Meatless Meal: Roasted Vegetable Soup

O. M. G.!!!
 
Today began Souper Sunday.  My first selection is Roasted Vegetable Soup.

I always do chili or stew, so adding a real "soup" is nice... especially because it is absolutely dee-lish!
 
I found the recipe here
 
1 head garlic
3 pt. cherry tomatoes
2 large bell peppers, cut into ½-inch chunks
2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch chunks
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 Tbs. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
 
Preheat oven to 450°F

1. Rub papery skin off garlic, and cut off top of head to expose clove tips. Place on square of foil, and drizzle with 1 Tbs. water. Wrap garlic, and roast 35 to 40 minutes, or until soft.
2. Toss tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and oil with paprika in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on 2 baking sheets, and roast 35 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and tender, stirring once. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into bowl of food processor; add half of roasted vegetables and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth, then transfer to large bowl or saucepan. Pulse remaining vegetables in food processor until chopped, then stir into puréed soup with corn and vinegar. Warm, if necessary.

So, I have to tell yous... it is Uh-MAY-Zing!

I added a variation (because I beat to my own drum)....
I only did 1 TBS of Red Wine Vinegar
and I added a 1/2 roasted eggplant - to the ingredients (I had it in the fridge)
Instead of water I used vegetable stock
and I added extra corn
and a can of black beans...

The hardest part was the mess. You have to run the roasted veggies through the food processor... but other than that - I am very pleased!

It is very hearty and full of flavor!!! The Paprika added a nice yum to it!

And, I baked bread!!

Another meatless meal - added to the menu!

Juice Fast: Transition Back to Food

I've been away for a few days - attending to life.

I had an old friend come to town on Monday. We met for drinks and dinner. It was the first meal I'd had since the week before so, my selection was a Spinach Salad with Apples, Tomatoes, Walnuts and Cranberries. It was very satisfying. I washed it down with some Bud Light - my other favorite juice!

Tuesday I started my exit from fasting. I have lost 15 pounds total on this fast. I have 15 more to go. I will do another fast in a couple of weeks. I need to keep my body guessing to keep my metabolism up and also allow it to catch up to the rapid weight loss.

The Transition
Everyone probably has their own way of transitioning back to whole food. Mine works for me and helped me keep off almost all of the 23 pounds I lost last year.

Some thoughts for the transition:

1. Continue to drink a lot of water. Sometimes I add Lemons to my water. Lemon is a natural internal antiseptic which helps remove free radicals and toxins.
2. Continue to have juice for a couple meals per day (meal replace). Choose a meal (I usually do dinner) that you add in food. After a couple of days, add in a second meal - until you're completely transitioned back.
3. You have been drinking fruits and vegetables for "X" amount of days... start adding those fruits and vegetables as food, not juice.
4. Find some recipes that utilize beans (black, pink, red, white). Beans are a great source of protein and make you feel full when mixed in with vegetables and a starch.
5. Try to stay away from meat for the first few days. If you must, have a piece of chicken, turkey or fish (preferably baked or broiled) - no larger than a deck of cards.
6. Portion control. Don't let your mind trick you into thinking that you've been deprived. On the contrary, your body has been getting everything it needs. Your mind controls a lot of what you put in your mouth. Win that battle.
7. Don't get into a routine (this is my personal struggle). It's easy to go back to your old ways - because it's more than likely your old ways were easy. Make the effort to make fresh juice. Make the effort to prepare your food from scratch. This is just disciplining yourself to take care of yourself.
8. Stay away from processed and fast food. No explanation needed.

Everyone is on a journey. We may be on different paths but inevitably most of us have the same goal to live a happy rewarding life. Getting there is all about balance. You can't eat cookies and chips everyday without adding in more healthy choices to balance it out. You are what you eat and food like products generally don't come from the earth, they come from a science lab. Don't be a science project.

I think (on a food perspective) if we get back to a simpler time before fast food restaurants and boxed foods - we'll all start to see some of the chronic illnesses that are crippling our society, reverse themselves.

I truly believe that.

 

 

 

My Cadillac

It's a beautiful day today. We had a huge storm come through on Thursday and it broke the heat and humidity. We've been going down in the high 50's the past 2 nights. I've turned off the A/C and opened all the windows. I love weather like this.

Sunday mornings around Denton are generally a ghost town. The crisp air in our bedroom this morning made me want to go for a bike ride.

