Roasted Turkey Vegetable Noodle Soup

When I am sick, no food is more appealing to me than hot, homemade soup.  Tonight I made a large batch of roasted turkey soup with noodles & vegetables.  I used the vegetables I had, but like most soups, you can use what you prefer or what you have on hand rather than run out to the store for missing ingredients.  If made without the noodles, this soup will freeze well (the noodles will be mushy if frozen then defrosted).  For the turkey, I used this recipe which I previously posted.

Savory Egg & Millet Bake

The other night I made flank steak with a side of millet.  As usual, I made too much millet & had to figure out what to do with the leftovers.  As an experiment, I came up with this tasty egg dish.  I ate it throughout the week with salad for lunch, but it could be a meal anytime of the day.  The ingredients I used were what was already in my fridge; it would be very easy to make other variations based on what you have available.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD....NASTY!

I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to eat is genetically modified food.  California Proposition 37 is a ballot initiative for the November election that would require labeling of food made with genetically modified ingredients.  If this passes in CA, GMO labeling may be seen nationwide.  If you have time, please take a look at the petition & sign it.  The public list of financial backing for & against the initiative is very interesting.  

Thank you for leaving a comment, if you choose to.  I read each one, & genuinely appreciate your feedback!  

PEACH BANANA OATMEAL

Tonight I made a batch of oatmeal for the next two mornings so that I won’t have to make breakfast before work.  I had a very ripe peach & a brown-speckled banana, so I made this easy, healthy oatmeal.

CAPRESE SALAD WITH A TWIST

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, & I hope you’ll like what I came up with tonight.  I made an easy salad with summer vegetables (some from my sister-in-law’s garden) that was a quick, light, & perfect for a hot summer night. 

IMPORTANT VITAMINS & MINERALS FOR CANCER PATIENTS by Jillian McKee

If you are a cancer patient undergoing treatment, please see the disclaimer at the end of this article.

Treatments for cancers such as mesothelioma cancer can leave your body depleted of certain vitamin and minerals. Not replacing these vitamins and minerals can cause you to feel unwell and develop vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Making sure that include vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and iron in your diet can reduce these risks and increase your health

I'M ALIVE...

I received a nice note yesterday from Tee asking how I'm doing.  It's been a while since I've posted because I've been really busy with going through escrow & organizing a move.  Once I'm settled into my new place, I'll post recipes again!  

PERUVIAN GREEN SPAGHETTI

This week I made Peruvian green spaghetti, an easy, healthy, quick dinner perfect for hot summer nights.   I made this from memory, & it’s pretty difficult to mess it up.  Serve it as a side or main dish with pasta of your choice.  This sauce is also great on bread.

REP-BASED WORKOUTS

I've been posting workouts on my pregnancy website.  If you are looking for a workout, check them out!  Even if you aren't pregnant, they are challenging.  You can make them more challenging by adding more weight, more rounds, skipping rope, &/or convert the rep-based routines to a HIIT style workouts.  You can find the workouts here.

GINGER PEACH SMOOTHIE

Today I made another refreshing smoothie, perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.   I have been a bit lazy about cooking new meals lately, but today I tried out a new (to me) smoothie that I really liked. This smoothie is full of calcium & protein from the milk; vitamin C, vitamin A, b-carotene, a little iron, & fiber from the peaches, & yummy  fresh ginger. 

STRAWBERRY LOQUAT AQUA FRESCA

If you are lucky enough to have a loquat tree or know someone who shares, you probably have more loquats than you know what to do with right now!  My coworker has been bringing bags to work, so I’m starting to think of ways to enjoy them aside from just peeling & eating them.  Today, I made what I’m calling strawberry-loquat aqua fresca.  It’s super easy, refreshing, & loaded with vitamin C, flavenoids, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, and manganese (source: Wikipedia).  Next up: Loquat Jam.

PERFECT PORTION INFOGRAPHIC FROM CALORIE COUNTER

TURKEY, VEGETABLE, & RICE SOUP

Tonight my fridge was full of vegetables & turkey one night away from spoiling, so I made a simple soup.  I didn’t take as many pictures as usual, because I didn’t plan on posting the recipe.  It came out pretty good, so I decided to share it.

VEGETABLE STIR-FRY WITH GARLIC & GINGER

My coworker grows vegetables, but doesn't like to eat them, which is great for me!  He gave me a big bag of peas, so I made a quick vegetable stir-fry with some of them & other vegetables that were sitting in my fridge.    

