Are soup cleanses the new juice cleanses? Giveaway too.

I want to start by saying Carolyn and I love soup. We’ve also been fielding questions about soup cleanses. Nicole Chaszar, the founder of The Splendid Spoon,suggested we meet and taste some of her concoctions but OneSmartBrownie and I had another idea. We wanted to give a full day of “souping” a go. *

Our packages arrived and Carolyn messaged me “they look good”. All of the soups are gluten free and plant based. You receive five soups for the day a mixture of pureed and chunky (chewing=awesome). Always looking at the pros and cons of new regimes I was initially surprised that one soup had steel cut oats, another lentils and one was butternut squash based. As someone who has a fairly low starch, low grain diet this didn’t seem too “cleansy”.

The next morning I woke up ready to go. I scratched my head at whether or not coffee was “kosher” for cleansing but recalled Carolyn’s cleanse mantra “your cleanse, your rules.” I had my typical coffee. Revived and caffeinated I realized I had to transport the still semi-frozen soups to the office. I heated the butternut squash soup first (this seemed the most breakfasty) but also had to heat the mushroom soup. We have no microwave at the office and I’m totally against microwaving in plastic so the logistics of souping if away from home for the day is something to consider. A large ceramic mug  or class container is needed.

The soups are delicious and I was determined to “succeed” as we scheduled our meeting with Nicole/Splendid Spoon mid day. Nicole is a great ambassador for her brand. Every question we had, she had an answer for. The sodium? She will not sacrifice taste and these soups are significantly lower in sodium than other soups. The produce? Nicole prides herself on using local, seasonal ingredients. The calories? Less than 800 in the day (more on that later). The containers are BPA free and the company worked with an RD for this cleanse. Nicole herself will have breakfast and then use the soups throughout the day.

I was headed to my son’s piano lesson but made a quick stop at home for soup #3. I love beets and it hit the spot. It was one of our first chilly days and there was something comforting about the soup but this is when things headed south. It was a little after 3pm and I had a headache. “Starving” I emailed Carolyn to which she replied “I may overdose on saffron pills”.  I peered in my purse and saw one of the new bars we were testing for our store. I closed my purse and tried to listen to the lesson. No luck, I ate the bar without an ounce of guilt.

I know too well that once your blood sugar drops it’s almost impossible to correct it. I know a bunch of things I violated that day.When I got home I knew I had my kale/lentil soup waiting. Lentils have never tasted so good. But I wasn’t done. My boys were enjoying lamb burgers (lava lake, grass fed!) and I was jealous. And so I had one, it was delicious. Carolyn emailed from the office, she was eating nuts and later confirmed “it’s official, over cleanses.”

I debated whether or not to post but decided to go ahead with it. These soups, available on Fresh Direct, are fantastic. I am a protein person, I could see having the soup for a light, veggie dinner or a breakfast (a hot “juice” if you think about it) but I need my “dunch” as I call it. For me (or us) a full day was too much but if you want to give souping a whirl Nicole is giving away one to two cleanses. You can use them as directed or spread them out over a couple of days. Remember- your cleanse your rules.

Have you heard of soup cleanses? Have you tried one? What's your favorite soup? 

To be eligible for the giveaway comment below AND tweet the link to this post and @Foodtrainers has a @SplendidSpoonNY #soup #cleanse #giveaway 

 *Full disclosure Nicole discounted our 1-day soup cleanses.

Winner of Skinny Gut giveaway is Danielle, your book should be on its way to you.  

Unrealistic Serving Sizes or Unrealistic Consumers?

On Tuesday I was contacted by Good Morning American to tape a segment on serving sizes. I shuffled my afternoon calendar and made my way over to Fairway Market to meet their crew. The news of the day involved a request by CSPI (often referred to as the food police) asking the FDA to revise serving sizes on certain food labels. I was interviewed in various aisles and went back to my office.  I watched the show the next morning and later contacted the producer; I thought I had missed the nutrition segment. She apologized to me and explained the story “had been bumped for the peacock.” The peacock being the one who had escaped from the Central Park Zoo. Serving sizes would wait another day.

