Tomatoes are, and always will be, my favourite thing about summer. The long days and warm nights are great but seeing the large bushels of summer tomatoes come into the farmer’s market makes my heart flutter. Even as a child, I could bite into a ripe tomato like an apple, adding a sprinkle of salt after each bite. This grossed out my picky sister so I was sure to do it in front of her every time.  Most of the year, I buy canned tomatoes, usually this brand, since winter tomatoes are tasteless. I was always told that roasting tomatoes was reserved for those bland tomatoes, but I am glad I did not listen to that advice. Roasting summer tomatoes concentrates its natural sweetness and intensifies its flavour.

If you are having a little deja vu about this post, you are right. Last year for Vegan MoFo I posted this recipe for a slow roasted tomato pasta sauce. A reader suggested it for a soup and that is where the inspiration for this recipe comes from. The problem with most tomato soups is the cream. I feel the extra fat from cream masks the flavour of the roasted tomatoes however adds some body to the soup. I wanted to keep this recipe nut and gluten free so I used a trick from an old recipe. Blended cauliflower adds all the benefits of cream but does not overpower the flavour of those sweet tomatoes. 

Some may think I am crazy for keeping my oven on for so long while the days here are still warm but it is worth it. While I enjoy quick meals as much the next person, there is something special about waiting for your favorite. The way your house fills up with a delicious scent, you check the oven on occasion to make sure things are going well, texting your loved ones that you are making something great for dinner, and perhaps even setting the table with some fresh bread or wine instead of sitting and eating in front of the TV. This is what summer tomatoes mean to me.

What is your favourite summer produce?

16 posts down, 14 more to go! See you tomorrow for Day 17: Local Eats. Missed Day 15? Check it out here.

Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.  Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media. 

5.0 from 1 reviews

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup (Nut-Free)

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

21 mins

 

Roasted summer tomatoes are one of my favourites and this soup allows that sweet, intense tomato flavour shine though. This soup is made creamy with blended cauliflower so it is nut free, gluten free, grain free, and soy free. This recipe makes about 11 cups of soup.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free

Ingredients

• 5 pounds ripe on the vine tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2½ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 Spanish onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cup bite sized florets of cauliflower
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup lightly packed basil leaves
• Cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cut the stems out of the tomatoes with a pairing knife. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and divide them amongst the baking sheets. Remove the outer papery skin of the garlic and cut the top of the head just to expose the cloves. Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour, turning the tomatoes halfway through. The tomatoes should be shrivelled and sweet. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and a few splashes of stock so the onions don't stick. Cook for 8-10 minutes until onions are tender.
4. Add the cauliflower and the rest of the stock and bring to boil. Cover with a lid and cook until the cauliflower is very tender.
5. Add the roasted tomatoes (reserving some for garnish) and roasted garlic (removed from their skins). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the basil and stir.
6. In batches, blend the soup in a blender until completely smooth. Transfer blended soup to another pot or large bowl. Continue until all the soup is blended. Adjust seasonings if you like with cracked black pepper or red chilli flakes. Top with chopped roasted tomatoes and serve.

3.3.3077

The post Day 16 Vegan MoFo: Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup (Nut-Free) appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

My potted plants could have waited and I did not need those groceries right that second. I needed to take care of my body since it was in need of some rest and repair. I would have scolded a friend if she told me that she had surgery one day and ran errands like a crazy person the next day. Why was it so easy to let myself do these things?

Now, I am fully recovered from my surgery and back to my routine but with a little more balance. There are two important things I have learned from this experience: I do not need to do everything in a day and I do not need to do it alone. Will I survive if I didn’t accomplish X amount of things on my list? Yes. Would it be an epic failure on my part if someone helped me out? Not even a little. Over the next few days of recovery, Mark was helpful with things around the house that I committed to do exclusively myself over the past three years. I had rejected his help in the past. He also helped ensure I stayed in bed by bringing me tea, watching some Brooklyn Nine-Nine together and he took my glasses off my face when I fell asleep reading. Sure, it isn’t the stuff of a paperback romance novel but it was romantic to me. Along with the importance of balance, I realized that romance did not have to be grand gestures but the sweet little things that someone does for you to make your life better. Thank you Mark xoxo.

Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! 

P.S. Though I am behind from the surgery, the eBook is scheduled to come out on Thursday, July 16th and it is FREE to any subscriber! Subscribe by adding your email address to the right side bar and click subscribe!

