Monday, November 10, 2014

Soup

Today's post is simple and true. Broth-based soup help curb hunger, get you lots of vitamins if you're using lots of vegetables. Make a big pot of vegetable soup no cream or anything just vegetables broth and lots of fresh herbs and spices and eat this before dinner or just for a snack. You get loads of nutrition and it will curb your hunger. 

Be aware that most boxed and canned broth has MSG in it you want to look for one that is organic to make sure it does not have MSG in it or better yet make your own broth
I get mine from Cosco in Nashville but you can try Kroger in the organic section.

Blessings, 

Trish 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Fall..light simple delicious


So this  week I have been eating a lot lighter. After our cruise last week and eating tons and tons of food, this week I felt the need to eat much lighter. Didn't really know what to have for supper so I surfed the web and found a recipe for butternut squash soup. I usually make this with sweet potatoes or cut up squash that I roast, but I'm kinda tired today and I have parent teacher conferences and a school fall festival tonight, so it had to be quick. In 30 minutes I went from nothing to a creamy healthy comforting soup
I had frozen cooked squash so this was a breeze. 
I sautéed one onion, one carrot, and 1/2 peeled apple  in 1 teaspoon of butter
 I added the cooked squash to the mixture. I added one container 2 cups of chicken stock. I cooked  this for 30 minutes with some salt and pepper. Then I took my emulsifier and blended it right in the pot.
Creamy healthy delicious soup without even adding any cream at all. This recipe is perfect for anyone with lactose issues. There is no milk in it yet it is still creamy. 


This is perfect for a chilly fall day. Plus you are getting so many vitamins with the squash and the onions and the carrots.

Tip:  You can use any kind of squash that you want but I find that butternut makes it most creamy.

Blessings, 


Trish 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Boston Part 3 (final post on Boston)

Well the trip has finally come to an end.  We had a fabulous time.  It was great to spend time with son #2!!  I know he had a great time as well.

A latte by the harbor before our flight.

isn't this gorgeous?  Leaving Boston.

flying into Washington DC for a quick flight change.

Look at this! Jonah snapped this from his seat... the Washington Monument!! 
We almost missed our connecting flight to Nashville because the Boston flight took off so late!  Lets just say they were waiting for us at the gate.  LOL

Thank God we made it back safely!!  We had an awesome time and hope to have more adventures soon.  Next one son #3 gets to come with us... Look out Elijahman.

Blessings,

Trish

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Saturday morning hike

Today felt like the first morning of fall!  45 degrees, sunny and absolutely gorgeous! Scott and I had our coffee on the porch and then he talked me into a morning hike in our woods. I don't know why, but I never like to go into the woods.

So, I complied as he said it is good exercise.  So, we went.  We jogged a bit until we reached the trail.    Then we hiked the woods.  What a beautiful morning for a hike.  It felt good to do somthing different than my usual workouts!

Here was my view:


So today's tip is enjoy something different.  Enjoy the beautiful weather God has given us!!

Blessings, 

Trish

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Part 2 Boston



So yesterdays post was the trip to Boston.  Thank God it went smoothly as I dislike flying and it was Jonah's (middle son)  first plane trip.

We landed safely in Boston's Logan Airport around 11:00 am and quickly got a taxi and  arrived at the Seaport Boston Hotel which was very nice.  It was in the seaport district so it looked more industrial around where we were, but the hotel was beautiful and the room very nice.

Once we got unpacked and settled and Scott took a power nap, we got a map and ventured out to see the sights.  Boston is totally a walking town.  Let's just we walked EVERYWHERE.  Since the hotel was not in the hub of things, just getting to downtown was about 2 miles.  So as far as exercise...I got that in easy.  We walked easy 6-10 miles a day... no joke.

Boston is so rich in American History, which was a real learning experience for me since I pretty much slept through my history classes in high school.  I know shame on me, but I just wasn't interested back then, but now so cool.  We picked up the freedom trail after we stopped at a little local seafood spot and had stuffed clams and lobster bisque... yum!!