The segment did air yesterday but my gripping comments about soup and cooking spray were cut to about the length of time the label suggest you spray (or a ¼ second) so I’ll fill you in. CSPI feels that the labels for certain foods such as the aforementioned canned soup, cooking spray as well as ice cream and coffee creamer (not a particularly healthful foursome) underestimate the actual amount of these foods consumers use. It’s hard to argue that one-cup of soup, an actual cup not a restaurant mug is pretty teensy and measuring ¼ second as aerosol oil sprays  suggest on the label is silly. I mean, “one-Mi” if we’re using the exact science of Mississippi counting.  So yes, the labels have their faults but perhaps consumers of canned soup, ice cream, spray oil and coffee creamer have bigger fish to fry.

While the serving size may be a little off, all labels list “servings per container.” So to determine just how much of a sodium bomb your Chicken Noodle soup is you need to multiply the serving by a factor of 2 or 2.5. Are we unsure consumers can do this?  CSPI is worried about people with hypertension, I am too. Should people who care about their blood pressure be eating canned soup? Or, are they reassured by the 790 milligrams if they eat the suggested 1-cup serving? I am all for pointing out confusing and misleading food packages but don’t see this as all that misleading.

CSPI suggests “the FDA should define serving sizes to reflect what consumers actually eat.” To me that’s opening up an extra large can of worms. With that reasoning is a serving size of frozen pizza one pie? A pint of ice cream? A liter of soda? CSPI found on a phone survey that most Americans do not consume 1 cup of soup, can we use what people actually eat to formulate guidelines? I don’t think so.  

Food companies know what’s going on. Chips would be less attractive if calories per bag were listed. “One hundred calories per serving” sounds much better, too bad if there are 25 servings in the bag. So there’s a little fudging in on the part of the companies but who are we kidding when we down the bag of chips? So while I know most people don’t have a “teacup” of cold cereal, if you eat fewer packaged foods you’re in a better place for a host of reasons.  And in case you are more interested in the peacock story, here it is.

Do you think serving sizes are “misleading”? Do you think they should, as CSPI requested, reflect what consumers actually eat? Do you eat any of the four foods mentioned?

Soup-er

It’s not easy to list your good qualities and I’m not about to start. I will say that I am not a whiner. Whether it’s pain,emotional or physical, or discomfort, I have a high threshold. This serves me well in the ski season. My husband always says, referring to our kids, “skiing will toughen you up, anyone can sit on a beach.” Let’s just say on Sunday, I was craving some beach time. I was wearing many layers and hand warmers, cashmere socks and a neck gator and I was still cold. I may have even whined a little. I didn’t whine that much though because I didn’t last that long. It was bitter and windy, the tips of my fingers couldn’t grip my poles…aren’t you jealous of our ski weekends?

My husband was not cold (and was so proud of this fact) and my boys do not finish until 12:45 so I headed home for a bit to warm up. I wasn’t ready for lunch but I was ready for warmth. I scanned our soup selections and perked up when I saw something I hadn’t tried before.  It was this:

I poured some of this French Onion Soup into a pot and heated it up.  I would normally have been giddy with anticipation was I was still thawing.  I cut a couple of thin slices of Cabot Reduced Fat Cheddar and changed out of my many layers. When I came downstairs the soup was simmering. I poured it into  a Le Pain Quotidien bowl and took a seat at the kitchen counter. I am an onion soup lover but it’s hard to imagine French Onion Soup without Gruyere and bread. This soup has neither bread nor cheese but it also has only 30 calories per cup. I held the soup to my mouth and tasted it. It was delicious. I had a bite of the cheddar cheese and for a minute really felt as though there was nothing better. Here was a 30-calorie, organic, gluten free version of one of my favorite, high fat, gluten-y foods.  I will say this soup is high in sodium. I would keep your serving to a cup or cup and a half.  My cup of Pacific’s French Onion soup turned my day around. Anyone can sit on the beach.

What activities do or did you do as a child that “toughen you up”?  What are your favorite ways to warm up, a fire? A certain type of clothing? Seat warmers in the car? And what are your favorite supermarket soups?

Three Ingredient Fix

I was out to dinner with a couple of good friends on Thursday.  We were joking about staying on top of everything: work, kids, food, exercise, sometimes doing a better job than others. My friend Meg shared a story, her son woke up that morning and requested “something not bread for breakfast.” Meg looked and they were out of eggs,  yogurt and all other typical non-bread breakfast items as she was due for a food shop. She looked in the pantry and spotted something. “Do you want to have soup for breakfast?” Her son loved the idea and perhaps a new tradition was born.  We all know those times when it’s slim pickings in the house, your supply of staple items exhausted and, like Meg, you have to be creative or at least flexible.  Meg’s story  reminded me of a post I read on Cannelle  et Vanille. A reader asked her the 3 items she always has handy. Her answer was “lentils, eggs and some sort of green”.

