Keeping Healthy and Warm

I was planning on making Huevos Rancheros tonight, and I might still. But last night I dreamed I was sick. I've definitely been feeling run down, especially right now after the long, busy weekend. I'm starting to get paranoid about impending illness, so I might just make this soup instead. A few weeks ago I was planning on making this recipe. However it got shuffled to the end of the week and by then the collard greens I had were half wilted. Considering that I'd only bought half the greens the recipe called for in the beginning I was going to have to make some adjustments if I still wanted some soup for dinner. So, I looked over the Classic Minestrone recipe from my October 2008 issue of Everyday Food and made my own mish-mash of the two soups with what I had in my pantry and fridge. I thought it came out great and Josh liked it better than the original recipe so I think it's a keeper for us. And with all the good-for-me veggies in it I'm thinking it might be just the thing to fend off an (imaginary?) cold.

Minestrone Mine
Adapted from Everyday Food; Serves 4-6













Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 pound collard greens, stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cans great northern beans
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
Frozen french cut green beans

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until onion is coated, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens, thyme, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until collards start to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Place 1/4 of beans in a bowl, and mash them with the back of a spoon (this will help thicken soup). Add all the beans to the pan, as well as tomatoes with juice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in green beans. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.

My notes: I had a 16 oz. bag of frozen green beans and I just dumped some in. You could do the exact same or use a 10 oz. box. Can't really mess this yummy soup up. Everyday Food had a list of substitution and addition ideas as well.

Mmminestrone With Collard Greens and White Beans

I'm going a bit out of order, as I still have Monday night's cooking to post about, but this soup was so good and easy that I felt the need to write about it now. This was my first time cooking with collard greens. I know that they are somewhat of a staple in Southern cooking, but that didn't seem to tempt me to get acquainted with them before. But I was looking for a simple vegetarian recipe for this week's menu and came across this one, from the October 2007 issue of Everyday Food. I was also painfully aware that I haven't really been trying new things, like I had resolved to do at the new year. This recipe certainly fit both those bills so I decided to give it a go. And I'm so glad that I did. Another healthy green added to our diet is definitely a good thing. Collard greens are rich in calcium, vitamins B1, B2, B9, C, beta carotene, and of course is a good source of fiber. So this is a soup that definitely packs a punch. So glad to have another great go-to soup recipe and to have had a great experience with collard greens.

Minestrone with Collard Greens and White Beans
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4












1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lb., about two bunches, collard greens, stalked removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 19 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
Grated Parmesan, for serving

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until onion is coated, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens, thyme, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until collards start to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Place 1/4 of beans in a bowl, and mash them with the back of a spoon (this will help thicken soup). Add all the beans to the pan, as well as tomatoes with juice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, until collards are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.

My notes: I used 2 15 oz. cans of beans. Where are these magical 19 oz. cans that keep popping up in my recipes? Make sure to clean your greens in several rinses of water, as they can have grit on the leaves. And definitely use the Parmesan, it adds a wonderful flavor. Josh really liked this soup too, and we are both looking forward to enjoying our leftovers for lunch. I think a smaller portion would make a great starter when we have our vegan friends over (minus the cheese for them, of course). And a big, steaming, flavorful bowl is just 260 calories! All those good vitamins and nutrients and so low in calories- you can follow it with a cookie!

Today's menu

In my continuing effort to try and eat a bit better, here is what today has consisted of:

Breakfast: Bowl of instant cinnamon oatmeal and an apple
Lunch: PB&J on double fiber bread, low-fat vanilla yogurt, and a nectarine
Snack: Red seedless grapes and string cheese

Tonight I'll be making beef & broccoli with brown rice, and I think I'm going to go ahead and toss some of the leftover zucchini & squash in with it. I gotta do something with this stuff!

Healthy Eating Help

Two posts in one day, have I lost my mind? Thrown all caution to the wind? Consequences be damned!

I'm trying to improve my healthy-ish eating ways, but I feel a bit stumped on just how to do that. The main thing is working in more vegetables and fruits. I'm definitely improving in the fruit area, but probably have a ways to go in the vegetable section. What ways have you added more vegetables to your diet? What are some of your favorite items in the produce section? I'm sort of concentrating on breakfast and lunch. I eat 2 out of three meals a day in my office on work days, so the easier something is the better. So, come on peeps, I need some help/advice/suggestions. Below is what I've been doing this week, as an example.

Monday:
Breakfast- Bowl of Frosted Shredded Wheat with 1/2 cup 1% milk
Lunch- Leftover Penne with Zucchini & Feta and a nectarine
Snack- Handful of shredded wheat, cause I forgot to bring a snack.

Tuesday:
Breakfast- Bowl of instant cinnamon oatmeal and an apple
Lunch- Can of Progresso vegetable soup, slice of double fiber bread with appx. 1 tbsp. peanut butter
Snack- Nectarine and string cheese

Today:
Breakfast- Bowl of instant cinnamon oatmeal and a large orange
Lunch- Peanut Butter & Jam sandwich on double fiber bread, baby carrots, low-fat vanilla yogurt
Snack- Red seedless grapes and string cheese