Make You Poop Soup

WAIT! Don't leave yet! 

In the past year, I experienced a bit of a health crisis. I began to really focus on eating right, exercising, and making my physical and mental health a top priority.

One of my problems was that my metabolism had slowed considerably, both from being immobile and also because I was not eating a balanced diet.

You always hear from nutritionists, "Don't skip breakfast!", but to be honest, who actually has time for breakfast? If you do, you end up eating McDonald's on your lunch break anyway.

Well, here's a way to get your breakfast, get your nutrients, fill you up, and cleanse your system. 

Note: When I say "cleanse your system", I do not mean you will be running to the bathroom like you just ate some bad Mexican food. This "soup", which can be served in a bowl, or in a cup like a smoothie, contains yogurt, which has yogurt cultures that regulate your digestive system and boost your immune system. Instead of spending more than $10/week on packaged yogurt like Activia, sorry to name names, you can make your own concoction that has great taste and full of vitamins.

So, try it. There's a lot of room for variation here. It worked for me, after losing a considerable amount of weight, I am in great health and feeling awesome. I will blog later with the nutrition facts for this recipe, but I promise there are less than half as many calories here than in pre-made smoothies, or anything served at Jamba Juice. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of fresh fruit or fresh frozen fruit (I like at least a bit of frozen because it makes this soup ice cold and refreshing--just DON'T USE CANNED FRUIT WITH SYRUP!)

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt (probiotic yogurt is even better, but could be more expensive)

1 tbsp. honey

Optional: 2 tbsp. oatmeal or granola

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until all the big pieces of fruit are gone.

That's it!

You can add more milk and less yogurt, if you prefer it to be of thinner viscosity. 

Ham, Potato and Leek Soup

What to do with the leftovers of a delicious Easter dinner? Well, try making a Ham, Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 cups ham, diced
• 1/4 cup cream or half and half (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chives or dill, chopped

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, potatoes and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
   
   
2. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Using a blender or food processor, working in batches, process until smooth.
   
   
3. Stir in diced ham and cream. Season to taste with salt. Garnish with parsley, chives or dill.

Variation on Japanese Clear Soup

If you ever go to a Japanese restaurant, you will see clear soup on the menu. Technically, it's just clear broth. But, there are some ingredients in the traditional recipe that are difficult to find in regular supermarkets. 

Additionally, there are some components in the traditional recipe made with seafood. Since I was making this soup for someone who is allergic to seafood, I made my own variation. Feel free to add other aromatics to this recipe. The onions provide most of the flavor here.

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, in whole thin slices

2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1 quart of chicken stock

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 teaspoons of dried lemongrass (or fresh lemongrass, if you have it)

1 bunch of scallions, half chopped and half left whole

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (any type will do)

3 tbsp. Vegetable oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Preparation:

Start bring the stock to a boil in a soup pot. Add the ginger, lemongrass, soy sauce and scallions. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium high. Dip each onion slice into the egg mixture, shake off excess egg, and coat in breadcrumbs. Then put the coated onions in the pan and lightly brown and flip to cook the other side.

This whole process takes only a minute, so DO NOT LEAVE THE AREA! If you burn any onions, throw them out because they will make your whole soup taste burnt. 

Once the onions are browned on both sides, take them out with tongs and dry them on a piece of paper or paper towels, to absorb any leftover grease. Set aside until serving.

Back to the soup...Ok, so the soup should be boiling now. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Pour mushrooms into the soup and stir. Reduce the heat to medium. Let mushrooms cook for 4-5 minutes. 

To serve, place a few onion slices in a soup bowl with chopped scallions. Ladle the soup on top of the onions and scallions and serve.