Lima Bean Soup

I have random cravings for lima beans…like the kind I imagine a pregnant woman has for something equally as weird.  Yes, I know you’re thinking “she would crave something healthy”…but I seriously do!  Maybe its because they remind me my childhood…it’s a Bernie favorite! And just so ya know, one of my favorite dancer/foodie friends shares my love of lima beans (and loved the soup)…so I’m not the only one!

I’ve never had lima bean soup, but I figured I could make it the way Bernie makes her beans, and then just make them “soupier”.  So I called the expert to consult the best way to go about this.  Here is what we came up with.

Sauté your “seasoning” (carrots, celery, onion) in a little oil with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken stock and frozen lima beans.  Cook until they are as tender as you like.  I decided  to add lemon juice to finish.  Really easy!

I wanted something brothy with beans that held their shape so I didn’t cook the soup for too long.  But I think it would be really good if you cooked it longer and the beans started to fall apart…or if you puréed half of the soup.

Lima Bean Soup
created by me and Bernadette

makes about 8 1-cup servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 16-ounce bags frozen lima beans
salt and pepper
juice of a lemon

In a large stockpot over medium-low heat, sauté the carrot, celery, and onion with the olive oil until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.  Add stock and beans.  Add enough water to just cover the beans.  Season with salt (a few pinches) and black pepper.  Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until beans are tender (or longer if you want the beans to begin falling apart).  Add lemon juice. Taste and re-season if needed. 

Per serving: 200 calories, 3.4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 1 protein, 2 starch)

* I ALWAYS make enough soup to freeze some…Its so nice having soup ready to go on days when I don’t have have time to cook!  Especially when it’s a long studio night!

Happy New Year

I love the beginning of the New Year…it feels like such a fresh start.  Time for setting new goals, trying new things, and looking forward to what the upcoming year has to offer.

I have lots of other personal goals, but here are some of the ones related to nutrition & fitness:

• drink more water (and less coffee!)
• cut back on sugar
• drink more green tea
• run more often (now that my ankle feels better)

It surprises people that I have a hard time drinking enough water.  But I really have to force myself to drink 8+ glasses per day.  I drink plenty while I’m teaching, but during the day not so much.  Cutting back on iced coffee will hopefully help.  I’ve gotten into the habit of having two a day sometimes…when I should be drinking water instead!

I have a sweet tooth.  And I think that’s one reason why I love coffee so much.  It’s my “sweet treat” for the day…which I guess is better than having cake/cookies/ice cream/candy all the time. 

I sweeten my coffee with about 1-2 teaspoons of condensed milk…kills two birds with one stone (sugar and milk).  But I like coffee unsweetened with a little half and half too and should try to drink it that way more often.

Green tea is so good for you and I don’t drink it enough.  It’s one of the only eating habits that I didn’t adopt from my Houston roommate Danielle, (who is a RD at MD Anderson and knows her stuff).  She loves tea :) Habits I did pick up from her?  More veggies and whole grains, and less meat.

It seems like every Fall I develop some sort of foot/ankle pain…probably because during footballs season I never sit down.  With all dancing, teaching, choreographing, and running I am always on my feet.  This year was no exception.  To deal with my ankle issues, I cut back on the only place I could.  Running.  First I cut back to just running less distance.  And then fewer days.  And then NOT AT ALL.  But that did the trick.  And now that football season (and Saintsations) are coming to an end and my ankle is feeling better, its time to step it back up.

As for the “new things”, I’m trying to get myself back in the nutrition world.  When I first moved home to Baton Rouge from Houston I looked for a wellness-type job similar to the one I had at LifeTime Fitness.  No such luck.  But the Saintsation position and a great job teaching dance at Tari’s have kept me busy (and allowed me to use my nutrition degree in a really positive way…dancers are under so much pressure to be thin, but many have terrible eating habits and don’t know how to stay thin healthfully). 

All that being said, the job search is on.  I’ll keep you posted!

Of course I’m cooking today…cabbage (as slaw in my all time favorite feta dressing ) and black-eyed peas, ham, collards (all in a delicious soup that is a cross between these two recipes)…for luck, health, and fortune in the new year! 

Happy New Year!  Geaux Saints! (and Panthers!)

Nana’s Beef Vegetable Soup

Around this time of year my mom’s mom, Nana, would get to work making a HUGE batch of her delicious beef and vegetable soup.  In her words “it grows” as you make it…she told me once that she kept having to change pots to accommodate all the veggies she wanted to add. 

I have lots of family recipes…a whole binder dedicated to them.  Most of my “Nana recipes” are in her handwriting on a scrap of paper.  On the other hand, many of my mom’s recipes are in the form of an email that I printed out…I only have 1 or 2 in her handwriting.  I love the fact that the text of the message reminds me of being in college and are signed love, mom: “I know you will do well on your test”…I must have been planning a post-test celebratory meal of spaghetti and meatballs.

