Eggplant Caponata! GF, V, SCD!

Tags

basil, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, fennel, gluten free, grain free, italian, mushrooms, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, tomatoes, vegan, zucchini

Oh hey! Things have been pretty crazy here today. Because guess why: we’re going up to Wisconsin again, and we’re leaving at 6am tomorrow! Hello Twelve Hour Drive!

Eggplant Caponata!

I know — crazy, right? I’m leaving for New York City on the 5th of September, and we are going to be in Wisconsin until the 4th! I didn’t think I was going up North until Labor Day weekend, but surprise! my parents want to go up a week early. :)

Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet Friendly!

I won’t complain:) I’ll take any extra dose of tranquility I can get!

tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant, oh my!

So tonight for dinner, I had to use up pretty much everything in the fridge! And thinking ahead, I decided to make something I could pack in the car for dinner tomorrow.

yum yum yum!

Enter: Eggplant Caponata! A warm and sultry combination of veggies with a fresh kick of basil. And it’s perfect to pack and bring on a trip!

so healthy!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

Here’s what you need: (serves 3)

1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds – reserve 5, and dice the rest (~2 cups)
2 large tomatoes, diced with their juice
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
6 baby carrots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil and oregano
salt and pepper
fresh basil, chopped (garnish)

2/3 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take 2 baking sheets, line them with tin foil and spray with olive oil. On one, place your 5 eggplant rounds, and on the other, spread out your cauliflower florets. Spritz everything with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 35 minutes, flipping half way through.

Meanwhile, saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and spices. Let it soften for about 2 minutes, then add your carrots and fennel, and let them soften for about 3 minutes. Add in your mushroom and eggplant. Let them cook for about 4 minutes, then add in your zucchini and garlic. Let them cook for about 5-6 minutes. Finally, add in your tomatoes with their juice. Let everything cook for about 4 more minutes. Take off the heat, and reseason with salt and pepper.

so delicious!

To assemble, place one or two eggplant rounds on a plate, top with 1/4 cup of the caponata and garnish with basil. Surround with the roasted cauliflower, and enjoy!

amazing roasted cauliflower!

This meal was wonderful! It was so warm and filling! The caponata was delightful, because all the veggies had become tender, and almost creamy from the eggplant!

what a plate!

The flavors were so comforting from the basil and oregano, pairing perfectly with the tomatoes. And the bright basil added just the perfect pop of freshness at the end.

mmmmmmm!

Finally, the cauliflower was such a fabulous accompaniment. I enjoyed eating a spoonful of the caponata with a golden cauliflower floret! – It almost took on a “starchy” quality that is so longed for on the Specific Carb Diet.

a pile of Italian goodness!

What was the best part of your week?

Until tomorrow!

Beet & Avocado Cauliflower Flatbread! GF, V, SCD!

Tags

almonds, avocado, beets, cauliflower, eggs, fennel, gluten free, grain free, lime, pizza, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan

Hi HT friends! Thank you for your sweet comments yesterday for my mom and my birthday party!

Here are some fun pics of my sister-in-law’s gorgeous dinner she made!

a delicious caprese salad – those are the hands of a surgeon in the background:)

brie and baguette – as promised:)

gorgeous mango salsa – my recipe found here…my S-I-L added black beans and corn too! yum!

all set for a party!

One last thing, I’ve had several readers ask for my Pinterest and Twitter handles….
Pinterest: GFreeHappyTummy
Twitter: @GFHappyTummy
Facebook: GlutenFreeHappyTummy

Beet & Avocado Cauliflower Pizza!

So now, onto tonight’s dinner! I’m really excited to share it with you! I’ve been dreaming it up for a couple days:)

yum!

Beet & Avocado Cauliflower Flatbread!

what a meal!

Yes, Cauliflower is at it again!! This time, teaming up with Nature’s candy….BEETS!!

saved ya a slice:)

I haven’t had beets in a loooong time. Mainly, because they’re not on the Body Ecology Diet, but also because I’m actually a little weary of the pink-stained hands, cutting boards, and potentially clothes and counter tops. :P However, this pizza is worth. it!

such a crispy, chewy crust!

