Sweet Potato and Leek Soup

Holy Jalapeno!

I had been scourging through vegan and RAW websites, searching for the perfect recipes. They are automatically Dairy Free. Downsizing... Gluten Free: optional. Legume Free: optional. I had to scan all the recipes to ensure that it's GREEN and Paleo friendly. Oh my gosh, are you aware of how those vegans love their legumes? Understandably, I used to be one of those people. I could live on bean burritos, legume soups, and yes, I admit, my childhood favorite: meatless split-pea soup. I must have been one of those weird kiddos: thinking a jar of pickles is a treat, eating saltine crackers and peanut butter or toast for snacking, gobbling up carrots, green beans (mom had to pour in extra can for me), and living on corn chips and salsa. I was pretty much Greenarie my whole life, at 14, I came out of the closet to my dad and told him "I decided that from now on, I am a vegetarian." It took him looooong time to realize what vegetarian meant. It was not just tater tots and buttered corn. Although, he took pride in cooking, and I hated how he asked me for vegetarian recipes. He discovered Alfredo pasta. Fed me the exact same pasta for two weeks straight. Then he discovered cottage cheese and fruit. I was close to swearing it off. It took him about 7 years to figure it out, after he retired and had health problems. He ate salads every day, lost over 50 pounds, but sadly... he refused to let me pat his downsized tummy.

His mom (my grandma), oooooooh boy. To this day, I still remember her exclaiming and prodding my loaded baked potato: "where is your dinner?? This is not dinner! It's not even food."

Back to the point. Hopefully this short story has entertained you. So...

I do not understand why people like to sweeten the sweet potatoes. The name has sweet in it already, so why the need to add cinnamon, sugar, or whatever? Making sure it gets an extra punch of sweetness? Ew.

I decided to poke my finger in the air and determinedly say "I'll just make my own potato soup, with all the old stuff in it. The same stuff that was made in the 1800s." Not exactly, but you get the idea.

Oh, yes! It was a success, and I loved it. I have a thing for Leek, it's kinda secret, so don't spread it around.

MEAT LOVER: ------------------ (she doesn't know! hehehe! She missed out on this.)
GREENARIE: NOM NOM!!!

Look at all those veggies! HEAVEN! It smells so awesome when cooking!

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Potato Leek Soup
serves 4

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 carrots (a cup)chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large leek (or two medium), chopped and halved
2 white sweet potatoes peeled, chopped and quartered
2 cups vegetable broth (thickly brown. If it's light, use extra cup and don't bother with water)
1 cup water
half lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Put a big pot (soup pot) over stove on low heat, pour olive oil (to warm up)
2. Chop up onion, cloves, carrots, green bell pepper, zucchini, and leek. Pour in pot, stir. Increase to medium heat. (sweat the vegetables)
3. Peel and chop potatoes, juice the lemon.
4. When the vegetables are softened in pot, pour in rest of the ingredients, stir well, cover to simmer for 30 minutes on low-medium heat.
5. Turn off the heat, spoon 3/4 of the soup into a blender, then puree. Pour the pureed soup back in the pot, stir. 
6. Let cool, then prepare for some goodness in the tummy! SLURP.

 

Something Random, Something Non-Paleo, Something Old.

Hey Bloggers,

Yesterday was the Tour de Lab bike event, I volunteered twice before-- free ride, shirt, and beer included! Hell, why not!? Giving up 2 hours in the morning to set up, and get things running, then before closing, we head out and zoom around on our bikes, get rewarded with beer and food. Hell yes.

This year, I had dragged Maks in volunteering with me, encouraging her to participate in the "Big Dog" which is a longer route with a large hill slapped on the map. She had paid and biked in the "Puppy" which is a route with rolling hills with 18.7 miles (Big Dog is 41 miles). She decided, why not? That way she can finally see what the Big Dog looks like, and I reassured her that in my past experience, volunteering the first stop (after going uphill for 17 miles), it's all dooooooowwwwn!

My mistake. I was told that the route was reversed, my route down was the way up, so our way "down" was the old "uphill" route. I thought, well.. no biggie.

Poor Maks. It was up, up, up, and long way up. No intervals, just up. She was actually... about... to... cry. She was not dying, but you could see her horrified eyes and she sucked up her complaints in the first half hour. Before reaching the top, she finally rolled out her complaints. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Then the rewards started coming in. Rolling downhill on curves. Wind whistling through our sunglasses, our legs buckled, and tapping the brakes. Swiiisssssh!!!

Complaints turned to smiles. She drafted behind me, keeping up with my pace (my roadie, Sunny is light weight, so I had to scope out the road down).

As we reached the bottom, into town, we rode our short cut through downtown to the finish line. It was a clear, hot day, so we wanted to rest (and frack it, we had to do some moving afterwards, conserve our energy, conserve, conserve!) and grab our meal.

I pointed out our plates of lunch and said "I think I should blog about this. Who is the Greenarie and the Meat Lover?" Maks burst out laughing and exclaimed "YES, do that!"

Can you figure it out? Who is the Greenarie and the Meat Lover?

 Obviously, they do not serve Paleo food, but we needed to eat to regain our energy. Honestly, it did not do much. I was still hungry and feeling tired. My vegetarian soy hotdog (I don't like meat hotdogs) topped with cheese, chopped onion, and sauerkraut, corn chips (I thought they would serve salsa or something), lightly dressed cabbage salad, and red potato salad. Maks' is obviously easy: two beef hotdogs with ketchup, cheese, relish, a pickle, and two chocolate cookies.

By the way... did I mention? I carried a watermelon on my back all the way!? YUP! Volunteers get to bring home the left over snacks, and they had a lot of watermelon left, so I snugged one on my backpack. Worth it? We'll see.

Sunny and the watermelon that I carried. Near the top of the long hill before we winded down.

Cucumber Salad

Dust is settling in the air for a bit, then it's whirlwind again.

We have gone on camping trips, I have participated in two relays, one in Idaho and other in Oregon. It's time for me to take a break from the craziness of being out of town all the time, but unfortunately, we are moving this weekend, so I have pile of errands to do. Pack? Getting there. Repair the walls? Kinda. Clean? Not important right now. New Lease signed? Almost.

Since I don't like leaving things blank, here's a simple recipe. I have cucumber craze right now. I grew up with Cucumber and Sour Cream salads, swallowed up the whole big bowl of 'em. It's something that I will always carry throughout my adult life.

MEAT LOVER: Cucumber? eeeeeewwwww!!!!
GREENARIE: Nom Nom. What a treat!

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Cucumber Salad
Serves one

1 Cucumber, peeled, chopped, and halved
2 Tablespoons Soy Sour Cream or real thing if you still eat dairy
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1 chive, diced
Optional: One Tomato diced

Mix all together, let it set for few minutes (allow the sour cream to soak with cucumber water). Blissful eating!