Tortilla Soup at a Glance

Back in February, I posted a recipe for tortilla soup, very similar to this one.  Today while making it, I decided to snap a few pictures since it was so easy.  I really should call it my "UN-Tortilla Soup" since the only tortillas used were simply for the photos....

Have you had your fruits and veggies today?

I add the ingredients that I want totally blended first with 2 cups of hot water. After blending on high for 3 minutes, the soup was hot without over cooking the veggies.  That's right!  I want those macro nutrients!

Once it's hot, I slow down the speed and add the beans, olives and some of the avocado.

 

Not only does it taste great, but I FEEL great after eating it. 

Tortilla Soup = Satisfying!

These crisp, chilly evenings have made it a perfect time for some Fresh Tortilla Soup.  This recipe is so easy to make, and packed full of nutrition.  It has become my "go to" recipe when I am chilled and craving a cup of coffee… but so much better for me than coffee, and very satisfying!  I even eat it out of a coffee mug...

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 can of vegetable broth (or chicken / beef)

·         1 cup water

·         1 Roma Tomato

·         1 Carrot

·         1 Stalk of Celery

·         1 thin slice of Onion

·         1 Garlic Clove

·         ½ of a Yellow Squash

·         ½ of Red Bell Pepper

·         ½ Fresh Jalapeno (optional)

·         2 Mushrooms

·         Salt & Pepper to taste

·         ½ tsp. Cumin

·         1 tsp. Taco Seasoning

Additional Ingredients:

·         1 bunch Cilantro (chopped)

·         ¼ cup Black Olives

·         ½  cup Corn – drained

·         ½ cup Black Beans (drained)

·         2 oz Tortilla Chips

1     ½ Avocado, cut into larger chunks - added after soup dished into bowls

High Power Blender:  This recipe is super easy with a high powered blender.  Just add the top ingredients in the order they are listed, chopping larger vegies in half, and blend 5-7 minutes, until heavy steam comes out.  Then turn to low variable speed and add remaining ingredients, blend for about  10 seconds.

 Stove Top:  Chop  vegetables listed in top ingredients and add to pot of broth and water.  Cover and bring to boil.  Lower heat and simmer until carrot chunks are soft.  Add seasonings.  Using an immersion /hand blender, or batches in regular blender (let cool to avoid burns) – blend ingredients until desired consistency.  Return to heat.  Return to simmer and add remaining ingredients.  No blender?  Try using a potato masher once the vegies are soft.

This is one of those recipes that you can adjust to how you like it.  Play with it and find what you like... and then kick back and enjoy the warmth it brings.

Soupas! Portuguese Feast Roast

This is a recipe that I remember my dad and my uncles getting so excited about. I love how my Grandma Dutra could always bring the family together with a good meal.  It has a very distinct aroma and taste, and it seems people either love it or hate it. After my father passed, I went without Soupas for several years, until just a couple of years ago when my cousin made it for the family at the annual Yosemite camping trip. The aroma was amazing, the anticipation as it cooked unbearable... and that first bite.... Delightful! I'm not sure which I like better, the taste, or the wonderful family memories that come flooding back when I smell it cooking.

Ingredients:

•4 lb chuck roast
•oil, salt, pepper, water
•4-6 cloves garlic
•2 med white onions
•4 sticks cinnamon
•3 small cans tomato sauce
•1 ounce or more ground cumin (to taste)
•1 1/2 cups red wine (optional)
• fresh spearmint (as much as you can fit in the pot)
•1 loaf Sourdough Bread

In a little oil, fry roast on each side, adding salt and pepper.

Put roast in a crock pot and cook for a couple of hours. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Add water to 1/2 - 3/4 way up the roast. Add tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon and mint. Simmer several hours until meat falls apart and sauce thickens. The roast should be covered with liquid. Add the wine for the last hour of cooking. Adjust cumin, cinnamon to taste. If juice is too thick, and more water. If using a chuck roast, it will need at least 8 hours of cooking on high.

Strain and pour over thick slices of toasted sourdough bread. I love the flavor of the sourdough and the sauce together... even more than the beef. Enjoy!

 There is a roast under the onions and garlic.  Next time, I'm not going to use quite so much water.

Thick slices of sourdough french bread toasted work best...

and definitely make the flavors come together.

