Lobster Love

Homemade Lobster Bisque and Buttermilk Biscuits

Four days into my new metal-filled mouth I've been feeling like I  might actually starve to death. My braces have scraped the inside of my mouth all up so it's full of sores and the extensive brushing and flossing required after eating and drinking have my gums and teeth feeling super-sensitive. Since Tuesday I've eaten a spinach smoothie with whey protein for breakfast every day and soup for lunch and dinner. Until today, that is... I was cleaning up for the arrival of my mother-in-law, listening to Nina Simone, breathing energy-boosting and hunger-quenching citrus oils from my diffuser, trying to ignore my growling stomach around 1 this afternoon when the doorbell rang. My wonderful neighbor stood at the door holding a hot, homemade quiche. How lucky am I? I wolfed down two pieces and felt full and nourished for pretty much the first time since Tuesday.

I wanted to serve a guest-worthy supper tonight, which is difficult when you can't chew anything. If I hadn't eaten so much of the quiche for lunch we could have eaten that. Oh well. I decided to try my hand at Lobster Bisque. This is the first time I've cooked this and I made the recipe up myself. It turned out really well and everyone assured me it's blog-worthy. I was very disappointed, after days of starvation, to step on the scale this morning and find I've gained 2.5 pounds since I got my braces. I am surely the only person on Earth who can gain weight on a liquid diet! Therefore, this soup is not made with the traditional flour roux, but is thickened instead with pureed vegetables. This not only cuts calories and simple carbs but provides a shot of nutrition, especially important for someone whose calories sources are limited! I served this with homemade buttermilk biscuits and everyone besides me had salad as well. I've been drinking my salads! My hope is that increasing my calorie intake and nutrient level a couple days a week will help my body relax and release some fat.

Lobster Bisque

2 whole raw lobsters or four raw lobster tails, shelled and with flesh cut into bite sized pieces

10-12 ounces bell peppers and onions, pureed

14.5 oz can yellow corn, pureed

1/2 cup butter

4 cups cream, milk, or half and half

1 cup cream sherry

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Melt butter and saute the lobster, bell peppers, onions, and corn for 5 minutes or until the lobster turns white. Make sure you don't overcook the lobster, as it will turn rubbery if you do. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the scalding point (just under a boil) and then turn the heat to medium low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 8-10

You could substitute pretty much any fish or seafood for the lobster I think, and I bet this would be good with coconut milk as well, if you have someone who can't handle dairy. It's also a great recipe for using the powdered milk from your food storage. I guess soup for supper every night isn't so bad if you can have such delicious soup!

As for the essential oil blend I diffused today, it's a citrus mix. Citrus scents are believed to decrease hunger and increase energy. They made the house smell really clean and fresh and are believed to help soothe allergies. I love the Young Living Home Diffuser because it not only scents the air but also serves as a humidifier and vaporizer. My youngest has been having nosebleeds in the cold, dry weather of the past few days so I thought some extra moisture would be welcome around here! I filled the diffuser with distilled water and added 8 drops Young Living Jade Lemon oil, and 4 drops each Citrus Fresh and Lime oils. Jade Lemon is a seasonal holiday oil so if it's out of stock you can substitute with regular lemon oil. I held out against my hunger until the steamingly fragrant quiche arrived, so I think they did help some with that as well. I will say they don't really stand up against the smell of just-baked quiche with bacon, though! Sorry!

I hope you'll follow my Young Living Facebook page, Naturally Amanda, for more recipes and ideas and of course don't hesitate to contact me to order Young Living products or sign up as a member!

Citrus Oil Blend for Energy