Author: Eatssential - Natalia Anderson

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Most of us are spending another week at home; working, schooling, and hopefully cooking! Spring is here but the weather is still a mix of beautiful sunshine one day and a very cold and damp rain the next. When this happens a warm bowl of soup is a welcome meal paired with a sandwich or salad.

This week I am making a carrot ginger soup.  It packs a nutritional punch with the vitamin A and beta carotene from the carrots and the anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties of the ginger and garlic. All great foods to boost your immune system. I always have a bag of carrots in my fridge and also always have ginger, onion and garlic on hand so it’s easy to throw together with foods you likely already have in your kitchen. Even if you are experiencing a bit of cabin fever try to see the positives of being at home, being able to cook more and sharing nutritious meals with your family. Since I know people are looking for inspiration in the kitchen, I wanted to share this as it is one of my favorites to make and it’s easy to put together. I do hope you’ll try it!

Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cut carrots with olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. When the carrots are nearly done, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the chopped ginger and garlic and stir for 1 minute more. Add the vegetable stock, water, thyme and roasted carrots to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly and then blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

A lot of us are sitting at home these days, trying to stay healthy and active. I’ve found more time to cook and, as always, I’m looking to incorporate plenty of healthy and nutritious foods into each meal. One dinner I’ve made recently is family friendly, easy to prepare and full of vegetables. I thought it would be a great dish to share with others looking for some dinner inspiration!  It includes garlic and mushrooms which are high in immune-boosting nutrients, something we can all aim to consume more of these days.

I hope you’ll try this delicious, plant-based and gluten-free meal while you are spending more time at home. And if you are home with kids, have them help you with the cooking 🙂

Vegetarian Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8-10 ounce package of quinoa pasta (or other GF pasta of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1.5 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp. tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. of both salt and pepper
• Chili flakes, optional

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to directions on the package. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, mushrooms, salt, pepper and paprika and cook for 5-7 minutes. Once mushrooms and tomatoes are well cooked, add the spinach and tomato sauce. Continue to cook to wilt the spinach. Once the pasta is cooked and strained, add it to the saute pan, remove from heat and toss everything together. Now sprinkle with chili flakes for a little heat, if desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy and be well!

When my son was diagnosed with celiac disease my kitchen became completely gluten-free. As I’ve been experiencing life with someone avoiding gluten, I see a need to make gluten-free foods more accessible in our food market. For this reason, I’m introducing a new company, Wheat Free Williams. Wheat Free Williams is selling all natural, gluten-free foods you can feel good about eating. Whether or not you can tolerate gluten you can enjoy our foods. Wheat Free Williams is beginning with the sale of two products and we will expand from there. One delicious bite at a time!

Our first product is a traditional chocolate chip cookie but without the gluten. It tastes as good as (if not better!) than its gluten counterpart and it has received rave reviews thus far! The second product is a homemade granola bar which I have made for years and has always been naturally gluten-free. It’s full of healthy nuts and seeds and sweetened with honey. It’s been a great energy bar for myself and my kids throughout the years and it’s finally time to share it!

Please visit the new website at www.wheatfreewilliams.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Hopefully soon you will see us in stores near you, but in the meantime products can be ordered online for local pick-up and delivery. We will also be featured at tastings at specialty stores and farmers markets in and around Fairfield County, CT. You can follow the blog at wheatfreewilliams.com for updates!

A few months ago my son was diagnosed with celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten is consumed. Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye. The treatment is a strict gluten-free diet. Celiac sufferers must remove all wheat and wheat based products from their diet. Through this process I’ve come to see how much wheat is in the average American’s diet and it is in most processed foods. It has been truly eye-opening.

Needless to say, these last few months we have been cooking and eating gluten-free which definitely calls for thinking outside the usual foods that kids often want to eat. Pasta, pizza, chicken nuggets, cookies, cakes; you name it, it probably has gluten. I’ve been experimenting with recipes for delicious snacks and desserts as well as adding in more diverse grains. All the while keeping veggies and fruits a priority as usual.

