Things I Am Loving This Week: It's Back!!! with Asian Taco Truck-Style Tacos, Blogger Meet Ups and Tea

You may have thought that my semi-regular Things I Am Loving This Week feature was never coming back. I got busy and behind and couldn't pull together everything I was loving for a few weeks, but due to popular demand it's back. (OK popular demand equals 3 or 4 of you asking about it. Then I knew for sure that it was time to bring it back when my sister, who only comments on Facebook ;-) mentioned she missed it. Apparently some of you really care about the things I love.) ;-) So this week, it is a bit of a long mish-mash, since it includes more than one week, but here are the (mostly) food-related things I am enjoying and want to share.

First up is tacos--I love me some tacos, in fact I probably eat some sort of taco (usually fish tacos) once a week. They are easy to throw together with whatever you have on hand. Last week, I hooked up with my wonderful blogging friend Kat, here for a visit from Japan, and we tried out the newish T.A.S.T.E. (Tasty Asian Style Taco Eatery) Food Truck for some of their fusion tacos. If you have heard about the famous Kogi trucks from L.A., the T.A.S.T.E. truck is a similar concept, serving small tacos with Asian ingredients.

The truck had six tacos on the menu, five regular and one special. Kat and I bought 4 to share: Shrimp with Honey Mayo & Wafu Dressing, Homemade Charsiu (Chinese bbq pork) with Shoyu Aioli & Hoisin Vinaigrette, Ribeye with Kalbi Marinade and Wasabi Dressing and Mahimahi with Green Onion Ginger Sauce and Miso Dressing. Each Taco was either $2.75 or $3.25 and all were really good, especially the different sauces and dressings. (You can see Kat's more detailed review here).

Fun to eat and it inspired me to throw together a batch of my own Asian-Fusion tacos. Since I had a small Maui Beef tri-tip, I made a kalbi marinade (kalbi or galbi is Korean and refers to grilled dishes, most often ribs, marinated in a sweet, salty, sometimes spicy sauce), then grilled my steak and topped it with the requisite chopped cabbage. For sauce, I went with a Miso sauce with ginger and green onion that I adapted from an Ellie Kriger recipe.

Kalbi-ish Marinade

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp chili paste
1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Mix ingredients together together until well-blended. Place meat (I used tri-tip) in a Ziploc bag, add marinade and place in fridge 24 hours.

Miso Sauce
adapted from Ellie Krieger

2 teaspoons canola oil
3 scallions, white and green, sliced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
juice of one lime
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp low-sodium white miso paste
2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the scallions and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lime juice, chicken broth and rice vinegar and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Turn heat to low and stir in the miso paste and sesame oil. Stir until miso paste is dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool and puree until smooth in a food processor or blender.

Notes/Results: Yum! I made my kalbi marinade a bit spicy and the sweet/spicy tasty was complimented by the creamy, gingery miso sauce. I plan on experimenting with more fusion tacos--they are delicious and a fun way to play with a classic. I think I may be ready for my own food truck! ;-)

Lest you were afraid that Kat and I didn't eat enough, splitting the tacos did leave us plenty of room to grab some mini cupcakes and a cookie at Cake Works down the street from where the taco truck was parked.


I had the mini Orange Cream and Coconut Cream cupcakes (both delicious--the only thing I love more than cupcakes are mini cupcakes!) and got my favorite Ishler cookie (two thin buttery almond shortbread cookies with raspberry jam between and partially dipped in chocolate), for Kat and I to try. Of course Kat just took a nibble, so I had to eat most of the cookie myself. ;-)

That brings me to my next love, getting to spend time with fellow food bloggers. This was actually the second time I got to see Kat on her recent visit. Our first meet up, a few weeks ago, was to try Peace Cafe, a fairly new vegan cafe that I had been wanting to try. I had a kinako latte. Kinako is roasted soy bean flour and it made the iced latte have an almost peanut buttery taste. Really tasty iced.


