No Cook Tomato Soup

I'm one of those people whose work schedules mean that I eat lunch and dinner at work. Trying to think of meals that are easy and portable had been challenging up until recently. I used to live on Lean Cuisine or Weight Watcher's meals because they took the guesswork and messwork (I made that word up) out of one meal of the day. I could eat one meal with a piece of fruit and maybe a side salad if I was feeling up to it. Or hungry.

"Wow - those Lean Cuisines make me feel stuffed. Said no one. Ever."

Seriously. Am I the only one to eat one of those things who afterwards felt like driving to get a cheeseburger because they felt shorted in the lunch department?

One of things I love about the raw food lifestyle is there's no cooking, no reheating, the food is easy to pack, it's fresh and colorful, and my hunger is always satiated. There's minimal mess in making food too, which is exactly what I need right now. I need easy. I need uncomplicated. I need fast. I'm just in one of those moods where I don't feel like using my brain cells to make dinner.

Know what I mean?

This tomato soup has become one my new favorite meals because there's minimal prep work, everything goes into the blender, and it's done. I pack it up into a mason jar, and that's dinner. It's also very inexpensive to make right now since tomatoes are in season and gardens are overflowing with herbs - I know mine sure is! If you have an abundance of tomatoes from the garden, this is an easy way to use them up.

I've written out a basic recipe but consider it to be freeform. The only thing I measure when I make this is the olive oil, just to be sure that I'm not going too crazy with it since I'm still working on reducing my body weight. Not all fat is created equal, so keep in mind that olive oil is one of the "good guys" - a healthy, monounsaturated fat that has polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants. In addition to the antioxidants in the extra virgin olive oil, you'll be receiving lycopene from the tomatoes, which protects the cells from free radicals. Tomatoes are also very high in Vitamin C and potassium.

Make sure you are using the best ingredients you can get your hands on, preferably organic. The quality really comes through in this soup. You may even want to make a really big batch to freeze and reheat on a chilly winter day.

No Cook Tomato Soup
2 large tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped (around 4 cups chopped)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1/4 of a medium red onion
1/2 - 1 garlic clove
5 large basil leaves
3 stems oregano, leaves removed and stems discarded
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional


Directions:
Put everything in a blender and blend for at least one minute or until smooth.

Serves: 2

6 Weight Watchers Points+ counting veggies

4 Weight Watchers Points+ not counting veggies

Chocolate Berry Zucchini Smoothie

Anyone else feel like they have zucchini coming out of their ears? Last year I was begging, dreaming, wishing, and hoping some kind soul would leave a few zucchini on my front porch for Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch night. Not a one showed up on my porch, by the way.

But this year?

Ohhhhh...this yearrrrr.

This year, we will be the ones to sneak zucchini on to my neighbors' porches.

My brother planted a garden at his house, so in addition to our garden, we overfloweth with zucchini and cucumbers.

No joke, my parents came home from my brother's house with this 5 gallon bucket filled with zucchini and cucumbers. A few of the zucchini could double as a baseball bat.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I asked for zucchini, and I got it.

We've already shared the wealth with friends and family, but we still have quite an abundance. We've made a zucchini cobbler, zucchini fudge cake, zucchini bread, and zucchini cake, but none of those options are super friendly to the waistline.

At this stage of the zucchini game, I want to eat it and not know that I'm eating it. Know what I mean?

Hence, zucchini in a smoothie.

I'm dead serious about putting zucchini in a smoothie. It's desperate times and I think this has become my favorite way to eat it. For reals, y'all. I mean, last year I made zucchini pancakes and zucchini brownies that were good, but this is just too easy. Zucchini has virtually no flavor, which is why it's so great in sweet things. Plus, by eating the zucchini in its raw form, you're getting the max amount of benefits from the zucchini. They are low in calories, high in Vitamin C, and a good source of folates, Vitamin A, manganese, and potassium,.

I used a normal sized zucchini here, but if you're trying to use up a zucchini the size of a baseball bat, you'll need to scrape the seeds out, for sure.

Chocolate Berry Zucchini Smoothie

1 cup roughly chopped zucchini
1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 Tbls cocoa powder
2 tsps agave
1 Tbls almond butter
3/4 cup almond milk

Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Drink it up!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

"This stuff is awesome! It's like eating peanut butter frosting!" Jack, my co-worker, said as he popped a second bite of the peanut butter cookie dough dip in his mouth.

"So you really like it?" I asked him as I was gearing up to break the news to him.

"Definitely."

"GOOD!" I clapped my hands. "Because now I'll tell you what's in it."

Jack's face froze.

"It's got dates that have been soaked to release their sweet juiciness... and garbanzo beans. And natural peanut butter!"

Jack's face started to lose color, "I can taste the beans now. I feel like I've been hoodwinked."

"You cannot taste the beans," I said, rolling my eyes at him. "It's awesome. You loved it. It's OK to admit it."

He rolled his eyes at me and admitted that he would never have known this dip was actually healthy if I hadn't told him. Tee-hee!

This deliciousness passed the Jack test. You will seriously never guess the base of this dip is protein and fiber packed garbanzo beans. For reals.







Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip
recipe adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

1 15oz can of garbanzo beans (also called chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Place dates in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit for 6-8 hours (or overnight).

In the bowl of a food processor, place the dates and liquid. Process for 30 seconds. Add garbanzo beans, vanilla extract, and peanut butter and process until very smooth. Spoon mixture into a bowl and stir in chocolate chips.

Serve with apple slices, cookies, or just eat straight up outta the bowl!

--- 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus per 1/4 cup serving ---