Breathe with Bonnie BLOG

• It’s super quick to put together.
• It’s a great way to use up vegetables that you have most likely forgotten about in the back of your fridge and are turning kinda wrinkly (you know what I mean).....
• You can tailor it however you want. If you don’t like mushrooms, don’t add them. If you like spinach, add spinach....you get the idea. Basically add whatever vegetables you have on hand.
• The base is olive oil, sautéed onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes. Whatever else you decide to add is really up to you.

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes washed and cut in half
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms sliced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic crushed or finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A few leaves of fresh basil, or a pinch of dried basil 🌿 
• Optional - Crushed red pepper flakes (or if you’re Portuguese like me, I guarantee you have a jar of “pimenta” in your fridge.  Go ahead and add some of that to your sauce. I know you will because we put that in everything we make!)

• Begin boiling water for pasta and cook desired pasta according to directions on box.
• Add olive oil to a large sauté pan, over medium heat.
• Add onions, peppers and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until onions become translucent. 
• Make sure to stir regularly to ensure the veggies aren’t burning.
• Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes or pimenta, if using, and stir to combine.
• Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce thickens.
• When pasta is finished cooking, add to sauce and stir to combine.
• Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy! 
• Bon appetit!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 large carrots peeled and diced
• 4 stalks of celery diced
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 sprig of thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 6 cups of vegetable stock (store bought or homemade)
• 4-5 cups of broccoli florets chopped into bite sized pieces (about one head/bunch of broccoli you would typically buy at the grocery store)
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (this makes up for the cheesy flavour in most broccoli soups)
• 1 cup of raw cashews soaked in two cups of water for three hours (or I cup of cashews boiled with two cups of water for 5 minutes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Over medium heat, add coconut oil to a large pot or dutch oven
• Add diced onions, carrots and celery to the pot stirring occasionally until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes)
• Add minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds - 1 minute ensuring not to burn garlic
• Add sprig of thyme (or dried thyme) and 6 cups of vegetable broth, cover with lid and bring to a boil
• Once broth starts boiling, turn down and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until carrots and celery begin to soften
• Add broccoli florets and simmer for another 8-10 minutes
• While soup is simmering, drain and rinse soaked cashews and blend with 1 cup of water in a high speed blender until no lumps remain (NOTE: if you haven't pre-soaked the cashews, place them in a pot with 2 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes.  Then drain and rinse the cashews and blend with one cup of water in a high speed blender until no lumps remain.
• Once broccoli and vegetables have softened add pureed cashews, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste
• Mix all ingredients together and remove sprig of thyme
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired
• Serve warm

Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond the rain. It’s dark and gloomy and we don’t want to go outside, be uncomfortable or get wet. So we wait for the rain to pass until we can enjoy the sunshine again. Sometimes, it’s in those moments of being uncomfortable (“rain”) that we realize our greatest strengths, or find ways to do things a little differently. Of course in those moments, it’s a prime opportunity to find things to be grateful for. 

The rain and rainbows can have different meanings for everyone.  One may look at this quote and think that you have to suffer to be worthy of joy. I personally don’t look at it that way. I think when we realize it’s raining, it gives us an opportunity to shift gears, reflect and make changes so the rainbows can appear.

For me, my rain is my emotions. I hold onto emotions that keep me scared, nervous and living small.  So, my rainbow appears when I let go of my own limiting beliefs. 

• Take a piece of paper, and write down what no longer serves you (your rain). These could be emotions, habits, relationships or anything that you don’t want to take with you into the new year. These are some of mine.....

• Once you’ve written them down, say goodbye to the paper, rip it up and throw it away.  If you have a wood stove or fireplace going, you could toss in the paper for added drama 😉

Now, write down your rainbows 🌈  Here are some of mine.....It helps to put your rainbows in a place where you can see them to remind you everyday what you want to focus on. A great way to do this would be to create a virtual or actual vision board. This helps to visualize the life you want to live!