The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (19 page)

1 pound lentils

6 cups vegetable stock, preferably
homemade
, or water

2 slices fresh ginger

1 medium onion, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 bunches cilantro, stemmed and chopped

5 or 6 lemons

1 bunch basil, stemmed and chopped

Lemon slices, for garnish

Place the lentils in a stockpot. Add the stock, ginger, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Use a hand mixer to puree the soup in the pot or transfer to a blender or food processor and puree for 30 seconds. Add the salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Ladle the soup into bowls and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into each bowl. Garnish with liberal amounts of the basil and a thin slice of lemon.

SERVES 10 TO 12

red lentil cumin soup

PROTEIN, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

5 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably
homemade

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon pressed garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

One 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 cups (1 pound) red lentils, rinsed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced

In a large pot, bring ½ cup of the stock to a boil. Add the onion, reduce the heat, and simmer until onion is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.

Add the lentils and the remaining 4½ cups stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with the scallions.

SERVES 6

cold cucumber-asparagus soup

VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

1½ cups chopped asparagus (about 35 stalks), tough ends removed

2 cups vegetable stock, preferably
homemade

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

4 sprigs fresh dill

Place about 2 cups of water in the bottom of a pan fitted with a steaming basket and a lid. Heat on high until the water boils. Put the asparagus in the steamer, cover, and cook until tender, approximately 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus and rinse under cool water. Transfer the cooled asparagus to a blender or food processor. Add the stock, cucumbers, and dill. Blend until smooth. Puree in two batches if necessary.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, then serve with a dollop of yogurt and a sprig of fresh dill.

SERVES 4

salads

One of the great joys
in my life is walking to my organic vegetable garden each day when we are at our home in the desert and picking the outer leaves of my beautiful variety of lettuces for the perfect salad. At the beach I don’t have the room for a big garden, but I get an incredible yield from growing lettuce in a small pot. I call it my pot garden! We still have more than we can eat, with leftovers to share.

With nature’s perfectly grown starter, all you need is a good bottle of olive oil, fresh lemons, and an excellent-quality sea salt. These simple ingredients, to me, make the ultimate salad. From there, the variations and possibilities are endless! For entrée salads, I add everything from protein and vegetables to cheeses and nuts. We’ve come a long way from my childhood when salad was iceberg lettuce with a lousy bottled Thousand Island dressing.

If you are a lover of classics, in this section you’ll enjoy the
Caesar
,
Cobb
, and
Greek
salads, and the
Southern Country Fried Chicken Salad
with
Green Goddess Dressing
. If you are a foodie, explore exciting creations like the
Chopped Raw Zucchini and Parmesan Salad
(also known as “what to do when zucchini is growing like crazy,”),
Spicy Rock Shrimp Salad
(buttery little shrimp with a fresh POW! of taste from chiles and lime),
Baby Artichoke Salad
(with shaved tender baby artichokes, yum). And make sure to try my twice-a-week staple, the
Israeli Salad
with finely chopped tomatoes, radishes, peppers, and cucumbers. Salads are a lovely, fresh and delicious way to stock up on nutrition.

blue cheese vinaigrette with crudités

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2