A pet peeve of mine is when someone says "I don't like salad". There are SO MANY ways to make a salad, some ways are boring and tasteless (think iceberg lettuce and an old tomato with ranch dressing...), and some ways are super yummy. I like to think that my salads fall in to the super yummy category. Because, life is too short to eat boring salad.

So here is one of my yummy salads.

I found this amazing burrata cheese from a local valley cheese maker (how amazing is that? I love the valley). Burrata cheese is a soft cheese made from mozzarella and cream. It is soft, creamy, light, and so delicious. Because it is made from cow's milk, this is not vegan and I really can't think of a vegan substitute. 

This cheese is amazing, but can only be found reliably at the farmers' market in Halifax, so in a pinch, I'll substitute goat cheese and it's still quite delicious but definitely not the same.

Ingredients:

• Burrata cheese at room temperature (or soft plain goat cheese). One piece of burrata will serve 2-4.
• Arugula or mixed greens
• 4-5 Beets (red or golden)
• 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
• Basil, fresh and chopped
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar, or even better, balsamic reduction
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Clean your beets and place on a large piece of aluminum foil on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Wrap the beets up in the foil and crimp the sides closed with your fingers.
4. Roast in the oven until tender. This could take anywhere from 25-40 minutes depending on how big the beets are and how fresh they are. Start checking around the 25-30 minute mark, you'll know they are done if you can pierce them easily with a fork.
5. While they are roasting, toast your chopped walnuts either in the oven for 4-6 minutes (make sure they don't burn) or in a toasted oven at 350. Set aside.
6. When the beets are tender, remove them from the oven and let cool until you can peel the skins off with your fingers. Cut in to bite sized pieces. 
7. Now, you're ready to assemble your salad: place a couple handfuls of greens in a bowl, top with beets, walnuts, basil, and lastly your burrata cheese (or crumbled goat cheese). Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Enjoy! (and then try to tell me you don't like salads!!)

I found this yummy recipe online, three days after I caught a gastrointestinal virus from my loving (and germy) niece. I hadn't eaten for 48 hours and this soup was exactly what I needed!

I have been a vegetarian most of my life, and don't plan to make any changes any time soon. This doesn't mean I don't see the nutritive value in meat or animal based products. Animal products are often higher in iron, vitamin B12, protein, and lesser known nutrients like carnitine than plant based foods. As a vegetarian, I have to very really mindful of these nutrients and stay on top of my diet and supplements to be sure I'm not getting deficient. 

One animal product that holds a lot of medicinal value is bone broth. Bone broth is full of collagen, trace minerals, amino acids, among other nutrients. Bone broth can be very healing for the gut as well as the skin, muscles, bones, joints, and immune system. This is why this soup was so healing for me after the GI virus! Bone broth is best when home-made with bones from "happy meat" (my definition of happy meat is; pasture raised, sustainable, ideally local farms). We are lucky these days to have premade bone broth available in our grocery and health store, you may just want to check the details on the farm and where your food is coming from first.

This recipe comes from a website called "sweetnsassyeats.com" and I'm thankful I found it! This warming soup is packed full of veggies and healing nutrients like the bone broth but also ginger, garlic, and cilantro. Heal your gut or boost your immune system before you catch that next virus!  


Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 2 tbsp Ginger minced
• 2 tbsp Garlic minced
• 1/2 cup Green Onions chopped
• 2 whole Star Anise (or 1/2 tsp anise seed, or omit if you don't have it)
• 1/2 cup Tamari
• 2 tbsp red curry paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand)
• 1 whole Red Bell Peppers washed & sliced
• 1 small package mushrooms washed & sliced (I used cremini but shiitake would be AMAZING)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro washed & chopped
• 1 whole Sweet Potato peeled & diced
• 1 whole zucchini washed & chopped
• 1 whole bok choy washed & chopped (omit if you don't have it, use more kale)
• 1/2 bunch kale chopped
• 8 Cups bone broth homemade or store bought (if vegan, use veggie broth)
• 1 package rice noodles
• 1 whole lemon, juiced

Instructions

• Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over med-high heat.
• Add ginger, garlic and green onions, stir and saute 1-2 min.
• Add Star Anise & mushrooms, saute 2-3 min
• Add white ends of bok choy and sweet potatoes, and 1 tbsp coconut oil, saute 2-3 min
• Add tamari & red curry paste, stir & simmer 5 min
• Add remaining veggies (including bok choy greens, but reserve 1/2 cilantro for later) and stir. Add broth and bring to boil.
• In a separate pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add rice noodles and cook until soft. (according to package instructions). Drain the water when they are tender and cooked.
• Place noodles in a soup bowl, ladle your soup and then top with remaining cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice. Stir & serve. Serve with Sriracha on the side if you want a bit more heat.