Slow-Cooked Onion and Cider Soup

SLOW-COOKED ONION & CIDER SOUP

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter
2 1/4 pounds onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves
4 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups sweet cider
2 egg yolks

Directions:
Put the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and partially cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often so the onions begin to soften and cook down without burning.

Add vegetable stock, and cider and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low (without lid) and cook for 40 minutes, until the soup is thick and golden.

Remove from heat and slowly wisk in egg yolks.

Serve & Enjoy

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I have no calculated the calories yet for this recipe, but it is DELICIOUS! I made it a few nights ago and my family devoured it.

It is similar to a french onion soup, only you use veggie broth and cider instead of the normal beef broth. <3

Product Review

Healthy Valley Organic No Salt Added Tomato Soup



While i was wondering around in the health food section of my grocery store the other day I stumbled upon the canned soup section. I never really pay much attention to the canned soups due to the high levels of sodium they usually contain, however a particular row of cans caught my eye.
NO SALT ADDED! Could it be true!?

YES! :)

I immediately picked it up and began scanning the nutrition label...

Serving Size: 1 Cup
Serving per Container: About 2
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Sat Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholest: 5 mg
Sodium: 60 mg
Total Carb: 19 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 13 g
Protein: 1 g

Only 60mg of sodium per serving? I picked up another can, and another, and sure enough each can ranged between 60 to 80mg of sodium per serving! I bought the tomato, the black bean and the minestrone soups and was eager to try them.
So far I have tried only the Tomato Soup (which I had for lunch today).

My Verdict:
Very good actually. I will buy it again.
Don't expect it to taste like other tomato soups out of a can (like Campbell's) though. To me it tasted much more Tomato-ey if you know what I mean. It has a much more assertive tomato flavor, that is much more natural (as well as slightly more acidic) than other versions you grew up loving from your childhood. It was also slightly sweet which was very enjoyable, and I also didn't notice the lack of added salt. It's also thinner than other tomato soups because it is ready to serve out of the can, so you don't have to add milk (or water) to it like the Campbell's tomato soup.
I would recommend this product to anyone interested in limiting there sodium intake, or for a healthier, organic option to other canned soups.

I am looking forward to trying the Black Bean, and Minestrone soups next.

Grilled Peaches

Grilled Peaches
w/ cottage cheese, agave nectar and sunflower seeds

Ingredients
1 peach
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp agave nectar (or honey)
1 tbsp sunflower seeds (or any other seeds or chopped nuts)

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat grill pan under medium-high heat, and cut the peach in half, removing the pit.

Step 2 : Spray the grill pan with non-stick cooking spray and lay the peach skin side down for about 5 minutes, or untill you get nice grill marks...

3. Flip, and continue cooking on other side for about a minute.

Step 4: Plate topping with cottage cheese, a drizzel of agave nectar (or honey) and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

Step 5: ENJOY

Eggplant Stew

I saw this recipe on Food Network the other day (30 Minute Meals) and I wanted to make it right away, so I went to the store yesterday and made it last night for dinner. It was AMAZING.
The original recipe calls for chicken stock, but I used vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.

Eggplant Stew
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 red onion, chopped into bite size pieces
2 cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 - 4 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 eggplants, chopped into bite sized cubes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
1 (28-oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil (to saute vegetables, although I just used Pam)

Directions
1) Placed dried mushrooms and 2 cups of vegetables stock in a small pot over medium heat.
2) Heat the olive oil (or Pam spray) in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, onion, carrots, celery, peppers, and eggplant to the pot as you chop them. Add bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cover the pot to sweat the vegetables out a little faster.
3) Stir occasionally for 10-12 minutes, then add the balsamic vinegar.
4) Remove the reconstituted dried mushrooms to the pot with a slotted spoon. Poor in all but the last few tablespoons of mushroom stock. (The last little bit can hold a little loose grit from the mushrooms).
5) Add tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.
6) Simmer over low heat for a few more minutes before serving.
7) Remove bay leaf and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Nutritional Info
(I broke up my stew into 10 - 1 cup servings)
1 cup =
81 calories
0g fat
3g protein
6g fiber
68mg sodium

I also served mine with some polenta to soak up all the juices.
Enjoy this one guys, it is spicy, and thick. It really hits the spot!!!

