Going back to GREEN...

Morning everyone!  So lighter fare I promised you & lighter fare is what this post is alllll about today!  Because, yes, after a week of holiday indulging, we were BEYONDDDDDDDDD ready to go back to our 'normal routine' this week.  I think I was pretty sick of eating by Tuesday of last week...and then we STILL had 3 days + New Years Eve to get through...hahahahahaha (although I do have a couple yummy 'road trip' lunches to show you soon!)  Not to mention that I think food is coming a bit 'full circle' these days.  It was NOTSOFUN to eat in the beginning thanks to the morning all day sickness, and now it seems that more frequent SMALLER meals might be in order.  Not as much 'room at the inn', so to speakJ hahahahahaha

Annnnyways....so I started my day the healthiest way I knew how:  with a GREEN MONSTER...

If you haven't heard me sing their praises before, allow me to do so again:  This thing is PACKED with nutrition and I'm telling you: you can NOTTTTT TASTE THE SPINACH AT ALL!  (believe me, I would NOT drink it if you could!)  Instead, you get a smooooooth smoothie filled to the brim with vitamins.  Not to mention, I swear by these things in the winter.  The first year I started drinking them, I didn't even get a SNIFFLE the ENTIRE winter seasonJ

You can customize them anyway (they're especially yummy with yogurt), but for my standard recipe I fill the blender with:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup dry instant oats
• 1/2 scoop chia seeds (if you have them...if not, no biggie)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 scoop peanut butter
• Enough spinach to fill the rest of the blender 

A quick whirl and you're good to go.  I know, I KNOW what you're thinking if you've never tried one...but honestly it just tastes like a thick & smooth banana/peanut butter shake.  If only I could give you skeptics a blindfoldJ hahahhahaha  Believe me:  ask me if I would have tried this about 7 years ago & I would have looked at you like you had ten heads!  It really IS GOOD though, I promise!

Fast forward to lunch, where I knew I needed something a bit 'heartier' as I tried to bring myself down from having chocolates & cookies at arms reach for the last 8 days straightJ  hhahahahhahahaha  I reached into the freezer for one of these... 

Upside?  They are 150 calories a piece and made of just ground chicken (sloowwwwly started to eat chicken againJ), red pepper & spices... 

Downside?  They come frozen & uncooked, so they're not a very good 'grab & go lunch option'J (no quick microwaving veggie burgers here.)  But a few minutes on either side in a pan and you are set...

I slapped the burger on a 100 calorie sandwich slim and topped it with 1/2 a sliced avocado & a handful of (MORE) spinach... 

I liked that this thing was pretty mammoth by the time all was said and doneJ hahahhahaaha...and I like any excuse to top a burger with avocado, sooooooooo...yeah, I was happy with this lunch! 

And finally, for dinner, I knew I was going to keep the day's theme going of veggies.  LOTS & LOTS of veggies!  And since the night turned into PURE WINTER with gusty bone chilling winds, I knew soup was the way to go.  30-40 minutes and dinner went from this: 

...to this!  My "throw together whatever you have in your veggie bins" Minestrone soup...

Into the olive oill drizzled pot went:

• 3 carrots, peeled & diced
• 2 small potatoes, diced
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 1/2 zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 sprigs of thyme 

Let everything cook together for about 7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Next, I took a few large handfuls of diced kale and added them to the pot.  Since kale is a little tough, I added it to the pot... 

...and tossed on the lid for a few minutes... 

...the condensation from the lid helps the kale wilt and soften the tough leaves.  Success!

Next into the pot goes: 

• 1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• Enough chicken broth (or vegetable broth) to cover the veggies
• For added flavor:  1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese & 1 tablespoon crushed garlic

 Bring to boil and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Lastly add a can of drained & rinsed white beans and cook long enough to heat the beans through. (about 5 more minutes)

* Low fat flavor tip:  I also took 1/2 a can of the beans and purred them through my mini food processor before adding them to the soup.  The pureed beans give the soup the silky & smooth consistency of cream WITHOUT the fat & calories.  More flavor...no fat:  Win/win, right??

Honestly, you can whip up this soup with whatever you have on hand, but I must say that this flavor combo can't be beat.  The soup was PACKED with flavor and even better?  All you had to do was 'chop & drop' the veggies into ONE POT.  This was a super hearty, low cal & tasty dinner that you will LOVE all winter long! 

So it's New Year's resolution time.  Do you guys have any??  I wanted to report that my resolution for "no nonsense in 2011" went really well!  Aside for a week & a half spell during my 'all-day sickness' days, diet soda hasn't crossed my lips since last New Years Eve and I also eliminated all Splenda/Sweet & Low/ect from my diet.  That's something I've wanted to do for YEARS!  And aside from my persistent love of holiday coffee creamers, my goal is to still continue to try my best to eat as much 'healthy, minimally processed' food as best as I can.  But don't get me wrong, this gal ain't givin up cupcakes ANY TIME SOON! hahahahaha...80/20 rule, right?? 

How are you guys trying to be healthier in 2012??

Alright..you've heard enough veggie talk from me for one day!  Hope you have a good Wednesday and go whirl up a spinach smoothie...NOW!J