Food on Friday: Vegan corn chowder with cilantro cream

Let's talk FAILURE, shall we?  'Cause it's my middle name this week.  I keep trying to win, but it just doesn't seem like it is in the cards or--dare I admit--my capabilities.

Take this soup for example.  Peter and I haven't seen too much of each other since Tuesday, so I wanted to make him a nice dinner before he went off to his night shift tonight.  Since it has felt so much like fall this week, I knew immediately I wanted to make this delicious soup.  And then I proceeded to look forward to it all. week. long.  I even bought a blender (yes!) just for this occasion!

Cut to dinner time tonight, Peter wakes up to find his girlfriend (and kitchen) covered in corn soup and dinner no where near ready.  My clothes, the floor, all stained because the soup contains turmeric.

I failed.  I made a huge mess,  I didn't have dinner ready and I was stressed (translation: bitchy).  In my excitement about the blender and my haste to get dinner ready, I hadn't exactly read the manual that accompanied my new blender...and I almost ruined dinner. Sometimes, the more effort I put into something, the more horribly wrong it goes (must remember should I ever have wedding).

Luckily, after some help from my patient other half, the soup was salvaged and we actually quite enjoyed it.  It's really summery, which isn't what I expected, but perfect for September.  And don't get me started on the cilantro cream...yum...

This recipe is from a blog I just LOOOVE called My New Roots, which is all about whole foods and a "whole" lifestyle. The soup is also vegan and is perfect for a Meatless Monday or a picky crowd.  Instead of posting the recipe, you can find it here (her pictures of it are gaw-geous).  The only warning I have is to be careful, as you are using a blender for a soup that contains turmeric, which stains.  I learned this lesson the hard way and lost my favorite T-shirt in the process.

In the end, though, I must say the beauty of failure is that it isn't all encompassing.  It passes and you quickly realize that at the important things, you can't fail.  The soup was still tasty and the mess only took about 40 minutes to clean up. I still got a text message thanking me for the nice meal and the time together (he appreciates the effort ;-).  I have a cup of tea in my hand and a new vanilla scented candle on my desk.  Above it hang pictures of people I love and I am going to bed tonight after a hard but rewarding week of work.  I am not sure there could be a greater success.

Pictures that hang above my desk, from a friends wedding, of many people that I love.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone and be sure to count your blessings!!