I found myself with an overabundance of fennel this week.  FarmFresh has been including it in my veggie box  and I haven’t known what to do with it. I remember as a kid, fennel being served raw at the end of a meal to help aid digestion but I haven’t been partial to raw foods with the winter chill still in the air.  I steamed it once before and The All-Star remarked at how good it tasted cooked so I decided to give it a go in soup. We both had a bit of a head cold over the weekend so something warm and healthy was definitely in order.

The soup was super simple…my usual “throw in whatever I have.”  I think it was just onions, collard greens, fennel, garlic and lemon, but wow! I managed to impress myself once again.  I’ve once heard that a chef’s talent can be defined by how good their soup is. Not to toot my own horn too much, but if that’s the truth, then my future husband is a lucky man! And for all you “healing with whole foods” fans out there, this soup was a definite cure-a-cold sort of meal!

So enough about me and my mastery in the kitchen, what about fennel….

I cooked it last night. Potatoes, fennel, red onion and garlic. Sprinkled with chili pepper, tossed with a bit of oil, and roasted. Delicious!

I’m realizing that the slightly sweet flavor of the fennel goes perfectly with the pungency of the onion and its texture is quite similar.  But that’s not the only reason to add fennel to your next meal. Besides the fact that it’s in season, fennel is another anti-oxidant rich vegetable. It can reduce inflammation, prevent cancer and protect the liver. It’s also a good source of fiber, folate and potassium. Man, vegetables are a beautiful thing.

So next time you go down the veggie isle…why not throw some fennel in your cart. You’ll be adding some variety to your meals and phytonutrients to your diet.

Add Brussels sprouts to your shopping list folks.  These veggies resembling mini cabbages are packed full of nutrients like Vitamin C and fiber and phytonutrient sulforaphane to enhance the body’s defense mechanism and help fight against disease.  Studies have also shown their ability to promote Liver function and detoxify the body.  My sister has been a fan for years.  She cooks Brussels sprouts in the steamer and dips them in ketchup… I discovered a slightly more tempting way to serve them.

Brussels Sprout Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Brussels sprouts
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 carrot peeled and sliced thin
• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves sliced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• dash of pepper and nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• Optional – 3/4 lb cooked chicken
• Red pepper flakes

(Note: the butter, milk, egg and flour can be omitted for a more brothy soup)

Directions

Rinse the Brussels Sprouts and remove any loose leaves. Trim ends and cut large Brussels Sprouts in half.

In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and melt butter. Add onion and carrot slices, and cook and stir until just tender about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and seasonings. Add chicken broth and stir, as you bring mixture to a boil.  Stir in Brussels sprouts.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer until Brussels sprouts are just tender, about 5 minutes.  In a small bowl, beat together egg, milk, and wine. Stir mixture into soup.  Add chicken.  Heat until soup returns to a boil.

Delicious!