Zuma Organic

Tortilla Soup

Ok, so you might think you would see this delicious recipe closer to Fall or Winter, but, let’s face it, it hasn’t exactly felt like Summer around here (Malibu, that is).  After reading through my Rick Bayless Cookbook last night, I became obsessed with all of his soups.  This one has been in my recipe box for years and though, my newest version is RAW and made in my VitaMix, I thought this was equally as delicious and a bit more “all-purpose”.  I serve this with fresh cornbread & always top it with avocado, shredded cheese & corn chips.  Kids LOVE this soup and it’s a great way to get some fiber and protein in them.

• Nonstick coconut oil spray (yes, it exists!)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 cups canned vegetable broth
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Add-In’s

• 4 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained
• 2/3 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chili (optional)

Spray large saucepan with coconut oil spray.

Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and 2 tablespoons cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Add tortillas, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and jalapeñp to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro & top with shredded cheese & avocado if you like!!

Pineapple & Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Green Onion Rice

Prepare your white or (hopefully) brown rice according to the package.  When it’s done, put in a bowl and add 1-2 chopped green onions (optional), salt, pepper & any left over herbs you may have – cilantro, thyme or tarragon would work well…cover & set aside.  You may also want to add one drop of sesame oil, seseame seeds and/or chopped nori (seaweed paper).  You will need 10-14 wooden skewers.  If you don’t have any, NO problem, just serve this chicken over rice, baking on a cookie sheet as described (without the skewers at all).

Marinade

• 1 cup teriyaki sauce – please choose an all natural one, with no high fructose corn syrup!
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove – chopped
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tbls agave nectar
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 small can crushed pineapple or 1/2 fresh pineapple chopped

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 1 hour to keep from burning later.

Mix first five marinade ingredients together in a glass or plastic bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken.  Submerge chicken in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thread 1 chicken tender on each skewer towards end of the stick (fun part for the kids), and line up on a sheet pan.  Top the chicken with the crushed drained pineapple.  Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving with the Green Onion Rice.

Penne with Wilted Spinach & Pine Nuts

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• 1 lb penne or similar shaped pasta
• 3 tablespoons ghee (or butter or clarified butter)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (1 1/4 oz)
• 1 garlic clove – chopped
• 2 (8- to 10-oz) bags baby spinach
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional for serving

Cook penne in boiling salted water in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot until al dente or according to package directions, then drain in a colander.

Combine ghee, oil, and pine nuts in cleaned and dried pot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until nuts are pale golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Stir in greens and cook, stirring, until they wilt, about 3 minutes. Add penne, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Stir in cheese and serve immediately with additional cheese on the side.

The Art of Drinking Tea

Hmm…where to begin.  There is so much I want to cover from my recent trip to Japan.  I suppose the first (mainly because it’s the freshest in my mind) is the traditional tea ceremony I was able to attend in Kyoto.  Drinking tea here is no small matter.  This particular house, owned by Mrs. Suzuki (pictured above) is revered as the BEST tea house in Kyoto.  Reservations must be made months in advance and preparation begins for your special afternoon about two weeks prior to your arrival.

Mrs. Suzuki (and her husband) were, quite simply, breathtaking.  From the Tatami mats to the 100 year old tea bowl my husband sipped out of, this experience will forever be ingrained in my mind and heart.  My “sweet” (pictured above left) was the consistency of soft chewy ground rice and anything but sweet.  Though not really palette appealing, the fact that it was painstakingly made by hand and then decorated for ME, was enough of a reason to eat the entire thing.  I learned that you do not drink your tea until your entire sweet is eaten…like it or not.  It’s highly frowned upon to sip, eat, sip, eat.  As a foot note, it took me about ten minutes to finish the two inch sweet, not my typical speed!

The lovely bowl pictured on the far right was hand thrown and painted by Mrs. Suzuki herself and they have over 100 tea bowls, so as to find the perfect one for you (part of the two week preparation).  The Tatami floored room looked over the most amazing mediation garden.  There were no flowers, just layers of green, each one representing a different shade and each one purposefully planted to change shape and color throughout the seasons.  The garden had been planted by Mr. Suzuki’s great grandfather, an obviously talented man.  I will post a few pictures of the garden when I can.

Once your sweet is finished, you pick up your tea bowl with your right hand and rest it on your left.  Then you turn it twice to the right, as to reveal the most beautiful side of the bowl to your guests.  Yes, it is first placed in front of you, so that this happens magically!

The tea itself was intense.  A mixture of both smokey and grainy, it reminded me of perhaps a warm thick green tea, that had no sugar within sight.  When you reach the bottom of the bowl, you swirl it around and around the bowl as to get every last drop and then, with a loud “whip” (or slurp), you let everyone know that you enjoyed your tea immensely and the ritual is over.  In my case…yes, over…but never forgotten.

I encourage you to sip a cup of tea today and take your time!  The ritual of patience, focus and inner peace is one we all need to slow down in our fast paced lives…

Use this recipe for the abundance of tomatoes you may have in your garden.  It’s a great way to store them for a long period of time.  They add a depth of flavor to tomato sauces & soups and are exquisite on a slice of baguette with goat cheese.  Once they are caramelized on the bottom, they are done and ready to devour!

• Take tomatoes (at least six) and slice them into thick triangle pieces
• Put them in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat them, salt & pepper & fresh thyme (chopped)
• add a few cloves (whole) of fresh garlic
• Lay everything out on a cookie sheet covered in foil
• Bake for about 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees

When cool, if you haven’t eaten them all, store them in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.