Soup For The Soul.......

Only 10 more days until Christmas....are you getting a little nervous or excited yet?  I can't believe that December is half way over ugh....time just seems to fly these days more and more.  I'm trying to slow it all down and enjoy everything as much as I can.

I will share some pics this week of holiday things, but wanted to pop in with one of my favorite cold-weather soups that is easy to make and good to put up in the freezer too.  So make a big batch to enjoy on those days you just don't have time to cook or want to be doing other things ;)

For a printable version of this recipe, click HERE!

Have a wonderful week everyone!!!

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Entering into these Linky Parties:

Monday Funday

Do Tell Tuesday

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Take A Load Off.....

A load of carbs off your daily diet that is.  I've really been watching my carbs & sugars the past month and trying to be better about substituting while cooking.  And you know how you feel weighted down after a huge pasta meal?  Yeah, you won't feel that way with a plate of veggie noodles that's for sure.

Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer 

 Which led me to purchase this handy, dandy machine.....may I present the Spiralizer! There are lots of different models & types out there but I read reviews diligently and this one seemed to suit me best. I liked the different blades, ease of use and easy clean up.  You can use it for fruits AND veggies...so mix it up and try new things I say :)

Which led to me getting it, washing it & putting it right to use because I was super excited! 

(it doesn't take much folks, trust me)

I decided to use zucchini & yellow squash to make spaghetti noodles first. I snapped in the right blade, cut the ends off of my veggies and spiraled away...its pretty fun to twirl that handle. Reminded me of the Play-Doh Hair Salon I had as a kid hahaha!  The spiralizer has suction cups on each leg to keep it in place while you are twirling away...don't get too excited now..hehehe. AND keep the skins on for extra source of fiber too (after you've washed them all really well).

And I ended up with a blow of these yummy veggie noodles.  I used 1 each of the zucchini & yellow squash to make enough for two servings (my veggies were med sized).

Cook or Raw?

Now you can eat them raw if you like or to soften them a bit you can cook them up quickly.

I put a TBS of Olive Oil in my pan along with 2 diced cloves of garlic and sauteed them for about 2-3 minutes.  Easy peasy.  (I also drained them on paper towels because I wanted less oil on them)

Don't have a Spiralizer or don't want to buy one? 

 Use a julienne slicer or peeler and make long, thin strips instead...it may take a bit longer but results will be similar.

I also had some homemade marinara meat sauce simmering and ready on the stove.  Mine has onions, mushrooms & ground turkey in it...yummmm!

And direct from a Healthy Eating Website here is the low-down on zucchini spaghetti:

Each medium zucchini provides 33 calories, 6.1 grams of total carbohydrates and 2.0 grams of fiber, which works out to only 4.1 grams of net carbs.

A typical plate of spaghetti can easily provides 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrate, and that is before you even consider the garlic bread and soft drink that might go with it. Most low-carb diet plans recommend limiting your daily carb intake to fewer than 100 grams a day.

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How is that for a comparison huh?  I think this girl will be sticking to her veggie noodles and feel much better after enjoying it too!

And all these pics were with my iPhone..sorry..I didn't realize that BOTH my 

camera's batteries were dead until I of course needed them lol!

And that turned into a yummilicious dinner...I swear it was so good I could've eaten 2 bowls.  The veggie noodles were softer and took on the flavor of the sauce...you'd never know if you weren't told what they were.  Definitely a winner!  I served it up with a field greens salad & balsamic dressing..nummers.

I will be using this Spiralizer a lot me thinks!

I also pinned quite a few recipes using a Spiralizer on my LOSE WEIGHT RECIPES board on Pinterest if you are interested.
Oh and there is a blog dedicated to only Spiralizer recipes..check it out too!

Look Ma, NO Electricity......

Happy, Happy Monday Y'all!  

I'm headed to my mom's for the day to see my Aunt who is in town.  I haven't seen her in almost 10 years and she's my favorite Aunt...soooo I'm taking the day off to visit!  I will share Pumpkin Patch pictures with you all this week along with a fun project I finally finished up!