Back to the soup.

Nana would bring containers of soup to our house, some to eat right away and some to freeze.  But these weren’t your typical Tupperware containers.  No!  Nana saved jars and plastic containers to use for occasions like this.  It was completely normal to receive a Cool Whip container or a Blue Plate jar full of soup (these types of containers also found their way to Thanksgiving dinner to package leftovers after the meal).

I loved this soup as a kid.  The beef was undoubtedly the best part.  My brother, sister, and I would fish it out of the pot, giving ourselves double servings of meat…same with the potatoes.
   

But really, I loved all the veggies too.  My version today has an even greater variety of vegetables (does that surprise anyone?).  I also played with the method a little and made a few changes to the tomato ingredients (she used canned tomato soup and canned vegetable soup…but I switched to diced & pureed – less processed!).  Browning the beef first was also a must for the added flavor from the caramelized bits left on the bottom of the pan.

But some things I didn’t dare mess with.  Nana added “dollops” of ketchup right at the end of cooking…so do I.  Nana added pasta…me too!  I’ve never tried adding a head of cabbage which she says is optional…maybe next year. 

 

Like I said, this makes a ton of soup (the amount changes every time I make it…this batch made 36 cups!).  But it’s a flexible/forgiving recipe…add as much as or as little as you want.  Double the recipe or halve the recipe.  Any combination of fresh or frozen veggies will do perfectly.  You could leave the beef out (definitely wouldn’t recommend it though), or switch to chicken.  You could omit the pasta.   You could add fresh diced carrots with the onions and celery (my carrots were in the frozen veggie mix).  You could reduce the amount of potatoes and only do 1 pound.  Fresh herbs would be nice too…my herb garden bit the dust when I moved into an apartment. 

Just note, you will need to adjust the broth and water accordingly.  I leave mine a little thick (almost stew like) so that I have less to freeze…and then add water before reheating.

Nana’s Beef Vegetable Soup
adapted from my grandmother’s recipe

1 chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cubed (2-3 pounds)
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons of a neutral oil (grapeseed, canola)
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
4 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium)
4 cups beef broth
4 cups water*
2  26oz cans tomato puree
1  26oz can diced tomatoes
2-3 zucchini or yellow squash, cubed
2 lb small red potatoes, cubed
16 oz bag frozen okra**
16 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans, peas)
16 oz bag frozen baby lima beans
2 teaspoons dried thyme & 2 teaspoons dried oregano (1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning would work as well)
2 cups whole wheat orzo, uncooked (or any pasta you like)
3 generous “dollops” of ketchup

In a bowl, toss beef cubes and flour until well coated.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Add 1/3 of the beef to the pot and cook until browned on all sides.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.  Repeat twice more, each time with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/3 of meat.  Reduce heat if browning to quickly.

In the now empty pot, add onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, until vegetable are very tender; stir occasionally.

Add both broths and water.  Return beef to the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

Add all cans of tomatoes.  Add remaining vegetables (fresh and frozen).  Season with remaining salt (1 1/2 teaspoons), pepper (1 teaspoon), thyme and oregano.  Cook over medium heat for 1 hour, or until beef and potatoes are very tender.  Add more water if soup becomes too thick or if all the vegetables aren’t submerged.

Add orzo and ketchup.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until pasta is al dente.  Taste and reseason with salt and pepper if necessary.

Per serving (1 cup*) – 183 calories, 7 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 20 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 11 g protein, 518 mg sodium (exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 protein, 1 fat; WW points: 3)

* The soup will be really thick, almost stew-like (the annoying Rachael Ray would call this stoup)…I do this on purpose because I freeze the soup “concentrated” which helps with freezer space and then add water when I reheat it.  It’s good both ways (thick and thin), but if you add the water, your 1 cup serving can become nearly 2 cups…for the same amount of calories.  And a tip…the potatoes for some reason will be mushy if you reheat in the microwave (after being frozen), so I use the stovetop which seems to reduce the mushiness.

** I used fresh okra in this batch, but usually use frozen…both are equally delish.

Split Pea Soup

When I first moved to Houston in 2007, there were many things about Louisiana that I missed.  My family and friends, the studio, a home cooked meal (cooked by someone other than myself).  It was a similar experience when I moved to college (although this was just a 1 hour trip home…not the long 4 hour drive from Houston). 

I remember the feeling of pulling up in my parents driveway  my first year of college…my mom would be in the kitchen cooking something…something that I couldn’t wait to eat! 

But for a whole year in Houston this feeling was few and far between.  Until Jill move home, that is.  Jill, one of my mom’s best friends, and her family had been in Malaysia for 7 years.  But while I was still living in Houston, they returned home and began satisfying my craving for home-cooking.

Jill is a great cook.   And she has the most incredible cookbook collection…really…it’s like visiting a library of nothing but cookbooks.  So not only was I now getting home cooked meals, I was also able to “check-out” new cookbooks from her library.  But it gets better…she would always send me home with leftovers.  LOVE!

