Mar
15
Vegetable Soup Dinner
The other day after the waffles post, I got a comment from a reader asking me how I wasn’t 400 pounds. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those girls who wants to pretend that I get away with eating whatever I want. I sometimes hear interviews from models and they’ll say things like, “Yea I eat steak and fries all day everyday!! Look at my prepubescent body!!” I have no model body but I never understood the point of insulting your intelligence, so I guess this post will reveal why I’m not 400 lbs… Young girls have extremely fast metabolisms, but past a certain age you can no longer get away with cheating. No woman past the age of 25 gets away with much, and yes I have seen some rare cases where a girl is extremely thin but usually that’s because they are eating under 600 calories a day.
A nightly ritual, taking all my gunk off from the day. Iphone to the charger, watch off, car keys off…onto cutting veggies.
On the blog you’ll see fast food being featured, as well as some very fattening foie gras and caviar. I love eating of course but don’t let the photos fool you, I don’t post everyday and I do watch what I eat, and not necessarily what I eat, but I watch how much of it I eat. For lunch it’s not unlike me to just do some coffee and pressed juice. I steer clear of carbohydrates though I do enjoy a cinnabon here and there, and for dinner I have a routine I like to keep, unless I’m cooking something special or I’m going out to dinner. Since I rarely have time to be going out to dinner or happy hour every night like most young 20 somethings, I usually do a very simple vegetable soup. One secret is I guess is to keep yourself very busy!
Four main vegetables for this: Broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, and carrot. I have a “VEGAN” section on this blog, and it’s very rare that I can tag anything vegan on any of my posts. Today I am really excited to add another vegan post to my category list. And correct me if I’m wrong but I think it’s also gluten free too!
Into the Vitamix machine
The second best part, this machine heats the grated veggies up into a soup so I don’t have to bring it to a boiler.
Doesn’t look too appetizing now does it. If you’re interested in this vitamix machine or starting a healthier lifestyle, the one I linked to above is the version I have. There are several different vitamix versions, if you don’t see yourself spending too much for this, you can always get the one without the soup function, as long as you have a stove it doesn’t matter.
Dinner, soup. One glass of wine or whiskey. I am confused by the red wine, I think I ran out of pinot grigio, not a red wine person at all.
Quite mind boggling what we humans are capable of getting used to.. Eating warm vegetable mush night after night..But sometimes not having choices is a total luxury. Wasn’t it Jenny Holzer who said “Absolute submission can be a form of freedom“?
Thank you for being honest about your eating habits!!
My favourite soup of all time to make is 3 sisters/a.k.a bean, corn, and squash. the base is coconut milk, garnish with pineapple. It’s so rich and creamy. I’ve been making it for years and have so many variations on it. It’s not a blended soup.
thanks for the post.
Robyn
http://www.etsy.com/people/EatingBlackFeathers
no seasoning? sounds good though i feel like it would be bland without a little bit of spice, right?
I need to start following your routine. Sounds like a healthy way to get in shape for the summer!
Step into Estherina’s World
I can’t say that that soup sounds delicious, but it does sound healthy. Thank god you have foie gras to keep you sustained.
sandronyc.com
Thank you for sharing this. Dinner is usually my biggest meal of the day, since in the morning, I can only manage a piece of toast before I go to the gym. I totally understand what you mean about the taste. For lunch I try to drink a coffee and a 100% vegetable juice from Whole Foods. Being all greens, at first, it tasted awful! I thought I would throw up. But now I am used to it as well haha.
Any advice on snacks? I like dried fruit, but sometimes I am worried the sugar content in them is too high…
I also appreciate the honesty. Now here is some from me. This is a ridiculous way to live your life. There is absolutely no way you are getting the appropriate amount of nutrients in a day eating this way. You will likely pay for it later in life with severe bone loss leading to osteoporosis. I hope to god you are at least taking vitamins. Also that looks disgusting. It is an insult to vegetable soup.
