Rainbow Dinner

Eating a meal with vibrant colors makes you feel rejuvenated. More and more I have become  aware of how what I eat can affect my mood and energy. After a bowl of pasta I feel sluggish and foggy, but after a plate of cabbage salad, sautéed kale, and white bean soup I feel ready to conquer the world! Red cabbage is an inexpensive veggie and filled with anti cancer properties. The rich red color means it’s rich in anthocyanin and therefore filled with vitamin C. vitamin k, fiber, and an anti inflammatory agent. And kale . . . well you all know by now how incredible green kale is for us!

White Bean Soup
Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried cannellini or other white beans
• ¼ cup oil plus more for garnish
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese

Soak the beans overnight and on the day you are preparing them cook them in broth or water, bay leaf and salt until they are soft. This takes generally around an hour or and hour and half.

Saute the carrots,onions, garlic, bay leaf and parsley until golden in hue.

Puree the vegetables and most of the beans in a blender or food processor then  add to the soup pot. Garnish with the cheese and parsley.

Cabbage Salad Ingredients:

Purple cabbage shredded
Baby tomatoes
Chopped parsley
3 Tbs Olive oil
2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
Splash Shoyu (Fermented raw Soy sauce)
Sesame seeds
Sea Salt

Simply shred the cabbage in a processor or with a knife. Add tomatoes, parsley. In a jar combine the dressing ingredients Oil, vinegar, shoyua, and rice wine vinegar and shake well. Add seeds and salt.

This salad can be varied with almonds, carrots, green onions. You can also add a splash of maple syrup to the dressing or raw garlic for bite.