Jill was the first person to introduce me to this split pea soup.  I don’t remember if she made too much (probably) or didn’t like it (there’s no way…its too good), but I ended up with a lot of soup.  Into the freezer it went (in small individual servings).  Perfect for when I got home late at night from teaching dance, dancing, or working at LifeTime. 

I love split pea soup.  It reminds me of my mom.  And the fall…and since we are having the most AMAZING fallish weather, I figured it was the perfect occasion to make it myself.  But just so you know, this isn’t your ordinary split pea soup…the addition of potatoes, carrots, and in my version ham, really elevates the soup to a whole new level.  Make a lot (maybe double it if you aren’t cooking for one like me) and freeze it…you won’t be sorry!
 

Split Pea Soup
adapted from Ina Garten

makes about 9 1-cup servings

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (not as much if just using regular salt) 
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 - 4 small)
1 pound dried split green peas, divided
8 cups chicken stock or water
1 ham hock, optional…but good!

In a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 of split peas, chicken stock (and/or water), and ham hock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking.

Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft*. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom.

Remove ham meat and bone from pot and set aside.  When ham is cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bone and fat.

Return shredded ham to the pot.  Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.**

* Some of the reviews on the Food Network website complained that some of the peas were still crunch…the point of adding them in 2 batches is to have some of the peas turn to mush and some to retain their shape, but NOT to be crunchy.  Make sure you cook them long enough after the last addition.

** The finished soup will continue to thicken as it stands but can be thinned with some water when reheated.  You will definitely need to do this when reheating any frozen soup.

Per serving (based on 9 1-cup servings per recipe) – 316 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 41 g carbohydrates, 15 g fiber, 25 g protein (exchanges: 3 protein, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat; WW points: 6)

Indian Lentil Coconut Soup

Christmas Day has come and gone...are you as worn out as I am? My past week and a half has been a whirlwind of weddings, dinners, parties, decorating, gift wrapping, party planning, making lasagna for 100 plus people (it was delish I might add). So I am not surprised that when I woke up this morning I was a little under the weather!

I don't have much of an appetite (probably because I'm not feeling well...or maybe because I've eaten so much wonderful/rich/delicious food lately !?!). But soup sounded good to me, I love this recipe, I haven't blogged in FOREVER, and I haven't shared it with you yet...so here it is.

The soup freezes well and I'm heading to Orlando on Wednesday for the Capital One Bowl, so most of it went straight into the freezer...but the serving I had today really hit the spot. Feeling better already!

Indian Lentil Coconut Soup

adapted very liberally from Health.com

makes 16 1/2-cup servings

Printable Recipe

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

5 cups water

1 pound dried red lentils, washed and picked over

1 13.5 ounce can light coconut milk*

2 bay leaves

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute 5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and other spices; cook until fragrant and spices coat onions. Add water, lentils, coconut milk, and bay leaves; stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add more water if soup becomes too thick.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Per serving (1/2 cup) - 126 calories, 2 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 8 g protein (exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fat, 1 protein; WW points: 2)

* Coconut milk is usually found on the ethnic food isle...not by the alcohol (don't by cream of coconut, save that for pina coladas!)

Crawfish and White Bean Chili

In Louisiana, Lent = beginning of crawfish season. And while I haven't been to a crawfish boil yet, I did make this chili, and its really good!

The original recipe called for stirring a cup of cheese and a cup of sour cream into the soup...of course I left it out and by doing so saved 932 calories, 84 grams of fat, and 50 grams of saturated fat. Instead, serve reduced fat cheese and light sour cream as an optional topping (I like using plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream).

I doubled the amount of vegetables by adding green bell peppers when I sauteed the onions. This is a trick I use whenever I can. The more veggies in a recipe, the fewer calories per bite.

I used dried white beans that I soaked overnight, but I'm sure cans of beans would work just as well (and it would take less time). One pound of dried beans is roughly equivalent to 3 15oz cans.

Crawfish White Bean Chili

adapted from a recipe from Mel

Makes 12 1-cup servings

1 lb large white beans, soaked overnight in water, drained
4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water, divided
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 green bell peppers, chopped (4 cups)
2 medium onions, chopped (4 cups)
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper
6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced

2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies

2 tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ pounds crawfish tails (I used two 12 oz frozen packs from the store...thawed, drained, and squeezed to remove excess liquid)
For serving: shredded cheese, light sour cream, green onions, cilantro, salsa

Combine soaked/drained beans, chicken broth, and 2 cups of water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very soft, 2 - 3 hours. Add additional water, if necessary (you want to keep the beans covered with liquid).

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic, chilies, and spices/herbs and mix thoroughly.

Add onion mixture to the beans. Add crawfish and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper if necessary.

If desired, serve topped with grated cheese (reduced fat), sour cream (light or non-fat Greek yogurt), green onions, cilantro, or salsa...a few crushed tortilla chips would be good too!

Per 1-cup serving (without any toppings) - 241 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 22 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 ½ protein, 1 ½ starch, 1 vegetable)

Chicken Tortellini Soup

I came across this recipe for Chicken Ravioli Soup the other day and I knew it would be perfect for this week's menu (that is, once it cooled off again - is anyone else getting tired of this back and forth weather???).

I love chicken noodle soup, although I hardly ever make it (have I ever made it?). Tiny flecks of colored vegetables, buttery broth, and moist, tender chicken...could it get any better? Yes, just add ravioli!

At Whole Foods I found Rising Moon Tortellini on sale so I decided to swap it out for the ravioli. I used canned broth, although making your own would be extra delicious.


Chicken Tortellini Soup
adapted from CulinaryCory.com and CooksIllustrated.com

Makes 8 1-cup servings

1 lb chicken breasts (about 2)
Salt and pepper
1 cup diced carrot (about 2)
1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon oil (olive, canola)
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
8 oz cheese tortellini

Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, and bake on a baking sheet for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and shred.

Over medium-high heat, melt butter and oil. Once the butter is melted, add the carrot, celery, red bell pepper, and onion. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the cooked chicken (once cooled and shredded), chicken broth, and water to the pot; bring to a simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Carefully add the tortellini. Simmer for 5 – 8 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through.

Per serving - 208 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrate, 3 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 19 g protein (exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 protein, 1 fat)

Notes - My chicken wasn't cool enough to add when I added the broth and water, so I just added it later on; any kind of filled pasta would be great and if there would have been a whole wheat option I would have bought it

Roasted Mushroom Soup

Whenever my house phone rings early in the morning (no one has the number but close family and friends), I immediately think something is wrong. So when I heard it ringing this morning, that is what I thought. But it was good news! It was one of Hilary's friends, Taylor, calling to tell us to look outside at the SNOW!!!!

It hasn't snowed in south Louisiana in years! I remember there being enough snow one year in the early 90's that we were able to make a snowman; the ditches froze and we could "ice skate" on them (remember that Mary??); and we turned on the sprinkler to make icicles on our bushes.

Schools are closed so I'm assuming that I won't have to teach tonight...what am I going to do with myself? I guess catch up on my to-do list. And blogging about my newest soup recipe is on that list.

I LOVE mushrooms, so when I received a recipe in my email for Roasted Mushroom Soup, I knew I had to make it that day. There were a few steps in the recipe that I didn't like, so I googled for another version. I ended up using a combination of the two. I made a few ingredient modifications too.

The soup is thick and creamy, but only because of pureed mushrooms and not because there is a lot of cream. The recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, but it is completely optional. I almost left it out, because the soup was already so creamy. I'm going to include the nutrition info for both versions...with and without the cream...and you can decide - nutritionally it doesn't make much of a difference.

Roasted Mushroom Soup
adapted from Countryliving.com and Epicurious.com

makes 8 1-cup servings

2 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced into ½-inch pieces
about 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps cut into ½-inch pieces
2 large garlic clove, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, finely sliced (about ½ cup)
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
¾ cup white wine (I used chardonnay, but any white would work)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped (or ¾ teaspoon dried)

2 tablespoons heavy cream (or half & half, both optional)
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide mushrooms and whole garlic cloves between 2 large baking sheets (with rims). To each baking sheet add 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and spread mushrooms and garlic into a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, switching pans from top and bottom shelves half way through.

As soon as you remove the mushrooms from the oven, add about a ¼ cup of broth (or more) to each pan and scrape up any brown bits...this is called deglazing. Set aside to cool slightly.

Once cooled, remove garlic cloves from pan then peel and mince (or press). Puree half of mushrooms with enough broth so that the blender can blend (about 2 cups for me). Set mushroom puree aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté until shallot is tender, about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until almost all of liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly). Add remaining broth and thyme; stir working out any flour/onion clumps. Stir in remaining cooked mushroom pieces/juices and mushroom puree. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add cream (if using) and lemon juice; taste and reseason with salt and pepper if needed.

Per serving (with cream) - 148 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 13 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 protein)

Per serving (without cream) - 135 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 13 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 protein)

Notes - The soup can be made ahead of time - cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate, bring to simmer before serving, thinning with additional broth or water if necessary; you could use red onion instead of shallot; my soup was really thick, so I added water to each individual serving instead of thinning out the whole batch; you could use a mixture of creminis (baby portobellos) and button mushrooms instead...shiitakes are expensive and can be hard to find!


Lagniappe...

Having a low-calorie soup (like this one) as a first course may be able to help you lose weight...read about it here!