Portabella Mushroom Pizza

Portabella Mushroom Pizza
Serves 1


Ingredients
1 large, Portabella Mushroom, ribs and stem removed
1/4 cup, reduced sodium tomato sauce
1 stick, reduced sodium mozzarella string cheese
3 leaves fresh basil (you can substitute dried)
Pepper
Salt (if you want)
Onion Powder
Italian Seasoning



Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove the ribs from the portabella mushroom, and season with pepper, salt (optional), onion powder and italian seasoning.
3. Put mushroom in the oven for 10 minutes so it can cook slightly and soften.
4. Meanwhile, pull apart the string cheese into little pieces and chop the basil.
5. Mushrooms release a lot of liquid when they cook, so once removing the mushroom from the oven you may need to use a paper towel to remove any liquid that may have been created during the cooking process.
6. Put the topping on the mushroom and put it back in the oven for another 8-10 minutes.
7. ENJOY!

Hey Everyone

Hey everyone-
I am sorry I have been so M.I.A. the last couple weeks. I have been doing a lot of reading and recipe making for you all, so expect some new product reviews coming up and some new vegetarian recipes.

-Melissa

Smoothies 101

I love smoothies.
I eat them all the time. I like to have them for breakfast, or lunch, or especially after i work out. They are full of protein, fiber and carbs to help you get through the day!

I am going to give you the "Smoothie Blueprint" that I use. It is an awesome recipe because it can be switched up a million different ways.

FRUIT AND YOGURT SMOOTHIE BLUE PRINT
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup light soy milk
1 packet of artificial sweetener

no seriously... that is it.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and BUZZ! and enjoy!

What makes this a "blue print" is that you can use whatever fruit you want (strawberries, mango, banana, peaches, ect.), whatever kind of milk (soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk) and whatever sweetener you prefer (i use Truvia). The only thing i don't recommend that you change is the Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is so much thicker than regular yogurt, and is higher in protein. You want a yogurt that will stand up in your smoothie to make it nice a thick.

You can either buy frozen fruit in your grocers freezer section, or buy fresh fruit, measure it out into 1 cup containers and freeze them. I do it both ways. I have a bag of Frozen Mixed Berries, and Frozen Peach slices I bought, but i also have several containers of 1 cup servings of mangos, blue berries and strawberries.

My favorite Smoothie Flavors are:
Mixed Berries (Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries)
Peaches

Mango
Mango & Banana (1/2 cup of each)
Strawberry

Blue Berry

I also add into the blender a tablespoon of Organic Cold Mild Flax Seed. It is a great source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and adds extra fiber.

Now go on and make yourself your own smoothie! it's a great and healthy meal replacement, or a fast snack the keep you going through the day!!

ENJOY

Product Review : Vita Coco

VITA COCO : 100% Pure Coconut Water




Nutritional Information
Serving Size : 11.1 fl oz (one container)
Calories : 60
Total Fat : 0g
Sat, Trans Fat : 0g
Cholesterol : 0mg
Sodium : 40mg
Potassium : 680mg
Total Carb : 15g
Fiber : 0g
Sugars : 15g
Protien : 0g
Vitamin A : 0%
Vitamin C : 230%
Calcium : 5%
Iron : 0%
Phosphorus : 5%
Magnesium : 10%

Ingredients: Coconut Water, Vitamin C

I had heard rave reviews on this product, and i saw it in the health food section of my grocery store the other day so i decided to buy it and give it a try and do a review of my own for you guys...

