Good for You

11.04.

Pumpkin Soup

PumpkinSoup

Oh my word, y’all! Have you ever wondered what to do with Pumpkin? Other than the usual celebrity, Pumpkin Pie, my mind can sometimes go blank when it comes to that question.

Well, no more!

I have the answer!………….. Drumroll please…………

PUMPKIN SOUP!

If you haven’t tried Pumpkin Soup, you simply haven’t lived!

This recipe has a savory, slightly sweet taste to it that you simply cannot pass up!

I paired dinner rolls with it and the kids devoured it. The cute design on top was done using a small snack size ziplock bag filled with Greek Yogurt.

Get this! Pumpkin has all of these surprising health benefits:

1). It is good for your eyes.

2). It is good for your heart.

3). Aids in weightloss.

4). Helps protect against cancer.

5). Helps protect your skin.

6). Boosts your immune system AND your mood.

7). Can help you recharge after a hard workout.

Did I mention this recipe is VERY figure friendly? Not only good for your health, but good for your waistline too!

That alone is worth trying this recipe out!

I certainly hope you do!

XOXO!

– Esther

Recipe: Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6-8 Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

• 4-4 1/2 cups canned pumpkin, ( I had some left over canned mason jars, I used three of them)

• 2 small onions, chopped

• 4 cups vegetable stock

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups low fat milk

• 4 Tbsp honey

• 2 Tbsp dried sage

• salt and pepper to taste

• Blender

Directions:

• Heat 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil on medium heat in a large pot and add onions and garlic. Saute’ until translucent ( 3-4 minutes).

• Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.

• Remove from heat and working in small batches, add liquid mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. *Make sure not to fill blender more than half way to avoid over flow and cover with a small towel for extra measure.

• After all liquid mixture has been blended and smooth, return to pan and heat through for 5-10 minutes.

• Serve with dinner rolls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt.

Tags: Easy Recipe, Fall Time Recipe, Good for You, Greek Yogurt, Health Benefits, Kid Friendly, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Soup, Quick, Savory

10.05.

Ghoulishly Good For You Smoothie

I love smoothies! They are yummy and sweet and best of all, GOOD FOR YOU!

Goulishly Good For You, that is! *Pretty sure that’s a word?

You can use any kind of blender, but recently, I bought a Blendtec and I haven’t regretted it for one second!

This thing makes a mean smoothie, amongst other things.

It literally makes it as smooth as the ones you would buy in the store. Most people wouldn’t care about that, but I have never been able to get that consistency until now. 🙂

Here is what I did:

I took a couple handfuls of fresh spinach, 1 kiwi, 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, 1 apple (sliced into wedges), 1 whole banana (peeled of course), and 1 1/2 cups water.

Then I tossed all the ingredients into the blender, secured the lid and pressed the smoothie button. *For a regular blender, just blend until completely smooth.

I should also mention that I like my smoothies more on the thinner side so that they are easier to drink. If you prefer yours on the thicker side, I would use a little less water. You could also add some ice cubes to the smoothie as well to have a thicker consistency.

In the end, you are left with a great energy boosting drink that has loads of fiber and vitamins.

Did I mention that my children would probably sell me to the highest bidder for one of these drinks? They love it!

They have absolutely no idea that it is so good for them.

I promise that you can’t taste the spinach. They always have to ask me if I put spinach in it. 😉

It’s a good thing that they can’t taste everything in the smoothies. It would just be too awkward to explain things after the neighbor’s cat went missing…….

Mooooohaahaahaahaahaa! (*Evil Laugh)

dr-evil