Kale and avocado "massaged" salad

When my friend told me about this salad, I was pretty dubious. It just sounded weird. But oh my! Love this one and will definitely be making it again!

4-6 cups kale (roughly chopped (stalks discarded

1 medium avocado

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic (fresh)

1/2 t. Cumin powder

1/8 t. Cayenne pepper

2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Place kale in large bowl, add avocados and massage the avocados into the kale with hands. The kale will begin to shrink and will almost wilt. 

Add remaining ingredients and massage into kale until thoroughly mixed.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

We love tomato soup at our home-especially made from home canned tomatoes. My grandmother taught me to make this as a child, and here's my plant based version.

1 quart tomatoes (or canned equivalent)*
4 garlic cloves
1/2 medium onion
1-2 Tablespoons basil
1/4 t. Cayenne pepper
Black pepper and salt to taste
2 teaspoons plant based chicken bouillon
1 cup raw cashews
4 cups water

* If using store bought canned tomatoes, add 2 additional teaspoons of 100% maple syrup or sweetener  (to taste) and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and additional salt as needed.

Place tomatoes, spices and seasonings into a blender (I prefer a Vitamix) and puree until smooth.

Pour mixture into a large pan and heat on stove.

Add cashews and water to blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Add to tomato mixture in pan on stove and whisk until well combined. Continue to whisk as mixture heats-just below a boil. 
The cashew milk will thicken soup, thin if needed with water.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil.

Serve warm