Tofu Ingredients

• 1 lb extra firm tofu
• Marinade:
• 5 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Marinating and Baking the Tofu:

1. Put all the marinade ingredients in a jar, screw the lid on tight, and shake until well mixed
2. Press the block of tofu between an old dishtowel or paper towels to remove any excess water


3. Slice the tofu in 1/2 inch slices, and lay side-by-side in a flat baking pan
4. Spread the marinade over and under the tofu slices
5. Marinate 30 minutes, turning once or twice
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
7. Bake 20 - 30 minutes

Some ideas for cooking with lemon baked tofu:

Combine with quinoa
Use in a sandwich or wrp
Stir in with noodles and veggies
Serve on the side as is 'NAKED.'
Fling it into a stir fry
Toss into a salad
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