For lunch I ordered the Moroccan Stew--served with brown rice, salad and pickles and Kat got the Cilantro Hummus Sandwich. Both were good and quite filling. The downside was that everything is served in cardboard take-out boxes and there are no plates so it made sharing a bit more tricky, but we managed, both taking turns dipping our spoons in and eating our messy sandwich halves on napkins. Of course we had room for dessert. Kat got the Cocoa Berry Mochi cake--like a chewy brownie but not too sweet, and I got the kinako cookies. Like the latte, they have a nutty taste and were quite good. I will go back--I have been craving another latte.

Finally, as you know, I love tea and I also love that my tea cup runneth over with great teas, and all from some special blogger friends. First off, Kat was sweet enough to bring me a goodie bag packed with fun stuff when we met up. A box of Pukka Detox tea (fennel seeds, aniseed, licorice root, cardamom) and a package of their Three Berry tea (elderberry, blueberry and blackberry). Both are excellent. There was a box of tea-flavored cookies--soft and chewy with good flavor and some small chocolates (I ate them before I took the picture.) ;-) And if that wasn't enough, she made me an adorable little beaded purse to hook on a cell phone or bag. So sweet of her! I have been enjoying everything.

I am a lucky girl in that I also got a package of dark Turkish Black Tea a while ago from lovely Rebecca at Chow & Chatter. I am delinquent in not posting about it sooner. This tea is not for the faint of heart--it is very strong and full-flavored, but quite good and excellent when paired with the tea cookies from Kat as they sweeten it up a bit.

Spencer, aka The Mouse, from Live2EatEat2Live contributes often to Souper Sundays and his partner in crime, The Cat was sweet enough to bring me bag another bag of tea from her latest trip to China. Some gorgeous Dragon Pearl Jasmine from Ningbo, close to Shanghai. It is light, floral and slightly sweet in flavor. Very delicate and delicious.

Much thanks to Kat, Rebecca and The Mouse and The Cat ;-) for feeding my tea fixation!

I am sending this post and especially the homemade Asian Taco Truck-Style Tacos to Two for Tuesdays, co-hosted by my friend girlichef. Celebrating "real food" in all it's glory. ;-)

So there you have it--the Things I Am Loving This Week.

How about you? What are you enjoying?

Cold Avocado Soup La Fortaleza... Yes, It's Another Cold Avocado Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I know what you are thinking... "OK Deb, what is with all the cold avocado soups lately?... Didn't you make one last week, and another one a couple of weeks before that?...Why don't you just make some guacamole already? Did I miss the memo on the change to Souper Avocado Soup Sundays?..." Yes, it is true, I have made a few cold avocado soups lately--I seem to be going through a phase of cold soups in general this summer, avocados have been on sale, and they do blend up really well into a satisfying soup. ;-)

I found this Cold Avocado Soup La Fortaleza online and had to add it to my avocado soup repertoire basically because it is from Puerto Rico, and it is almost the end of the month and I had not yet made anything for Regional Recipes Puerto Rico, hosted by my good friend Joanne. Several years ago I spent some time traveling back and forth to Puerto Rico for work. First off--it is a really ugly (long, long) flight from Hawaii to get there, secondly the food is very good but much of it (especially some of the traditional food) is not on the healthiest side. This soup, although not exactly light, seemed like a good compromise. Plus it is quick and easy and I am all about that lately.

The hotel I stayed at in Old San Juan, was close to La Fortaleza, and I used to walk around the outside of it for exercise. La Fortaleza (The Fortress), is the oldest governor's mansion in the Western Hemisphere. Originally the facade was built in 1540, but it wasn't finished until 1846, and it has housed over 170 governors since then. The walk around the pathways below the fort is pretty. Besides the view, the main thing I remember about the fort is that there were tons and tons of cats laying around in the sun and shade, apparently they are protected by the parks department and are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and fed by the department.

