WIAW -- Deirdre Eats...

I can't believe it's Wednesday again! Mid-way through June, whew! Time is flying by...Alternating weeks, Tamar and I participate in What I Ate Wednesday hosted by Jenn from Peas & Crayons. If you like to be inspired, see how other people mix, match and make it through the day with food as their companion check in here and on Peas & Crayons for an eyeful of yummy goodness.

If you've been following us for a while you'll see my breakfast staple in my food diary never varies (okay, rarely varies and only to the extent of fresh or frozen blueberries and if I don't have a banana (gasp!) I will slice up a pear, apple or whatever fruit I've got that is ripe.)

Here is my fabulous and favorite breakfast to get me going everyday:

And don't worry- I don't eat the plant, it just makes me think I'm in the tropics along with that almond-coconut milk blend. So what I've got there is Ezekiel cereal, blueberries, bananas, alt-milk and a splash of flax-oil for me brain. (It has those essential omegas.)

After breakfast I did an hour long yoga practice with Elena Brower on Yogaglo who has the most calming effect on me. I adore her. I am a yoga instructor, but I really enjoy shutting off that part of my brain and just tuning into someone else's instruction.

Then I take a seat at my desk and write, write, write about...you guessed it FOOD!

For lunch I had a bowl of Creamy Broccoli Soup. It was leftover from dinner and I topped it with onion straws and a sprinkle of cheese.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

by Deirdre

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes or so

6026540

Ingredients (4 Servings)

• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of butter or butter-alt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 carrots- peeled and sliced
• 2 broccoli crowns - sliced
• Optional: any other veggies you have on hand that need to be used (corn, potatoes, peppers, celery, etc.)
• 4 cups of milk or milk-alt
• 2 cups of water
• 1-2 cups of cheese
• Optional: onion straws

Instructions

In a large soup pot melt butter over medium heat.

Stir in onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes)

Stir in garlic and cook (about 2 minutes more)

Add flour and stir until it forms a paste.

Heat milk until luke warm (I use the microwave)

Add milk 1/2 cup at a time allowing mixture to thicken

Add veggies

Heat water until luke warm (or get warm from the tap)

Add water 1/2 cup at a time allowing to thicken.

Cook until veggies are soft (about 10-15 minutes)

Remove from heat.

Use an immersion blender to blend soup (or use a blender *but blitz in small batches...hot liquid and the blender can cause a big hot blow up!)

Add cheese

Ladle and top with some more cheese and or onion straws and a sprinkle of pepper.

Enjoy!

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The afternoon called for a pick-me-up so my girls and I baked Banana Snacking Cake from Nicole of Local Sugar Hawaii (one of my favorite blogs written by a lovely gal who has a real way with words.) We made a few modifications to her original recipe. It was moist and the coconut topping gave it added sparkle. I require added sparkle as frequently as possible, especially in the afternoon, I tend to get slumpy.

*The changes I made: added 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup brown sugar, upped the buttermilk to about 3/4 cup (just added until it looked more moist) used Ener-g egg replacer instead of eggs and for the first half hour of baking I covered with foil, then removed for the last 10 minutes.

Dinner came a while later and I prepared a variation of Simple Summer Spaghetti from the Better Homes and Gardens June 2012 issue.

*My changes: I used cellentani - corkscrew pasta, added white beans, regular tomato instead of grape tomatoes and I added summer squash as well.

And for dessert: my very own container of So Delicious...and Yes- I did eat it right out of the carton, it was after all mine!

Happy Summer- hope you get your hands on your very own container of your favorite cold and creamy summer treat!

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre