Lentil Vegetable Soup

This recipe is adapted from Forks Over Knives

This soup recipe is probably my favorite. It reminds me of a hearty potato soup and it's SO tasty and SO good for you. My daughter just mentioned that if she had a book of her favorite foods, this soup would be in there!

Ingredients:
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
6 small white potatoes, finely chopped
1 16-ounce bag of red lentils
1 15.5-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
4 cups organic vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 cups finely chopped spinach
Sea salt to taste, optional

Combine all ingredients, except spinach and sea salt, and cook on low for 2 hours. Add the spinach about 5 minutes before the soup is done. Season with salt if desired.


I love the simplicity of this recipe! And I love how every member of my family loves it!

May God Bless!
Ashley

Split Pea Soup

This is another one of those recipes that I've been making for years and just decided to write down and share. It's such a simple recipe and it can be tweaked to fit your tastes or available ingredients.

Ingredients:
16 oz bag of split peas, rinsed and sorted
32 oz organic vegetable broth
6 cups water
2 medium onions, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
6 carrots, diced
1/2 tbs season salt
1/2 tbs Zatarain's seasoning, optional
2 tbs nutritional yeast

Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high 6-8 hours (until peas have dissolved).


The simplicity of this recipe is certainly appealing especially when you have a clingy toddler that wants to be held and you don't have a lot of time! My husband and kids (especially my two year old) love this soup and it is the perfect meal when it is cold and dreary out. Hope you enjoy!

May God Bless!
Ashley

Apple Raisin Muffins

Last night I substituted some of the ingredients in the Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin recipe that I recently posted and came up with Apple Raisin Muffins. We had them for breakfast this morning and we've decided that this recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium apple, grated
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tsp apple pie seasoning
2/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350.
In large bowl, combine oats and apple pie seasoning. Add applesauce, grated apple, and maple syrup - stir until combined. Stir in raisins.
In a muffin tin, place 12 muffin liners. Spoon batter evenly into liners, use back of spoon to firmly press batter down into liners.
Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from pan.
Enjoy!

May God Bless!
Ashley

Red Beans and Rice - Vegan Style!

I love red beans and rice. I grew up on the stuff - my mom's recipe (of course). There are only two people that I have ever known that could make red beans and rice that tasted as good as my mom's recipe and that is my aunt (her sister) and my grandma (her momma). Now that I eat a plant-based diet, I had to come up with a way to make this recipe vegan and yet still taste just as yummy. I think I mastered that this afternoon, and I think my momma would be proud (or upset that I messed with a good thing!)

Ingredients: 
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
32 ounces organic vegetable broth
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb red kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
8 cups water
1 tbs dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Zatarian Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbs nutritional yeast, optional
2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (this substitutes the flavor of smoked sausage)
4 cups brown rice - cook according to package directions

In large stock pot, heat approximately 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth on medium heat. Add onion, green and red bell pepper, celery, and carrot. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes. Add garlic, cook another 1 minute. Add remaining vegetable broth, kidney beans, 8 cups water, seasonings, hot sauce, and liquid smoke. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook on medium-low for 3-4 hours, until kidney beans are tender and broth has become cloudy from the beans. Remove bay leaves.
Stir in rice.
Serve hot and enjoy!

May God Bless!
Ashley

"Nacho" Baked Potato

Adapted from Forks Over Knives

This recipe is one of my favorites ever. I love it so much because it is so delicious and so easy to make. On days when you just don't have time (or energy!), this recipe is a filling, nutritious, quick option that will thrill your entire family.

Ingredients:
4 baking potatoes
1 can black beans or pinto beans
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup (or more, optional) salsa
2-4 tbs cilantro
Nutritional yeast (don't skip this ingredient, it adds so much flavor!)
Dash of salt, optional

Wash the potatoes, stab each side a few times with a knife, and pop those suckers into the microwave and hit the baked potato setting to cook 4 potatoes.
Drain and rinse beans. Combine them in a bowl with avocado, salsa, and cilantro - give a good stir so that it's well combined.
Open up your cooked potatoes, sprinkle with nutritional yeast and a dash of salt if using. Top each potato with bean mixture. Enjoy!

