Chunky Tomato Soup

Portland grey skies never seem to leave us, until July. With cool temperatures, overcast clouds, some days I want to curl up and read a book next to a fireplace, enjoying coffees, teas, and warm bowls of soup for dinners. 

I love soups. They can be so versatile, flavorful, and simple to make. You can slow cook them, and allow the aroma's  fill your home. They are filling, and easy to use for leftovers!

Hold the Bread Please

• 1 Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• Handful of Basil leaves
• 4 (14.2 ounce) cans of Diced Tomatoes 
• 16 slow roasted tomatoes
• Kosher Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 sprigs of Rosemary
• 1/4 cup of Olive oil

Dice Onion, and garlic. Heat olive oil, onions, and garlic in a dutch oven over medium heat for ten minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, rosemary, basil, slow roasted tomatoes, salt and pepper. Turn down heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

This soup is chunky and thick. If you like a thinner soup, feel free to add a cup of water.

Slow Roasted makes this soup amazing

Fresh Garden Herbs add intensity and flavors to the dish

Dice and simmer for ten minutes

Add bacon instead of bread, for a complete meal!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Many people turn their noses up to Cauliflower, thinking that it is flavorless. However, this vegetable is highly versatile, low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, and an excellent source of carotenoids. With phytochemicals, indole-3-carbinol, cauliflower is known for aiding and blocking growth of cancer cells, and can actually prevent and slow the grown of cancer and tumors. Cauliflower also may assist the liver in detoxing carcinogenic substances. Feel free to play with this recipe, it can easily be made vegetarian, dairy free, and of course gluten free!

• 1/2 stick Butter or olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 3/4 of a cup of Green onion, sliced and divided in half
• 2 whole Carrot thinly sliced
• 1 stalk Celery, well Diced
• 1 whole Cauliflower Heads
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley
• 32 ounces of organic Chicken Broth Or Stock or vegetable Broth
• 2 cups Almond milk ( or milk)
• 1 cup Half-and-half (optional)
• Sprinkle of salt and Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 cup of Sour Cream (optional)
• 4 slices of Turkey Bacon (Applegate) (optional)
• 1/2 cup of red Bell Pepper diced
• 1/2 cup of tomato diced

In a Dutch oven brown bacon.Remove, and then melt butter or add 1/4 of a cup of Olive oil.

Add minced Garlic, whites of onions, reserve the green Chives Saute for 2 minutes

Add carrots and celery and continue to saute for 5 minutes then add Cauliflower and cook for 10 more minutes.

Add Chicken or vegetable Broth, cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add 2 pieces of diced Bacon

salt and pepper. And 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.

Now you can either get your blender and Puree, or what I find easiest is to pour contents into a bowl and puree with my Smart Stick Blender. Once the soup is pureed, pour it back into the dutch oven and add Milk/ Cream, and sour cream, perhaps more pepper if desired or even better a pinch of RED Pepper! Stir well.

Spoon into bowls, and top with the remaining 2 pieces of diced Bacon, a tablespoon of red bell pepper, some chives and parsley. The tomato is optional.

This dish is pretty filling, and very delicious.

Spicy Avocado Prawn Salad with steak

Spicy Avocado Prawn Salad
This recipe is one of my favorites! I adapted it from a Paley's Place recipe. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland and they are known for their Northwest flair. This summer, I made the Warm Spot- Prawn, Tomato, and Feta Salad. It was an amazing dish. This recipe is similar, and yet so extremely different with the addition of salsa and avocado, and omitting the capers and Persillade.  I encourage all my reader to play with their recipes, experiment, and never be afraid to try something new!

• 1 large onion
• 1 pound of sirloin strips
• 1/4 cup of extra- virgin olive oil
• 1 medium head of Red Leaf Lettuce
• Fresh Pre-made salsa
• Pinch of Red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 ripe Avocado
• 20 prawns
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine
• Juice of a lemon
• 6 to 8 ounces of feta or sheep's cheese

Preheat oven to 400
Slice and roast onions on a baking sheet, sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil.  Roast until edges are golden, this will take about 20 to 30 minutes


Saute steak individually. Season with pepper and salt.


Wash and prepare lettuce. do not tear the leaves..
In a skillet pour the olive oil and red pepper flakes with the sliced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper, then prawns, cook for around 2 minutes, then add white wine, lemon juice, and cook until done. For about 2 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and then Add to hot pan feta cheese. 


Place whole leafs on plate arranged beautifully, then add onion rings. Top with prawn mixture, and then 2 tablespoons of salsa, and top with 1/4 cup of avocado.


Serve, relish in delight, and enjoy!