Like.
Broccoli has a ton of calcium. She is getting 30% of a days worth in that one bunch.
True, there is a fairly substantial amount of calcium in broccoli. There is also some calcium in the cabbage and the tomato but not nearly enough combined with the fact that she drinks coffee which depletes calcium. The body also requires magnesium in order to digest calcium found in green vegetables. Magnesium is mostly found in grains and legumes, not in broccoli. Also by the looks of that chunk of broccoli I’d estimate she’s getting about 2 cups of broccoli which would have approx 188mg of calcium. A woman of her age requires 1000mg a day minimum to avoid bone loss. Calcium is just one problem with this lifestyle. I’m all for vegan, vegetarian, or everything in moderation lifestyles, just do it intelligently. Eating like a supermodel is just stupid.
Come on, to the commenter above, do you really care about her health, you’re really all that concerned? I highly doubt you are concerned with her bone loss. Anyway, clearly she doesn’t eat like a supermodel we have all seen her epic posts..She just said this is what she does for dinner when she’s not eating other stuff or going out. Don’t pretend like you care though just admit you’re here to criticize for your pleasure.
Totally agree with you. Don’t understand how certain readers can be so judgmental. From personal experience, i’d definitely appreciate something lighter on the palate to offset the heavy feeling in my system after indulging.
Why is it so hard to believe that I can be concerned for the health of someone I have never met? I have been following Luxirare’s blog for years and have come to regard her highly as a genius and an artist in every sense of the word. I genuinely mean that. I don’t think I am being critical at all. I have to say I find your cinicism quite sad. I think you should read the rest of the comments on here. I’m not the only one expressing concern. I agree with everything the person who studied nutrition wrote below and she sounds genuinely concerned as well. Luxirare says she eats this way most of the time. Its unhealthy. I think she should take a few vitamins and throw a bean and grain or two in that brown soup once in a while. Sheesh. Chill out Louise.
Actually, magnesium is found in all dark green vegetables, in the right proportion to digest the calcium in same. So if you’re a woman and you want to get enough calcium and you don’t want to drink milk–and if you’ve ever seen how modern dairy products are produced in the US, you know, you really don’t want to be drinking that stuff–dark green vegetables are the way to go. Except for spinach. It may give you iron but it steals calcium from you. So lots of any dark green veggie but spinach, and you’re good to go.
A (for anonymouse?) Fuck off why don’t you? Seriously, do you really think anyone gives a fuck what you think? What a windbag!
Riiight… because TJ is somehow any less anonymous than A or G or L? TJ for total jerk? Post your full name, email and phone number and then you can start slagging on people for have a differing opinion than yours. Everybody needs to calm down.
I only slag off pompous windbags that are too stupid to realise they are incredibly boring. Pout somewhere else Mouse.
I don’t understand why criticism is rejected so heavily on this blog (especially when it’s well thought out). I agree with your post 100% yet have been a fan of this blog for quite a while. Respect
A, it’s all fine speaking your mind and giving criticism but the tone of your comment borders on rude and that’s what bothers me.
Precisely.
Would love to know your wine recommendations.
yes, making choices about what to eat is a pain in the arseeeee! therefore, i just stick to a standard lunch and dinner. the only thing that changes in breakfast, which usually includes rice, and three other side dishes.
Nice! You’re giving me some great ideas! I’ve got a pretty good blender just sitting around. And I too am very indicisive when it comes to making dinner choices. I would add some garlic and maybe some spices as well? Maybe adding a vegetable broth instead of water? I love getting these little peeks into your life, I admit I’m a bit of a creep that way;)
food porn! amazing photos
raspberrykitsch.blogspot.com
xx
I have genuinely been in love with every single one of your posts for years. This was the first blog I started following in high school, but this is disappointing. First of all healthy food does NOT have to taste bad. In fact if you stop eating loads of unhealthy foods pumped full of corn, fat, and sugar you can really taste all the flavors simple vegetables, grains, and fruits have to offer. Secondly avoiding carbohydrates is extremely unhealthy and can lead to numerous health problems long and short term (I’m talking about healthy carbohydrates full of fiber like grains and vegetables). You’re usually so innovative, I would have loved to have seen a healthy vegetable soup a la Luxirare.
