It is spring and the farmers market is starting to showcase beautiful flavorful tomatoes.
I love pasta, and when I see tomatoes it is the first thing I think of making. This is a meal that you can make in about 15 minutes. Here is how to do it.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, chop up tomatoes. About 6 medium sized.
Heat a pan and add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic. If you like some heat, now is the time to add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Add the spelt * pasta to the water. Add the tomatoes with their juices to the pan with the garlic. And red pepper flakes.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Just before the pasta is done, add a handful of basil to the sauce.
Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the tomatoes.* Stir and cook for about one minute.
Enjoy.

Notes* you can purchase spelt flour at your local health food store or online.
I also always save a cup of water when I drain my pasta. I always use a little to add to my sauce. It brings it all together.

Here is the quick and very easy dinner I made last night. Within an hour it can be on your plate.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees .
Scrub and wash a sweet potato or a yam. Poke with a fork or knife so steam can escape. Put it on a cookie sheet and bake for one hour.
45 minutes into the cooking, place the broccoli in a steamer. Place the salmon in a baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Squeeze a few teaspoons of fresh lemon juice on top.
Steam the broccoli and bake the fish. The fish should be done in 12-15 minutes.

Tip. Zest the lemon and sprinkle on the broccoli. It gives it a great punch of lemon flavor.

This is how my dinner started last night. A tossed green salad of mixed greens, arugula and baby spinach leaves. You can dress it with your favorite salad dressing. The rest of this easy quick to make dinner is on the next page.

This is a great afternoon snack. I opened the salad drawer of the refrigerator looking for something to eat. I try to have lots of alkaline foods around to grab when I get hungry for a snack. This day was a little challenging as it is the end of the week and I am going to the farmers market tomorrow. What I did have was a piece of celery, a small carrot, a red bell pepper and a beautiful avocado.
I cut them up and dressed them with 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar and 3 tsp. olive oil.
Personally I do not use salt or pepper on my greens. I prefer the natural state of them. But feel free to adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to your taste. Remember, that you do not need lettuce to create a delicious little salad.

This is a great salad and easy to make.
I saw these beautiful watermelon radishes at the farmers market.
Just fill a bowl with your favorite greens mixture. I used baby spinach, kale, finely minced, a mix of salad greens, and parsley. On top, I placed cucumber, carrots, celery and the watermelon radish slices.
Dressing
1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
Mix together.
Season with salt and pepper.

Spring vegetable soup

The farmers market has an abundance of farm fresh organic Asparagus.
I always get my inspiration from seeing all the wonderful fresh produce.
Try this delicious vegetable soup. It is quick and easy. Everything is going to be puréed, so you can give everything a rough chop.

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 small onion
The stems from 2 bunches of asparagus, cut off an inch at the ends. Tips reserved.
1 white sweet potato
3 stalks of celery
4 - 5 cups of vegetable stock
1 tsp salt, pepper

Heat the oil in a medium size pot. Add the onion and cook for 6 minutes, until it is has softened.
Add the asparagus stems, the celery and the potato. Stir. Add the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the stove. In small batches purée the soup with ½ cup of liquid at a time. Transfer to another pot or bowl. Add just enough of your leftover stock to form the consistency of the soup. It should not be too thin. Remember you can always add liquid but it is very hard to take out.
Then transfer all to a pot. Add the asparagus tips and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and a little pepper. Season to taste.

This is a very easy to make summer salad when the zucchini is at its best.
Grate a few zucchini squash or you can easily substitute another variety. Dress it with lemon juice and olive oil. 1 Tbsp of lemon juice to 3 Tbsp of olive oil. Toss and season with salt and pepper. You can add a little fresh lemon zest and fresh parsley as well. Spread on a plate. Toss toasted almond slices on the top.

Some friends were coming to lunch and I decided to whip up a pot of French onion soup.
It is really fun to serve. I substituted alkaline ingredients to make this very satisfying bowl of soup.
Easily serves 4-6

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. Clarified butter
4 onions
2 Tbsp. Spelt flour
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cups vegetable broth
1 large potato
½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper

In a large pot heat the oil and butter. Add the onions and the thyme. Cook 25-30 minutes until the onions have developed a nicely light brown color. Be careful not to burn them. Stir in the flour and mix thoroughly. Cook for about three minutes to cook out the flour taste. Add the broth. Season to taste. Continue to cook on a low simmer.

