Eggs- travaganza!

We're experiencing an egg boom here. Our hens are laying about 5 dozen eggs a week. So we're having to get creative with what we're doing with them.

We typically hard boil about 2 dozen a week for egg salad or snacking. Every once in awhile we'll make deviled eggs.

But that still leaves about 3 dozen a week to make into other meals.

We can only have scrambled eggs or fried eggs so many times before we're tired of them. So then we make egg bakes.

But even those get boring after awhile.

So then I tried rice pudding. It was delicious and the kids loved it, but we still need more ideas...

My mother- in- love dehydrated a dozen. That was... interesting.

I would make pickled eggs, but I would be the only one eating those.

We need more ideas.

What's your favorite way to prepare eggs?

Rice Pudding

With fourteen laying hens, we have a slight over abundance of eggs (about 11 eggs a day).  There's only so many times I can eat fried or scrambled eggs, so I went looking for some other alternatives.

I came across one for rice pudding and decided to tweak a bit...

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup raisins

2 lg. eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups milk

Gradually heat the rice, raisins and milk to not quite boiling.   In a small bowl beat eggs just enough to combine yolks and whites. Stir in sugar, salt and nutmeg.  Slowly combine the hot milk mixture with the eggs in a 9x13 casserole.  Bake 350 degrees until knife inserted comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.  Make sure there is another pan of water in the oven when baking.  This helps to keep the rice pudding moist.

Serve while still warm.  My kids added some butter to theirs.  Junior ended up eating 3 servings and finished the rest for breakfast the next day =)

Just Chew

I've been learning a lot in school the last few months, so much that I've filled up a notebook with notes and ideas!

One of the biggest things that I've learned is to chew your food.  I know that this is something so simple and yet something that we really don't do.  Chewing is so important to good digestion and absorbing all of your nutrients.  When we chew our food it releases saliva that is vital in breaking down our food.  

The last few months our family has slowed down and mindfully focused on chewing and enjoying our meals.  This past month my husband and I noticed that we all eat a little less however, we have really enjoyed longer mealtimes and discussions.  

To start we all chewed thirty times and then we have increased the number from there.  

Now we don't even really count we just chew. 

Tell me, do you chew your food?

Caramelized Onion Apple Pork Chops

This is another family favorite.  Probably because it involves pork, which is the next best thing to bacon.  Or so I've been told =)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 brown sugar

6 boneless pork chops

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup apple juice

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions:

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet and add onion and garlic.  Cook and stir until tender over medium high heat.  Then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown- about 30 minutes.

Place pork chops in baking pan.  Top with onion mixture and apples.

Deglaze skillet with chicken broth and apple juice.  Stir in Dijon mustard.  Pour over pork chops.  Cover pan.  Bake at 350* until done (time will depend on thickness of chops).

Delicious served with garlic mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables. 

A Twist on Shepherd's Pie

As I was pulling out soup recipes last week, I came across this version of Shepherd's Pie.  This has been a favorite for us and is very easy to make.

Filling:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, shredded

2 cups cabbage, broccoli or kale, finely chopped

1/2 cup vegetable stock

2 cups cooked lentils

1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)

salt to taste

Crust:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

milk

butter

sour cream

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

paprika

Preheat oven to 400*.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium- low heat.  Add onion and carrots and saute until soft.  Stir in garlic and cabbage, broccoli or kale.  Add stock and cover pan.  Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in remaining filling ingredients.  Cook 5 minutes or until filling is hot.  Pour filling into 2- quart casserole dish.

While filling cooks, prepare mashed potato crust.  Place potatoes in medium heat until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).  Drain potatoes and return them to the pot.  Mash potatoes while adding a milk, butter or sour cream until potatoes are smooth.  Stir in minced parsley.  Spread potatoes evenly over filing.  Sprinkle evenly with paprika.  Bake uncovered 20- 30 minutes until potatoes and filling are hot and edges are slightly golden.

I put shredded cheddar cheese on top on the potatoes before baking.  Kids gobble it up without any complaints =)

What are some of your favorite go to recipes?

