Week 1: Orange Soup

• Weight: 1 kilo down. But no balloons & champagne just yet. Have lost/regained the same 2 kilo dozens of times over the past few years. The trick will be continuing to lose & maintain the loss long term.
• Energy level: Still lower than the Dead Sea.

Gathering the ingredients & getting my head around all the prescribed changes took longer than expected (duh; I always underestimate…). Luckily I started during Sukkot vacation (12-Oct), so even with all the family popping in & out I have more time to invest in planning & cooking.

Particularly challenging: not nuking leftovers. I love my microwave! Time’s always an issue, and now eating takes even more of it. It’s doable, but I grumble about the extra time & pots involved. Also, some things when rewarmed in the oven wind up with the texture of toast — or an old shoe.

Soups are a good solution. I’ve been sifting through my old recipes to find ones compatible with this program. One longtime family favorite, orange soup, fits the plan perfectly and is relatively fast. I just make sure to get the green stuff in at another meal.

Orange Soup

• 4 onions, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 head garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2″ piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 T olive oil
• “Warm” spices to taste. Options include: cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce, salt, pepper
• 6 c orange/white/yellow vegetables, peeled and cubed. Options include: pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes
• 1/2 c red lentils
• 1 can coconut liquid
• Garnish options:
  • Coriander leaves & pomegranate seeds
  • Sprouts

1. In a large kettle, warm the oil and gently saute onions stirring frequently until softened but not brown.
2. Add garlic and ginger and saute an additional minute or two.
3. Add the spices and stir.
4. Add the vegetables and lentils.
5. Add enough water (approx. 1 liter)  to almost cover the ingredients.
6. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are very soft and the lentils are falling apart.
7. Let cool slightly and then puree with an immersion blender.
8. Reserve some coconut liquid for garnish, then add the remainder to the soup and blend. (If desired, add additional water — but the soup should be fairly thick so the garnishes don’t sink.)
9. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of coconut liquid and other options.