rainy day food

There is nothing like a rainy day to make you want to stay inside and cook something warm and delicious. After a jump start into summer weather this month, we've been hit recently with some cold and rainy days. Now, I'm definitely a fan of the summer sunshine, but there is something nice about a rainy weekend day that just makes me want to cuddle up with a good book, and a cup of something hot. This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of doing just that. My weeks (and most weekends too) are very busy, so I definitely cherish a day to do nothing more than read, cuddle, blog, and cook.

One of my favorite kitchen tools is my immersion blender. This bad boy is seriously amazing. It is useful for so many things, but one of my favorite things to use it for is making soup. Who ever invented this thing deserves a big thank you. The immersion blender takes the hassle out of blending- it is a stick blender that you can stick right into a pot. It truly takes the mess out of making soup. There is no need to pour the soup into the blender, and back out again- the immersion blender comes to you. Essentially, you can use it to make anything you would use a blender for, but my soup repertoire has definitely been elevated thanks to my blender. I encourage you to get one of these- they're pretty cheap, and wonderfully useful. Any kind of soup you might want to make- butternut squash, carrot ginger, roasted red pepper, cauliflower...the options are endless.

Thanks to a beautiful produce supply provided to me by my parents this weekend (could a girl ask for a better birthday present?), I had some delicious looking broccoli that was calling my name on Sunday. Combined with some every day ingredients I had in my kitchen (and the wonderful skills of my sous chef, my boyfriend), the soup came together deliciously. I paired it with a delicious avocado and tomato quinoa salad. The quinoa provided the perfect base for the creaminess of the avocado and the sweetness of the tomatoes. It was a perfect match with this delicious soup. This meal was the perfect cuddle up meal on a rainy day. I definitely encourage you to check out one of my favorite kitchen tools, and make some delicious soup of your own!



Broccoli Garlic Soup and Avocado Tomato Quinoa Salad

1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 medium-large onion, diced
2 medium heads of broccoli, given a rough chop (stems and florets!)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water (more if needed)
1 tbsp dill
1 tsp bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

broccoli cooking...

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat before adding the garlic and onions
Allow the garlic and onions to sweat out, and as they start to become translucent, add the broccoli
Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes before adding 2 cups of stock and 1 cup of water to the pot
Turn the heat down to low, and add the bay, dill, salt, and pepper
Cover  the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and test to see if the broccoli is soft with a fork (make sure both the florets and stems are soft)
Use your immersion blender to blend the large chunks out of the soup, in the pot itself (turn the heat off for this step so it does not bubble up and burn you)
I like my soup thick, but depending on your desired thickness, add in the last cup of stock and cook on medium heat until the soup has reached your desired texture
Spoon into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese
enjoy!

the delicious end result.

1 avocado
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lime
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

a delicious and classic combo.

Bring water and quinoa to boil over high heat, before covering and turning down to a simmer
Cook your quinoa for 15 minutes or until fluffy
Meanwhile, cut open 1 avocado and dice it into small cubes
Combine the avocado and tomatoes in a bowl
Dress them with the juice of 1/2 a lime and season generously with salt and pepper; toss well
Once your quinoa is fluffy, season it with cumin, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper
Allow the quinoa to cool. Once it has reached room temperature, combine with the tomato and avocado
enjoy!!

the perfect forkful.