Easy and Inexpensive Vegetable Soup (Meat Optional)

This soup has kind of been a trial and error dish developed over the last few months. Growing up my mom never used recipes, so every time I ask her how to make something I get the same answer "I don't know I use whatever I have," which for a long time I replied, "Mom, I keep trying but everything I make tastes like crap." Well I am starting to get the hang of it. I started out with just veggies, but decided to add some ground turkey for a heartier meal. Here's my basic vegetable soup recipe.

Vegetable Soup

• Browned Ground Turkey (Optional)
• 1 Can Corn
• 1 Can Green Beens
• 1/2 head of Cabbage Chopped up
• 1 Large Can of Tomatoes
• 1 Container Vegetable Stock
• 3-6 chopped carrots
• 1/2 onion chopped
• Oregano to Taste (I use a LOT so I can cut down on salt)
• Garlic (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• I rinse out all of the above cans with a little water and throw that in too.

• Let it simmer for 45 min- 2 hours. Stir Occasionally.

This soup tastes amazing it is sweet and savory, and perfect on a warm winter night. Feel Free to experiment with other vegetables. I throw in whatever is in my fridge and needs eaten. One day I will try with all fresh vegetables, right now on a budget these are things I generally have at home. This is a very healthy and hearty soup this recipe as listed could feed a good sized family for under $10.00.

Please let me know what additions you make and how they turn out!

New and improved Daily "Green Monster" Smoothie

About two years ago I posted my Daily Smoothie Recipe. Since then I have made some edits and changed it up a little bit, both for taste and for the health benefits of various ingredients.

The Base Smoothie:

• Raw Cacao Powder (natural caffeine great if you don't like coffee and don't want to drink pop)
• Low Fat or Greek Vanilla Yogurt  (Sometimes I use Activia for added probiotics)
• Vanilla Almond Milk (I avoid soy milk, it can cause higher estrogen in women and men)
• Rainbow Chard/ Baby Spinach (Both and great for you and have little taste, I prefer the chard)
• Ground Flaxseed
• Cinnamon (Read about the health benefits of cinnamon)
• Frozen Banana (The riper the better, peel them before you freeze them! See my buying/freezing bananas post)
• Frozen Blueberries (cranberries, acai berries, etc.) - for antioxidants
• Protein Powder (again no soy)
• Honey (Read about the health benefits of honey)
• Vanilla

Optional Ingredients:

• Frozen Apple Slices and Cinnamon (Read my post on why apples are awesome)
• Apples and Peanutbutter
• Peanutbutter and Cinnamon
• Anything you want!

Free Kindle Cookbooks!

So every once in awhile I make sure to check  Amazon for free Kindle books. Search price low to high and viola free books!

Here's some free cookbooks from today:

Weight Watchers Whiz Quick Snacks Points Plus Cookbook

Savvy Spring Entertaining

40 Top Paleo Recipes

Paleo Desserts 

Mediterranean Diet - Best Recipes for Weight loss

40 Juicing Recipes for Weight loss and Healthy living

Smoothie Recipes: Detox, Cleanse, and lose weight

Things Mother Used to Make A Collection of Old Time Recipes, Some Nearly One Hundred Years Old and Never Published Before

27 Easy College Cookbook Recipes for Busy College Students

40 Top Quiona Recipes for Weightloss 

There are so many more! These are just a few of the ones that caught my eye!

25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

I know most of these but this article is a really helpful reason for why you may not be losing weight. You've started working out and eating healthy but you still aren't loosing weight find out why!

25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

Cinnamon & Honey Miracle Tea

So I can't tell you how much I LOVE Pintrest. I am always finding so many things that greatly impact my life. I am a nanny and work at a school, the kids would have no activities from me without Pintrest, but even more than how it has helped my job, I find the best healthy recipes and tips!

I am admittedly a picky eater so I am always on the lookout for ways to boost my metabolism, fight the flu (I work with kids! Love them but they are little balls of germs!), and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle! I found this wonderful recipe for Cinnamon Honey Tea (I added the "Miracle" part because it is!) the other day from Suzy Homefaker, and have started drinking it daily.

• I have not gotten the flu even though I felt it coming on more than once!
• I have more energy
• I feel happier
• I am losing weight (I am doing more for this as well but it helps!)

Suzy Homefaker has provided a very useful and informative breakdown of the benefits of honey and cinnamon. Read her full post but here is the list of things this wonderful combination helps to treat/prevent:

• Heart Disease
• Arthritis
• Bladder Infections
• High Cholesterol
• Colds
• Upset Stomach
• Gas
• Pumps up your immune system
• Indigestion
• Longevity (can help you live a longer better quality life!)
• Raspy/Sore throat
• Pimples
• Skin infections
• Weight Loss
• Cancer
• Fatigue
• Bad Breath
• Hearing Loss

Again read Suzy Homefaker's complete list of how all these things are helped my cinnamon and honey, she is goes into detail for some other cinnamon & honey concoctions that help each ailment! 

