Two season-friendly recipes to keep you nice and warm

Year-round South Florida normally enjoys a tropical savannah climate, not unlike the Caribbean – but somebody must have forgotten to remind the Sunshine State this January. Stave off these chilly Florida nights with a bowl of Caribbean sunshine with these two season-friendly recipes.

Jehan’s Cowheel Soup 

Foodie extraordinaire Jehan Powell of blog Jehan Can Cook is “constantly seeking a source of warmth” when the temperature dips, and this traditional and simple recipe is the perfect answer for this chilly month. The addition of the cow heel, says Jehan, add a nice richness and body, though it can take a while to prepare, which is why “using a pressure cooker is highly recommended when cooking cowheel, as it reduces the cooking time significantly.”

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. cowheel

1 tsp oil

2 carrots, diced

1 medium onion finely chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1 Wiri pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

10 sprigs thyme

½ cup split peas

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

water

Instructions

Place cowheel in a large pot and cover with water, boil until tender, adding more water as needed. If using pressure cooker (highly recommended), pressure for 20-25 minutes. Once cowheel is tender, remove from water and allow to cool before cutting into smaller pieces.

In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. When oil is hot, add carrots, onion, scallion, garlic, thyme and pepper and sauté until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add split peas, cowheel and 3 cups of the liquid that the cowheel was boiled in and an additional 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and cook until split peas are soft and dissolves into the soup, about 1 and a half hours. Then add your favorite fixings, such as dumpling and root vegetables like sweet potatoes, eddoes or dasheen.

jehancancook.com

Chris’s Gluten Free Vegetarian Callaloo

Though, “traditional recipe for making callaloo (not to be confused with Jamaican Callaloo) are the tender leaves of the dasheen or taro plant,” says Chris De la Rosa of popular blog Caribbean Pot, leafy spinach will have to do in this recipe. But this recipe is proof that necessity is the mother of invention. Though it may be lacking in the traditional crab or salted meats, Chris assures that that “this vegetarian version, which happens to be gluten friendly is stunning. As a soup or with rice, stewed meats (for non-vegetarians), sides of plantains and salad and you’re in true Caribbean heaven.”

Ingredients:

6-8 cups chopped spinach

2 cups diced butternut squash (or pumpkin)

1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato

2 birds eye pepper (1/4 scotch bonnet)

4 cloves garlic

1/3 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 scallions

1 medium onion

4-5 sprigs thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups coconut milk

2 cups water (or vegetable stock – gluten free)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

10-15 okra

Heat olive oil in a deep pot and add diced onion, garlic, thyme, chopped scallions and black pepper. Turn heat low and let it cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cubed sweet potato, chopped okra, squash (use pumpkin if you have) and stir well. Turn up heat to medium and add chopped spinach. Top with the coconut milk all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and let it go until everything goes tender and starts falling apart (about 40-50 minutes).

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Then blend soup with either a traditional “swizzle,” a whisk, or immersion blender (but try to pulse in short bursts – do NOT go continuous or you’ll end in with a forty mess.) The goal is to have a somewhat smooth soup-like texture/consistency.

Caribbeanpot.com

The alarm goes off and the morning mayhem begins. You quickly wake the kids from their dreamy slumber before jumping in the shower. As everyone hurries to get ready and out the door on time, there’s one critically important part of the day that often gets overlooked: a healthy breakfast.

Research shows nutrients from a wholesome breakfast help provide sustainable energy while boosting concentration in the classroom and at work. Breakfast also jumpstarts the metabolism and can help reduce snacking and the temptation for unhealthy eating later in the day. Nonetheless, during those busy mornings it’s tempting to bypass breakfast to save a few minutes.

It’s time to change breakfast bad habits for good! These five breakfast ideas aren’t just healthy and delicious, they take a mere 5 minutes or less to make so you save time and feel your best every day.

1. Cereal sundaes
Healthy cereal sundaes are simple to make and fun to eat. Start with a base: plain yogurt which is loaded with beneficial probiotics. Then, set out a variety of healthy toppings and let everyone in the family customize their breakfast sundae. Bran cereal, fresh or dried fruit, chopped unsalted nuts and a drizzle of raw honey will gear you up for a great day.

2. Sprouted grain waffles
Most toaster waffles use refined wheat flour often devoid of nutrients. Put a healthier breakfast waffle on the table in just 3 minutes when you toast Sprouted Grain Waffles. Sprouted grains activate otherwise dormant nutrients to produce remarkable protein that keeps your family fueled.

3. Microwave egg scrambles
Fresh eggs are nutritional powerhouses packed with protein and vitamins A, D and E. Microwave egg scrambles taste like an omelet without the cooking hassles. Simply crack an egg into a coffee cup, add a tablespoon of milk and beat until mixed. If desired, add extras like chopped onion, mushrooms and cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and microwave for another 30 seconds until done.

4. Breakfast pizza
Put a healthy twist on pizza for a quick, satisfying breakfast kids and adults will love. Start with sliced naan or a whole wheat bagel. Toast to warm and add a smear of ricotta cheese. Then top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with a dash of fleur de sel and dried basil, if desired. If you prefer a sweeter pizza, skip the tomatoes and use sliced fruit instead. This tasty breakfast will fight hunger pangs straight until lunchtime.

5. Superfood smoothie
Smoothies are a tasty treat for breakfast that takes mere minutes to make. Select vitamin-packed frozen or fresh fruits such as berries, mango, pomegranates and kiwi. Add sliced fruit to the blender. For an extra-creamy smoothie that tastes like a healthy version of a fruity malt, blend with almond or coconut milk, plain yogurt and frozen banana. Experiment with ingredients to create the perfect customized smoothie that’s lip-smacking good.

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