Creamy Tomato Basil and Creamy Cauliflower Soup

In the past if you had told me that I should make a soup with cauliflower I would have laughed in your face and told you that you were crazy if you thought it was even going to happen, but happen it did! I've always been pretty picky about my tomato soups as well so I was a little nervous about trying this recipe all together but I LOVE Zupas Tomato Basil and the last couple of times I've had them add a ladle of their Wisconsin Cauliflower and I thought they made a good combination. So I decided to be brave and try it, besides that I burned a little cheese on the bottom of the pan because I had it simmering a little too hot it was delicious! I felt like it wasn't too much work either, I was able to work on other things at the same time. Oh I almost forgot to mention! This is on the "healthier" side as well because it uses the cauliflower and Greek Yogurt to make it creamy rather than using half and half, heavy cream, or something similar.

Creamy Tomato Basil and Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Recipe Came From Sweet Treats and More

 Creamy Tomato Basil and Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

1. 1/2 of a head of a large cauliflower, chopped (or one whole small cauliflower)
2. 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
3. 32 oz chicken stock
4. 1 cup greek yogurt
5. 2 tbsp butter
6. 1/2 onion, chopped
7. 1 tbsp minced garlic
8. 1/3 cup chopped basil
9. 5 oz shredded asiago cheese (or any cheese really)
10. Reduced fat sour cream

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and saute 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add chopped cauliflower and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock (should cover cauliflower). Let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
3. Add cans of diced tomatoes, chopped basil basil, and greek yogurt. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until creamy and there are no lumps. (You can also pour the soup into a blender in two batches, and blend until smooth. Then pour back into the pot.)
5. Once blended add 5 ounces asiago cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stir to combine melted cheese.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

I wanted to make something but had no clue what to make so I texted Kayla and she threw out apple muffins so I just started googling and this recipe popped up, I was hooked just looking at the pictures and loved the idea that it was whole wheat an included yogurt. These muffins were AMAZING! I am super in love with how moist they are and they feel healthier because of the whole wheat, I used greek vanilla yogurt which I think increased the flavor. 

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Recipe came from Smitten Kitchen

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, divided

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups and set aside. 

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the buttermilk gently. (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks. 

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400 degrees, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Mango Smoothie

We didn't follow this recipe exactly...I didn't have fresh mangoes and I used honey flavored Greek yogurt instead. I loved how creamy this was and it tasted soooo good!

mango smoothie

Recipe came from Crunchtime

Mango Smoothie

makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups

1 mango, flesh only

1 small container of vanilla flavored Greek yogurt

1 cup of ice cubes

1. load ingredients into a blender in the order above

2. Blend on low for 15 seconds to create juice from mango

3. Turn up speed to high and blend for one minute or until your blender smokes which ever happens first.