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I had to share this with you all in case you haven't yet seen or heard about them.  I thought it was such a cool invention with so many uses, that I couldn't not share it on the blog.

It's called the Wonderbag....and you can get your own at Amazon.com!

Why is it so cool?

Its basically like a crock pot but without the electricity.  It cooks & keeps foods warm for up to 12 hours.  

And best part is...if you buy one, they donate one to someone in need in Africa.

So if you are like me and afraid to leave your crockpot plugged in while you are gone this is a great solution.

Or if you like to camp and RV...boil your food in your pot and place in Wonderbag to cook while you enjoy the day doing other things.

Use it to take to dinners and BBQs to keep your food warm...or on a buffet when you don't want to or can't plug anything in.

Like to Tailgate? This is great for keeping the food warm while heading to your game so its ready before kick-off!

Or you may just like to save electricity and help out Mother Earth

INGENIOUS!!

It comes in 3 color/pattern options I believe...red, blue and yellow.

"One Wonderbag per year saves 1.7 trees, 1000 liters of water, and 1,248 hours not spent collecting firewood."

And I love that one is donated to a family in need in Africa for every one bought here in the US.

Get Your Own Wonderbag HERE!

Healthy Eats!

Well its Week 6 and I've got my Meal Plan below for you!  

You can find them all by clicking on the HEALTHY LIVING tab at top of blog or on my sidebar.  And most of the recipes are on my Pinterest board HERE too!

Shrimp Tostados by Skinny Taste

I've stumbled upon a blog that I've fallen in love with...I MEAN I LOVE IT! 

It's called "skinnytaste.com" and she has the best recipes for those looking for healthy alternatives to their meals.  I've used mostly her recipes for this week's Meal Plan as well....so many yuumy choices.  And the food photography is outta this world...I can only aspire to take some luscious photos of food!

So I'm looking forward to trying out some new recipes and flavors over the coming months.  There are so many filling and yummy recipes that are good for you if you look hard enough and are willing to try.  These Turkey Picadillo Stuffed Plantains above are on the plan for this week...they sound delicious and nothing I've ever made before but I'm sure willing to give it a go.

So anywho I hope you hop on over to that blog and have fun perusing all the fabulous recipes and pictures.

The Turtle Beats the Hare....

Slowly but surely I'm persisting....as of today I've lost 11 lbs and I'm pretty excited about it.  

I refuse to do anything drastic because it never works well in the long term. Slow & steady wins the race...and I'm focusing on calories, good workouts and feeling better and not feeling deprived or sad about anything. HUGE difference!  I feel stronger & hey I'm fitting in my pants again...that's a nice incentive for sure.  19 lbs to go but I'm motivated to make it happen by Christmas.

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Here are my meal plans for this week below (and last week's too, sorry I forgot to add it).  

If you are looking for healthy meal plans and new recipes you can find lots on my Pinterest Board HERE and all my meal plans are linked in my side bar or by clicking the HEALTHY LIVING tab at top of blog.  

FYI: Any meal that has (P) next to it has the recipe on my pinterest board.

I'm finally able to get through a 60 minute workout and I'm loving the Kettlebell and Jillian Michael Shred workouts...they work if you stay consistent and push it every workout.  I'm also enjoying yoga..I've been trying many different workouts via Amazon Prime Instant Video and like to mix it up each week.  I went from holding a plank for 5 secs to a minute-thirty...so every step up is encouraging.

And also the Lose It app on my phone has been great for tracking each & every calorie I put in my mouth...makes it easier to plan my meals and days out.

So if you are on this journey too....how are you doing??

Soup It Up!!

It's All About Flavor.....

Hi Folks!  Not gonna lie....I'm pretty excited for a multitude of reasons this week.  First my Washington Nationals clinched the NL East Division on Tues night in Atlanta...and it was such a sa-weeeet victory. The Dean family has our playoff tickets and we are ready to cheer them on in October!!

