I love beets, especially this time of the year when you can buy them fresh, straight from the farmer’s soil. So, yesterday, I picked up a few bunches and made one of my favorite summer soups.

1 cup of julienned beets (Hint: slice the beets with a food processor and then cut into long strips)

2 russet potatoes cut into 1 in. chunks
4 stalks of celery with leaves sliced
3 carrots sliced
1 cup of onion diced
2 green apples diced
1 tablespoon of dill
1 head of red cabbage thinly sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of tomato paste
4 tbs. apple cider vinegar
3 tbs. honey (may use brown sugar instead)
5 cups of water
3 tbs. olive oil
1 jalepeno pepper diced very finely

In a pot, boil the water and add the beets and potatoes. Cook on medium heat for 25 minutes.

While this is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet and add onions, carrots, celery, jalepeno and cabbage. Add dill weed and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, add apples and cook for 5 more minutes. (While cooking, add juice from the beets and carrots to the mixture.)

Add mixture to the beets and potato pot, along with diced tomato and tomato paste, vinegar, and honey. Simmer for 15 minutes. Immediately before serving, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and fresh parsley.

The longer this soup sits, the better it taste!

Ok, people, don’t be turned off by the main ingredient.  In other words, “don’t knock it til you try it.”   These black bean brownies are amazing – flourless, moist, full of flavor (no, you can’t taste the beans), packed with protein, naturally sweetened with agave nectar, and good for you.  Even my ten year old daughter was begging for more.  Surprise your guests with these….they’ll never know unless you tell them.

Ingredients

12 tbs. cocoa powder

1 cup unsalted butter  (I have also experimented with coconut oil, which is also yummy)

2 cups canned black beans

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tbs. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup of instant coffee

1 1/2 cups light agave nectar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray.  

Melt cocoa and butter in saucepan over low heat.  Stir until butter is melted and blended with cocoa.  

Place the beans, vanilla, 1/2 cup walnuts, and 1/4 cup chocolate mixture into food processor.  Blend for two minutes. The mixture should be smooth.  

In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining chocolate mixture, salt, coffee, and baking powder.  Mix well.

With an electric mixer, beat eggs until creamy. Add agave nectar and blend well.  

Add bean mixture to chocolate mixture.  Add egg mixture and blend well.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Note:

The bean mixture is thick, but when added to the chocolate mixture, followed by the eggs, the batter is a thick liquid texture.  Once baked, the brownies are still very soft.  Let cool, then cut.  Once the brownies have been cut, place in the fridge to obtain a more firm consistency.  The result is a moist, fudge-like brownie.  Beware….these brownies are delicious and so good for you.  

Some of my clients claim that they don’t like plain water.  Well, maybe you should try infusing your water with a favorite fruit or veggie. I’ll admit that the cucumber water is so refreshing.  

To prepare your infused water, choose an infuser.  Try from the following ideas:

• apple
• blueberries
• strawberries
• raspberries
• watermelon
• orange
• lemon
• lime
• mint
• basil
• cucumbers
• grapes

Prepare the water the night before so that the flavors will infuse the water.  

The next morning, add ice, and savor your H2O du jour all day.  Not only is this a delicious way of drinking more water, but it has many health benefits as well.

Every year around this time, I become so filled with anticipation for the fresh produce that will soon begin to flood the local farmer’s markets.  By late April, my plate begins to fill with many colors as I say goodbye to winter greens and hello to spring color.  

One of my favorite, quick meals is this yummy, colorful salad that is packed with nutrition and the taste of summer. The edamame is a good source of protein, so this salad can stand alone as a meal or as a side dish with fish or poultry. 

Rainbow Salad

1 avocado, diced into small cubes

1 ripe, fresh tomato, diced 

3 pickling cucumbers, diced

1 golden delicious apple, diced

2 carrots, diced

3 beets, diced

3 cups of edamame

1/2 pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place beets on a roasting pan coated with olive oil.  Bake for fifteen minutes, turning once.  Please note:  The smaller the dice, the less time you should bake the beets.  The goal is a consistency that is still firm in texture.  

Cook the edamame according to the package instructions.  

Mix all ingredients and add the dressing to taste.  Reserve the remaining dressing for salads.

This salad is better the next day after it has sat in the fridge overnight.

For the Dressing:

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup of red wine vinegar

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. honey

2 tbs. of lemon juice

1 tbs. dijon mustard

2 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients except oil in blender.  Gradually add oil while blending.  

Note:  My daughter is not fond of avocados, so I occasionally substitute goat cheese and wow, it is delicious.  

Another note:  If you are like me, the word “dice” equals a lot of time in the kitchen, cutting, cleaning, and potential cutting of the fingers, but I have discovered an amazing tool.  My mom bought me the Vidalia Chop Wizard, and it has changed my life. No longer do I let the word “dice” deter me from a recipe.  Check it out:  http://www.target.com/gp/search/602-4558746-6780625?field-keywords=vidalia_chopper&AFID=Google&CPNG=Kitchen&LNM=vidalia_chopper&LID=14467645&ref=tgt_adv_XSGT0529