Hi all.

No Food today.

I just wanted to give you an update on the latest and great happenings in the life of… well me.  As I mentioned with my Not your average Sheperd’s Pie, that I was working on my first ever product for sale.  The fact of the matter it is true!

Early in the new year I told you I left my corporate career to blog and consult full time.  And with that would come some pretty fun projects.  Well, I have to say the last 5 months have been a whirlwind for zesty.

I am writing a “book book” on how to throw a party – healthy style.  This is well underway and I hope it to be released in the coming months.  Just recently, I started putting together a Smoothie and Juice book because of our recent success with Google and our Top Juicer recipes post.

This smoothie book barring any meltdown on my part will be available for purchase on Monday  – May 21st.  This will be a digital download packed with 50 of my favorite smoothie and juice recipes.  Printer friendly format, stunning photos and simple, everyday ingredients to make your tongue sizzle.

So please stay tuned for that and I think we may even throw in a special contest to go along with the launch so keep an eye on zesty for that.

I do have a lot of projects on the go, some which I cannot reveal as of yet due to NDA’s and such but some of which I can chat about.  I have recently signed a partnership agreement with Aroundtheplate.org.  I am officially going to be their Blog/Website consultant of choice for all their members as well as I will be doing 4 presentations a year to all its members in a conference style talking about blog growth strategies, importance of blog design, how to integrate social media with your blog and how to convert readers into clients.  I am really excited on that front.

I am also teaming up with the International Health Coaches Association performing similar duties from a public speaking perspective.  Educating new graduating health coaches on the importance of leveraging the internet to grow their practice.  Super excited!

I was recently featured in a couple of magazines within the nutrition space for blog design and consulting, to promote the same message.  This year is really the year to educate and offer all the things I have learned and ( done wrong) over the last seven years to bloggers, entrepreneurs alike to help them grow and become successful.

Sorry for the long winded post with no pictures but I felt it was a good time to give you an update on what I have been doing the last 5 months in my underwear I mean at my new home office.

Have a super weekend and I will see you all on Monday.  Keep your eyes peeled for the book on Monday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Monday is here. Daylight savings time is in effect. I am ready for another work week. The sun is shining, birds are squawking and well I guess all of those are good things. Right? Yeah I guess you are right. I was a little unsure if I should share with you something sassy today ( as in a chocolate dessert) or something savory to warm you up after a long day…. As you read a little further down you will see that I opted for savory.

A simple Roasted Butternut Squash soup. I mean seriously, it does not get any easier than this fellas. From scratch you can have a soup in no time. Healthy, delicious ( well if you like butternut squash), hearty and overall just gives you that warm feeling deep inside. Kind of the same feeling when you do something nice for someone else and you feel all fuzzy inside.

Whoah, that was a sappy line – but you get the point. Let’s move on to the details on how to build this soup.

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1/2 Cup cream
• 2 Cups vegetable/chicken stock
• 2 Cups water
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 White onion, diced
• 2 Carrots, diced
• 1/2 Tsp. cumin powder
• 1 Tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 Tsp. paprika
• 2 Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tsp. + 1 Tbsp. Olive oil

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 400′F. Cut the butternut squash in half, and core the middle. Remove all the seeds, brush the butternut squash with 1 tsp oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the butternut squash in foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
2. While the butternut squash is baking, sauté onion, paprika, cumin and remaining oil in a large pot on medium heat (3-4 minutes). Add celery, carrots, and water and bring to a simmer.
3. Remove butternut squash from the oven, and allow to come to room temperature. Carefully scoop the butternut squash away from the center, throwing away the peel. Add the butternut squash to the pot, along with chili flakes, bay leaves, and stock.
4. Bring to a boil and cook until  vegetables are tender ( about 20 minutes). Reduce heat and temper the cream by adding a small amount of the soup base to the cream, then adding the entirety back to the pot. Continue cooking on low heat for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove bay leaves, and carefully puree the soup with a handheld food processor.
6. Return the soup back to the stove and continue cooking on low, to allow the flavors to develop or eat right away if you are starving and cannot wait any longer.
7. Garnish with parsley and sour cream before serving.

Zesty Tip: For added texture you could make some homemade croutons and place them on top of the soup.

A nice pairing with this soup would be a nice piece of halibut and a simple salad and you would have yourself a fabulous meal.  Or you cannot just eat the soup by itself and move on.  Your choice.  Alright.  I am going to go make sure that my MoVember mustache doesn’t look hideous and then head off to work.  Have a super Monday and I will talk to you on Wednesday.  I will post the mustache picks on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Mr. And Mrs Zesty arrive in New York…

Lunch at Eataly in Madison Square…. Amazing!

Hook on the Hop-n-Go for a tour.

Check into the Hotel. View Times square.

Hit Chipotle for a quick dinner.

Take in STOMP at Orpheum Theatre… One of the most amazing performances I have ever seen!

Today is a new day and lots on the agenda… Stay tuned for all the details on Monday!

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty