Bad Timing

Have you ever come across someone that you hit it off with right away as if they're some sort of kindred spirit of yours, but the timing was just all wrong.  It's funny how you can go about living life without anything spectacular happening, i.e. when the time is perfect to be in a relationship, but no one really catches your eye.  But as soon as your life starts speeding up and you so many things to do with no where near enough time to do it BAM! You come across someone that makes put everything else on pause just to spend more time together.  When it comes to romance, I feel like more than just the standard compatibility, commitment, and honesty play a part in determining what makes a relationship work.  It also takes good timing.  It's not enough to simply like someone, you have to be willing to compromise and for me a lot of that compromise is taking time away from one thing and giving it to that person.  Now for some people this might not be much of an issue, but I just assume that those are the people with not a lot taking up their time.  For me, on the other hand, it proves to be a huge problem.  I'm in the midst of making major moves for my life, things that require my full and undivided attention, and it's just my luck that I find someone that I genuinely like.  Now considering that I've been single for quite some time now some people might think that this would be the best thing ever, but unfortunately it's just a little too late.  Now the question is do I just ride it out and see what happens next (which will likely be nothing) or do I just take that 'L' now?  It's really a shame... He actually has a lot of the qualities that I was looking for in a potential boyfriend, but alas the timing was just all bad.  Well at least now I have a better model of what I'm looking for, and I've gained some hope in knowing that what I want isn't completely unattainable.
Here's Hoping...

Just a Thought...

As of lately, the reasoning for my single status has been brought into conversation with a few friends of mine.  No matter what we are talking about the subject always turns to how I need to find a man.  While I might disagree on 'NEED' for a man at the time, I can't ignore the fact that I have been single for the past 2+ years.  I hate discussing this topic because the question 'Why are you single?', always pops up.  The fact of the matter is I DON'T KNOW! Honestly, if I had any clue as to why I would probably be able to fix the problem.  Now I've been told many reasons why by others, but if I were to put a complete list together there would be way too many things 'wrong' with me, which would thus lead to a great feeling of helplessness.  And I don't need any of that in my life right now.  Perhaps the most current reason I've been told is that I lack assertiveness.  This one caught me off guard, because in general I thought of myself as an assertive person, but upon further review I realized that I was actually passive in pursuing a relationship.  There was once a time that I didn't think twice about telling a guy how I felt about them, but to most I was seen as nothing more than a good friend/sister.  Inevitably the thought of rejection paralyzed me and I adopted a new mentality that if a man wanted me that he would make the first move.  Unfortunately,  these days quality men are few and far between and like me they have grown afraid of possible rejection.  Thus leading to people like me being in situations where the people like each other, but are too afraid to actually admit to it.  This is sad, because all it takes is one person to be brave enough to take that first step and chances are that the other person has been feeling the same way.  So here is my pledge... if and when it is possible to tell a guy how I feel.  Lets hope that this plan doesn't back fire and ricochet me back to my passive ways.

Product Review

Dr. Miracle's Deep Conditioning Treatment

Last night I took out my mini twists that i've had in for the past week (it's been my go to style for the summer) and I wanted to give my hair a deep condition.  I picked up a couple packets of the Dr. Miracle's Deep Conditioning Treatment at a local CVS because they were having a BOGO free sale.  I also stocked up on Shea Moisture products that were also BOGO Free. I washed my hair with the shea moisture retention shampoo, did a quick condition with my Aussie Moist then rinsed that out and I put the Dr. Miracle's on.  The formula was thick and smelled like mint (both are pros for me).  Given that my hair is really thick it needs a conditioner with some weight to it.  I'm not sure if I would say it 'tingled', but instead I would compare the feeling to when you use a vapor rub, I felt it open all of the pores on my scalp and it was really refreshing.  I sat with a plastic bag on my head for a little over an hour.  If you are using a drying hood then you can cut the time in half.  I rinsed the conditioner out with cool water and my hair felt really soft and my curls were pretty defined.  I could definitely tell my hair was well moisturized, which was my primary goal. 
Recommendation:
I would definitely recommend this product to people, especially if you have thick, coarse, and  curly hair like mine.

Ingredients:
Thermaceutial Complex (Proprietary Blend ), Water ( Aqua), Mineral Oil (Parafinium Liquidum), Petrolatum, Glycerin, Polyquaternium -32, Polyquaternium – 10, Dimethicone, Lanolin alcohol, Menthol, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Diazodinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Carmel 

LA Crass... Wedding?