Black Bean (Pumpkin) Soup

I've had this recipe saved since June and have been waiting for the right time to make it. I had one can of pumpkin left in my pantry and I was either going to make yeasted chocolate-chip pumpkin bread or black bean pumpkin soup...but, considering all of the dessert I've had over the past week (lemon icebox pie and banana bread at Mel's, pumpkin cream cheese cupcake from Jess, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and rum cake on Thanksgiving, and M&M's at the LSU/Arkansas game...they weren't lucky this week!) I decided to go with the soup.

I put the pumpkin in parenthesis in the title because you won't even know its in the soup...you can't taste it (Hilary, who hates pumpkin, has eaten the soup twice and hasn't suspected a thing). It adds a thickness to the soup that makes it so rich and creamy...but there is no cream and the soup is very low-fat (4 g per 1 cup).

Things to know about beans:

1) they are a great source of fiber (15 g per cup...60 % of daily value), protein (15 g per cup), and folate...something women in child-bearing years need in order to prevent certain birth defects (64 % of daily value per cup)

2) they are high in carbohydrates, but don't be scared low-carb dieters...these are complex carbohydrates - the kind that are digested and released into your bloodstream more slowly which helps stabilize blood sugar levels (and may help with weight management)

3) the high levels of fiber help stabilize blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, prevent constipation and other digestive disorders (IBS and diverticulosis)

4) they are rich in antioxidants, and the darker the skin the better...so black beans are extra rich!

So eat up...beans are so good for you!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
adapted from Epicurious.com

Makes 9 1-cup servings

2 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
1 large onion, chopped
1 shallot minced (you could omit this)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
three 15 ½ ounce cans (or two 25 ounce cans) black beans (about 4 ½ cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 cups beef broth
one 15 ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup dry Sherry (or any dry white wine)
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (optional)

In a 6-quart dutch oven or other large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a blender (or food processor), blend half of each of the following: beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin. Once the onions have softened and the garlic and seasonings have been added, add the first batch of the bean mixture. Repeat with the remaining beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin; add to the soup pot.

Add the sherry (if using), stir to combine, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, stir in the vinegar. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve soup as is or garnished with light sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt.

Per 1-cup serving - 300 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber, 17 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 protein, 3 starch, ½ vegetable)

Notes - The recipe originally called for 4 tablespoons of butter, but I only used 2. It also called for ½ pound of diced ham, but I left it out...I figured I was getting enough protein from the beans. The dry sherry could be omitted or you could substitute any dry (i.e. not sweet) white wine. Serve ½ cup portions as a side dish or 1 to 1-½ cup portions as an entree. I froze half of the soup in 2 cup servings to reheat on a night when I don't have time to or feel like cooking.

All We Can Do Is Keep Breathing

Have you heard the Ingrid Michaelson song "Keep Breathing"? Its at the top of my playlist right now...love it! She sings that when life gets crazy and out of control all you can do is keep breathing.

My life has been crazy since November started and as a result I haven't posted anything since November 3rd! In addition to my normal schedule (teaching dance from 3:30 - 9:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 1:00 - 6:00 pm on Sundays) I've been doing a lot of extra choreography: 2 dances for the Saintsations, a duet for 2 kids at the studio, a solo for a high school dancer, and a competition number for the senior company at Tari's School of Dance.

I've also starting working with several high school girls on weight management...I'm on the verge of officially starting my own business...it's so exciting! I love working with this age group (no offense TWL members). I feel that if you can teach young girls healthy eating habits then they will pass what they know on to their families once they get married and have kids.

On top of all of this, LSU has played 4 (going on 5) straight home games. When LSU plays at home my entire Saturday is filled with tailgating, watching band/Golden Girl practice, helping my sister get ready, more tailgating, the game, and finally more tailgating. I also flew to Houston last Friday to watch the Houston Met's fall show and flew home the following morning to get back for the game. Sunday I "worked" from 11:30 am - 7:00 pm. Last night (after teaching from 3:30 - 7:00 pm) I went to Tigerama to watch Hil perform and didn't get home until 12:30 am.

But now I can breathe! Its 10:00 am on Tuesday morning and I am still in bed, blogging. And next week the studio is closed for Thanksgiving so I can really relax.

The following recipes are all slow-cooker recipes. When life gets really hectic, a common problem with getting a home cooked meal on the table is not enough time. With a little planning ahead and by using a slow cooker, you can have dinner ready when you walk in the door at the end of the day. I've already blogged once about slow-cooker meals.

Planning your meals ahead of time can help save time, money, stress, a trip through the drive thru...It will save you from going to the store multiple times a week. You won't have to think about "what's for dinner" each day. And if you have the ingredients to make a recipe on hand, you will probably go ahead and do it as opposed to eating out at a restaurant or getting take out. And as a result you will eat healthier, less processed food.

Before I head to the grocery store, I make a list with the staples I buy every week: apples, yogurt, milk, lettuce, baby carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, cottage cheese. I check to see if I'm out of English muffins (I keep these in the freezer), natural peanut or other nut butter, oatmeal, and nuts. And then I pick my recipes for the week and add the ingredients I need to the list. And this always includes the ingredients for my "salad of the week" and seasonal fruits to snack on.