P.P.S I used my Maple Sriracha Tempeh Bacon recipe for this one as well. If you like, add a few dashes of liquid smoke to the marinade for a really bacon-y flavour. 

BLT + Potato Chip Salad {Vegan & Gluten-Free}

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This dish reminds me on a super healthy version of the classic deli style meal of a BLT served with potato chips. Turns out potato chips in a sandwich are totally boss but totally terrible for you. Put it on a salad. Vegan and gluten free.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Recipe type: vegan, gluten free

Ingredients

• 1 batch Maple Sriracha Tempeh Bacon + a few dashes of liquid smoke (optional)
• 1 sweet potato, unpeeled
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• ½ pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ½ ripe avocado, pitted and sliced thin
• Greens of your choice, I used baby spinach but romaine would be good too
• Creamy Garlic Dressing:
• ¼ cup eggless mayo (I used Follow Your Heart Brand)
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic cloves, grated fine through a microplane
• A few cracks of black pepper
• Finely chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. While the oven is preheating, marinate the tempeh, flipping once. Slice the unpeeled sweet potatoes very thin; I used a mandolin. Toss the sweet potatoes chips with oil + salt. Transfer to the baking sheet and line in a single layer. Transfer the marinated tempeh to the other baking sheet.
2. Bake chips and tempeh for 17-20 minutes, turning halfway. If the chips or tempeh look too dark, remove from the oven; the chips will further crisp up as they cool to room temperature. While the chips and tempeh are cooking, prepare the dressing.
3. Add all the ingredients to a large measuring cup or bowl and whisk until fully combined and smooth.
4. Divide the tomatoes, avocado and greens amongst your serving dishes. Top with chips and tempeh. Drizzle with Creamy Garlic dressing and sprinkle with chives. Serve!
5. Any leftover tempeh bacon can be stored for about 5 days in the fridge.

3.3.3077

The post BLT + Potato Chip Salad {Vegan & Gluten-Free} appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

The diners started with “Grandma’s Buttermilk Dinner Rolls with Coconut Olive Butter,” which sounds quaint and simple but these rolls were buttery and fluffy with black sesame seeds and a mix of black and flake white salt. Nothing like my grandma’s dinner rolls aka dinner bricks. Crepeau also made her own butter for this dish and from what I remember about butter, hers is better by a long shot.

The second course I looked forward to the most since as a Canadian gal, I have never had a true hush puppy. The diners received three jalapeno-dotted hush puppies on a grey slate tile and served with a bright green goddess dressing. The hush puppies were golden and crispy on the outside and revealed a tender doughy inside that had the right amount of freshness and spice from the jalapenos. The green goddess sauce was a perfect balance of cilantro, acid and spice. My plate was scraped clean.

The third course looked almost too pretty to eat and Crepeau’s artistic eye really came out in the plating of this dish. Savoury and perfectly seasoned miso braised yellow squash atop of a bed of grilled corn succotash and dotted with meaty Christmas Lima, creamy Scarlett runner beans and juicy cherry tomatoes. The dish was topped with crispy popped sorghum grains, red micro-greens and a sweet citrusy edible flower. At this point, I wish I had brought my stretchy pants. Conversation amongst the diners became less frequent as everyone was too consumed by their plate.

The fourth course, a smoked and very crispy tofu reminded me of smoky ham from taste to texture. Another diner, who is not a vegan, commented on the dish and asked if it was really tofu. To me, that is one of the best compliments a vegan chef can get. The texture was meaty, juicy and could fool any carnivore without fail. The dish was accompanied with glazed carrots and turnip over creamy Southern-style grits and drizzled with a sweet sorghum syrup glaze. The piece I really loved about this dish was the salty crisp mustard green leaf fanned out in between the roasted vegetables since frankly, I never thought I would ever like this type of green. Crepeau’s methods have won me over.

Dessert is probably my favourite part of most fancy dinners and Crepeau is just as good a baker as she is a cook. In my experience, it is usually one or the other but it just shows the amount of talent this chef has. The buttery pecan tart was served with a warm roasted Texas peach and a vanilla bourbon ice cream that had a bourbon caramel sauce drizzled on top. I like when food reminds me of an experience or brings back a memory and this dish made me think of Christmas time with my grandma. My grandmother made this “adults-only” bourbon sauce that was served on the dessert table after Christmas dinner. Since she had a heavy hand with the bourbon to make this sauce, the children of the family were not allowed to have any. Naturally, telling a child that they can’t have dessert only makes getting it all the more enticing so we did whatever we could to dip our fingers in the sauce. One year, I managed to get my spoon in the dish, licked it and ran from the table to avoid the adults. This dish reminded me of this memory even when I thought I would never again have bourbon caramel after going vegan. A big thanks to the chef.

