Swiss Chard Lentil Soup

Swiss Chard Lentil Soup

When I made this soup, everyone at the dinner table agreed that it tasted like it had cheese and artichokes, which it doesn't, but somehow the combination of flavors gives that illusion. We all love it. Sometimes I make people guess what I put in these blended soups. This one was really fun because they'd never tasted anything like it, or anything quite as delicious. 

Here is the recipe:

Serves 4-6

2 cups brown lentils, soaked overnight in water (in refrigerator to avoid spoiling) 

6 cups water

1 bunch Swiss chard, red or green

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bunch cilantro

1 lemon, juiced, or 2 Tbs. to taste

2 tsps. RealSalt 

1/3 cup olive oil

Soak lentils overnight. In a soup pot, bring rinsed lentils and the water to a boil. Wash and chop Swiss chard into bite-size pieces. When lentils boil, add chard to top, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. In a small skillet, steam crushed garlic in a small amount of water. Wash and chop cilantro. Add to garlic and steam until wilted. Add to soup along with lemon juice. Simmer 5 more minutes, add salt to taste. Serve, topping each bowl with 1 or 2 Tbs. olive oil to taste (or signature as above). 

A notable quote for this dish: "The artichoke was a little overwhelming." 

As artichoke lovers, this soup was the best. 


*Recipe from The pH Miracle for Weight Loss, by Robert O. Young, PhD and Shelley Redford Young

Avocado and Coconut Mint Soup

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Avocado and Coconut Mint Soup

I made this soup warm, but I think it would be more refreshing cold. Many of the soups I'll post can be made raw. However, this soup was excellent warm. When I make warm soups I am sure not to heat any oils, and I just slightly steam the vegetables in yeast-free vegetable broth so the energy in them is not totally lost. 

Serves 6

3 Tbs or more vegetable broth

6 green onions, sliced

1 garlic clove

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2-3 tsps. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

2/3 cup coconut milk

2/3 cup coconut cream

2 Tbs. fresh mint, chopped, or to taste

Pink mineral salt and black pepper to taste

2 avocados, sliced into cubes

1 cup spinach, minced

Mint sprigs for garnish

In a soup pot, heat small amount of vegetable broth with green onions and garlic. Simmer. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mix well. Add avocados and spinach last, warm - stirring gently. Serve, garnishing with mint sprigs. Blend to creamy texture. 

Or, if you'd like it raw, blend all ingredients without the cooking, and serve chilled, garnished with mint sprigs.

*Recipe from The pH Miracle, by Robert O. Young, PhD and Shelley Redford Young

Gazpacho

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Gazpacho

This is a chilled soup that is dear to my heart especially in the summer when it's so hot. And it is so easy to make! Just throw everything in the blender and you have a meal. You can make it spicy, or mild, just increase or decrease amount of jalapeno peppers and garlic cloves. 

To make the soup: 

3 large tomatoes

2 cucumbers

1 red bell pepper

1 small jalapeno pepper

1 quart pure water

3 Tbs. olive oil (or more)

2 lemons, juiced

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. Real Salt (or any raw pink salt with minerals)

4 garlic cloves, or to taste

Blend all this (in batches if necessary) and served chilled, garnished with green onions as shown, or with chopped tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, red peppers, and avocados. 

It serves 6-8 people, or a family of 4 with second helpings. 

*Recipe from The pH Miracle, by Robert O. Young, PhD, and Shelley Redford Young

Cucumber Sandwiches with Carrot Macadamia Nut Spread

Cucumber Sandwiches 

with Carrot Macadamia Nut Spread

Let's start with an appetizer, shall we? These crunchy, hydrating, tempting treats are crisp and cool for hot days, with a sweet side coming from the carrot-macadamia spread. 

Now that you are anticipating the deliciousness of these sandwiches, here's how I made them:

For the spread:

2 cups raw macadamias 

2-3 shredded organic carrots

Vanilla (alcohol-free) to taste, optional

Pure water, to thin 

In a food processor or Vitamix, blend the nuts and carrots, adding water gradually until desired consistency is reached. Add drops of vanilla, if you like. 

This makes more than two cups of spread. Use it as filling to slices of organic, peeled cucumbers to make the sandwiches as shown, or as filling to celery sticks, or as a dip to any vegetable. 

Now enjoy this charming, classic appetizer with a new twist!     


*Recipe for the spread from The pH Miracle, by Robert O. Young, and Shelley Redford Young

Introducing.....Alkaline Appetites!

Introducing Alkaline Appetites, the blog where the food is every bit as appetizing and delicious as it is pH balanced, organic, vegan, and often raw and gluten free. We're vegetarians to the very essence of the word; people who subsist on vegetables, alkaline fruits, nuts, grains, and all of it clean, healthy, and alkaline.  

So keep reading. I'll post recipes and photographs of the food so you can see exactly what it looks like. Judge for yourself if it looks appetizing, and then whip up some of it on your own and let your taste buds confirm it.

Thank you for reading Alkaline Appetites.