Cranberry Apple Chutney

The colors of this cranberry chutney are beautiful and just in time for Thanksgiving. The tart fresh cranberries are cooked with sweet apple and raisins to create a sensational fruity topping for your Thanksgiving dinner. Fresh cranberries are easy to make and cook up really quickly. This recipe only takes 20 minutes.

By definition, chutney is a type of condiment that is similar to a relish except it's usually made with a fruit, sugar, and vinegar. It has an interesting taste and enhances whatever you eat it with. I left the vinegar out, as my husband can detect vinegar a mile away and doesn't like it.

The other night we went to our's friend Eileen and Al's condo in the city ( Philadelphia) !
Eileen served this fabulous chutney for dessert over sweet lemon sorbet.
The flavors were sensational and the colors just danced.

Found these in the supermarket 

As good as it was over dessert, I prefer my cranberries served with my meal. It can be used the same way as cranberry sauce. If you eat Turkey- use it as a topping. For a vegetarian like myself, this type of relish is a perfect complement to stuff winter squash or as a topping over baked apples.

Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds and bake  the two halves face down on a cookie sheet with a rim . Pour 1 cup of water on cookies sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until soft when a knife is inserted. Remove from oven and add the cranberry chutney. 

Thanksgiving is the one occasion that I treat myself to fresh organic cranberries! I usually buy a bag and then search for a  new recipe that I can make. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some fresh cranberries.

Did you know that cranberries contribute big time to your health?  These acidic berries are rich in Vitamin C, tannins, and antioxidants. This highly overlooked berry is beneficial for the fall and the entire year.

As with all my real food recipes, this recipe meets gluten free, grain free, vegan and vegetarian standards.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cool before eating


Ingredients:
12 ounce package of fresh organic cranberries
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup raw nuts, chopped ( walnuts or cashews)
1/4 cup of Orange Juice concentrate
3/4 cup of water
3/4 cup of coconut sugar crystals (or sweetener of your choice) 1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
Optional: 1 teaspoon orange zest


Directions:
Place the first seven ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes ( stirring very frequently)  until berries are soft.  After 15 minutes add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, vanilla, and optional orange zest and continue to cook for the last 5 minutes.

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  Good food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.
  
  
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Flu Fighting Soup

Flu season is on it's way. What are you doing to boost your immunity? 

You don't have to already have the flu to enjoy a bowl of this warming and nourishing immunity boosting soup. It's a light soup that is easy to digest and soothing to the tummy.

What are the powerful ingredients in this soup? 

Cabbage

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable (like kale, broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Arugula) which contains powerful antioxidants believed to help boost immunity. Cabbage is also rich in vitamin C and vitamin C is a vital ingredient in fighting of colds and flu! The cabbage cooks down and almost melts into the soup.

Garlic and Onions

Onions and garlic have their own potent antiviral and antibacterial qualities. Did you know that when garlic or onions are chopped, they release juices that mingle and create an enzyme that is a powerful healing agent?  

TIP: 

**For greatest health benefits, garlic and onions should be cut or chopped and then be permitted to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the essential enzyme "allicin" to form. Allicin is a strong antimicrobial that starts to activate after the garlic and onion are cut.****

Turmeric is another immunity Booster
Since many of the vegetables in this soup are white or light green in color such as cabbage, onion, garlic, potato and celery, I like to add some healthy turmeric powder to the soup for additional antioxidants and to give the soup a golden looking color. In addition, turmeric is considered an anti-inflammatory and may help reduce inflammation. Some studies show that adding pepper when using turmeric helps the body absorb the turmeric better.

Carrots
Carrots not only add nutrients , they taste great in soup. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A which is important for immunity boosting as well.

Whether you rely on this soup to help boost immunity, help prevent the colds and flu, or just for some comfort on a damp night, one thing is for sure- you will enjoy it.

This time of the year, I can't get enough soup. I find that soups are easy to make, warming, satisfying and filling. With all the vegetables in soup, you get a nice variety of nutrients. Scroll to the bottom of this post for some of my other easy and healthy soup recipes. Of course all of my recipes meet gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and meet whole food standards.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serving Size: Makes 4 full cups or 2 large bowls

Ingredients: 
3 cups of chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large Russet potato, chopped 
4 cups of good tasting vegetable broth 
3 cups water
1 tablespoon of herbal salt free seasoning (I use 21 Salute from Trader Joe's) or garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
Optional : 1/4 teaspoon on turmeric to add color and antioxidants after the soup has cooked

Easy Directions: 
Using a 4 qt pot or larger, slowly sauté onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato for about 5 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add vegetable broth, water, and chopped cabbage and seasonings. Cook for about 1/2 hour until the cabbage is soft. Add the turmeric at the end when the soup is done.