I agree with this completely. I did my undergrad in nutrition and food science and my main concern (other than the avoidance of carbs) is the lack of variety in her diet. Eating this same soup night after night not any way to get all your nutrients. Changing up the vegetables would be a start and adding a side of quinoa, beans or some kind of soy product would be good for the protein component (lean fish is good too!). And having coffee and juice for lunch!! I don’t understand how any petite person can live like that! I am a petite Asian woman and I need to eat regularly or I start to feel faint and get all sweaty….. the best way to keep full, not gain weight and get all your nutrients is to eat small meals throughout the day. Foods that contain some fats, protein and complex carbs (with fibre!) will also keep you full. ok, i’m rambling, could not help but comment…. I genuinely get concerned when people think they’re eating well when they’re actually not. I have lots of friends that do this and I try to tell them….. but noooo, don’t listen to the nutritionist! lol
The human body can survive quite nicely with a little deprivation – in fact, there are studies that indicate people live longer eating less. Less is more – especially on boring comments.
I’d like to read these studies you forgot to source on positive starvation. Thanks
I don’t believe you would understand them. They are for the over 12 crowd.
First of all, you’re a bore. Secondly, this is Ji’s blog and if she wants to post something simple, that is her right. If you want ‘innovative’, try using that piece of mush in-between your ears and do something half – nay, a quarter – as interesting as what Ji comes up with, and then feel free to judge. In the meantime, fuck off.
Gee, TJ- if your studies on the benefits of starvation are for readers over 12, how’d you ever manage to understand them? Or maybe that’s why you don’t understand the basic principles of nutrition. Do some real research before you start blindly fighting for causes that everyone else knows only an idiot would support.
http://jap.physiology.org/content/99/6/2128.full
This study shows the benefits starvation (fasting) has on metabolism and insulin releasing mechanisms.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15802901
This study shows the benefits it can have to the cardiovascular system.
http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/1/7.full
This is from the American journal of clinical nutrition. It outlines all the positive effects fasting can have in combating chronic diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/#axzz1pSM8IHZY
This article puts all benefits of fasting into layman’s terms, all supported with studies. It includes the benefits of longevity, growth hormone production, and more.
I hope these studies are enough to settle it – intermittent fasting, meaning not eating your 6 meals a day but rather skipping breakfast and lunch or a whole day of food occasionally, is HEALTHY. Basic principles of nutrition can get a pair of wings and fly into the sun – science has proved so many of them wrong already.
…..and you criticised someone above for being condescending in her tone? Anna is obviously educated in what she is saying. You on the other hand need to stop pulling “facts” out of Cosmo.
Yeah. I’d still like to read them. If you don’t think I’ll understand them perhaps someone else will, so maybe just post them anyway (if they are real and not taken from a pro-anorexia site). Thanks!
This reminds me of a vegetable soup my mum makes for me when my stress totally kills off my appetite. She blends boiled pumpkin, carrots, celery and onions and, believe it or not, it tastes great without any seasoning whatsoever. I shall try making soup with the combination you suggested. On a side note, I do hope that you actually change the combination of vegetables from time to time; as healthy as vegetables are, too much of the same vegetables without any variety may not give you sufficient nutrition.
wow, Ji, how you can allow all these hateful comments to be published is beyond me. everyone is entitled to their own option, just be respectful of others’.
anyway, couple of months ago i tried a blended veggie soup too– brown some chopped onions, add some chopped carrots, broccoli and really, whatever you’ve got in your fridge in, and then turn the heat up and add a tablespoon of miso! red, white, no msg, organic.. whichever you fancy.
then add water/stock, cook through and take it to the blender. delicious pureed results, flavorful, and i personally like to coarsely blend it so i’ve got texture and some chunks to keep my jaws happy.
try it!