But, I digress....here is the soup:

Cold Avocado Soup La Fortaleza (Sopa Fria de Agucate Estilo La Fortaleza)

Adapted from Recipehound

(Makes about 4 servings)

4 medium avocados, peeled and diced

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup light cream (I used almond milk)

juice of 3 lemons

salt and white pepper to taste

To garnish:

2 or 3 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp watercress, roughly chopped

1/2 cup cooked shrimp, roughly chopped (my addition)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until very smooth. Season to taste. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

To serve, garnish with tomato, watercress and shrimp.


Notes/Results: Creamy, lemony and very good. I didn't have any cream, so I used some unsweetened almond milk which worked fine. The soup was still very thick so I added a bit more stock to thin it down a bit. The sweetness of the tomatoes and peppery watercress in the garnish add extra depth. I also added some chopped cooked shrimp to the garnish because I had some to use up, and a little shrimp is always fun. I would make this soup again but will probably take a break from avocado soups until next summer. ;-)


As mentioned, this soup is headed to Regional Recipes Puerto Rico, hosted by Joanne at Eats Well With Others. She'll be rounding up all the recipes in a few days so go check it out.

Now lets take a look into the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who joined us this week and what they created.

Michelle from Ms. Enplace has a unique Strawberry Soup w/ Balsamic Berries & Cinnamon Twists that's also her Royal Foodie Joust entry using berries, balsamic vinegar and whole grain flour and says, "If you think this is just a smoothie in a bowl, think again! The soup was refreshingly sweet yet tart at the same time. All of the components together provided complex flavors that my family--even The Boy--enjoyed."

Welcome to Brenda from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen, making her first appearance at Souper Sundays this week and hailing from Toronto, Canada. Brenda made a hearty Creole Rice and Bean Soup and says, "I decided on this soup as I've been looking for a good soup to take to work for my lunch. I wanted something hearty, filling, and healthy. This soup fit the bill perfectly. It reminds me very much of a vegetarian chili. Just delicious! I REALLY enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of coconut and I was thrilled to see there was a whole can of coconut milk in it which added a wonderful creaminess and just a hint of coconut flavour." It's great to have you here Brenda!"

Another new face to welcome is Amritha from AK's Vegetarian Recipe World from San Diego, California. Amritha made a tasty Split Pea Soup this week and says, "Soups are my favorite. I can just live on soups. I am sure many of us like soup. Its healthy, its delicious and a great meal supplement. My husband loves split pea soup from CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) This made me try the split pea soup at home and believe me its a super duper hit!!! And now, no more CPK, its only AK's split pea soup. ;-)" Welcome to Souper Sundays Amritha!

Denise from Oh Taste N See has a colorful Carrot Cashew Salad with Feta and Scallions to share this week and says, "Verdict: Salty, sweet, spicy and crunchy. This is my favorite carrot salad now. The feta makes it salty, there is a buttery crunch from the cashews and the spicy kick from the red pepper flakes is balanced by the sweetness of the carrots. A very easy and tasty salad.I really loved this salad, as it was so sweet and fresh and almost made me feel like I was eating dessert. It is very simple to put together and made for a really great lunch."

A big Souper Sunday welcome to Akheela from Torviewtoronto, joining us for the first time today from Toronto, Canada and here with a refreshing Cucumber Salad with Yogurt. This easy salad pairs grated cucumber with cool yogurt, coriander leaves, cumin and a kick of green chile. Welcome Akheela!

Desiree from SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl is back this week with a Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad and says, "Yesterday evening I made Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad. I have recently found a love for avocado, or guacamole I should say. It was simple and required barely any cooking (besides the corn). I have also since made it using corn on the cob and removing the corn kernels from there. Or you can also keep some in the shape of little corn slices. Simple but delicious. With such beautiful, vibrant colors! It's so perfect for summer and such an easy make! It also tastes great as leftovers :)"

Spencer from Live2EatEat2Live has a bright and easy Beet Salad to share this week and says, "Yesterday, I steamed two beets. I cut them into wedges and sprinkled olive oil and sea salt over them. For color and texture, I added marinated artichokes and mushrooms and olives I bought from the olive bar at our local Safeway market. This salad did not require much effort but hit the spot."