Secondly....I've lost 2.5 lbs in past 9 days of seriously working out everyday and watching what I eat. The Lose It app has been a revelation for me to keep track of fat & calories and I haven't had any cravings at all.  I feel full and satisfied after every meal or snack.  Now just 27.5 lbs left to go...its a long haul but I'm ready to do this!  I don't think you can ever get on a healthy path until you are TRULY ready...mind, body & soul or you won't be successful. For me I was beyond ready and excited to be getting healthy again.

Third...I made some French Onion Soup that will rock your world and then some hehehe.  It was so good we ate the leftovers for lunches in 2 days...I had to fight my son for a bowl lol.  I've been making this soup for years but could never get the depth of flavor I wanted like I've had in other restaurants. And trust me over the years I've probably taste-tested 400 different kinds so I knew what I was after.  WELL I DID IT....I had a revelation looking at a recipe I had pinned which called for similar things I used but with an addition...it made all the difference.  So I'm sharing with you all today!

Oh and best part....only 80 calories in a bowl...160 calories if you count a slice of low-fat Swiss Cheese and a slice of bread on top.  And its filling...can't beat that kind of meal!

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French Onion Soup with Flavor Depth

Mmmmmm can you almost smell it....it was sooooo good!

RECIPE:

4-5 good sized Vidalia Onions sliced

2 TBS of butter

2-3 cloves of garlic diced/minced

1/2 cup of Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup of red wine

1/4 cup of Balsamic Vinegar (this was the difference in flavor folks)

1 TBS of brown sugar

1/2 TBS of Thyme dried powder or use fresh Thyme

Kosher Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

4 TBS of flour

64 onces of Beef Broth

Bread Slices

Low-Fat Swiss Cheese Slices

INSTRUCTIONS:

I cooked my soup in my Dutch Oven pot but if you aren't going to be home or want to simmer while at work..just follow Dutch Oven instructions in a pot then transfer to a Crock-Pot.

Put your sliced onions, butter, Balsamic Vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, wine and garlic in pot or saute pan and cook till onions start to caramelize on med heat.  Add a shake of salt & pepper as they cook too.  This can take about 10-15 mins...you want them to cook slowly and not burn...burned onions equal yucky flavor.

**The Balsamic Vinegar made all the difference in the flavor I kid you not!**

Lower heat then add in the flour and stir well and cook for a few more mins.  I added another splash of Balsamic Vinegar & Worcestershire Sauce at this point too.  I cook to taste & rarely measure so please bear with me lol.

If you sauteed your onions in a pan, transfer them to a large pot and add your beef broth.  Stir well and keep on med/low heat.  Add your thyme and salt/pepper and simmer covered for at least an hour if not a couple of hours if you can.  Or cook on low/warm in Crock-Pot.  The longer it simmers the more flavor you create so cook it as long as you can...mine cooked about 5 hours.

Toast your bread/baguette slices, place on top of soup in your bowls...then top with 2 slices of cheese.

Broil in oven for a couple minutes until your cheese starts to bubble.  Make sure your bowls are oven proof. I put my bowls on a baking pan so they are easier to remove from the hot oven.

I served my soup with a side of fruit salad to finish off the meal!

Bon Appetit!!!

Soooo yummy!!!

When you have deep flavors in your food you don't miss all the other stuff including fat...makes the eating healthy experience enjoyable!!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

SUM.SUM.SUMMERTIME!!

Do you plant a garden every spring & summer?  Do you love going out your back door and picking some fresh produce. I know I sure do....one of my favorite things about summer.  I don't use any pesticides on my plants so I know exactly where and how my produce is grown.

There is just something about the smell of a tomato plant that always symbols summer to me.

And when you cut fresh herbs....a little bit of heaven on earth I think.

Nothing better for you or more inexpensive than growing your own veggies and herbs.

Even if you have a garden in a pot....so worth it!!

This was my garden a month ago....everything coming in nicely and anticipating some yummy veggies and herbs.

And this is today!  Everything is growing in beautifully and we've been eating already from the garden most nights.

My zucchini plants are looking great....lots of beautiful blooms so I know we will be eating fresh zucchini by the time I get back from vacation!