Okay, I am going to be completely honest with you all right now... I am currently drinking this stuff while i am typing this and I don't even know if can finish it. Maybe this is a bad product review since I am a little bias on the subject... I am not a big fan of coconuts.
First off, the taste... i guess it tastes like coconut water. ha ha. i wish i could give you guys a better description, i really do. I feel bad about not having the palate to explain what it tastes like, but since i haven't exactly eaten many coconuts... (actually none..ever) i don't know what to compare it to! It really actually has a good flavor, but i guess what's weirding me out is the fact that it feels so watered down... but i guess since its coconut WATER it's suppose to be watery.
Its got a natural sweetness to it that i like. It's not overly sweet like some of those sugary juice drinks out there.

(I just finished it ha ha, so i guess it wasn't so bad that i couldn't drink the whole thing.)

As far as the nutrition is concerned.. i love it. It's low calorie, fat free, cholesterol free and it has 680mg of potassium. That is insane! That right there is enough reason to drink the stuff. Although it does have 15g of sugar per serving, it is natural sugars, so that is okay in my book. I also love the ingredient list. "coconut water and vitamin c". Anything with an ingredient list THAT short, and that contain things i can read make me a very happy girl.

In the end, i wasn't in love with the taste, but thats because i don't like coconuts. I would imagine people who do enjoy coconut would find the taste rather enjoyable. However, saying that, i am willing to try this product again due to it's awesome nutritional value. Maybe the taste will just have to grow on me :)

If you happen to try to product, or have tried it, let me know. i would love to hear ya'll feedback!

Love & Best Health
Melissa

Skinny Bitch : Book Review

Skinny Bitch : Ultimate Every Day Cookbook
By: Kim Barnouin



Table of Contents
Page 10 - Introductions
Page 17 - (Part One) Sustainability : A Greener Diet
Page 32 - (Part Two) The Secret to Being A Skinny Bitch
Page 44 - (Part Three) A Party In Your Kitchen
Page 70 - (Part Four) The Recipes
Page 72 - Breakfast
Page 94 - Soups
Page 112 - Salads
Page 140 - Sauces & Dressings
Pages 158 - Sides
Page 192 - Dinners
Pages 240 - Desserts
Page 274 - Drink
Pages 292 - 301
Sources Consulted
End Notes
Acknowledgments
Chef Contributors
Index

As you can see from the table of contents, the recipes in this book don't start until almost half way through the book. The first few sections are about sustainability, our carbon footprint, buying seasonal, which foods to buy organic, and a crash coarse in what it means to be vegan. It also talks about the basic equipment you should have in your kitchen (pots, pans, food processor, zester, ect), and also the basic foods you should keep in your fridge and pantry.
Once you got past the first section, which is actually really informative and thought provoking, you get to the recipe section. As you can see from the table of contents the recipes are broken down into sections. In each of the sections she has a little insert/article about something. For example, in the "Sides" section, there is a two page insert about Antioxidants and their health benefits.



The pictures in this cook book are absolutly beautiful. They really make your mouth water, and want to make the recipes! (Of course, the pictures i took came out grainy and not as pretty as i was hoping. lol).



In fact, the vegetarian lentil sloppy joe recipe that i posted a couple weeks ago, was inspired by the lentil sloppy joe recipe in this book! I say inspired because, i wanted to make it, but i didn't have everything that the recipe called for, so i put my own spin on it and was able to use what i had in the house without having to go to the food store... and it came out delicious! So if you all like that recipe, check out this cook book to see the "real thing".
Overall, i really enjoyed this cookbook. It has a lot of very interesting information in it, that really causes you to think twice about that processed stuff you have been eating. It's even a great cook book for non-vegans. If you are looking to incorporate a little more veggies in your life, this is a great start. The recipes are simple, and delicious!
The only comment i must make, is that the way the author writes, is very "in your face". She tells you how it is, and cusses a lot. Now, i don't mind that, in fact, i love the way she writes. It's much more casual, and a lot more fun to read. But don't let the way she writes fool you, she offers a lot of great information and offers the endnotes and sources consulted in the back of the book to prove she just didn't pull the information out of thin air.

In the end, i highly recomend this cookbook to vegans, non-vegans, meat eaters... ANYONE who wants to make healthy, delicious recipes and experiment with vegetables or cooking methods you haven't used before.