STRAWBERRY BANANA PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE

Here’s a quick, easy, healthy smoothie that you can make for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

4/29/2012 300 REP BALANCE WORKOUT

After a 2-mile walk, I did this 300 rep workout.  You may have noticed that I like workouts that incorporate balance.  I didn't time myself because I focused on perfect form rather than speed, but I think I completed 3 rounds in about 38 minutes.  If you want a more intense workout, do more rounds, add jump rope, &/or move as quickly as you can with good form.   Make sure to warm-up & cool-down!

4/28/2012 180 REP TOTAL BODY WORKOUT

After a 3-mile walk to the beach & back, I did this quick 180 rep workout.  If you want a more intense workout, do more rounds, add jump rope, &/or move as quickly as you can with good form.  I didn’t time myself, but I think I completed this in less than 15 minutes.  Make sure to warm-up & cool-down!

4/25/2012 BALANCE BUILDING WORKOUT

After a short walk, I did this quick workout which can be done anywhere.  I only did 2 rounds because I was in a hurry.  If you want to increase the intensity, add more rounds, jump rope, or convert the workout to HIIT (example: set your timer for 10 sec rest/50 sec work for 16 rounds = 16 min workout).  Make sure to warm-up & cool-down!

CARROT PECAN MUFFINS (OIL-FREE)

These little muffins are oil-free, packed with protein & beta carotene, & yummy!  Have then for breakfast or a snack.  The recipe was inspired by a recipe for carrot-pecan muffins in my Readers’ Digest Live Longer Cookbook.  This recipe is NOT sweet, which makes it a great breakfast option.  
If you prefer a sweet muffin, use more brown sugar!

TOMATO-LESS TOMATO SAUCE

This post probably won’t appeal to you unless you avoid eating tomatoes.  Who the heck wouldn’t eat tomatoes?!  Well, anyone with blood type B who follows the Blood Type Diet, or maybe someone who has an issue with tomatoes & their stomach.  Or maybe you like the idea of a sauce made of two highly nutritious vegetables instead of one that tastes almost the same.  

Tonight I finally tried out tomato-less tomato sauce.  I used a recipe posted on dadamo.com & one posted by a great cook, Donna Blankenship, as a basis for my sauce.  I was very skeptical that carrots & beets could pass for tomato sauce, but I am now convinced!  I made my sauce from scratch, but you can easily save time by using canned carrots &/or beets.  The sauce will freeze well, so I made a double batch.

400 REP EQUIPMENT PARTY WORKOUT

Tonight I came up with a routine that used all of my favorite workout equipment.  I kept the intensity low, but you can easily turn it into an inferno workout.  Add jump rope, complete the workout as quickly as possible with excellent form, or change the format to HIIT (18 rounds 10sec rest/50sec work =18min).  Make sure to warm up & cool-down!

200 REP MINI WORKOUT

Here's a great equipment-free workout I did during my lunch break that you can do anywhere.  

400 REP WORKOUT, < 30 MIN

I've been a bit fatigued the last few days, so tonight I made a up a rep-based workout & took my time completing it.  To make it more challenging, complete the workout as quickly as you can with good form, add jump rope between exercises, &/or make the squats & dead-lifts harder by adding a jump.

Potato Fennel Soup With Caramelized Onions

I rarely follow a recipe exactly as written, but today I am glad that I did (okay, my version is 2% different).  I made potato-fennel soup from The Moosewood Cookbook, & it is amazing!  This filling soup is easy, tastes rich, & can be made without any dairy products if you prefer. 

YOGURT WITH PEARS, OATS & WALNUTS: EASY HEALTHY BREAKFAST

This breakfast is so easy that I’m a little embarrassed to post it.  Did you ever watch "Not Another Teen Movie"?  Do you remember the scene where the the girl's artwork is revealed, & the masterpiece was a stick figure drawing?  That's how I feel about this post!  However, it’s delicious, filling, healthy, versatile, inexpensive, can be prepared ahead of time in bulk, & is great for rushed mornings.  It was born out of laziness one morning.  I mixed up a bowl of yogurt & pears, but when I went to add homemade granola, I was out!  I decided to try adding raw oats & nuts (“deconstructed granola”).  I really liked the combination, & have been making it frequently since.  I use plain yogurt & do not add a sweetener since the fruit is sweet.

ORANGE GINGER STEAK STIR-FRY

This orange ginger beef stir-fry is simple & delicious!   We ate it for dinner over brown rice, & I have some packed for lunch tomorrow.

