Before we get to all the sweet n’ smoky n’ spicy soup business, I have to acknowledge the crickets on this blog over the past few weeks. Turns out working full time, planning a wedding, and being at the age where baby and bridal showers abound equates to little cooking time and LOTS of takeout and delivery. Speaking of delivery, I have to share – Ryan and I had a craving for Indian this week and used Bite Squad for the first time. Have you tried it? Game changer.
I’ve also been going through a phase lately where immediately after I eat something I feel nauseated by the thought of it. For a girl who loves leftovers, this is kind of an issue. I made Ryan broccoli, kale, and cheese soup on Monday, and I enjoyed it as I ate it, but when I went to pack it up for my lunch the next day I realized NOPE, I could not eat another bite of it. No way no how. To Noodles & Company I went.
My one saving grace during this food funk has been sweet potatoes. In addition to the recipe today, I’ve been roasting them for rice bowls, putting them in tacos, and baking up beautiful purple sweet potatoes fries.
Although I mourn the end of tomato season, and summer produce in general, I have to say that sweet potato season nearly makes up for it.
For today’s sweet potato love, we’re bringing all the cozy fall feels with a thick, creamy, smoky and spicy soup. The ingredients are a simple but flavorful blend of garlic, onion, sweet potatoes, chili powder, and the star of the show: chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Cashews help add creaminess to the base, along with some healthy (and happy!) fats. To cool down that smokiness a bit, I topped off the soup with a cool and creamy lime cashew cream that takes it to the next level of yum.
Don’t you love a soup thick enough hold a drizzle of cream on top? I do. I love it so much.
Despite my food funk of late, I ate this soup every day for lunch until it was gone, and I looked forward to it. Sweet potatoes are damn magical, I tell ya.
Maybe it’s the time of year, but I’m alarmingly okay with laziness lately. I’m usually someone who needs to plan out every minute of the day. For many years I’d roll out of bed early on the weekends to soak up every bit of work-free life. Lately though? Sleeping until 10am, sitting in pajamas drinking coffee, and not doing a damn thing until around noon sounds juuuuuust perfect.
The type A part of me kind of shudders at this reality and hope it’s short lived. The other part of me, the part that sees the benefits of this much-needed chill pill, is kind of digging it.
I know I should be posting all about pumpkin and chai and fall colors and crisp air etc., but can we have just one last tomato hurrah? We received what might be our final cherry tomato pint in our CSA last week, and I am in complete denial that it’s already October. Where did my summer go? What did I even do with all those warm nights and sunshine?
Those who know me well, or who have been paying attention to this blog for a while, know that I can’t get on board with mayonnaise. I will sub sour cream and Greek yogurt and soaked cashews everywhere I can, because that mysterious white stuff with the raw eggs is not welcome in my belly.
I’ve had these strong feelings for several years, and my no-mayo stance has definitely gotten in the way of enjoying some otherwise attractive menu options at my favorite restaurants. Fancy shmancy places throw around the word “aioli” with pride – pesto aioli, sundried tomato aioli, jalapeno aioli. It sounds so good, but I know it’s just a horn-tooting way of saying “we threw some fun stuff in some mayo.”
I really don’t post enough pizza or calzones to accurately represent how often Ryan and I eat them. It’s OFTEN. Probably at least once per week. Pizza is more common, especially in the summer when we can use the grill, but Ryan definitely prefers calzones. Food stuffed in food is his favorite thing, you know.
He also loves broccoli – he’ll eat it raw, and keep the florets big, and doesn’t mind if there’s a little stem attached to those florets. I, however, prefer my broccoli roasted until golden brown and a tad crispy on the outside. And the stems? Those can’t be anywhere in sight. It’s really the only way broccoli is palatable to me, which seems a little wrong, being the veggie-obsessed person that I am. The nutty, crisp, olive-oil coated broccoli is the only broccoli that has made its way into my heart.
