Posts Tagged ‘tomatoes’
Soup to the rescue
With winter weather still making itself known, this is a great time of year to indulge in delicious and healthy soups. But don’t rely on store-bought kinds to fulfill your cool weather cravings (too much sodium, additives to preserve the contents, etc.). Instead, make your own delicious soup. This easy-to-make recipe combines nutrient-rich vegetables with other flavors of the season for a hearty and satisfying taste of nature’s finest veggies. Plus, you can make lots of it, separate it and store it (even in the freezer) for future use. Convenient, easy and tasty, too? Sounds like a late winter winner! Here’s how it’s done:
Ingredients
5 medium carrots, chopped
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
3 large white onions, chopped
2 large green or red bell peppers, chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 lg. can of low-sodium tomatoes (in its own juice)
12 oz. green beans, chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium broccoli, chopped
1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 fresh lemon or lime wedge (as garnish, optional)
Cilantro (as garnish, optional)
Directions
In a large nonstick pot, combine 3 tbsp. water, onions and garlic and allow heating for 5 minutes on low heat. Next, add carrots, celery and bell pepper. Cook while stirring for an additional 10 minutes on low heat. Next, stir in tomatoes (with liquid), then add green beans, zucchini, broccoli, spinach leaves, basil and spices. Add 1 cup of filtered water, then heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes – or until vegetables become tender.
Serving Size Information
Serve 1 cup as a snack
Serve 2 cups as part of meal (add a small green salad with Balsamic Vinegar and 1/2 cup cottage cheese or another protein source to create a complete meal).
Bonus Tip
This soup can be easily separated into portions and frozen.
Recipe: Baked Pumpkin
Halloween is fast approaching, which means Jack O’ Lanterns and spooky-looking pumpkins are popping up all around us. But thankfully there’s nothing scary about adding this seasonal pumpkin dish to your healthy eating plan. It’s so full of vitamins and other nutritional values, it will keep your figure looking extra boo-iful (sorry, couldn’t resist!). I suggest incorporating this yummy recipe as a dinner up to two times a week. And don’t be afraid to serve it to guests who aren’t on a diet (they’ll still love it for the taste).
Ingredients
Small to Medium Pumpkin
Filtered Water
Dash of Cinnamon
Dash of Chili Spice
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Split pumpkin vertically from the center point of the stem, all the way to the bottom. (In other words, cut it in half.) Scoop out all of the seeds and loose “gooey stuff.” Add filtered water to an oven-safe dish (such as Pyrex or similar). Fill the dish halfway. Place the two pumpkin halves face down in the water, then place the dish in the oven and bake (at 400 degrees) for about 45 minutes. The pumpkin is ready when a dull knife easily pierces/slides through the pumpkin.
Remove dish from oven and carefully use a spoon to scoop the “insides” of the pumpkin away from the rind (don’t burn yourself – the pumpkin will be very warm). Place the scooped pumpkin into serving dishes (small pumpkins yield about 2-3 servings). Just before serving, sprinkle with Cinnamon and a hint of Chili Spice.
Serve with a small green salad (try Arugula and tomatoes with pepper and Balsamic Vinegar) and enjoy the flavors of the season. (You can also get creative and try other favorite spices including curry or garlic powder – just make sure the spices don’t contain any added salt or sodium.)
For more information about the incredible nutrition value of pumpkins, Click Here
Recipe: Just Soup-er
With summer in our rearview mirror, autumn becomes a great time of year to indulge in delicious and healthy soups. But don’t rely on store-bought soups to fulfill your cooler weather cravings (too much sodium, etc.). Instead, make your own. This easy-to-make recipe combines nutrient-rich vegetables with other flavors of the season for a hearty and satisfying taste of fall. Plus, you can make lots of it, separate it and store it (even in the freezer) for future use. Convenience, ease and tasty, too? You bet! Here’s how it’s done:
Ingredients
5 medium carrots, chopped
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
3 large white onions, chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 lg. can of Low-Sodium Tomatoes (in its own juice)
12 oz. green beans, chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium broccoli, chopped
1 lg. package of baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 fresh lime wedge (as garnish, optional)
Parsley (as garnish, optional)
Directions
In a large nonstick pot, combine 3 tbsp. water, onions and garlic and allow heating for 5 minutes on low heat. Next, add carrots and celery. Cook while stirring for an additional 10 minutes on low heat. Next, stir in tomatoes (with liquid), then add green beans, zucchini, broccoli, spinach leaves, basil and spices. Add 1 cup of filtered water, then heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes – or until vegetables become tender.
Serving Size Information
Serve 1 cup as a snack
Serve 2 cups as part of meal (add a small green salad with Balsamic Vinegar and 1/2 cup cottage cheese to create a complete meal).
Bonus Tip
Soup can be separated into portions and easily frozen.
Recipe: Gregg’s Fresh Veggie Side Salad
As promised, I am sharing the recipe for the salad pictured with the Steak a la Gregg recipe I posted last week. For that steak recipe, click here.
This side salad is tasty, hearty and a real crowd pleaser. What’s more, it’s so healthy that you don’t have to avoid it when on a diet or another type of healthy eating program. But at the same time, because it tastes so good, you don’t have to “Doctor it up” for guests who might not be on a diet.
Imagine: You and your guests eating and enjoying the same food. What a concept!
Ingredients:
4 Cobs of Corn
1 Avocado (Large, ripe, but firm – not mushy)
2 Pints Grape Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste
Preparation:
• Remove corn kernels from cob with sharp knife, and then place freshly cut kernels in bowl.
• Rinse grape tomatoes, cut into halves, add all to bowl with the corn kernels.
• Peel avocado, cut into small chunks, add to bowl with corn and tomatoes.
• Add 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar. Pepper to taste. Toss together and serve immediately.
Serves: Approximately 6
This also makes a great dish to bring to any party. I promise, it will be a big hit. Double the recipe and make it shortly before you leave. Do not add olive oil, Balsamic vinegar or Pepper until just before serving.
Looking for the steak recipe? click here.
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