HALIBUT IN JEWELS' FANTASTIC FISH MARINADE

Jewels’ fantastic fish marinade (The Family Chef) is one of my favorite recipes.  It is excellent with fish, mixed into quinoa or rice, & can be turned into a refreshing salad dressing.  The meal in this post is halibut in Jewels’ marinade, which I served with brown rice & easy almond green beans.  The marinade is tasty with all types of fish, so try it with your favorite. The salad dressing is described in a separate post.  I hope you like this marinade as much as I do!  The marinade will last for a few days.

FENNEL, SHALLOT, & LEMON SALAD DRESSING

Jewels’ fantastic fish marinade (The Family Chef) is one of my favorite recipes.  It is excellent with fish, mixed into quinoa or rice, & can be turned into a refreshing salad dressing.  

SPICY NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH CUMIN GINGER LIME DRESSING

Tonight I made a new cabbage salad based off of a recipe I found on Epicurious.   This cabbage salad is refreshing, healthy, & versatile.  It can be eaten on its own, added to tacos, served on the side with fish, poultry, or red meat (cumin-lime grilled flank steak) like I ate for dinner, or served with rice & beans for a satisfying vegetarian meal.  I only added dressing to the portion we ate tonight; store leftovers without dressing so that it doesn’t wilt.  This is a very flexible recipe; experiment with ingredients to find your favorite combination.  The next time I make this, I may add jicama & red cabbage.

20 MIN INTERVAL WORKOUT

April 5th workout: 16 min workout 4 min bonus 20 min total Equipment is optional (or get your workout gear here.)

WHITE BEAN VEGAN BLONDIES: CCK'S GENIUS BLONDIES ARE GOOD!

On that wonderful time-sucking website, Pinterest, I saw a recipe that I wanted to try.  The first time I made Chocolate Covered Katie’s genius blondie bars, I did not think they were post-worthy.  To be fair to Katie, I mutilated her recipe the first time.  Today, I barely modified her recipe & they turned out much better.   If you have not discovered Katie’s website yet, check it out!  It is full of creative ways to eat chocolate in a sneakily healthy way. 

PEAR OATMEAL PANCAKE

There are times I really don't want to go the grocery store, even if I'm running low on supplies; I call it a grocery store boycott.  Sometimes the boycott is due to laziness, sometimes it is because I will be going out of town, & today it's because I woke up with a stiff neck.  Grocery store boycotts force kitchen creativity.  

This morning I wanted to make my favorite breakfast, (oatmeal pancake) but I only had 1 egg, & didn't have bananas (if I don't have 2 eggs, I will use 1 egg & ½ banana).  I did have a pear, so I tried that in place of a banana.   The result was a tasty pear oatmeal pancake!  If you like oatmeal pancakes, try using ½ pear blended into the batter & omit one of the eggs. 

390 REP MAD ABOUT BALANCE WORKOUT

Here’s another at-home barefoot workout that  I did tonight before Mad Men.  I used equipment, but this can easily be an equipment free workout.  This is great for balance!

BANANA WALNUT BREAD OR MUFFINS (OIL & WHEAT FREE)

There are many banana bread recipes, & I'm always looking for ways to improve them.  This one I came up with is a combination of 2 recipes I like, a 3rd one I haven't tried before, & my own modifications.  I used spelt flour & oat flour, but you can use regular wheat flour if you prefer.  Spelt & oat make a great bread that I prefer to all-

KITCHEN CRUSH: MINI FOOD PROCESSOR

I don’t know about you, but my most used kitchen tools are simple & I love them: mortar & pestle, citrus squeezer, zester, chef knife, cutting board, & bowls.  I was in the market for a new mini-food processor, & rarely does a new device make me as happy as my new Cuisinart mini food processor does.   I have used a Magic Bullet for years, & it’s great, but my new mini food processor sees a lot more action these days.   I’ve made bean dip, bean cookie batter, banana faux ice cream, oatmeal pancake batter, ground whole flaxseeds into flour, ground oatmeal into flour, chopped nuts, & I know that I will find more uses for it in the future.  You can find this item in my store in the "Kitchen Tools" section.

GROWN YOUR OWN HERBS

I love to cook with fresh herbs, but that can be pricey if you buy them at the market.  If you grow your own, you can always have a fresh supply of delicious herbs on hand for cooking, making tea, or whatever you want to use them for.  I live in an apartment, so I grow my herbs in pots on my balcony.  If my kitchen had windows, I would probably grow them in the kitchen near the windows.  If I lived in a house with a yard, I would grown them outside, too.  One day I might try to grow lettuce, onion, & garlic, but for now I'll stick with herbs.  