‘How can she allow comments to be published?’ You answered your own question: “everyone is entitled to their own opinion”.
I never thought I would be offering genuine criticism to this blog, because I usually trust your taste and culinary ability without question, but alas I have to agree with Ali and A’s comments above. While I appreciate your refreshing honestly regarding your eating habits, this post is disappointing and somewhat worrying because you are advocating a diet that is not nutritionally sound.
I don’t wish to criticize the way you live your life, which is completely your business (if you want to live off coffee and juices for lunch that’s your prerogative), only that you seem to advocate this sort of diet for other people.
Sometimes, I wonder if this blog is read exclusively by nincompoops. Yes, Rebecca I am referring to you. Please, don’t worry your pretty little head. Most people are not so slavish to follow anothers eating habits exclusively. Also, she is hardly advocating this diet, you are reading too much into a blog post! Chill.
Love this post! I used to eat similarly before getting married, but I just chop up whatever veggie in the fridge and steam them. It feels really good to eat light for dinner with no salt! Now that I have to cook formal dinner for my husband in the evening, all the cooking and heavy eating really does slow you down not mentioning a lot of weight gain
I think we are going back to simpler and lighter dinners after seeing this post!
WOw i admire you for being able to do that night after night
i can’t I like food too much.
thanks for sharing anyway
http://www.closeteddreamer.com
Hello TJ. While I understand that you are a fan of this blog, please remember that we are too and there is nothing wrong with criticism. Whether or not you view it as constructive is irrelevant.
That said, I too second the opinion that this soup could be WAY better. Lentils, Quinoa, Beans…you could still have vegetable soup but with a little more bulk and more nutritionally sound.
I doubt you are malnourished because of all the other awesome foods you post here (the crab cake is my favourite), but do you really have coffee+juice for lunch and vegetable soup for dinner on the same day? Unless you load up on breakfast, I am quite amazed that you don’t feel lightheaded. But then again, I have anemia so I have to eat properly and on time but still…this is like baby food.
I understand lightening up on dinner when you’ve had a proper lunch and breakfast. Like tonight I am going to have a big bowl of salad with nuts, fruits and a whole lotta greens. But that’s because I had decent breakfast and a decent lunch with a rice, fish and vegetable stew. I think a may have had a little more fish and veggie stew than I should have (too tasty) which is why I am only having salad (BIG bowl though) for dinner.
I’ve lost 6 pounds in 24 days eating like this. Then again, I do a very intense workout for about 1.5 hrs everyday…so I do need my food to give me the energy to withstand the workout. Do you work out at all?
Gayathri, I have a problem with rudeness, not opinions.
Dear TJ,
Why did you tell someone to “fuck off” if you have a problem with rudeness?
JD
It’s great that you have such fiercely loyal fans, but I think it becomes a problem when they start telling other (I can only assume are also loyal fans, only because they are obviously following and commenting on your blog posts too, if they weren’t fans why would they bother coming to this site and more importantly taking the time to comment) fans to f-off and dropping the f-bomb numerous times in one small paragraph. It’s not productive and it’s definitely not what I personally would want someone who was supposedly sticking up for me to do.
Just because it’s the internet and its “faceless” doesn’t mean we should forget respect and common decency. It’s okay to disagree with someone’s opinions and to offer your own views, but it’s never okay to threaten someone with the use of offensive language and aggressive tones especially because you’re able to hide behind a computer screen.
Common decency would dictate that you shorten your comments by approximately 95%.
Common decency would dictate that you learn when to quit.
this is a great formula, one i have been using myself lately because it is just so easy and quick! but it doesn’t have to taste bad! a bit of sea salt and spice will work wonders, as well as changing up your combinations. try avocado and carrot with curry. or nothing but fresh tomatoes, basil and a hint of olive oil. and for those worried about your protein intake (which i think you’re doing just fine with judging by your other posts) add a few raw cashews into the mix, which also add a delicious creamy texture.
