Tag Archives: healthy body

EASY VEGETABLE LEAN BEEF SOUP

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soup
Happy Saturday, he is a post and favorite recipe from 2013.  Today was a laid back Caturday, with a simple soup and a trip to our local Trader Joe’s in Millbrae CA. I sampled their new Vegan Gluten Free Brownie Crisp, and just 100 calories for three crisps. Just what I need when I feel a chocolate craving coming on. I know how to portion control and limit my treats, but it is ok to splurge now and then and work it into my program. Nicole from Trader Joe’s was the sweetest and her kindness reminded me of the Trader Joe’s of West Hollywood.  She is also a weight loss inspiration since she just lost 35 lbs. Congrats to Nicole and everyone making it happen.  For you naysayers out there, it can be done. You can do it.  It just takes a little hard work and a can do attitude. I did this recipe as is, but I chose to pass on the potatoes for tonight’s soup and added mixed bell peppers instead. I hope you like my easy one pot vegetable lean beef soup recipe from 2013.
Manga’ love and light.
tjs
My Mother in Law Julie Bailey used to make us the best homemade Vegetable Beef Soup. When I would visit on a cold January day she would whip up this one pot wonder, and serve it with some warmed crusty Italian bread. Comfort food at it’s finest. My recipe is inspired by my dear Mother in Law, but with a healthy My Change For A Ten twist, with the help of Trader Joe’s here in West Hollywood CA.
 
I am just a little obsessed with Trader Joe’s, particularly my neighborhood Trader Joe’s. The staff is the best you will ever find anywhere, always there to help and say hello to you by name. It makes me feel like I live in this little idyllic town. When my cat passed away last January one of the amazing staff members gave me a Dragon Plant, which means healing. I actually look forward to reading the famous Flyer, it is so witty and I have to admit I buy into the cute advertisements.
 
This recipe is so easy and delicious. I skip the warmed loaf of bread but that would be a delicious addition to this one pot meal.
 
~You will need~
 
Three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One Mirepoix mix of Chopped celery, carrots, and onions
One package diced onions, garlic, and shallots
6 diced red skin potatoes
One small package of extra lean stew meat
Trader Joe’s frozen organic foursome or any frozen mixed vegetables
1 large can diced tomatoes
Half package Crimini mushrooms
1 beef broth carton
1 low sodium vegetable broth carton
Basil, sea salt, ground pepper to taste
A dash of crushed red pepper (optional for heat)
 
Add olive oil to large pot and turn on flame to medium
Saute’ shallots, onions, and garlic
Add Mirepoix mix or diced celery, additional diced onions, and diced carrots
After the vegetables cook for a few minutes and become transparent
Add cubes of meat, chopped into smaller pieces
Brown meat
Add 1 can tomatoes
Half packet Crimini Mushrooms
1 package organic foursome or frozen vegetable packet
6 diced raw red skin potatoes
1 carton low sodium vegetable broth
1 carton beef broth
 
Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour.
Let cool a little and enjoy with oyster crackers, which are not high calorie if you watch your portion.
This soup is so easy.
 
I absolutely loved this soup, it is a new staple in our home.
I always listen to Big Band music when I cook, especially The Andrew Sisters. I can almost imagine I am cooking dinner for my honey in a small but cozy flat in Manhattan or Los Angeles in the 1940’s.
 
After all, a little Rum and Coca Cola never hurt anyone.
 
 

LENTIL SOUP FOR THE SOUL

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We just got back from the Dr and we spent the whole day there. It was a long and tedious day. James was thinking the worst, and we were in the office sitting on the other side of the Dr’s desk waiting to compare lung X-rays from a year ago. There was that panic moment, when you are looking at the X-rays and thinking you see a cloud or something even more menacing. 


Good news, the Dr pulled up the X-ray from one year ago yesterday and they are identical. In other words, his Sarcoidosis has not progressed and he was probably suffering from a virus or a nasty bug. They also checked his eyes, and it has not affected them either. He will still need to see a Sarcoidosis specialist but we can now breath a sigh of relief. It probably is still stage zero. 

We walk two miles to get there, and we walked two miles to get home. I took some lovely photos of trees and fountains on the trek home. We also stopped at Trader Joe’s. I realized I had not made my Italian Style Lentil soup in a while. 

