The Jealous Crumpet

A sweet little blog


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Chantenay Heirloom Carrot and Ginger Soup

Heirloom Carrot and Ginger SoupOn this gloomy, rainy Autumn day nothing is more perfect than a lunch of warm heirloom carrot and ginger soup. It is especially perfect when paired with fresh rolls and garnished with chives and dill.  Fresh RollsAnother great recipe for Chef Chris at The Bottle!fresh ginger

HEIRLOOM CARROT AND GINGER SOUP

(Serves 8 people)

2 tbs. whole butter

1 medium Vidalia onion

1 small clove of garlic

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tsp. salt and fresh ground pepper.

2 lbs. Chantenay carrots (any good sweet heirloom variety)

1 small piece of peeled fresh ginger (2 oz.)

6 cups vegetable stock (carrots, onions and celery)

1 cup heavy cream

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, sauté the roughly chopped vegetables in whole butter for five minutes. Add the vegetable stock, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer for five minutes or until the carrots are tender. Puree and strain the mixture into another sauce pot and add the heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer and check seasoning. A few drops of lemon juice will help to bring out the flavor of the carrots. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, your favorite crusty bread and fresh herbs.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

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Surviving a Juice Cleanse

Juice Cleanse Juices

Whenever I thought about doing a juice cleanse I always envisioned the movie “The Exorcist”.  A cleanse, I imagined, involved a health zealot pelting me with quinoa or chia seeds (or whatever health food is trendy at the time) and yelling “The power of green juices and 64 oz of water compels you!”, as I vomit something green and my head spins around. Unpleasant indeed. But a couple of months ago I was covering a ribbon cutting for the opening on a new juice bar, I Love Juice Bar and the people where so nice a normal I got looking into juicing.  I Love Juice Bar offers these nifty pre-made juicing packages, so I could just pay someone make the juices. I debated for a couple of weeks and finally just decide to go for it and do a three-day juice fast/cleanse. pre-made

untitled_9Thursday: I picked up my juice cleanse, went home and immediately tasted each one. I wanted to know what I was working with. My favorite was the orange, didn’t love the fresh, but all of the juice was pretty tasty.  Untitled-1

I had done zero research on doing a juice cleanse so I didn’t know I was supposed to eat any differently before a cleanse, so I had everything bad for me the day before, sugar, coffee, booze, etc.  Oops.  untitled8

Friday: Starting my juice cleanse! I was quite worried as I am an avid coffee drinker and this was apparently not allowed, but my the end I was off from coffee.  2 weeks after the cleanse I still have one cup in the morning, but I am much less dependent on the caffeine.  Untitled-5

I decided to start with the beet juice.  It was yummy and a beautiful shade of red.  I had a couple of sips and then immediately dumped half of the juice on my white sofa.  In a panicked frenzy I start cleaning my sofa.  The juice cleanse was not off to a good start, but I learned that Oxy Clean stain remover is a miracle substance.  It took out the beet juice amazingly well!!!!  Go buy some today!Untitled-2After the beet juice debacle things went a little more smoothly.  I wasn’t dying of hunger, but my mouth would start watering every time a food ad came on TV.  I’ve never even eaten at Popeye’s, but I commercial for their fried chicken came on and man what I would have given for a piece of  fried chicken.  And I almost never eat fast food.

I slept exceptionally well that night, better than I had in months.  Could be the hunger, but I was too tired to care.

Untitled-10Saturday-I felt pretty good in the morning, well rested and craving veggies.  I did NOT start with beet juice, but opted for a less stainable green juice, which I successfully drank without pouring on anything.  Drinking water has been the hardest part. Having to drink so much water has made me realize that I normally don’t drink enough H2O.  waterI go to the grocery store to get veggies in preparation for eating solids again and my mouth starts watering uncontrollably when I see a cucumber.  A cucumber!  Already I am healthier.

Sunday-At this point I don’t really miss having food in my stomach, but I do miss the texture and the process of eating food.  I’m starting to get really excited about drinking my juices, as if it is Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner.  But I am SO tired of the constant cycle of drinking water followed by a visit to the bathroom.

I’m not really having any cravings and don’t feel hungry.

Monday-I somehow ended up with an extra juice, so on my first day of eating solid foods I opted to have my last juice for breakfast.  For lunch ate a light salad and it was glorious.

I’ve survived my first juice cleanse!  Thank-you I Love Juice Bar for helping me with the process!!!