Roasted tomato & carrot soup

Every summer I eat so many tomatoes, that I don't want to look at another one by the time they're out of season. But as winter sinks in, I start to crave them and would give anything for a luscious summer tomato.

I decided to forgo canned tomatoes and purchased some organic roma tomatoes from Whole Foods instead. I love the flavor of roasted tomatoes (or any vegetable really), so I decided to roast them off with a few carrots for a rich color and sweet flavor. Similar to this soup, but with tomatoes as the main ingredient and a different flavor profile.

You're probably thinking wow, she makes a lot of soup. And that's true, especially this time of year. I'm  always cold, and drinking a nourishing cup of soup warms me up. Plus soup is a great way to sneak more vegetables into your (or loved ones) diet.

Roasted tomato and carrot soup
1 lb. roma tomatoes, sliced in half
2 medium carrots, cut into half-inch coins
3 T olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, small dice (.25 in)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp fennel, ground
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
5-6 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Fill large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) with tomatoes and carrots. Drizzle the veggies with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a pan and saute the onion. Add the garlic and herbs, stirring, until fragrant. Add vegetable stock and the roasted vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add the vinegar. Use an immersion blender or regular blender (be careful: hot liquids) and blend until smooth. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

And what goes better with soup than tasty croutons? I made Mark Bittman's flatbread recipe. I used chickpea/fava flour and flavored it with cumin and rosemary. These croutons are free of dairy and gluten. I toasted a piece, cut it into squares and garnished my soup with it. You could also toast a slice of flatbread and add a sprinkle of parmesan to enjoy alongside your soup.

Since I was in NYC last weekend, I didn't make the Food Matters Project weekly recipe. So check out Kate's recipe for seasoned popcorn!

Hearty kale salad

In the winter,  I don't crave salads like I do throughout the spring and summer. Colder temperatures make me yearn bowls of piping hot soup, roasted veggies over wholesome grains, or these stuffed sweet potatoes. When I do have a salad this time of year, it needs to be hearty, packed with healthy fats and protein. 

This salad was rather impromptu. I had a big bunch of curly kale, leftover lentils, and a small jar of roasted cherry tomatoes. It couldn't have been more perfect. The lentils and feta gave it substance, the tomatoes added a burst of flavor, and the celery provided that nice crunch. Not-to-mention the heartiness of the kale as compared to your normal salad full of cool romaine or spinach.

Hearty kale salad

2 tbsp walnut oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp sea salt

4 cups kale, small bite-size pieces

1 celery stalk, diced small
1 c cooked lentils

1/4 cup roasted cherry tomatoes (or sundried tomatoes)

1 tbsp dill, minced

1/4 c feta, optional

Whisk walnut oil, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a small bowl. Put kale in a large bowl and drizzle vinaigrette over top. Massage with hands for about 5 minutes or until the leaves have broken down some. Mix in celery, lentils, roasted tomatoes, and dill. Sprinkle feta over top. Makes 2 large salads. 

A breakfast for egg lovers

I intended for this post to be about the chef classes I started last week. But there's something far more important to me right now, my grandfather. He's in intensive care and we're on our way to see him this morning.

Pop is an 81 year old Southern man who voted for Obama and once owned an awesome textile company called Needletown. He loves a cold Budweiser, and anything by Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson. He can be so very stubborn, and I always think of him when I act the same. We both share a love for early mornings, strong coffee and eggs.

Baked eggs with tomato & cottage cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium tomato, diced and seeded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 large basil leaves
1 local egg
1/4 c cottage cheese*
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325. Heat olive oil over low-to-medium heat. Add the tomato and cook for about five minutes. Add the garlic, cooking a few minutes longer until fragrant. Remove from heat, add the dash of vinegar. Butter or oil a small ramekin. Add the tomato, garlic and basil to the bottom of the ramekin. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Add the cottage cheese and black pepper, mix well. Add the egg mixture to the ramekin and place on a baking sheet. Pour water into the pan until it comes up to about one-third of the side of the ramekin. Place in the oven. Cook until the egg is completely set, 15-20 minutes. Be careful removing the baking sheet with hot water from the oven.


Serves one. Make an extra for someone you love and serve with strong coffee.

*Normally I use heavy cream, but I was out. Cottage cheese worked perfectly and added an extra protein kick.

Roasted & chilled cumin-carrot soup

Some people like their soup, like they like their coffee, hot. Is that you? Or are you a cold soup lover? I definitely enjoy chilled soups (and iced coffee) during the summer months. Pair with a cold salad and you have the perfect summer lunch.

Oh and let's talk for a minute about cumin. Whole cumin seeds are pungent and really flavor a dish, especially when toasted. Whole cumin seeds are usually easy to find in the spice aisle of your local grocery store. I think the whole seeds are superior in taste to the pre-ground stuff. Cumin is used in some cultures to treat headaches, indigestion and liver problems. This spice is cooling for to the body, which is ideal in this heat.

Roasted & chilled cumin-carrot soup
3 tbsp olive oil
3 carrots, sliced
1 tomato, quartered
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp cumin
dash of sea salt
1/2 c ice water
juice of half a lemon, or more to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Add the carrots, tomato, onion and garlic to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well with hands. Spread the carrots, tomato, onion and garlic onto a large baking pan. Sprinkle with cumin and sea salt. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown lightly. Remove from heat and blend with 1/2 c ice water and the lemon. Add more water if you like your soup thinner. Refrigerate until cold. Garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt, if you'd like.

Source: Wood, 2010, p.109

Snack on this: Sungold tomatoes

I love picking these orange beauties off the vine and popping them straight into my mouth. Our garden will be overflowing with them soon, and I couldn't be more excited. I found a recipe for chilled Sungold soup in Local Flavors by Deborah Madison that I can't wait to try.

Eat more tomatoes!
Everyone probably knows that tomatoes contain lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful red carotene that protects against certain types of cancer. Lycopene also neutralizes free radicals before they can damage cells and it helps prevent heart disease. Eating tomatoes with fat, like olive oil, helps the body absorb more lycopene. So try this great dish with roasted tomatoes. Tomatoes are also high in vitamins C and A, potassium and fiber.

Enjoy these tiny tomatoes eaten alone or dipped into hummus. Yum.

Sources: 
Murray 2005, p. 241-242
whfoods.com

A new favorite

Last Friday was my 27th birthday. I enjoyed it with awesome friends and delicious food. I was also given this amazing cookbook. If you don't know Heidi by now, you should. Her blog is so inspiring, and I believe it's the first I ever read (and still read). I have her first book, but the second has quickly become a favorite. Delicious vegetarian meals, hearty enough for meat eaters and simple enough for anyone to make. She doesn't use many ingredients, but the ones she does are high quality, often local or available at farmers' markets.

She includes a recipe for roasted tomatoes that inspired this impromtu salad last night. I had a carton of cherry tomatoes that were begging to be baked in a sea of olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. I foresee making this recipe a lot as tomatoes start to take over the markets this summer.

I tossed the tomatoes (and their yummy juices) with black beans, avocado, shallot, parsley, celery, lemon and lime juice. Perfect for a day when the temperature almost reaches 90 degrees. I can't believe the heat and humidity of NC summers are almost here. This Sunday is the first day of May!