Saturday, January 28, 2012

There are pickles in my soup! {Russian Rassol'nik}

I bet you've never had a soup based entirely on dill pickles... And if you have, it was either (1) a culinary accident experiment, or (2) Russian soup Rassol'nik. In the case of today's lunch, it was the latter. One of my favorite soups, Rassol'nik is incredibly versatile, healthy, easy to make, and delicious. Because pickles control the scene flavor, the broth can be either vegetable- or chicken-based without sacrificing the traditional flavor at all. So choose your pickles wisely!


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Here is a wonderful step-by-step recipe for vegetarian and meat versions of Rassol'nik. Most often, it's made with barley, but we often substitute in rice, quinoa, or even buckwheat. Today was quinoa day.


While making Rassol'nik, my grandma overheard on the Russian TV that cauliflower was good for bone health. Immediately, she went online in search of cauliflower recipes!


I never considered just how nutritious cauliflower is, and I tend to be skeptical about health advice given on Russian television. But, indeed! Cauliflower is quite the powerfood! It's a great source of Potassium, Sodium, Dietary Fiber, Protein, and Vitamins C, K, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Thiamin. WAY TO GO, CAULIFLOWER.


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Steamed cauliflower & broccoli, topped with tzatziki + melted parmisan and chopped walnuts.


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Simple. Beautiful. Delicious. Nutritious. What else could I ask for?!


A run is tentatively scheduled for 3:30pm. A protein-packed snack, most likely in a form of Chobani love, to follow. I'm babysitting tonight for the most wonderful family that I met 4 years ago. It's so incredible watching the kids grow up... The youngest was just 6 months when I started babysitting for them!


Hope your day is going well. Stay warm, happy, and healthy, and get some fresh air!


 V.


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