For the garnish, peel and thinly slice the potato. Place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook about 4 minutes until the potato is cooked. Drain, and set the potato slices on a baking pan.
Sprinkle the cheese on top of the potato slices. Place under the broiler until the cheese has melted.

To serve,
Ladle the soup into the bowls. Place three of the potato/ cheese croutons on the top.

I love making a big salad early I the week. Cover it with a paper towel and plastic wrap and you have a go to salad for at least 3-4 days. This all depends on how fresh your lettuce is. Hopefully it has been purchased at your local farmers market.

This week I took advance of the fresh Frisée and Escarole. They originally came from the Mediterranean region.
Frisée Is sometimes referred to as chicory. Related to endive.
Escarole is from the same family of vegetables.
I especially like the different textures of both the Frisée and Escarole. Curly and crunchy, smooth and full of flavors. Simply said, just delicious.

Because they are not known as the sweetest of lettuces. I like to pair them with an assortment of sweeter options.

So I added
Grated carrots
Radishes
Celery
Parsley
Red bell pepper
Cucumber
A handful of garbanzo beans
And I topped it off with cubes of avocado

Dressing: basic vinaigrette is 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or fresh lemon, or orange or grapefruit juice to 3 Tablespoons of olive oil.

Breakfast. This also makes a good afternoon snack.
Plain organic yogurt, with pineapple and a handful of almonds.

Lentil and White Bean Soup
This is a hearty lentil soup filled with vegetables and beans.

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 small yellow onion sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini squash, diced
1-2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup lentils
1 cup white beans *
5 cups of vegetable broth
1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Salt
Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in your soup pot. Add the onions and cook about 6 minutes until they have softened. Add the celery, carrots and zucchini. Stir and cook about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the lentils and the broth. Cook for 45 minutes and then add the beans and the parsley. Cook another 15 minutes. Then add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

I like to soak my white beans overnight in a bowl filled with water. Then I rinse them, put them in a pot, cover with water. Add an onion, a piece of celery and a carrot. Cook for about an hour until the beans are softened. Never salt the beans during the cooking. Wait until the beans are done. Adding salt will make the beans hard.

You can also use canned beans. Just make sure you rinse them very well.

Garden Salad

I was at the farmers market yesterday and could not resist all the beautiful greens.
I put this salad together to celebrate all the flavors in this bowl. I like making a large amount and keep it in my fridge. This will last a few days. Add avocado slices when you serve this salad.
Here is what I did.

A bunch of baby spinach
A handful of arugula
A handful of mixed lettuces
A handful of parsley, chopped
4 leaves of kale, finely chopped
1 watermelon radish ( you can substitute with red radishes)
1 Persian style cucumber, seeds removed
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot sliced with a vegetable peeler to form strips

Dressing is my usual go to, 1 tsp. of Dijon style mustard, 1 tsp. Apple cider vinegar 3 Tbsp olive oil.
Mix together with a whisk.

Cauliflower soup

This is a very satisfying, quick and easy soup to make using some of our winter vegetables.

Everything is going to go into the blender, so just a rough chop for all of the vegetables.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion

1 leek, only use the white and pale green parts

2 stalks celery

1 medium sized cauliflower

2 potatoes

Water

2 tsp. Salt

Pepper to taste

Chopped celery for garnishing

Heat the oil in a medium pot. Over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add the leek and celery.

Cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir and mix everything together. Now pour water in, covering them with the water about 2 inches over the top of the vegetables. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

In small batches, put the soup in a blender and chop for just a second. Transfer the chopped soup into a large bowl. Continue until all the soup is chopped. I prefer a chunky style of this soup but if you prefer a creamier texture, you can totally purée this soup for a more elegant presentation.

When all is blended, you might have some leftover water. It will keep in the freezer for the next time you make soup.

Now transfer everything back to your pot, adjust seasoning and cook under a low fire until ready to serve. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This is an adaption of a salad made by Giada De Laurentiis.
I served it the other night and everyone thought it was delicious.
Having a Food processor helps. But you can make it without.

