Broccoli Kale Fennel Soup

It's RAINING. In California! Which means it's finally time for some comfort food. Or at least the kale-infused California version.

This soup is delicious and looks beautiful too (much more beautiful in person.) Plus its one more way to prepare kale for which I'm always on the hunt.

So turn on the oven (poor/California man's heater) and curl up with a bowl of this healthy and delicious soup. You won't even have to unbutton your pants which makes it a much more "comfortable" option.

Ingredients:
1 small – medium head of broccoli
2 medium heads of fennel
2 – 3 heads of garlic
5 lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
few heavy pinches sea salt
few heavy pinches ground black pepper
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for an hour (no worries if you don't have time to soak)
3 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
chopped fennel leaves to garnish
lemon zest to garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees + line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and cut the broccoli and fennel into medium sized florets/slices. Spread them out evenly on the baking sheet, with the cloves of garlic (leave the skin on) and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes. flip the veggies and toss the kale leaves on top. Roast for about another 5 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cloves of garlic cool a bit and then pop them out of their skins.
Combine the raw cashews, filtered water, lemon juice and another heavy pinch of sea salt and black pepper in your blender. Blend until smooth. Then toss in the roasted broccoli, fennel, garlic + kale and blend until smooth again.*
To serve top with a dash of olive oil, chopped fennel leaves, lemon zest + black pepper.
*If your blender doesn’t have a soup setting you might want to heat the soup on the stove prior to plating and serving.

Barbequed Lime, Coconut and Chile Beef

We felt a little guilty after using, and posting about, our neighbors' BBQ a week after we should have given it back. But it turns out they've been back east since we borrowed it. So the BBQ'ing continues!

The tortilla bowls are optional here. I probably wouldn't have included them but I knew I would get a better picture if I did:) The recipe calls for whole wheat but I used flax seed and quinoa to make myself feel better about the grain....

Ingredients: (serves 4)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and Juice of 1 lime, divided
1/4 cup light coconut milk, divided
1 tbsp chile powder, divided
Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
1/2 lb outside round steak, sliced into 4 1/4 inch thick steaks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut lengthwise into 4 slabs for even thickness
4 8-inch wholewheat tortillas
1 tsp olive oil 1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets

 Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat grill to medium-high and lightly oil grate with cooking oil. In a large bowl, combine garlic with a third of lime zest and juice, 1 tbsp milk, 2 tsp chile powder and pinch each salt and black pepper. Add steak and potato and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lightly warm tortillas in the oven by wrapping the stack in foil for several minutes.
*The original instructions say to press tortillas into heat proof ramekins but how many people have those lying around? I made my own molds out of aluminum foil.*
Bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool and, once cooled, remove from molds.
Add steak and potato to grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning halfway until steak is cooked through and potato is tender. Allow steak to rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice steak and potato and set aside.
In a saute pan on medium-high, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli and remaining 1 tsp chile powder and saute for 1 minute.
Add 6 tbsp water, cover and cook for about 2 minutes, until broccoli is tender-crisp. Add remaining lime zest and juice and 3 tbsp milk and stir to combine.
Add beef and potato, tossing to coat in sauce, until heated through. Season with additional salt and black pepper. Divide mixture among tortilla bowls.