Autumn has arrived in the northern hemisphere, which can only mean one thing! It’s SOUP SEASON! Enjoy this Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup – an experiment to see if tomato soup is tastier when roasted pre-pot. Spoiler alert: it is. 

It feels like just yesterday days stretched long into the night and sleep was hard to come by. Not because of anything other than the number of adventures there were to fit into the endless summer days. Is there such thing as too much sunshine?

With rapidly shortening days and a dark winter looming over the horizon, I don’t think so.

The summer adventure checklist took us surfing in Oregon, shuttling mountain bikes in Squamish, documenting life on film, creating our first “Zine,” photographing Shibari art outdoors in the nature, and so much more.

With days and weekends filled to the brim to take full advantage of endless sunshine, the beginning of autumn feels like a refreshing sigh into slower rhythm. At least, that was the plan until I caught my first virus of the season. My coffee-addicted hustle shifted overnight into a forced tea-infused surrender. 

Fitting, because I would say that one word that represents any change of season – but especially autumn – is surrender. Seasons are one of the few things that humans haven’t managed to control, and there’s a whole lot of wonderful about that. I wonder if seasons feel so good to lean into because it’s a connection to nature that we can’t escape. While many people today are more disconnected, spending more time indoors, the seasons change no matter where we find ourselves. We don’t have to take off our shoes to feel dewy grass beneath our feet, nor do we have to step into a place of mindfulness to feel that connection to nature. The impact is direct and inescapable. 

If you’ve made it this far in the text, thanks for being here! Recipe posts are usually few and far between because I’m not sure what to write with them. On one hand, I strive to communicate prolific ideas and thought prompts. On the other hand, everyone knows that all you want is the recipe when you click on that dang recipe post. 

That being said, my tomato soup experiment coincided with getting sick – leading my brain down a thought-lined road. As much as I don’t like being sick, it created a feeling of spaciousness I haven’t felt in a long time. My schedule has been packed to the brim, and I’ve reached a point where I can’t take on more work. Instead, I have to replace the work that doesn’t fully light me up with the creative opportunities that set my soul on fire. 

Some would say it’s a good problem to have, though I have struggled to carve out time to focus on the work at the core of my genius zone – paleo recipe development paired with food photography, philosophical writing, and life coaching. 

When your health takes a dip, it’s always a wake-up call (at least for me). 

The obvious message is an emphasis that I’ve been neglecting my physical body. This time, it’s a combination of: under-nourishing my body (as much as I love food and move my body, it’s amazing how bad I am at putting food in my mouth); living in a dysregulated nervous system cycle; and not managing emotional stressors well. 

Beneath the layers of obviousness, however, is an intuitive knowing that my life is out of alignment. 

“There must be another way,” has been on repeat in my mind like a broken cassette. There is, and the only way to the other side is to sit in the discomfort of unhappiness, instead of running (or flying away). 

Mmmm, autumn – a good time for breaking patterns, it seems. 

If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll have seen that I like to jump on planes fairly regularly. The pattern I lived while in Sweden looked something like this: live there for 3-6 months at a time. Get depressed, feeling stuck hitting my head against walls and ceilings. Fly away – return to the US or Italy. Come back to Sweden, re-energized with inspiration and ideas and energy. Go back to doing the same thing I had been doing before. Repeat, repeat, repeat. 

I never sat still enough to work through the unhappiness. 

My biggest lesson right now is to fully feel the discomfort of misalignment, and find solutions that bring me to the other side. Where I wake up ecstatic to start each day, because I’m doing what I love, living a life worth writing (a book) about, and orchestrating beautiful balance. 

If you’re feeling under the weather, I invite you to approach it in a similar way. What intuitive hits have you been ignoring that are showing up in physical form? 

Now, without further ado…. enjoy this Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup! 