I hope this book review was helpful!!!

Love and Best Health,
Melissa

Product Review

Hey everyone, today I am going to talk about two of my favorite packaged foods. I hope i can give you some good information on the products, and maybe you will even want to go check them out and give them a try!

HOUSE FOODS TOFU SHIRATAKI FETTUCCINE NOODLES

Serving Size: 4oz
Servings Per Container: 2
Calories: 20
Fat Cal: 5
Total Fat: 0.5g
Sat, Trans, Poly and Mono fats: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 15mg
Total Carb: 3g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 1g

Ingredient List: Water, Tofu, Yam Flower and Calcium Hydroxide

I absolutely LOVE this stuff. The entire bag (8oz) is only 40 calories, 30mg of sodium and 6g of carbs! If you tried to eat the same amount of regular whole wheat Alfredo noodles, your looking at 150-200 calories, and 41g of carbs! These tofu noodles are a great substitute and I really do eat them all the time.
When you open the package you are going to be a little weirded out by the smell... the package refers to it as its "authentic aroma"... whatever... it smells funky. Just make sure you follow the directions on the package for preparation (rise thoroughly with cold water, and par boil for 2-3 minutes, or microwave for a minute). I always microwave mine, then drain them again because they will let out some moisture, and i don't want to water down my pasta sauce when i mix them together.
My favorite way to eat them is by sauteing up baby spinach and sliced mushrooms, and adding in Classico brand Light Alfredo Sauce, heating it thoroughly then adding in my microwaved and strained tofu noodles.
Some people don't like them because of their texture, because obviously they aren't going to taste or have the mouth feel of regular pasta, but I don't mind it.
You can find this product in your grocery stores health section with the tofu!


EZEKIEL 4:9 ORGANIC LOW SODIUM BREAD

Serving Size: 1 slice
Servings Per Container: 20
Calories: 80
Calories from Fat: 5
Calories from Saturated Fat: 0
Total Fat: 0.5g
Sat, Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 0g
Potassium: 75mg
Total Carbs: 15g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 4g

Ingredients: Organic Sprouted 100% Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Sprouted Barley, Prganic Sprouted Millet, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Lentils, Organic Sprouted Soy Beans, Organic Sprouted Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten

I freakin' LOVE this bread. You know why i love this bread so much? Because of the ingredient list. Look at it!! You can pronounce EVERYTHING. There are no preservatives, no additives, NOTHING. It is entirely organic.
You have to keep this bread in the freezer, due to the fact that it has no preservatives/additives to keep it from going bad like all those other breads you see at the food store.
I know what your thinking, "melissa, it is 80 calories a slice! that's 160 calories just in bread for my sandwhich". Stop thinking that way! I know there are a lot of "Light Breads" out there that are 45 calories a slice, believe me, i use to eat those too. But have you looked at the ingredient list on those bad boys!? High Fructose Corn Syrup?? And a whole list of additives that a chemist can only pronounce? No Thanks! You have to pick your battles when it comes to what you eat, and this is where I picked mine. I LOVE this bread and i will never eat any other kind now.
When i first tasted it, i was a little confused by it, because i was so use to that soft, overly processed, preservative filled bread that we are all accustom to eating. It's much more heartier than the bread your use too. It feels like you eating something substantial and good for you. It tastes i think, the way bread is SUPPOSE to taste.
The company has a huge line of different organic breads, but i have only tried the Low Sodium one. And as you can see on the nutritional info (and the ingredients list), low sodium means NO SODIUM. i freakin' LOVE that!
You can find this product, or other Ezekiel 4:9 products in your grocery stores health food freezer section!!

---------------

I hope you all enjoyed that, and i was able to give you all some new information and idea's on things to look for in the grocery store! I will be doing many more product reviews, and I even plan on doing health book reviews.

Love & Best of Health to you all!
Melissa

Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes

Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes
Yeilds 5 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1/2 small zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup "no salt added" tomato sauce (i used Francesco Rinaldi brand)
1 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
pepper
red pepper flakes
paprika
chili powder
parsley

Procedure:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook lentils about 20-25 minutes (until tender).
2. Mean while, in a large skillet cook onions, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic until tender.
3. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard and worcestershire sauce it vegetable mixture.
4. Season to taste with the above listed seasonings.
5. Let vegetable and tomato sauce mixture simmer on low heat until lentils are done. If mixture looks too think add in some of the lentil cooking water. (I used about 3-4 tablespoons).
6. Drain the lentils and add them to the vegetable mixture. Cook for a few more minutes for the flavors to combine and ENJOY!!

Makes 5 Servings
Serving size = 1/2 cup

Nutritional Info
82 Calories
18 Carbs
1g Fat
109mg of Potassium
5g Fiber
112mg of Sodium

Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes

Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes
Yeilds 5 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1/2 small zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup "no salt added" tomato sauce (i used Francesco Rinaldi brand)
1 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
pepper
red pepper flakes
paprika
chili powder
parsley

Procedure:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook lentils about 20-25 minutes (until tender).
2. Mean while, in a large skillet cook onions, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic until tender.
3. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard and worcestershire sauce it vegetable mixture.
4. Season to taste with the above listed seasonings.
5. Let vegetable and tomato sauce mixture simmer on low heat until lentils are done. If mixture looks too think add in some of the lentil cooking water. (I used about 3-4 tablespoons).
6. Drain the lentils and add them to the vegetable mixture. Cook for a few more minutes for the flavors to combine and ENJOY!!

Makes 5 Servings
Serving size = 1/2 cup

Nutritional Info
82 Calories
18 Carbs
1g Fat
109mg of Potassium
5g Fiber
112mg of Sodium

Zucchini Pasta

Zucchini Pasta
Serves 1




Ingredients:
1 medium Zucchini
1/4 cup light Alfredo Sauce (i use Classico brand)
1 roasted tomato for garnish (optional)

Procedure:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Slice the zucchini long ways (i used my mandelin slicer, but you can of course do it by hand) so they look like noodles.
3. Toss the zucchini into the boiling water, and let cook for 3 minutes, or until they are tender. Don't over cook them, it doesn't take long.
4. Strain the zucchini, and return it to the same pot with your alfredo sauce (or whatever sauce you prefer) and toss to combine and heat through.
5. Top with chopped roasted tomatoes. Enjoy.


ROASTING TOMATOES:

Ingredients:
Tomatos
Pepper
Salt (optional)
Italian Seasoning

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the stem out of the tomatoes, and cut them in half.
3. Scoop out the seeds and place them cut side UP on a baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle with pepper, salt (optional) and italian seasoning.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes. They will shrivel up and the natural sugars will caramelize.

Zucchini & Potato Hashbrowns

ZUCCHINI & POTATO HASH-BROWNS

YIELDS 6



I made this recipe for breakfast one morning because I had a random zucchini in my refrigerator and I wanted to find something to do with it. So why not make hash-browns!? Stroke of genius, I'm tellin' ya.

INGREDIENTS:
1 russet potato
1 small zucchini
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup liquid egg whites
1/4 cup onion, diced
pepper
salt (optional, I don't cook with salt)

PROCEDURE:
1. Grate the potato and zucchini on the largest holes on your box grater.
2. Put them into a clean towel and strain out as much liquid as you can. You will be surprised how much liquid comes out.
3. Put the grated veggies into a mixing bowl and add the egg whites, garlic, onion and pepper and mix to combine.
4. Heat up a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
5. Measure out a 1/4 of a cup of the mixture and put it into your skillet and squish it down to make it somewhat flat. I could fit two at a time in the skillet I used.
6. Have your oven pre-heated at a low temperature so when your first batch of hash-browns are done, you can put them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven to keep them warm!
7. Fry up the rest of you hash-browns and enjoy! I served mine with a side of eggs and fruit!

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
for one hash-brown
30 calories
6g carbs
0g fat
192mg potassium
1g fiber
19g sodium