After 9am, when the church crowd starts moving around - it can get hectic... but, Denton is a college town. Not too many college kids can wake up for class - let alone church. If you stay off the main roads - it's really a nice peaceful way of touring, without looking like you're casing the neighborhood. Even some of the main roads have bike lanes - it's a bike friendly town.

Let me give you a little history on my bike.

In 2008, when we were talking about following Raquel to Texas to watch her play basketball - Aboy and I would have conversations like, "when we get there - we can buy his and her motorcycles, this way when it's not basketball season - we can take long rides and enjoy the scenery".

HA! That never happened!

So, meet my Harley (or Honda, Kawasaki, etc...)



She's the best we could do. Turns out - life was just as hectic in Texas as it's been every where else we've lived! Work, the kids, life in general... not much time for us to make the time and money investment in motorcycles...

But, that's OK. Owning a motorcycle (for me, anyway) is on the bucket list. I'll be 60 years old - chilling on a Honda Shadow, going to the grocery store (don't forget the knapsack on my back - holding my coupons!).

Well, as I live in the present, we did end up picking up 2 beach cruisers in 2009 when we first moved here. We were living in Grand Prairie at the time. I was carless for a while and would take my beach cruiser to the post office, the grocery store and the convenience store. I felt like I was 13 years old again!

I call her my Cadillac now because she sits in the garage and only comes out for a tour on nice days.

Over the past few years - Aboy would ask, "Do you want to get rid of the bikes? It's not like we ride them" and I'd always say no. We had a garage sale last year and had them on the front lawn so we could get things out of the garage and you wouldn't believe how many people wanted to buy them.

For days like today - is the reason I say no.

Look at some of my great (corny-ass) features!

The basket and rack:
(what's the point of riding to the store if I have no way of carrying anything back!)





My seat:
(a little wide with gel cushion)



And most important - My bell:
(which I use when I pass other cyclists and pedestrians)



It also boasts white wall tires, a chain guard and a kick stand - all standard, of course. There are no gears and the brakes are the kind that you have to push back with the pedals. We went old school!

I have to admit - I feel like Miss Gulch when I ride the damn thing...

 

I grew up in the 70's. We didn't have shit like helmuts, elbow pads or knee pads (sometimes, my bike didn't even have brakes!).

If you're in your 40's and you don't own a bike, you should get one! You can find one for under $100 and it's a great way to stay young!
 

Juice Fast Part Deux: Day 3 & 4

Last week I did a combined Day 6 & 7. Today I'm doing a combined Day 3 & 4...

There must be something about my creative juices and the end of the week.

So, technically - I've been doing the juice fast for 11 days. Technically I've dropped 14.2 pounds.

One of the girls' friends was at the house last night and said "You look different"... I hadn't seen him in a couple weeks - so, I guess my face is showing the weight loss. Plus, I don't have any bags under my eyes. I've been very mindful during this juice fast to listen to my body and go to bed early (which is also resulting in 5am wake ups!).

I'm happy to say I am diligently getting my water consumption completed. That is huge for me. Just a few years ago, I argued with Aboy that coffee was made from water which equated to my daily H20 intake! Also, when the ice melted in my soda - I would get water that way, too!

Speaking of... I've given up soda. Back when the kids were kids, I could drink a 2 liter Coke a day. My addiction was BAD! For me to sit here and type that I don't drink soda anymore would be the equivalent of someone giving up smoking or drugs... I was that addicted. For a few years, Aboy and I switched to diet but when we found out that diet soda is actually worse for you than real soda - we switched back to the authentic sugary stuff. What really flipped a switch in my mind that I really didn't need it anymore... High Fructose Corn Syrup. That shit is liquid poison. Read your labels. If it doesn't have HFCS, it has Monosodium Glutamate. The food manufacturers are killing us and we are eating "food-like" products. Food is found in the meat, dairy and produce sections of your supermarket... not in a box.

OK, I've stepped off my soap box.

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I've been getting some riding in on my cycle. Today I did 23.71 miles. My legs will be tone - the rest of my body will look like mashed potatoes. LMAO! I am going to get back on the treadmill. I'd like to lose another 6 pounds (at least), but I do need to start firming. My eventual goal for myself will be the Couch to 5K. I don't know that I'll ever run a 5K... but knowing that I'm in good enough shape to do it - is my goal. The last time I did it, I popped not 1 but both calf muscles! I pulled them so bad, I couldn't barely walk for over a month! And you can just imagine the lecture I got from Aboy (the ex-Jock Bodybuilder)!! Fuhgetaboutit!

That's all the news I have to report for today. Excuse me while I enjoy my Iced Lemon Water.