"My old man is a bad man
But I can't deny the way he holds my hand
And he grabs me, he has me by my heart
He doesn't care I  have a Las Vegas past
He doesn't mind I have a L.A crass way about me
He loves with every beat of his cocaine heart"

-Lana Del Rey

What's cooler than being cool? L.A. cool apparently, and brides are putting a very unique spin on their wedding themes.  What is L.A. Crass you ask? It's fast pace and indelicate city living.  This isn't the boho beachy lifestyle that most people associate with the west coast.  Instead its motels, cigarettes, and smeared red lipstick.  Here's a little inspiration board i came up with

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What's on the Menu?

Cheddar Broccoli Corn Muffins!!!
The other day I noticed that I haven't used my kitchen for a whole week other than to use the blender and make a green smoothie or something.  This prompted me to make a big dinner for me and my friends.  I decided to make jambalaya, but I had no clue what else to make with it because the dish itself contains just about everything you need in a meal. So I searched the internet and there was a general consensus that that corn bread would go great with it.  So I thought to myself how can I take this cornbread to the next level? Then answer... add veggies and cheese to the mix.  This is the recipe that I came up with and it turned out amazing... or at least that's what all my friends said when they tried it.

Recipe:

• 2 boxes of cornbread mix (I prefer Jiffy)
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 cup of chopped broccoli (I also added cauliflower)
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 'F.  Make sure the veggies are cooked before adding them to the mix.  I used frozen vegetables and steamed them for 7-10 minutes, but you can also boil them.  Add everything together, but save about 1/4 cup of cheese to melt on top of the muffins later.  The mix should be kind of chunky and not very liquidy.  Grease a muffin pan prior to filling.  The cups should be filled about 1/2-3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 20 min. then sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese then bake for another 2 min.  Allow them to rest before serving, but they are best when served hot.  Hope you enjoy this recipe, and feel free to substitute the veggies with your favorite.  I think next time I'll try it with spinach.

Summer Weddings

If you're like me you've noticed that everyone around you is getting married.  Tis' the season for wedding bells.  For most retailers the peak of their sales occur during the holiday season, but in the wedding industry 'Bridal Christmas' happens between March-July.  This is the time everyone wants to get married, possibly because its usually the time where it's not too hot or cold to have an outdoor wedding.  With summer weddings you can expect to see a lot of bright colors and interesting floral arrangements because this is the time everything is in bloom.  Here are just a few pics of recent trends I've noticed.  It looks like a real shabby-chic style with lots of vintage accents.

Special Occasion

The first thing to do when planning your dream wedding is to figure out what type of occasion you want it to be.  There are many different themes ranging from formal to laid back and casual.  Think about your personality, are you the type of couple who likes structure and status, or are you the nonchalant laissez faire type? The worst thing you could do is try to force a particular style on yourself when it doesn't feel natural.  Here are a few example of weddings, once you have chosen one everything else begins to flow naturally.

White Tie:
This is an extremely formal occasion where the men are instructed to where white ties, shirts, vests, and a black tuxedo.  The women are instructed to wear long formal dresses.

Black Tie:
This is a formal event where men where either a tuxedo or dark suit and women where either long or short formal dresses.

Cocktail:
This type gives a little more leeway  between formal and casusal.  Just think of it as what you would wear to church or a night out on the town.

Outdoor:
For these types of events there needs to be a happy medium between style and comfort.  Feel free to dress up in cute floral designs with flowy fabrics, and men can wear nice button downs with khakis.  Flip flops may even be a necessity on a beach.  Be mindful of the weather.  

Love Is In The Air

I'm not exactly sure what was going on in the cosmos over the weekend, but whatever it was it resulted in 10+ of my friends either getting engaged or married!  I suppose I just missed the memo that we were supposed to find our soul mate over the weekend, but none the less I am very happy for all of the lucky couples out there.  One in particular touches my heart in particular.  Now I'll admit that I was in complete disbelief when my cousin told me that her and her long-time boyfriend got married yesterday.  It wasn't so much that I never thought she would do such a thing, it's just that no one was given a heads up.  I still don't think her mother believes it, but it's true.  I approve because they are both great together and the reason they did it was for financial/legal reasons. Since all they did was basically sign a marriage license, I don't count it as a wedding.  Thus, I have been enlisted to help plan her real wedding that will take place a year from now.  Given that wedding planning is my part-time passion I was overjoyed.  In fact after I got over the initial shock I went straight into planner mode.  It's not often that someone in our family gets married so that makes this a very special occasion.  My heart goes out to all of the luck couples, and to my readers get ready for wedding themed posts!

What's In My Headphones?