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup

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Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.7/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 lb heirloom tomatoes4 rainbow carrots5-6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled3 TBSP avocado oil salt and pepper, to taste1/2 cup 4th & Heart ghee1 red onion, chopped32 oz. Kettle & Fire chicken broth1/4 c. fresh basil leaves (divided)1 TBSP fresh thyme1 tsp dried oregano
• Garnish IdeasStir in a spoonful of coconut creamFresh basil and/or thyme leavesSunflower seeds (for a little crunch)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop tomatoes and carrots into smaller pieces (as pictured - I quartered carrots and cut larger tomatoes in half) and arrange on the sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix to coat veggies. 

 

Roast for 20 minutes. Add whole garlic cloves. Roast for another 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

 

Melt ghee in a large pot over medium/medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until they begin to brown. 

 

Add chicken broth, oregano, thyme, and half the basil to the onions. Add roasted vegetables and garlic to the pot, stirring to combine. 

 

Bring soup to a boil before reducing to simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. 

 

Remove the soup from the heat and let cool, until you feel comfortable adding to a blender. (An immersion blender is a great option, too). Add remaining fresh basil leaves. Purée until smooth, or your desired consistency. 

 

Taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking. 

 

Serve in bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings. 

Coconut, curry, and wild salmon. Just a few of my favourite things. And when these ingredients come from (mostly) local sources – well, what a treat. If not local, then at least sustainable.

If you love wild salmon and curry, this Coconut Salmon Curry will soon become a staple in your kitchen. It’s my go-to recipe when I have guests and want to leave them dreaming of food. What makes it even better is that it’s great for meal prepping!

I’ve been holding onto this recipe for a while. No good reason besides my inability to sit still long enough to finish writing something from start to finish. That, and when a dish becomes a staple for me, I stop measuring ingredients and eyeball everything. It works, but doesn’t come in handy for those who want to join me from afar on the delectable tastebud adventure.

Anyway, no one likes reading the stories that accompany recipes. Another mental hurdle that I have to throw myself over to get anything about food out into our digital world of over-saturated mass consumption. (One question that I ponder often these days is: what if we treated our consumption of media, the way we consume food? I’m sure our minds and hearts would be much healthier, and our stress levels much lower.)

I have almost nothing to say about nutrition values, and quite frankly, I really have no care for them. That’s been my experience of over a decade devoted to eating mostly paleo. I’ve never weighed food or counted calories. I eat what I want, and I (for the most part) maintain a decent foundation of a physique. Could building a solid nutrition foundation be so simple? Yes.

Almost nothing, because one of the most significant things I miss when I’ve lived in Scandinavia has been the access to wild salmon – something, I learned, that is much easier to come by in North America. The high price reflects the intricate balance of supply and demand, supported by sustainable fishing practices to keep nature in balance.

In 2016, I had the opportunity to take my first press trip on behalf of my longstanding client, Paleo Magazine, for a story on Copper River Salmon. My entire family decided to embark on a journey with me to Cordova, Alaska, where I joined a small group of bloggers to be hosted by the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association. At the time, I’m sure I did the story justice. In hindsight and with so much more world experience – especially when it comes to the importance of the ecosystems of our wild food resources – I have so much more perspective to truly appreciate that press trip AND the small communities that supply the human species with the best possible food sources while being caretakers of the earth.

There certainly is an abundance of lax in every Swedish grocery store, as it is a staple in Nordic diets – but the farmed flesh boasts a desaturated devoid of a vibrant life spent leaping up streams. Before I fully integrated into my Swedish life, I had heard boastful stories about the bountiful salmon – only to learn upon moving there that it is entirely farmed. The worst part was that no one (including suppliers) could understand why on earth I would want wild salmon. Narratives painted a picture of a dirty source of protein, contaminated in wild and uncontrolled environments (ahem – the wild, where many of our food sources belong).

From the simple gravlax (salmon cured with fresh dill), to the more decadent Christmas tradition of Jansson’s Temptation (a heavy cream-based casserole of potatoes and, traditionally, anchovies) – any salmon-based meal came desaturated and with skewed fat to protein ratios.

Farmed vs. Wild Salmon: What’s the Big Deal?

This is where I find nutritional values a tad more interesting than calories, saturated fats, or carbs (though those variables are a part of the conversation, just with more depth).

