Tomato Soup

​I LOVE soup. I LOVE soup season. And I LOVE tomato soup…with a grilled cheese, of course! Not all tomato soups, though, are good. Or. Good for you. 

This soup has no cream…instead, it has goat cheese. And…it’s delicious and the best I’ve ever made/had. 

The Flavor Bomb Cherry Tomatoes are my absolute favorite and go-to always. I get them at BJ’s or Sam’s. This recipe used almost one full carton. 

Without further ado…here’s the recipe…

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Cups Cherry Tomatoes 
• 5 Cloves Garlic, Whole
• 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
• A Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• 16oz Bone Broth (or Chicken Broth)
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese
• 1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
• 1 Tbsp Pecorino Romano Cheese
• S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare and assemble all ingredients. 
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
3. On a roasting or sheet pan - add tomatoes and garlic. 
4. Drizzle avocado oil over tomatoes and garlic, add red pepper flakes, S&P and mix all together. 
5. Put in oven and roast 15-20 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done bc they will have burst/popped under the pressure or you can smoosh easily with back of spoon. 
6. Heat the bone broth in a soup pot on the stove. 
7. Once heated, add the ingredients from the sheet pan, goat cheese and dried basil to the pot. 
8. If using immersion (stick) blender, blend til smooth. If using a blender, pour soup pot of ingredients into a blender and blend on high til smooth. 
9. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with pecorino Romano cheese. 

Greek Salad Dressing

​

One of the things about eating salad…is that if you drench it in drawing that has a whole host of crap in it…it kinda defeats the point. Just sayin.🤷🏻‍♀️

I have a few standard homemade salad dressings that I make and I typically use 2 tbsp. 

Almond (Peanut) Butter and Smashed Berries

Ok. We start simple. This is one of my favorite breakfasts...and it is super easy and quick!

Though I have primarily switched to Almond Butter (and freshly made - no additives)...you can also do this, of course, with Peanut Butter - which I also get freshly made. 

For the LOCALS - I get this freshly made at Nature's Pantry in Fishkill.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp fresh Almond (or Peanut) Butter
• 1 cup fresh fruit (Blue-Black-Rasp-berries are my fav combo)
• 1 slice Eziekel Bread (or 1/2 Eziekel English Muffin)
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Chia Seeds

Directions:

• Mash berries in a bowl to make a 'jam/jelly' without adding anything to it
• Toast bread
• Spread nut butter over your toast
• Sprinkle cinnamon over nut butter 
• Spread 'jam' next
• Sprinkle chia seeds over jam

Eat & Enjoy!

Here's my tip for you that I learned...Nut Butters you buy in the store are usually made with added ingredients...likely hydrogenated oils like palm or canola (which are not good for you at all)...extra salt and sugar. Try to get something that is a one ingredient nut butter. Read your labels. 👊

This is the brand of sprouted grain bread (Ezekiel) that I use:

More Recipes Coming!

Well...it's been a bit since I have posted on my Xtini in the Kitchen blog that I started SO long ago. Back by popular demand - I'll be posting some new recipes...and what you'll get with this blog? Not 4 pages of scrolling to the recipe...that is my biggest pet peeve when searching for recipes.

So - while I gather my recipes together and actually write down measurements (bc I'm terrible at that)...here's a quick update...and probably the 'longest' blog post you'll read:

For anyone who didn't know...I reached a breaking point with my weight and overall health (having a bunch of genetics and autoimmune diseases that just don't help) and knew that I needed to do something - for me, for my girls and family..but the biggest thing I needed was accountability as I have tried 'dieting' in the past. 

Here's a list of what I have tried (and it is certainly not limited to):

• 21 Day Fix
• Weight Watchers
• Noom
• Atkins
• Keto
• Whole30
• Paleo
• Low Carb
• Juice Cleanses
• Shakes, Bars, Prepped Food
• Hello Fresh
• Portion Control
  
  

Sound familiar? Yeah...same here...and what did it get me? Not much. Maybe a loss of at most 5lbs...but...sometimes they worked and were easy to follow - but given my genetics and history...I needed something more. And what I found...was none of it was for me.

And here's the thing...after talking to a few people...and knowing what we all know - the best thing you can do is stop eating processed crap, pay attention to what you are putting in your body and eating whole foods.

I was on a mission to start that myself...but...my life is crazy and I knew that if I didn't have someone in my corner, holding me accountable...I would fail.

So - I did some research and found a place that had a highly recommended Certified Health Coach. After some conversations with Kev...it was time to commit to working with someone who knows a hell of a lot more than me.

What did that get me? A lot. Here's what it got me so far:

• 15 lb weight loss in ONE month
• Someone to hold me accountable DAILY and WEEKLY
• You don't have to count calories
• Learning about FOOD and what it does to your body
• Understanding what types of food I should be putting in my body
• How much of the 'types' of food I should be eating daily 
• Carbs ARE NOT bad - but - the RIGHT starches/carbs are good
• Forming habits...specific to exercise
• How to eat out
• How to snack
• Food isn't bad...if you know how to eat
• Learning what is good in the grocery store and where things are priced better
• Healthy isn't always SUPER expensive
• It's not always about Organic, but more how it's raised or what's in it
• Increased water drinking
• New, amazing recipes that ARE delicious - you don't have to sacrifice GOOD food for this - you just can't eat junk
• Meal prepping better and getting ahead of myself so I always have something good ready to go
• It's not a 'cheat', it's a want and while you don't want to gorge or binge on something, you can have something you want every so often...in moderation
  
  

I'm on my 2nd month and while I still have a LONG way to go. I have had a few slip ups...but, I have someone helping me stay on track and pushing me on the things that I also need help with. EXERCISE. Something that I had said to my health coach would be the HARDER and HARDEST thing with me. 

I also know HOW to get back on track and see immediate results when I do.

I don't love to exercise - I am not someone who 'feels good' after a workout. I'm more tired and not happy about it ha. It's hard for me to fit exercise in or even find the motivation and yes, I work from home...but things aren't as easy as people think they are just because I work at home. If you think it's easy - you clearly haven't worked from home.

What I love about her - is - she started me slow...just getting in a HABIT going. Then, she increased my exercise and is really proud of my food piece, but, got tough with me on exercise. For good reason.

So anyway - here's to a LIFESTYLE change, not a DIET. I'm so tired of that word...bc you don't have to diet to live your life.

Stay tuned for some yummy recipes to come - that some of you have likely seen, but, have asked for the recipes. So - ask...and you shall receive! 💜