last chance for soup!

the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, which is awesome. but i loooove me some hearty, home-made soup, and it's definitely a winter thing, so i am making the most of these last few, chilly days.
this is a red-based soup, which i usually am not a huge fan of, but i created this amazing, deliciously filling soup, and i know you will love it. plus, it's vegan (minus the parmesan for topping). bonus!
here's what you need:
1 lb pasta (ravioli, tortellini, penne, spaghetti)
1 can tomato soup
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic salt
10 oz fresh collard greens (or spinach)
parmesan cheese for topping

saute onions in large pot on medium heat, for about 6 minutes, then add carrot, collards, and garlic, and saute until onion is clear. add tomato soup and veggie broth and all spices. bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. add pasta and cook according to directions on package. top with parmesan.
HOW GOOD IS IT!??

fresh weather calls for fresh foooods.

hello, all!

this weather has been so gorgeous here in the berg, and it really makes me crave my favorite kind of food - italian! but with a twist...and kind of also greek/mediterranean-ish. one of my favorite breakfast anytime meals is fresh mozzarella, (you know, the kind in water) vine-ripened tomatoes, and fresh bread. i pour olive oil and salt+pepper on the cheese and tomatoes, and that just makes everything better.
one of my for real favorite breakfast foods is straight up scrambled eggs. as my friend and i were out shopping at trader joe's a few weeks ago, she told me about this ridiculous infusion of the two aforementioned food items, and so, duh, i had to make it.

what you'll need (for one serving):        
1 tomato, sliced
3 eggs, whisked
 3 tbsp milk
dollop of olive oil for sauteing
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella
1/4 tsp pesto (or more, to your liking)                            
---  use what ever veggies you like ----       
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/8 cup sweet onion, sliced
1 cup fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

cook onion in olive oil for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms, spinach, and salt+pepper. once the spinach has wilted, add eggs, milk, mozzarella, and pesto.
scramble everything together but the tomato; that goes on top when your eggs are done cooking.


how good is that? i'm obsessed.
ok, on to some amazing honey oat bread. i really think everyone should make bread how i do. it is fool proof, and always delicious. here's what i always start off with:

2 cups of warm water in a huge bowl
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar

whisk all these ingredients together until dissolved, and let sit for fifteen minutes. there should be a big, shallow bubble from the yeast rising on top of the water. add whatever kind of flour you desire, (i even rotate scoops of organic, unbleached white and wheat sometimes, to make a more nutritious but still delectable and fluffy hybrid bread) until you have a good dough going, and knead for five minutes (the more you knead, the airier your bread will be).
then cover with saran wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350 anytime during the day for about 30 minutes, and bam! awesome, homemade bread that will have your friends making fun of you and calling you suzie homemaker.
here are some variations i do with my bread : (though the first part - water, yeast, sugar, ALWAYS stays the same, it's the foundation of bread!)
*half wheat/sprouted grain flour, half white flour
*extra sugar
*honey in place of sugar
*molasses in place of sugar
*sea salt on top of the dough before you bake it
* add thyme, oregano, cinnamon, any spice you want in the dough and on top
* brush a whisked egg+water mixture over the top of the unbaked loaf
*put oats, quinoa, barley, any kind of raw grain in the dough


for this particular loaf i put a little bit extra sugar, and then squeezed some honey and sprinkled some oats into the dough. after forming it into a loaf shape, i placed the dough on a greased cookie sheet, and added more oats on top and made slits with a butcher knife.


i've been making a loaf of bread a day, and we always eat it by nighttime, if it's just plain old french bread with olive oil and sea salt, or honey oat/sprouted barley wheat. enjoy!!