Cooking to Calm Down

If you’ve been reading my past blog posts then you know it’s been a busy month! Lots of awesome events, training (running) for my charity and of course lots of cooking! (Check out what I’ve been up to here. )  Even though my life has become more hectic, I still find that cooking at the end of a long day is the best way for me to unwind. It relaxes me, quiets my mind and even makes me laugh (usually because my knife and one or two ingredients go flying through the air…oops!)

So for this week’s blog post I want you to get in on the cooking action too!

1. Test your own cooking skillz with my {Healthy} Cooking Camp television segment on the Better TV Show!

Quinn and I were lucky enough to be guests on an awesome television show where we dished out all the “do’s and don’ts” of healthy cooking! As you watch, test your own healthy cooking knowledge to see how you matched up with the experts.  Don’t forget to share your results – I want to know how you did!

2. Make some Super Power Soup!

Why is this soup so powerful? It’s loaded with comforting and grounding root vegetables that are sure to satisfy through these darker days of winter, AND get things steamy in the kitchen for Valentine’s Day. Plus, it’s loaded with some super spices and natural anti-bacterial veggies (garlic and onions), which will get your metabolism running and keep away those winter sniffles.Want to know more about my go-to winter detox foods? Check out this article I wrote for www.YourBellaLife.com.

Your Healthiest You Super Power Soup

Ingredients:
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into a small dice
1 carrot, peeled and cut into a small dice
2 celery roots, peeled and cut into a small dice
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2 large onions, peeled and cut into a small dice
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large can diced tomatoes (the big sized one)
1 box of vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lemon
Mix of sage, thyme, and parsley, chopped finely – about 1/2 cup total (reserve some chopped parsley for serving)
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Directions:

Coat bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes, till translucent. Add all remaining chopped vegetables, spices, salt and pepper to the pot and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes.

Add liquids, canned tomatoes, and stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling lower to a simmer, and add chopped herbs (leave some remaining for serving) and lemon juice.

Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. You may also want to add additional water to the pot depending on how thick or thin you want your soup. The soup is finished when all the vegetables are soft and can easily be stabbed with a fork (about 25 minutes total cooking time).

Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!

P.S. If you want extra protein, feel free to add in beans such as garbanzo or navy for additional protein.

P.S. P.S. This soup freezes well to be enjoyed at a later date!

3. Join my new and improved seasonal cooking class, Robyn’s Cooking Club!  Learn to cook easy, fast, yummy (and healthy!) meals for one or more in my upcoming Cooking Club class.  My winter class is coming up on February 27th.  Click here to sign up.

So let me know – how are you going to get cookin’ this week? Share your favorite recipe or how you did on the Better TV Show quiz!