I plant both the zucchini and cucumbers with seeds every year and have always had success with them.  In fact other than my tomato and pepper plants everything is planted by seeds.  For under $25 you can have a garden full of yummy produce for the summer....can't beat that!

I always plant 5 different types of lettuces in my garden...super easy to grow and OMGosh it tastes so good.  We have fresh salads, BLTs, Caprese Salad, Burgers...everything has fresh lettuce on it. And once these crops dwindle, I pull up the leftover stalks and plant new seeds. I usually have lettuce thru October most years. And enough to share with neighbors and friends too :)  Even though I use no pesticides the lettuce still has dirt on it...so everything gets washed and then I use the OXO Salad Spinner to dry it out (love my spinner).

I'm most excited about having some fresh tomatoes real soon.  There are some biggun's already growing and a ton of cherry tomatoes...I expect to have them for next weekend's Fourth of July...mmm. Can we say tomato sandwich with Dukes Mayo and a bit of pepper...YUMMO!

My basil plants are stunning...no doubt about it...they look beautiful! Planted by seeds and I have enough for 1000 Italian dinners LOL!  We've already used it in Caprese Salads, Chicken Parmesan and Italian Meatloaf.  I like the sweet basil so that's usually what I plant.  I also have chives, cilantro and rosemary planted that we've been using too.

This is one of my pepper plants...I don't like peppers nor do I eat them.  However the boys love them so I always plant a mix of green peppers and habanero peppers for them.  Those are my cosmos coming in nicely to the right of the peppers.  I like to plant flowers in my garden as well....they look pretty and deter the animals.

This is what I've been pulling out of the garden most days....along with bowlfuls for friends.

Soooo yummy!

Salads most nights with my homemade Caesar Dressing or Balsamic Dressings.

And chicken parmesan with fresh basil....so good...non-paleo yes but very good indeed ;)

So...How Does Your Garden Grow?

SUMMER Food Porn Tuesday!

SUMMER RECIPES

I'm all for yummy, brightly colored foods using veggies and fruits in the summertime. Summer usually makes me want lighter foods that don't heat up my kitchen or take too long to make...gotta have some lounge-time built into the summer right?

And fresh fruit that is so sweet it dribbled down your chin...amen I say!!!

Thought I'd share a few recipes I've seen around that got my tastebuds going....will be making these the next 2 weeks before we head out on our 15 day vacation starting July 9th.

Chili Lime Sweet Corn Salsa

Our local farmers market is promising fresh corn by next week...so I'm thinking

this would be a yummy side with some fresh, grilled fish.  Mmmmmm!

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Spears

I make a zucchini dish that I make a lot (diced zucchini & onions sauteed then add mozz cheese on top) so I'm looking to expand my zucchini repertoire because I have a LOT of zucchinis growing in the garden. These look easy & yummy!

Caramelized Onion Quiche

Onions + Cheese = say no more.....sounds like good stuff to me and easy to cook up!

Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes

I love me some stuffed tomatoes....that's just good eating to me...especially when they are fresh 'maters!

Here's a few for ya in case you need variety like me ;)

Spinach, Mushroom & Brie Stuffed Tomatoes

Avocado & Chicken Stuffed Tomatoes

Tomatoes Stuffed with Grilled Corn Salad

Yellow Bean & Mushroom Gratin

I am going to have a bumper crop of wax/yellow beans this summer and was looking for new recipes when I came across this.  Sounds sooooo good & easy to do!

Spaghetti with Basil Pesto

I'm growing a few herbs this summer as well and my basil has come in beautifully. I'm going to make this recipe and the one below with my fresh basil...should be yum yums!

Chicken with Basil Artichoke Sauce

Sounds yum right? I'll let you know.....

Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

I want to try this version on my spinach-strawberry salads this summer.

Looks good, sounds good!

Blackberry Cream Cupcake

And for a very sweet dessert, how about these?  I think I just drooled.....
I like little desserts...just enough to sweeten you up but not enough to stuff ya!

Are any of you growing some fresh veggies this summer?  What's your favorite veggie to eat and grow?