Photo Courtesy of Meal Makeover Mom's Kitchen
Happy the-day-after Halloween!
If you’re a Mom, no doubt that holiday greeting generates an equal degree of excitement and dread. Before the big night, there are the fun pumpkin carving activities, the cute little costumes and the anticipation in your kids’ semi-crazed faces.
But then, November 1st brings wired sugar highs masking post trick-or-treating exhaustion, the sinking feeling that winter is right around the corner and, worst of all, tempting treats within your easy reach.
Help is on its way! This is the perfect time of year to direct you to the Meal Makeover Mom’s Kitchen website and blog. Janice and Liz are dietitians and authors of The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers, Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time. Moms themselves, they know that for all your hesitation about Halloween, a part of you doesn’t really mind the excuse to dig into your children’s trick-or-treating bags. So Janice and Liz show you how to have your cake and eat it too, with healthier adaptations of your kid’s (and your) favorite Halloween treats, including Juicy Mango Wigglers and Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
Or, counteract the sweet-gorging that is guaranteed to ensue after last night and make one of the their healthy, fall-inspired meals for a post trick-or-treating dinner: Ghoulishly-Good Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin or Pumkin French Toast with Pear and Walnut.
Also, I actually got a chance to try their Sweet Carrot Ginger Soup (see below) last Monday at the Food Day Boston Food Swapper’s Potluck, where it won Best Overall Dish. It was delicious, warm, and appropriately orange– after-all, isn’t tonight your chance to trick your kids into eating carrots? They aren’t the only ones who deserve a little trick-or-treating fun.
The Meal Makeover Mom’s Sweet Carrot Ginger Soup (Makes 6 Servings)
Carrots and sweet potatoes from our CSAs are the star ingredients in this simple, creamy, and oh-so nutritious soup. Created by cookbook authors, Liz Weiss, MS, RD and Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RD from MealMakeoverMoms.com.
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
• One 32-ounce carton all-natural vegetable broth (4 cups)
• 2 cups carrot juice
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small 10-ounce sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper, paprika, and cayenne as desired (remember, just a pinch), and cook an additional 1 minute. Stir in the broth, carrot juice, carrots, and sweet potato. Cover, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
Let the soup cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree in batches until very smooth and creamy. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish Idea: Toast thin slices of French bread, and spread a thin layer of soft goat cheese on top. Place on soup, sprinkle with chives, and drizzle with agave or honey as desired.
Nutrition Information per Serving (1 generous cup): 150 calories, 5g fat (0.5g saturated), 410mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 3g protein, 590% vitamin A, 30% vitamin C