Roasted tomato basil soup and raw nut oatmeal treats

I hope everyone is enjoying there beautiful weekend!  We are just kind of hanging out and enjoying the great weather.

So I know it's not tomoto season yet but I have really had the taste for tomato

 soup.  You see I had it all planned out as when to make this because it was really cold and raining one day last week and I thought, "how perfect to make this on a stormy night."  That's what I did!

I swear this is the absolute best tasting tomato soup.   Years ago I was watching the Barefoot Contessa on t.v. and saw her make this and it looked so easy to make and I absolutely love roasted tomatoes!  You can click here to get the recipe.  I used ripe plum tomatoes for this but sometimes I mix in cherry tomatoes as well.  When the tomatoes are done roasting, break off a piece of  rustic bread and put a tomato on it and it's tastes oh...so...good!  You'll want to save some for the soup though so don't eat all of them. lol!

I also threw in some sliced garlic to be roasted with the tomatoes.  It calls for butter but I didn't use any EB, just olive oil.  I also think fresh thyme is better than the dried for this and the red pepper, I cut back on too.

Hope you try it, you won't be dissapointed.

 

I'm trying to make more raw nut treats to have around so Keaton can just grab them and get his sweet fix.  I tried to make these more like an oatmeal cookie.  These ones have 1/2C. raw almonds, 1/2C. raw cashews, 8/9 dates, 1/2 C. oatmeal, 2Tbsp. shredded coconut, 2Tbsp. flax seed and dark chocolate chunks.  I shaped them into squares.

I'm looking forward to making a raw strawberry cheesecake with Keaton tomorrow.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Going Primal,new foundation and raw treats

For starters it's been so freakin cold out lately.  Sunny but cold. Burrrrrr! Okay weather report is out of the way.  Moving on....Primal Strips.

I have been given the chance to sample Primal Strips meatless jerky. They are Non-GMO, vegan/kosher, no msg and made from seitan/soy/shitake mushroom.  They are high in protein while being low in calories and fat.  They come in 6 different flavors as you can see.  My favorites are the Mesquite Lime, Hickory Smoked and Terriyaki.  The first time I packed one in my son's lunch he came home from school telling me that his friends all really liked it.   I know they all share their food with each other but I didn't realize so many of them would want to try it.  So you could say these are kid approved! These are perfect for travelling, hiking or biking.  Just throw them in a pack and you are set! 

I've been inspired by Katie at Chocolate-Covered Katie , it started with her raw fudge "babies". I know it sounds weird if you don't know what I'm talking about but they consist of a few raw ingredients that are blended up and rolled into a fabulous treat!  Like no bake cookies.  I finally attempted my own and oh they are so good!  These ones taste like an Almond Joy.  Now I know why she is always making these raw treats, they are highly addictive!  A great tasting snack without the added sugar and oil.  Gluten free as well.  I coated some with chocolate so it's like eating a truffle...in my mind! lol! 

1/2 c. raw almonds

1/2 c. medjool dates(pitted)

1/4 c. shredded coconut

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. dark chocolate(melted)optional

      In a food processor add almonds and blend until chopped finely, not butter.  Then add the dates, coconut and vanilla.  Take out and roll into balls. 

If you dip in melted chocolate put on wax paper and stick in refrigerater until hardened.  Pack in airtight container.

Tuesday nights I don't usually make a time intensive meal due to Keaton's guitar lessons being in the late afternoon and it's also our night to watch LOST.  You know speaking of LOST, we finally got a little bit of the puzzle answered after all of these episodes!   I also had an exciting moment last night, well for me anyways.  It's when Ben is in the teacher role and writes "ELBA" on the chalkboard, Elba spelled backwards is Able, you know how there is all these secret messages and references in each episode.  Anyways, I was excited I caught it,  if even if it doesn't mean anything.  Bake to the food.   I had a few huge potatoes  sitting in my pantry so that's what we had.  Baked potatoes topped with sauteed swiss chard and mushrooms.  Filling and comforting. Yum!

The other day at New Frontiers, our local health food store, I found my new favorite foundation.  It's EMANI Minerals.  I've been preferring the liquid foundations over the powdered ones, so it's nice to find more of them out there.  It's always so hard to find a new foundation that works, you know?  So while I was at the store and I rubbed some of the foundation on top of my hand to try it out and when I got home to wash my hands I couldn't tell that there was any foundation on it.  I mean, it blended in so well!  I went back the next day to purchase some before we went out with some friends and it feels so light on the skin.  It doesn't feel like you have any foundation on at all.  It is a light to medium coverage.  It is also vegan and gluten free! This color is the Oyster Beige.  My skin is lighter during the winter months so I'll have to go to the medium color during the summer.  Check it out!