When I returned home I checked my blog for what I wrote about this day last year, and I posted my Lentil Soup recipe. Yesterday this time last year was the hospital. I find the timing and coincidence of doing the exact same thing a year ago very interesting.
Here is the recipe, it is amazing and healthy and vegetarian. It is Vegan without the Parmesan Cheese. I now like to serve it with toasted Ezekial Sprouted bread with crushed garlic.
Manga’



ITALIAN STYLE LENTIL SOUP

You will need

One bag of dried lentils

A few tablespoons of olive oil ( I use two to three)

Chopped up onions, celery, and carrots. Enough to fill up the bottom of a semi large pot. I use Mirepoix 14.5 oz from Trader Joe’s, it is already pre-cut and I just add my own garlic. I use about six garlic cloves.
If you do not find Mirepoix use one large onion, two carrots, and two celery stalks, chopped fine.

Two  cartons of vegetable stock 32 fl oz. I use trader Joe’s.  You can use regular or low sodium, I have tried both. I usually use the low sodium vegetable broth.

One large can of diced tomatoes in juice.

One small can of tomato paste

Sea salt, ground pepper, dried basil.

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Saute garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil for a few minutes til the onion caramelizes and the vegetables cook down. Salt,pepper, and add some basil as you are cooking the vegetables. After they cook down mix in one small can of tomato paste.

Add full bag of lentils, 2 cartons of vegetable stock, and whole can of tomatoes with juice. You may need to add a little bit of water to fill pot up.

Add a bit more salt, pepper, and dried basil for flavor and stir.

Bring to a rolling boil, then simmer on low for 45 minutes covered.

When finished you can sprinkle Parmesan cheese and mix it in for more flavor.

I once sauteed some kale and added it to the soup right before it was finished cooking. It made it richer and more stew like.

I serve this with warmed whole grain bread from the bakery. It is absolutely delicious.

I hope you try and enjoy my Italian Lentil Soup Recipe. I love it and sometimes it is difficult to only have one bowl. Love and light to all from my west coast home to yours. Ciao for now.
Namaste’
Rose

HEALTHY MIND, SPIRIT, AND BODY

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My best friend Melissa Bender from Melissa Bender Fitness knows all about my past issues with eating disorders, and the fact that the warped mentality tends to sneak up on me from time to time. I have not starved since my twenties, and I have been pretty much ok. Dieting and eating healthy sometimes brings out the obsessive dieter out of me, and she told me I could be developing Orthorexia.  This was over one year ago when she thought she saw the signs in me.

Now that I am doing this project, of course old habits die hard and I can see the signs once again. I recognize it therefore I will correct it. I thought I would include a definition of what exactly Orthorexia is.  The panic I felt after eating two garlic knots was not normal, and I admit that and I plan to lighten up a bit on myself and my healthy diet. Splurges every now and then keep you on track if you do them in moderation. Usually Orthorexia comes on after one has dealt with Anorexia or Bulimia, but sometimes those who have never suffered from an eating disorder can develop Orthorexia. I have a history, but that history does not define my present or my future. I am a work in progress, and I will not let my chaotic mind bully my body or my spirit. I will forge forward with this project, helping others along the way; without succumbing to hurting myself or my self esteem in the process. I will not travel down the path of eating disorder mentality, I  will choose to stand in the crossroads and walk the opposite way.

Yesterday was my weekly workout with Mike, and my running is improving. I ran twice around the park and I did a lot of walking as well. My breathing still sounds heavy but I am definitely improving. We did the TRX and I can feel the sensation of my hard work this morning. I am sure by the time I go to yoga tonight I will be sore. I am very grateful to him for the expertise and for sticking with me as I work towards being in the best shape for me. I am becoming so much stronger, it has now been three months. I feel empowered and the workout definitely helped me deal with the negative food thoughts I had the night before. I am woman, hear me roar,lol. Tonight is my Iyebgar Yoga class with Vladamir at Yogaworks. I love yoga and I have transformed into a true yogi. Wishing you a beautiful day, full of every opportunity life offers you. Good Morning Life.

Namaste’ Love and Light
Rose

Taken from Wikipedia

Orthorexia nervosa (also known as orthorexia) is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder[1] characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful.[2][3]The termorthorexia derives from the Greek ορθο- (ortho, “right” or “correct”), and όρεξις (orexis, “appetite”), literally meaning a correct diet. It was introduced in 1997 by Steven Bratman, M.D., to be used as a parallel with other eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa. Orthorexia is not mentioned in the widely-used DSM[a], but was coined by Bratman[4] who claims that in rare cases, this focus may turn into a fixation so extreme that it can lead to severemalnutrition or even death.[5] Even in less severe cases, the attempt to follow a diet that cannot provide adequate nourishment is said to lower self-esteem as the orthorexics blame themselves rather than their diets for their constant hunger and the resulting cravings for forbidden foods. [6]