Ham and Egg Cups

We've been getting a stockpile of eggs from the chickens lately, so I figured the eggs needed to be used up quickly ;)

This is one of my kids favorite meals.  Probably because they get to eat them with their fingers.

Ingredients:

12 pieces lunch meat- I use nitrate free

8 eggs

a splash of milk

shredded cheese

Place 1 slice of lunch meat in a muffin tin (use them like cupcake liners)

Beat eggs with a bit of milk for extra fluffiness

Pour eggs into the lunch meat liners

Sprinkle with cheese

Bake at 350* until firm- about 30 minutes

Remove from pan and enjoy!

You can add any type of seasoning to the eggs that you like.  I've added a bit of Dijon mustard, garlic salt, Italian seasoning...  The sky is the limit for seasoning =)

F Is For...

I love November.  In Texas that means things are finally cooling off so that you can enjoy being out.  

I also love giving thanks for all of our blessings.  I have a thankfulness journal and try to stop and write in it often, not just in November!  I hope that you all are encouraged as Lynette and I share what we are thankful for throughout the month and then continue on with our Thankful Thursday's on our Facebook page.  

Last Friday I got to meet up with some of my friends for a going away party for me and a birthday party for my friend Holly.   It hit me then food and friendship go hand in hand and I am so thankful for both.  I got to have sushi and conversation mixed in with laughter and truly enjoy myself.  This group of women holds a special place in my heart.  For the last year we have gotten together once a month and enjoyed each others company.  We have encouraged and supported one another, listened to our struggles, laughed away our problems, and just talked.

Do you have friends that encourage you?

Making Sauerkraut

A couple weeks ago, my mother- in- love started her jar of sauerkraut.

It's almost ready to eat, and I'm so excited to get to try it.  And since there's only a couple of us here that will actually eat sauerkraut, I know I'll be getting plenty =)

Sauerkraut is one of the easiest lacto- fermented foods to make.  All you need is fresh cabbage, real salt and a jar with a lid.

Then, there are a few basics you need to remember in order to make a good sauerkraut:

1. Use fresh cabbage. The better your ingredients, the better your food will be. Fermentation is a preservation process so you won’t get the best results with cabbage heads that are past their prime.

2. Use at least some salt.  Salt is a traditional ingredient in sauerkraut because it increases shelf life, texture, and flavor.

3. Create an anaerobic environment. You have to submerge the shredded cabbage underneath a brine in order for the lactic acid bacteria to proliferate and preserve your sauerkraut.

4. Give it time. You can ferment sauerkraut for only a few days before moving to cold storage, but giving sauerkraut a lower temperature and longer fermentation time seems to develop the flavor and texture a little better than the fast-ferment method.

So, now that you know the basics, here's the recipe that we used for the sauerkraut.

Ingredients

2lbs of cabbage (either red or green)

4 tsp sea salt

Equipment

large wooden cutting board

large knife

large mixing bowl

1 quart size mason jar or similar jar with tight fitting lid

Preparation

Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard.

Quarter the cabbage and remove (cut out) the core.

Shred/ finely chop the cabbage.  You can use a food processor if you want, just make sure it is a course shred.

With clean hands, firmly massage the mixture of cabbage and sea salt.  This step could take up to 10 minutes.

Pack the mixture into jars.  Make sure the cabbage is tightly pack with as few air bubbles as possible.

Leave about 1" at the top to allow room for expansion.

Close the lid and place the jar in a cool, dark place.  

Check the sauerkraut everyday or two.  Open the jar, smell it, taste it (with a clean fork) and pack it back down until the liquid rises above it.  

It should take a few days to start seeing bubbles and a few more days to start smelling and tasting sour.  You can eat it any time you want or put it in the refrigerator.  Young sauerkraut is crunchy with a mild flavor and old sauerkraut is soggier and has a stronger flavor.  

Lacto- fermented Herbal Tea

My first experimentation with fermenting herbal teas was with a red raspberry leaf and mint blend.  It turned out ok.  It had a flavor that reminded me of honey and lemon.

My next try was using the Dr Cinnamon tea from the Bulk Herb Store.  This one turned out much better!