Over the last week or so I had been re-exposed to the artist Lana Del Rey.  I had heard her music some time before, but never gave it my full attention.  Well after hearing her song Brite Lites on YouTube with one of my favorite choreographers dancing to it I fell in love.  So like I do with any new artist I like, I downloaded all of her songs including her new album Born To Die.  I love this album because she managed to perfectly execute great lyrics, mesmerizing vocals, and retro-inspired instrumentals.  In one word... Musicality! Her style is a classic combination of 60's pinup/gangsta/awesomeness... she kinda reminds me of Santigold.  Any artist who can make pictures appear in my mind with their music automatically wins me over.
Any who... Here is a clip of her work you can decide for yourself.

What's On The Menu?

This post is just a little something that I whipped up for dinner today, honey glazed tilapia, black beans and corn mix, and jasmine rice.

Ingredients:

• onion
• bell pepper
• garlic
• canned corn
• black beans
• tomatoes
• tilapia
• rice
• spices: cinnamon, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder
• honey 

Rice: I love jasmine rice, possibly because it is such a fragrant rice, I don't necessarily think it has that different of a flavor than white rice, but I'm sure that others may disagree.

 Corn & Beans:  I'm not exactly sure what to call this side dish, other than corn and beans.  I used a bell pepper and onion to give a little more depth to the dish.  For seasoning I only used some salt, pepper, and Sazon Goya seasoning (to add even more flavor saute the veggies in bacon grease).  After the veggies have been sauteed and the corn, beans, and canned tomatoes (I drained and rinsed the canned corn and beans).   Allow the dish to simmer on medium heat for 10-15mins.

 Honey Glazed Tilapia: Season the fish with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and cinnamon then coat with either olive or safflower oil.  This time I chose to saute the fish this time, but it is also amazing when grilled.  The key is to drizzle the honey over it before taking it off the heat.  This way the honey forms a nice crust over the fish.

Before serving drizzle a little extra honey over the fish.  Since tilapia is such a mild fish it can stand up to a lot of flavor so don't worry about over seasoning.

What's on the menu?

Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

adapted from All Recipes
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 burger w/ mayo bun + avocado • Old Points: 8 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 362.6 • Fat: 14.0 g • Protein: 18.1 g • Carb: 50 g • Fiber: 15.1 g • Sugar: 7.1 g
Sodium: 786.4 mg (without salt)
Patty alone, no bun, no avocado, no mayo: 4 pts plus 


Ingredients:

For the Spicy Chipotle Mayo:

• 3 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise (Hellman's)
• 1 tbsp canned chipotle in adobo sauce

For the Black Bean Burgers:

• 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jumbo egg
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 cup quick oats (use gf oats for gluten free)

• 4 whole wheat 100 calorie buns (Martin's)*
• 1 small hass avocado, sliced thin

Directions:
Combine mayonnaise and chipotle, set aside.
Dry the beans well after washing, extra moisture keep the burgers from sticking. In a medium bowl, mash beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and garlic, then add oats, then eggs and spices. Then stir into mashed beans. 
Divide mixture into four patties (using slightly oiled hands helps) and place them onto a flat surface covered with wax paper. (If it's too wet, chill the mixture 30 minutes in the refrigerator or add another tablespoon of oats)
Freeze at least 2 hours before cooking or keep frozen until ready to cook.
Heat a lightly sprayed skillet to medium heat and cook frozen burgers about 7 minutes on each side.
If grilling, preheat grill over medium heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil; grill 7-8 minutes on each side or you can bake in the oven at 375° on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Self Improvement

Hello Readers,
If you've been keeping up with my last few posts you know that I am on a mission to find a meaningful relationship.  The last couple steps I've taken have involved me taking a good hard look at myself and figuring out what I bring to the table.  This next step is also an introspective one:
Step 3: Self-Improvement
Now unless you are Jesus himself, there is room for improvement. This step is not meant for you to be harsh on yourself and make you dwell on your imperfections, but it is important that you are real with yourself.  Just like I had you write down all of your strengths, I want you to write down your weaknesses.  The goal of this step is to take initiative in making yourself a better half.  For example, let's say you have bad credit, your not in healthy physical condition, or you aren't very social, these are all issues that can be fixed with some time and effort.  There is never a obstacle so great that it cannot be overcome.  It helps if you at least recognize it is a problem, from there you can find ways to improve it. It's important to remember that not everything can be solved in a day, some things may take months or even years to fix, but once they are you will feel such a great sense of relief knowing that you overcame a great hurdle.

Ex.  Large amount of debt/Bad Credit:  get in contact with the bank or creditor and come up with a solution to minimize or eliminate your debt.  In this economy many people are having trouble and most companies are willing to work with you.  Make sure to have a reliable source of income and most importantly make a budget for yourself and STICK TO IT!!! You also want to pay yourself first by putting at least 10% in a savings account that can be used for emergencies.

