Tag Archives: eat the rainbow

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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I’m not one for diets and deprivation, but I’m going to be trying on a wedding dress in a few weeks, I don’t want to have a break down on the pedestal.

I want to be crying because I’m going to marry the man of my dreams in my dream dress, not because I’m a fluffy cake-topper and need to order a size up.

But still, deprived is not a word in my dictionary.

I always try to eat healthy – eating the rainbow, lots of yogurt and veggies and fruits, limiting foods from a package – but if I want a Buttercup Cupcake, I will get it.

So it’s not about giving up. It’s about eating a little smarter.

With dishes like this. A slimmed down broccoli cheddar soup.

The killer in traditional broccoli cheddar soup is the heavy cream and the cheese that’s piled on.

So when I saw this lightened up version in Cooking Light Magazine, I was stoked. Heavier on the veggies, with just a swirl of half and half to keep things creamy. I can’t do low fat cheese, so I stuck with full fat cheddar. And as always, I made a few tweaks to make it mine.

You will need

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 3 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 a white onion, chopped
  • 1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 carton vegetable stock
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • half and half
  • grated cheddar

Drizzle a heavy bottomed pot with olive oil and toss in the carrot, celery and onion. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften a little. Season with salt and pepper.

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Add in the broccoli.

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Give the pot a big stir then add the vegetable stock. You can use chicken stock, but I wanted to keep this vegetarian.

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Put a lid on the pot and let the vegetables and the stock cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the broccoli is soft.

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Use an immersion blender, blender or food processor to puree the soup. Stir in a few tablespoons of half and half to give the soup a bit of a creamy hint.

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Ladle big bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

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There are so many vegetables in this light and healthy soup that you won’t feel the least bit guilty having a brownie later.

 

Mexican Meatless Monday

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I am still full from the weekend.

I ate light today, fruit and yogurt and granola, so the fullness has to be residual from the weekend.

Tonight requires light, but not sacrificing on flavors.

I don’t want to eat a salad and call it a night. That seems so … defeatist.

So let’s pack some big flavors and not a lot of fat and calories in.

Let’s lighten up some of our favorite Mexican food.

How about some super flavorful veggies tacos for a Mexican Meatless Monday!

Mexican food is really a great option when you want a light and flavorful meal. All of those bold spices make you feel like you aren’t being deprived of flavor and delisciousness. Because after a Monday back at the office, who would ever want to feel deprived at dinner?

I really love Mexican food. I love burritos and tacos and quesadillas and guacamole. The heat, the freshness, the citrus, the spice. The crunchy chips. The melted cheese.

Mmm.

I love me a good beef taco or some carne asada, but my tummy could use a a serious break after this weekend, so I’m replacing the meat with some portabella mushrooms. Mexican food is naturally veggie packed – the peppers and the onions and the beans – so it’s a great option for Meatless Monday.

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You will need

  • flour tortillas
  • portabella mushrooms
  • peppers (I used green, yellow and red because that’s what looked good at the store)
  • 1/2 white onion
  • seasonings (you can use your favorite taco seasoning or make your own blend. I’m using some garlic salt, paprika, the Armenian hot pepper and black pepper)

In addition, you will need for toppings (okay, you don’t NEED, but here’s what I used):

  • refried beans
  • avocado
  • Greek yogurt
  • taco cheese
  • salsa
  • shredded cabbage

Chop up the onion and the peppers. I go for small, bite-size pieces so everything doesn’t fall out of your taco when you bite into it. What matters more is cutting things the same size so they cook evenly.

Add the peppers and onion and a drizzle of olive oil to a pan. Check out that pretty pot of food. While the blue and green frosted under the sea birthday cake yesterday was a colorful treat, I think this is what nutritionists have in mind when they tell us to eat the rainbow.

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Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.

Clean and chop up the protabella into bite size chunks and add to the pan.

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Cook until the mushrooms are browned.

Add your seasonings and stir.

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If you are using them, heat the refried beans in a small pot, or put them in a microwave safe bowl and zap ’em.

While the pepper mixture cooks and the beans warm up, slice up an avocado and mash together with some Greek yogurt, for the avocado sauce we’ve made a few times together now (yup. I’m obsessed with it).

Lay out all of your toppings in bowls and set up a taco making station.

Tortilla, refried beans, pepper-onion-mushroom mix, some cabbage for some crunch, a sprinkling of cheese and a dollop of avocado sauce.

Mexican Meatless Monday.

Your tummy will thank you.

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Eating the Rainbow – Stacking the Fridge

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It’s a rare evening when we don’t cook dinner.

But last night we went out to celebrate his brother’s Birthday!

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That’s the Birthday Boy blowing out the candle on his ice cream, brownie sundae.

The sundae was preceded by beers, burgers and fries. Have you had a burger and fries at The Smith? If not, you are depriving yourself. Look at it! You need that burger in your life!

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I didn’t have any of the sundae, but I did eat the whole burger. And all of the fries. (hangs head in burger and fry shame.)

So this morning I woke up feeling … virtuous. I would eat fruits and grains and wholesome foods! I would make today the day I start eating really healthily. (At least until dinnertime.)

On an average day, we do keep fairly healthy. Like I’ve said before, nothing crazy. Just fruits and vegetables with every meal.

I think it’s inherently easier to do this in the summer, when Mother Nature gives us a riot of colors to tantalize the taste buds and to help us eat the rainbow.

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That’s what we should aim for ever day, the rainbow. Get in your greens, your reds, your oranges, and you give yourself a diverse array of tastes and textures and flavors, as well as a nutrients.  Here’s a link from Whole Living that gives a rundown of the different nutrients in the different colors: http://www.wholeliving.com/173430/eat-rainbow

Here’s how I set myself up for the week so I can have good foods at my fingertips.

We food shop on Saturday or Sunday, buying the produce that looks the best and that’s on sale. Trust your eyes and nose. You’ll be able to tell what’s fresh. The sales help direct you too because what’s on sale is usually what’s in season.

When we get home, I wash everything immediately, and then cut it up into bite chunks and store in Tupperware.

This is a two, maybe even three-fold strategy.

1, in an itty kitchen, space is at a premium. Instead of storing a watermelon, a pineapple and pounds of peaches, I have Tupperware containers that I can easily stack in the fridge.

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2. This is about itty CITY kitchens, and in the city, you’re usually in a rush. Taking the time on Sunday to cut up the fruit saves you time during the week. Crazy morning and need to pack lunch? Scoop out some fruit into a smaller Tupperware container and go.

3. It’s conveniently cut up and ready to go so you can’t say it’s easier to eat the bag of chips. No excuses, mister!

So this morning, I scooped out some pineapple and watermelon for a mid-morning fruit salad.

Then, I had some strawberries that were starting to get a little mushy. A few quick pulses in the blender, a teeny drizzle of honey, and I had my own quick and easy strawberry jam to throw on an English Muffin for lunch later.

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Don’t you feel healthier already?