GREEN VEGETABLE SOUP

This Green Vegetable Soup was adapted from Sarah Wilson’s (author of the I Quit Sugar cookbook) Cheesy Green Mish-Mash Soup. I added all the green vegetables I could find in my fridge, plus some potatoes to thicken the soup somewhat and add some healthy starch. No dairy was used in this soup. The colour may put some diners off but the taste of this soup is divine and oh-so-healthy. Definitely up there as one of my favourite winter soups. On a side note- use the WHOLE broccoli, stalks and all! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 medium broccoli heads, stalks sliced thinly and florets roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 bok choy, roughly chopped
• 3 small white potatoes, peeled & diced
• 1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock (preferably Massell brand)
• sea salt & pepper
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon

COOKING 

1. Add oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion is starting to soften. Add the broccoli, celery, zucchini, bok choy and potatoes to the pan and stir well to combine. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, covered, then reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes. Add the salt & pepper and stir well. 

2. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend/process the soup until it becomes a smooth consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and serve warm. 

Serves / 4 - 6

Total Preparation/Chopping time / 15-18 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

WATERMELON LIME GREEN JUICE

This green juice is incredibly easy to make. I was blown away by how only 4 ingredients could taste so good and so revitalising. Even my little pup Bear wanted to get his paws on some! I love drinking light smoothies and juices for a snack during my day, as I love the fresh ingredients. The only downside about this recipe is that it serves only 1, so many sure to double the quantity if you are not alone! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup sugar-free coconut water (Aloha Health makes a great one)
• a large handful of baby spinach, washed
• 200g watermelon, chopped roughly 
• squeeze of 1/2 a lime 

METHOD 

1. Place all the ingredients in a good quality blender with a handful of ice cubes. Blend until all ingredients are combined and the consistency is runny, like that of a juice. Have a taste and add some more coconut water or a drizzle more lime if need be. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation & Blending time / 5 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

GREEN POWER-PACKED SMOOTHIE

Green smoothies. I always had my doubts. I was very sceptical that vegetables could actually taste good in a smoothie. I considered green smoothies to be a new craze, fad and phase that would die down quickly. Turns out I was so wrong. 
Green smoothies do entail a bit of trial and error when starting out. I will openly admit that I have made more than a few green smoothies that have been undrinkable! I try to drink a green smoothie everyday with my husband; believe it or not but we actually think of them as treats for ourselves! We drink them for afternoon tea or after a light lunch or dinner. Sometimes we even freeze them so we can take a long time to consume them (with a tiny spoon) and think of them as ice blocks! Here's a foundation/base that I have learnt to use for all my green smoothies to ensure a drinkable and delicious refreshment every time: 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pieces of fruit 
• I always use a banana, pear, a handful of mango or 1/2 a medium avocado as a compulsory fruit and I love to add them frozen, as they thicken up the smoothie.
• The 2nd piece of fruit can be anything such as kiwifruit, pineapple, apple, orange, nectarine, peach, plum, apricot, blueberries, strawberries or raspberries.
• I only add 2 pieces of fruit to each smoothie as I am conscious of not going over the 2-3 servings of fruit each day. This smoothie serves 2, therefore you will still have a serving or two of fruit to enjoy throughout the remainder of your day. 
• No added sugar liquid 
• Coconut water: I only ever drink Hawaiian Coconut Energy coconut water as it has no added sugar. This product is available at my Pilates studio and online. It is excellent as it contains no sugar, is extremely low in calories and is full of calcium, minerals, potassium and electrotyles. 
• I love adding unsweetened almond milk to smoothies as it creates such a creamy consistency. I usually use almond milk more in winter than summer for my smoothies. I add a percentage of almond milk and a percentage of water to my smoothies (see the recipe below). 
• I add coconut water or unsweetened almond milk sparingly as I like to create a thick, smoothie consistency  
• Greenery
• A generous handful of baby spinach leaves is a must! 
• I'm not a huge fan of kale in smoothies, but some people love using this vegetable! 
• Lemon or lime juice
• The juice of 1/2 or a whole lemon or lime gives the juice a nice kick 
• Vegetables
• I enjoy grated ginger in my smoothies as well as cucumber, grated carrot and/or celery...however go easy on these ingredients or they can overpower the final taste! 
• Protein
• I like to add 1-2 tablespoons of pea protein powder or 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds to my smoothies. 
• You could also add flaxseeds, maca powder, cacao powder, hemp seeds, goji berries or any other natural supplement/superfood you can think of! 

Here's an example of a very simple favourite smoothie of mine: 

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup Hawaiian coconut energy water or around 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1/4 cup plain water (more liquid added if needed)
• a large handful of washed baby spinach 
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon 
• 2cm of fresh ginger, grated 
• 2 tablespoons pea protein powder 

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend for a minute or until combined. Add more water or almond milk if you want a thinner consistency or more ice cubes if you want a thicker smoothie. 

Serves / 2 

x Emily 

ZESTY BEAN SALAD

When I look at this salad I just think one word; ‘clean’. It just looks very simple, fuss-free and relaxed. It is also very filling with the cannellini beans and the dressing is divine. It is a dressing my dear dad made for me a few years ago and I use it in salads constantly as it livens up the sometimes stark ingredients. A perfect light lunch side or as a main for dinner. Don't scrap on the lemon juice and use from a bottle as it tastes much more zesty freshly squeezed! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 handfuls of baby spinach lettuce, washed & drained
• 1 x 400g tin cannellini or butter beans, washed & drained
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

PREPARATION 

1. Combine baby spinach, beans, red onion and tomatoes in a medium bowl and toss well. 

2. Whisk together the garlic, mustard, oil, lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt until combined. Drizzle on top of the salad and toss again. Serve cold as a side or a main. 

Serves / 2 as a main / 4 as a side 

Total Preparation time / 8 minutes 

x Emily