Comfort foods and a healthy diet usually do NOT go hand in hand. As soon as the weather starts to get cooler, we reach for the foods that seem to settle right onto our bellies. With the crisp fall evenings we want to have our filling, heavy meals then settle onto the couch and watch our favorite show or a movie. The Fall and Winter months are no reason to gain weight. There are many healthy foods that you can add into your diet that will keep you warm and full, and not make you look like you hibernated all Winter and stored your fat!
Here are some of my favorite foods that if made at home can fill you up, and not out! Make these with organic, whole ingredients and keep your body nourished through the season. When you chose to eat healthy, you will not be afraid to bare your body when the weather breaks in Springtime!
I will be posting ideas all through the season, so look forward to recipes and ideas on how to make these tasty dishes.
Lentil Soup
White Bean Chili
Black and Red Bean Chili
Gluten Free Spinach Breakfast Strata
Minestrone Soup
Split Pea and Ham Soup
Chicken and Egg Dumpling Soup
Fat Free Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Today, I will give you my all time favorite recipe for Lentil Soup.
I make is very spicy (great for the metabolism), but you can alter the peppers!
LENTIL SOUP
1 Cup uncooked Brown Lentils
6 Cups Organic Vegetable Broth
1 Can Organic Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Medium Onion
1 Clove Garlic
3 T. Cumin
2 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Serano Pepper
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
In microwave bowl put lentils on high for 10 min covered with 2 cups broth.
Sautee in pan, onions, garlic, seasonings and chopped peppers (don’t breath over the top of pan with peppers in it, it will make your sinuses go crazy!)
Transfer semi-cooked lentils into large pot.
Add Canned Diced Tomatoes
Fill pan with remaining vegetable broth.
Add in sauteed onion mixture.
Cover and cook on low-med heat covered stirring occasionally for 2 hours.
Additional water can be added to achieve desired thickness.
This soup can be stored in fridge for 1 week.
This is a favorite snack, portable lunch or dinner for our family. I make a large salad, serve on occasion with a crusty whole grain bread with fresh butter, and you have a full nutritious meal!
This is just a small sample of ideas that can be great “go to” meals and additions to any healthy nutrition plan. Enjoy food, eat for strength and nourishment, sleep to recover, hydrate so all of your systems work together!
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I love to do the legwork, and share my knowledge so that we can all live longer and stronger lives!
In health and strength!
Dawn