Here’s what you need: (serves 1)

Crust:
1/3 head of cauliflower, riced and wrung dry (about 1 cup when packed and dry)
2 egg whites (Vegan Option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp sea salt

Toppings:
1 beet, cubed
1/2 bulb of fennel, shaved thin on a mandolin

Avocado Sauce:
1 avocado, mashed
salt
squeeze of lime juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put your raw cauliflower florets into the food processor, and process until it resembles rice. Then place “rice” in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess water. This is really important! I get about 1 cup of water out of my cauliflower! Combine it thoroughly with your almond flour, salt, egg whites and garlic powder. Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Put your batter onto one sheet of parchment, and place the other sheet on top. “Smoosh” it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON, and bake as a “parchment sandwich” for 30-35 minutes. Take out, spray with EVOO and return to the oven for another 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, scrub the outside of your beet with a dish scrubbie. Then, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, spray them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping once halfway through.

While your beets and crust are baking, carefully shave your fennel on a mandolin, and make your avocado “sauce.” Place all the ingredients in a bowl, and mash with a fork until you get the desired consistency.

there’s cauliflower in that crust?!?

To assemble:
Top your crust with a thin (or thick :) ) layer of avocado, and top with the beets and shaved fennel.

Beet, Avocado and Fennel!

This flatbread…oh my gosh…OUTRAGEOUS! The ingredients sound a little strange, but it is SO good. I was telling my mom about my plan for dinner this morning, and she kinda looked at me like…”you’re crazy”…and then when she tasted it…her eyes rolled back in her head “wow!” :) I told you so:)

The first thing you notice about this flatbread is how beautiful it is with the deep purple and the bright green! It’s like a Dr. Suess pizza – so whimsical!

delicious!

And then you take a bite and your tastebuds just dance! The sweet beets, with the cool and slightly tangy avocado, and the licorice-y sweet fennel – it’s just a party! I was so sad when it was gone!

Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly!

The texture of the crust was outrageous! No one could believe it was cauliflower! But yes, the humble superstar works its magic yet again! You can pick it up with your hands, and it really is just down-right amazing. Gluten Free — Check! SCD — Check!

Try this flatbread! Your eyes and tummy will thank you! :)

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Sugar Free Sun, Made From Scratch Mon, Melt in your Mouth Mon, and My Meatless Mon! & Share it Sat!

Fennel & Asparagus Soup and Sunshine Award!

Tags

asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, fennel, gluten free, SCD, soup, vegan

Hey Happy Tummies!

Fennel and Asparagus Soup!

Who’s excited for the Bachelorette “tell-all” tonight? Haha….if that’s not a pathetic sentence, I don’t know what is!

green onions are the prefect finish!

So today I got all settled back in Cincinnati — went grocery shopping, unpacked, did some laundry…fun stuff.

First of all, I’d like to give a huge thank you to Heather from Gluten Free Cat for awarding me with the Sunshine Award! “The Sunshine Award is an award given by bloggers to other bloggers. The recipients of the Sunshine Award are: “Bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogoshere.” 

I am truly honored to be recognized by someone that I find so inspiring! Heather’s Gluten Free blog is so positive and lovely — she just radiates joy and “sunshine!” :)

• 1. Favorite Color: I love sea foam green…And pink:)
• 2. Favorite Animal: puppies!!
• 3. Favorite Number: 4
• 4. Favorite Drink: frozen lime margarita with salt!
• 5. Facebook or Twitter: Hmm, that’s a toughie. I guess Facebook because you can share photos. I feel that my “day to day happenings” don’t merit a tweet.
• 6. Good Movie or Good Book:  Good movie. I love escaping for an hour or two…plus, I never have time to read.
• 7. My passion: I have truly found a passion in sharing delicious recipes for people with food allergies and special diets. Cooking for people is a way to express love:) I also have a passion for acting and singing.
• 8. Giving or Getting Presents: Hmm, I love getting presents, but even more, I love giving them. Growing up, I would always have so much fun making Christmas and birthday presents for my fam. One of my most memorable was a “juke box” made out of an upside-down paper grocery bag. I gave each person a cardboard “CD” to put in the juke box, and then I’d sing the song for them. Haha…gotta love 6-year-old creativity!
• 9. Favorite Day of the Year: Hmm, either Christmas or the Fourth of July because my entire family is all together!
• 10. Favorite Flower: Snap Dragons!