Eating a whole foods diet makes it easier to eat gluten-free, but eating the Standard American Diet makes it very difficult. I’m finding we are actually eating healthier since we are adding in more diversity with sweet potatoes, quinoa, millet, and brown rice in place of regular white pasta. Meats, fish and eggs are naturally gluten-free as are legumes, vegetables and potatoes. I’ve created recipes to make gluten-free versions of some of our favorites, including macaroni and cheese as well as pancakes or crepes for a weekend treat. We also now make the tastiest cookies with almond flour that are not only delicious but quite nutritionally dense as well!

In my research on celiac and gluten I’ve come to learn that gluten intolerance is more common than I realized. Aside from celiac disease, which is a serious medical condition, there are many people with gluten sensitivity and who avoid gluten for that reason. Gluten is a common allergen and can cause inflammation in the body. Some argue it is the way wheat is processed in this modern time that has changed dramatically from the wheat of our ancestors. But whatever the reason for a growing negative reaction to gluten, people are looking to gluten-free options more than ever before. However, simply buying packaged foods labeled gluten-free isn’t the answer. The benefits of a whole foods diet are highlighted again here. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, meats, seafood and gluten-free whole grains (there are MANY beyond whole grain wheat to choose from) is a very natural and healthy way to be gluten-free. I’m not saying to eliminate gluten if it agrees with you, but certainly expand your culinary experience with other grains as well. And, by all means, avoid processed and packaged foods.

So take the opportunity to look beyond all the gluten containing carbs and consider some of the other less popular yet tasty options that exist! The more diverse your diet the more nutrients you are getting. You’ll be surprised by all the options that exist when you look beyond gluten…I know I was!

We are now at the end of February and a lot of people are more than ready for spring to arrive. Some people get the “winter blues” this time of the year. Instead you should try to embrace the season. Bundle up, get outside in the sun and get some exercise; this can really brighten up your mood. Even something as simple as a 20 minute walk in your neighborhood.

Winter is also a time to adjust your eating patterns. Cold salads and frozen smoothies aren’t as beneficial in the winter as they are in the summer. Aim for more warming foods such as hearty soups, roasted vegetable salads, and hot teas which will warm you from the inside out. Eating seasonally keeps your body in sync with the time of year. This will help you thrive through these cold days of winter.

One of my favorite one pot wonders this time of the year is Stuffed Pepper Soup. It is a satisfying meal in a bowl. If you have a busy week this is the perfect meal to prep on a Sunday. When you return home late during the week all you’ll need to do is warm it on the stove. It is very filling, healthy, and delicious; even kids love it!  I make it with grass-fed beef which is nutritionally superior to grain-fed beef as well as lower in saturated fat and higher in the “good fats” such as omega-3s. It is also a great source of protein and iron. Then I add vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, and other herbs, which help keep your immune system strong this time of the year. Lastly, I add in some rice which rounds out the soup perfectly. It is naturally gluten free and dairy free.

I know that a lot of people get stuck making the same recipes and get a bit bored so I hope this recipe will inspire you to try something new! This is an easy, healthy and satisfying meal to feed yourself and your family. I often make a double batch for leftovers and it also freezes well.  I hope you will try it as you embrace these remaining weeks of winter!

 Stuffed Pepper Soup

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 red pepper, medium diced
• 1 green pepper, medium diced
• 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 15 ounce can of plain tomato sauce
• 15 ounces of beef broth
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• ¼ tsp. salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup of uncooked rice

Warm the oil in a large stock pot. Add the beef and cook over medium heat, stirring and breaking it up until browned. Once browned add the onions and cook together for 5 minutes. Then add the peppers and garlic and cook for an additional few minutes. Once the veggies have softened add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature and simmer for 30 minutes. While this cooks, prepare the rice. Once the rice is cooked, stir half of it into the soup pot. I save the other half of the rice separately and add it to the individual bowls. As the soup sits the rice absorbs the liquid so I prefer to add the rice when reheating rather than all at once. Enjoy!