Spiced Nut Clusters

This recipe was inspired by a similar concoction that is part of Prevention Magazine’s new DTOUR diet. The diet is designed to reduce blood sugar spikes and avoid diabetes. This recipe is pumped up with extra-healthy nuts and seeds, plus cinnamon can increase metabolism.

Ingredients:

1 tsp honey
1 egg white, whisked
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup flax seeds
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sultanas

To prepare:

1. Whisk the egg white, honey, and spices until smooth.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, coat well.
3. Drop by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet, you may need to shape the clusters gently so that they are a solid shape.
4. Bake for 15 minutes at 350º until golden brown.
5. Store in an airtight container, they make a great afternoon snack!

Potato Leek Soup

This soup employs a delicious, creamy texture without any cream!

Ingredients:

5 lb russet potatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 large leeks
1 yellow onion
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp ground mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Chicken stock
3 lbs carrots
1 tbs butter

To Prepare:

1. Carefully rinse the potatoes until clean, place into a large soup pot and add broth until all of the potatoes are covered boil, uncovered until the potatoes are cooked through.
2. In the meantime, finely chop the garlic, leeks, and onions.
3. Brown the garlic in the butter and a few tsp. of olive oil in a large fryer then sauté the leeks and onions until they are very soft. Season with poultry seasoning, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the pot and place them in a large bowl.
5. Peel the potatoes and set the peels aside, chop the peeled potatoes into 1-inch sections
6. Return the potatoes to the broth and add the leeks and onions.
7. Place a few cups of the soup and the potato skins in a food processor or blender, pulse until well combined and return to the soup pot. Blending the skins allows you to enjoy all of the nutrition found in the skin of the potato without sacrificing texture.
8. Repeat the above twice until the soup reaches a rich, creamy consistency.
9. Roughly chop the carrots and add to the soup.
10. Simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste and serve topped with light cheese or fresh black pepper.