Super Sunday!

Having a really good day so far, feeling motivated and On Program, thanks in part to a couple of new Spark buddies! The morning started out with a healthy breakfast - spinach omelet & sliced tomatoes, tried not to notice the leftover pizza My Man was devouring. We then took a long walk through the local park, feel so fortunate that this beautiful place is within walking distance of the house!



Munching on celery & Laughing Cow cheese, planning last night's leftovers for lunch because this soup was sooo tasty! Even my carnivorous boyfriend slurped down a big bowl of the veggie-laden goodness.



Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

1 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other
small white beans, preferably
low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced
(about ½ cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
1 small zucchini (about ½ pound)
diced (about 1½ cups)
1 garlic clove, minced (about
1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
or ½ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper, plus more to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken or
vegetable broth
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt added
diced tomatoes, with their juices
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups
lightly packed), chopped
1⁄3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a small bowl, mash half the beans. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve topped with the Parmesan.

Serves 6

Tonight I am promised a grilled steak, a rare indulgence but one I'm looking forward to. I will, of course, be foregoing the homemade french fries he's also making and will instead focus on a big salad and some roasted asparagus, yummy!

Hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday, have a Beauty-full day!

Inner Beauty

Well, isn't this a lovely horoscope today?

November 8, 2009
Beauty Divine
Leo Daily Horoscope

You may feel beautiful from within today. You might find yourself feeling good about your best features and experiencing a feeling of warm acceptance for those you’ve wanted to change in the past, understanding that they all come together to create your natural beauty. Because of this mood, you may feel inclined to dress up so that your outer appearance matches your inner glow. Another great way to express your beauty to others is by allowing your true personality to shine through the exterior. Reaching out to share your warmth, compassion, love, and humor with others is a sure way to keep your inner light glowing and attract other like-minded people to connect with today.

Our true beauty comes from the uniqueness that lies at the core of us. We often get caught up searching for beauty in external features, when it is our spiritual essence that shines forth and makes us beautiful. By choosing to express the deepest parts of who we are in every experience, we give form to our uniqueness as a person, both spiritual and physical. We are a divine expression of light and love, which is far more beautiful than even our best physical features. As we glow with happiness and enthusiasm for life, we free ourselves to focus less on any perceived flaws, and more on living a meaningful life of joy and fulfillment. By sharing yourself honestly with others today, you will allow them to glimpse the true divine beauty that lies within you.

Visions of Sugar Cookies Dancin' on my Hips

I was doing pretty well yesterday, consoling the hormonal cravings with a few cocoa-dusted almonds and some roasted edamame, watching Mad Men for inspiration and distraction. Then Beren called, suggested we take a friend out for chicken wings after work. I can do that, no problem. I'll have naked wings and a vodka cocktail, all set! Sitting there at Hooters feeling all smug and On Program, imagining myself finally able to fit into those teeny tiny orange shorts they wear(hey, allow me the fantasy, ok?) I never thought I'd return home to find a plate full of sugar cookies, fresh-baked and calling to me. *groan* I confess: I caved. I scarfed down 2 of those babies right before bed, washed them down with a big gulp of Beren's beer. Ewwwww! I know, it doesn't sound good to me either but at the moment it hit the spot. Off I went to dreamland, sugar cookies dancing in my head and no doubt plastering themselves onto my hips as I slept.

So, here I am this morning, afraid to hop on the scale 'cause you know it's not gonna be good, honey. What to do? Nothing else I can do but just get back on track...again.

Do I sound frustrated? Disappointed? Ashamed? Yep, all of the above. What the heck is wrong with me? Where is my motivation, my willpower? If I can't resist a couple of slice & bake cookies I am doomed this holiday season! Help!

Mad About Joan

Since discovering Mad Men (admittedly a bit late), I have been devouring the DVD's and immersing myself in the 1960's. Oh, how I love the fashion...swoon...and honey, don't we all wanna be Joan Holloway?! I'll take her curves any day! *wink*

Just Beachy

I confess, I did indulge in a small slice of the bread last night..groan..it was delicious and almost worth the stuffed feeling I have this morning! Back on track today, though, and am thinking I need to get a bit more serious, might have to keep better track of my carbs and/or calories because the scale is not budging. *sigh*

I'm working my way through the Good Carb, Better Carb Cookbook, finding a lot of great recipes to try! Tonight it's going to be a modified version of this yummy lentil dish, will substitute meat for veggie-friendly options.

