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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Ultimate Reset Day 17: Superstar Soups

Only four more days before we are graduates of the Ultimate Reset!

We have settled into cruise mode on this thing. The prep has gotten easier, and I can now see the back of my refrigerator for the first time in weeks. The end is near! Still enjoying the food, but finding that our energy levels are very low. It seems that people who were eating a lot of processed food before the Reset experience an uptick in energy, while people who were eating pretty well don't have as much. We're really feeling the lack of protein.

We're having some cravings, but not for bad stuff. I'd love some oatmeal with walnuts on it or a small chicken breast. Some scrambled eggs and spinach or yogurt or something.

A big part of our post-reset meals will be the "Reset Greatest Hits"; the recipes that we enjoyed the most during the 21-day program. Turns out a lot of our favorites were the absolutely fantastic soups! They were simple, flavorful, and quick. Here are three of my favorites.

The first soup doesn't even have a name. Here were the instructions:

"Blend 1/4 cup coconut milk with 1/2 serving kabocha squash into a soup." The end.

I didn't have a kabocha squash, so I used about 1/2 a small acorn squash (cooked). I took a fork and mashed it up in a pan, added the coconut milk and heated it up. Holy moly that was some delicious stuff. Doesn't get easier!

My favorite soup, though, was the Zucchini Cashew Soup. Eaten warm or cold, this was one of the best soups I've ever tasted. It will be a regular part of our meal rotation.


Zucchini-Cashew Soup
Ingredients
  • 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into chunks and steamed
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • Himalayan salt or Bragg® Liquid Aminos (to taste)
  • Herbal seasoning or fresh herbs, like basil or dill (optional; to taste)
  • Steamed vegetables (optional; for chunky soup)

Directions
Soak cashews in enough water to cover for 1 hour; drain. Combine cashews, zucchini, salt or aminos, and seasonings in blender and mix until smooth, adding water as needed for desired consistency. Pour into saucepan and reheat gently, but do not boil. For chunky soup, add steamed chopped vegetables of your choice. Can also be served cold. Serves 1.

And finally there's the Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup, which marked the first time I roasted my own red pepper. It was easy!


Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet potato (aka garnet yam)
  • ¼ red bell pepper
  • 1 cup vegetable broth or water
  • 1 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger root
  • 1½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. miso paste, diluted in 1 tsp. hot water
  • Tamari or Bragg® Liquid Aminos, Himalayan salt, and herbal seasoning (to taste)

Directions
Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, roast a whole red bell pepper on gas stovetop or grill, turning frequently until evenly charred on the outside OR in your oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or until skin is charred.
Put pepper in bowl and cover with towel for 10 minutes to steam. Clean off skin and seeds by running under cool water. Remove seeds, cut in quarters, and chop one quarter into ½-inch cubes. (Set remainder of pepper aside for another use.)
Place sweet potato, pepper, broth or water, ginger, oil, and miso in blender. (If you want chunky soup, set aside some chunks of pepper.) Blend thoroughly, adding more liquid to achieve desired soup consistency. Transfer to a pot and gently heat on low until hot. Add tamari or aminos, salt, and seasoning as desired. Serves 1.

Note that all the Reset recipes serve 1. My math skills got worked as I doubled and quadrupled recipes if leftovers were needed for lunch the next day.

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If you're thinking about doing the Ultimate Reset, send me a message. It's not something you should jump into lightly; it's a significant monetary, emotional, and time investment. But if you choose to follow the guide to the letter, you will have results and you will learn a tremendous amount about yourself and about food. It's one of the best experiences I've had, despite the hard work.




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