Tomato, Basil and Cheddar Soup

Tis the season for eating soup everyday right? I've been on a soup eating binge since the weather has changed to gray and this one is my current favorite. It's slightly creamy, slightly tangy and the perfect amount of cheesy. I made a big pot of it over the weekend and have been eating it for lunch everyday since. It's comes together in less than 30 minutes so it makes a great last minute meal. Try this one out even if you're not usually a fan of tomato soup, it's delicious! 

Tomato, Basil and Cheddar Soup

2 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes 
1 yellow onion, chopped*
2 cloves of garlic, chopped*
1 tsp olive oil 
2 cups of vegetable broth 
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt 
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 
1/2 cup basil, chopped, loosely packed 
2 tsp of oregano 
1 tsp sugar 
Salt and pepper to taste

*I used onion powder and garlic powder in place of the the fresh stuff and it was perfect! 


Directions: Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until tender, about three to four minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for an additional two minutes. Pour in the two cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock. Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer ten minutes. At the end, stir in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese until well blended. Use either an immersion blender or food processor to puree the soup if you prefer a smooth texture. Garnish with chopped basil and grated cheddar cheese if desired.

Tomato & Basil - two ways

Holy cow! I can't believe its the end of August. But hooray, that means almost the end of the hot weather. We only have to tough it out for a few more weeks. Then we'll be leaving here in september to make the long trek to weed california, where josh will be recording with the band for a month and I'll be heading up to washington with our kitty and we'll spend most of the trip there. (the recording process isn't cat friendly)

But anyway! On sunday I got a super strong craving for a tomato and basil bruschetta, and i immediately went to the store to pick up a baguette. It's one of my favorite things to eat... EVER. I really should be making it more often. A sunday lunch/dinner doesn't get much easier than this.

Bruschetta

6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus more for bread, optional)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 baguette

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Put the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and basil in a bowl and mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the baguette in 1/2" slices and lightly brush one side with olive oil. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Spoon the mixture onto the bread.

(And be prepared to eat it all.)



Or you can also spoon the mixture on top of some pasta, like i did the next night. It was amazing. And just as easy.

Miso soup

Week one of the detox down, and the worst is over, hooray! And in all honesty, it wasn't too hard this go round and I feel like a million bucks. I have more energy, I feel more alert, and my skin is thanking me x3000. I've had a ginormous sweet tooth my whole life and every time I go on a refined sugar fast I realize how bad sugar can make you feel after so much of it, for so long. I'll be sticking with agave, maple syrup and honey sweetened desserts for awhile and maybe eating something with refined sugar every now and then. Everything in moderation, right??

But enough of that for now.. let's talk miso soup. This was my first time making it at home, and I bought miso over 3 months ago so it's about time. Since the first of the year it's been quite cold here, which is nice since it was 68 on new years eve, and has been perfect soup weather. There are a ton of miso soup recipes out there, but I knew Heidi would have one that suits me best right now. It is mellow, filling and quite good. My often picky husband ate his entire bowl, down to the last drop.


(click on pictures to see full size)

Make this if you're feeling sick, make this if you're snowed in, or just make it because it's absolutely delicious, but please do MAKE IT.

If you don't have buckwheat soba noodles, substitute with a whole wheat linguine or even spaghetti.

P.S. Thanks to joythebaker for featuring me on her new food blog post. You're a sweetheart! And if you're new to this blog, Welcome!! Leave me a comment saying Hi and tell me what kind of recipes/posts you'd like to see in the future.


Miso Soup (Adapted from 101cookbooks)

3 ounces dried soba noodles
2 - 4 tablespoons miso paste (to taste) (I used organic white miso)
2 green onions, tops removed thinly sliced
a small handful of cilantro
a pinch of red pepper flakes

Cook the soba noodles in salted water, drain, run cold water over the noodles to stop them from cooking, shake off any excess water and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Pour a bit of the hot water into a small bowl and whisk in the miso paste - so it thins out a bit (this step is to avoid clumping). Stir this back into the pot. Taste, and then add more (the same way) a bit at a time until it is to your liking. Also, some miso pastes are less-salty than others, so you may need to add a bit of salt here. (Add 2-3 ounces tofu, if desired) Remove from heat.

Split the noodles between two (or three) bowls, and pour the miso broth and tofu over them.

Feel free to add watercress, spinach, ect. (i left greens out this time) now. Top with green onions, cilantro and red pepper flakes.

Serves 2 - 3