Cream of Zucchini Soup

It’s time to boil and blend my friends. This recipe is an absolute favorite of mine due to its ridiculously easy preparation and savory flavor. If you are not one who is kitchen savvy, I promise you this recipe is pretty much fail-proof for all who attempt it. Many patients may argue that boiling vegetables is not ideal, since a good majority of the vitamins and minerals are lost in the water that is discarded. No need to be concerned with that problem in my cream of zucchini soup, since the broth used to boil the vegetables is consumed in the final product! Miss Alexa is all about nutritional quality.

May marks the season for starting my vegetable garden, and zucchini is one of the top crops I intend on planting this summer. From zucchini pastas, soups, and breads, the options for cooking with zucchini are endless. In addition to its versatility in recipes, zucchini also provides our bodies with Vitamins A, C, manganese, and lutein, all of which promote healthy vision and better eyesight. In addition, the skin of the zucchini is one of the most treasured parts, since it contains the bulk of the dietary fiber which is necessary for proper digestive function. Lastly, the deep dark green color of the skin is packed with carotenoids, which serve as antioxidants to help fight off inflammation (which is the root of all chronic illness). Once you start making blended soups, the vegetable combinations and varieties are endless!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 4 cups of chicken broth

• 1 onion (yellow or sweet)

• 3 medium zucchinis

• 2 garlic cloves

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Chop onion and slice garlic cloves. Add to a large soup pot with chicken broth. Chop zucchinis into thick chunks and add to soup pot as well.

2) Turn stovetop to high heat and bring broth and vegetables to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook (with pot covered) until vegetables are tender (about 20-25 minutes).

3) Place broth and cooked vegetables into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into soup bowls and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Chickpea Pizza Crust (Egg-free!)

Yes, you read the title of this one right. A pizza crust made exclusively from a bean (as well as flaxseed for some binding support). Since the majority of my patients have many dietary restrictions, one of my major goals is to provide them with recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and free of any food intolerances. This is a recipe that is loved by many, due to its clean ingredient list that excludes all gluten, dairy, grains, and eggs.

You may be wondering how a pizza crust can possibly be made with just chickpeas, water, and some flaxseed? The magic is in the proportion of ingredients as well as one of my favorite egg substitutes, known as the “flax egg”. When ground flaxseeds are allowed to soak in water, they form a gelatinous and thick substance similar to an egg. This flax egg acts as an emulsifier by binding the other ingredients of this recipe to form a nice dough. This recipe is loaded with fiber, which helps regulate cholesterol, blood sugar, and healthy bowel movements. In addition, the chickpeas provide calcium, zinc, and Vitamin K, all of which promote healthy bone structure. It’s time for a new take on pizza that will nourish your body while treating your taste buds!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp ground flaxseed

• 6 tbsp water

• 1 can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) strained and rinsed

• 1.5 cups of chickpea flour

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1) Soak 3 tbsp of ground flaxseed in 6 tbsp of water and let sit for 5 minutes to form flax egg. Add all ingredients (including flax egg) to food processor and blend until a nice dough forms (feel free to add extra water if necessary).

2) Spread dough onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a pizza stone (brushed with coconut oil). Make sure to spread the dough thin.

3) Bake at 425 F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and add preferred toppings (tomato sauce, spinach, olives, sautéed onion, arugula, basil, etc.). For dairy-based and dairy-free cheese toppings approved by Miss Alexa, please click here: https://www.missalexanutrition.com/fermented-foods

4) After toppings are added, place pizza back into oven and cook for another 10 minutes or until crust is to your liking. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Rice

Orange chicken with cauliflower rice is a quick and pleasing recipe to make when you are craving Chinese food. This recipe is free of MSG, soy, processed vegetable oils, and gluten-based thickeners…all of which you would find in your typical restaurant-bought orange chicken. With the shelter in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all required to spend more time in the home and less time at social gatherings. This has given individuals all around the world the opportunity to spend more time cooking whole food recipes. Once you start cooking meals from scratch with simple and healthy ingredients, you start to realize all of the unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients that ready-made and convenient packaged meals contain. This is very eye opening and makes you pause for a moment to review exactly what you have been feeding your body on a daily basis. I would say the most common feedback I receive from patients who switch to preparing the majority of their meals from scratch is the difference in taste and satiety.

