1  chopped onion

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1-2 stalks chopped celery

1-2  tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme (or to taste)

1/2  teaspoon rosemary (or to taste)

1  teaspoon [...]]]> I love this soup. It is full of protein, fiber, and most importantly TASTE! Make a big batch and freeze it for a quick, filling meal.

1  chopped onion

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1-2 stalks chopped celery

1-2  tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme (or to taste)

1/2  teaspoon rosemary (or to taste)

1  teaspoon basil

Cook above ingredients in oil until softened ( about 15 minutes). Add four cups of chicken broth and three cans of drained, washed northern beans. Throw in some frozen or chopped fresh spinach.  Scoop at least half of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Add blended mixture to the initial soup.

I play with this recipe alot. I shove as many beans in as I can for a thicker soup. I add lots more spice. It is delicious, low calorie and perfect for a meal or grab a cup for an inbetween meal snack.

See you on the slim side!

Amy

I [...]]]> Portion Distortion: 5 simple Tips to Portion Control and healthier eating

I sensed the waitress groan as she set the loaded oversized dinner plate in front of  me.  My plate was piled high with at  least four adult servings of pasta. We’d already eaten salad and breadsticks. Noticing all the other overweight customers surrounding me, the truth..hit me between the eyes.

I am overweight because I eat too much. T ‘ain’t my metabolism or my sluggish thyroid. The nasty fat fairy didn’t cast a spell on me while I slept. Pure and simple, I eat too much. The great power of recognizing my responsibility in a problem is the realization that I have the power to change or fix it.

I didn’t create the oversized portions so it isn’t my fault, but it is my problem.

Here’s the point… Size does matter!

1. Dinner plates today are bigger than in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I now use a luncheon or salad plate to get a better size proportion.

2. When eating out: Restaurant portions are almost always oversized.  I often order off the child’s menu,  or I split an entrée with friend, or I ask the server to bring a to-go box with my meal, then divide the portion in half, and tuck it away before I begin eating.

3. Take a mental picture of everyday items to get an idea of proper food portions.  

     A small baked potato is about the size of the inside of my palm

     A waffle or pancake portion is about the size of a cd

     ½  a medium bagel is about the size of a hockey puck

      A small muffin is about the size of a tennis ball

      One serving size of cheese is the size of four dice

      3 oz of meat (one serving size) is about the size of a deck of cards

     1 portion of cooked rice is about the size of a full cupcake wrapper

     1 serving of fruit or veggies is about the size of a tennis ball

4. Decide:  One diet doesn’t fit all. Eating more protein may work well for some people while eating more fiber may be best someone else. We need to try a variety of eating styles to find one that best suits our individual needs and lifestyles. Because I work from home, I like to eat many small balanced snacks ( 100-200 calories) every few hours throughout the day. Take time to research an eating program that works best for you.

5. Positive Choices:  We eat too much sugar, salt, unhealthy fat, and processed foods. We need to read labels and  choose foods with ingredients we recognize  (and can pronounce). Whole grains, organic food, natural ingredients are better for us and better to us.

  We can eat less, eat healthy, and live better with every meal choice we make.  I am losing weight and  I feel more energized just by making  these small, consistant diet changes.

 Life just doesn’t have to be that complicated.