Finally, I’d like to nominate Somer from Good Clean Food! I am so glad to have “met” Somer via the Blogosphere! She has been so kind and encouraging to me, as she also has Ulcerative Colitis, and has beaten it through diet! I consider her a wonderful mentor and friend:)

so comforting!

So now, onto dinner! Tonight, I made a gorgeous Fennel & Asparagus Soup! Nothing like a comforting bowl of soup to soothe a Happy Tummy:)

gluten free, vegan, and body ecology diet friendly!

It’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet friendly and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

so rich and creamy!

And did I mention that it’s awesome? ;)

delicious!

Here’s what you need:

1 yellow onion, diced
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
1 bulb of fennel, sliced thin on a mandolin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups Veg stock
salt and pepper
1 green onion, sliced

In a large dutch oven, saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. Let it soften for about 3-4 minutes, and then add your fennel and asparagus. Let that cook for about 5-6 minutes, and then add your garlic. Let it cook for about 3 minutes, and then add your stock. Bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cover, for 15-20 minutes. Readjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat, and then, with a stick blender, puree your soup until it is smooth and creamy. You can also do this in a blender, just be sure to do it in small batches, since it’s a hot liquid! Serve garnished with green onions.

mmmm!

This soup was so delicious. It was light, but extremely satisfying! The flavors were complex, but SO delicate! The savory asparagus paired perfectly with the anise-y fennel! If you’ve never tried fennel, it is a fabulous vegetable. It looks a little intimidating with the green stalks shooting out of the big white bulb, but the flavor is second to none! It tastes like licorice! Such an interesting flavor combo with the asparagus!

such delicate flavors!

Finally, the texture was out-of-this-world! It was so luxuriously rich and creamy. My mom thought I put cream in it since it was so smooth and luscious! It just melted in your mouth. And the green onions added just the perfect bite.

What’s your favorite TV show? Do you watch the Bachelorette?

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe was featured in Make your own Mon, Tasty Tues, Slightly Indulgent Tues, Real Food Forager!

Fennel Taco Fiesta! GF, V & BED!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, cucumber, dill, fennel, gluten free, quinoa, red peppers, vegan

Well, we’re back in the 5-1-3! Here are some things I’m excited about…that the Olympics are coming up soon!! That tomorrow is Friday! Annnnd that Nickelodeon has started playing Friends, and they still have a laugh-track!

so delicious!

Speaking of crazy…can you believe that is the 14th of June already! We’re going to be halfway through tomorrow! Where is the time going?!? Come on, June, slow it down — stay a while:)

fresh and flavorful!

So tonight for dinner, we had a fabulously fresh and delicious meal! I made Fennel, Cucumber & Dill Tacos in Homemade Quinoa Taco Shells! They were so fantastic! Refreshing, crunchy and full of flavor!

crunchy quinoa taco shells!

And they’re gluten free, Body Ecology Diet friendly, and have a Vegan option!

like my make-shift garlic taco prop? :)

Here’s what you need:

Salad:
1 cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise, de-seeded, and sliced thin on a mandolin
1 bulb of fennel, cored, and sliced thin on a mandolin
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 avocado, diced
2 Tbsp Fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper

Dressing:
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1 tsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Tacos
3/4 cup of quinoa cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg white ((Vegan option: 1 flax or chia egg))

red peppers add a wonderful sweetness!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook your quinoa until it absorbs all the liquid, about 15 minutes. In the meantime, carefully prep your veggies. After you slice your red onion, soak it in ice water for about 10 minutes (this gets rid of that bitter, onion-y bite). Also, after you slice your cucumber, wrap the slices in paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture. Combine all your veggies, dill, salt and pepper into a medium-sized bowl and toss with the dressing. Place it in the fridge. When your quinoa finishes cooking, fluff it with a fork, and then spread it out on a plate to cool. While it cools, cut 6 medium-sized rectangles out of parchment paper.

fresh out of the oven!

