Easy Tomato Soup

I've tried several tomato soups this summer and never really loved any of them.  Since I have a plethora of tomatoes from our CSA, I decided to try just one more tonight.  This one is heavenly and my kids couldn't stop eating it = home run.

Here's what I did:  (and yes, I'm going to 1/2 my recipe for you ;))

Approx. 3 lbs of organic tomatoes (I used a variety of heirlooms and vine)

Core the tomatoes and cut in half.  Add 5 cloves garlic, peeled and 1 large onion, sliced and throw it all on a baking tray.  Generously drizzle with a good, cold-pressed, organic olive oil.  Season with real salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes in oven.

Transfer this to a large stock pot and add 1 quart of organic chicken stock (I used my homemade from our last chicken) and a dollop of grass-fed butter.  Why butter?  Because everything is better with butter.  Bring to a boil.  Then, simmer for about 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.

Side note on immersion blender:  BUY ONE.  They are awesome.  I was at The Seasoned Farmhouse when Tricia Wheeler mentioned my need for one.  I've never regretted it.

Back to my soup.  I added about a cup of raw cream from the top of our milk jug at the end.  

And of course you could garnish.  I didn't have time.  My gaggle was standing at the soup pot, spoons in hand.  And I had already fed them dinner.  

(I am so pathetically lazy and not willing to take the time to download my beautiful photo.  Thank you internet stock photo.)

Saturn Has Rings

Lincoln did a presentation for us today during our school time.  "Saturn has rings.  The rings are made of dust....but they look like they're solid."  Nice job, Linc!

Raw Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Crackers

This is one of my favorite raw cracker recipes from one of my favorite raw chefs, Matthew Kenney.  They are truly delicious by themselves or dipped into your favorite hummus or guac.

5 c. raw walnuts, soaked at least 1 hour
5 c. diced zucchini
1 large handful sun-dried tomatoes, soaked at least 1 hour
1 handful organic herb....I usually use parsley
4 green onions, chopped
3/4 c. organic flax seed, ground (I use coffee grinder and it grinds to 1 c.)
1/2 c. hemp seeds
1/3 c. fresh squeezed organic lemon juice
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1/4 c. + filtered water (more than 1/4 but less than 1/2)
1 T. real salt

I grind all the "wet" ingredients (including zucchini) in the BlendTec and then transfer to a bowl and add in dry ingredients.  Matthew uses a food processor because he's all professional and I'm all in-a-hurry-with-no-time-to-spare.

Divide the batter between 4 dehydrator trays (use the Teflex liner!) and dehydrate for 12 hours or so at 105.  I take a knife and cut the crackers and then flip the tray and peel away the Teflex liner after about 6 hours.

A note on dehydrating:

I bought the Excalibur dehydrator almost 2 years ago and loooooooove it.  I mean love.  Almost as much as my BlendTec.  Or my Bosch.  Or my mill.  Or my Hurom juicer.  I have an obsession with kitchen appliances.  It was a slow start at first and I used it mainly for soaking and drying raw nuts.  Which honestly, if you study the nutrition on that alone you will want to buy one.  Now, its almost always going with something delicious....raw granola, raw granola bars, nuts, crackers, banana bread, you name it!

If you don't have a dehydrator, preheat your oven to the lowest setting (mine is 200) and when it heats up, turn it off and turn your oven light on.  That should do the trick.  I use this to make my raw yogurt and it comes out perfect.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Banana Muffins

These muffins are fantastic.  I whipped up a double batch as a healthy snack for our homeschool co-op days.  I haven't already eaten six.

2 1/2 c. gluten free, organic oats
2 organic overripe bananas
1 c. raw, organic yogurt
2 organic, farm fresh eggs
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 T. ground flax seed
1 t. organic vanilla
1 t. real salt

Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly coat muffin pan with coconut oil.  Grind oats in the BlendTec to make oat flour.  Toss that with all remaining ingredients into the mixer and then spoon into muffin pan.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Makes 12 muffins.  Enjoy!

Simple Banana Pancakes

2 eggs + 1 banana = pancakes in 5 minutes!  

Smash the appropriate bananas, add eggs and mix together well.  Coat griddle with coconut oil and whip these up in a few minutes!   Many times I will make a plethora and hide them in the very back of the fridge save them for another breakfast.

This is one of our favorites and we've played around with it quite a bit.  You can add other fruit, add some vanilla, cinnamon, all kinds of things.  My kids love it when I drizzle some pure maple syrup on top but honestly, they are sweet on their own.

Enjoy this delicious breakfast as well as less time in the kitchen!

8 months already.

Happy 8 months Kendie!  God, I love her so much.

In case you are reading this one day, Bunny (we all call you "Bunny")
You still wake up once during the night for a bottle (so spoiled ;))
You cut your 1st tooth this week
You are crawling on all 4's (army crawled at 7 mos)
You are PULLING UP! (earliest baby to do that!)

You are the happiest, most content baby ever, ever, ever.  It is a joy and a pleasure to spend each day with you.  I really have no words for the honor I feel to have been blessed with the opportunity to be your mommy.  My forever thankfulness to your birth mom, Nikki, who also loves you so much.
I will always love her.