The Soup of the Brave

My friend and coworker Taylor and I often share what we are planning to make for dinner each night. With similar tastes in food and openness to trying to new things, we end up making many of each other's recipes. 

Last week, she hit me with a doozy: 

TOMATO PEANUT BUTTER SOUP

I thought it sounded unappetizing and had no interest in copycating this one. UNTIL, she brought it in for lunch the next day and let me try it. I went home and whipped up a batch of my own and became a believer. 

Shout out to Taylor for pushing me out of my comfort zone and giving me another warm soup recipe. 

If you are reading this and think it sounds awesome, more power to you. If you are reading this with a scrunched up face in disgust, I hear you. But seriously, try it. See if it makes a believer out of you too. 

Also, tune in tomorrow for a guest post from one of my favorite people!

On to the recipe:

(Click here to be taken to the original Food Network recipe.)

Heat 1Tbls of EVOO in a pot over medium-high heat.

Finely chop:

1 small onion

1 green bell pepper

1 celery stalk 

(Save the leaves for topping.)

 Add to pan and stir for 5 minutes.

Add:

1 clove of garlic 

(See my favorite cubed version here.)

1/2tsp curry powder

1/2tsp paprika

1/8tsp cayenne pepper 

(I added 1/4 to give it a little more of a kick.)

1tsp salt

Stir together for 2 minutes.

Add:

1-15oz can of crushed tomatoes

4 cups of chicken broth 

(NOTE: I've been loving this as a less expensive option. 

Buying stocks and broths can add up when you love soup as much as I do.)

1tsp of packed brown sugar

1 cup of water

Whisk in:

1/3 cup of smooth peanut butter

Bring pot to a boil. Then, allow to simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes until soup begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. 

Blend all ingredients together. You can use an immersion blender or actual blender. 

Sorry no photo of this step. I was too caught up in trying not to burn myself in the transferring process. :)

Chop the celery leaves.

  

Ladle soup into bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, top with cracked black pepper, and celery leaves. 

Prepare to be amazed. 

If you are brave enough to try it, please let me know what you think!

images: hilaryclair, recipe: Food Network

Cold Avocado + Cucumber Soup

I love cookbooks. There, I said it.

Love them in a I don't even want to make the recipes, I just want to stare at the pictures and lovingly caress the pages. A month ago, Francis let me use a lingering wedding giftcard to buy Giada's new cookbook. I perused it. Loved it. Added it to our cookbook menagerie. A few days later, I saw Gwyn's new cookbook and HAD to have it. After a stern talking to from the Mr. about my obsession love of cookbooks, and a promise from me that I would actually make the recipes, Gwyn and I walked out of the store together.

Her book is filled with new twists on classic recipes, all focused on eating clean and healthy. We had to take a trip to Whole Foods (who am I kidding, that place is like a vacation for me) to pick up a few less common ingredients, like brown rice syrup and grapeseed oil. My mother-in-law rocked my socks and hooked me up with gochujang, sesame seed oil, fish sauce and other Asian flavor goodness. Then, I was ready to roll. 

I've been rocking a fuzzy fro all week due to the heat and humidity, so any recipe that doesn't require stove, oven, or heat of any kind is a friend of mine. Enter --- Cold Avocado + Cucumber Soup.

This is it, folks. All the ingredients for a delicious summer soup.

NOTE: The recipe calls for the juice and zest of 3 limes. Next time I make it, I'll either take away a lime or add a cucumber and avocado. Though delicious - the lime flavor was a bit overwhelming. 

I scooped out the seeds of 2 large cucumbers. (Really easy to do - just use a spoon.)

Roughly chopped the cucumbers. They are going into the blender, so no need to be too precise. 

Add lime juice and zest. 

Add cucumbers, 2 avocados, and a pinch of sea salt. Blend away. 

The avocado makes the soup creamy, the cucumber makes it refreshing,and the lime adds a nod to summery citrus (too much in this case, but now we know.)

Here's the recipe:

Cold Avocado+Cucumber Soup

Serves 4

Vegan

Zest and juice of 2 limes

2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded, roughly chopped

2 avocados, peeled and roughly chopped

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Combine everything in powerful blender and blitz until it's totally creamy and smooth.

Bon appetit!

images: hilaryclair