When your quinoa is cool, combine it in a bowl with the egg white, almond flour and salt. Mix well to combine. Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions. Put 1/3 of the mixture onto 1 piece of parchment. Put another piece of parchment on top and spread it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON…it will be a parchment paper sandwich! Do the same with the other 2 thirds of the mixture. Then, drape the “parchment sandwiches” over the sides of a bread tin, forming a “taco shell!”Bake for 25 minutes. Then, when you take them out of the oven, let them cool on the bread tins, and then carefully peel the parchment off! YUM! Stuff with your salad, and enjoy!

it’s great over fish too!

This salad also was fabulous on top of Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught cod. This delicious fish was succulent and sweet! I broiled it in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder.

fennel gives it a beautiful anise backdrop!

This meal was just delightful! It exploded with flavor and texture – and the colors popped too! If you’ve never had fennel before, I urge you to try it! Despite it intimidating bulb exterior, it is SO fabulous — it had a wonderful anise flavor — it tastes like licorice!! And it paired fabulously with the bright lemon, and fresh dill. The bell peppers also added a fantastic sweetness, which was perfect with the quinoa’s nutty flavor!

love the red onions and buttery avocado!

Next, the textures were outrageous! The veggies were beautifully crunchy, complimented wonderfully by the creamy and luxurious avocado. It was all brought together by the crunchy quinoa shell! Delicious!

what a plate!

Finally, the colors were just fun!! The soft green cucumbers, red peppers, purple onions,  and lemony-green avocado were show-stopping against the dark quinoa. So beautiful!

yum!!

What’s your favorite summer olympic event? I love the floor routines in gymnastics, and the diving!! They’re an amazing fusion of athletics and artistry!

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Thriving on Thurs & Fresh Bites Fri & Fight Back Fri & Foodie Friday & Allergy Friendly Fri & Foodie Fri: Summer Lunch & Fri Fav Finds!

Weekend Recap!

Tags

ahi tuna, artichoke, asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, buckwheat, chinese, cucumber, fennel, millet, pesto, red pepper, roasted vegetables, vegan

So last night was great — my sister-in-law was with me for dinner while my parents were out with friends. Girls’ Night! We had a great chat over dinner, and then watched a movie afterwards. So fun!

And best of all — she found a house, made an offer, and bought it yesterday!! We’re so excited!! Congrats A and R!!!

such crunch and bright flavor!

For dinner last night, I served my GF Vegan Cucumber-Fennel-and-Dill salad over Millet, with broiled wild, ocean-caught Flounder from Lobsta Bakes. I think we were both hungry, because we cleaned our plates!!! {{that’s buckwheat in the pictures}}

You can find my recipe here.

light, crisp and refreshing!

This was so delicious. The combination of the fresh cucumber, the sweet-licorice-y fennel, sweet red pepper, lemony dill, and bright-tangy lemon juice was SO refreshing. It seriously rocked!! And it was SO crunchy and juicy. It was light, but just exploding with flavor. Over the nutty millet — priceless. My sister-in-law loved it so much, she wanted the recipe!!

Sometimes, simplicity is genius!

The food was “prime time”, but the best part of the meal was sharing it with my sister-in-law. After all, that’s the best part of cooking — making something delicious to delight the people you love, to show them that you care.

Tonight, my parents have friends from high school staying with us, so it’ll be the 3 of us, my S-I-L, and our 2 guests! So my parents are having a nice Sunday Supper here at the house. Since we didn’t want to force them to eat from the exhaustively restrictive Body Ecology Diet, they will be having one meal — this delicious Chinese Stir Fry with Ahi Tuna , and I’ll be having a different, BED meal. Ahhh, someday *hopefully soon* this tedious BED will be put to rest.