 The 3 items I have on hand and use regularly are avocados, jarred tuna and greens.

Avocados go so far beyond guacamole for me. I often bring them to the office for breakfast. I slice them down the middle, remove the pit and sprinkle them with sea salt or black pepper and agave. I eat them “straight” with a spoon. I also use avocados in smoothies and this time of year in my “Breakfast Pudding.” I mix ½ avocado with cocoa and chocolate hemp powder and a dash of cayenne. I blend these ingredients until they are smooth but thick. At lunchtime I use ½ avocado as a bowl for tuna or other salad. And at dinner I often cube avocado into  tomato  or black bean soup or slice one into fish tacos.  And let’s not forget guacamole. I am the proud owner of a new mocaljate that is already seasoned and well used.

My second item, the jarred tuna, is my go-to protein source. I have written about 2 of my favorites Zoe and Tonnino. I suggested Zoe for the “Let’s do Lunch Challenge” and the jalapeno Tonnino was one of my “4 Current Obsessions”. This tuna is great over greens or on Mary’s Gone Crackers. For an easy dinner I chop up any veggie I have into the tuna, add a squeeze of lemon or lime and viola!

Finally, I guess Aran and I overlap in that greens are definitely a necessity for me. Lately, I’ve been purchasing greens from a company called Olivia’s Organics.  My new favorite is their “50/50 Blend” which includes: Spinach, Tango, Lolla Rossa, Red & Green Romaine, Red and Green Oak, Red and Green Chard, Mizuna, Radicchio, Frisee, Beet Greens, Arugula, Tat-Soi and Red Mustard (most of which my spell check doesn't recognize). Olivia’s also makes single, to-go containers of greens. I use greens in omelets and juices. I wilt greens with garlic a lot for an easy side dish and use larger greens, such as kale leaves, for a wrap. I am partial to the clamshell (think shoe box size) containers as I find they stay fresh the longest.  And of course I love combining my top three tastes, avocado, jarred tuna and greens in a salad with lemon vinaigrette and a dash of hot sauce.
What 3 items do always have handy? What’s your equivalent of the “soup for breakfast” moment? Any other avocado uses I omitted?

Pot of the Week

A couple of weeks ago I was doing I daily blog hopping when a post on Erica Sara’s site caught my attention. I tweeted Erica (as embarrassing as it is we met on Twitter) and asked her if she’d post here and tell my hungry readers about her genius Pot of the Week. I’m thrilled Erica chose split peas for her recipe, they are the perfect cold weather food. I contemplated how split peas split on a 1 degree day in Vermont last winter.

When Lauren asked me to write a guest post for the Foodtrainers blog, I was so honored & excited. I've been reading this blog for quite some time and have always found it to be an incredible source of information and inspiration. I hope that my "Pot of the Week" does just the same for all of you.

So, what is a pot of the week? During the cold NYC months, usually on a Sunday afternoon, I prepare a large pot of soup or stew to have on hand for at least one meal a day for the upcoming week. It needs to be quick and easy to make, full of flavor, and loaded with nutrients to get me through my busy days. When I have something hearty & healthy on call at all times, it takes the guess work out of lunch or dinner and saves me tons of money on eating out. Some of my favorites have been Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili  

and a Pumpkin Chickpea stew. Delicious!

This week's pot is a vegetarian play on the traditional Split Pea Soup. I added cannellini beans and roasted corn to kick up the flavors and for protein so that this can be served as a meal. Tonight, I'll eat this soup served with some home baked crusty french bread and a small side salad. Tomorrow, I'll probably pour it over brown rice for a different type of meal. And on Tuesday, I might eat it next to a veggie burger or piece of steamed fish with a side of veggies. The ideas are endless; just what I love about soup!

Split Pea Soup with Cannellini Beans & Corn

serves 4-6

1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 large Onions, chopped

2 Celery Stalks, chopped

1 large Carrot, chopped

1 tbsp fresh Thyme

2 cups Green Split Peas, picked through & rinsed

6 cups of low-sodium Vegetable Stock

1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup Frozen Corn (I used the Roasted Corn from Trader Joe's. It's delicious but regular frozen corn is fabulous as well!)

