I am an oxymoron.
Or maybe I just have split personalities. Whatever the case may be, there are some contradictory things happening in my head, and even I don’t fully understand why.
Let me give you an example.
I don’t do clutter well. It makes me uncomfortable in a break out in hives and claw off the first layer of skin type way. This is why you won’t find personal pictures resting on tables in my home or anything for that matter, aside from our laptops, dinner or an occasional and well placed cook book.
I don’t buy trinkets on vacation, I avoid craft shows like the plague, and my kitchen junk drawer is neatly arranged. In fact, the odds of it ever overflowing are never because I go through and happily purge a few times year. Clearing off counters and getting rid of stuff gives me the warm fuzzies.
To be fair, my home is not completely sterile either. Ten plus houseplants, one hubby and two cats guards against that. For me though, the absence of too much stuff is exactly what makes it cozy and inviting. Grandma’s multicolored afghan doesn’t hurt either.
Oddly enough, when it comes to food, I am the exact opposite and I don’t know why. I cannot be without, and I always want at least one back up on hand. Getting down to a solo can, jar, or pantry item makes me extra twitchy, and I have to replenish it; fast, even if there are no future plans to use.
Last summer, Kirsten came to my home and taught me how to can tomatoes. We drank beer, ate pizza and did our thing in the kitchen. The net product of our boozy efforts was a dozen or so quart jars of tomatoes, which have sat idly on a shelf in my Lazy Susan ever since. I’ve been reluctant to use them because I can’t replace them right now. Yet, the whole point of canning is to be able to enjoy summers bounty in the dead of winter. It’s a predicament to be sure.
With the hubby’s gentle prodding, although it feels more like a whip being cracked on my backside, I have been working my way through our freezer supplies and pantry goodies, including those same canned tomatoes.
Case in point: I made soup.
Tomato Basil Soup to be exact.
I even stuffed it full of hidden veggies and snuck in some Greek yogurt because that’s how I roll. This soup is simple. It’s satisfying and it’s delicious. It’s chock full of nutrient dense goodness and pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich, buttery croutons or even a spoonful of my Savory Parmesan Rosemary Granola. It’s everything you need on a cold winter day, especially when you’re seeking solace in food form, and since it’s so healthy, you get to go back for seconds.
It’s also worth working through my neurosis and using up my stockpiled tomatoes. While I won’t admit this often, in this particular instance, the Hubby was right. Grumble, grumble.
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion, diced. Approximately 1 cup.
- 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped.
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced. Approximately 1 1/2 cups.
- 1/2 medium Cauliflower, chopped. Approximately 2 cups.
- 2 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock
- 30 ounces of canned diced tomatoes.
- 1/2 tsp. Pepper.
- 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Paprika
- 1 Tbsp. dried Basil
- 1 Tbsp. Honey
- 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled (optional garnish).
- 1 Tbsp. fresh Basil, sliced into ribbons (optional garnish).
- Heat olive oil in a large deep saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for a few minutes until translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute more, stirring often.
- Add the carrots, the cauliflower, the stock, the tomatoes, all the seasonings and the honey. Bring it to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to simmer and let cook at least another thirty minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat, add one cup of Greek yogurt and cream the soup by using an immersion blender or by adding it to a stand up blender in batches.
- Add feta and fresh basil to individual bowls.
- The beauty of soup is you can taste it and tweak it to your liking. If it's too acidic, add more honey. If it's not zesty enough, add more seasonings. If it's too thick, add more yogurt.
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
March 6, 2015 at 7:37 AMYum! I also like to replace foods as soon as we’re low, but that’s to avoid the wrath of the children when they find out they can’t have strawberries for one whole day. Your description of a clutterless home sounds amazing, our clutter builds by the hour!
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:13 AMIf the wrath of children is anything like the wrath of the cats, then I understand. 🙂
When the Hubby is home, the clutter does grow.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Kirsten says
March 6, 2015 at 7:37 AMMy face is the color of your walls.
The other photos look awesome–very well done the yellow thing, it’s the perfect complementary color.
While I’m thinking of it, I’m supposed to get my spankin’ new pressure canner today. The spouse informs me, as he too doesn’t like clutter, that the old canning pot, pictured above, will be redundant.
Do you want it? I got a new rack and the rust issue resolved.
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:15 AMI think we look cute, and I have happy memories of that day.
Thanks because yellow and red is tough to do. I think I succeed here.
I would love the old canning pot. In fact, I’m getting excited at the thought. Now I can replenish. Cackle, cackle.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Khushboo says
March 6, 2015 at 8:03 AMI love the addition of extra veggies in this Meg- I bet the cauliflower only adds to the overall creaminess. I couldn’t help but laugh over you being a food hoarder…I knew I liked you for a reason. Given that I am currently sitting on 10 packets of unsweetened almond milk, I guess you could say that I am one too!
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:16 AMFood hoarders unite. 😉
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Sara says
March 6, 2015 at 8:40 AMI’ll probably never make this because I don’t really like soup, although I do like tomato soup sometimes!! I dip peanut butter sandwiches in tomato soup. Yummm.
Anyway, I am the same!! Clutter makes me freak out. And every time I go to someone’s house who is super cluttered, I get all mentally itchy and go home and get rid of something of my own. Like I REALLY feel like I need to get rid of stuff after being in a clutter home.
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:17 AMWait, what? Who the heck doesn’t like soup. For shame.