We then hit the freedom trail
The freedom trail goes from the Boston  common to bunker hill and is approximately 3 miles long with many stops along the way. It was very cool being that the whole freedom Trail was marked in the sidewalk with red brick so you knew exactly which way to go. By the end of the trip Jonah and I completed the entire trail from the Boston Common to Bunkerhill as well as climbing the 294 steps up to the top of Bunker Hill. I wasn't going to wimp out on that one. I was raring to go to the top as a challenge not thinking of how claustrophobic it would be. So I put my head down and just started going up all 294 of those steps!
We also got to see the site of the Boston tea party and the USS constitution.
Very cool stuff. 
We also were at the site of the Boston massacre.
But my all-time very very favorite part of Boston was Boston's Little Italy. It had so many Italian restaurants,  pastry shops and just quaint brown stone apartments. I loved everything about it and it just brought me back to my roots.  We had two dinners here and stopped at two different pastry shops for Italian pastries.
That's Jonah with coconut gelato
Oh yeah...

Okay I guess you're tired of Italian food pictures. We also stopped and had some really great seafood including clam chowder and local fish. We had lobster mac & cheese which was also amazing
Fresh caught mahi mahi 
This was the best!!!! Lobster mac and cheese

We really had a great time of American history and eating our way and walking through Boston.

Blessings, 

Trish 

Monday, September 29, 2014

Boston!!

So every year Sweety gets to go on a conference to keep up his credentials and to learn all the cutting edge things going on in the dermatology world... I get to go with him and see different parts of the country (yay)

This year the conference was in Boston.. bean town ...home of the Boston Tea Party.. Freedom Trail...and yes seafood!!


A few things to note:  #1 I just had no desire to go to Boston.  I don't know why?  I just didn't.  It was not somewhere that I would want to travel to.  I lived in NE Pennsylvania for many years and NJ and was clearly in driving distance to it and never went... never.  So, when I found out the conference was in Boston, I was less than enthusiastic.

#2 The next reason was the dreaded airplane.  I don't fear heights or anything, I just don't like the whole flying thing.  So this made me nervous right away.

#3 We decided to take the middle child aka Jonahman with us to this conference.  If you remember 2 years ago we took the oldest son aka Micahman with us to Seattle.  (see older post from July 2012)

We like to take one child so they get some much needed time away from the siblings...

Boston was the perfect place for Jonah because he LOVES American history!!!

So I may do this in 2 posts... or 3  to not overwhelm everyone with too much Stout info.

Here's the take off:
A bit nervous before the flight... at 545am!!!

Notice I walked and did not take the treadmill thingy.  It's the little things that add up.

Watching a movie on the plane.

All in all thank God it was a good flight!!
More on Boston in the next post!!


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Its that time of year again

Well it's that time of year again... chillier days, pumpkin spices, apples and cinnamon.  Love this time of year.  So when it rolls around I think of my trusty crock pot oatmeal recipe.  There is something about coming into the kitchen and having something cooked for you while you sleep.  This is one of those recipes.  When you don't have time for breakfast in the morning, try this.  It is so simple and it is such a great healthy start to the day!!

Before bed spray your crockpot with cooking spray or use butter, coconut oil whatever you have on hand.  Add 5 cups of water and 1/2 c milk, half and half, almond or coconut milk.  Again whatever you have on hand and if you have no milks, you can just use water.  To that add 1 cup steel cut oats. DO NOT USE INSTANT OAT AS YOU WILL HAVE A GUMMY MESS BY MORNING.  And that will make you mad first thing in the morning.

Then you can add or not add whatever you like.  Maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, raisins, apples, banana... whatever you enjoy.  I added some molasses sugar a friend gave me but use whatever you enjoy.

Turn the crockpot on low for 8 hours and when you wake up you will have a wonderful healthful pot of oatmeal ready for you to eat!!