It's vital that you remember that no matter how bad your situation may seem it can be fixed.

Blog Shout Out

I just wanted to take the time to give a shout out to my best friend Michelle and her cousin for starting a beauty blog. Check it out at www.beautythugs.blogspot.com

Father's Day

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see,
Or that I hadn't heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word. Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we'd grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It's written on my heart. Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be
The (woman)(man) I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away. I've grown up with your values,
And I'm very glad I did;
So here's to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid. By Joanna Fuchs

Know Your Role

In my last post I introduced some of the steps I'm taking in order to find a meaningful relationship.  Step one was to play up your strengths, I made this the first step because it can be so easy to fall into a negative mindset when thinking of why you're single, this way you are encouraged to think of the positive before even having time to get depressed.  As I sat to make a list of good things about myself I realized that I'm a catch... This is not to sound cocky, but to get you to understand that you are in fact worth it!  Too often I am surrounded my beautiful, intelligent, and successful women who feel that the reason they're single is because they simply aren't qualified.  This couldn't be farther from the truth, the problem isn't in what you lack, but in how you present yourself.  Lacking confidence is the equivalent of smelling like the falafel you had for lunch, you may not realize it, but everyone can smell you.  It's became apparent to me that a good portion of the steps I'm taking aren't necessarily to snag any man I choose, but to make myself a person any man would be proud to call his woman.  After all getting the man is the easy part, it's keeping him that's the challenge.  But don't worry if you follow these steps like I am the man will want to stay.

Step Two:  Know Your Role
Before you even get into a relationship it is important to know what type of woman you are and what type of woman you plan to be for a man.  Let's face it, not everyone is meant to be wifed up, but if you truly feel it's something you deserve, then proclaim it.  Now just because you think you deserve to be someone's girlfriend/wife doesn't mean every man is going to see you that way.  There's nothing wrong with going out and having fun by all means do you! But if you want to be taken serious as a contender for love you have to walk the walk.  The fact is that it's not the wife you see up on a table top shaking for change... you are only offered one first impression, and if you mess that up most people aren't willing to stick around to see what else you offer.  So the homework assignment for tonight is to take a deep look inside and figure out if you're looking for fun or looking for love.  Both are acceptable decisions, but they have very different paths and end results.

Play Up Your Strengths

I have to make a confession.... I was unaware that the dates of Cuffing Season have been changed.  Is is just me or is everyone I meet or already know is either in a relationship, married, having a baby, or anything else that does not indicate being single? The whole thing has had me in a funk the last few weeks because it wasn't until recently that I realized that I'm the last single friend...  As hard as I try I can't shake the feeling that this is depressing news and that I need to take some serious steps to ensure that it doesn't stay this way for long.  Now I'll admit that I haven't been giving relationships a serious thought for quite some time now because I've been solely focused on school, work, networking for my future, trying to remain somewhat social, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Wow, when I write it all out like that it really is a lot, but despite all of that I do know that I need to put some effort into dating because chances are that my dream man will not just fall into my lap.  I'm attempting to come up with a few steps that will ensure that I'm giving myself the best chance at finding someone special.  I might not have the whole series worked out yet, but here is what I have so far.

Step 1:  Play Up Your Strengths

The idea behind this is that no one knows what you do best like you do, and if you're not sure what your strengths are ask someone close to you.  Next you should post them somewhere that you'll see them everyday.  It's the best way I know how to ensure that you won't get down on yourself and think that you have nothing to offer.  And on the off chance you have no strengths work on getting some.  After all, you can't be a full half then any relationship you do get in will never be a whole one.

M.R.S. Degree

As I've gotten older, my observation skills have become more keen to people's characteristics.  I'm able to look at a person and depending on what they're wearing, how they talk, and how they carry themselves I can tell what they're there for.  This is especially evident on a college campus or in the workplace.  Women in particular seem to broadcast their intentions to the public more than men.  For example, it's a Tuesday morning on campus and you see a girl with a full face of makeup, hair whipped, and heels on in your 8am lecture... you already know that she didn't come for books alone.  There are special class of women that come to college or get certain jobs for one specific reason... To get a HUSBAND!  Otherwise known as a M.R.S. Degree.  Now I am in no way knocking these individuals because in theory it makes perfect sense.  In order to attract the most suitable partner one must surround herself with proper suitors.  A college campus is prime hunting grounds for finding a mate because it's assured that the men are educated and ambitious with a likely chance of finding a good paying job after graduation.  The purpose of this post is to inform the rest of you women out there that went to college to make something of yourself that if you plan on finding love in this environment that you need to know your competition.  It's safe to say that women today want it all, a successful career, and loving husband, good kids, and great friends, but with the number of bonafide men dwindling down it is important to know that you have to compete with women who are willing to overlook the degree for love.
Mrs Degree: 

noun: pejorative
1. A marriage as a result of attending a 4-year university with the soul purpose of getting married and consequently not completing college.
2. The attending of college, usually a 4-year university of moderate to high prestige, to get married to avoid independence or responsibility.
3. To go from one's parent's home to the home of a spouse with out ever achieving emotional or financial independence, or academic success.