Salt & Pepper to season

Smoked Paprika (optional)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, celery and carrots and cook until they start to soften, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, split peas and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are soft and the split peas are cooked through, approximately 40-50 minutes. During this time, you may need to add additional liquid so check every 15 minutes and add more vegetable stock  or water as needed. Puree the soup (be sure to allow to cool slightly if using a blender) and then add the beans and corn. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle with a dash of smoked paprika upon serving if you like.

 See? Easy, delicious & healthy! Enjoy.

What are your favorite soups or stews to make? What are your favorite wintry foods? Have you made any friends on Twitter?

Soup Season

While I love a good gazpacho in the middle of the summer, this time of year seems like the real soup season. Soup is fantastic on a raw, wintry day but it’s also good for weight loss efforts. Barbara Rolls’ Volumetrics research showed that when we eat soup as part of a meal, we tend to eat less. This has to due with the high water content of soup.  When choosing soup, out of the house, tomato-based, bean or broth based soups are good choices.  As if soups are “dairy free”, I find this is more strategic than asking if a soup contains cream and stick to those selections. To control sodium, stick to small sized soups and pair your soup with whole grain crackers, a side salad or fruit. I asked the writers behind some of my favorite blogs and sites for their soup selections around town or when not making their own.

Sara Reistad-Long, Svelte Gourmand

Sara and Camille's site Svelte Gourmand is one of my favorite blogs. They discuss recent research and recipes all in a tone that smart but never preachy.

I'm a big fan of Corbet & Conley's lentil and split pea soups. They're well spiced (i.e. you might get a bay leaf in your take-out container...feels very fresh). They're also rich, though. For lighter varieties, I tend to rely on Whole Foods. The flavorings are weaker, so I usually spice them up with a little sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and a splash of tabasco. A shake of tarragon can add a fun and unusual twist to anything chicken-based. 

Camille Noe Pagan, Svelte Gourmand

Off the top of my head, I love Pacific Natural Foods organic tomato soup. I grew up on Campbell's tomato soup, so it's a comfort food for me. The PNF version is similar in terms of taste, but is organic, and while not perfect, is at least made with cane syrup (instead of HFCS, which is most of the other tomato soups I've checked out--even so-called "healthy" versions), and is about 100 calories a serving. My toddler loves it, too.

Pamela Wenberg, City Baby

I've met Pamela almost nine years ago after I had Myles. She was running her new moms luncheons and I was seeking any information I could get my hands on (always loved research). She is the woman behind the City Baby books (or baby bibles) and site.

My favorite places for soup are: Corner Cafe (90th and Madison and 92nd and 3rd) and Soup Stop. I love the Broccoli soup at Corner and the Yellow Lentil at Soup Stop but I also like the Black Bean.

Melissa Gerstein, Moms in the City

Melissa is on the NYC show Moms in the City where 3 moms debate parenting issues, city life and current events and also writes a blog. I worked with Melissa on an episode of Moms in the City, we met through a friend at The Race for the Cure. Melissa sent the following suggestions:

Josie's Carrot Ginger and Artie's Matzoh Ball are my 2 NYC faves.

Lauren Johnston, Running Dialogue 

I believe Lauren and I met on Twitter, is that possible? We read each others blogs and I invited Lauren to a talk I was giving for runners. She recently  completed the NYC marathon and blogged about the whole experience.

I eat soup all winter!  There are two I really enjoy in my neighborhood (Prospect Heights).

Lentil soup from Zaytoons (it’s the thick kind, yellow lentils)

 Vegetarian Black bean soup from Cheryl’s Global Soul: 

My favorite take away soups are by far the selections at Hampton Chutney. They have carrot, sweet potato, multiple types of dal, spinach soups and they're all spicy and flavorful. The best part is the gluten-free cheese dosa that comes can with it.

What are your favorite soups in your area? Why do you like them? What comes with them? Do you eat it (the bread, crackers etc.)?

Not Just Jack O Laterns

When I say pumpkin, what do you think of? Jack O Laterns and Halloween? Perhaps pumpkin pie? Yet, before there were Jack-o-laterns (the Irish are responsible for this tradition) or pumpkin pie the colonists filled this Native American fruit with milk, spices and honey. Turns out they were onto something; pumpkins are great in many recipes. If you do plan to use your pumpkin for cooking or baking look for Sugar Pie and Sweet Pumpkin, these are the best edible varieties. Pumpkins labeled sweet or sugar can be easily baked, roasted, mashed, and puréed like other varieties of winter squash.


