Cake Batter Smoothie

Ooh la la!  One of my favorite indulgent breakfasts that is oh so good for you!  I'm happy to be back to blogging... and promise this is not just a food blog... but these recipes sure are a fun way to kick it back off.  I've adapted the recipe from Oh She Glows so you can check out her version too... let me know what you think!

Cake Batter Smoothie: 

·         1 cup almond milk

·         1/4 cups old fashioned oats

·         1 frozen banana

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1 tsp vanilla

·         3-4 drops stevia

·         1 tbsp raw cacao powder (regular cocoa powder is fine too)

·         1 tbsp almond butter or peanut butter

·         1 tbsp chia or flax seeds

·         a few ice cubes as needed 

 You can soak the oats in the almond milk for 30 minutes if you want to really make it creamy, but I never do and it tastes great!  You can take out or add ingredients to your liking... super versatile and sooo yummy and healthy.  You can take out PB... add spinach... take out oatmeal... yum! Enjoy!

Roasted Soups... Perfect for Fall & Winter!

These are two soup recipes that are super easy- roast the veggies then toss them in the vitamix!  All healthy ingredients... no creams or butter.  Roasting gives them such a yummy rich flavor it makes up for being so healthy. They are really versatile- add more of what you love or less of what you don't.  Don't feel stuck to the ingredients!  Maybe your kids will eat it better if you toss some whole grain pasta in there... Make it your own... and pass along any soup recipes you love.  I'm always looking!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

1 onion 

1 2 pound container cherry/grape tomatoes

2 stalks celery

1 yellow/orange/red pepper

1 cup baby carrots

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS pure maple syrup

Sea salt and pepper

1 tsp crushed garlic or 3 cloves minced

1-2 cup chicken stock

1 cup almond milk

3 tbs minced basil or 1 tsp dried

Turn oven on 425. (I use convection bake but regular bake is great too). Pour olive oil and maple syrup on baking sheet and then place cut vegetables and cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet. Using a spatula mix veggies into olive oil and syrup. Generously pepper and salt entire pan. Bake 15 minutes then turn, adding garlic on top of vegetables.* Stir with spatula. Bake 10-15 minutes until veggies are soft and browning. Remove pan from oven and use spatula to scoop entire pan into Vitamix blender. Scrap pan getting all juice into vitamix. Add chicken stock, almond milk, basil and blend until desired consistency.   Taste and add more almond milk or chicken stock/salt & pepper as needed.  I store it in the fridge for 5-7 days.  Makes for an easy lunch/dinner!  

*Original recipe called for 2 cans of diced tomatoes being put on top of roasted veggies at this point.  I modified recipe to use more fresh tomatoes, but if you are low on the fresh tomatoes you can use 2-3 cups fresh and sub in some diced canned tomatoes too.

 

Before and After roasting!

Here's a butternut squash soup recipe I love with the original recipe link below... I actually roast the carrots/celery/onion/squash in the oven with 1-2 TBS of Olive Oil and 1-2 TBSP of Maple Syrup, salt and pepper, on 425 for about 20-25 minutes, flipping once.  Then toss in blender with remaining ingredients... If it's too thick it's also yummy to add almond milk bc it gives it a rich thick flavor with added calcium/nutrients.  (Though I'm sure you can thin it with chicken broth too.)  Love using Costco's pre-diced squash and then this is really the easiest recipe ever.. (try goat cheese and pomegranate seeds on it if you want to add a fun twist to it!)

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/classic-butternut-squash-soup

Classic Butternut Squash soup

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in a traditional blender. 

Three Twists

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme. 

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Info: 

PER SERVING:140 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 6g protein

When we lived in Texas there was a fabulous store called Central Market.  It specializes in fresh, healthy, and organic food and had lots of amazingly tasty and unique foods.... They have a fantastic bulk section of everything from sour gummies to dried mangos and kosher salt. It even had a yummilicious cafe and fresh gelato stand that was to die for. One of my favorite sections though was the prepless food kits- all kinds of veggies and fresh ingredients chopped up with simple directions to make fresh spaghetti, kabobs, soups and stews, etc.  Our very FAVORITE was their Tortilla Soup- either from the prepless section or bought freshly made from the Cafe. The best we've ever had... and trust me, we have tried it at LOTS of restuarants. When we moved I was so sad to not have the recipe or premade kits! After craving it for a few months, I finally called them desperate. They were nice. I've got the recipe. The real deal. It's oh so fabulous. The kids beg for it.  Hubby craves it.  Hope you love it just as much as we do!

Central Market Tortilla Soup

Makes 8 8-ounce servings

2 TBS olive oil

1 c diced onions

1 serrano pepper, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 T minced garlic

2 TBS Chili powder

1 TBS Cumin

1 Bay Leaf

Salt

1 cup fresh diced tomatoes

1 cup fresh or frozen corn 

2 quarts chicken broth (or 8 cups water with boullion added)

Chicken, cooked & diced (about 2 cups- Costco rotesserie chicken works best!)

1 lime

3/4 cup Tortilla chips crushed

2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips

Sour cream

Avocado slices- optional

Shredded Cheese- optional

•Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stock pot; sauté onion, garlic and peppers until onions are translucent.

•Add the dry spices (chili powder, cumin, bay leaf, and salt) and cook for 1 minute.

•Add tomatoes and corn and continue cooking 3 minutes.  Add chicken and mix well.

•Add 2 quarts (8 cups) of chicken broth and bring to boil; Add 3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips. Stir well. heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

•Add chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice 

•Serve and garnish with sour cream, avocado slices, additional tortilla chips and cheese if desired. If you want it less spicy, don't add the serrano pepper or add less chili powder... but really, the recipe is perfect as is!

TIPS:

• We think lime chips are tastiest for the crushed tortilla chips
• I always buy 2-3 Rotesserie chickens at Costco and immediately dice, double bag in 2 cup increments, and freeze.  Thaw a bag of chicken the morning of making the soup in the fridge and add to this recipe... so easy!  Canned chicken also works in a bind!