In early April, I headed out for what I thought was the last snowshoe of the season. Boulder, CO, received enough snow to cover the ground, which meant more snow at higher elevations.
Yippee!
Then, to my surprise, Mother Nature repeated herself. I got the chance for yet another “last snowshoe of the season.”
For me, there is nothing better than cold, fluffy snow and temperatures in the teens at 10,000 feet. It’s where my heart sings and my tail wags.
What draws me to snowshoeing? It’s about being immersed in nature: quietude, snow glistening in the trees, animal tracks crisscrossing the trail, birds calling to one another, the sound of crunching snow, exerting myself, filling my lungs with crisp, clean air… and then stopping to eat lunch, perched in the snow.
Soup, tea, sausage, crackers, and a mix of nuts and dark chocolate are staples on my snowshoe adventures. So is creamy tomato soup, loaded with vegetables, to create nourishing sustenance on cold days.
Life doesn’t get much better!
Here’s my favorite recipe. It’s easy and filled with nutrient-dense ingredients to nourish every cell in your body.
Ingredients
1 onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
1 parsnip
1 small jalapeño, seeded and veined
1 lemon, seeded and juiced
1 x 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 x 14-oz can coconut milk
2 T olive oil
A handful of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, savory, etc)
Salt, pepper, and spices to taste
Steps
- Wash the first six vegetables (onion, celery, carrots, sweet potato, parsnip, jalepeño) and cut into chunks. Place the vegetables in a large soup pot and cover with water. After juicing and seeding the lemon, add the rind of 1/2 the lemon to the soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender.
- When the vegetables are done, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, tomatoes, coconut milk, olive oil, and fresh herbs.
- In batches, blend the mixture until smooth.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a combination of spices to your liking.
Good hot or cold. This soup freezes well. Be sure to cool completely before freezing.
Wishing you nourishing adventures ahead!