Fluffy Pancakes

Recipe adapted from https://www.feastingonfruit.com/fluffy-vegan-pancakes/

This recipe for pancakes is surprisingly simple and easy to make and they taste so delicious. They are hearty and filling and make a great Saturday morning guilt-free breakfast option. I have also made these in advance and just heated them in the morning during the week and they still tasted great topped with some maple syrup. I adapted the recipe a little from the original just because I found that they cooked better for me this way.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4  cup rolled oats, ground into oat flour in blender
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 tsps lemon juice
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl
2. Stir until combined, do not over blend. 
3. Heat a non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium-low heat - approximately 225 degrees.
4. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into pan or onto griddle. 
5. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side. When you can easily slide a spatula under, flip. Cook for another 3 minutes or so until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from pan. 
6. Top with fruit and maple syrup.

I recently tried adding lemon zest (or you could add a couple drops of Doterra's lemon essential oil) and blueberries to the batter for a blueberry/lemon pancake and they turned out delicious!! I'm sure there are many different things you could add for different variations of pancakes. Have fun experimenting and enjoy!

May God Bless!

Ashley

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Recipe adapted from My Whole Food Life 

This recipe is great because it makes 12 muffins that store well in the refrigerator for several  days and also in the freezer for several weeks. I find that they taste just as good cold as they do warm so you can make these at the beginning of the week and they will taste just as good by Friday!

Ingredients:

*3 cups rolled oats

*1 cup pumpkin (I buy the big can and store the remaining pumpkin in freezer bags, 1 cup per bag)

*1/2 cup pure maple syrup

*2 tsp cinnamon

*1/2 tsp ginger

*1/2 tsp nutmeg

*2/3 cups dried cranberry

Preheat oven to 350.

In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except cranberries. Stir until well combined. Add cranberries, stir until they are well distributed. 

Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners OR spray a muffin pan with coconut oil. Spoon batter evenly into all 12 muffin liners. Using the back of a spoon, firmly press batter down into the liners so that it is evenly packed. 

Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from muffin pan.

Hope you enjoy!

Quick and Easy Breakfast Idea #1: Avocado Toast...Mmm!

I love breakfast foods. It's probably my favorite meal of the day. I like muffins, donuts, pancakes, waffles...you get the idea. But, when I started cleaning up my diet, I realized that I had to clean up my breakfast choices as well, as they set the tone for my eating habits for the rest of the day. I also realized that morning times are very busy and if something takes more than 10 minutes to fix, you can just forget about it. So, I began searching online for recipes for quick, healthy, nutrition packed breakfast options to make mornings a little more manageable. I am going to be posting a series of breakfast recipes that we have tried and liked. Some recipes are ideas that I concocted myself and some are recipes that I found online, and I will cite my source for each recipe for your own reference.

This recipe I came up with myself one morning as I was perusing what I had in my fridge and pantry. It has quickly become an all-time favorite. This recipe will make 2-4 servings.

Ingredients:
*1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed
*Dash of sea salt

*Dash of Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Seasoning (we order this on Amazon for a really good price, but you can also find it at places like Whole Foods)
*2-4 slices sprouted bread (we like Aldi's sprouted bread, Ezekiel bread, or also Dave's Killer Bread)
*Fresh sprouts (optional)

While you are peeling and mashing your avocado, have your bread toasting in the toaster oven. Once your bread is toasted, spread the mashed avocado on your toast and sprinkle with season salt and nutritional yeast. Add sprouts if you are using - they add a nice crisp crunch and are packed with nutrition. Enjoy!

This recipe is so easy, didn't take a lot of imagination, and certainly doesn't take a whole lot of time but it is definitely one of our favorites and we never get tired of it! The nutritional yeast adds to the flavor and it also gives you a big punch of B vitamins. It's a win win if you ask me!

May God Bless!
Ashley

Homemade Chicken and Noodle Soup

If you ask my daughter what her favorite meal is at home, her answer will always be "your homemade chicken and noodle soup!" She loves it. I had never considered writing this recipe down before until her step mom asked me for the recipe recently. I've never really considered it a recipe because my mom taught me how to make it and she didn't use recipes. She just knew how to make things. Good things. 

