In an attempt to cook more healthy I stepped out today to making "Almost homemade Spaghetti Sauce"
These are the items that I used. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
1 large can of crushed tomatoes with garlic and onions (or something with Italian flavors in it)
2 large can of diced tomatoes with other Italian spices in it.
1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
Fresh mushrooms (use how much you will like) sliced
2 teaspoons of canola oil
1/2 teaspoon of A1 steak sauce
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
basil
Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of Allspice
We also added 1 lb of browned and drained ground turkey.
Saute your veggies together in large skillet until soft. Pour tomatoes into your crock pot. Set crock pot on low. Once veggies are done add those to your tomatoes. Add herbs and seasonings to your liking! If you decide to add meat, brown and drain, then add to your sauce. Let cook together in crock pot for several hours so that the flavors can blend.
We use whole wheat pasta as well.
Enjoy
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Looking on into the Horizon...
Today marks the ending of 2011. What journeys did this year take you on? Was is a wonderful journey with very little bumps along the way, or a journey full of potholes and emergency stops? What ever this year held for you, set your sights onto continuing the journey in 2012!
This year, for me, had its ups and downs, good memories and some not so good memories. I was able to spend a week in Honduras on a missions trip, going with my family on a wonderful trip to Disney World and improving my health!
What does next year hold? The future is yet to be seen, but I do plan on the journey to a more healthy lifestyle, more exercise and losing weight!
Make sure that you set realistic goals for yourself and make sure to work at those goals each and every day! I know I plan too! If your journey takes you on the road to a more healthy lifestyle, then find a buddy to go along with you on that journey! It helps to have the accountability! You are less likely to miss a workout planned with a friend because you don't want to let someone down! Make sure you are eating healthy foods and don't be afraid to try new fruits and veggies!!!
Whatever this new chapter in this crazy journey called life brings, may it bring you peace, joy, determination and happiness!
Happy New Year!
This year, for me, had its ups and downs, good memories and some not so good memories. I was able to spend a week in Honduras on a missions trip, going with my family on a wonderful trip to Disney World and improving my health!
What does next year hold? The future is yet to be seen, but I do plan on the journey to a more healthy lifestyle, more exercise and losing weight!
Make sure that you set realistic goals for yourself and make sure to work at those goals each and every day! I know I plan too! If your journey takes you on the road to a more healthy lifestyle, then find a buddy to go along with you on that journey! It helps to have the accountability! You are less likely to miss a workout planned with a friend because you don't want to let someone down! Make sure you are eating healthy foods and don't be afraid to try new fruits and veggies!!!
Whatever this new chapter in this crazy journey called life brings, may it bring you peace, joy, determination and happiness!
Happy New Year!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Warm soup recipe for a cold winter's night!
This is the soup recipe I have cooking in my crock pot tonight for dinner tomorrow!
Bodacious Bean Soup
1/2 cup dried red kidney beans
1/2 cup dried great northern beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1/2 cup dried navy beans
1/2 cup dried split green peas
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
1 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Grated Cheddar cheese
Pick over all of the beans, peas and lentils and soak over night in a large soup pot with water to cover.
Drain the beans and rinse in cold water. Dry out the pot.
Heat oil in the soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and saute 10 minutes more. Add the chicken stock, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the beans, peas and lentils and tomatoes and reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper and serve with cheese.
Serves 8
WW Points plus 7 points
Bodacious Bean Soup
1/2 cup dried red kidney beans
1/2 cup dried great northern beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1/2 cup dried navy beans
1/2 cup dried split green peas
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
1 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Grated Cheddar cheese
Pick over all of the beans, peas and lentils and soak over night in a large soup pot with water to cover.
Drain the beans and rinse in cold water. Dry out the pot.
Heat oil in the soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and saute 10 minutes more. Add the chicken stock, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the beans, peas and lentils and tomatoes and reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper and serve with cheese.
Serves 8
WW Points plus 7 points
Part Way through the Holiday Journey!!!!
Well here we are: passed Thanksgiving and headed on down the highway to Christmas!!! Christmas is my all time favorite holiday!! I love all of the lights and decorations etc.
I love being with my family on Christmas Eve!!! We have a HUGE family get together on Christmas eve with all of my Aunts and Uncle and LOADS of cousins!!! We also enjoy seeing what everyone brings to eat at the pot luck dinner!!!! It can be deadly if you don't plan ahead!!!! It is full on southern cooking!!!!
Hopefully everyone will keep on track for the Christmas season: Christmas parties, dinners, cookie exchanges etc.!!! One thing you can do is always offer to bring something and make a healthy dish. If you don't tell them, most people will never know. You can also look for more healthy cookie choices to bake.
Statistics say that the average person gains 12 POUNDS during the holiday season (Thanksgiving-New's Years Day) I try to be below average during the holiday season! Just make sure you drink your water and exercise as much as you can. Make sure that you make healthier choices especially when you know that you are going to an event!
Well hang in there this holiday season and never loose sight of the true reason that we celebrate the season!!!
Keep on keeping on!!!
I love being with my family on Christmas Eve!!! We have a HUGE family get together on Christmas eve with all of my Aunts and Uncle and LOADS of cousins!!! We also enjoy seeing what everyone brings to eat at the pot luck dinner!!!! It can be deadly if you don't plan ahead!!!! It is full on southern cooking!!!!
Hopefully everyone will keep on track for the Christmas season: Christmas parties, dinners, cookie exchanges etc.!!! One thing you can do is always offer to bring something and make a healthy dish. If you don't tell them, most people will never know. You can also look for more healthy cookie choices to bake.