I actually write down what I plan on eating for the week...and although I don't use it, I found this meal planning worksheet and thought it might be helpful.

Now, I know most of you are thinking right now..."she doesn't have kids", "she doesn't have a whole family to cook for", etc...and you are right! But as you can see above I am really busy, and if I don't plan ahead one of two things happens (1) I don't have enough food for the week and have to eat out more...wasting my calories, or (2) I end up making several trips to the store, usually on my way home from teaching dance late at night ...wasting my time.

My thought is "if you buy it, you will eat it", so buy lots of fruits and vegetables so that you have them to eat and buy fewer processed foods so that you don't have them to eat.

The salad recipe was sent to me by at TWL member. If any of you have any recipes you would like to share with me, I'd love to have them so that I can share them with everyone else! Leave the links as a comment.

Strawberry Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette -

• Per serving - 153 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated), 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges ½ fruit, 1 vegetable, 2 fat)
• Notes - Prep everything ahead of time (except the avocado) so that you have a quick lunch ready all week - store everything in separate containers in the refrigerator; make the salad more filling (so that it can be lunch by itself) by adding more veggies (lettuces, red bell pepper, green beans, shredded carrots…) and some lean protein (chicken, turkey, beans); notice the serving size...it makes 12 2/3 cup servings - if you double the size of your serving, don't double the fats (dressing, avocado, pecans); if you don't have raspberry vinegar, just use balsamic or red/white wine

Slow Cooker Rosemary and Red Pepper Chicken -

• Per serving - 200 calories, 4.4 g fat (1.2 g saturated), 4.9 g carbohydrates, 31.9 g protein, 0.7 g fiber (exchanges ½ vegetable, 4 protein, 1 fat)
• Notes - You could use white wine instead of vermouth; Here are some notes I gathered from the comment section: 1) needs more liquid...chicken broth, water, can of chopped tomatoes, or wine (but if you do this double the cornstarch mixture), 2) needs double the rosemary and oregano, 3) serve over pasta

Slow Cooker Chicken Creole -

• Per serving - 191 calories, 1.8 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 14.3 g carbohydrates, 29.6 g protein, 2.7 g fiber (exchanges 2 vegetable, 4 protein, 1 fat)
• Notes - From the comment section: 1) it's spicy...you may want to adjust the amount of jalapeno, 2) you may want to add some tomato paste and okra (frozen would be fine)

Jeanne's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce -

• Per serving - 210 calories, 9.3 g fat, 19.9 g carbohydrates, 14.2 g protein, 5.7 g fiber (exchanges 2 vegetable, 2 protein, 2 fat)
• Notes - When buying tomato products, read the labels and try to purchase brands without sugar (in any form) as an ingredient; ¼ of a cup of olive oil seems like a lot to me (even though ¼ cup = 4 Tbsp = 12 tsp…and the recipe makes 12 servings…so each serving only ends up with 1 tsp of oil, but there is fat from the sausage and beef too)...I would probably start out with just 2 tablespoons; the sausage is optional; you could substitute 1 1/2 Tbsp of Italian seasoning instead of all of the separate seasonings; make the whole recipe and freeze half to use later; make it vegetarian by omitting the sausage, beef, and turkey and using 24 - 32 oz of sliced mushrooms

Slow Cooker Fajitas -

• Per serving - 335 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 protein, 2 fat)
  Notes - Sirloin is one of the leaner cuts of beef, however, you could substitute chicken breasts and save even more calories and fat grams; try to find whole wheat tortillas that are around 120 calories…or less; notice the serving is 1 fajita for 335 cals...serve with a side salad (such as carrot-cumin slaw) or a bowl of tortilla soup (such as Campbell's Select Harvest Mexican-Style Chicken Tortilla)

Curried Lentil Soup -

• Per serving - 169 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 34 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 protein)
• Notes - I would use chicken or vegetable broth in place of the hot water

Lagniappe...

The last thing I want to share with you is a web-site where you can map the distance that you walk/run/bike...

When I run outdoors (sometimes its just too pretty to get on a treadmill!), I'm always interested in knowing how far I went...and this website tells me. Under "Map New Run" you enter your starting address and then on a map you click along the path you took.

If You Like Artichokes...

Every month when I receive my Bon Appetit magazine in the mail, I read through it and tear out any recipes that are interesting to me...whether or not they are healthy. Then when I make the recipe I decide if it needs any nutritional "tweaking". In September I found a recipe for Artichoke Soup with Pesto and knew I would have to make it once the weather got a little cooler.

Well, the cool weather has arrived and I made the soup...all I can say is its delicious and easy! (Unless you don't like artichokes...and in that case don't bother making it).