How is that for easy?  And if you think you don't like oatmeal, you must try this.  It is SO MUCH more tasty than that packaged instant stuff that is loaded with sugars and artificial flavors.


this is what I came down to.  Perfectly cooked oats!!

bowl with added raspberries... yum.
Tip of the day:  Drag that crockpot out to try some new recipes!!!

Blessings,

Trish

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

John 14

Today I just wanted to share a little from my Bible reading this morning. It seems like I can read something many times but because the word of God is alive it speaks to us like we've never read it before sometimes, which is so awesome. 
It is a simple verse John 14:15 Jesus spoke saying, if you love me keep my commandments.

If you go down to John 14:23 and 24 he also says if anyone loves Me, he will keep my word; and We will come to him and make our home with him. he who does not love Me does not keep my words and the word which you hear is not mine but the fathers who sent Me.

We want to think that we can do whatever we want. God's word is simple and clear. If you love me then keep my commandments. Notice the word if... If we love God then we will keep his Commandments.  If we love Him we will keep his word.  

In today's world, there are many who do what they want to do, say what they want to say, go to church, say that they love God,  and yet do not follow his commandments. 

I want to be real. I do love God and I want to keep his word each day. I encourage you to do the same. Simple, yet profound words from Jesus. 

Today's tip is pick up your Bible and read it like you have never read it before. His word is life. It  is a living word and will speak to you right where you are.

Blessings,

Trish 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Quick tip of the day

My quick tip of the day to save some money is go to your local supermarket and buy whole cuts of meat and ask the butcher to cut it for you. I did this with my pork loin chops and saved a lot of money. Kroger has pork loin on sale for 1.88 a pound. I asked the butcher to cut them into 1 1/4 inch steaks and got nine pork chops out of them for 10 bucks. Their boneless pork chops were 299 a pound. So I saved over a dollar a pound for the same exact thing ! Extremely economical, healthy, and great on the grill.
You can do this with beef as well. Most supermarkets meat departments will cut this for free for you!! 

Blessings, 

Trish 

Monday, September 8, 2014

New grill...new recipe


So this weekend we finally got a new gas grill after 12 years! Yeah we were over do.  So today I wanted to try it out with a new meal that I could grill, be kid friendly, quick, and healthy. So I had some boneless pork chops that I had the butcher cut 1 1/4 inches thick. Perfect thickness.

Here's what I did.

4 boneless center cut pork chops
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c oil (I used olive oil) 
zest of one lemon or lime:  I used a lime because that's what I had
Juice of one half lemon or lime
Three garlic clothes chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger. I usually do not have fresh ginger on hand so I use this:

I love this product. I get it at Kroger. As you can see I got it on sale. You can leave this in your freezer which is what I do.

Put all ingredients into a Ziploc bag or a glass dish and marinate boneless pork chops for a minimum of one hour or a maximum of overnight. I marinated mine for about five hours.

Preheat grill. I actually got this baby up to 650°. Oh yeah.

Grill the pork chops until the internal temperature is between 158 and 160°. I use a thermometer because I can never tell when the meat is done. 


While they were grilling, on the other side of the grill I had fresh cauliflower  with a little olive oil salt and pepper grilling on a piece of foil.

I rounded out the meal with some basmati rice which I love.
Here is the final dish: 
So so so good!  This meal was light and delicious and healthy! Everyone in the house loved it, which isn't an easy task. 

Today's tip: while it's still really nice out and not too cold fire up your grill and experiment with some different things. It doesn't always have to be meat. Try grilling up some fresh vegetables from the garden!!

Blessings, 

Trish

I know it's been like forever…

😄So I haven't blogged in over a year because the app that I have for my blog refused to work and every time I would compose a blog post it would disappear on me. I've been so frustrated over it that I just stopped at blogging. I have now downloaded a Nother blogging app and I'm trying it now. If this works I will start blogging again.  Sorry for dropping off the blog earth. Hoping this works and I can get back to some healthy tips and recipes and just some fun stuff!!😄