There is a plethora of information from other resources that dive deeper into the differences between wild vs. farmed salmon, but I’ll leave you with a few notes.

Wild Salmon
39 grams of protein
281 kcal
naturally beautifully vibrant
abundance of omega -3 fatty acids
high in vitamin b12 & vitamin D
feed on eild skrill and shellfish
🙂👍

Farmed Salmon
40 grams of protein
412 kcal
added color through assition of carotenoids
packed with inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids
only 1/4 the vitamin D
fed corn and grains
👎🙁

Fortunately, for both myself and for anyone reading this who wants an increasing influx of wild salmon-inspired recipes, I have spent the last few months settling into the Pacific Northwest. A series of unexpected life turns brought me to a place where salmon runs flourish in my backyard (well, almost).

Well, I digress…

Before I got carried away with my love for wild salmon, what I really wanted to share is how much I love subscription vegetable boxes. Along with saving money and time, I’ve found that a vegetable subscription box is one of the best ways to eat both locally AND seasonally. But, I’ll save those reflections for the next recipe.

Until then, enjoy this delicious salmon-based coconut curry – made with local ingredients from my Ekolåden vegetable box in Stockholm.

Paleo Coconut Salmon Curry

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Serves: 4-8 (depends how much of a hungry caveman you are) Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

• Prepare the Salmon -
• 1 kg wild Copper River Salmon
• 1–2 teaspoons Primal Kitchen avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 TBSP finely chopped shallot
• 1 TBSP freshly minced garlic
• salt, to taste
• Prepare the Curry Sauce -
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 small knob of ginger, grated/minced (2 cm or so)
• 2 freshly minced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste, or 1-2 TBSP finely chopped stalk
• freshly chopped chili pepper (to desired level of spice)
• 1-2 chopped bell peppers
• 2 chopped carrots
• 1.5 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoon red curry paste
• 2 cans full fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• freshly squeezed lime juice and zest, to taste
• For Serving -
• 4 handfuls of fresh spinach
• cooked rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
• fresh Thai basil

Instructions

Prepare the oven:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the prepared sheet.

Prepare the Salmon:

Mix the olive oil and spices together until you form a thick paste. Massage the paste over the top of the salmon until it's saturated. Bake for 8-14 minutes, depending on the thickness/quality of your salmon.

Prepare the Coconut Curry Sauce:

Heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a medium to large saucepan.

Add ginger, garlic, and lemongrass. Sauté for 4 minutes.

Stir in chili pepper and vegetables (if you prefer other vegetables, add them here). Cook until right before they reach your preferred level of firmness - slightly undercooked.

Add coconut sugar & curry paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour in coconut milk. Right before you're ready to eat, add coconut aminos and lime juice. Add spinach and stir until it wilts.

To Serve:

Place salmon over a generous heap of rice.Pour over curry sauce, sprinkle with fresh basil, and add another squeeze of lime juice.

Optionally, serve next to extra helpings of spinach and lime wedges.

Recommended Products:

Full fat coconut milk from Thai Kitchen.

“Chi ha la salvia nell’orto, ha la salute nel corpo.”

Who has sage in the garden has health in the body.

from the archives // 22 January 2021

There’s something about sage that transports my tastebuds to Italy. With the state of the world and the pandemic over the last year, travel has been (or at least, felt that it should be) off-limits for many people.

Even if you aren’t ready to hop on a plane, you can experience travel through taste. I mean, I say that, but I will also be the first to admit that it can be a challenge to find even a simple tomato that carries the amount of flavor that one has when harvested straight off a Tuscan farm. What is it about Italian vegetables that makes their flavor so rich? The best dishes I’ve tasted in Italia have been homemade by the families I stayed with, using the fewest and most simple of ingredients.

Less is more. Meno è meglio.

I will always remember the simple combination of sliced fennel and lemon, made by a friend’s mother in Pescara a couple years ago – though I may not remember how to make it, nor have the magical Italian touch that adds that little something extra to foods made with love and care.

Is there a better combination than butternut squash and sage?