Ingredients:

1 quart of fresh water
1/4 cup loose herbal tea of choice
3 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup whey from yogurt or kefir or a few tablespoons of lacto-fermented vegetable brine 

Instructions:

Prepare the herbal tea by bringing the water to a boil.
Add the 1/4 cup herbs to a quart jar and pour boiling water over herbs. 
Cover and allow to steep for at least 10 minutes to extract the properties of the herbs.
Strain the tea from the herbs into another quart jar. 
Add sweetener while still hot in order to dissolve the sugars. 
Allow to cool to room temperature with a lid on to keep out dust and bugs.
When the tea and sweetener have cooled add the whey or other culture starter. 
Stir well with a wooden spoon, cover loosely with either a towel and rubber band or a fermenting lid.
Place in a dark, warm place for a couple of days and check for fermentation. 

Is it slightly sour or slightly fizzy? If you desire a more carbonated drink you can add a bit more sweetener and cap the jar tightly. After another day (three total, depending on temperature) you should have a bubbly brew.

Drink immediately or move to cold storage.

This is a great way to get some probiotics and IMO, is a nice, refreshing drink after a run =)

Lacto What?

Lately I've been hearing a lot more about lacto- fermentation.  You've probably heard of it too, just without realizing that's what your friends were talking about.  I've made my own yogurt, saurkraut and kim chi.  I have friends who make their own kombucha...

People have been fermenting their foods for centuries.  It has given us breads, wines, cheeses, yogurts...  There are records of fermented foods being eaten as early as 4000 BC.

Fermentation fell out of favor in the early 1900's.  Why?  Because it's not suited for industrialized food systems.  Because flavors aren't guaranteed to be consistent batch to batch, food manufacturers switched to preservation methods that were easier to control- vinegar pickling, canning, pasteurization and increased levels of salt.  While these preservation methods made food shelf- stable, ship-able, and taste the same, it decreased the nutritional value of the food, and frankly, gave less complex and pleasing flavors.

With the surge in eating whole foods and limiting preservatives, fermentation has started to make a comeback.  Companies are springing up that specialize in fermenting foods the same way that traditional cultures did.

Many of us can't afford to but these, but did you know it's easy to make your own?  With a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of time, you can begin fermenting your own foods.

With the help of my mother- in- love, I've started fermenting some foods and drinks.

She worked on fermenting red cabbage for a sweeter tasting saurkraut (yum!  oops, am I showing my German heritage?) and salsa.

I started with a fermented herbal tea.

Lacto- fermented herbal tea

Get the fermentation caps here.

Red cabbage saurkraut

While the cabbage isn't quite ready, the salsa was delicious and the tea had a pleasant tang that was similar to, but not as strong as, lemon.

Over the next couple weeks, I'll walk you through some of the basic steps so that you can ferment with confidence!

Beef and Veggie Bake

The other night we had grilled ribs for supper.  But, unfortunately they were a bit tough =(

So, a couple days later I made them into this kid tested, kid approved meal.

Beef and Vegetable Bake

2 lbs boneless beef ribs cut into 1 inch pieces

5 medium carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz fresh portabello mushrooms, sliced

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup steak sauce

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 1/4 cups biscuit mix

2/3 cup milk

Mix everything but the mushrooms, biscuit mix and milk in a crockpot.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.

Add in the mushrooms.  Cook on low 30- 60 minutes more.

Mix up the biscuits.

Spoon the soup into individual oven safe bowls (or one big pan if you don't have individual ones).  Spoon the biscuit mix over the top.

Bake at 400* until biscuits are golden brown.  Remove from oven and serve.

My kids wanted theirs topped with cheese, of course.  So I sprinkled some Parmesan on top in the last couple minutes of cooking so it would melt/ brown up.

Food As Medicine: Cayenne Pepper

I've been working hard to finish up my Family Herbalist certification.  As I've been going through the coursework, I'm continually amazed at how many of our foods have medicinal properties.

I'm especially intrigued by the properties of cayenne pepper.

For the longest time, I only thought of this spice when I was making chili or Mexican dishes.  But, after going through the coursework, I see there is so much more to this spice.