Janet from The Taste Space was bust this week, with three dishes to share. The first is this Spanish Chickpea Salad with Capers and Roasted Red Peppers. Janet says, "When you have a simple salad, such as this one, each ingredient counts. And this salad is delicious: the sweet roasted red peppers are paired with the creamy, nutty pan-fried chickpeas, and they are dressed with a minty red wine vinegar vinaigrette with a sour note from capers. Lovely for picnics as a side salad, or even a main meal as the beans are quite filling."

Janet's second salad is a Pomegranate Tabbouleh Salad, about which she says, "When I spotted a pomegranate tabbouleh salad at Closet Cooking, I knew what I wanted to try next. It seemed perfect for the summer with fresh crisp cucumber, fresh local tomatoes, soft feta and keeping my salad staples like toasted almonds. The pomegranate flavour came from the vinaigrette with pomegranate molasses and pomegranate seeds."

Finally, Janet has an interestingly-named CAT Food Sandwiches from a guest post by Rob at Free Pants Online. Janet says, "He made the most delicious tempeh sandwiches recently and I really wanted to share the recipe. I love to share healthy, great tasting food – and these sandwiches were phenomenal. However, since I didn’t technically make it myself (although I was in the same room), I begged Rob to write a post about it to spread some tempeh love. What does “CAT” stand for? Cucumber, Alfalfa, and Tempeh, of course! What did you think it could be?"

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina is back from vacation and here with a zesty Green Peppercorns Burger with Sage. Graziana says, "Maybe you already know, but I have a thing for burgers. I'm not talking about the fast food ones, but the home made burgers: meat, fish, vegetarian... I always like to try and create new recipes. This recipe is made with beef, served with the Caramelized Onions and a mint sauce."

Kim from Stirring the Pot made Michael Symon's tongue-twisting Soppressata Sandwich with Fried Egg and Shasha Sauce and says, "Spicy fried soppressata (or salami), prosciutto, fried egg, gooey mozzarella, paper-thin slices of red onion, fresh basil, and Michael Symon's Shasha Sauce are sandwiched between crispy golden sourdough bread to make one decadent sandwich. This is a sandwich that is fitting for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So many flavors in this sandwich, it is definitely a winner."


Wow! Some wonderful soups, salads and sandwiches this week. Thanks to everyone for joining in and welcome to our new faces. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a great week!

Thai-Flavored Mojito: A Crisp & Coconutty Simple Saturday Sipper

Lacking any desire or ability to plan this week, I found myself sitting on the lanai in deep contemplation about what to make for this week's Simple Saturday Sipper. Looking to my herbs for inspiration, I noticed that the Thai basil needed some harvesting and the mint could use a little snipping too. Since I had purchased several little local limes that needed to be used, it quickly became apparent that a Thai-Flavored Mojito was the way to go.

I just mixed a little bit of everything in my fridge and bar together--the herbs, coconut water, limes, ginger syrup, coconut rum and a little soda water and of course, ice. ;-)

Thai-Flavored Mojito
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Recipe for 1 cocktail)

5-6 Thai basil leaves

5-6 mint leaves

3 lime wedges
1 Tbsp agave syrup

1 Tbsp ginger syrup

2 oz freshly-squeezed lime juice
3 oz coconut rum (or rum of choice)

3 oz coconut water
3 oz tonic water
ice

In the bottom of a tall glass, combine the mint, Thai basil, lime wedges and agave and muddle until mixed together and fragrant. Add ginger syrup, lime juice, coconut rum, coconut water and ice, then top off with the soda water. Stir gently to combine ingredients. Garnish with a lime slice and a couple of extra herbs. Enjoy! (Preferably outside on a warm evening.)