My Notes: 
1.  This recipe calls the addition of 4 cups of vegetable broth. A good vegetable broth is essential. If you don't make your own, I like to use Tabatchnicks which I find in the Kosher aisle of the supermarket. It is a wonderful tasting broth and enriches the soup.

2. Sauté-  vegetables can be sautéed in a little oil, water, or broth. I choose to eliminate oil and sauté in strictly water or broth. Eliminating oil cuts calories and the amount of fat in the recipe. 

Did you know that oil is one of the most calorie dense foods you can eat? 

In fact 1 tablespoon of oil has 120 calories

I medium sweet potato has 114 calories. 

Which would you rather have? 



Click below for more of my easy and healthy Soup Recipes;

• Click for Healthy Soup Recipes

Disclaimer: The information in my blog posts is for educational purposes only and is not meant to be medical advice. Everyone is different. Always follow your doctor's advice if you have the cold or flu. 

Got extra Cabbage? Make this fabulous Asian Peanut Coleslaw 

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4 Fabulous Ethnic Tomato Soup Recipes

We love tomato soup,  and I make 4 different absolutely delicious ethnic recipes.
Each of the four recipes in this post is easy to make and all are very comforting especially in  cold damp weather.

Because it's cold and rainy today, I am going to make an Indian Spiced Tomato Lentil soup for dinner tonight to help warm up our bodies and souls.

This recipe is rich in protein, immune building antioxidants for cold and flu season, and absolutely satisfying,  and delicious. It's a great starter for any meal or it can be a meal in itself with a nice salad. I love the Indian spices!

                     Indian Spiced Tomato Lentil Soup

Sometimes I just like an old fashioned tomato soup , the kind you ate with a grilled cheese sandwich or Ritz crackers when you were a kid~It's comforting and mild. I don't eat grain anymore, but the soup is still a perfect part of a healthy lunch or a part of light dinner.


                                       Old Fashioned Tomato 

This next recipe has more of a Thai taste. It's blended with coconut milk and has contains fresh garlic and ginger! There is something about coconut milk and spices that are fabulous!


                              Thai Tomato Coconut Soup 

There is nothing like an Italian style lentil soup topped off with some freshly ground cracked pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese . The soup is vegan.

                           Italian Tangy Tomato Lentil 

                           Italian Tangy Tomato Lentil 
So there you have it. I've shared four different ethnic recipes for tomato soup! I hope you find one that you enjoy! All my recipes meet vegetarian, gluten free, and real food standards! All of the soups I shared today are Vegan. 

My Notes: Back in August when I was literally over run with cherry tomatoes from my garden and from my CSA, I did something that I never did before. I cooked the cherry tomatoes with some red peppers , fresh basil and red onion and froze small batches of the cooked tomato mixture in mason jars. Who knew you could cook and freeze cherry tomatoes? Also, a friend told me I could have just washed and cleaned the tomatoes and froze them without cooking them to use in future soups- I now am using the cooked tomato as a base for my tomato soups! Of course you could use canned tomatoes and the soup recipes will still come out really good.

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Good food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

Author: Judee Algazi

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Stuffed Portobello Quiche - Gluten Free

Roasted Portobello mushroom caps are exceptional when stuffed with this quiche-like spinach filling. These flavorful beauties will make an impressive presentation for any holiday meal, but especially for Thanksgiving or Christmas! You can serve them as a tasty side dish or as a vegetarian entree. Of course they are also gluten/grain/nut free.

I bought two large mushroom caps, wiped the outside very clean with a damp cloth,  removed the inner stem ( saved it for soup) , scraped the inside a little and placed them into a greased pyrex pan to bake for 15 minutes. I was amazed to see the juices that flowed out of the mushrooms, they were so rich and flavorful. I poured out about 1/2 cup of juice into a container and saved it for soup.

Next I stuffed the caps with the simple quiche filling I prepared using ricotta, frozen spinach,  eggs and shredded cheese. Baked them until the quiche was set, and boy was I very pleased with the results.