One of it's properties is the ability to stop bleeding.  By taking an 1/8 to a 1/4 tsp in water, bloody noses will stop bleeding quickly.  Cayenne will also stop bleeding when applied directly to the wound.  

A tincture of cayenne (or again, the powder mixed in a glass of water) can be used to treat shock.

Since cayenne has warming properties, it has been used in cases of hypothermia.  

Cayenne has anti- inflammatory properties that can help combat pain.  An ointment made with cayenne can help ease the pain of arthritis.

Cayenne has cardiovascular benefits as well.  It can help to lower cholesterol.  It can help to strengthen artery and vein walls.  It can help the heart beat (pump) more efficiently- stronger, not harder.

A tea made from cayenne can help quickly clear stuffed up sinuses.    

Cayenne is used in formulas for pain relief, infection, respiratory ailments, female problems, and thyroid balance. Cayenne is an ingredient in laxatives, diuretics and ulcer medication. Added to ginger, cayenne helps clean out the bronchial tubes. This powerful stimulant can also be used as a relaxant to soothe gas, diarrhea, asthma and toothaches.

There are so many more uses for this spice than just cooking!

None of this is to be taken as medical advice.  It is up to you to research and consult with your doctor on what is right for you.

This post contains affiliate links.  You are under no obligation to purchase products through these links, but it would be great if you would help support Mom 4ce =)

Caribbean Chicken

For those of you who like things a bit spicier, here is an easy BBQ chicken recipe for you to try.

2/3 cup diced mango

2/3 cup fresh pineapple

2 tbs minced red onion

1 tbs minced seeded jalapeno pepper

1.5 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

1.5 tsp fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

put these together, then refrigerate for at least an hour (this is the salsa).

4-6 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves.

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

3 tbs low sodium soy sauce

2 tbs unpasteurized honey

1 tsp fresh lime juice

dash crushed red pepper.

pound the chicken out to 1/2 inch, then put all the lower ingredients into a Ziploc freezer bag, and chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour. Grill chicken on the BBQ, and save left over marinade in a pot. Cook down the liquid to only 4 tsp.

Serve each chicken breast with 1 tsp sauce, and a couple of tbs of salsa on top.

I tend to leave out the jalapeno pepper when I make it for the kids =)

Beans and Rice

Almost done with the series, and I'm finally getting around to a recipe.  This one is so easy and good for you!

I cook my own beans, because I like to mix different ones together.  But you can buy (and thoroughly rinse!) whatever canned beans you prefer.  Just be careful, because canned kidney beans often contain added sugar.

You will need:

1/4 c dried black beans

1/4 c dried pinto beans

1/4 c dried kidney beans

1/4 c dried great northern beans

1 c brown rice

1 jar of your favorite salsa (again, watch the ingredients!)

Optional toppings:

shredded cheese

sour cream

diced avocado

diced green onions

diced jalapenos

It's best to soak your beans overnight before you cook them.  But, if you're like me, you'll forget about it and wait until the last minute to start cooking the beans.

Bring the beans to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for a couple hours until the beans are tender.  Make sure you keep an eye on them, or you'll end up cooking all the water out and burning your beans (ahem).  Or, if you remembered to soak them overnight, just put them in the crock pot with enough water to cover them a couple inches cook on low all day or on high for about 4-5 hrs.

While the beans are cooking, cook your rice.

Once the beans are done, drain them.  Mix them in with the rice and add the salsa.  You can stop here and serve the beans and rice, or you can put it in a pan, cover with cheese and bake in a 350* oven until the cheese is bubbly.  I'm skipping the oven part this time, because I don't need to heat up the camper ;)

When serving, let everyone top with their favorite toppings.  

Cooking things in the crock pot is a great way to go in the summer.  It allows you to put supper in in the morning before you get busy with everything and it doesn't add a lot of heat to the house.  You can even set it outside to cook if you're short on space =)

Welcome Home

It's been a crazy week for me.  Why?  Well, because this is the week that we packed everything up and moved.