This TJ person seems really fun and nice!
I agree! I bet they’re a real sweetheart.
I ate only raw vegan food for a few months once. There are cookbooks and websites with tons of good recipes using just fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, etc. and which don’t require any cooking. The Vita Mix is really popular in that crowd, and often paired with a dehydrator to make your own vegetable chips and date-nut cookies and the like.
This soup is so efficient and systematic, it’s very ‘you’ even when it’s not cupcakes with truffles on a foie gras base or something haha. Thanks for sharing.
ha ha … what a blast reading all the brouhaha …
nothing wrong with a bit of whizzed up veg …
love the blender thing … I tend to eat steamed veg and Japanese rice in the evenings … easy … love the whole clean thing …
hey luxi,
there will probably be lots of hate and criticism in the comments (and there already is) – but i suggest the following: you can actually make this soup taste really good if you just add a few simple steps:
a. fry up some chopped onion and garlic in a little cooking spray (or olive oil)
b. add all desired veggies
c. add chicken stock instead of hot water (you can make your own very simply by just boiling up some chicken parts with celery, onion and carrots).
d. simmer for 25 mins. you can also add some basil / thyme / rosemary / the likes.
this makes the soup look and taste a lot better! if you want to add some fiber, you can add a handful of brown rice or pearled barley. this will make you fuller and feel better.
just my two cents
Mmmmmmmmmmm
Love the idea of a dinner that you can prepare right next to your computer
I’m on a diet, so I think it’s quite inspirational to read about how you keep slim. I think I would add some more taste to the soup, though, no? Garlic, spice, herbs. It’s true that it might not be very recommendable to rely on this soup everyday, but frankly, there is no harm in having days where you do not eat too much. It’s not about getting anorexic or fanatic; just trying to keep the body used to not eat too much. Variation is the word, I believe.
wow it must take a lot of dedication to stick to such a healthy dinner routine. I feel like my eating habits are pretty similar to yours – I don’t each very much on regular days and then have days in between where I eat pretty indulgently – leading people to always say – “why are you so thin when you eat things like that”. Anyway I would love to see more healthy recipes too on the blog if possible
x
Love your blog,love your style, love Jenny Holzer, love Horowitz playing Scarlatti.
TJ was a little woozy from hunger (this vegetable soup diet doesn’t suit the poor dear’s temperament or metabolism) when he said all those mean things to you nice folks. He’s had his milk and cookies now and is tucked in for a nap. Rest assured, he’ll be washing the dishes and walking the dog all week to make up for his bad behaviour. Who knows, when his blood sugar stabilises, he might even apologise himself.
So funny the excitement over a veggie soup !
Am jealous of the vitamix.
It was Camus who said that revolt means acceptance, so basically submission=freedom. He wrote it in “The Myth of Sisyphus”
The quote from Jenny Holzer made the movie The Martyr spring to mind. But yea I’m going on a soup diet and shed this beer/wine/oxtail weight I’ve put on.
Luxi’s smart enough to put together PHENOMENAL fashion and food that has you salivating over her blog, but you don’t think she understands the nutritional value of what she eats? Give the girl some credit.
I’ve been thinking about a Vitamix for quite some time, but they’re so much I keep putting it off. I had no idea there was a model with a hot soup setting. I think I’m sold now…oh the possibilities for after work meals.
For the record, you don’t need the hot soup model to make hot soup.
I have just a normal Vitamix, it’s like worth gold to me, I use it to grind flour, make gelato, soups, grind nuts, make powdered sugar, it’s endlessly useful. You can also make soup, you just let it grind longer, and it gets all hot.
Actually, the heat is a small disadvantage for grinding flour, so you have to compensate by starting with frozen grains. I’ve been grinding my own buckwheat lately for making buckwheat crepes…highly recommend. Just substitute 70% buckwheat 30%potato flour for the normal amount of white flour.