1 bunch of kale. Chopped very fine.
2 bulbs of fennel. Sliced very thin.
10-12 brussel sprouts, sliced very thin
1 large cucumber , sliced thin

Mix all together.
Dress with ¼ cup olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.
It’s best to dress this salad at least 3 hours before serving.

Salmon, rice and salad I went to dinner at a friends house. As a favor to me this was a more alkaline meal.
Roasted Salmon, Japonica rice, cooked in vegetable broth with onions and salad filled with healthy greens, steamed broccoli and tomatoes with a dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. If you keep the protein to a 4 ounce portion(acidic) and combine it with alkaline foods, the rice and salad, it is possible to enjoy most foods you enjoy and still be eating alkaline.

Here is another version of a quinoa pilaf that I made recently.
It was a big hit, especially for those who have not eaten quinoa before.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
½ tsp sea salt
2 TBSP olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrot. Cook an additional 3 minutes. Add the quinoa, stock and season with the salt. You can use black pepper to taste. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is done. Using a fork, fluff it up. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

Note: I made this in the morning and warmed it up in a 350 oven for about 10-12 minutes.

This is kale. It is so good for us. Kale is low on calories, it provides us with calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and a huge amount of vitamin K. It also contains the minerals of copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. But most of us do not know what to do with it.

When using Kale in a salad, it is best to marinate it first. This will tenderize the kale and make it much easier to eat.
Cut the kale off the stem. Chop finely. Place in a bowl. Dress with a light coating of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Cover, and let sit for a few hours. It can even sit overnight in the fridge.
When you make a green salad, add the kale, along with the other vegetables you use.
I usually start with parsley, cucumber, celery carrots and avocado. I sometimes also use radishes, red bell pepper, toasted pumpkin seeds and toasted sunflower seeds.

Having a salad is a great alkaline booster.

White bean and lentil soup.
This is a very easy soup to make. I used orange lentils and they all but disappeared in the soup but gave it a luscious thickness. I soaked and prepared my own beans, but you can use a can of beans if that is easier for you. I like to dice my vegetables all the same size. It gives a uniform look to the soup.
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 medium size zucchini squash, diced
1 ½ cups of kale, finely chopped
1 cup orange lentils
2 cups cooked white beans
6 cups vegetable stock.
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
Pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes, add the celery, carrots, zucchini and the kale. Mix together and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and stock. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Now add your salt and pepper. Sometimes if you add the salt to the lentils beans during cooking, it can make them tough.

For the beans.
Place the beans in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water. The beans are going to expand and you need enough water for this process. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 6 hours or overnight
Drain the beans and place in a pot of fresh water. Add 1 onion, cut in half, a stalk of celery and 1 carrot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 1 hour. Taste a few to see of they are done.
Drain the beans and transfer to a bowl.
Note: they only last a few days in the fridge, but they freeze very well.

Pasta is a go to quick meal. Serve it with a tossed green salad and you have dinner in under 30 minutes.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Add one box of spelt pasta or try quinoa pasta.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 zucchini squash
½ small onion
Fresh Basil or Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Heat a frying pan, add the onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and add to the pan stir in the fresh herbs.

Note: I always reserve a little of the pasta water to add to my pasta, if it is looking too dry

Easy butternut squash soup
I was at the farmers market yesterday and the butternut squash was on full display.
It inspired me to make this soup. It’s quick and easy. It’s perfect to start a meal, or serve it with a salad and some crusty alkaline spelt bread and you have a delicious meal.

1-2 butternut squash, about 4 cups of squash
1 Tbsp.olive oil
2 Tbsp. clarified butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
Pinch of cloves
½ tsp. sea salt
5- 7 cups vegetable stock

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash flesh side down on a oiled baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.

While the squash is baking;
Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onions, salt, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Cook over low heat for approx. 30 minutes, until the onions are a light golden color.
Remove the cinnamon sticks, and discard them.

Using a spoon, scoop out the cooked squash. Add to the onion mixture and stir. In small batches, blend the squash with the onion mixture and a little of the stock until all of the ingredients have been puréed. Transfer to the pot, adjust seasoning and add enough stock to form a good consistency. If you want a thicker soup, use less stock, if you prefer a thinner soup, use more stock. Heat soup thoroughly before serving.