Vegetable Soup

 We were obviously needing healthy foods.  Our bodies were screaming for it.  It was obvious when we went grocery shopping.  Our unplanned purchases were all either fruit or vegetables.    We were craving healthy foods and we listened.   We planned to make a big pot of vegetable soup and boy was it delicious!

Vegetable Soup  

For a printable copy click here. 

1 lb Beef -Either a roast or stew meat (If it is stew meat just make sure to cook it slow and long for  lb tenderness of your meat)  

1 lrg can Diced Tomataoes (Italian seasoned)

6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced 

4-8 cups of Beef Broth

3 pounds frozen vegetables 

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Cook the beef until tender.   Cut the beef into bite sized pieces.   

2. In large pan (or crockpot) place beef, potatoes, tomatoes and frozen vegetables, salt and pepper.  Add beef broth until broth covers vegetables.  You will want the broth to be a half inch to an inch above the vegetables.  Adjust the amount of broth according to the amount of vegetables that were added and to your individual preferences.

3.  Cook on med-high for 45 minutes on the stove (in crockpot, cook for 6 hours low)

4.  Serve and Enjoy

This soup hit the spot!  The weather has turned cooler and the vegetables were exactly what my body was demanding!   A win win!

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Healthy Choices

I am super proud of this past week.   The scales may not show my efforts and the steps that I took to be healthy.  I however know what I did in the arena of my healthy eating and my healthy fitness pursuits and I couldn’t be happier!  

Exercise through the week

Let’s start with exercise because this may be the place that I am most proud.  I started my work week and I had been planning on running on my lunch breaks and that very first day I wimped out!  Oh yes I did.  All morning I flat out decided and vowed that there would be no run!   And then about 10 minutes before lunch I got my mind straight and I went out!   Day one done!   I used my lunch break all week wisely for exercise (except one day when I had some other stuff to do)  I rode the exercise bike one day but the rest of the time I was outside jogging.   And of course we had that nice hike over the weekend!

Healthy Eating

I am not going to lie or stretch the truth and say that I didn’t have ANY sweet treat.  I did.   The first day of my weigh in week I splurged and had a piece of shoofly pie.   The rest of the week (and the week before) I did not indulge in any sweet treat!    I didn’t succumb to any unhealthy snacking temptation.  One day I was really struggling and I ate a banana!   I ate lots of fruits and veggies.  My lunches were a nice salad.   I was eating healthy nutritious food.

My calories were up between 1600 and 1800 calories each day.   That is exactly where all the calculators and whatnot tell me I need to be in terms of caloric intake. 

Scales are Stupid

I made healthy choices all around this past week.   For a while I thought I was going to have a gain....but at the last minute my weight leveled back out and I had a maintain!    (Whew!)

It is infuriating to be active and make healthy choices and still gain/maintain!!!!

So looking more deeply.   I know that 1600-1800 calories should have me losing weight.  I read the books, I listen to the comments.  I try it, because honestly I WANT to be able to eat those calories!   But I figured out long ago that my body doesn’t work that way.  When I did weight watchers (successfully) I figured out that when I ate my extra flex points/weekly points/exercise earned points that I didn’t lose weight. I remember a night when a friend from the meeting turned to me and said, ‘I find it so sad that you can’t eat those extra points’.   It just doesn’t work for my body!  I have at various times over the years had my thyroid checked...it’s working just fine.   It’s just how MY body works...sadly enough!

Moving forward to lose weight

I plan on continuing the lunchtime runs/bike rides.   I also plan on keeping up with the healthy nutritious foods.    The big change?  I will be working to bring my calorie count a whole lot lower!!!!  I know for my body it is important.  I talk about it constantly, but I just have resisted doing it!!!!   I can’t resist any longer!!!!

Roasted Broccoli

No let me be clear about this.  I have never been a big fan of broccoli.  I could 'stomach it' on occasion, simple because I knew it was so healthy!  Yeah, not  raving review for broccoli.  However, a few months ago I decided to try to try a different way to prepare the broccoli.  OH. MY. WORD.  I am in love!  There is no more broccoli of doom.....it is broccoli of yum!

So I decided to share this recipe with you.....so that I can share the love!

Ingredients
Broccoli (enough for two)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs garlic powder (to taste)
2 tbs Parmesan Cheese

Directions
1.  Wash Broccoli and cut into bite size pieces and place into a bowl
2.  Drizzle broccoli with Olive Oil.  Sprinkle cheese and garlic powder over the broccoli.  Stir to coat.
3.  Place broccoli in a baking dish that has been sprayed with a cooking spray.
4.  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until the broccoli is crispy and lightly browned.
5.  Serve immediately and enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have!  Roasted Broccoli......a delicious side dish!  It truly is delicious!