Tomato Tuesday

All year I wait year in anticipation of eating that first sun-ripened tomato of the summer. Cherry, sungold, romas, early girls, and a variety of heirloom varieties start to show up at the farmers markets in NC late June. A sun-ripened tomato in the heat of summer is far superior to the ones you find at the supermarket all year long. You can definitely tell a difference in taste and appearance. Tomatoes grown by local farms come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. The store-bought ones lack in flavor as well as vitamins and minerals. I don't purchase tomatoes in the winter unless they're heirloom or organic from Whole Foods or grown in hothouses by local farmers.

I love tomatoes and always have. Eating a tomato sandwich in the heat of the summer sun was one of my favorite sandwiches as a kid. I didn't think much about where that tomato came from, but I knew it was special, since we only ate tomato sandwiches in the summer. As an adult, I pay close attention to where our food comes from. That's why I joined a CSA and support my local farmers markets as much as possible.

Nicole at The Giving Table has encouraged food bloggers to raise awareness about the modern day slavery that takes place in U.S. tomato fields. That's right, people are treated inhumanely to bring you those tasteless tomatoes year around in the supermarket.

The Problem

Slavery is not just happening overseas. Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Molloy once called Florida’s tomato fields “ground zero” for modern-day slavery in the United States. In the past 15 years, over 1,000 people have been freed from slavery in U.S. tomato fields.

The Solution

Recipe for Change–a campaign led by International Justice Mission in partnership with the Fair Food Standards Council and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers–is targeting three major supermarket chains this summer (Ahold, Publix and Kroger’s), and asking its CEOs to support the Fair Food Program. Corporations that join agree to pay a small price increase for fairly harvested tomatoes (1.5 cents more per pound), and promise to shift purchases to the Florida tomato growers who abide by these higher standards–and away from those who won’t.

Major fast food companies, like McDonalds and Subway, have already endorsed the Fair Food Program, but the largest U.S. supermarket chains have yet to support this collaborative effort to eradicate modern-day slavery.

Ways to take action
Supermarkets can help eliminate slavery and other serious abuses from the tomato supply chain when they join the Fair Food Program. But in order to change its policies, CEOs need pressure from consumers.

Please take 30 seconds, raise your voice, and sign your name to help ensure that supermarket tomatoes are slave-free! If you'd like to read more about this, follow Nicole here or pick up a copy of the book, Tomatoland.

Purchase slave-free tomatoes at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or by buying locally at your farmer's market.

Here's my favorite gazpacho recipe made with tomatoes from our CSA (which I picked myself). I've been making a batch of this almost weekly. I've also made variations by adding a stalk of celery and half a cup of shredded carrots. If you like your gazpacho thinner, add half a cup of tomato juice.

Gazpacho!
2 cups tomatoes, diced
3/4-1 c watermelon chunks
1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
half of a red onion, diced
1 small cucumber with skin, diced small
1 small bell paper, diced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 sea salt
2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
jalapeño slices to garnish
cilantro to garnish

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, except the olive oil. Blend for 10-15 seconds for a chunkier soup, and longer for a thinner soup. Slowly drizzle in the oil from the top of the processor. Garnish with jalapeño slices and cilantro.

Roasted asparagus and white bean soup

This soup screams Spring. Asparagus. Leeks. New potatoes. When I first saw this recipe in the Food Matters cookbook, I knew I wanted to make it. Simple and subtle, perfect on a chilly Spring night. The white beans and potatoes make it creamy, the white wine departs a dry note, and the asparagus lightens it up, adding the perfect green hue.

I made this recipe twice. The first time I used two large potatoes and it threw off the balance, so I made the soup again with smaller red potatoes. The second time around I blended the roasted asparagus straight into the soup—like Bittman suggests as an alternative (see below)—and I preferred its velvety texture. This soup is subtle, and tastes better the second day with a flavorful garnish like shaved Parmesan, pesto, or smoked paprika.

Since I'm hosting this week's Food Matters Project recipe, the recipe below is Bittman's word-by-word from the cookbook. I've mentioned my changes above. Check out to see what the other members made here. Serve the soup with a side of tahini greens, a raw kale salad or this baguette.

Roasted asparagus and white bean soup

Recipe from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman

4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for garnish

2 leeks, well-rinsed and thinly sliced

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp chopped rosemary, or 1 tsp dried

salt and pepper

1/2 c dry white wine

2 baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 c cooked or canned white beans, drained, liquid reserved

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock, bean cooking liquid, or water, plus more as needed

about 1.5 lb of asparagus, peeled if thick

One 2-oz piece Parmesan cheese

Makes 4 servings

1. Heat oven to 450. Put 2 tbsp of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened a bit and beginning to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the white wine, and stir to loosen the bits of vegetable that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. 

2. Add the potatoes, about half the beans, and the stock. Bring to a boil, the lower the heat so that the mixture bubbles steadily. Cover partially and cook, stirring infrequently, until the potatoes are disintegrating, 20 to 30 minutes; add more liquid as necessary so the mixture remains soupy. 

3. Meanwhile (or ahead of time), put the asparagus in a shallow roasting pan, drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp oil, and sprinkle with salt. Roast, turning the spears once or twice, just until the thick part of the stalks can be pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool a bit. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to shave slices from the piece of cheese. 

4. When the soup is ready, mash the potatoes and beans a bit. Chop the asparagus and add it to the pot along with the remaining beans to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve each bowl with some shaved cheese on top.

Pureed Asparagus and White Bean Soup: After you add the chopped roasted asparagus in Step 4, carefully puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender or with an immersion blender; or simply mash with a potato masher. If you prefer, puree only the beans and broth and add the chopped asparagus before serving.

Curried tomato soup with toasted coconut

I was intrigued by this week's Food Matters Project recipe. I love tomato soup and all things coconut, but I haven't used coconut milk in tomato soup before. I noticed the idea recently when I read Heidi's simple tomato soup post. After looking at the ingredient list for this week's Food Matters Project recipe, I was excited to see coconut milk listed, because I wanted to give it a shot.

If coconut isn't your thing, don't worry. This soup doesn't taste like coconut. The coconut milk gives it body and richness, without overpowering the flavor. The curry really stands out here. It also departs a lovely yellow-orange color to the classic red tomato soup. I replaced the potatoes with the humble turnip. Turnips are a lovely vegetable that often go unnoticed. They're perfect here as they provide a similar starchiness to the potato as well as adding a healthy dose of vitamin B and C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and trace minerals to the soup (1).

Bittman garnishes his soup with hard-boiled eggs, but I was lazy and decided to sprinkle with toasted coconut and cilantro instead. Make this into a heartier dish by serving over leftover rice, quinoa, or millet. Soup always seems to taste better with age.

Curried tomato soup
Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook
1/4 c coconut flakes (or shredded unsweetened coconut)
4 tbsp coconut oil or ghee (I used a mixture)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp jalapeño, minced
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 carrot, chopped
2 small turnips, chopped
1-28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (chopped), and the juice
1 medium tomato, chopped
1-13.5 oz can of full fat coconut milk
2.5-3 cups of water or vegetable broth
half a head of cauliflower, chopped
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Garnish with cracked pepper, cilantro, & toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Add coconut flakes to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.

Heat dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add coconut oil. When hot, add onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in the spices. When the spices are fragrant, add the turnip and carrot. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook for another 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice. Blend with an immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth. Be careful with the hot liquids. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper, cilantro, and toasted coconut.

This recipe makes 9-10 cups of soup, so I decided to freeze some for later. I let the soup completely cool—by pouring into several containers and sitting in a large tub of ice water—then I put a little over a cup into each sandwich bag. Sandwich bags work better for individual servings, and gallon bags are better for families. I labelled the bag with the contents and date, then laid the bags flat in the freezer. Once frozen, they stack easily. When you're ready to eat them, put the bag into a bowl of hot water until the soup is almost liquid again. Pour into a soup pot, heat, and enjoy!

See how Joanne and others made the recipe this week. Don't forget to follow the group on Facebook or to follow Adrienneats there as well!

Source: (1) Wood, Rebecca. The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. p. 367. 

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!

Roasted elephant garlic + cauliflower soup

In the winter months—since my local farmers market is closed—I subscribe to weekly deliveries from Papa Spuds, a local online farmers market. You choose what you'll receive each week—veggies to fruit to bread to flour to cheese—and they show up in an insulated box in front of your door. Local eggs, fish, and meat are also available for an additional charge. And you can put your subscription on hold, if you're on vacation. It's a great service for those of you readers that are in the Triangle area.

Recently I received elephant garlic in my box among the potatoes, cabbage, radishes, and collards. Despite it's size, its flavor is actually milder than normal-sized garlic. It's closer kin to leeks and needs to be consumed quicker than you probably eat a head of garlic.

I decided to roast the entire head of garlic with cauliflower and make a big batch of soup. Roasting vegetables imparts a depth to the soup that sauteing just can't provide (as do roasted veggie stocks). It's perfect in the winter.

Don't worry about the garlic overpowering the soup, it's actually quite subtle. I used all, but one of the cloves, saving it for a batch of hummus. This soup may be vegan, but the almond milk and cauliflower give it such a luxurious, creamy texture. I enjoyed bowls for lunch with leftover oat soda bread.

Roasted elephant garlic & cauliflower soup
1 head elephant garlic
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ghee
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium turnip, diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp paprika
4-5 c water
2 c almond milk
smoked paprika & dill to garnish each bowl

Preheat oven to 350. Drizzle elephant garlic (or regular head of garlic) with about a tablespoon of olive oil and cover with foil. Roast for almost an hour.

Fifteen minutes later, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread cauliflower florets onto the sheet and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes.

Put ghee into a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, cooking until translucent and softened. Add the celery, turnip, bay leaves, and spices. Cover for five minutes, allowing the vegetables to sweat a bit. Add the elephant garlic and roasted cauliflower along with the water and almond milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves. Use a hand immersion blender (or regular blender) and blend until smooth. If the consistency is chunky, like puree, add water to thin.

Finish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and dill.

Superfoods for the sick

It's that time of year when colds and strep throat run rampant through offices and schools. I was hit hard with a nasty head cold the past three days. I've never sneezed so much in my life. I only got up to make soup, smoothies, tea, take spoonfuls of this natural remedy or drink a glass of water.

When sickness strikes what do you eat? I turn to whole, nutrient dense soups and smoothies. I prefer homemade soups because they have so much more flavor and less sodium than canned or boxed soups. I also get to control the ingredients that go into the soup, adding extra superfoods to boost my immunity. I made a coconut carrot soup and this superfood packed miso soup. A few reasons why the ingredients in this soup are considered to be superfoods.

Garlic & onions: From the allium family, the sulfur compounds are thought to have incredible anti-biotic and anti-viral powers for fighting infection. Garlic reduces sinusitis, influenza, cholesterol, eat troubles, blood pressure. Also reduces fever by causing the body to perspire. Onions are an excellent source of immune-supportive, vitamin C.

Mushrooms: Help reduce mucus and toxins. High in protein and a good source of vitamin B2 and zinc. Great for boosting immunity.

Miso: A fermented soybean paste containing live lactic acid bacteria and enzymes that help digestion. Also contains zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, protein, tryptophan, and vitamin K. Zinc is very beneficial to the immune system.

Kombu: Kombu is a type of seaweed. Adding kombu to boiling water not only flavors the broth, but adds essential vitamins and minerals like iodine, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Vitamin C is essential for fighting infection. 

Cilantro: An herb that supports perspiration which means it treats fever. Also soothes nausea, headaches, and coughs. Cilantro is thought to safely rid the body of toxins.

Miso soup can be made in minutes, which is perfect if you're feeling pretty awful. The most difficult part is boiling water.

Miso soup
1.5 c water
1 stick kombu
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 dried mushrooms
2 tsp miso paste
1 green onion, sliced
1 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp seaweed gomasio mix*

Boil 1.5 cups of water. Remove from heat, add the kombu, garlic, mushrooms. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Take 2 tbsp of water and put into a smaller dish. Add the miso and stir well, dissolving into a thick sauce. Add the miso to the bowl of soup along with the onion, cilantro and gomasio. Enjoy!

*A blend of seaweed, sesame, sea salt. Eden Foods makes this or you could make your own.

Sources:
Bauman College, NE Handbook, 2008.
whfoods.org, 2012.
Wood, Rebecca. The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, 2010.

Curried sweet potato soup

I've been making a lot of soup lately, since the weather has finally cooled down. I make soups all year long, but there's something comforting about eating soup in the fall. I think its the warming spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, curry, ginger, cumin and cayenne.

Do you share my love for soup? If so, what's your favorite? The Kitchn just posted 25 soup recipes if you need some inspiration.

This is a simple soup and you probably already have most of the ingredients at home. If you don't have sweet potatoes, you can use carrots instead. But to make it creamy without adding dairy, add a tablespoon of oats, Arborio rice or potatoes when you add the stock. After you blend the soup, you'll notice that it has a thicker consistency.

Curried sweet potato soup

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

dash of cayenne

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (2.5-3 cups)

2 small carrots

3.5-4 c veggie stock

1 T lemon juice
1 tsp ginger juice*

sea salt to taste

Add the coconut oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onions, cover and sweat for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Add the garlic, curry, cumin and cayenne. Stir for about a minute. Then add the potatoes and carrots. Let the vegetables sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil (make sure the liquid covers the vegetables). When it reaches a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are cooked well. When done, blend with an immersion blender or put into a blender (be careful with hot liquids). Stir in the lemon and ginger juice. Add sea salt to taste. Garnish with a drizzle of lemon-tahini dressing or yogurt, paprika and cilantro.

*To make ginger juice: Cut an inch piece of ginger, peel and grate or mince very finely. Wrap the minced ginger with cheesecloth and squeeze over a small bowl. You should get about a tsp or more of ginger juice. 

Makes 3-4 servings.