Day 12? I'm making soup.

Busy with sewing and visiting the new granddaughter. Happy days. Mostly eating well too, using my spray to slow me down and think before ordering while out at restaurants has really helped. I stuck to side salads and soups; how many times have I wished I had eaten just the bread and salad and skipped the main course - I'm full by then anyhow so I figure why not order accordingly? Anyway, I'm happy with my choices but glad to be back to a normal schedule.

Sometimes my good intentions when shopping are overwhelmed by my time or energy as they were this past week with the baby coming. When this happens and I am left with greens that need to be used up quickly I make a green soup base from them. This one has Swiss Chard, Bok Choy and Kale in it. I started with sauteeing two small onions, one yellow and one sweet, with half of a yellow bell pepper and a small handful of sun dried tomatoes - everything diced. Once those were going I rough chopped the greens and threw them in. They are now cooking away on low with the cover on to steam and in an hour or so I'll throw them in the blender and freeze in small containers that are about 3/4C each. When I make soup all I have to do is throw in a container of pre-cooked greens to pump up the nutrient value, as well as adding a nice richness to whatever soup I am making. The house smells ever so delicious. Of course I also have tonight's soup going, contributing to the aroma.

I've thrown one sweet potato chopped, half each of a yellow bell pepper and an Anaheim (Pasillo, Pablano, whatever) pepper plus half a cup of No-Chicken Stock (which is way better than Chicken Stock) and a shallot into my new soup pan. I just love the pan, it's perfect to make a big, rather than huge, pot of soup. I covered the pan and this is simmering away on the stove too. I'm guessing it will be 3 servings when done. Once I have blended the greens from the first pan I will add some into the soup and probably some more stock to get a nice thick stoup consistency.

I did run to the store this morning for dishwasher soap and fruit, some more lettuce and a few things for the upcoming holiday (potatoes, canned pumpkin & olives were all on sale - yay!) Leaving the store I thought briefly of grabbing something to eat on the way home, but instead grabbed my Orenda Balance Spray, did my 3 squirts, and came home to make a salad. I didn't even have to rush. I put away all the groceries and made a big wonderful salad full of cilantro, romaine, cabbage plus walnuts and some Roquefort dressing I had thinned down with rice vinegar. While I normally don't eat cheese, this was calling to me so strongly I knew I should just get it and enjoy it in moderation, which I am happy to say I have been able to do so far. Once lunch was out of the way I threw the soup stuff together and now I can work for a couple of hours while it simmers away. Come dinner time it will be a snap to finish making the soup and toss a quick salad together. In the meantime...sniff, sniff.....mmmmmm.