It’s a combination that has always made me salivate – from the simplicity of roasted squash with a sprinkling of sage, to a more indulgent butternut squash ravioli with a creamy butter & sage sauce. Mmmm…

Fresh sage leaves have always carried a particularly pleasant flavor for me. Maybe it’s the unique piney flavor that gives a feeling of grounded rootedness. Add to that root vegetables or squash, and you’ve got a combination that anchors your nervous system in the cooler seasons of the year.

But regarding that scrumptious love of Butternut Squash Ravioli – well, I have not yet taken the leap into figuring out how to make Paleo-friendly ravioli – a feat that I’m sure would be considered sacrilegious in Italy. So the intention behind this recipe was simply to level up the simplicity of the flavor combination and make more of a well-rounded meal, rather than a side dish.

The combination of Italian pancetta, pecorino romano, and fresh sage taste like Italy – though minus the pizza saturated in sun-doused tomatoes and the accompanying gluten-ache.

Sure, you might categorize a frittata as a breakfast dish. But I like to think that the best breakfast recipes are those that you can carry over into lunch or dinner.

A Note on Saltiness

As you’ll see in the recipe below, I didn’t add any salt. The combination of pecorino romano & pancetta came together to add the perfect level of salinity for my tastebuds.

Depending on your cheese source, you may have slightly different flavors and levels of saltiness. The pecorino romano I chose from Cibaria has lower salinity levels, complemented by a sweet texture.

Butternut Squash Frittata with Fried Sage

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Serves: 6

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 10 voted )

Ingredients

• 3+ TBSP coconut oil
• 2-3 cups cubed & roasted butternut squash (470-700 ml)
• 4 whole roasted garlic cloves
• ~4.2 oz (120 g) pancetta per carbonara (from Antica Ardenga)
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 12 large free-range eggs
• 1/2 cup lactose-free yogurt (120 ml)
• 3.5 oz. (100 g) pecorino romano d.o.p. (from Cibaria)
• 2 cups chopped kale (470 ml)
• 2-3 TBSP (or, to taste) fresh sage leaves

Instructions

If you have not already done so, prepare your butternut squash.

Pre-heat your oven to 400°F (200°C / 180°C fan-forced).
Peel & chop squash into desired cube shape & size (I recommend about 1 inch, or 2 cm).
Spread on a baking sheet & drizzle with 1-2 TBSP coconut or olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Toss or stir.
Roast for 30-40 minutes.
Halfway through, stir the cubes for more even cooking, and slight caramelization around the edges. Add 4 garlic cubes & continue roasting for the remaining time.
Set aside and allow to cool.
Readjust oven temperature to 425°F (220°C /  200°C fan-forced).

Now that you've prepared your butternut squash cubes & roasted garlic, heat coconut oil in a frying pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat.

Sauté the pancetta carbonara until edges are caramelized.

Using the remaining fat, sauté the onion - also until caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 TBSP of coconut oil to the frying pan, and the chopped kale. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale becomes wilted. Depending on your preference, you can cook until the kale begins to crisp.

While the kale is cooking, add the eggs, yogurt, and roasted squash to a blender or food processor. Blend until combined, thick, and creamy. Set aside.

Prepare a 9x12 inch casserole dish with oil. Add roasted butternut squash, pancetta, fried onions, and kale. Mix to combine.

Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle pecorino romano on top. Stir to combine, until the cheese is fully integrated with the egg mixture.

Transfer the frittata to the oven & cook for 15-20 minutes.

Keep an eye on the frittata for the last 5 minutes to make sure you don't over-cook it. Your ideal frittata is firm around the edges with a very slight jiggle in the center when you give it a shake.

Remove from the oven. Let rest for a few minutes. Slice, and serve!

Notes

I did not add additional salt, as I found the combination of pecorino romano d.o.p. and pancetta to be salty enough. I'd say, when it comes to salt in this dish, err on the side of caution. You can always season with additional salt later!

Recommended Products:

Coconut oil from nutiva

Colameco’s diced pancetta from Whole Foods

Pecorino romano DOP from Frank and Sal