Also if you have a sweet tooth and need a little snack before bed try cinnamon and honey on some toast! Delicious!

Instructions:

• Boil Water first ( Do not add cinnamon and honey until water is already hot if you are using a microwave! The microwave kills all the wonderful enzymes that make the tea so wonderfully healthy!)
• Add 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
• Add 1-2 Tbsp. Honey
• The enjoy! So simple, So healthy, So Delicious!

*Update*

I am more in love with this tea than ever. It's spring, and I have NO ALLERGIES, I haven't even had the sniffles, which is a big deal for me! This delicious tea can seriously change your health. It's so easy, what have you go to lose? Try it and let me know what you think!

Why I love Apples (and you should too)

Besides from the fact that apples are absolutely delicious, they also have a ton of amazing health and weight loss benefits! Because of how many benefits apples have (and the fact that they are easier/quicker to read any way) I/m just going to use bullets, so here we go:

1. Eating one apples gives you the same hydration as one 8oz. glass of water. For athletes this means no water sloshing around in your belly while you are performing. Everyone else- water is good for you, keeps you energized, aids in digestion, and helps with weight loss!
2. Apples are low in calories 100g of fresh apple slices equals about 50 calories! (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
3. Apples help fight heart disease by lowering blood fats (www.whfoods.com).
4. Apples help curb your appetite, studies show eating an apple 15 minutes before a meal lowers the caloric intake by 15% - people who ate apples also felt more satisfied with their meals - apple juice/applesauce or processed apple products did not show the same results as whole apples (www.whfoods.com). 
5.  Apples help maintain good two forms of good bacteria in the large intestine, this helps with stomach discomfort, regularity, and weight loss! (www.whfoods.com)
6.  Full of anti-oxidants (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
7.  "Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body." (www.nutrition-and-you.com).
8. Apples are a great source of B-Complex vitamins which help with the immune system, metabolism, and other bodily functions.  (www.nutrition-and-you.com)

 

If you aren't convinced - go buy a yummy Honey Crisp apple take a big bite and you will be! Apples rock - they are a great snack and meal for kids too. Imagine the health benefits an apple a day can give you and your family!  

Yummy Healthy Knock off "Chewy Bars"

So I am in love with this granola bar recipe I found (and changed significantly) on another blog! Though I have not quite found an exact mixture that sticks together, for now my Chewy bars are more like Chewy Bites. So here's the basic recipe feel free to add different yummy ingredients to flavor or enhance your bars!!

Chewy Granola "Bars"

• 4.5 cups of Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 2/3 cup Melted Butter (can also substitute coconut oil, bars come out crunchier)
• 1/2 cup Honey 
• 1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut (I use the sweetened kind, next time I'm going to try the unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup - Cup of mini chocolate chips or other fresh fruit spices etc. (I think I'm going to try apple cinnamon next!)
• I also add a few healthy pinches of ground flaxseed, it's good for you and you can't even tell it's there! 

Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22min. and there you go, cheap and easy granola your family will love! I have to make a batch every few days for two of us! We just love it! It's amazing warm too, would make a great dessert!!

I hate the taste of Coconut.

I cannot state the taste of fruity coconut. I have tried to mix it in with my smoothies, drinks, tea, food. I just can't do it. Toasted coconut, that's another story, I will destroy a box of Samoas mmm love Girl Scout cookie time (part of my problem!)! That being said I know the amazing benefits coconut oil has for your digestive health, weight loss, skin, bones, hair, etc. and really on your overall health. So here's what I have been doing. I just take a lesson from my freshman in college self, if I don't like the taste just close my eyes and take a shot! Let me tell you that shot of coconut oil is a lot easier to wash down AND it sure helps my tummy (cleans me right out really!) it would be great if you are constipated! If you haven't seen my post on Coconut Oil Check it Out!

So take a lesson from my freshman self, if you can't stand coconut oil (or acai, pom, grapefruit, etc.) just take a shot of it! For your health! 

Couldn't help it...

Shots (LMFAO ft. Lil Jon)

Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

So I just couldn't wait to post! I wrote last night about the Smoothie I was going to make today well, I just made it, and am currently drinking it. It is AMAZING! So here's what I made. It is amazing you can't even taste the spinach! Feel free to adapt and add whatever you think may be yummy!

My Yummy Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

Important to note: I don't measure when I make my smoothies just guess!

• 1 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 c. vanilla almond milk (add more if the mixture is too thick for your blender)
• 2 scoops vanilla soy protein
• 1 frozen banana (Peel and cut them before freezing!)
• 2 cups (or more) spinach
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed