FAR FROM HOME HAPPINESS SOUP

“And we are far, far from home but we’re so happy.”

Of Monsters and Men lead vocalist, Hilmarsdóttir, once said “I like when lyrics can have different meanings for you during different parts of your life…” when talking about the meaning of the song From Finner. That’s the ultimate beauty of music, and of art, the most important context isn’t always the one in which the art was made but the context in which the art is embraced.

For me, I took the lyrics not to be a physical home, but rather my goals, my dreams and my aspirations. Home (much like a bowl of soup) is a place filled with comfort and happiness, and that’s exactly where I imagine myself when I achieve everything I set out to do.

This post is almost a sequel to the Roasted Anjuna Beats Ravioli. It’s a reminder to myself not to dream of my happiness whenever I reach my destination, but rather to be happy with being far from home (my goals), knowing that one-day I’ll get there. Especially at this age, we get so caught in wanting get to our dreams that we forget to enjoy the journey. We almost begin to feel that we can’t be happy until we get to our goals. We get restless, which we sometimes mistake to be ambition. But it is possible to be ambitious with still being happy with how far you are from home.

Sometimes, it isn’t even that we forget to the enjoy journey, it’s just that we miss the opportunities to reflect in our happiness. This soup serves as a reminder to enjoy the journey, whether it’s the journey home to our goals or the journey to happy taste buds and a full stomach. The smell of the roasting vegetables will fill your kitchen reminding you of the comforting happiness that is not far away, while the sounds of Styrofoam, Hydrogen Sea, Cut Copy, and Thomas Jack remind you to cherish each moment of having a happy soul and a happy stomach.

Beats:

Materials: (for 4 servings of soup)

4-5 tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

½ yellow onion

2-3 gloves garlic

2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 teaspoon paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

Arugula

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Basil

Bacon

Methods:

1.     Heat an oven to 450 degrees.

2.     In a baking sheet place chopped tomatoes, chopped onion and chopped red bell peppers.

3.     Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

4.     To roast garlic – place 2-3 peeled chopped of garlic in a piece of foil with olive oil, salt and pepper. Close foil and place on baking sheet with vegetables.

5.     Roast for about 45 minutes.

6.     Puree roasted vegetables & roasted garlic in a blender or food processor with chicken broth, salt and pepper and paprika.

7.     Warm soup in a pot.

8.     Top with fresh cracked pepper, arugula, grated cheese, fresh basil and slices of bacon.

SHAVED ASPARAGUS LEMON PIZZA

I think its only natural when our lives are at a standstill or a turning point that we begin to think about what got us to that point and what we’ve learned along the way. Thanks to the Internet we know that we’re not alone in these thoughts. I frequently find myself coming across thoughtcatalog/buzzfeed lists with lists like “20 things I wish I knew before I started college” or more commonly “20 things I wish I knew when I was 20.” Most of these lists compile the life lessons of the author(s) - what they've learned through their own experiences that they wish they could go back in time and tell themselves.

JALAPENO GINGER SUNSET SIPS FOR THE SOUL

Photographers refer to the last hour of sunlight in a day as magic hour. This usually produces the perfect photograph (or instagram) because of the way the glow of the sunlight mixes with the soft shadows. Towards the end of summer, it’s not just the lighting that makes the setting sun ‘magical,’ its also the balance of temperatures.

As the sun sets and the air cools down, you get this sensation of being hugged by the warm sunlight while breathing in the cool air of the shadows. It’s this comforting yet refreshing feeling that is captured with this drink. The ginger beer combined with the fresh mint and strawberries refresh your mind, while the vodka warms your soul.

SUMMER VIBES QUINOA FALAFELS

Summer is finally “officially” here! Although for me, in Bakersfield with our cool 110 degree weather, summer’s been here for quite a few weeks now. This recipe is the ultimate summer dish, simple to make (leaving enough time to enough the summer day) and super refreshing. These quinoa falafels come to me out of necessity to pack as much protein as possible into my meals. Growing up with two brothers, meat (and lots of it) was necessary at every meal. I grew up accustomed to the norm of large amounts of protein with every meal, finding my body needing meat and excessive protein with every meal. With these falafels, the absence of meat is hardly noticed with so much flavor and protein.

SALTED CAYENNE DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

It’s pretty common knowledge that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets the tone for the rest of the day, and if done right, can turn your day from ordinary to bossy. I recommend starting your day off with one of these rich, creamy truffles with just the right sweetness and just the right kick.

GRILLED KALE CROSTINI

Just because the Holidays may seem long gone, and the days of reminiscing the memories of the past year have come to a halt, does not mean that the days of celebrations and holiday parties should be a thing of the past. It always seemed odd to me that we tend to wait till the end of the year to have an abundance of wine & dine parties.

ROASTED ANJUNA BEATS RAVIOLI

There’s this feeling of restlessness that has taken over our generation. At first I thought it was just a post college trauma kind of thing but the I noticed that most of our generation is afflicted with this restlessness, this desire for more, this belief that we deserve and that we need more even when we seemingly have it all.

MOOMBAHTON CHICKEN CURRY POT PIE

Aside from the expected viewing of Food Network, I tend to find myself flipping through channels seeking random documentary-esque shows. Stereotypically attracted by seeing India in the title, I stumbled upon “HDNet’s Paul Merton in India.”

Paul Merton strikes me as the kind of the guy you see on those ads telling you that for just $5 dollars a month you can support the education of a whole village, or something of the sort, but something intrigued me about him. For this episode, Merton was visiting a prison in Hyderabad. Initially, I assumed it was to show the viewers what prison in a third world country was like. Instead, his purpose for visiting this particular prison was the food, rumored to be some of the best food in Hyderabad.