Homemade Pho, Pho You

I created this aromatic, immune-boosting comfort food for Barre3 as their go-to tonic for cold and flu season. Let the flavorful broth warm you from the inside out and kickstart the robust health benefits of a broth-based meal as colder days grow near. With antimicrobial shiitake mushrooms and cure-all garlic, this Vietnamese-inspired dish can also detoxify the blood while ginger and jalapeños enhance your circulation (and excite your tastebuds!).

INGREDIENTS

1- 8oz package  brown rice stir fry noodles

3-4 cups  cooked shredded chicken

10 cups bone broth  (or premade pho broth, found in organic soup aisles, or stock of choice)

1 ½ Tbsp  garlic paste or minced garlic

1 ½ Tbsp grated ginger

2 Tbsp  tamari

1 Tbsp  fish sauce

2  baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

1 ½ cups  shiitake mushrooms

1 ½ cups  bean sprouts

1 large handful  of fresh basil

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS 

 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

 lime wedges

 ½ a white onion, shaved

 red pepper flakes

 handful of finely chopped cilantro

 3 green onions, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among four bowls along with shredded chicken.

2. Using same large pot, combine broth, garlic paste, grated ginger, and tamari over medium high heat until flavors meld and broth is heated through (about ten minutes). Season to taste. In last five minutes, add bok choy and shiitake mushrooms.

3. Divide bok choy and mushrooms among bowls with rice noodles and chicken and top with broth, bean sprouts, basil, and any additional desired toppings.

Soup for the Soul and all the Healing that goes with it...

It's that time of year. Everyone at the office is running around with a runny nose, coughing and sneezing and you've got someone with a Man Cold at home (the man cold is REAL people. and if you're a woman reading this, you can sympathize. and if you're a man, be honest, you know it's true)

I have a few staple tricks in my back pocket that work like a charm, every time.

If you, or anyone in your life is feeling achy, sluggish, drained and like you're about to fight something you don't want, or need your man to NOT catch the Man Cold, apply these 4 things and I'm certain you've got one up on whatever's coming your way.

First things first...there is a magical tincture that I keep close at all times. Dose up on this potent tincture COLD AND SINUS BLASTER by Vitality Works (*not sponsored). Even if it's not a cold OR in your sinuses, the primary ingredients are exactly what your system needs to battle the demons. I've tried other brands and other tinctures and this is the only one that has proven to work without fail, every time. Instructions will tell you to add to 8oz of water, skip that, take a full dropper-full straight and follow with a few sips of water if needed. Potent magic. Take 2-3 times a day for 2 days.

Second, make a little concoction of 5 drops of Oregano Oil (or whatever the dosage is for a brand you like) and a dose of an Echinacea Goldenseal tincture in 4 oz of water and take it down. Take once daily for 2-3 days.

Third, give yourself some delicious love with 1-2 Tbsp of raw Manuka Honey a day. Unlike any other honey, the nutritional benefits of Manuka are 4x that of regular flower honey giving it a UMF (unique manuka factor - a global standard in identifying and measuring the antibacterial strength). Make sure the manuka honey is labeled with the standard UMF rating of 16+ or greater for the medicinal benefits. Take it straight by the spoonful, but if that's too sweet for you, add to your warm tea.

And lastly, make this delicious soup or any variation of the basic recipe below. Use whatever root vegetables you have on hand, swap the orzo for pasta or rice, add extra greens, and slurp away.

Just what the doctor ordered ..

And perhaps you're just in need of cozying up with something warm, hearty and inviting. Let's face it, we all need to feel swaddled at times and this comforting soup does just that. 

Chicken and Lemon Orzo Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 3 celery stalks, chopped

• 3 parsnips, chopped

• 4 c chicken broth and 2 c water

• 1 c orzo

• 1 small parmesan rind

• zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 1/2 a rotisserie chicken, separated into bite-sized pieces

• 4 c chopped kale

• 1 c chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in large dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent. Add carrots, parsnips and celery and saute until fork tender.

2. Add chicken broth and water and bring to a boil. Add orzo and parmesan rind and cook until orzo is al dente.

3. Add chicken, kale, lemon juice and zest, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

STAY WARM, STAY HEALTHY PEOPLE.

It was a wonton afternoon

The weather man declared the sun was going to shine on our faces every day this week...he disappointed me.  It rained all day. Without a single beam resting on my cheeks.  But that's alright, Roald Dahl put it nicely, "...if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely". And after leaving LA and living in this beautifully rainy city, I've learned to find my own sunbeams in times like this. I took those words and chose to take the rain as the perfect opportunity to shelter myself in my kitchen, get my hands dirty and play with the wontons I've been craving ALL week long. 

This recipe is light, comforting and incredibly easy.  I used a portion of the wontons for the soup, a portion as potstickers and a portion is hiding in the freezer to come back to enjoy in a week or so! And feel free to explore with different proteins and vegetables! You might surprise yourself when you look down at the tray filled with delicate little packages that YOU created.  Meditation in motion.  That's what cooking and creating is for me. 

HOMEMADE WONTON SOUP

A deliciously warming soup made with little homemade pork wontons simmering in a light chicken stock with Chinese vegetables.

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6 (with leftover wontons)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 1/2 tsp siracha

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 c shiitake mushrooms, diced (~3oz)

• 1 c cabbage, finely chopped

• 1 lb ground pork

• few grind of fresh cracked pepper

• 30 2-inch wonton sheets

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 4 small garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 4 cups chicken stock or broth (you can use fish or vegetable stock as well)

• 4 cups water

• 3 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, 2-3 tbsp white miso paste, or more to taste

• 6 tsp sambal oelek, divided between bowls *optional

• 6 tsp tamari, divided between bowls *optional

• garnish with green onions and radish, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine garlic, ginger, green onions, oyster sauce, siracha, sesame oil, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, pork and pepper. Using your hands, fold the ingredients into each other and until well combined.

2. Assembly of wontons: Place wonton sheets on a work surface with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp of the pork mixture into the center of each sheet. Using your finger, line the edges of the sheet with water. Fold the dough into the center from each corner to create a little package, pinching the edges to seal. (if you are using circular wrappers, fold the sheet in half to create a half-moon/crescent shape). *

3. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Slowly pour in chicken stock and water, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and bok choy, reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add green onions and miso paste, stirring until dissolved, about 2 minutes, and adjusting miso for desired taste.

5. Increase heat and bring to a slow boil. Carefully drop in 12-18 wontons, depending on desired wontons per bowl and cook until wrappers are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

6. At the bottom of each bowl, add 1 tsp sambal oelek and 1 tsp tamari, if desired, and ladle soup into bowls.

7. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and thinly sliced radishes. Enjoy!

*if freezing some of the wontons, place uncooked wontons in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight in the freezer and transfer to freezer bags or airtight storage.