15+ Veggie Soup

Fall is here and soup is the perfect way to get those veggies in and keep the calories down. Here's one I made this weekend and just love.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)


• Trader Joe's Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix (broccoli, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage, jicama, green bell pepper, radish, celery)


• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped


• 3 cloves garlic


• 1 can kidney beans


• 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage or Trader Joe's broccoli slaw


• 1 container portobello mushrooms


• 1 large zucchini, chopped


• Frozen corn (roasted if you can find it)


• Frozen green beans


• 1 small can tomato paste


• 8 cups chicken stock, made with Better than Bouillon


• Thyme


• Parsley


• Fresh black pepper


• Red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large dutch oven pot, heat EVOO and add healthy veggie mix. Saute approximately 5 minutes, then add onion, garlic, mushroom, zucchini and black pepper (to your taste). You may be tempted, but do not add salt- the chicken stock is salty enough to achieve the right balance of flavor. Saute another 5 minutes, add cabbage/slaw and tomato paste. Turn heat down to low, add chicken stock and stir with ingredients until tomato paste and stock are blended. Once blended, bring to a simmer and add kidney beans, corn, and green beans. Simmer a couple of minutes, add thyme and parsley to your liking. Remove from heat. We eat this hot, but I love it as a cold leftover the next day as well. I top with freshly shaved parm and the hubs sprinkles a little french fried onions on his. Great way to "eat the rainbow" and get all of your veggie servings in!

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte...

...without the $5 price tag?

100%, blind taste test exact ...no, but it's so close that I don't mind/can't tell the subtle difference, except for maybe the foam. I normally order a grande, NF, 2 pump PSL, no whip. Here's the homemade version, without any fancy equipment:

• 2 cups skim milk


• 4 ounces STRONG coffee (on my Keurig I use the smallest setting, 4oz)


• Torani Pumpkin Pie syrup


• Light whipped cream (I use Cabot)


• Sprinkle of spice blend (I use Pampered Chef's Cinnamon Plus)

Heat the milk in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until HOT, add the brewed coffee and syrup to your taste, whipped cream, sprinkle with the spice blend.

For those local, I found myself in Wal-Mart (nightmare) of all places this past weekend and the Torani syrup is on the coffee/tea aisle- and under $4! Don't get me wrong, I still love my Starbucks, the corporate whore that she is, but there is no way I can justify a daily price tag of $5. Now we just meet on occaisional weekends.

What's For Breakfast? A Banana Smoothie!

The above image sums up my feeling for eggs ("Blech, poison!"), so I've had to get creative to keep variety in our breakfast here, since cold cereal is not an option I offer C (except Kashi Autumn Wheat every now and then). I remember many years ago, when my brother was born and my parents were at the hospital, I stayed with my Uncle Tony and Aunt JoAnn for a couple of days. I remember sitting down to breakfast the first morning I was there and my aunt was serving up eggs. In my almost-4 year old voice I nicely told my aunt, "I don't eat eggs" to which my uncle replied "you do now." We can look back and laugh on that now, but at the time, I thought is was torture to have to eat an egg. Sorry Uncle Tony, I still rarely eat them, and C is not a big fan of them either. Oh, and the image above is not mine- I came across it here.

So what's a girl to do for some lean protein? I can stomach a smoothie! For those who prefer a lighter breakfast that still packs a protein punch, here's a Banana Smoothie I enjoy. Blend the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup skim milk



• 1/2 cup non -fat Greek yogurt



• 1/2 scoop Designer Whey protein powder (natural vanilla)



• 1 small organic banana (fresh)



• 1/4 teaspoon honey

Blend, pour, and enjoy over 20 grams of protein, plus a good dose of calcium, to get your day started.

Carolina Style Ribs

I'm trying to do a better job keeping up with my recipe blog...makes my life easier when it comes time to cook. So, here's the latest: RIBS. The image of the woman cooking made me smile, and what surprised me was that it's from 1958. Racy! The pin up artist is Gil Elvgren. For my single friends looking for Mr. Right, that's what's missing- you need a grill! It all makes sense now, right?

You'll need:
- Baby back ribs
- Rib rub (check out Alton Brown's #9 rub)
- Apple cider vinegar
- BBQ sauce (homemade or one you love)

Rub ribs with seasoning 24 hours before cooking. I use my brother's secret recipe, so just find one you like. Prior to placing in oven, allow ribs to sit at room temperature for one hour. Place in shallow baking dish/pan and place enough apple cider vinegar in pan to cover the bottom of the pan. Tightly seal with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350*, and no, you cannot speed it up by baking at a higher temperature for less time (I learned this the hard way). After 1 hour at 350*, remove from oven, baste with sauce (mix in some of the pan juice) and place on the grill to finish off. If you do not have a grill or the weather is poor, use your broiler. Cut into 2 rib sections, cover with foil to keep warm, and serve with extra napkins, coleslaw, cornbread, and some sweet tea!

4 Point WW Points+ Pizza

I love pizza and I love that I can still eat pizza on Weight Watchers. When C was about 3 years old, he started asking us for pizza after a trip to NJ. Since we don't like the processed stuff, we'd usually buy organic from Trader Joe's, but even the organic version packs a punch when it comes to fat and white flour. I came up with this quick recipe a couple of year ago, but tonight, also realized it's perfect for WW (calculated under the new "Points Plus" program).

1 Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pita Pocket (3 points)
1 ounce Trader Joe's Lite Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (1 point)
Fresh tomatoes (or low sugar sauce) (0 points)
Garlic, spices (0 points)
Fresh veggies (0 points)

Preheat over to 425*. Spray cookie sheet or baking stone with olive oil mist. Place whole pita on sheet and top with tomatoes, or a few tablespoons of sauce. Add crushed garlic and spices if desired, top with 1 ounce of the shredded cheese and pile on the fresh veggies. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, let cool a few minutes before slicing.

Only 4 points for a personal pizza, packed with veggies and fiber! Also goes great with a large salad.