But not your ordinary move.  We didn't move into a house.  We moved into a camper.  All our things are in a storage container (except for what we use daily ;)).

This is all part of our plan to downsize and simplify.  We'll eventually build a house.  

My challenge over the next few Fridays is to show you how I manage to feed a family of 6 in roughly 300 square feet of living space.  So you'll probably get lots of crockpot recipes...  Maybe some grilling...  Definitely lots of sandwiches...  

Because it's not just that my kitchen is smaller, but so is my stove and my refrigerator.  And until we get the outdoor kitchen set up, I don't have a lot of space to store food or to cook.  And I have to go back to hand washing dishes.

But on the bright side, I have some million dollar views of the mountains...

Sunset after a thunderstorm

It'll be an adjustment, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.  If nothing else, the kids will have great stories to tell.  

"Remember that summer that mom and dad thought we could live in a camper..."

Going Gluten Free- The Chocolate Cake

This is our family's favorite chocolate cake.  It really reminds me of a brownie more than a cake.  When we first went gluten free I did a search for flourless chocolate cake and found a recipe that I have since tweaked to make it fit our taste.  I hope you all like it as much as we do.  

You will need:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

3 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 and butter an 8 inch round baking pan.  Coarsely chop chocolate.  Use a double broiler or metal pan over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter.  Stir constantly until smooth.  Remove from heat and whisk syrup or honey into chocolate mixture.  Add eggs and whisk.  Slowly stir cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt into chocolate mixture, mix until combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes.   Let cool in pan on a rack before serving.  

This makes one 8 inch cake.   

Kam's Story

 
My firstborn, Kamron, was born in April of 2005.
He was the first grandchild on both sides of the family and to my husband and I, he was perfection.
When Kamron was three he was diagnosed with Asthma.  We had already spent most of his life talking to the pediatrician about food allergies but hadn't had him tested because we were told that he would outgrow them.  He also had Eczema and some mood swings. 
Finally when he was five I pushed and had him tested for allergies.  We went to a specialist and did the back scratch test.  He was found to be allergic to every tree and grass near us as well as soy.  (The only food on the test was soy, milk, and eggs.)  I honestly didn't think that the soy would be that big of a deal to take him off of...and then I looked at the back of every cracker package at the store...and I may or may not have cried in the middle of the snack aisle at the grocery store. 
After a month of really watching what my son ate and keeping him on allergy medicine Kamron wasn't having serious outbreaks.  He was occasionally having random asthma attacks and so the allergist and I talked about testing him for other food allergies but the allergist said it would be better to do an elimination diet.  I was gearing up to start playing with his diet but Kamron, ever the firstborn, took matters into his own hands...
He collapsed in the middle of PetCo and was rushed to Children's Hospital via ambulance.  No parent can describe the feeling of helplessness as she watches her child struggle to stay coherent in an ambulance flying down the highway.  As I sat in the hospital praying for my son waiting for my husband to arrive I just knew that he had cancer or some other life threatening illness.  Instead I found out that the ER Physician had no answers for me except that it was not cancer or many other illnesses that he was tested for.
The next day we went to our family doctor and found out that Kamron had a small heart murmur that he would outgrow but he had an irregular heartbeat.  We went on to see two child cardiologists  and had a follow up with the allergist.  In a nutshell, Kamron's asthma and different allergies caused his heart to beat erratically and make him pass out.
From several different books I read we decided to first go off of wheat.  After a month I had a different child!  He could play without getting seriously exhausted, he was not as moody, and his Eczema was clearer!
The next thing I did was to slowly wean him off of processed sugar and artificial dyes.  This was honestly a little bit harder and something we all struggle with, however the end result was well worth it.  I was able to take him off of his allergy medicine and he did not get sick during Spring in Texas!!!  
I am not saying that taking your children off of soy, gluten, processed sugars, and artificial dyes will heal your kids problems but I would definitely try it!

NOTHING IN THIS BLOG POST SHOULD TAKE THE PLACE OF SEEING A MEDICAL DOCTOR! 
***Picture is courtesy of Oh My! Photography***

Know Your Numbers

Whenever someone starts talking about their latest *diet* I cringe.  Not because wanting to lose weight and get in shape is bad, but because 95% of the time they're going about it the wrong way.