What my parents and their friends will be indulging in---mouth...is...watering

What I can’t eat in the above picture *right now while on the Body Ecology Diet*: brown rice, peas, carrots, edamame, Tamari, ginger, agave, mushrooms, and green peppers. Someday….someday.

asparagus and gorgeously caramelized red onions

Here’s what I had:

my "Incredible Hulk" sized plate! (eyes were bigger than stomach)

This is an UNmarinated, gorgeous piece of Ahi Tuna, with nutty Buckwheat, and beautiful Roasted Vegetables. The green topping is a delicious, oil-free, Artichoke Pesto! It was delicious!

artichoke basil pesto!

I guess I’m used to cooking for 3, because by the time I plated up everything I had cooked…it was an absolute MOUNTAIN of food! I couldn’t finish it all, but that was fine with my dad — he thought it was outrageously delicious!

gorgeous roasted veggies

Here’s the recipe for the pesto:

3/4 cup artichoke hearts, dethawed
1 cup of fresh basil
1 clove of garlic
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1-2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
salt
water to consistency

Whirl it up in the food processor. It is great over the ahi tuna, as well as the buckwheat and veggies!

succulent and sweet garlic inside its shell!

For the Roasted Veggies, I roasted asparagus, broccoli, red onions (don’t be scared — these were the best), and garlic (in its skin) in a bit of EVOO, salt and pepper. I roasted them at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

ruby red ahi tuna!

My meal was phenomenal. The roasted veggies had such a wonder flavor! The natural sweetness of the veggies come out and they gently caremalize. The red onions become SO sweet and delicious! My dad said they were like CANDY! And the garlic steams in its skin, so when you take it out of the shell, it is like the consistency of butter! I shared with everyone at the table, and had them spread it on their bread. They were blown away.

so many nutrients on one plate!

And the pesto was so bright and refreshing! Its tanginess paired beautifully with the nutty quinoa and the buttery ahi tuna. Great food, great company.

It was wonderful to all be together:)

Until tomorrow!

GF Vegan Cucumber-Fennel-Dill Salad!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, buckwheat, cucumber, fennel, red pepper, vegan

What a day, what a day! Absolutely gorgeous outside today — the wind was just whipping the tender branches back and forth, while the electric blue sky provided a lovely backdrop. An amazing Spring day.

mmmm!

I guess I was inspired by the gorgeous Spring display out the window, because for dinner, I was craving the crisp, juicy, freshness of a cucumber-fennel-and-dill salad with a chewy, crunchy grain. ((This is all Body Ecology Diet approved — I’m still going strong — in it for the long haul!!)) I served this pilaf with outrageous Sea Bass! Such a refreshing Spring meal!

such fresh flavors from the lemon and dill!

Let’s start with the Cucumber, Fennel, Dill Salad.

cucumbers, fennel, red pepper, green onion, dill and buckwheat!

Let me begin by saying that I was not planning on using Buckwheat with this mix. I was going for a quinoa-esq grain, that would lightly mix with this salad to make a delicious pilaf. So I decided to experiment with Amaranth — one of the four BED grains. I cooked the amaranth, (for the first time) and to my surprise, it wasn’t like a grain at all! It turned into porridge!! It would be great for a soup thickener, or maybe a sweet application, like a custard-y dessert. But this was definitely not a dinner grain! SO! I threw a pot of Buckwheat on the stove, and thankfully, it only takes 5 minutes to cook!! Phew!

Back to the salad….here’s what you need:

1 cucumber, deseeded, and sliced on a mandolin
1 red pepper, diced
1 fennel bulb, core removed, sliced on a mandolin
4 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp – 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
salt
1 cup of buckwheat, cooked

Dressing:
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
3 green onions, sliced
1 tsp EVOO

Combine your veggies and dill in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Serve over cooked buckwheat, or serve as a salsa over cooked fish! Super easy and SUPER yum!

Gorgeous colors and textures!