Crepeau ended the meal perfectly with the dessert and I saved half of the tart for breakfast the next day. Christy and I left feeling very full and I left a little bit jealous of Christy who is a friend of the chef and lives close by. The experience was great as I had never been to a supper club dinner before. The food trucks in Austin are good but if you want a proper dinner with multiple courses, warm atmosphere and exceptional food, I highly recommend Roots to Leaves Supper Club. You will not get this kind of food in a restaurant for this price ($40 for a 5 course dinner). If you are in Austin, definitely check out Roots to Leaves Supper Club, it usually runs once a month with different menus. Check out her Facebook page for more details, menus and dates! I wanted to adapt a dish from my experience of the Roots to Leaves Supper Club with a dish that surprised me the most: the Miso Braised Yellow Squash. Normally I am not crazy about zucchini besides zoodles but this dish was tender, perfectly seasoned and miso butter has become a new favourite. Special thanks to Chef Crepeau for preparing this memorable dinner and Christy Morgan for inviting me.

Roasted Zucchini & Tomatoes w/ Miso Butter + Roots to Leaves Supper Club

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This dish is light, fresh and naturally gluten free. Feel free to add some beans or lentils if you wish to up the protein in this meal.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• For the Miso Butter:
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon organic cane sugar
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• For the Squash:
• 2 yellow or green zucchinis
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• For the plate:
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• Fat pinch of fine grain sea salt
• ⅓ cup chiffonade basil leaves
• 2 cups warm cooked quinoa (I cooked red quinoa in vegetable stock)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cut the zucchinis in half lengthwise and with the tip of a sharp knife, cut slits diagonally across the exposed flesh of the zucchini. Do not cut all the way through! This is to ensure the miso butter doesn’t just slide off the zucchini. Rub zucchini with olive oil and bake cut side down for 12-14 minutes, depending on the size of the zucchini. If you zucchinis are on the skinnier side, bake for less time. Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, toss with olive oil and spread onto the other prepared pan. Gently flip zucchini so it is cut side up now exposing the crosshatch cuts.
3. Whisk together the butter, miso, sugar and green onion together in a small bowl and brush half of the miso butter onto the zucchinis. Return the zucchini to the oven along with the cherry tomatoes and bake for 12-15 minutes, turning the tomatoes halfway through.
4. Toss the warm quinoa with the remaining miso butter and the basil, add in the tomatoes and divide amongst serving dishes and top with the roasted zucchini. Serve.

3.3.3077

The post Roasted Zucchini & Tomatoes w/ Miso Butter + Roots to Leaves Supper Club appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

Destiny’s Child on FULL blast!

Watch ALL the new Once Upon A Time episodes Netflix just released! Marathon it! (ALSO NEW THE WALKING DEAD!!!)

Practice the Single Ladies dance routine along side Beyonce on YouTube….pretend that I AM Beyonce.

Eat as MANY olives as I can!

Mark does not like olives which is a real problem for me because I LOVE olives. I am a huge fan of the briny, leathery fruits. Sometimes when Mark is working late I will prepare a little plate of olives, sauteed mushrooms, roasted red peppers, capers, balsamic vinegar, fresh cherry tomatoes and mustard to serve on crusty bread slices for dinner with a glass a red wine and feeling oh-so French! Unfortunately for me, cooking with olives is a no-go since I dread the idea of someone picking out an ingredient out of a dish. Maybe I am just too un-picky? I knew I needed to make a dish with some of my favourite ingredients that Mark is not a fan of while he is off being a rockstar. 

These potato rounds are banging good! Salty salsa, spiced potatoes and cool cashew tzatziki sauce come together to create this recipe. It is a bit fussy since you have to make a salsa, a sauce and the potatoes but if you follow my game plan, it will seem effortless. First, preheat the oven, salt the cucumbers, make the sauce and refrigerate. Secondly, chop and toss the potatoes in the spice oil and roast. While the potatoes are roasting make the salsa and prep the parsley garnish. When you break it down, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

Since olives are the star of this dish I encourage you to buy the best olives you can afford: from an olive bar, cheese shop or high-end grocery store. Jarred olives are far too salty and lack the richness and depth of a good quality olive. I tried this recipe with nicoise olives but this olive is more expensive than the recipe recommended Katamala and impossible to find pitted (believe me when I say they are a b*tch to pit these tiny French olives).