So, here is the written version of my chicken and noodle soup:

Ingredients:

1 bag egg noodles, cooked al dente

1 rotisserie chicken, remove meat from bones and chop into chunks 

1 package celery, chopped

1 (2lb) bag of carrots, peeled and sliced 

2 medium onions, diced

2 tbs Better than Bouillon (chicken)

2 tbs dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste (optional, I only use a bit of pepper)

Dash of Zatarain's seasoning to taste (optional)

In large stock pot, combine celery, carrots, and onions. Fill pot three quarters of the way full of water. Heat on high heat until boiling, then boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for approximately 30 minutes, until carrots are cooked through. Add chicken, Bouillon, and seasonings. Add more water if necessary to cover ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cooked egg noodles and more water if necessary to cover egg noodles (taste the broth and adjust seasoning if necessary if adding more water). Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot. 

 

Hope you enjoy this as much as my daughter does!

May God Bless!

Ashley

Easy Snack Foods To Keep Handy

I believe that we tend to make better food choices when we have better options available to us. When making your grocery shopping list, don't just plan to buy foods that are intended for cooking meals. Think quick, easy snack options. Instead of having prepackaged snack foods on hand, have easily accessible whole food snack options. Spend a few minutes every week prepping some of these foods and you'll have plenty of options for the whole week!

Here are some of my favorites to keep on hand:

Bananas - you cannot go wrong here, especially if you have a jar of natural peanut butter on hand, super easy and delicious

Oranges - I like the little cutie oranges, easy to peel and very little mess

Apples - we like the Gala or Fuji apples for a little crisp and sweet snack

Grapes - I typically will rinse these and have one of my kids pick the grapes off the vine and leave them in a bowl in the fridge for a quick and accessible snack option

Strawberries - these just need rinsed, sliced up, and stored in the fridge for when you are craving something sweet

Celery sticks - dab some natural peanut butter on these and even the kids will eat them

Broccoli florets - dipped in some hummus, they taste half way decent

Cucumber slices - these are delicious dipped in an avocado lime ranch dip (see recipe Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing) 

Bell pepper slices - these are great dipped in guacamole (see recipe Guacamole)

Almonds - these are a power-packed snack food option that we unfortunately can't keep around because I am allergic to them. But, for those of you who are not, these are a great option.

Cashews - I read an article once that said that eating a handful of cashews a day is like taking an anti-depressant. True or not, these are one of my favorite snacks!

Peanuts - unless there is a peanut allergy in your household, these are a great (and cheap) snack option

Sunflower seeds - whether you buy them ready to eat or still in the shell, these are a great option that also taste great in a smoothie to add a little bit of a nutty flavor

These snacks require very little effort to prepare in advance and will stay fresh for most of the week so that you have a variety of options available. We all have some down time at some point in our week, take a little bit of time to plan in advance so that you have nutritious whole food snack options instead of prepackaged snacks that have very little nutritious value. 

May God Bless!

Ashley

Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted

Juice of one lime

1 tbs garlic salt

1 tbs onion powder

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tbs chives

Water as needed (approximately 3/4 cup)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend, adding water slowly until desired consistency has been reached.

Homemade "Refried" Beans and Guacamole

My Husband loves Mexican food; I'm pretty sure he would eat it every day if he could. Now that we are vegan, I have learned that I love it too as long as it isn't very spicy. But, who knew that many refried bean recipes have lard in them? The traditional refried beans in the can from the grocery store have lard, and even many Mexican restaurants put lard in their refried beans. So, I put together a lard- free recipe for refried beans that I can throw into the slow cooker. Whenever I want to earn brownie points, I whip up these refried beans to go along with one of his favorite Mexican dishes.

I also wrote down directions (I typically eye-ball the ingredient amounts so this is my best guess-timate!) for guacamole that my husband insists is the best guac he's ever had.

"Refried" Beans

• 2 lb bag of dry pinto beans
• 3 medium-large onions, chopped
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs salt
• 1 ½ tbs ground black pepper
• 3 tsp ground cumin

Soak beans overnight, drain and rinse well the next morning. 

Place beans, onion, garlic, and seasonings in slow cooker. Cover beans with water - you may need to add water to them as they cook to keep them covered. Cook on high for 8-9 hours. Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker, you want the beans to have that nice light brown color and be soft all the way through. 

Strain the liquid from the beans and set the liquid aside. Place half of the beans into a blender or food processor, blend until texture is smooth. Add 1-2 cups of reserved liquid and blend until well mixed. Pour beans into a bowl and set aside. 

