HOW TO SALVAGE A BAD FOOD WEEK

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you really plan on eating healthy but no matter how hard you try it just doesn’t work out that way? Well, this was one of those weeks for me and it all started with an innocent Chai Latte from Starbucks…but of course it didn’t stop at the Chai…I just had to have the pumpkin loaf to go with it. Now that wouldn’t be so bad if the rest of week I hadn’t talked myself into McDonald’s coffee and a greasy (but delicious) biscuit, egg and cheese sandwich or the quick little trip to Einstein’s for an Asiago Cheese bagel and more coffee! And of course this particular week I had several lunch meetings which meant Pho one day, waaaay too many chips and spinach chimichangas at Garduños and then there was Metro Pizza for an office birthday lunch…I told you it wasn’t pretty!

By Friday all I wanted was something simple, healthy and easy to make. Something that didn’t take much effort but was light and filling at the same time. My answer was soup.What I was really craving were the simple flavors of my mom’s potato soup but even that seemed heavy to me. I wanted veggies and broth and warmth all wrapped into one… so I made something up. I don’t do this often but soups are so simple that I felt pretty confident that I could pull it off. I decided to make a potato, celery root and cauliflower soup with an arugula olive oil drizzle. This may sound fancy but I promise it is so simple and if you make it for guests it will blow their minds!

I know what you are thinking… it’s spring, why in the world would she give us a soup recipe when it’s finally getting warm outside? For one – I love soup and can eat it year round. It is my be all end all comfort food and no matter what time of the year it is – there is always time for soup. Secondly, today I bring you a soup that honors both the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The combination of potato and celery root provides the comfort of a hearty winter soup while the cauliflower keeps it  light and clean. When you purée them together with vegetable broth and goat cheese you get a soft, creamy texture that will fill you up without bogging you down. The key ingredient though is the arugula (or parsley) drizzle. Finely chop the arugula or toss it into a mini food processor with olive oil, lemon zest and a generous amount of sea salt and you will have a gorgeous, bright, fragrant drizzle that will bring in the lovely flavors of spring.

Celery Root can be found at any grocery store and is very inexpensive (another great reason to try this dish).

Potato, Celery Root & Cauliflower Soup
8 servings – I recommend freezing half to have again in a few weeks
Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 Celery Root, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 Cauliflower head cut into florets
1 medium white onion chopped
1 stalk of celery
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
4 cups vegetable broth + 2 cups water
4 oz goat cheese (optional)
1 cup Arugula or fresh Italian Parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil
salt & pepper

In a stockpot over medium to high heat sauté one tablespoon olive oil, the onions, celery, garlic and a little salt until the onions are translucent – about 4-5 minutes. Add the veggie stock, water, potatoes, celery root and cauliflower. Cook over medium heat until everything is fork tender – about 25 minutes.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender. Blend until smooth. Add cheese, stir until combined and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arugula Drizzle
Chop the arugula finely and mix with the olive oil, zest  and salt. This is best done in a food processor but it’s not vital.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with oil and freshly cracked pepper. Serve with a salad or as a first course at a dinner party.