Notes/Results: Ahhh... perfectly refreshing, tangy and good. The Thai basil and mint combine nicely with the coconut, ginger and lime. I used agave syrup which gave it a touch of sweetness, but it is more tangy than sweet. You could do this without the coconut rum and coconut water, but it adds a nice touch. I will make these again.

Happy Saturday!

Soba Noodles and Cucumber (+ Shrimp) with Dipping Sauce... So What's In Your Lunch Box?

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs it is all about the Lunch Box, those Mark Bittman recipes to fill your up lunch box, lunch bag, bento box, special lunch plate, or whatever you like to put your lunch in. I didn't get a chance to run to the store so I turned to my favorite cookbook for quick and easy pantry meals, "Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express" and selected his Soba Noodles and Cucumber with Dipping Sauce.

I almost always have a pack or two of buckwheat soba on hand--it cooks quickly, it is both healthy and hearty, and it tastes great. Soba noodles are the perfect lunch to pack because they are often eaten cold, as in this recipe and there is no need to heat them. A note about buckwheat soba--there are different blends of soba noodles, with varying amounts of buckwheat. The more buckwheat in the noodles, the more rich in protein, lysine, minerals and B-vitamins they are. (These are 100% buckwheat from Eden Organic.) I decided to add some cooked shrimp from the freezer, and because I didn't have any scallions, I just topped mine with a shake of toasted sesame seeds.

Bittman says, "Perfect hot-weather food, add a bit of freshly grated ginger or wasabi for more spice and top with bits of cooked meat or tofu if you like."

Soba Noodles & Cucumber (+ Shrimp) with Dipping Sauce

Adapted from "Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express"

Boil and salt water for pasta; meanwhile, combine a quarter cup of chicken stock or water, three tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of mirin, and a teaspoon of sugar in a bowl; mix to dissolve the sugar. Cook the noodles for about four minutes, then rinse under cold water. Serve a nest of the noodles, along with sliced cucumbers in a bowl (set over ice cubes if you like), with a small bowl of the dipping sauce on the side, garnished with chopped scallions.

Notes/Results: Quick, easy, delicious, and perfect to fill a bento-style lunch box. Plus there is a certain zen-like kind of joy in dipping the noodles into the sauce and slurping them up at an audible volume. Lunch and entertainment! I recommend using a low-sodium soy sauce and lessening the amount a bit, to cut out the high sodium, but otherwise this is a light and healthy lunch or dinner. I would make this again.

You can check out what the other IHCC participants put in their lunch boxes by going to the post here and following the links.

Raw Zucchini Hummus: A Quick & Easy Dip for Summer

Yep, behind in cooking and posting again and having a week that is very full of meetings and projects. (I'm not complaining, just explaining.) ;-) So here is a quick post for a simple Raw Zucchini Hummus that takes minutes to make and is a nice change from regular hummus--not to mention a great way to use up the abundant zucchini you may have lurking about. It's surprising good and some what addictive. This one comes from VegNews magazine.

VegNews says, "Perfect for hot summer days,, you'll never miss the beans in this rich satisfying hummus."

Raw Zucchini Hummus
Adapted from Gena Hamshaw, VegNews, July/August 2010

(Makes About 1 1/2 cups)

2 zucchini, finely chopped and ends removed
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
paprika, for garnish

In a food processor, Combine zucchini, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and tahini and blend, stopping periodically to scrape the sides of the bowl. Drizzle in olive oil as needed and garnish with paprika.


Notes/Results: Really good. This does have a lot of tahini in it, therefore a big tahini flavor, which I like, but if I were taking it to an event to share I might add less of it and pump up the zucchini amount a bit. I did add a little extra lemon, because I like my hummus to have a brightness to it. The crackers are just simple flax seed crackers, the first test of my new toy, a dehydrator (yippee!), but more about that later. In addition to flax seed crackers and tortilla and pita chips, this makes a great sandwich spread too. A lighter take on hummus, I will make this again.