I made a few changes and used my own pesto (which I keep frozen in "pesto cubes"). You could also buy store-bought pesto...my favorite brand is Alessi and I can find it in most stores near the marinara (some store-bought pesto is so gross...read the ingredients and watch out for those that shouldn't be there - you should find basil, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt). If you want to save calories, just leave the pesto out (my sister prefers it this way). One tablespoon of store-bought pesto has 50 - 75 calories and 5 or more grams of fat.

If you use canned artichokes, taste the soup before seasoning with salt...canned vegetables already have added salt (it might be a good idea to rinse them).

Make sure when you puree the hot soup, you don't seal the blender completely...leave the lid cracked to allow steam to escape, but cover it with a kitchen towel to prevent splattering.

I think the soup would be good topped with whole wheat croutons. Cube a few slices of whole wheat bread and toast on a baking sheet until golden brown. You could also follow this recipe and toast them in a skillet (I would cut back on the oil...maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons). Toasted almonds might be a good topping as well. I need a little crunch!

Artichoke Soup
adapted from Bon Appetit

Total Time: 25 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 8-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped or 2 15-ounce cans, drained and chopped
2 1/2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt and pepper
pesto (good but optional)

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add artichokes and 2 1/2 cups broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until artichokes are soft, about 7 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth (see note above). Return to saucepan and thin with additional broth by 1/4 cupfuls if desired. Season soup with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; drizzle with pesto if using.

Per serving (without the pesto) - 81 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 vegetable)

Enjoy!

P.S. I'm hoping I get a good camera for Christmas so that I can take pics of what I cook and post them! Dad are you reading this?

Slow Down and Cook

My slow-cooker (or crock pot as my grandmother called it) and I do not have a very close relationship. I hardly ever use it...cooking is stress relief for me and using a slow-cooker would deprive me of that! But I don't have a husband, kids, etc. And I'm POSITIVE that one day my opinion of this will change...so I won't get rid of it just yet!

All of the following recipes are for a slow-cooker. It can be a huge time saver if you plan ahead, have all the ingredients on hand, and spend a little extra time in the morning. If you do this, you can have dinner ready in the evening without having to come home and cook.

As usual, I've included a salad...don't worry, it's not a slow-cooker recipe. "Chicken and Citrus Slaw" is from a new cookbook I was given, Cowgirl Cuisine. I love it (thanks Jill!!), but haven't cooked from it very much. However, I have made this recipe (with a few modifications). It was featured in Food and Wine magazine and is really good.

If you have never tried steel-cut oats, you should (see the following recipe for overnight oatmeal...in the slow-cooker!). Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are whole oat groats with the oat kernel removed from the husk and then cut into 2 or 3 pieces (very little processing...a good thing). They have a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor. Look for these brands near the other oats in the grocery store:

McCann's (this is what I buy)
Quaker
Hodgson Mill
Arrowhead Mills
Bob's Red Mill

In the recipe you should not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time. I love steel cut oatmeal. I make a big batch once a week using the Quick Soak Method and freeze individual portions in zip-loc bags for a quick weekday breakfast (or you could just refrigerate it).

Chicken and Citrus Slaw -

• Per serving - 265 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrate, 28 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges: 4 protein, 2.5 fat, 2 vegetables); I modified the original recipe by omitting the tortilla (and 1/4 cup oil for frying)
• Notes - Tofu fills in for mayonnaise in this dressing, offering creaminess without fat. If you don’t like tofu or don't have any, you could use 4 – 5 tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt…plain low-fat yogurt (9 cal per Tbsp) is a WAY better option than low-fat mayo (50 cal per Tbsp) or low-fat sour cream (19 cal per Tbsp); you could simplify by using bags of pre-shredded coleslaw mix and pre-shredded carrots and a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken; I personally don't like chipotle chile in adobo so I omitted it and added 2 tsp cumin

Overnight Oatmeal -

• Per serving - 193 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 9 g fiber
  (exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fruit)
• Notes - As I've already mentioned, do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time; freeze 1 cup portions in zip-loc bags for a quick breakfast…when ready to eat, remove oatmeal from bag, place in a bowl , and microwave until warm (you may need to add more milk or water if too thick); nutrition bonus…36% daily value of fiber; complete the meal with a glass of low-fat milk (cow's, soy, etc.)

Apple Confit -

• Per serving - 98 calories, 0 g fat, 26 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 4 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fruit, ½ starch)
• Notes - Complete the meal (it would be good for breakfast, a snack, or dessert) by serving with low-fat yogurt and a few tablespoons of toasted walnuts; I'm not sure if you could leave the apple skins on or not, but it would add more fiber!

