Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup

1 (14 oz) can Veggie broth
1 (11.5 oz) can V8 juice
1 Cup water
1/2 white onion
Minced garlic to taste (optional)
1 Large potato, diced
2 Carrots, sliced
2 Stalks celery, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil and then add broth, tomato juice (V8), water potatoes, diced tomatoes, green beans and corn. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne seasoning. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 min or until all vegetables are tender.

Butternut Squash Soup! A MUST for NOVEMBER!

I just made this the other day, and it turned out to be DELICIOUS! I doubled the recipe and we had leftovers for a couple of days...

Butternut Squash Soup

1/2 T olive oil
1 T butter (optional)
1/2 C sliced carrots (abt 1 med carrot or 12 baby ones) this was a little too much carrot for my taste...next time I would use 1/2 carrot
2 stalks celery, diced
1 C diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, (abt 4 cups peeled and diced) (f you don't want to peel and dice the squash, which, believe me, you probably don't...then buy it already diced at Costco)
1 medium potato, diced (about 2 C diced)
32 oz vegetable broth (that's one box/carton)
1 T brown sugar (or agave to taste)
1 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 t dried sage
1 pinch cayenne pepper or a douse of hot sauce

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic



Saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add the squash.



Then add potato, sage, salt, red pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer with the lid on for 30-40 minutes or until everything is tender. Check a piece of squash and also a piece of celery and potato to make sure they area fork tender. Stir in 1 T brown sugar.

Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to a regular blender and puree until smooth.

ENJOY! 

If you make it, let me know how you liked it or anything you changed to make it to YOUR liking!

Need your CHOCOLATE fix?

As the leaves start changing and it gets closer to the holidays, 

you may just need that chocolate "fix." 

This will satisfy your craving for something chocolatey and crunchy.

Kind of like a candy bar. 

So on those "not-so-resistant" days, whip up a batch of these:

No-Cook Chocolate Chia Crispies 

(www.greensmoothiegirl.com 12 steps cookbook and guide)
*Drink water with these, as Chia seeds absorb up to 10 times its own weight in liquid

1 C almond butter

2/3 cup raw honey

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raw cocoa powder

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 Tbs vanilla

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 C crisped brown rice (in a cereal box at the health food store)

Cream together all the wet ingredients in large bowl by hand. Add the chia seeds, cacao, and salt and then blend well. Add the crisped rice and stir until evenly mixed. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, then form into balls and refrigerate until serving.

Easy enough!

Cooking with Coconut Oil

Finally! 

Success with dinner! 

It has been a challenge to make something that EVERYone will eat. I've got kids that have suddenly decided to be picky. And they are leary of everything I put in front of them because mom might have been sneaky with the veggies, lol. Addyson examines her food VERY closely. 

Asking "what's that?" every time she sees something unusual.

This was VERY easy to make, and I was so excited to try cooking with coconut oil. It's very foreign to me, but REALLY good for you (especially for diabetics)...The only thing I REALLY wished I had was fresh mushrooms. They went bad before I could use them. So canned mushrooms had to do. (And they are slimy and just not the same). Next time I may just substitute almond slices for mushrooms. It would be more alkaline anyway... Addyson asked me if the mushrooms were chicken, and I lied (I know, I know) and said it was...I knew if I told her it was a mushroom, she wouldn't eat it, lol...

So...here it is: ( I doubled the recipe. Next time I will make more sauce because it seemed pretty dry by the time I mixed it with the rice, but it was still yummy, especially with the tomatoes and parsley on top)

Broccoli-Rice Bake with Coconut Curry Sauce 

(compliments of www.greensmoothiegirl.com)

2 Cups brown rice, rinsed well

4 Cups water

1 Can (14 oz) coconut milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. Curry Powder

1/2 C chopped cilantro

1/4 C fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried)

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 stems of broccoli (including most of stalk), cut into bite-sized pieces

8 oz mushrooms, washed well and cut into thirds

2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

Bring the water and rice to a boil, turn down to medium low, cover, and simmer for 45 min. (Or just put rice in the rice cooker like I did) In a large wok or frying pan, lightly saute broccoli on medium high for 5 minutes, then add mushrooms and saute another 2 minutes. In a blender, blend coconut milk, cornstarch, curry powder, and salt. Add the blend to the vegetables and heat on medium high, stirring frequently, gradually reducing to a simmer until sauce is thickened. Toss mixture gently into brown rice, along with the parsley, tomato, and cilantro. Serve hot.

Lunch from home...test run...try, try again...

K...well...
my kids aren't that excited about bringing a
lunch from home.
Even with their COOL new lunch boxes...

The hamburger and pizza they served today for school lunch
was very tempting to them, 

and Brynley even got one of her friends
to share some of her pizza with her. 

Today in their lunch box I packed
carrot sticks; 
grapes and blueberries; 
almond butter and honey sandwich on wheat 
and a water...
Yaaa....
Pretty boring...
Most of which they brought back home with them.

According to my 8 year old,
they only have 5 minutes for lunch.
She assured me that she wasn't talking either, lol...
Hmmmm...
I'll have to check the schedule.

So...as far as the great lunch ideas,
I plan on trying a recipe for a nutritious cookie...
some of the ingredients being
ground flax seed and coconut oil...
I will post the recipe after I try it myself
and see if it makes my girl's lunches any more exciting, lol...
TRY, TRY AGAIN...

How can I beat chocolate milk and a cookie though?

NON School Lunch!

Stay tuned for some healthy ideas for lunch made with love...from home!

Green Smoothie Girl

I just attended a "Green Smoothie Girl" event and class in Orem at Runner's Corner...

 taught by Robyn Openshaw, author of "Green Smoothie Girl"

VERY EXCITING STUFF!

Check out her website: GREENSMOOTHIEGIRL.COM 

She is a mom of four and her story is amazing! She is not your "crunchy granola" type at all...

just a REGULAR person like you and I. ;) 

Along with her book, she also has a "12 Steps" program to help you with the process of adding more veggie and fruits and eliminating soda, coffee, caffeine, dairy and meat...

Can't wait to try out some of her recipes! 

Sign up for email newsletters on her website and get free recipes! 

Thanks Robyn!