So. That last week in December. The BF and I overdid it, too. Sweets, breads, so many rich foods, spirits. We understand.

Now that the calendar has been turned over, we're going to reboot our systems with this cleansing broth, which we like to have between meals (I drink a cup for breakfast). 

My BF and I have been eating low carb for many years. We try to mix a large variety of vegetables with smaller amounts of protein and no added sugar of any kind (including honey, agave or maple syrup) five or six days a week. The other day(s), we pretty much have whatever we want; on game days we often go for pizza...because it's game day.

I adore anything flavored with ginger, and turmeric gives it such a gorgous shade of yellow. Try to find fresh turmeric at your grocery store or farmers market, if you can. (The first time I made this broth I used powdered turmeric and it was delicious. The next time I found fresh turmeric and it was markedly more intense.)

Although I like this broth plain or with a few baby spinach leaves, it lends itself to add any number of ingredients to make it a more hearty entree. The basic recipe comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Sylvia Fountaine of Feasting at Home. The few changes I made are more suited to my personal taste of preferring broths and soups very, very clear. I strained it first through a strainer and then through cheesecloth not once, but twice. 

Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Adapted from: Feasting at Home
Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder (or 3 teaspoons fresh turmeric, finely grated)
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seed (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• ¾–1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups veggie or chicken stock
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
• 1-3 teaspoons lemon juice (to taste)
• Garnish with fresh herbs: cilantro, scallions, mint or dill and serve with lemon or lime

Optional Additions

• Baby Spinach, kale, mustard greens, bok choy
• Spiralized yam, celery root, carrot, parsnip
• Cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes
• Cooked quinoa, rice or noodles
• Cooked lentils, garbanzo beans (canned or fresh)
• Chicken, tofu

Directions

1. In a large heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven, saute onion in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add ginger. Lower heat to medium low and saute 5 minutes until it begins to brown, stirring often. Add garlic, saute 2 minutes. Add all the spices and cook 1 more minute.
2. Add water, stock and salt. Bring to a simmer. Add lemon juice. Taste. Adjust salt, acid and spice level to your liking. 
3. You can use the broth as is at this point or strain soup in a strainer, then strain two more times through cheesecloth.  
4. At this point you will have a flavorful base to add what you like (see optional additions above). You can also refrigerate or freeze this in batches for later use.

NOTES: If you are cooking the broth uncovered for any length of time, remember it will reduce (intensifying the flavor and salt). So you will need to add more water, or it may be too salty. Dilute the broth to your taste.

Personally I prefer making crostatas because I like the fruit-to-crust ratio better than pies (read: I'm only in it for the crust). 

Take advantage of the peak pluot and plum season with this crostata. 

​Adapted from: Honestly Yum
Number of servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3-4 pluots (or red plums if you can’t find pluots)
• ⅓ cup and 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 2-inch piece of ginger (which yields about 2 teaspoons of juice)
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch or Tapioca Flour
• 1 ¼ cup of all purpose flour, and more for dusting
• 1 stick of cold butter
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup of iced water
• 1 egg, beaten
• granulated sugar for dusting
• vanilla ice cream (optional, but highly recommended)

Directions

1. Pit and thinly slice the pluots. Toss with the ⅓ cup of sugar and corn starch. Grate the ginger on a microplane grater and strain through a small fine-mesh strainer. Using the back of a spoon lightly press the grated ginger against the strainer to release the liquid. Discard the dry fiberous ginger. Add 2 teaspoons of ginger juice to the pluots and lightly toss.
2. To make the dough, cube the cold butter. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 ¼ cup of flour to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is about pea sized. Add the water and pulse until the mixture barely comes together. Shape into a flattened disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. When you are ready to bake the crostata, preheat the oven to 425 °F. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Lay the slices of pluot in concentric circles leaving about an inch of crust around the outside.
5. Fold the edges over the fruit and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the crust.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes until crust is deep golden brown.
7. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Cut and top with ice cream.