Blogroll | Congregation Darchei Noam

Here are some cool food tips from Shomrei Adamah

1. With warmer temperatures, food spoils more quickly. Before refrigerating or freezing prepared foods, cool them off more thoroughly and quickly by placing them on a rack and using a fan. You will also be reducing the electricity load on your frig.

2..Cook food in bulk on cooler days and freeze for later use as an instant dinner. Include foods like quinoa and barley dishes, and sweet potatoes. With the addition of chickpeas or goat cheese, they can be used on hot days as the base for main dish salads.

3. In hot weather, turn to foods that just require soaking in hot or boiling water as their final preparation. No slaving over hot stoves with bulgar for tabooli or couscous or Chinese noodles when transformed into a cool meal of salad by adding fresh vegetables and a protein source.

Cool Soups for Hot Days

Cold soups are welcome way to keep cool. Soon local melons will be in season and can be used in these soups. Here is a link to one recipe for a cantaloupe soup. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12912/chilled-cantaloupe-soup/

Joel Troster has provided a link to a honeydew melon soup. https://www.food.com/recipe/cold-melon-soup-373493 Make sure you click on the website’s link for the full recipe.

Don't forget your bubbie's beet borscht topped with yoghurt, sour cream, or chopped cucumber.

Debra Eklove is graciously sharing her recipes for Cream of Celery Soup and Raw Carrot Soup from her Ayureda Wholesome Eating program. Find them on the Darchei Noam blog.

CREAM of CELERY SOUP a cooling raw soup for the PITTA* Season

Ingredients

1 large bunch celery

4 cups water

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1-2 tsp. Celtic salt (or other sea salt)

1 avocado, cut into small cubes

1small sweet red pepper, finely chopped or small cubes

Method

Blend celery, oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt in a blender until fine.

When serving the soup, add the avocado and red pepper as garnish.

RAW CARROT SOUP

Ingredients:

3 carrots

1 cup fresh carrot or orange or celery juice

1 tsp cumin, caraway or fennel, ground

Endive or radicchio leaves

Method:

Blend carrots, avocado, juice and ground seeds and garnish with Endive or radicchio leaves. Salt, pepper and lemon juice can be added for individual taste.

This soup is good for all seasons. Serve cool in summer and warmed in winter.

Sweetness of carrots balances vata* and pitta*

Bitter of endive balances kapha* and pitta.*

Explore the flavours of raw soups and making them your own by

- Blending in sunflower or soaked cashews, alfalfa or other sprouts

- Changing the spices, adding fresh herbs

- Using other vegetables

- With olive oil and lemon juice using broccoli (lightly cooked) or cucumber in combination with celery. Tomatoes and zucchini with fresh herbs work well together. .

- Adding apples or peaches or other fruits.

*The terms vata, pitta, and kapha explained: [In India’s system of Ayurveda, the most basic building blocks of the material world are the five elements: ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth.” In Judaism, a similar categorizing of the world is seen in our Tu B’shvat seder as we go through its four worlds, each with its own season and element of earth, water, air, and fire.

*Vata is characterized by the mobile nature of Wind (Air) energy.

*Pitta embodies the transformative nature of Fire energy.

*Kapha reflects the binding nature of Water energy.

“They combine to create different climates, different foods, different species, and even different individuals within the same species. …the particular ratio of vata, pitta, and kapha within each of us provides us with a blueprint for optimal health (otherwise known as our constitution), and garners a significant influence on our individual physical, mental, and emotional character traits—as well as our unique strengths and vulnerabilities.”