saturday randomness + awesome soup recipe

I have an 18 mile run on tap for today - and in an effort to procrastinate a little bit longer, I give you this very random post. :)

Last Saturday I saw something I never ever thought I would see in my whole entire life.


Maia - what the heck is this cat doing in my dog bed??


Meh - too tired to care.

On Wednesday I received an email from an associate editor at Women's Day magazine asking me if I would like to feature one of my favorite snacks on their "Snack Smart" blog. After I picked my jaw up from off the floor and did quite the happy dance, Nic popped open a beer and we celebrated. I had to call my Mom to share the good news.



We've been having quite the crappy weather here in Iowa lately. Temperatures way below normal and a lot of rain. So last night I whipped up a warm bowl of comfort - soup!  I've had this soup on my mind since Nic brought home a head of cauliflower the other day and the final product surpassed my expectations.  A healthy, creamy soup that doesn't taste healthy. Divine.  Four thumbs up.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Soup



In the mix::

• 1t coconut oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 carrots grated - about 1 cup
• 1 small head cauliflower - cut into small florets, about 2.5 cups
• 2 3/4 cup veggie stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cup navy beans
• 1 whole head roasted garlic
• 1 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t white pepper
• 1/4 t dried parsley
• 1/4 t nutmeg

Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium pot. Add onions and carrots and saute 2-3 minutes. Add cauliflower florets and saute a minute more. Add veggie stock and bring to boil.  Reduce to a simmer, add the bay leaf, cover and cook until cauliflower is very tender.

When cauliflower is tender, add beans and garlic. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.

Add spices, tasting occasionally for taste. Add more or less to your taste.

Makes about 6 cups of soup.

This soup was amazing. Seriously creamy you wouldn't believe there was no cream in there! Nic and I both thought it tasted like cream of potato soup - without the cream or the potatoes.  Yum.

We served these up with a side of kale chips.



I have been slightly obsessed with kale chips lately. I dunked mine in the soup - and then later had a second serving with ketchup.

The soup would be really good with some kale stirred into it at the end.

Eat more kale.

I have an interesting idea for pizza planned for dinner tonight. I hope the crust that I just made ends up being a good base. This pizza will be epic (I hope!).

Alright. It is shaping up to be quite the nice day.



Time to head out to get a 18 mile dose of vitamin D.



18 miles...its been a while since I've tackled this distance.



But at 55* and sunny - it is bound to be a good run.



See ya on the flip side! :)