Minestrone- Lo's way

Buuuuurrrrr....I'm not sure where all my followers live, but here in Michigan where I live, we've had some very frigid temps. Cold winter days mean comfort foods, and for me that means SOUP! I saw a "Minestrone" recipe in woman's day magazine and it had a picture with it, for me I get inspired with my eyes first, I also taste with my eyes first. This soup was screaming at me to try it out, also when my daughter, Olivia, saw the clipped recipe on my message board, she asked that I make it this weekend. How can I deny a kid with a good eye for good food. I obliged. I didn't follow the recipe completely, just because I thought some of the steps were stupid (sometimes it doesn't turn out in my favor, but this time it was fine). So here it goes:

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 Onion

2 Cloves of Garlic

4 Tbsp of Tomato Paste

4 Carrots, peeled and sliced.

2 staks of celery, sliced

1 potato (medium sized) peeled and cut into small cubes

Thyme (Optional)

1 cup Ditalini pasta (any pasta will do though)

1 cup baby spinach (sliced thin)

1/2 head of cabbage in thin strips

Parmesan or other cheese for sprinkling the soup with when finished.

Crusty bread would also be delicious ( I didn't have any)

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil and add onions, cook until tender. Add Garlic cook for 1 min, stirring frequently.

Add Carrots, Celery, Potato, Thyme (if using), I like to  sauté the veggies a min or so, season well, using salt, pepper and whatever else you like to season with (I often use "everyday seasoning" by trader Joe's) , then add 8 cups of water (could also use half broth, half water) pasta, cabbage and spinach.

Bring to a boil.  Cook 10-15 minutes til everything is tender. Then let simmer. I like to let my soups simmer a bit longer, just be sure it doesn't over cook and you're left without any "juice". 

Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan or any other cheese & Crusty thick bread if desired.

It made about ten 1/2 cup servings for me, and per www.myfitnesspal.com recipe builder, each serving is less than 100 calorie. What? Get out of here! Comfort yummy food that is guilt free. Yes, please!

I hope you enjoy!

Bon Appétit!

Spinach/Sweet Potato Lasagna

Hi Everyone! (or the couple of you reading this ;-)

This past Saturday was my husband's (of almost 12 years) birthday! We often go out to dinner on those special days, but sometimes he has something specific in mind that he wants me to cook up. This year, his request was "spinach lasagna". I got everything I needed for it from the store, then got home and realized I had a little bit of Friday night's dinner's mashed sweet potatoes left. It would be a shame to not somehow utilize that in this lasagna dish. And here's how my spinach/sweet potato lasagna idea came to be. It turned out absolutely delicious and may I say it was even more (if that's possible) delicious the second day (yup, believe it or not we did have some left overs). So for all that asked for the recipe, here it goes. Keep in mind, I didn't have a recipe for this, I made it up on my own and I don't measure when I throw something together I dream up in my head, I just go for it. Usually it turns out amazing and in this case, it really did! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Barilla No Boil Lasagna Pasta Sheets (1 box)
Marinara Sauce Jar (use whatever kind you enjoy the most or make your own)
1 small onion
Garlic, as much or as little as you like
1/3 Red Bell Pepper
Pack of Frozen Chopped Spinach, or fresh steamed spinach
Park Skim Ricotta Cheese (I only used about 3/4 of the entire container)
Sargento Mozarella/Provolone Shredded Cheese
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
Salt, Pepper & any other seasonings of your choice, I used Trader Joe's "Everyday Seasoning"

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sautee your onion and redbell pepper in olive oil, then add marinara sauce and warm. Set aside.

Using a food processor put your thawed out spinach or freshly steamed spinach in with some coarsely chopped garlic, get it into a paste consistency. Put into a bowl and mix with about 1/2 cup of Ricotta or maybe a little more, you be the judge (I used my eyes). Set aside

Get your mashed sweet potatoes and mix with about 1/2 cup Ricotta (or slightly less, again decide how much you want). Set aside

Spray your baking pan/dish (about 13x9 and 3 inch deep or so)
Layer as follows:
1st layer -  Marinara Sauce
Pasta (My pan/dish allowed for three sheets to be laid side by side across the pan/dish.
Spread the Spinach Mix on top of the pasta (what you can do for ease and to not break the pasta, is to hold the pasta in your hand and spread the spinach mix with a knife, as you would peanut butter on toast, you want it to be thick!
Another layer of sauce
Pasta
Sweet Potato Mix (spread same way as you did Spinach)
Repeat: Sauce, Pasta, Spinach, Sauce, Pasta, Sweet Potatoe, Sauce etc.

All the way to the top of the dish. Make sure you have sauce left to cover the top It doesn't have to cover inch for inch but enough, again use your judgement, make it work.
Then sprinkle your shredded Mozarella/Provolone cheese all over the top, I used 3/4 of the entire bag.

Cover with foil.

Bake for 50 minutes. Then remove foil, and "Broil" for 2-3 minutes until cheese on top is bubbling, a little crispy & golden brown.

Take out. Let sit for maybe 10-15 minute because it will be pipping hot. Then Serve! ENJOY
Bon Appétit!

@myfitlife

New year! New Blog!

This is not my first go at trying out the blogging world, however, I think it may be different this time. For those who don't know me well. I'm a wife and mother of 3 growing girls; ages 10, 8 and 6. I'm not a fitness expert or professional, but I love to get up every morning workout and stay fit, I like to try all kinds of workouts and am currently doing Les Mills Combat, which is a 60 day martial arts program.
I'm also a beachbody coach; I use my coach status mostly to help and inspire people rather than reach diamond status in sales. The money was never my motivation when I joined beachbody, but rather their mission statement "ending the trend of obesity" that is something that I want to try to help with. And when you want to try to influence anyone about fitness, health and nutrition, well it kinda starts with you! I get up each day and try to be a good example to my kids and family first, and then to anyone I encounter. As I said I am not an expert in everything, I learn as I go, my journey is as unique as anyone else's. I try new things, sometimes I fall off the wagon, hey! I'm human too. We all have our ups and downs. What I always do try to have is a posivite attitude. I'm a firm believer that having a positive outlook on life and what you can achieve is key. And that goes for anything in life, not just fitness. I'm well aware that having your health is important, and is something A LOT of people take for granted. I consider it a privilege to be able to use my entire body each and everyday to push myself physically. I know that what I put in my mouth and feed myself with has consequences. I believe in moderation and enjoying life too, but I also know that the longer you fool yourself into thinking eating poorly will never have any consequences the closer you are to being ill. So do your best and forget the rest, as Tony Horton would say (P90X trainer and Creator). I'm living my "fit life"! Are you?
For daily pictures on what I do for my workouts, food/meals, motivation, quotes, a little bit of my family etc. you can find me on Instagram @myfitlife

2013 I'm ready for you! Kia Kaha!