Filling of spinach, ricotta, eggs, shredded cheese and spices 

I originally got the Idea from a blog called I follow called,  All Day I Dream About Food.
Carolyn used an artichoke spinach dip from Whole Foods Market to make her quiches ! Her Portobello quiches looked so impressive and delicious that I knew I wanted to make them. Believe it or not, I traveled a 1/2 hour to Whole Foods and they were out of the dip. That was when I knew I would have to improvise and create my own version! I still want to try it with the dip, but I liked my version too.

If you ever have a guest who is vegetarian- ( not vegan) , they would love this!


So there you have it- another easy, but elegant recipe that meets gluten free and vegetarian standards! They can be made a day in advance and simply heated up to serve.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes for roasting the mushroom caps
Cook Time : 20 minutes for quiche filling
Total cook time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 
2 large portobello mushroom caps
1 cup of ricotta cheese ( I used full fat)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice ( swiss? Italian blend? Mexican blend? )
1 cup of frozen spinach ( I didn't even squeeze the moisture out)
Pepper and herbal seasoning to taste

Instructions:
Clean the mushrooms caps with a damp paper towel. Remove the stem ( save for soup).
Scrape the inside of the cap slightly to make more room for the filling. Place the caps face up on a cookie sheet with a rim. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. ( pour off any juices to save for a a soup if desired)

While the caps are baking, assemble ricotta cheese, 2 beaten eggs, shredded cheese, frozen spinach and seasoning. Mix well with a fork. Fill the caps with the mixture. Return to 350 oven and bake until the  quiche is set and firm, about  20-25 minutes.

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Food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

Author: Judee Algazi

 Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. I love comments and love to be introduced to your blog. I usually visit and follow your blog on G+ , Bloglovin, and Twitter. Thanks for stopping by. To Comment: Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon and receive a very small compensation when you buy anything from Amazon by clicking on to Amazon from my blog - This helps me defray the cost 

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Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

These soft and chewy cranberry chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are a perfect treat for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Everyone expects to eat cranberries for the holiday, so why not serve the slightly tart berries in a delicious cookie ?

My little granddaughter came to visit and the first thing she said to me was, " Let's bake cookies".
I thought about what I had in my pantry and decided to bake these cranberry chocolate oatmeal cookies. It's a fairly common recipe that is sometimes made with white chocolate chips or the dark chocolate chips. I had the latter in the house.

These quick and easy cookies also make a nice addition to your Christmas Cookie repertoire.  No mixer is needed; you just stir the ingredients with a large spoon. They are very festive because they are full of red dried berries and rich chocolate. Unlike highly processed cookies, these winners are made from real food with whole grain nutrition. I always feel better serving my grandkids something that is wholesome.

In addition, these snacks meet gluten free and vegetarian standards. 

Question: Are all oats gluten free?
Answer:  No, only gluten free certified oats are considered gluten free (read why) 

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes ( don't over bake)
Oven: 350 degrees

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup of gluten free flour)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of olive oil or melted coconut oil
1 1/2 cups of certified gluten free rolled oats (I get mine at Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup of coconut crystals (or any sweetener of your choice) ( more if you like it sweet)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chocolate chips (DF )
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon of orange zest ( from an organic orange)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix dry ingredients ( flour, oats,  coconut crystals, salt , baking soda, orange zest) in a small bowl.
Combine the wet ingredients ( olive oil, eggs, vanilla, orange juice)
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with spoon.
Fold in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
Cover a cookie sheet ( or two) with parchment paper . Drop spoon size balls onto the paper and bake for just 10 minutes. Remove cookies and place them on wire racks to cool before eating.

My Notes: If you do not use the coconut flour and choose to use a different gluten free flour or regular flour, only use 2 eggs instead of 3. Coconut flour requires more liquid.

Sometimes you just want milk and cookies , even if its almond or coconut milk 

Another  healthy gluten free cookie that I make: 

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies  ( sweetened with fruit only) 

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Food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

Author: Judee Algazi

 Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. I love comments and love to be introduced to your blog. I usually visit and follow your blog on G+ , Bloglovin, and Twitter. Thanks for stopping by. To Comment: Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon and receive a very small compensation when you buy anything from Amazon by clicking on to Amazon from my blog - This helps me defray the cost 

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