Statistics say that the average person gains 12 POUNDS during the holiday season (Thanksgiving-New's Years Day) I try to be below average during the holiday season! Just make sure you drink your water and exercise as much as you can. Make sure that you make healthier choices especially when you know that you are going to an event!
Well hang in there this holiday season and never loose sight of the true reason that we celebrate the season!!!
Keep on keeping on!!!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thanksgiving Recipes!!!!
Thanksgiving is FAST approaching!!!!!! I wanted to share a couple of my favorite more traditional desserts. I have made these the last several years for my family and they have become a favorite! One is a new recipe that I haven't tried, but have it on good word that it is yummy!!!
CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. egg beaters
1 1/2 c. skim milk
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 c. splenda
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 375 for 35-45 minutes (depending on your oven)
This recipe is 4 servings...now if you are like me, I cut for like 8 slices or more out of a pie. So you can splurge a little on this one!!
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 2 points for 1/4 of the pie!!!!
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake:
2 packages of fat free cream cheese
1/2 c. Splenda
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs (or you can use egg beaters)
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. thawed cool whip FREE
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, just until blended. Remove 1 cup of this batter; place in a medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom with graham cracker crumbs. Top with layers of plain batter, then pumpkin batter. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Serve with cool whip.
I try to make this a day ahead.
This makes 8 servings
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 3 points
Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits ( I have not tried this one as of yet, but several friends have and said it is very good)
1 cup fat free evaporated milk
1 small box of sugar free french vanilla pudding
15 ounce can pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Mix together milk and pudding. Add can pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until blended.
Weight Watcher Points Plus:
6 servings: 2 points
4 servings: 4 points
Enjoy!!!!
CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. egg beaters
1 1/2 c. skim milk
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 c. splenda
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 375 for 35-45 minutes (depending on your oven)
This recipe is 4 servings...now if you are like me, I cut for like 8 slices or more out of a pie. So you can splurge a little on this one!!
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 2 points for 1/4 of the pie!!!!
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake:
2 packages of fat free cream cheese
1/2 c. Splenda
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs (or you can use egg beaters)
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. thawed cool whip FREE
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, just until blended. Remove 1 cup of this batter; place in a medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom with graham cracker crumbs. Top with layers of plain batter, then pumpkin batter. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Serve with cool whip.
I try to make this a day ahead.
This makes 8 servings
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 3 points
Pumpkin Pudding Parfaits ( I have not tried this one as of yet, but several friends have and said it is very good)
1 cup fat free evaporated milk
1 small box of sugar free french vanilla pudding
15 ounce can pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Mix together milk and pudding. Add can pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until blended.
Weight Watcher Points Plus:
6 servings: 2 points
4 servings: 4 points
Enjoy!!!!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Cold Outside.....Warm Inside
As cooler weather (some days COLDer weather) comes we love having different soups.
Here are 2 of our favorite soups and hopefully as the fall goes along, I will be able to add a few more. I usually mix up my soup the night before and put in the crock pot in the morning so that it is ready to eat when we all get home and before we hit the road running to different activities. AND things tend to taste better the 2nd day :o)
TACO SOUP
15 oz canned yellow corn
10 oz can rotel (pick your heat)
15 oz can chili beans
15 oz can pinto beans
2 1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 package of Hidden Valley Original Dip
1 pound of cooked extra lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
Brown hamburger and onion, drain well. Add taco seasoning and hidden valley ranch packet. Put in pot and add rest of ingredients.
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 6 points
Serves 6
Cowboy Soup
1 lb. ground turkey, browned and drained
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans Northern white beans
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can mixed vegetables
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 4 points
Add all ingredients to the pot (or crock pot) Heat.
I have added more spices to it to make it just a little spicy. Tweek it to your taste!!!!
Enjoy!
Here are 2 of our favorite soups and hopefully as the fall goes along, I will be able to add a few more. I usually mix up my soup the night before and put in the crock pot in the morning so that it is ready to eat when we all get home and before we hit the road running to different activities. AND things tend to taste better the 2nd day :o)
TACO SOUP
15 oz canned yellow corn
10 oz can rotel (pick your heat)
15 oz can chili beans
15 oz can pinto beans
2 1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 package of Hidden Valley Original Dip
1 pound of cooked extra lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
Brown hamburger and onion, drain well. Add taco seasoning and hidden valley ranch packet. Put in pot and add rest of ingredients.
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 6 points
Serves 6
Cowboy Soup
1 lb. ground turkey, browned and drained
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans Northern white beans
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can mixed vegetables
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 4 points
Add all ingredients to the pot (or crock pot) Heat.
I have added more spices to it to make it just a little spicy. Tweek it to your taste!!!!
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Made these last week for a group function. They turned out great and very moist.
Spice Cake Mix
15 oz can of pumpkins
2 egg whites
3/4 c. water
1 apple shredded (I pealed mine)
1 c. shredded carrots
Combine cake mix, pumpkin, egg whites and water. Mix on low for 30 seconds to moisten. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and apple.
I also used cream cheese icing and only put 3/4 teaspoon on each cupcake.
Bake according to package directions for cupcakes. Makes 27 cupcakes
Spice Cake Mix
15 oz can of pumpkins
2 egg whites
3/4 c. water
1 apple shredded (I pealed mine)
1 c. shredded carrots
Combine cake mix, pumpkin, egg whites and water. Mix on low for 30 seconds to moisten. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and apple.
I also used cream cheese icing and only put 3/4 teaspoon on each cupcake.
Bake according to package directions for cupcakes. Makes 27 cupcakes
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