Many of the diets available today put your body into starvation mode- having you eat 1200 or fewer calories a day.  Sure, you'll see results right away, but after awhile you stop losing or *gasp* start gaining weight again.  Then you start worrying that there's something wrong with your body and cut calories even further or give up.

But, if you would have just known your numbers, things could have turned out differently.

What do I mean by that?  Simple.  Know how many calories your body has to burn just to exist.

There's a couple different way you can do this.  The most expensive is to have it done at a clinic.  Or, you can use this formula as a starting place:

(your weight in lbs) x 10 + 30% of that number

What does that really look like?  I'll use my numbers as an example because I know them ;)

125 x 10 = 1250
1250 x 1.3 = 1625

What?!?!?  You mean just to maintain where I'm at, without adding in exercise, I could eat 1600 calories a day? Yup.  So, if I was gong to jump on the latest diet craze and drop to 1200 calories a day, I would not be able to function for more than a couple days because my body would refuse to keep functioning like I had been use to.

Oh, but wait.  I said without exercise.  I need to add in more calories for exercise.  Since my main form of exercise is running, I use the estimate that I burn 100 calories per mile (this varies as your body becomes more efficient, but is a good starting place).  So, if I run 21 miles a week, I can eat an average of 300 more calories a day.

Wait, that means I'm eating 1900 calories a day now...

And for all the mamas out there who are nursing, you need to add more calories to help nourish your little bundle of joy.  I would recommend adding  300- 500 calories a day depending on how much they're nursing.

So yes, I eat close to 2200 calories a day to maintain my weight.

But, what does that mean if you're looking to lose weight?  One pound of fat has 3500 calories.  To lose that, you need to create a deficit of about 500 calories a day.  But, before you take that away from the number of calories your eating each day, remember this:

The most effective weight loss is going to come from a combination of diet and exercise.

I prefer that no more than about 250 of the calories needed per day come from a reduction in your diet.  The rest needs to come from a combination of cardio and strength training.  And as you build more muscle, your body will become more efficient at burning calories =)

The Phrase That Changed Me

A few weeks ago my oldest son, Kamron, said something that freaked me out, and changed my outlook all at the same time.  Let me give you some background...

We had a rough week, I burned dinner a few times; so we ate out a LOT that week.  I told my husband, that I felt "blech" and Kamron blurts out, "Yeah, I need to go on a diet".  I just froze!  Why is my seven year old son worried about a diet?  Seven year old kids should not have to worry about diets!

Then, it hit me...

Kamron is worried about diets because I have basically been on a diet since before he was born. 

I have obsessed about every bite of food. 

I have starved myself. 

I have gorged. 

I have counted calories. 

I have done any other fad thingy that came around. 

I have given my son a weird obsession about food.  

Therefore, I have decided to do something about it.  

I am not obsessing!  

I am not starving!

I am not gorging!

I am not counting calories!

I am not following the latest fad!

This change has resulted in enjoying food.  I am not stressed about every bite I take.
 We enjoy meal times as a family and relax.  I'm still losing weight and my son is no longer worried about his diet.  All in all, I would consider this a win. 

Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder

One of my absolute favorite soups is Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder.  It goes together quick and always gets rave reviews (unless you don't like sweet potatoes or corn ;))

3 medium sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups corn

1 cup water

2 ribs celery

1/2 red onion

1/4 cup diced shallots

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp thyme

3 cups veggie broth

1 bay leaf

1 baking potato

2 Tbsp parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425* Peel and chop sweet potatoes.  Toss in a bowl with 1 Tbsp oil, salt and pepper.  Roast until tender- about 15-25 minutes.

Puree 3 cups corn with 1 cup water.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a soup pot.  Saute onion, shallot and celery until tender.  Add tomato paste and thyme.  

Add veggie broth, pureed corn and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.  Add diced baking potato and simmer until tender.

Remove bay leaf.

Add Sweet potatoes, remaining corn and parsley.  Cook until heated through.  Serve with your favorite, crusty bread =)