Here are a few tips on how to spot this woman:

• you never see her without makeup
• unless she is in the gym she is not wearing yoga pants
• makes her presence known to all males upon arrival
• is willing to cook/clean a man's place without being asked (playing the domestic role)
• comes across as a damsel in distress (always the victim- men love to rescue women)

Now I know some of you will read this list and a woman's face will instantly pop into your head, others may look at the list and realize you fall into the category as well, if either of these is the case that's perfectly fine.  The reason I wrote this post is to inform all parties that it is a serious competition to get the life you want and in order to win, you need to know your strengths and put your best pedicured foot forward.

What's on the Menu?

Lemon Chicken Recipe

• Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 Tbsp melted butter
Lemon slices for garnish

METHOD

1 Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on to each piece of chicken.

3 Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.

Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

4 Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Serve alone or with steamed rice.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

How Do You Ramen?

There is perhaps nothing more important to a starving college student than ramen noodles and it's easy to see why.  They're incredibly cheap, quick to make, and can fill you up.  As far as taste, they're nothing special, but some students have decided to use them as a base for a more substantial and tasty treat.  Here are a few recipes I was able to find online.  Feel free to check out http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/12/01/100-awesome-ramen-recipes-for-starving-college-students/ for more recipes.


1. Tex Mex Ramen: Make Tex Mex ramen by browning pound of ground beef. Stir in package of taco seasoning mix and boiled ramen noodles. Place on serving dish and top with cup each diced tomato, chopped onion and shredded cheese, a bit of chopped cilantro and some crushed nacho-cheese flavored tortilla chips.

2. Smoked Mussel Ramen: In a pot: Boil water, crush the noodles into smaller cubes of four (Crush them in a bag one way, then another) Toss the noodles in, be sure not to overcook. They should still look/taste/feel slightly undercooked when done. Drain completely with a strainer, add the seasoning packet and stir. Put this off to the side. In a frying pan: Light oil, Medium heat. Wait until warmed up. Throw in the whole can of mushrooms (After you drain the water) and the whole can of mussels (After you drain the oil) Season with garlic and onion powder and oyster sauce (It is up to you the amount you use) Cook for about 4 minutes, stir often. Throw in the seasoned noodles. Lower heat slightly and then cook for another 5 minutes or less. Keep stirring until mushrooms/mussels are well blended with the noodles. Should be nice and hot and the noodles should be perfectly done. Pour out onto a plate, use your “Thai chili sauce” on each bite for an extra sweet yet spicy taste. If you shopped around and got the best prices, this whole meal should cost roughly 2.50$, serve with a side of vegetables and possibly some mashed potato for a meal that will keep you full most of the day.

3. Zesty Ramen Tuna: Take 1 bag of ramen, crunch bag before you open the bag so you can break the ramen down a little. Add ramen and 2 cups of water in bowl. Microwave or boil ramen for 3 min. Drain ramen until the water is almost gone. Drain water from can of tuna then mix, 1\2 tsp. Old Bay & 3 or 4 squirts of dressing with ramen.

What's on the Menu?

Tomato Bisque

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 cups • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 125.8 • Fat: 4.4 g • Protein: 4.5 g • Carb: 19.5 g • Fiber: 4.5 g   

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 celery stalk
• 3 cloves garlic
• 30 oz fresh plum tomatoes, peeled
• 32 oz fat free chicken broth, canned or homemade
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 10 basil leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
• Parmigiano Reggiano for serving (optional)

Directions: 

Chop onions, carrots, celery and garlic using a mini food processor or chopper. Meltbutter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add butter until melted, then addchopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes, stirring well. 

Using a string or a rubber band, tie herbs together and drop into the soup. This will make it easy to remove later. Add salt and fresh pepper, reduce heat to low andsimmer covered for 30 minutes.

Remove herbs and discard, add sour cream and blend with a hand blender until smooth. (A regular blender would work, but be sure to let the soup cool before blending and fill only halfway in the blender so it doesn't explode on you).


Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated cheese and fresh basil.

Makes 8 cups.