600 REP BAREFOOT WORKOUT

This is a 600 rep workout I did at home tonight, barefoot.  I used equipment, but this can easily be done equipment-free.  I did 3 rounds of a fixed number of reps, but you can convert it to an interval workout (set your timer for 10/50 sec x 24 rounds for 24 min workout).

NAVY BEAN SOUP (VEGETARIAN)

Today was cold & rainy: a perfect day for cooking!  I made roasted beet salad, then decided to make navy bean soup using the beet greens.  I have never had navy bean soup with ham in it, so I make a vegetarian version.  If you prefer to use ham hocks, simply add them to this recipe.  If not, enjoy my meat-free version.  

FLANK STEAK IN LIME CUMIN GARLIC MARINADE: GRILLED OR FAJITAS

I REALLY miss Mexican food.  Almost anything on a Mexican food restaurant menu has ingredients I’m avoiding.  Tonight, I made up a dish that was easy, healthy, tasty, & satisfied my Mexican food craving.  I hope you like it as much as I did!

This post has 4 recipes:

Grilled Flank Steak in Lime Cumin Garlic Marinade

Sautéed Peppers & Onions

Herbed & Spiced Brown Rice

Pico de Gallo.

EQUIPMENT FREE WORKOUT

Here is an equipment-free* lunchtime workout that I made up to do in the park last week: 


Set your interval timer for 24 rounds of:
1o sec rest/30 sec work for a total of 16 min

OR

1o sec rest/50 sec work for a total of 24 min 

CREAM-LESS CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

A few months ago I made cream of broccoli soup using sweet potato as a base rather than cream or milk after coming across a recipe on dadamo.com.  I really liked the soup, even though it tasted different than the traditional version.  Substitute regular potatoes or butternut squash  if you do not like sweet potato.  Cayenne pepper is especially good with slightly sweet things like sweet potatoes, but season the soup however you like!  This recipe serves as a base for other cream of vegetable soups as well. 

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT SUBSTITUTIONS

If you don’t have a Microplane grater/zester & a citrus press, here are things you probably have that could be used instead:
Box grater	Regular juicer.  If you don’t have a juicer, you can squeeze the juice out by hand!

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH GARLIC, ROSEMARY, & LEMON

Garlic white bean dip is my go-to appetizer recipe.  It is easy, healthy, & a great alternative to hummus or ranch-based dips.  My recipe is based on one from The Abs Diet.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH RASPBERRIES (...not healthy!)

Here's another recipe that doesn't belong on a healthy eating website.  However, moderation is good, & if you are going to eat sweets, it may as well be homemade so you can control the quality of your ingredients.  

EASY, HEALTHY, GLUTEN-FREE THANKSGIVING DINNER (IN MARCH)

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  It brings family, friends, & great food together without being overly commercial like many other holidays.  Thanksgiving dinner can be delicious, healthy, gluten-free, easy, & enjoyed year-round.  I had a turkey breast half in the freezer, & red potatoes & green beans in my crisper drawer so I chose to make Thanksgiving dinner last night even though it's March. This meal isn’t something to make on a hectic weekday night, but is great for the  weekend, a day off, for company, or obviously holidays.  Another benefit is that it may provide 1-2 nights of leftovers, depending on how much you cook.  If you've never roasted turkey before & if the idea scares you, this recipe is a great place to try it out!

YUMMY LAMB KABOBS

Of all of the new foods I've introduced to my diet since eating according to my blood type, lamb is what I have been most apprehensive about.  Tonight I cooked it for the first time; both my husband & I loved it!  We ate our lamb kabobs with brown rice.  This would make a delicious, easy meal for entertaining, especially in the summertime.   My recipe is a modification of this Bon Appetit recipe.

TANGERINE BREAD WITH CRANBERRIES & PECANS

If you have visited my site before, you may have noticed that many of my recipes include tangerines.  I have a grandmother who loves to send me home with juicy tangerines & grapefruit from her trees.  This morning I made bread similar to last week’s lemon-ginger walnut bread.  Today’s version is tangerine with cranberry & pecans.  Quinoa flour & yogurt add protein to the bread, & ground flaxseed adds heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  I used quinoa flour, oat bran, & spelt flour in this recipe, but if you don’t like or have those, use whatever you have.  Quinoa flour adds protein, but also a different flavor; if you do not like quinoa, I recommend using another type of flour.  If you haven't tried quinoa yet, try it in a dish before buying flour for this recipe.  Quinoa flour is expensive!  This bread is not very sweet, which is why I like it as breakfast bread.  If you prefer sweeter bread, add sugar (½ cup) to the dry ingredient mixture, or make a glaze. 

