Broccoli Tomato Salad

1 large bunch broccoli, separated into florets
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
3/4 C sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced

Dressing:

3/4 C oil
1/3 C vinegar
2 T water
1 t lemon juice
1 t sugar
1 t salt (optional)
3/4 t thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t celery seed
1/4 t italian seasoning
1/4 t lemon-pepper
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t ground mustard

cook broccoli until crisp-tender, cool and drain
mix with other vegetables
mix dressing, pour over veggies
toss gently
voer and chill for 1 hour

The Soup That My Husband Loves

chop:
onions
carrots
celery
garlic
saute in about 3 T oil
add
2 cans beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 quart water
1 bouillon cube
1-2 C wheat berries
bring to boil, simmer 1 hour

maybe add some Italian seasoning?

Vegetable Pasta Sauce

This recipe originated from the Rival Crock Pot Cook Book, but I didn't care for the result as the vegetables were too mushy from all of that cooking. So I adapted it for the stove, which I had been meaning to do for a long time, and good things come to those who wait, right? I think so, because this was delicious in our (mine and my husband's) opinions! I made a couple of more changes, but this is a very versatile recipe. Put in what you want, but I really liked what I put in, AND, I think the peppers are what gave this sauce its divine flavor, so keep that in mind.

2  14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1  14 1/2 oz can whole tomatoes, undrained
2 14 1/2 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 green onions, sliced
2 T dried Italian seasoning
1 t dried parsley
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
splash of olive oil
1 yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 green squash (zucchini), cut into 1/4 inch slices

Combine and simmer all ingredients in a pot for an hour, covered, BUT, don't add the squash until the last 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, breaking up the whole tomatoes as you do.

A Tasty, Healthy, Simple (if there are leftovers) Lunch

note to self: ground beef and rice are a match made in heaven

taco meat (lean ground beef and salsa)
brown rice
a few black beans
heated and stirred together

chilled cooked broccoli
olives
slice tomatoes
italian dressing

a big glass of ice cold water

A Tasty, Healthy, Simple Breakfast

 6 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
4 large spoonfuls vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup Fiber One cereal
ice cold water to drink

Vegetarian Bean Soup

The name of this soup, love this, is

Oh! Good! Soup!

(This is not the soup I made, but it looks a lot like it. Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker.)

and comes from the book Fix It and Forget It Lightly on page 194.  I did change it a little, and would like to change it more the next time I make it, and there will be a next time!

This is a healthy soup, and does not call for a lot of seasonings, nor does it have any meat or bouillon, so at first taste I thought it was a little bland, but after a few bites the natural flavors of the ingredients come out, and your tongue begins to appreciate the taste. Having said that, the original recipe calls for hot sauce, but next time I will replace the hot sauce with some salsa. Other than that, and the fact that I did not choose low sodium canned tomatoes, I wouldn't change a thing, unless I do, like maybe adding some thyme.

2 cups mixed, dried beans

2 1/2 quarts water

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

28 oz can diced tomatoes

red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

several drops hot sauce @ 1 C salsa

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 cup assorted small pasta, cooked (I did not have room for this, and don't think it is necessary, perhaps because my bean mix had some barley in it)

Soak beans 2-6 hours overnight, drain

place beans in slow cooker

cover with 2 1/2 quarts water

cover and cook on high 2 hours

add all remaining ingredients (except pasta, if you are using it)

add water to cover if needed

cook on high 4-6 hours, low 8-10

Instead of having just bread and butter with this, I made a cheese quesadilla. All of the cheese kind of counteracts the healthy aspect of the soup though.

How About Some Tomatoes?

(this photo comes from Google images)

Another attempt to sneak in some healthy goodness to my otherwise high carb diet.

This morning a cut up some tomato and threw it in a pan, added an egg and scrambled.

I do not really like cooked tomatoes, but these were not in the pan very long.

Then I toasted a wheat bagel with one slice of cheese and made an egg sandwich.

Again, my usual choice would be a scrambled egg and a bagel, but throwing in the tomato took nothing away from the overall eating experience, and provided me with a serving of vegetables (well, probably half a serving).

How to Get a Little Bit Healthier

I am a baaaad eater.

As in a eat a lot of bad foods.

I have been known to have ice cream for breakfast.

That kind of bad.

Chocolate is my drug of choice.

And I am overweight.

So I am not advocating my food choices.

I try, I really do.

I bought a Ninja blender.

They had them at my warehouse store and I got it for about $80, which is much better than the $400 - $800 I saw when I researched them on-line.

I was going to make smoothies.

Healthy ones.

It even came with a recipe book with lots of healthy smoothie choices.

And I did try a couple.

I really did.

And we have been using that blender a LOT.

For milkshakes.

Yum, yum, yum.

So much for eating healthy, right?

WRONG!

Well, not entirely wrong.

BUT, for me, I am trying to incorporate some health into my bad eating.

So, yesterday I made myself a milkshake.

(I made them for the rest of my family too, just so you know.)

But for me, I made a chocolate milkshake,

and I put fresh strawberries and blueberries in it.

YUM!

I also made a macaroni salad to bring to my sister's house for a picnic.

There is a bag of kale in my fridge.

Yes, I did, I put some chopped kale in my macaroni salad.

(Well, I actually split the salad into two salads and put it in one.)

Today I am trying to eat some leftover fruit salad.

I have a little hot fudge sauce in the fridge.

Yum!

So I can look at this three ways:

1. I am ruining healthy food by eating it with unhealthy food.
2. I am ruining the taste of unhealthy food by adding healthy food.
3. I am improving unhealthy food choices by adding healthy foods and getting some healthy food into my body.

I choose door number 3.