I really like canned pureed pumpkin. I use an organic brand called Farmer’s Market. Pumpkin is very high in Vitamin A, a source of both iron and calcium and has 4 grams of fiber in half a cup (vets often suggest it to help canines “go”). Try a little pumpkin in your Greek yogurt. You can layer it like a parfait and use a little honey (ala the colonists) or agave and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Pumpkin also works nicely in oatmeal. I add a little of the pumpkin to cooking water for the grains such as quinoa or brown rice. Pumpkin is also great in soups, chili and in smoothies.

And don’t forget about the pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas. Pumpkin seeds are a great immune booster and a fantastic alternative to nuts as an afternoon snack. Stick to a ¼ cup or less. This Halloween Party Mix from Vegetarian Times is a more festive way to eat pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Smoothie


½ cup pumpkin

1 scoop Organic Whey or plain or vanilla protein powder

½ cup milk of your choice

½ cup ice

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

1 tsp agave nectar
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

What's your favorite pumpkin purpose?

Let's Do Lunch Challenge

In our February Foodtrainers’ newsletter we issued a challenge. We suggested readers pick a week and make their lunch for that entire week. Making your lunch saves money, calories and we find usually tastes better than salad-bar salads and salty soups.

Foodtrainers’ favorite lunches:

1. Zoe tuna is this amazing tuna that comes in a jar. Try ½ jar, ½ avocado and beets  over greens. Other great jarred tuna brands are ortiz and callipo.

2. Nori Wraps-I was reminded of this great idea reading The Kind Diet. You can use sheets of Nori and wrap your favorite sandwich filling. Another calorie-saving option is to use large lettuce leaves. Try this with Zoe tuna or curry chicken salad below.
3. Muffin Frittatas- these are a go-to recipe of mine for breakfast or lunch. I make a batch and freeze or refrigerate the leftovers. Recipe below
4. Curry Chicken Salad- Ellie Krieger has some of the tastiest, healthy recipes around. I love her curry chicken recipe.
5. The Easiest Soup in the World- I hosted a cooking class with Jenna Helwig of Rosaberry  a couple of months ago for family friendly recipes. This soup was a hit, takes very little time to prepare and is a staple in my lunch repertoire. Recipe Below

Recipes:

Mini Muffin Veggie Frittatas

2 mini muffin trays

Cooking Spray (I like Spectrum brand Canola spray)

Veggies (experiment with any veggies!) 1 red bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach, onions, broccoli whatever you have.

6 omega 3 eggs, 4 additional egg whites (can use 8 whole eggs, 16 whites, 2 whites=1 whole)

½ tsp each salt and black pepper

1 tsp chopped herbs (parsley or chives)

½ cup grated reduced fat cheddar or any cheese (OPTIONAL)



Spray 2 mini muffin trays with cooking spray. Preheat oven 375. Chop 1 red pepper, handful of spinach and couple of mushrooms (you can use any veggies). Mix together eggs/whites, herbs, salt and pepper. Add veggies to muffin trays. Spoon egg mixture over veggies almost to top. Scatter cheese on top if using or wait until halfway through cooking. Cook about 15 min or until frittatas rise up and slightly brown. These can be reheated in toaster oven at 300 degrees or nuked in a pinch.

The Easiest Soup in the World (White bean and tomato soup)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 can (14-15 oz.) organic diced tomatoes with juices

2 cups chicken broth (I like Pacific regular or low sodium)

2 cans Eden cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 pound ham, cut into strips or cubes (we used Rosemary ham, delish)

Baby greens, like arugula or romaine (1 bag or 5 oz.)

1/2 tsp. salt.

 Heat oil over medium heat on stove. Add garlic and stir until golden for one or two minutes.
Add tomatoes and juices to garlic. Stir in broth, beans, and ham and bring liquid to a simmer
Simmer soup for five minutes. Stir in greens and cook until wilted, 3-5 minutes. Add salt and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Store in refrigerator or freezer.


What are your favorite healthy lunches? Are you ready to accept the Foodtrainers “let’s do lunch” challenge?