So, yeah, Vitamix? Worth every penny.
All this from four vegetables. Oh Internet.
This topic has been on my mind for a really long time, or rather when I realized my metabolism had taken enough of my abuse and went on permanent vacation. I’m a really picky eater, a veggie hater too most times, and I love having something new to eat every night which makes grocery shopping weekly a pain. I’ve been attempting to condition myself into following a healthier diet and I’m definitely curious about trying this even though it does look like the bane of my existence (but not). I assume that by going to bed verging on hunger that you wake up to a nice breakfast? I am one of those horrible people that don’t eat breakfast because sleep itself is just too yummy, but I’m definitely hoping to change that. Thank you for posting this, it’s not glamorous but much needed .
Ha, it seems diet is quite a touchy subject with this bunch – as expected, since your readership are fashion people.
All pointers aside, this is a very honest insight into the lifestyle of ambitious and successful young people. Of course this soup is a Luxirare dish – it’s quality-of-nutrition-and-time sensitive. It allows for you to continue “on the grind,” and isn’t as lazy and unhealthy as grabbing some McDonald’s takeaway.
Anyone who expects modern 20somethings to be eating their “6 servings of wholegrains a day” is ridiculous. All the ones I know eat fastfood daily and get their fruit intake from cocktails. Never breakfast. It’s not about health, it’s about enabling a lifestyle of work and career progress in a place as competitive as New York City. Vegetable soup is nothing to frown at.
That actually looks really good. I’m not going to lie though, I would eat that with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ahh good to know you eat better things on a daily basis
It was my comment about “How are you not 400 pounds??” – I mean, I gathered you must eat more normally day to day.
Just to comment on the Ciiabon thing – Cinnabon is not “carbs” -it is FATS. People do not need to avoid carbs, our brains exclusively run on glucose, as does the rest of the body. We NEED carbs or we can’t function properly. Keeping fat intake below 15% of your total intake is best (under 10% is best) – carbs high (as in fruits, potatoes, rice, whatever) – most people slather those things in fats, and then the carbs get the blame.
I love your work, but reading this post I feel your pain. Why not going it all the way and trying raw vegan? I promise it is more tasty then what you present here. I can send you recipes, if you like too. Take care cris@crisandkuni.com.
Hell yes to raw vegan!
Christ, foodism as the new religion. How about we quit trying to evangelize whatever diet we believe is what all of humanity should be on if they all only knew better and just appreciate the post for what it is.
I’m sure you all think you have incredibly sound and genuinely altruistic reasons for spruiking your diet (bone loss, increased energy, better for planet, you don’t want us to burn in hell forever) but honestly, if I wanted to find out about (refer to comments above for detailed examples), I would actively seek out that information – I really don’t want have it thrust upon me in a forum where it is, quite frankly, irrelevant.
How’s this for my religion – different people do different things, different people have different body chemistries and DNA for chrissakes, and there is no one size fits all. You can find studies to support whatever you want to believe if you look hard enough. Please feel free to follow and believe in whatever diet you feel works for you but realise, the rest of the world does not need to agree with you to make it okay neither do you have any right to judge and lecture anybody else about YOUR PERSONAL OPINIONS. Okay?
I love ur site
I guess I missed all the excitement on this post. But Luxirare I love this idea. The people who call this “unhealthy” are probably the ones who also go on 7-day health “detoxes” where they consume practically no calories, get no variety, and certainly no protein. The way you do it is to detox several times a week, in super small increments, which is absolutely brilliant. If we all did what you did, there would be no dangerous crash dieting or silly cleanses. I think this nightly routine is absolutely inspiring. Now…how do I get my hands on a Vitamix?
I can see you are an expert at your field! I am launching a internet site soon, and your info will be incredibly fascinating for me.. Thanks for all your assist and wishing you all the success.
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