Crock-pot Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I love tomato soup, especially homemade soup! It's warm, hearty, filling, and it's a feel-good for your soul. Or at least it is for me. This recipe is simple to make with the use of the crock-pot and uses minimal ingredients. Start this in the afternoon and you will have dinner ready about 5 or 6 hours later. The base of the ingredients are three standard veggies including carrots, celery, and onions, and vegetable stock.  This soup would pair great with a grilled cheese sandwich, crackers, or gold fish! It's also versatile because you can choose your choice of milk, depending on allergens or health reasons.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

• 2 pounds of roma tomatoes (6-7 tomatoes), roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup of packed fresh basil leaves 
• 1 cup of diced carrots
• 1 cup of diced celery
• 1 small diced onion
• 2 cups of vegetable stock, low-sodium if possible
• 1 cup of whole milk* (or milk of choice)
• 1/2 tsp of oregano
• 1/2 tsp of thyme 
• 1/2 tsp of salt

*Do not use nonfat or 1% dairy milk because the acid in the tomatoes will cause the milk to curdle. If using dairy milk, it is best to use a fattier milk (whole milk or half & half). 

1. In a saute pan, saute your carrots, celery, and onions in a little bit of olive oil until the onions become translucent and the carrots and celery soften, about 6-7 minutes.
2. In the meantime, place the tomatoes, vegetable stock, basil, and spices into a crock-pot. After the veggies have cooked, place them in the crock-pot with the rest of the ingredients.  Give it a quick stir to incorporate on the ingredients. 
3. Set your crock-pot on low and cook for 5 hours. 
4. After the 5 hours, blend the soup with a hand blender or a regular blender until it is smooth. If using a regular blender, blend it in batches. Place the soup back in the crock-pot and stir in the milk. Place your crock-pot on warm to reheat the soup (the milk will cool it down) until you are ready to eat it. 

Recipe found and adapted from Pumps & Iron.

Black Bean Brownies

Maybe the title of this post has made you crinkle your nose and squint your eyes in disgust, but believe me, they are not disgusting! Had they been, I wouldn't be writing about it now...

Black beans can be used as a flour substitute in brownies or in chocolate cakes because of their, well, dark color. They also provide fiber and protein, which flour doesn't. They also provide a very moist, and melt-in-your-mouth texture! YUM!

This was a simple recipe to make using a food processor and just a few ingredients. It is gluten-free and flour-free and can be made vegan, too.  Oh, and before I forget in case you're still skeptical about these brownies..they are super chocolaty, as a brownie should be!

Black Bean Brownies

• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed well!
• 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• 3 tbs of cocoa powder 
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/3 cup of honey (agave syrup or pure maple syrup for vegans)
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil 
• 2 tbs of sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips (optional) 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In your food processor, blend the first five ingredients together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides if needed. 
2. After the ingredients have been blended to a smoother texture, add in the next four ingredients. Blend until you have a smooth texture and there are no lumps of black beans. You may need to scrape down the sides from time to time. 
3. Gently fold in the chocolate chips (if using) with a rubber spatula. 
4. Pour into a greased baking pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes. 

Note: When you take them out of the oven, they may seem like they aren't cooked all the way or are too moist/mushy. I  noticed after I let them sit over night, they became more like a true brownie, with a sturdier texture. Be patient! Its like lasagna, always better the next day.

Pesto Potato Salad

Pesto is one of my absolute favorite foods! It has such a strong garlic flavor, with a burst of freshness from basil and a nutty crunch from the toasted pine nuts.  It goes well on everything from pasta, to panini's, to bruschetta, to eating it with your finger. No? Maybe that's just me then. Anyways, this pesto potato salad is super simple to make and can be served as a side to a dish or as a main dish itself. It takes roughly 20 minutes to make from start to finish and can be served immediately warm or saved for later cold--it tastes amazing either way! Give it a try!

Pesto Potato Salad

• Roughly 1 Ib. of red skinned potatoes, scrubbed with skins on, chopped
• A bunch or two of asparagus, stems cut off, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup of fresh basil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
• 3 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 tbsp. of parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Place potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil, about 10 minutes total. Before those 10 minutes are up, add in the asparagus for the remaining 3-4 minutes. After it's done, drain and set aside until pesto is complete.
2. Meanwhile, begin making the pesto. Toast the pine nuts in a little olive oil, 1-2 minutes, and remove from heat.
3. In a food processor, add in the toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, and garlic. Give it a quick grind in the food processor. Slowly add in the olive oil while the food processor is on--you may need to scrape down the sides as you go.
4. After the pesto is well combined, stir in the parmesan cheese, if using.
5. Pour pesto on top of cooked and drained potatoes and asparagus, stir to combine.

This recipe was found and adapted by fitness blogger, Nicole Perry.

Creamy Mango Berry Smoothie

Smoothies have become a part of my daily routine, either for breakfast or post-workout.  This concoction is absolutely divine! It has a creamy, butter flavor, yet it's sweet and tangy. This smoothie is made with almond butter which really cuts the sweetness in half from all of the fruit.  Give it a try!

Creamy Mango Berry Smoothie

• 1 banana, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup mango, fresh or frozen
• 1 spoonful of almond butter
• 1-2 spoonful's of plain greek yogurt
• splash(s) of your choice of milk until desired consistency is reached (I used unsweetened almond milk)

      

  Blend ingredients together and enjoy!