December Shoogie Workshop Recipes

In my first ever attempt at doing a workshop with two other fantastic businesses that I support in our Ocala community, The Florida Grub Hub and art teacher Sheila Ramos, I somehow got myself wrangled into holding a workshop before the holidays to show people how easy and great it is to eat healthier and change your buying habits to local, natural and organic things...I am always throwing around the mantra of "wanting to live like a hippie but not smell like one" which is why the Shoogie Company products I make smell like baked goods rather than that granola toting hippie scent that happens in your nasal passages when you get a good whiff of the other stuff...you know what I am talking about...patchouli...the Darth Vader of the essential oil galaxy, used to be good, but turned bad.  

As appealing as my mother would have you believing that patchouli smells sensual and divine, the scent has always burned my nostrils and I can sniff someone wearing it a mile away.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't exactly hate patchouli, but I don't love it either as it has a place etched in my memory of horrors, tied to stories of my adolescent struggles of finding a deodorant that works.  I understand that hippies used to tote the stuff around to cover the scent of illegally smoked herbs...wink, wink...but now that it is legal...I implore, why is there still patchouli?  And I digress on my apparent patchouli hate bandwagon to bring you how I made this gloriously warm, flavorful and extremely healthy soup.

Keep in mind, this will feed an army of 8, or about 4-6 hungry souls that will go back for seconds...

To make the broth:
1 gallon water
3 teaspoons Pink Himalayan Salt
1 chicken bone broth kit (carcass, neck, gizzards, feet, head and beak)
3 stalks of lemon grass, bruised and rough chopped
3 leeks chopped, washed
1/2 inch Tops of 1 lb of organic carrots
1/2 in piece of grated turmeric

Boil all these together until reduced by almost half.
Strain out all the bits from the broth.  
Throw the bits away.
Use just the broth in the following recipe for Coconut Vegetable Soup.

Coconut Vegetable Soup

2 T. unrefined, raw coconut oil
1 C. chopped green onions
2 inches of ginger root finely grated
4-5 cloves freshly minced or pressed garlic
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
3 chopped zucchini(cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 lb carrots (cut into 1/4 inch rounds)
1 colored bell pepper, rough chopped 
1 cup chopped purple and green pole beans
4 cups of prepared chicken broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon of bullion paste
1 teaspoon of thai green curry paste
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
3 stalks of lemon grass bruised, and cut into 3 inch pieces
1 can of coconut milk 
Cilantro (garnish, optional)

In a large soup pan on med-med high heat,

Melt  unrefined, raw coconut oil.

Place in chopped green onions, ginger root,  freshly minced or pressed garlic, red pepper flakes and saute until green onions are softened 

Then add in chopped zucchini, carrots and colored bell pepper.  

Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Next, add in chopped purple and green pole beans, prepared chicken broth (from recipe above), water, bullion paste, Thai green curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice and lemon grass bruised and cut into 3 inch pieces.

Stir everything to combine and bring everything to a boil.  

Lower heat to a simmer and cook 8-10 minutes.

Add in the can of coconut milk and bring back to simmer, then cut off the heat and add salt to taste.

Garnish with cut cilantro and lime wedge and serve over a bed of prepared Jasmine Rice.



It really is that easy.  And the best part is you can add in any veggies that are seasonal.  These just happened to be what I had in the produce box from The Florida Grub Hub this week.  You can change it up and get creative with any veggies you like as long as the soup base is the same with the lemongrass, lime, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk.  

The traditional Thai soup has mushrooms and broccoli instead of pole beans and zucchini.  I usually add in chunks of rotisserie chicken that are left over in my fridge and that makes this a yummy, healthy, and more healing alternative to the chicken soup you eat when you are under the weather.  Not only does it have turmeric root in it, which is known to help with inflammation, but it also has ginger root and garlic which have antibacterial properties and help fight off sore throats and congestion.   In my book, this is the gold standard of comfort food and with wickedly awesome health benefits whether you are sick, or well and trying not to get sick...talk about a win-win!

Thank you Gloria, Eilene, Jo, and Lori for "letting me teach you how to fish instead of just giving you one" today .  I enjoyed teaching class immensely and showing you how to make wonderful things with items you have laying around in your kitchen.  I can't wait to see everyone in the new year again for our next Shoogie Company and Florida Grub Hub adventure together.  Be well and enjoy your new Shoogie Company products!  

And for everyone else out there, happy cooking and experimenting.  Remember...when you are cooking, a recipe is more of a suggestion, not the bible truth.  So get creative with what is in season and get eating!  

Visit www.shoogiecompany.com to browse our Holiday Gift Bag products. Don't see a Gift bag that you love, call me and you can make your own!  If it fits in the small flat rate box, I will wrap it and send it to anyone, anywhere in the US for $6.90!

















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