Cucumber Avocado Soup: A Healthy Raw Bowl for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I try to listen to what my body is craving and wants me to eat, which sometimes means having to block out my mind, which more often than not is liable to say "cupcakes, chocolate or french fries" when consulted. For the mind it is all about immediate gratification, what it thinks it wants. My body on the other hand will "tell" me what it needs. Maybe it requires protein, or it needs some healthy fats, or thinks it is time to pile on the green veggies. This weekend the body's cravings have been mostly for "cooling" foods, like juicy fruits and vegetables, so it seemed like a good time to try this easy, raw Cucumber Avocado Soup from "The Raw 50: 10 Amazing Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks and Drinks For Your Raw Food Lifestyle" by Carol Alt.

You might remember that I made a guacamole-ish looking raw soup a couple weeks ago; this one is lighter but still very satisfying from the avocado. It is flavorful and good, and perfect for lunch or dinner when the weather is warm.

Alt says, "This soup is so light and fresh that one thing you won't feel after eating it is "fat." But it has the kind of fat your body really needs."

Cucumber Avocado Soup

Adapted from "The Raw 50" by Carol Alt

(Serves 4)

4 large cucumbers, cleaned, peeled and chopped

4 celery stalks, cleaned and chopped

1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup chopped dill

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

4 cups purified water

Put all of the ingredients in the blender and whir them until creamy smooth. Pour into bowls and serve.

Tip: The phrase "cool as a cucumber" refers to the fact that cucumbers have such a high water content that they can remain 20 degrees cooler than the outside air when the temperature spikes. The cuke is a diminutive cousin to the watermelon, works as a diuretic, and has other cleansing properties. Besides being one of the most refreshing things to eat, it can be used topically to soothe burns and sores and soften the skin.


Notes/Results: Very good--great flavor and light, but still filling from the healthy fats. I did make a few changes--making a half-batch but keeping the same amount of avocado in it. I just wanted the texture a bit thicker. I also added a little extra lemon juice and a touch of sea salt and black pepper, which brought out more of the flavor. I'll make this again.




Let's see who is in the Souper Sunday kitchen this week:

Denny from Oh Taste n See is back this week and with a beautiful bowl of Chilled Carrot Coriander Soup. Denny says, "This soup resembles a gazpacho, in that it is served cold. But, unlike a gazpacho which uses raw vegetables, here the vegetables are cooked. This is also a ‘stove free’ or ‘hands free’ soup. Yep, all you need is the oven and a blender/food processor. I roasted the carrots with some spices and then pureed it in the food processor with some yogurt. Adding the creamy yogurt and the little flecks of green from the coriander to the soup, made it cool, refreshing and perfect for the summer weather."

Spencer ("The Mouse") from Live2EatEat2Live took a cue from a favorite Disney movie and made a hearty "Mouseatouille"--his take on a ratatouille or vegetable stew. Spencer says, "Was the stew “authentic?” Probably not. Was I trying to be “authentic?” Definitely not. For me, part of the fun is getting inspired by food and putting my own twist on it. Along with salt and pepper, I used basil, marjoram, and oregano for seasoning. The Mouse was inspired by a rat, how appropriate, thanks Remy."

Julie from A Little Bit of Everything made a beautifully-colored Sour Cherry Soup and says, "Do you like cold soups? My first experience with cold soup was at a tea room in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I loved the creamy texture. A bowl of cold soup is almost too much to serve with a meal. A small amount, however, is a refreshing treat on a hot summer day!
If you're looking to try a cold summer soup, give this one a try. It has a nice, not too sweet flavor with a hint of cinnamon."

Please join me in welcoming Desiree from SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl, from Cincinnati, making her first appearance at Souper Sundays. Desiree made a hearty Potato, Cream Cheese, Bacon & Chive Soup and says, "I don't usually make soup so I thought this would be a good time to broaden my horizons, and I had been eyeing a recipe of Reeni's over at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice. It has everything that I love - potatoes, cream cheese, and bacon. This soup tastes good as leftovers. Like I said, I am not really a soup kind of person. But when it has so many things that I like, why wouldn't I like it!? I can't wait to make this again :)" Nice to have you Desiree!