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew -

• Per serving - 319 calories, 15 g fat (5 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrate, 30 g protein, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 3 fats, ½ starch, 1 vegetable, 3 protein)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with whole wheat couscous, bulgur, or brown rice and a salad

Curried Squash and Apple Soup -

• Per serving - 95 calories, 0.5 g fat (0.1 g saturated), 22 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber (exchanges: ½ fruit, 1 starch)
• Notes - This make-ahead recipe keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days and up to two months in the freezer; you could serve the soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt and chopped cilantro

Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone -

• Per serving - 105 calories, 1 g fat (2 g saturated), 21 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein (exchanges: ½ starch, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - To up the fiber content, you could add 1 cup of uncooked pearled barley instead of the pasta...if you do use pasta go for whole wheat (or at least Barilla Plus, Ronzoni Smart Taste, or Ronzoni Healthy Harvest); you could add ANY other non-starchy vegetables you like (green beans, zucchini, cauliflower, squash, cabbage, okra, bell peppers)
  

Lagniappe...

Like Italian food? Here is an article to read before heading out to your favorite Italian restaurant. It gives best (and worst) options when dining at Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill, but you can apply the information to other Italian restaurants as well.

Start of Something New

When I first started working as a dietitian at Life Time Fitness (Cinco Ranch, TX) and teaching the TEAM weight loss (TWL) classes, I had a lot of requests for healthy recipes. So in January 2008, I began writing a weekly email to all of my clients and the TWL participants that included nutrition information and recipes.

Each week the recipes included 1 lunch recipe (usually a salad...an inspiring one - no iceberg lettuce and ranch here!) and at least 5 dinner recipes (one for each night of the week). Occasionally, I included a dessert/snack/breakfast recipe as well.

Now that I am moving back to Louisiana, my plan is to continue sending recipes through this blog. I LOVE researching recipes, but because I only cook for myself, I don't get to put most of the ones I find to good use. This way I can...through you!

Because some of the recipes I find aren't up to my nutritional standards, I may modify them and make a note of it in each post (and alter the nutritional information accordingly).

And if you read the "notes" listed with each recipe, you will see that I sometimes make suggestions on how to "complete the meal" by adding a couple of servings of vegetables and a whole grain...they are just suggestions, but you should try to add at least one veggie side dish to the meal.

I will also be posting links to websites/articles/food products that I find interesting and think you might too.

The first weeks recipes (from the week of January 21st, '08) come from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine (one of the most favorite magazines I get! And like the title says, its "everyday food"...nothing too fancy, no crazy ingredients, quick and easy recipes, and it provides the nutrition info for all of the recipes...they aren't always healthy though). Enjoy!

Caesar Salad with Spicy Shrimp -

• Per serving - 282 calories; 12.6 g fat; 23.6 g protein; 18.6 g carbohydrates; 4.3 g fiber (exchanges: 1 starch, 3 protein, 2 fat, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - Anchovies are optional...I've made it without them!

Fish Tacos -

• Per serving - 399 calories; 11.5 g fat; 30.7 g protein; 42.5 g carbohydrates; 3.7 g fiber (exchanges: 4 protein, 2 fat, 2 starches, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Make sure you buy tortillas that have between 80 and 100 calories each (or less), and whole wheat or corn tortillas would be the better choice

Lemon Herb Chicken -

• Per serving - 218 calories; 2.5 g fat; 43.3 g protein; 4.3 g carbohydrates; 1.3 g fiber
  (exchanges: 6 protein, ½ fat)
• Notes - This is based on an 8 ounce, uncooked, chicken breast… if you eat a smaller portion of chicken, the calories and protein will be less; you can use 2 tsp dried tarragon in place of the fresh
• Complete with meal with steamed green beans and whole wheat couscous or brown rice

Mushroom Barley Soup -

• Per serving - 352 calories; 15.7 g fat; 13.5 g protein; 41.7 g carbohydrates; 6.8 g fiber(exchanges: 3 fat, 1 vegetables, 2 starches, ½ protein)
• Notes - You could omit the bacon completely (or use turkey bacon) and instead start with step 2 adding 1 Tbsp of olive oil...this will cut the fat to around 5 g per serving (1 fat exchange)

Pork Cutlets Parmesan -

• Per serving - 254 calories; 13.3 g fat; 22.7 g protein; 9.7 g carbohydrates; 0.4 g fiber
  (exchanges: 3 protein, 3 fat, ½ starch)
• Complete the meal with "Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts"...you could serve this with a low-fat marinara sauce, too

Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts -

• Per serving - 76 calories; 3.7 g fat; 2.4 g protein; 9.6 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber
  (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 vegetables)

Spaghetti Squash with Garlic -

• Per serving - 83 calories; 3.9 g fat; 1.3 g protein; 12.7 g carbohydrates; 2.7 g fiber(exchanges: 1 fat, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - This makes a lot of squash, and I think it really makes 8 servings (not 4 like the recipes says) so the nutrition info posted is for 8...I would also only use 1 Tbsp oil (this will cut the fat to less than 2 g per serving (about 1/2 fat)

Post a comment and let me know what you think about the blog. And if you try any of the recipes, comment about that too!

Here is an interesting article on the importance of eating "whole" fruits and vegetables.

Have a great weekend!