I have trouble being in homes which are super congested too. Makes me feel icky.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
danielle says
March 6, 2015 at 10:05 AMi am your sister in purging – i LOVE getting rid of stuff. maybe too much because now i can’t find the oversized fuzzy bear blanket that i bought from a cleaning lady. our little dogs loved it but i may have donated it while they weren’t watching…. oh well, i get giddy when filling up dontation bags. give it alllllllll away!
i have too many oxymoronic behaviors to even count.
i like surprising my coworkes with some ghetto slang – in the super corporate world, while wearing a very sleek suit – i like to bust out in some street lingo.
my hubby considers me a neat freak and germ a phobe, but i reuse toothpicks. yes! i don’t know what my deal is, but i can’t throw away a toothpick if it’s not totally knawed to slivers.
i enjoy a good steak once a year but have never been able to handle raw flesh comfortably… my husband thinks it’s because i secretly love raw flesh and blood but don’t want to let my inner demon out. i guess what i’m saying is that my hubby thinks i’m a closet vampire and i’m sparing his life out of love. i’ll let him think that, sure why not. it is partially true of course! xx
Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:18 AMI love the toothpick thing. That’s hysterical.
You should see my toothbrush. My Hubby says it looks like it’s been attacked by badgers. I get passionate about my teeth brushing. 🙂
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Jen @ Chase the Red Grape says
March 6, 2015 at 11:53 AMWow I could never leave those tomatoes for so long! I can only imagine how amazing they were!
Although I actually do something similar, with chocolate and other treats. I buy them and then I never eat them! honestly I still have most of my holiday chocolate and I honestly don’t know how long it will take me to get through it. It drives David insane! Haha!
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:19 AMI’ve actually had a chocolate bar in the fridge for a month now. Oops. I just haven’t felt strongly compelled to eat it. 🙂
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Tiff says
March 6, 2015 at 12:16 PMBetter to my an oxymoron than just a moron, I suppose. 🙂 I’m kind of the same way about clutter, but to less of an extreme. And by that I mean that I hate it but deal with it because I’m too lazy to arrange it otherwise.
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:20 AMWay, way better.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Chris says
March 6, 2015 at 3:20 PMI think we are the same person. I don’t like to use up my stash but I also like to get rid of stuff. I don’t like trinkets laying around and could get by with a very spartan interior. Also, my kitchen is red. Yup, we are the same vanilla gorilla.
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:20 AM#poundschest
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Brittany says
March 6, 2015 at 9:36 PMI actually don’t at all like having a full fridge and pantry. It makes me kind of anxious, expecially veggies. I will eat too much with too much in the house haha. I do like to keep everything clean though, we’d live well together.
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Meghan says
March 7, 2015 at 8:21 AMI have a spare bedroom and hiking trails nearby. Just sayin’.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Chelsea @ Chelsea's Healthy Kitchen says
March 7, 2015 at 12:41 PMI am so not a trinket/souvenir person either. I hate having useless stuff around the house. I don’t mind having decor, but I like to keep it intentional and minimal.
So fun that you canned your own tomatoes! My parents can tomatoes every September and I keep on meaning to join them one year and learn how to do it. They crush them to make sauce out of them though, rather than whole diced tomatoes. It’s great for pasta, lasagna, chili – and this soup I would imagine. I love a good homemade tomato soup, although I’ve never thought to add Greek yogurt to it. It looks delicious!
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Meghan says
March 8, 2015 at 5:59 PMThe Greek yogurt was not intentional. I was rooting around in the fridge during the actual cooking process, spied the container and its nearing expiration date and had a Eureka moment. Now if only I got those all the time. 🙂
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
March 7, 2015 at 5:53 PMGranola in soup?! You just blew my mind. I’ve done granola in smoothies, but never soup. Then again I’ve never made savoury granola either, so there’s that. And I’m with you on the clutter — I probably de-clutter at least once a week because having too much stuff around just stresses me out. I like clean and open spaces with not too much weighing them down. I actually get that same warm and fuzzy feeling when it comes time to throw things out. This is why visiting my parents drives me in.SANE. They like to hold on to everything “just in case,” so being over there makes me feel like I’m suffocating.
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Meghan says
March 8, 2015 at 6:01 PMI can relate. Going to places where the clutter is overwhelming (at least in my mind) makes me super uncomfortable. I try to let it go and relax and it just doesn’t happen.
You could make this granola….no peanuts in sight. Blows kiss.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
March 8, 2015 at 4:30 AMThis is why I hope sometimes there will be a food shortage so I can come hang at your place- Seriously.
I remember that post where you frolicked with tomatoes. Ha, frolicked. I need to declutter so bad. I’ll pay you in baconless bacon and eggs to help a bruddah out.
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Meghan says
March 8, 2015 at 6:02 PMI wish I could frolic with the tomatoes every weekend.
I will happily help you declutter…hmm, I see potential career options for me…. 🙂
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Eileen says
March 8, 2015 at 3:36 PMYes! Soup with homemade tomato sauce in the dead of winter is the BEST. The first time I canned tomato sauce I was totally apprehensive about using it, but once I did? OH MAN. So good.
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Meghan says
March 8, 2015 at 6:07 PMI know. It’s such an amazing thing to get the freshness of summer tomatoes in late winter. I need to do this stuff more often, if only so I can increase my stockpiles. Ha.
Meghan recently posted…Recipe: Tomato Basil Soup
Christina @ The Athletarian says
March 9, 2015 at 12:34 PMI’m with you on the clutter. I hate it. I even have anxiety shopping in stores that aren’t neat an organized. H&M and Zara give me anxiety. Is that weird?? Probably.
The soup looks amazing. DO you think it can be made without the greek yogurt? I expect the flavour would still be awesome but the consistency would just be a bit thinner?
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Meghan says
March 9, 2015 at 2:39 PMFor sure you could skip the yogurt. The first time I made it, I used almond milk. You’ll want to use less veggie stock or ramp up the cauliflower to get the same overall creaminess.
I cannot go in craft stores. They give me the heebie jeebies.