Make your own comfort food for the rainy days

Do rainy days (and Mondays) get you down? Well, here’s something to perk up your drooping spirits. A steaming bowl of your favorite soup never fails to fill the tummy and soothe the soul. Of course, it’s always better to make your own soup, because you know what went into it, says an article in Grist magazine which tackles environmental news with a dash of humor. Grist suggests you invest in a hand blender so it’s much easier to blend the soup right in the pot. It’s even easier to make your own stock. Yes, you can make your own veggie stock from scratch. The Eating Rules blog invites you to get scrappy and make your own vegetable scrap stock from seemingly crappy ingredients you would have thrown away. Now, roll up your sleeves and get cooking.

Eating Rules says:

I keep a one-gallon-size zip-top bag in my freezer, and add my vegetable trimmings anytime I cook.  Once the bag is full  which happens surprisingly quickly  it’s time to make stock! Also, if I find veggies in my fridge that are ‘on their way out’ but not actually spoiled yet, I may toss it into the freezer bag if it would end up going to waste otherwise. The best scraps to use include onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, leeks, chard, mushrooms, scallions, potato peelings, lettuce, eggplant, zucchini, green beans, and bell peppers. Other good scraps to include  but will impart more specific flavors, so be careful  include asparagus, parsnips, squash, fennel, corn cobs, pea pods, and cilantro. Scraps to avoid are turnips, cabbages, brussels sprouts (these all get bitter), and anything already rotting that you wouldn’t eat otherwise.

Step 2: Boil ’em. Fill a large pot halfway with water, about three to four quarts, and bring to a boil.  Drop in all the vegetable scraps and bring back to boiling.

Step 3: Simmer and season. Once the pot returns to boiling, you may want to add some seasonings.  Good options include thyme, basil, and a bay leaf or two. You may also add one or two teaspoons of kosher salt (remember though that it’s easier to add more salt later than to take out too much).

Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Simmering longer won’t extract any more flavor, unlike when making meat stocks.

Step 4: Strain. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Carefully scoop out the larger vegetable scraps with a slotted spoon, placing in a large bowl so they can cool.  Next, take a fine-meshed strainer or colander lined with cheesecloth, and carefully pour the remaining broth through the strainer into another pot.

Step 5: Chill out. Let everything cool to room temperature, which will take an hour or two. Give the broth a taste and add any additional salt or seasonings as desired.

Discard the vegetable scraps (compost, anyone?).  Then measure out the stock in two- or four-cup increments, and freeze in individual containers, being sure to leave a little bit of headroom for it to expand when it freezes.

You can juice your vegetables from scratch at home, too  raw vegetables are chock-full of micronutrients.  Here’s one juicy idea you can try with the Breville juicer: tomato, carrot & red capsicum juice. You will need: two small red capsicums, three medium tomatoes, three peeled carrots, four sprigs parsley. Trim base of capsicums and remove seeds. Process tomatoes, carrots, parsley, and capsicums in a Breville juicer. Serve immediately.

With your juicer, you can also dish up a healthy fruity treat like a mango, melon, and orange drink. You will need: orange yogurt drink; one mango, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into two equal portions; five oranges, peeled; three tablespoons natural yogurt. Process mango, melon, and oranges through the Breville juicer. Pour into a large bowl, whisk in yogurt. Serve immediately.

Bean there, done that? Just like soup, beans are better when they’re fresher and homemade.  Yes, you can prepare your own beans at home  that way, you’re sure your beans are not spiked with the toxic BPA (bisphenol A). Commercial beans are usually cooked at very high heat for short periods of time, which produces  toxic compounds and destroys many nutrients in the food.

Feel like curling up in front of the TV? Of course, no TV marathon is complete without popcorn! I love popcorn and I don’t need an excuse to eat popcorn. Instead of microwaving your popcorn, why not pop your corn on the stove? At least you have the option to salt and season it to taste. And instead of using processed table salt, use the nutritious Himalayan pink salt.

It’s best to use organic corn  cook it in organic virgin coconut oil and flavor it with organic butter.

Nothing like good healthy food to warm the heart on a cold rainy day.