Studied, tested, home and fed. Whew. Now just have to blog!
Lauri and I walked for over an hour (at a strolling pace) studying for our Community test this evening. We eventually got quite pooped in the legs and finished the last 45 minutes or so relaxing in a pair of rocking chairs on the porch of a building. The studying paid off – I’m pretty sure I aced the test. (Knock on wood!)
Class came and went and I snacked on these two items:
An Apple + an ota.bar
Our professor also brought in some peanuts and I had a few of those too!
I got on the highway going the wrong direction after class. I’ve driven to Winthrop for 2 years and have never done that! And then I noticed that the opposite direction there was a horrible car accident blocking all the lanes, which mean I’d probably want to take back roads to get back up. Thank goodness for the iPhone + Google maps because I was able to easily find my way.
While I was hard at work in class, Matt was home cooking up a storm -
Root Vegetable Stoup
I left the house with the instructions that he was to make a soup with the butternut squash, parsnips and box of Pacific Butternut soup any way he liked. He even provided me with the recipe and took some photos!
First he roasted the following tossed in 2 tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and salt for 40 minutes at 400*:
- 1 big butternut squash
- 2 parsnips
- 3 carrots
Then he added this:
Plus 1.5 cups veggie broth and about a cup of water and the following spices:
- 1 cm3 fresh ginger, grated
- Cinnamon
- Chili Powder
- Cayenne pepper
And then mashed away -
I enjoyed it with extra cinnamon and Food Should Taste Good chips for scooping. It was SOUPer thick – more like a root veggie mash than a soup.
I also got my new 50mm f/1.8 lens!! I have to say, while the aperture setting is pretty darn cool, the macro-ability is pretty bad. Bad just meaning I can’t get close ups much at all. The macro distance is 1.5ft., compared to 0.8ft on the lens that came with my camera. Guess that means I do need a macro lens in my future, but I can’t afford that right now.
Check out the blurriness coolness -
It does seem to be much better in dim lighting than my other lens.
***
Focus On Breathe
My fall Breathe Magazine article on grocery shopping is out! L.O.V.E. the cover this quarter 
Plan More, Spend Less
So very tired again tonight – hoping to get a good night’s sleep this time!
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
Those camera shot just keep getting better! Lol I like you’re little friend there.
And that dinner sounds delicious. I was disappointed when carrot ginger soup was not in the dining hall tonight like it should have been
Congrats on the article!
Gotta love when the hubbies cook dinner. Looks like Fall in a bowl. YUM!
Congrats on the article…that’s amazing!
Night!
hey kath! Congrads on the spread. How can I get my hands on that mag!?
I was just curious what time you wake up and have breakfast? I ask because I wonder how long a hearty bowl of oats keeps you full till 1?
Thanks
That dinner just screams fall.
Can you use the Aperture Priority setting and then turn off the flash using the lens that came with the camera? I don’t have an SLR, but I have a Canon so I figured it’d be the same.
That soup looks incredible. WHAT a guy. I can’t even believe how nicely chopped all those veggies were. Beautiful!
Yum! That soup looks perfect for a fall night!
that soup looks so good. Where did he learn to cook like that??
Do you shop at Trader Joe’s much anymore? If not is there a reason??
I do need to plan more, spend less! I will check that out
What an awesome soup! I love how thick it turned out… almost more stew-like! Such healthy, yummy ingredients.
Just read the article, great job!
The mash/soup looks delicious!
can you get the article online?
What a great fall soup!!!
I love that your husband can cook such a great meal!
Awesome article; I love your food philosophy!
How do you get such great photos of your food?? Mine are mediocre at best…
Tips would be great!
I love SToups! The thicker, the better. Yum!
Loving the orange-y fall colors and flavors, too. I love seasonal foods.
Jenn
You can never go wrong with a good fall soup!
It’s one of the best things about the season I think.
Oh my goodness. That ota.bars is old!!! I hope it was still okay
That mash/soup looks awesome!! Will be making it soon for sure! Just made a spaghetti squash lasagna for my CO family and they loved it =)
That soup/puree looks amazing! I can’t wait until it’s actually fall in Southern California….which might not be until, you know, February. I eat soup and chili year round, but it’s SO comforting when it’s cold out.
Soup looks amazing, need to teach my hubby to cook!
Mmm, that stoup looks great. I love butternut squash!
So glad your test went well!
And I think it’s so cute how you give Matt “instructions” yet he is such a fantastic cook!
What a fantastic soup! Although, I must admit that I have never had a parsnip…is that weird?
Great article! Very well-written and informative in a fun way
My favorite line:”Remember: The price per weight isn’t as important. It’s what you spend overall that matters.”
So true!!! And yet so hard to pass up the economy-sized packs of produce!
That soup looks awesome!!
Yum that looks like such a cozy autumn soup. We are having such cool weather up here in Boston already I am so ready for warm foods!
How yummy that soup looks! So nice your hubby can cook like that.
I’m a fan of that Pacific soup, and I love how Matt “beefed” it up with more veggies. Delish!
I love the colors of that soup, so autumn-like!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
Hi Kath
Your blog ROCKS, I love hearing about your life and your yummy eats! Matt is awesome and quite the little chef himself, I am sure he learned fromthe best : )
I am trying this soup soon it looks amazing! i love butternut squash!
I hope you learn to love that lens as you use it more. It does take some time getting used to, as you are the zoom engine. And yes, the flash on your camera should only be used in extreme conditions. It’s really not the best. (my current SLR doesn’t even have a flash!) Use that 1.8 aperture in low-light conditions. As you play more, you’ll see that the photos you don’t use a flash on look much better/sharper/cleaner.
I LOVE that soup!!! It looks fantastic
I have to agree, that soup looks yummy!
your soup looks yummy!!!
I always pick up breathe at our local library. I love the cover too its v. pretty. and color coordinated.
Great Idea for the soup.
I love all your new pictures! Your new camera is awesome
Loove the article–great job!
Jen,
http://www.readbreathe.com has a “where to find us” section.
I usually eat between 7 and 8AM, and a normal bowl of oats (appx. 400-500 calories) holds me 4-5 hours.
Lee,
Yes, the AV setting doesn’t use a flash.
stacy,
I think eventually, yes, but right now it’s print only?
whitney,
I do shop at Trader Joes still (was there just a few weeks ago) but shop there less when I just need produce, as their produce section is horrible.
Cara,
Look back a few days to my KERF Pro. 2.6 post on my new camera.
Ashley,
It was a bit crumbly but just as good!
BroccoliHut,
No because it’s a weird veggie! But they are sooo good. Kind of like fennel in root veggie form.
Naomi,
Thanks!!
shawna,
I never, ever, ever use a flash!
Kath
I hope you did well on that test!
the hubby did a nice job on dinner!!
breathe magazine looks like a great magazine
jenna
i love mixing the boxed soup with fresh veggies.
the 50mm is my fav. its fast and takes great portraits. your right though, its definitely NOT a macro and i think a lot of people for some reason think that’s what they are getting. i hope you have fun with it! mine rarely leaves my camera:)
I adore parsnips= they are sooo sweet! And so underutilized (in the US anyway).
Call me dumb but I looked back at last night’s post and can’t for the life of me figure out why you called it stoup. I hope I’m not being horribly stupid!
Deb,
Stew + soup = stoup. It’s a Rachel Ray term.
Kath