Infinity Wellness

Yikes! January is almost over! One last recipe before we head into the month of February. How about a warming soup recipe as we begin our journey out of winter and into spring. You can substitute the meat for a vegetarian option as well, if you prefer. Either way, this will be a healthy, nutritious dinner option :D

Slow Cooker Ham, Lentil and Kale Soup:
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼-½ tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste
200 g (7oz) red lentils, washed
200 g bag chopped kale
1 l (1¾ pint) chicken stock
2 x 90 g packs ready-cooked ham hock, available from Waitrose (see Tip)
Finely grated zest of 1/2 a lemon
Large handful curly parsley, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put the oil, onion, celery, garlic, chili and washed lentils into the bowl of your slow cooker. Top with the kale, stock and some seasoning. Cover and cook on low or until the lentils are tender.

2. Stir through the ham hock, lemon zest and parsley and check the seasoning (add more stock if you like). Ladle into four warmed bowls, drizzle with extra oil if you like and serve.

Happy Recipe Tuesday! 👩‍🍳
Jerusalem Artichokes have a wonderful reputation for providing liver support and detoxification. I try to include this in my diet once a week when it is in season. This is a creative way to cook it and is absolutely delicious! Let me know what you think!

Jerusalem Artichoke and Cider Soup:
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS:
For the soup
40 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and roughly chopped
750 ml vegetable stock
500 ml cider, we used Cornish Orchards
1 tsp. ground white pepper
150 ml double cream, plus extra to garnish

For the topping
40 g sourdough bread, cut or torn into small pieces
1 eating apple, cored and finely chopped
40 g mature Cheddar, finely grated
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. To make the soup, melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 10min, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic, artichokes and potato. Cook for 10min, until vegetables have started to soften. Add stock and cider, bring to the boil and simmer for 15min, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in pepper and salt to taste.

2. Meanwhile mix all the topping ingredients and some seasoning in a small roasting tin. Cook for 15min, stirring occasionally, until golden. Set aside until needed.

3. Cool soup slightly before blending until smooth (thin with extra stock if needed). Return to a clean pan, stir in cream. Reheat if needed then divide between 6 bowls. Garnish with topping and a swirl of cream, if you like. Serve.

Happy December!! ❄️🎄
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are ready for Christmas right around the corner! I thought we'd start this month off with a healthy, colorful recipe. It is great for quick lunches, snacks, or holiday gatherings (which are few and far between this year) But all this extra time at home means you can play around with new recipes! So here's one I think you will really enjoy. Feel free to play around with it because there are so many variations! Enjoy!

White Cheddar Quinoa Cups:
Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 45-50 min

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic Cumin Seed Ground 2.31 oz.
1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic Black Pepper Medium Grind 2.31 oz.
1/2 cup red quinoa (uncooked)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 large jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated and divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear, drain and transfer to a small pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork. Place into a bowl to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of extra light olive oil. Once hot, add in the diced red bell pepper and minced jalapeno. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.

4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

5. Remove from the heat and transfer sautéed peppers/garlic to a plate to cool.

6. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the cooled quinoa, green onions, cilantro, cooled peppers and garlic, eggs and 3/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

7. Add in the flour, salt, pepper and cumin. Mix until incorporated.

8. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with baking spray. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the quinoa mixture into each muffin cup. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.

9. Cool before removing from pan and serving.

**I don't eat nightshades so I made this recipe with mushrooms and broccoli. Like I said, there are so many variations so feel free to get creative!

Happy December!! ❄️
I do hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and found lots to be grateful for, even during these challenging times. With another lock down in place, many of you might be feeling a bit house crazy but on the bright side, it's a great time to try out new recipes!! 😄I've got one I think you are going to Love! It is rich in protein since quinoa is the only grain that has a complete amino acid profile. These little quinoa cups make great leftovers too so be sure to make a hearty batch!

White Cheddar Quinoa Cups
Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic Cumin Seed Ground 2.31 oz.
1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic Black Pepper Medium Grind 2.31 oz.
1/2 cup red quinoa (uncooked)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 large jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated and divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear, drain and transfer to a small pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork. Place into a bowl to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of extra light olive oil. Once hot, add in the diced red bell pepper and minced jalapeno. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.

4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

5. Remove from the heat and transfer sautéed peppers/garlic to a plate to cool.

6. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the cooled quinoa, green onions, cilantro, cooled peppers and garlic, eggs and 3/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

7. Add in the flour, salt, pepper and cumin. Mix until incorporated.

8. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with baking spray. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the quinoa mixture into each muffin cup. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.

9. Cool before removing from pan and serving.

**Substitutions: I can't eat Jalapeno so I used Green Bell Pepper instead and it was just as good. You can play around with the veggies in this recipe. Mushrooms, tomato, asparagus and kale are all great options. Use whatever fits your dietary needs best.