It is lovely to have Lynde from Vinegarlic back again this week and with a bright green and healthy bowl of Turkey Chili Verde. Lynde says, "Chili verde is a refreshing dish that incorporates a lot of beautiful summer produce. It is a great make-ahead meal; like all chili, it is even better reheated than when freshly made."

Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice has a gorgeous bowl of Spicy Gazpacho with Lime Shrimp to share this week and says, "You can serve gazpacho as an appetizer shooter-style or kick it up to main dish status with the addition of grilled shrimp or chicken marinated in lime and cilantro. The silky base of the soup is made of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper and jalapeno pureed along with stale bread, olive oil and lime juice. For serving it's topped with diced vegetables, croutons and in this case, shrimp."

Kim from Stirring the Pot made a fun Cheesy-Spicy Corn and Corn Chip Salad this week and says, "This salad is a combination of corn, which has been cooked and sliced off the cob, shredded monterey jack cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped bell peppers, chopped jalapenos, sliced red onion, and chopped cilantro. Everything gets tossed with a bit of mayo and then topped with crushed Fritos. This salad makes for a gorgeous presentation and we really enjoyed it."

Joanne from Eats Well With Others made Michael Symon's Heirloom Tomato Salad with Red Onions, Dill, and Feta. Joanne says. "Although I will say that you have to actually use heirloom tomatoes for this, at least if you want to get the full delicious effect. I used to be of the opinion that all tomatoes were created equal. I was wrong. Heirlooms tomatoes have such complex, intriguing flavors. That they put regular old vine-ripened Camparis. To shame. And take what would be an otherwise ordinary tomato salad with feta and dill. And make it something that you will actually start to crave."

It is great to have Lauren at Healthy. Delicious. back this week at Souper Sundays. Lauren made a gorgeous Porcini Dusted Ribeye and accompanied it with this colorful Green Bean Salad. She says, "I came up with this porcini dusted steak with red wine sauce and a summery green bean, corn, and tomato salad on a whim, and I couldn’t have been happier with it. The salad was light and fresh, featuring some of the best that August has to offer. And the whole thing was on the table in under 15 minutes. Which meant I could get back to the couch and put my feet up in half the time it would have taken to get a pizza delivered."

Janet from The Taste Space made another amazing grain salad, this Wheat Berry, White Bean and Edamame Salad, and says, "This was a light yet hearty salad at the same time. It was hearty with one of my favourite whole grains: wheat berries. Nutty and chewy, they can really hold their own in a salad. Sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy edamame beans and white beans are added for further textural and nutritional contrast. The dressing is a plain red wine vinegar vinaigrette and the red onions add the bit of kick needed for such a simple salad."

Pam from Sidewalk Shoes made a Chicken, Rice and Black Bean Salad and says, "I made this with brown rice. It’s my effort to be healthier. I shouldn’t have. Though I try, I just can’t embrace the whole grain thing. I much prefer white bread over whole wheat, regular pasta instead of whole wheat and white rice over brown. So, making this recipe with brown rice already kicks it down a notch in my book. I am posting this because my husband liked it. It was nice and healthy and a way to use up some leftover chicken. I think it could be jazzed up a bit, maybe some lime juice or something."

girlichef used Chile Colorado, a spicy, flavorful beefy filling to make these Tortas con Chile Colorado, a hearty Mexican sandwich. girlichef says, "I went ahead and used my filling in tortas for dinner that day. I toasted the bolillo on the cut sides, then flipped and added crema, romaine, cilantro and the hot chile colorad. I added the tops and toasted both sides...sliding in some avocado at the end. Soooooo good."

Another great group of recipes this week! Thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a wonderful week!