Dedicated to all Leafy Green Lovers
Here I am concocting something new again. I love the result, but it got thumbs down form my two little taste testers (if you haven’t met them yet, let me introduce Kristof and Bence, my little chef helpers), and even my husband, who by now is used to getting served greens in every imaginable way, found this soup too green. So if you are not a watercress lover (perhaps you have never tried it) I recommend decreasing the amount in the following recipe. You could use 1/2 cup or even less until you acquire a taste for this peppery tasting leafy green. And if you cannot get your significant other to eat it, maybe this little tidbit will help: Watercress is considered to be an aphrodisiac by many. In Crete ancient recipes are handed down from generation to generation, and folklore form Hempshire, England also confirms this belief.
If you are a lover of watercress, try growing it yourself. It is really simple. Just buy a bunch, pick the healthiest ones, and carefully plant them in a glass bowl or jar filled with pebbles and water. Keep watering it with spring water and you’ll have plenty of watercress for the next couple of months (or so they say, I myself am just starting to experiment with this). Do not allow the plant to flower! If it does the leaves become bitter. Another way of growing watercress is to plant it in a pot and to place the pot in a container that is half filled with water. I’m going to try both methods.
In Praise of Watercress
Watercress is a sharp and peppery tasting cruciferous vegetable. By weight it contains more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk and more absorbable iron than spinach. You may come across many “Top 10 Superfoods” lists, with different items on each. My top ten definitely includes watercress. Its health benefits are many:
- provides protection for the eyes (contains lutein and zeaxanthine, two antioxidants needed for the lens and retina)
- provides nutrients for strong, healthy hair and nails (iron, zinc, vitamin A)
- contains vitamins that help keep the skin supple and smooth (vitamins A and C)
- helps thyroid function (contains iodine)
- helps build strong, healthy bones (contains Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and vitamins A, C, and K)
- helps boost the immune system (contains Vitamin B6, needed for antibodies; vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that provide protection form free radical damage; and vitamin A, which enhances white blood cell function and the resistance to infections and carcinogens; glucosinolates, which are anti-carcinogens)
- boosts the detoxification function of the liver (thanks to the already mentioned glucosinolates)
- helps eliminate anaemia by helping to make healthy red blood cells (contains iron, folic acid, and vitamin B6; its vitamin C content helps absorb its non-haem (plant source) iron)
- helps eliminate bleeding gums (chew on raw watercress)
Tidbits about Mushrooms
- Mushrooms are low in fats and carbohydrates, have no cholesterol and are a good source of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, with no additives.
- There are more than 100 mushroom farms in Canada. 50% of mushrooms produced come form Ontario, 35% form British Columbia, the rest from the Praries, Quebec and the Maritimes.
- Careful with canned/processed mushrooms though – there is a good chance that they are not local. (I would use fresh anyway, so much better for you!) Canada exports 36,300 tonnes of fresh mushrooms to the United States, and imports 20,600 tonnes of canned/processed mushrooms, mostly form China. (Do you see the discrepancy here?)
- To clean mushrooms just wipe with a damp cloth or soft brush. The specks on the mushroom come form peat moss from the growing beds, and are absolutely harmless.
- Crimini mushrooms make a great substitute for white mushrooms, with higher nutrient content. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Great in salads, soups and entrées. They have a meaty and earthy flavour, more intense than that of white mushrooms.
- Oyster mushrooms are also suitable for both raw and cooked dishes. They have a delicate, mild flavour with a velvety texture.
Raw Watercress Mushroom Soup – the Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cashew milk
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 cups of mushrooms, diced (try crimini or oyster mushrooms)
- 2 cups watercress
- 1 tbsp Tamari
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
- fresh oregano (or your herb of choice)
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- extra mushrooms diced, and green onions chopped for garnish
Preparation
- To make cashew milk, soak cashews for minimum one hour. Drain, rinse, and place in blender. Add 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. (Required time will vary depending on the kind of blender you have.)
- Add all other ingredients to blender with the exception of the garnish.
- Blend until creamy.
- At this point you could lightly worm up the soup in a pot or double boiler, but in order to preserve nutrients and enzymes make sure it does not go above 118°F.
- Serve, top with garnish, and enjoy!
web references:
www.watercress.co.uk
www.mushrooms.ca