Whole foods pack a punch of flavor, especially when you know the right ingredients to use for each recipe. My orange chicken is flavored with orange juice, ginger, and coconut aminos, all of which have health promoting properties and a delicious taste. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and has been shown to lower cancer and cardiovascular disease risk. In addition, ginger is wonderful for soothing an upset stomach and also helps with blood sugar regulation. Coconut aminos is the fermented sap from the coconut palm tree and is the perfect substitute for soy sauce, since 90% of soy in the United States is genetically modified. And the best part of this recipe? The rice is made exclusively from cauliflower, which you can purchase now at stores (in the fresh and frozen vegetable sections). We have transformed a heavily processed staple Chinese meal into a light and health promoting dish that will give you every reason to pat yourself on the back for making healthier choices.

Ingredients:

Orange Chicken:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

• 2 tsp coconut oil

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cauliflower Rice:

• 3 cups of riced cauliflower

• 2 tsp coconut oil

• 1/4 cup onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

• 2 tsp coconut aminos

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Sauce:

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 2 Tbsp arrowroot or tapioca starch

Garnishing Options:

• Toasted sesame seeds

• Green onion (chopped)

Instructions

1) Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized pieces and season with sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

2) Place all of the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and allow sauce to thicken. Once the consistency is to your liking, remove from heat and set aside.

 3) Add the coconut oil to a skillet over medium heat and allow to melt. Cook chicken pieces for 5-7 minutes until browned. Remove any excess fat from pan, then add half of the sauce to the skillet. Mix well with chicken until warmed throughout. Remove from heat.

 4) Prepare cauliflower rice by heating your skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp of coconut oil and allow it to melt. Add the onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now add peas and cook for 2-3 additional minutes. Now add the riced cauliflower and coconut aminos and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with orange chicken. Pour your remaining sauce over cauliflower rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onion.

Immune Boosting Butternut Squash Soup

It’s immune boosting time! With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, everyone’s concerned with supporting their immune system naturally and effectively. What better way to support your immune system than with the most powerful tool you have in your tool box: your diet. Immune strengthening foods are antioxidant powerhouses that work by keeping inflammation at bay. This is important, since chronic inflammation depletes the immune system, making you more susceptible to catching infections.

One of the easiest and most delicious ways that I have found to obtain a variety of immune boosting foods into my diet is through blended soups. Warm, fragrant, and filling, my butternut squash soup recipe will have you surprised that vegetables can taste so delicious! One of the spotlight ingredients in this recipe is turmeric, which is an ancient spice that has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. The active component in turmeric, called “curcumin”, is used in many dietary supplements today for its ability to inhibit viral replication and thus prevent the spread of viral infections.

This satisfying soup also contains a hefty amount of beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant responsible for the orange color of the butternut squash. Once consumed, the human body converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is essential for modulating the immune system and fighting off infections. Other mentionable ingredients in this recipe that have been shown to demonstrate anti-viral properties include rosemary, coconut oil, garlic, thyme, and onion. Treat your immune system (and your palate) to this satisfying and comforting butternut squash soup!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 1 large butternut squash

• 1 medium onion (yellow, white, or sweet)

• 6 cloves of garlic

• 4 cups of bone broth

• 2 heads of fresh broccoli

• 2 tbsp of coconut oil

• 1.5 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Peel garlic cloves and chop onion into quarters. Peel, deseed, and cut butternut squash into cubes.  Add these vegetables to a pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with melted coconut oil and mix well. Season with rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. Bake in oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.

2) Add 2 cups of bone broth to blender and add 1/2 of the roasted vegetables. Blend on high until smooth. Place this squash broth in a large soup pot. Add 2 more cups of bone broth to blender with remaining roasted vegetables. Blend and add to pot.

3) Add broccoli florets, turmeric, and thyme to soup pot. Cook on low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring throughout. Enjoy!