Incorporating KALE - Breakfast Scramble

I love kale, though I have to admit, I’m pretty limited in the ways that I know to prepare it. Yes, I love it in my Calde Verde soup (ground turkey- italian style, potatoes, garlic, onion, kale, italian seasonings)…. but other than in soups, I don’t use it much. Since I don’t use it much, obviously I don’t buy it much. But this year is different, thanks to my garden, and I now have kale that I need to use.

Kale is one of those super foods that I want to incorporate into our diets more. I’ve recently read that it’s “amazingly nutritious”. Amazingly?? Who can pass that up? Kale is great for protecting your health, providing you with a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and preventing cancer.

Here are a few facts that impressed me about this green giant:
It has large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper and potassium.

Benefits of vitamin C alone include helping to reduce cell damage that results in inflammation (one of the primary causes of heart disease and autoimmune diseases). It helps to oxidize cholesterol, fight infections, and ladies, it renews collagen in our skin for a “healthy youthful appearance”.

There is so much more, but I realize that not all are interested in such facts. But for those interested, a few minutes googling kale can give you tons of information on how all this nutrition can affect cholesterol, osteoporosis, mental decline, eye damage/cataracts and more.

One of the most impressive facts to me is that the organosulphur compounds have been proven to be highly effective against many cancers, including stomach, colon, breast and ovarian cancers. It seems everyone has been impacted by cancer, and it seems to be happening more and more. I’m not saying kale is a cure for this, but I am willing to recognize it’s benefits and to incorporate it into our meals, hopefully helping our family stay as healthy as possible.

Breakfast Scramble:
1 egg (another superfood for another day)
1/2 tsp of butter (doesn't take much)
1 slice turkey bacon (cut into 1/2" pieces)
2 cloves garlic (that might be a bit much for some, but I love it... also a superfood)
2-3 kale leaves (stem removed, chopped)
2 tbsp Pepperjack cheese (shredded)
 
I crisp the bacon, add the butter, saute the kale for a few minutes before adding the garlic (more health benefits the less you cook it).  I bring it all to the center of the pan.  I scramble the egg and pour it over the mixture.  I let it cook until mostly solid, and then flip it like a pancake. I sprinkle a small amount of PJcheese on top for that added kick.  

Pork Loin – Cinnamon Style

Trader Joe’s had a great price on Pork Loin yesterday, so I decided to surprise Jeff with one of my dinner experiments. I’m sure there are recipes out there somewhere similar to this – I just never seem to take the time to look for them. Anyway, dinner turned out fabulous so I thought I would share a very casual recipe with you. I’m not one to use measurements, but with these ingredients I don’t think it matters much.

I didn’t think to take a picture, but I have to admit, it sure turned out pretty!

In a gallon ziploc bag I added the following ingredients:


Fresh garlic – chopped
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Allspice
Brown Rice Flour (about ¼ cup)


I played with the bag to mix it thoroughly, and then added the pork loin to the bag, played with it some more until the loin was completely coated with the mixture.

Then I seared the loin on all sides in my hot cast iron skillet with a little bit of butter. This only took a few minutes, then I removed the loin and set it into a 9x13.

Next I added a sweet onion (sliced) and a couple gala apples (chunked, skin removed) to the hot pan. I LOVE how cast iron sears for nice crisp edges. I didn’t cook them completely, but just long enough to give them some brown edges.  Cast iron is also fun for the sizzle sound factor... my family is always impressed!

I then spooned the onion/apple mix over the pork (mmm…  golden raisins would be good tossed in here, and maybe a few pine nuts). I then poured the remaining seasonings from the bag over the top. I covered the pan with aluminum foil and baked at 400 for about 40 minutes. I then removed the foil and baked for another 10 minutes or so, just to dry out the edges a bit.

What resulted was a wonderful, juicy, flavorful festive fall meal that we will have to do again soon. I had some homemade applesauce going while it was baking, along with a vegie mix ( cooked in the same cast iron, as it was just sitting there…) of fresh green beans, zuchinni (yes, both from the garden), onion and turkey bacon seasoned with pepper and garlic.


It didn’t take long, it was easy, and even the cleanup was simple.
Let me know if you decide to try it, or have a similar recipe that you enjoy ;o)