Savory Lentil Casserole

1-1/4 cups dried brown or green lentils, sorted, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces fresh Shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces Canadian bacon, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 to 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place lentils ina medium saucepan; cover with enough water to come 1 inch over lentils. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes untl lentils are barely tender; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 10 minutes or until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; stir well. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, Canadian bacon, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until mixture is thick and bubbly.

3. Grease 1-1/2-quart casserole. Stir lentils into mushroom mixture. Spread evenly in prepared casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 minutes.

4. Sprinkle tomatoes over casserole just before serving.

Enjoy!

Day of the Dead

Today we are celebrating Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead. You can read more about it on my other blog, but here I'll share with you my mother's super-simple vegetable-beef soup "recipe." It's not 100% low carb but it's close enough if I avoid the starchy vegetables.



Sam's Vegetable-Beef Soup

Brown one pound of beef cubes with an onion in a little oil of your choice. Toss in a crockpot with a can of tomatoes, beef bouillon cube, bag of Birds Eye frozen vegetable soup mix, and a can of white potatoes. Cook all day. When you come in the door from work you'll be greeted with an amazing scent and a hearty, delicious dinner! Serve some bread alongside if you indulge in such.

Enjoy!

Hot Beans!

I am proud to report that, despite Moontime coinciding with Halloween (Mother Nature's cruel joke!) I did not give in to temptation and dive into the candy bowl! I left the Snickers (my favorite) to the trick-or-treaters and consoled myself with a handful of Emerald Cocoa Roast almonds instead. Whew..escaped disaster that time!

Today I'm seeking something easy & effortless, would prefer to curl up on the couch with Mad Men (Don Draper, swoon!) instead of slaving away in the kitchen so I'm going to pull out my crockpot and put it to good use. it's still so hot here in Florida, a/c is cranking, certainly doesn't seem like Autumn.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a great little cookbook, Good Carb, Better Carb which is chock-full of tasty dishes!

Enjoy!

Hot Three-Bean Casserole

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounces) chick-peas, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup coarsely chopped tomato
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons sugar (I'm leaving this out)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) frozen cut green beans

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.

2. Add remaining ingredients except green beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add green beans. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until green beans are just tender.

Makes 12 servings.

Happy Halloween

It's a quiet day for us here, honoring those who have passed, thinking especially of Mom, would do anything to have her here for one more holiday.

Samhain Blessings,

Wrap it Up!

Plugging along here, can't believe it's only Tuesday and I'm already exhausted and looking for the weekend! Since work is super-busy you'd think the days would fly by but no such luck. Diet-wise I am doing pretty well, might have to watch my portion control a bit as I find myself mindless eating at times but otherwise I'm doing pretty darn well on the Beach!

It's Pizza Night here at the Castle but of course I won't be partaking of that - no, no, no! Instead I will be wrapping my lips around these Salsa Chickpea Lettuce Wraps courtesy of Happy Herbivore. Ooh-la-la, don't these look fabulous? A perfect light meal after a long day at the office, can't wait to dive right in!

Salsa Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
1-15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-12 ounce jar of salsa
10 lettuce leaves
2 bell peppers, finely chopped

Directions:
Combine chickpeas and salsa in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has absorbed and the chickpeas have taken on the salsa’s color (about 8 minutes). Refrigerate over night for best flavor but you can also serve them immediately. Spoon chickpeas into lettuce leaves and top with chopped bell pepper pieces.

Isn't it Moronic?

Beren & I watched the film I Could Never Be Your Woman and while the movie itself was ok, the real highlight was this song, so inspired that I have to share! Here are the lyrics I especially enjoyed, followed by a clip of the very talented Saoirse Ronan. I can only hope that she and her generation of young actresses actually feel this way.

a young girl, wants to be a big name,
in movies, they must all be the same,
she wont need to sing or to act,
just loose all of her body fat,
and isn't it moronic?
don't you think?

It's insane!
that they loose so much weight,
its a young nicole , with no food on her plate,
its a fat lindsey,barfing up a cake,
they think they're all cute, stick figures...



Have a Beauty-Full Day,