VEGETARIAN BLACK BEAN SWEET POTATO QUINOA SOUP

Healthy and delicious.  I use organic when I can.  I always look for items that do not have any form of sugar in the ingredients.  Items without sugar are extremely hard to find.  Here are some of the brands I love.  They do cost a little more but it is worth the quality.  The fewer ingredients on the list the better.  

This soup is beautiful and so good tasting and so good for you.
3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup finely sliced celery
sauté this mixture for about 5 minutes and then add:
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons of good chili powder
stir to combine and then add:
1 carton of vegetable broth
1 jar of the marinara plus 1 jar of water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 large chopped sweet potato
and 1/2 cup raw quinoa

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let simmer gently stirring occasionally for about an hour.

This marinara has simple ingredients that you can pronounce.  I find it at WalMart.

Black beans are so good for you!

This vegetable broth is one of the very few that does not contain sugar.  Be careful most tomato products have added sugar.  Look at the label!

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Delicious on a cold day. Easy to adapt to sugar free. Sauté an onion and 2 cups chopped green cabbage until wilted and then add I carton of vegetable broth with a can of stewed tomatoes.  Add 1/2 cup brown rice and 1 can of sour kraut   Simmer 15 minutes before adding 1 lb browned and drained ground beef. Salt and pepper to taste  and continue simmering until cabbage is tender and rice is cooked 

Don't buy new clothes! Fit better in the ones you have!

Cutting out any food that has sugar as an ingredient is the key to a healthy weight.  Eat natural whole foods.  In a high power blender put 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk and 1 frozen Banana. WaLa a delicious whole food treat! Tastes good and good for you! 

Pasta Bean Soup

Nothing more delicious and easy!  I get mini meatballs already made at my favorite meat market to add to this yummy soup.  Sauté a few cloves of garlic in olive oil and then add a large can of crushed tomatoes and a carton of chicken stock. Toss in the mini meatballs and let simmer for 30 minutes. I then added some chopped greens and a can of white beans that I rinsed and a cup of small pasta! Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer another 30 minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking. Top with some grated parm! 

Eggplant Parmesan

Slice a good sized eggplant into 1" thick rounds and brush each round with olive oil on both sides. Arrange slight overlapping in a glass baking dish and salt and pepper to taste. Put uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Take out if the oven and top each round with marinara sauce and return to the oven for 10 minutes.  Top with a mix of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and put under the broiler until bubbly and starting to brown. 

1 eggplant

Olive oil

Marinara (jar or homemade)

Mozzarella cheese ( fresh or shredded)

Grated Parmesan cheese 

Salt and pepper (red pepper if you like it spicy) 

Serve alone or on top of your favorite pasta! 

Check your oil!

What kind of oil do you use? Most oils are extracted with chemicals at high temps and are unhealthy for you. Don't avoid fats as they are necessary for proper body functions and the absorption of fat soluable vitamins. Cold pressed oil can be a healthy fat in your diet. I know they cost more but the health benefits are worth it!  

Cold pressed oils retain their natural flavor and nutrition! 

Pumpkin Spice Latte'

Put a little spice in your morning. Before bed mix the following ingredients and put on warm setting in your crock pot. It will be ready to fill your mug in the morning. Save a cup or two in a mason jar for adding some Kahlua when you get home from work tonight and relax! 

5 cups strong brewed hot coffee

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

Worlds Best Vegetarian Vegetable Soup

I was in downtown Pittsburgh a few years ago at a well known restaurant... I won't say names. They had a sign ... Worlds best vegetable soup!  It was cold and snowy and that sounded fabulous!  Well it was awful! This soup I make is simple and soooooo delicious and you can add or delete vegetables you like or dislike!  Here is what I do:  sauté in a heavy pot some olive oil with chopped onion carrots celery and cabbage for about 10 minutes then add 1 carton of vegetable stock and 1 jar of low sugar marinara sauce. Take the jar and fill it with water and add it to the pot.  Next 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables and bring to a boil. Today I added escarole greens and cheese tortellini.  Some days i

add sweet potatoes and white beans. So versatile and so delicious!  

Stuffed Spicy Peppers

When I make meatballs I freeze a few before cooking and they make an easy stuffing when I find beautiful peppers at the farm market. These stuffed peppers are topped with a little marinara and sharp provolone 

Good Will Hunting

Went thrift store shopping with my BFF all day Saturday and found some cool decorating items! This picture caught my eye for my living room  I am in process if painting the frame. This cool table lamp is the cutest!  And I bought a pot and lid!  I am a sucker for old heavy duty cookware! Now I will need all of Sunday to rest!  Good thing I get an extra hour :)