ROASTED BEET SALAD

I never like to grocery shop, but I love having a kitchen full of fresh produce.  Today, almost all of the produce I bought was organic, & the prices were only about 10 cents more per pound than their non-organic twins!  Golden beets were especially well priced, & I turned them into a delicious salad tonight.  My recipe is derived from The New Moosewood Cookbook’s Odessa Beets.  This may top cabbage salad as a personal favorite….I never thought that was possible!  The flavors of this salad combine wonderfully, & this vegan salad contains zero added oil.  

LUNCHTIME WORKOUTS: A SOLUTION TO A HECTIC SCHEDULE

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WORKOUT WHEN I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME?!

Does this look familiar?  This post is lightly modified from a section of another post on my site (Bodyrock.tv Beginner Guide).

Do you have any tips or suggestions to help others make fitness part of a maxed-out schedule?  What works for you?  Please share in the comments below!

When the subject of working out comes up, there are certain phrases repeated so often that it’s like a script is being read each time.  One of these scripts includes the words, “I don’t have enough time to workout.”  I get it.  I’m busy, & I don’t even have kids.  Between work, cooking, cleaning, commuting 2 hours a day, studying, socializing, being a good wife/new mother/daughter/friend & trying to keep up with my favorite shows (Dexter!), it can be a challenge to carve out an hour a day to move.    

BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT FROM MELISSA POWER

Melissa Power has some great workouts!  This one is only 24 minutes, & is equipment free.  Take it on vacation with you, to the gym, or to the park!  I thought this was a perfect lunchtime workout.  If you don't have an interval timer, do a certain number of reps for each move.  

If you have a smart phone, you can download an interval timer 
(from my Bodyrock Beginner Guide):
If you can’t afford to buy a Gymboss, there are free options!  Do you have a smart phone?  iTunes & Android markets each have great interval timer apps for free. 

LEMON GINGER WALNUT BREAD

This weekend I wanted to make lemon ginger muffins, but was out of muffin cup liners & was too lazy to make parchment paper liners.  Instead, I converted a lemon tea cake recipe from The How-To Book of Healthy Cooking into lemon-ginger-walnut bread.  It was really good!  I used spelt* & oat flour instead of all purpose flour & whole wheat flour.  I also did not make a sweet glaze to top this bread.  After the bread recipe, there is a glaze recipe should you choose to make glaze.

*Haven't heard of Spelt?  See the end of this post for a description of the grain.

GRAPEFRUIT WITH GINGER SYRUP & MINT

To everyone who took time to vote about which recipe you'd like to see more of on this site, thank you!  I will try to add more breakfast options.  Most of the time I eat breakfast in my car, & I tend to grab the same things every day: 

FLEXIBLE, HEALTHY, DELICIOUS GRANOLA

Granola is so easy to make, I often wonder why anyone ever buys it pre-made.  I make a modified version of "the absolute best healthy granola" recipe from The Family Chef.  See the "More" section below for substitution ideas & serving suggestions.  This can be made gluten-free if gluten-free oats are used.  My version is gluten-free.

GINGER SYRUP

The first time I ever had ginger syrup was when I made ginger gelato last November.   The recipe called for ginger pieces simmered in simple syrup for an hour.  The pieces went into the gelato, & the sweet/spicy ginger-infused syrup was left over.  I used it on pancakes, in oatmeal, in green tea, & with plain yogurt with fruit.  Now, if I have ginger root left over from preparing a meal, I make ginger syrup.  Ginger syrup can be used to make easy ginger ale, & the pieces can be used in baking (for example, Lemon-ginger walnut bread), in granola, making ice cream, or as a simple treat.  

TURKEY (OR TOFU) CURRY with POTATO, CARROT, & GREEN PEAS

I used to love yellow curry with potato, carrot, & chicken from Thai restaurants.  A while ago my coworker described a simple meal her mother-in-law makes which tastes similar to my favorite Thai dish, but doesn't have coconut or chicken.  I made it from memory for dinner tonight with ground turkey.  If you prefer chicken, roasted turkey, tofu, or no meat at all,  you can use my recipe as a starting point.  If you don't have the exact ingredients or quantities, use what you have; this is a very flexible recipe.  

INGREDIENTS (Yield = 6-8 servings) 

AWESOME WORKOUT by BODYROCKER TEE

Tonight I did a rep-based workout made up by a Bodyrocker.  It can be done using a dumbbell, kettleball, or weight-filled bag if you don't have a sandbag.

TEE'S 1000 REP WORKOUT
100 high knees with jump rope
25 pushups with 2 knee tucks