Spring is in the air and talk of asparagus is everywhere. There’s nothing quite like a fresh seasonal salad to put you in the mood for summer fun. This gorgeous green salad will take you there, I promise.
A lovely raw vegetable dish (crudi) containing very thinly sliced, zucchini, diced asparagus and shaved Pecorino Romano. Simply serve chilled, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.
Bon Appétit!
I can’t take any credit (except the iphone photo;) for this sensational salad. The credits go to my dear friend James Fielder for choosing to make this dish and Giada De Laurentiis for her fabulous recipe (below).
James & Larry serving the delicious Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi
James and Chris enjoying the first course…
Or perhaps this Bogle was the first course. Anyway, please keep in mind that these photos were taken with an iphone in the dark. Yep, that’s right.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into long thin strips. Thinly slice the asparagus on a diagonal. Place the salad in a large serving bowl and toss.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and drizzle over the vegetables. Toss and add the shaved pecorino cheese.
I don’t know about you but I’ve put on a few pounds. I love food. Eating it, cooking it, just smelling food makes me happy. Anyway, remember The Cabbage Soup Diet from years ago? Well, I brought it back from the “dark ages” put a fresh new spin on it, roasted it, seasoned it, and brought it back to life again. So, if you want to drop some weight fast, this soup (and the diet plan below) is a healthy, simple way to get started. I love it and I hope you love it too.
*You’ll want to print several copies of The NEW Cabbage Soup Diet to share with friends and family. Make extra, freeze some and remember, you may eat as much of this healthy soup as you want!
I’ve made some nice new changes to the www.bakedinmaine.com home page for your shopping pleasure. Added links to some of my favorite things from the awesome Amazon: fabulous kitchen tools, the best cookbooks and brand new! Baked in Maine t-shirts, clothing and cool NEW gift items. So, shop away! Or at least look around a little..
Love ya and let’s get healthy!
The Cabbage Soup Diet
Seven helpful tips:
Follow the diet below (optional).
Keep in mind that it’s only seven days.
Drink 4 glasses of water and green tea per day.
Complement the diet with a good multivitamin tablet.
Print the information on this site so you can refer to it daily.
Eat plenty of soup, as much as you want. Don’t starve yourself or you may cheat.
Try different spices like curry or hot sauce to liven up the soup and add variety.
Ingredients:
1 cabbage sliced, cored and chopped
2 cups carrots baby or chopped
2 cups celery include the leaves, chopped
2 cups mushrooms any kind, sliced
2 cups tomatoes fresh or canned, chopped
2 large red and/or green peppers, chopped
2 onions chopped or sub. a bunch of scallions
1 bunch broccoli or cauliflower chopped (optional)
2-3 zucchini chopped
4 clove garlic chopped
1 box chicken stock 32 oz.
1 bottle V8 Juice 64 oz.
sea salt & pepper to taste
2-3 tbs. of parsley for cooking and garnish.
seasoning choices: turmeric, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaf
fresh herbs (optional): sage, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, basil, dill, tarragon. Use your favorites.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon
Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 30 mins
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Chop all of your vegetables and place in a single layer in a large baking sheet. Add your fresh herbs, seasonings and olive oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. This method gives fabulous flavor.
Place your roasted veggies in a large soup pot and add chicken stock and V8 juice, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 min.
Enjoy!
The Diet:Day One: Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks - unsweetened coffee, green tea, cranberry juice and lots of water.
Day Two: Vegetables: Eat until you are full, all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat salads with spinach and other green vegetables and if you can, stay away from starches like white potatoes, pasta, dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. Don’t eat fruit today.
Day Three: Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want.
Day Four: Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as six-eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets. Eat your soup and drink plenty green tea.
Day Five: Fish, chicken, beef and tomatoes: Ten to twenty ounces of baked or broiled protein from meat, fish or seafood and up to six fresh tomatoes. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash the uric acid from your body. Drink lots of green tea. Eat plenty of cabbage soup.