Finally, I served this delicious salad with baked Sea Bass! Oh. My. Gosh. Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught sea bass is melt-to-the-floor phenomenal. I mean, it is ridiculous how succulent this fish is. It is SO moist and tender, flakey and sweet. A real 10. I baked it for about 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven with 1 tsp EVOO, lemon zest, juice, and fresh dill. Your cook time will depend on the thickness of your fish. Delish.

Now THAT is a piece of fish!

This meal was crazy good. The salad was SO refreshing. It was cooling and bright. The flavors and textures were outrageous. The cucumbers were fresh, the bell pepper was sweet, the onions gave a nice bite, the fennel gave a anise-licorice flavor, while the dill and lemon was so fresh and bright, and gave the salad a little *zing*. Paired with the nutty buckwheat, it was “outta bounds!”

what a meal!

And finally, the textures! It was so much fun to eat! The red bell peppers were crunchy, the cucumber was juicy, while the fennel gave a huge crunch! It complemented perfectly with the chewy buckwheat. Amazing.

So nutritious!

Happy Tummies!

Carrot Fennel Ginger Soup for a Happy Tummy & Mouth!

Tags

carrots, fennel, ginger, gluten free, Maker's Diet, pancakes, soup, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan

Time for a reality check, Happy Tummies. In my UC flare, there are often time extra-intestinal manifestations of the disease. Since it is an autoimmune disease, there can be other physical symptoms, besides just the ulcers on your intestines, since my messed up, hyper-active immune system controls every part of my body!

Well, my extra-intestinal (I always think they’re saying extraterrestrial :) ) symptoms are *almost* worse than the disease. My knees have lumps all over them, making them 3-4x their normal size, and it’s spreading to my ankles. This is making it excruciating to walk. These bumps are known as erythema nodosum. Finally, my mouth has 7 open wounds/ulcers, making it nearly impossible to eat. Therefore, we made this soup for dinner tonight, since no chewing was required. Even though it’s just a humble pot of soup, it was delicious, and hit the spot.

happy tummy and mouth meal:)

Here’s what you need.

1 bulb of fennel, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
7 carrots, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 inch piece of ginger, sliced
1 small honeycrisp apple, diced
3 1/2 cups veg stock
1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

so smooth and creamy!

In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute your onions, fennel and carrots in 1 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper. Let them cook for about 7 or 8 minutes, until they are tender. Then, stir in your garlic and ginger. Let that cook for about 2 minutes. Then add apples, and stir for just a minute.  Then add in your stock, and make sure all the veggies are covered (the apples will float). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a healthy simmer and let cook, partially covered for 35-ish minutes, until the carrots are fork tender. Then, turn off the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Stir in your almond milk, and garnish with chopped chives. Y-U-M!

bright, sweet, spicy, and packed with nutrition!

With this soup, my mom and I had a treat since it was just us “girls” tonight. We had halibut fillets! Oh my Gosh. Lobsta Bakes hooked us up!!! We each had a *gorgeous* wild, ocean-caught halibut fillet. This is my mom’s favorite fish…and one of my top 3! It is so delicately flavored, and so light and flakey. Truly succulent.

outstanding halibut and socca bread

I also made Socca bread…which wasn’t great. A bit of a flop — 1/3 cup chick pea flour, 1/3 cup water, 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pinch of cumin. Cook in frying pan. Flavorless…not worth the time. Just being honest! It probably would have been better with more spices….next time I’ll increase the cumin to 1 or 2 tsp; or instead of cumin, maybe curry powder.

gorgeous color and flavor!

Other than that GF bread, this meal was outstanding. The soup was so amazing. Not only was it a gorgeous orange color, but it was BURSTING with flavor! It was bright, and sweet and a little bit spicy! The fennel had a wonderful anise flavor that paired so nicely with the sweet carrots and apple. That sweet undertone was complimented perfectly by the slight spiciness from the ginger, and the savory garlic that subtly chimed in at the end. Garnished with the slight onion-y chives made this soup a 10!

Have a great week!