The best part of being in a relationship is that you like when your person is there and when they are not there. A little time alone is needed sometimes: just me, some olives and my cat Barb. And Beyonce on full blast.

What dish do you make when your partner is away? Anything you love and they hate?

The post Roasted Greek Potato Rounds with Olive-Tomato Salsa and Cashew Tzatziki Sauce appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

Oh these rainy days, how I am not loving you. This is a recipe to make when you are cuddled up at home, avoiding leaving your house because the sky is looking sinister and if you are anything like me, have an obscene amount of laundry to do but there are always things to cook to comfort you on day like these. 

There is that time of year that I deem most special and I get more excited for than any other actual holiday. I am talking about tomato season. Those glorious few weeks at the end of August/early September that I mark my calendar and take out my granny cart to head down to the farmer’s market to load it up with juicy, sweet and fresh tomatoes.

Tomatoes are on my list of favourite foods along with chocolate, onions, roasted garlic, red wine and hot sauce. But when tomatoes are out of season, they really do suck. They aren’t juicy, sweet and (though I have never tried but I imagine) to taste a lot like Styrofoam. When they are in season I stuff myself full of all the tomatoes I can get my hands on, sometimes just sliced on a plate with a sprinkle of fleur de sel, cherry tomatoes served whole on a deep green salad or slow roasted to perfection and made into a pasta sauce. I was once asked, “Why waste good summertime tomatoes in a slow roast?”

Waste? Please. In season tomatoes shine on their own but slow roasted tomatoes do not have to wait until winter. Slow roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness so they are no longer tangy or acidic.

Mark came home to the heavenly smell of roasted tomatoes and while we waited for the pasta water came to a boil, we ate some tomatoes straight off the pan, too impatient to wait for the sauce. Sure they take a long time in the oven but they are well worth the effort. Then again, isn’t that true for most things?

Slow Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta Sauce

2014-08-31 10:55:50

Serves 4

Slow roasting tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and when made into a sauce, it is a heavenly combination. Takes a little while but it is entirely worth the effort.This recipe makes 3 cups of pasta sauce and it is enough to coat a little more than a pound of pasta (depending on how your like your pasta dressed).

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Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

2 hr

Total Time

3 hr 30 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

2 hr

Total Time

3 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1. 3 pounds local tomatoes, on stem preferred (Roma tomatoes would be a nice choice too)
2. ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3. 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt + 1 tablespoon for 4 quarts of pasta cooking water
4. 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
5. 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
6. 2 large heads of garlic
7. 1 pound of dried pasta (I chose a spelt fusilli but any tube or spiraled pasta will do)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line as many baking sheets you need (and that will fit into the oven) with parchment paper. I fit 4 sheets in my oven and used about 3 pounds of tomatoes.
2. With a pairing knife, cut out the stem of the tomato and discard. Cut the tomatoes into even ½ inch thick slices and transfer to baking sheets.
3. Remove all but one layer of the paper-y skin off the garlic bulbs and cut off just the tops of the heads, exposing the garlic, set on the baking sheet with the tomatoes. Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast tomatoes for 2 hours total, flipping tomatoes halfway through roasting time and transfer the bottom baking sheets to the upper oven rack and the top baking sheets to the lower oven rack after flipping. Take out the garlic when you flip the tomatoes and set aside. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted garlic out of its skin.
5. When the tomatoes are almost ready to be taken out, fill a large pot with water, season with a generous amount of sea salt (“your pasta water should be as salty as the sea” I was once told and it hasn’t let me down yet), bring water to rolling boil and cook your chosen pasta according to the directions to cook it al dente.
6. While your pasta is cooking, stack the basil leaves, roll together and cut into little strips. Finely chop the parsley and transfer both herbs to the bowl of a food processor. Take out the tomatoes from the oven and in batches roughly chop them and transfer to the food processor. Once all the tomatoes are chopped and in the food processor bowl add the skinless roasted garlic cloves, pulse until desired consistency. I wanted a thick, chunky sauce so I pulsed the sauce 10 1-second pulses but if you prefer a smooth sauce, process for longer.
7. Place a bowl in your sink and drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water in the bowl. In the now empty pot, add the tomato sauce to heat, adding some pasta water to thin it out if necessary. I added about ½ cup pasta water in total. Add the drained pasta to coat the noodles.
8. Transfer to serving plates, top with more basil and serve immediately.

By Jessica DeMarra

Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/

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