Juice Fast Part Deux: Day 2

Part of detoxing is keeping the body moving (if you get my drift)...

Dandelion Tea, Dandelion Greens and Chia Seeds are all a part of my juicing now.

I have to be honest - Dandelion Greens are extremely bitter! Nothing a little Pineapple or Mango can't mask though!

For the Dandelion Tea - I drop in a little honey.

My Chia Seeds - I add them to anything "thick" because nothing goes down worse then chunky thick seeds in a nice clear juice!

All this - plus some dieter's tea are helping me remain a happy juicer.

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Today is Part II - Day 2 of my Juice Fast. I dropped another pound...

What is really interesting (as I do this self science experiment)... your mind has so much control over what you put in your mouth. On Monday, when I did my day of prep - the hunger and mind games my brain was trying to coerce me to believe were unbelievable! Yesterday was easier. Today was a breeze. No more hunger. Even more intriguing was the lack of temptation!

I'm thinking - and this is a stretch - but, because of all the micro-nutrients, my body sends signals to my brain that it's full. Which also got me thinking... how I'm going to have to be more disciplined after the fasting to make sure I keep my natural nutrient levels up to avoid unnecessary hunger and over-eating.

I'm not for taking pills every day. This is why I've started juicing. I'm not getting any younger. I want to see my grandkids grandkids. That is not a stretch either. My Great-Grandmother lived until she was 109 years old. My Grandfather just passed away earlier this year at 94...there is some longevity in my family.

 

Ganny didn't eat Taco Bell and McDonalds... Food Matters!

 

 

 

 

Random: Souper Sunday

So, you already know I'll try (almost) anything once...

I was reading through a magazine and one of the featured writers was asked if she does anything special... her response was "during the fall and winter my husband and I do Souper Sundays". She said she makes a big pot of soup with homemade bread and salads to go with it. The homemade bread may be a stretch for me, but I can get with the concept. I immediately texted Aboy and told him that I think we should do that too. Even on the weekends that he may not be here - I can make a huge pot of soup (stew, chili), freeze the leftovers and he can take it with him and I can have it for during the week when I don't feel like cooking.

The internet is loaded with vegetarian / flexatarian soup recipes. I wouldn't have to have the same soup twice!

The first weekend after I end my fast will begin Souper Sunday for us!

I can't wait!

Juice Fast Part Deux: Day 1

Yesterday I started a partial fast. Why I say "partial" is because I was incredibly hungry so, I ate some of my fruits and vegetables - just to make my mind think I was eating.

Today was definitely better. So, I'll say today was my first day back for Part II of my juice fast.

I had a nice weekend with Aboy home but, definitely could have did without that milkshake and new pretzel roll hot dog from Sonic!

It's a journey...

I actually didn't do so bad though.

Saturday, I had a juice for breakfast and the Zucchini Casserole over pasta for lunch / dinner - then Aboy and I went to Dairy Queen and got ice cream.

It was Sunday that wasn't all that great.

I had a juice for breakfast. I went to pick Raquel up from DFW and it was all downhill from there (HAHA!)... we stopped at Cheddars because Ben was working and I had my favorite ("Chicken, French Fries, YES!!") and then for dinner we had that pretzel hot dog thingy.

Sunday morning before the grits hit the pan.. I went to Dollar General to pick up a couple of small pitchers. I hit the clearance jackpot! All the summer pitchers and containers were on sale plus, they had plastic measuring cups on sale too.



What I don't have pictured is the (5) half gallon covered juice containers (they have screw-on flip-top lids) that Aboy can use for his water and juices that he makes and freezes when he comes home. This is better than buying the juices from the stores (Naked, Boathouse, etc)... anything you can make from scratch is always better for you.

I'm holding steady at 10 pounds dropped. I'm sure over the next day or so, I'll see some movement, again; once I wash the weekend out of my system. Thankfully getting back on the wagon is not hard. Since Aboy generally stays out for about 14 days - this will give me some time to really reboot my system. I figure when he comes back in - I'll come off for a few days and go back on again when he goes back out. The detox is already happening - I feel great, but I'd like to drop about 30 pounds before the holidays. That's the (tentative) plan, anyway.

Once I'm ready to stop, there will be an actual adjustment period. I told you early on - I'll share the plan as that time draws near.






**For my couponing friends: I spent 37¢ each on the measuring cups (I got 8), 67¢ each on the purple and green pitchers (I got 2) and $1 each on the half gallon containers (5 of them - not pictured).