Day Six: Protein and Vegetables: Eat to your heart’s content of the protein and vegetables today, with leafy green vegetables. Drink green tea. Eat your soup!
Day Seven: Brown or wild rice, unsweetened fruit juices, green tea and vegetables: Be sure to eat plenty of soup.
PS. Interestingly enough, The cabbage soup diet is sometimes referred to as the “Mayo Clinic Diet”, and/or the “Sacred Heart Hospital Diet”. May be true, but I can’t say for sure.
Baby, it’s cold outside! Now, it’s time to share the best minestrone that I’ve ever tasted. This gorgeous, delicious soup, bursting with flavor, really sings to me. So, now I have a new obsession with soup, especially this amazing Italian classic loaded with healthy, roasted vegetables. You’ll see why after your first mouthful of this unforgettable minestrone soup. It’s crazy-good!!!
Do you love zucchini? Here’s a simple recipe for grilled zucchini with the most delicious spicy horseradish sauce! Try this super easy, tasty appetizer at your next BBQ and you’ll see for yourself. Let me know if you like it.
If you’re looking for a new favorite way to prepare zucchini this is it….
Ingredients:
2-3 zucchini and/or summer squash (sliced on the diagonal)
Olive oil (for coating)
Seasoned salt (your favorite blend)
Spicy sauce:
1/2 cup mayo (lite) or sub. Greek yogurt.
2-3 tsps. horseradish (prepared)
lemon juice (squeeze a wedge)
salt & pepper
Directions: Mix up and chill the sauce ingredients, add more horseradish if you like it extra spicy. Slice the zucchini/squash on the diagonal about 1/2″ thick placing on a large platter. Brush with olive oil, turn and brush again. Sprinkle only one side with seasoned salt. Grill on med-high heat until you see nice dark grill marks on each side.
Serve with garden veggies and the spicy sauce, make NO mention of the horseradish (some people say they hate it). Everyone really loves this delicious spicy sauce (trust me!) and you will want to use it on sandwiches too, YUM!
A favorite dish in my house… A delicious, healthy, and simple way to prepare roasted vegetables, Tuscan style. Everyone LOVES Italian food! The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, olive oil and fish and is said to promote a long life….. So with this in mind, I gather a variety of the following:
Ingredients: 6 cloves of garlic, mushrooms, onions (or shalots), olives, fennel bulb (yum!) white potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, eggplant, cherry or Roma tomatoes, green beans, winter squash, any fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, flat leaf parsley add some before cooking and after (we love basil) and extra virgin olive oil. Use the veggies that you love! Serve with my Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken. Of course, locally grown organic is best but frozen vegetables will work if that’s what you have. We can even do roasted Asian style veggies with sesame oil but that’s a different story for another day.
Remember use really good extra-virgin olive oil. This simple recipe changes with the seasons, with your main course and the individual tastes of the people. The delicious possibilities are endless…… Directions: Pre-heat oven to 400*F. 1. Peel and chop your large vegetables into bite-size pieces using a very sharp 10″ knife. 2. Place in a large roasting pan. 3. Sprinkle generously with olive oil to coat evenly (about 1/2 cup). Shake the pan 4. Crush garlic gloves and place around, add plenty of herbs, sea salt and cracked pepper. 5. Cook for 20-30 min. stirring 2-3 times, you’ll know when it’s ready…
*Variations: Add chicken pieces (breast, legs, thighs) to the roasting pan with the veggies. Add fish or seafood (I love Alaskan salmon) to the roasting pan during the last 15 minutes. Want soup or sauce??? Just de-glaze the pan with a cup of red or white wine or 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar (for sauce) and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock (for soup). Oh, so simple!!! ENJOY! PS. Please feel free to add your comments and suggestions below. I’m listening, really!
4. Crush garlic gloves and place around, add plenty of herbs, sea salt and cracked pepper. 5. Cook for 20-30 min. stirring 2-3 times, you’ll know when it’s ready…
