Soul-stice Soup

      Today is the winter solstice, the day that marks the end of one solar year and the beginning of the next. In the Northern Hemisphere, we will experience the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It is a time of celebration and reflection, a time to ruminate over what has transpired and a time to party like you just graduated from college... which I kind of did. This day, for me, marks the completion of my Holistic Nutrition course which I began in 2014. The past two years have definitely not been a walk in the proverbial park, but they have brought many lessons and much abundance in fairly unexpected ways. So I am celebrating. Celebrating the end of one cycle that is clearing the way for a new one to begin. And guess how I'm gonna do it... With soup!
      The recipe I would like to share with you is for a soul-warming tomato bisque, and I want to tell you just how special tomatoes are and why they are the perfect vegetable (fruit!) to light our way into the new year. Tomatoes are brimming with antioxidants which are so important at this time of year when stress is high, nerves are frayed, and the performance of our immune systems may not be up to snuff. Antioxidants essentially keep our bodies from aging. They protect our cells from the damage generally caused by these little doodads called free radicals. The antioxidants found in tomatoes play key rolls in heart and bone health, as well as cancer prevention.
      So let's end/start this thing on a delicious note with a soup that not only stokes the coals of the soul, but fires up our immune systems and helps us to endure this winter and come out swing dancin on the other side!

Plant-based Tomato Bisque

yields about 5 servings

 The Goods:

4 pints cherry/plum tomatoes
2 medium-large carrots, 1/2 inch slices
3 stalks celery, 1/2 inch slices
1 red bell pepper, 1 inch chunks
1 red onion, 1/2 inch dice
9 cloves garlic, rough chop
6 sundried tomato halves
1/2 cup cashews, soaked
3 cups veggie stock or water
1-2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons each: rosemary, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika
2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
salt and pepper to taste

 optional garnish: avocado, scallion, cilantro, pepitas


The Method: 
      Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get your tomatoes, onion, carrots, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and herbs together in a bowl and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Lay them out on a lined baking sheet and put them in the oven for about 15 minutes. At this point, you'll want to stir them around a bit, then throw them back in for another 15. When they're done they should resemble the photo on the right.

       Once the veggies are all roasty toasty, put a pot large enough to hold at least 4 quarts heating on the stove on low heat. Toss in your spices and bay leaf. Don't walk away and forget about these guys because they WILL burn. I've done it a million times. We are going to multi-task here, but there is no need to waste your hard-earned spices.

      

     
      While you've got your mind on toasting spices and toasting spices on your mind, you're gonna head over to the old high speed blender. In two separate batches, puree your roasted vegetables with the cashews, sundried tomatoes, and veggie stock (or water). When those spices become fragrant, pour the puree into the pot and crank the heat... well, maybe don't crank it, but kick it up like one notch. Keep your chef coat on, Emeril. Basically, you wanna bring this baby to a simmer, cover, and stir occasionally for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

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      When all is said and done, garnish to your heart's content! I always go for avo, but that's just me. You do you, and remember to carry that sentiment with you into the new year. Be brave, be bold, be your bright beautiful self and don't be afraid to share it! Love and blessings to you!

First Snow of the Season (Creamy Mushroom Soup with Spinach)

      Halloween hasn't even passed, but here in the north country we've already been hit with a pretty gnarly snow storm. At least Lake Placid has... So I'm holed up here in my nook of an apartment, ice festooning the trees outside my window and falling intermittently in great chunks off the roof. The image that plays in my mind is that of a cabin deep in the wilderness, a hearty homesteadin' mama, alone save for her sparse belongings, some cast iron cookware and a fire roaring... What is one to do when the snow has piled itself against the door and there is no one around for miles? Uh duh. Make soup. So get ready, 'cause there are hecka soup recipes comin' your way.
   
      This particular foray into the fantastic world of soup making has reunited me with an earthy, nutritious, and umami-rich friend; the shiitake mushroom. There are soooo many health benefits to these babies, I could go on for days. Suffice it to say that they contain all eight essential amino acids, B12, interferons-- which can stop the replication, of viruses, parasites, bacteria, and cancer cell... as well as beta glucans that basically make your immune cells more effective.
 
       I've gone ahead and thrown in some spinach... Yea, you know about spinach. You know about the chlorophyll (found in all plants with green pigment) and how its molecular structure is almost exactly the same as that of our red blood cells, but provides us with much needed magnesium and subsequently helps to detoxify and oxygenate the blood. You know all that. Not to mention that spinach is an awesome source of iron as well as fiber that essentially scrubs out the digestive system.

      All that being said, let's slip into something a little more tasty...

The Goods:

• 1 pkg. shiitake mushrooms
• 1 pkg. baby bella mushrooms
• 1 small head of garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 carrots
• 1 hand full spinach x how ever many folks you're serving
• 1 scallion x how ever many folks you're serving
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds + some for garnish
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. + a pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. sunflower (or other med-high heat oil)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2"x3" piece of kombu
• 3 1/2 - 4 c. broth
• 1/2 avocado x how ever many folks you're serving

The Method:

      Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-low heat. If you have an electric range, that's probably around 3. Chop the mushrooms into pieces between 1/2" and 1". Add oil to the pan. Once it's hot, throw in the mushies with a generous pinch of salt. 

Initially they'll look like this. While they're cooking, stir them every so often. You'll notice that they're sweatin' it out, losing lots of water. This is OKAY!












Once they're done, they'll look like this. You're gonna wanna turn off that burner.

      Now it's time to get into our mirapoix-- which is just a fancy French way of saying carrots, celery, and onion-- but I like to be fancy, so I said it. We're gonna make it extra fancy and add some garlic to the mix. Smash the garlic cloves, halve and peel the onion, chop the celery and carrots in to blender-friendly chunks and deposit all of the above into your blender canister. 

       Next we'll add the salt, chili flakes, sesame seeds, and broth.

       Then it should look like this:

 

      Blend it up on high speed. Don't forget to put the top on! And VOILA. You have a nondescript beige 

 substance. Looks good, huh? Just wait!

 

       Pour this stuff into a sauce pan with your bay leaves and kombu for some additional layers of flavor.

 

      Cover and allow this concoction to simmer for about half an hour, stirring regularly. While your taste buds are being aroused by the sumptuous smells emanating from beneath the lid, go ahead and chop your spinach, slice your scallion(s), toast your sesame seeds, and dice your avocado.

      Once the timer goes off and you're in a daze of delicious aromas, throw a handful of spinach in the bottom of each bowl, then ladle some soup over top, then scoop your avocado and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds. Ce magnifique!

Oh yea, then eat it!

      Happy first snow of the season to all y'all north country folk and homesteadin' mamas (and papas). Tune in next time for more sassy soup tales from the Princess and the Peashoot.