Add the remaining half of the beans to the blender or food processor. Pulse a few times, beans should still be slightly chunky. Add 1-2 cups reserved liquid and pulse a couple of more times until well incorporated. Add to the bowl with first half of the beans, give a good stir until well mixed. 

This can be adjusted until desired texture or consistency is reached.

Serve beans hot. Beans freeze well in quart sized freezer bags. 

Guacamole

• 3 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced into small chunks 
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 3 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced (approximately 2 tsp)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. 

May God Bless!

Ashley

Muscle Recovery

Here we are a week into the new year and I've got some really sore muscles. I mean, sore enough that I wince every time I walk up the stairs or every time I lift my arms above my head. In fact, this morning, when I attempted to get out of bed, I got a charlie horse in one of my abdominal muscles. That woke me up faster than a pot of coffee ever could!

Even though sore muscles do cause some discomfort, I like knowing that my muscles are in the process of changing and becoming stronger. But, I also like to ease the discomfort as much as I can. Here are some ways that I like to do that.

1. Always warm up with some dynamic stretching before working out. You want to get the blood flowing to all your major muscle groups and you do that with active movement as you move through your stretches. This helps to ease the stiffness that you may be experiencing and you will find that your muscles tend to cooperate better during your workout when they are nice and warm and limber. 
2. After your workout, take time to cool off with a nice long stretch. This does not necessarily help ease muscle soreness later, but it does help with your flexibility and range of motion which can help protect you from an injury during exercise. 
3. Soak in hot water. Oh, this is my favorite way to ease muscle soreness! A tub full of hot water, half a cup of baking soda or Epsom salts, and your favorite essential oils (mine are peppermint and lavender) and you've got a recipe for soothing relief. I also like to stretch my muscles really well after soaking in the hot water because my muscles are really warm and it helps to ease a lot of the stiffness. 
4. Drink plenty of fluids. Lots and lots of water. Dehydration can lead to achy muscles.
5. Eat foods that are high in electrolytes. You lose a lot of electrolytes when you sweat (particularly sodium) and drinking water alone does not replace them. You need to not only think about protein in your recovery meals but also think electrolytes. I also like the body armor lyte drinks as an occasional treat after a long run, but, honestly, your best bet is to get your electrolytes from whole food sources.

Keep in mind that your sore muscles may last for a few days and that it's ok to continue working out while they are sore as long as you are warming up and stretching them appropriately and not over working them. And remember, think FUEL when choosing meals before and after your workouts. 

May God Bless!

Ashley

If you are experiencing pain that may be related to an injury and not just normal muscle soreness, do not try to push past the pain and continue to work out. Let your body heal so that you don't cause further injury, and seek medical advice from a physician if necessary. Listen to your body!

Your Mind: Your Most Powerful Tool

My mom often told us kids growing up "Stop saying can't! Can't is not a word! Tell yourself that you CAN! You CAN do anything you set your mind to!" Now according to the dictionary, "can't" technically IS a word. But her meaning was clear and it's something that has stayed with me my entire adult life. What you tell yourself is most likely what you are capable of.

What does that even mean? In the years that I've been a long distance runner, one thing has become very clear to me. The way that you talk to yourself before and during your work out sets the tone for how your body will respond while you are exercising. Did you know that? There have been times during my run, when I am pushing my son in the jogging stroller and running up a steep hill that I've literally had to chant out loud "I can do all things through Christ! I can do all things through Christ!" Let me tell you, those moments when I am telling myself "YOU CAN DO THIS! YOUR STRENGTH COMES FROM CHRIST!" are the times that I am the most exhausted, most ready to give up, and yet, the most successful. Why is that? Because, our minds, what we tell ourselves, is powerful. And I don't believe that this only applies to our work outs. I believe that this applies to every area of our life.

Try it sometime. Because you CAN do anything you set your mind to. You CAN succeed. You CAN.

May God Bless!
Ashley

 Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Immune Support

Baby, it's cold outside! It's that time of year...your immune sytem is taking a hit every which way you turn. Don't wait until you are sick to start loading up on Vitamin C, antioxidants, Zinc, and other immune boosting good stuff! You can give your immune system the support it needs in your daily diet so that if you DO get sick, your symptoms will be milder and your recovery time shorter.

I thought I would put together a list here of things that I have learned over time are great for the immune system. However, this list is NOT all-inclusive and I have learned that balance and variety is key in helping your body function at it's very best!

Foods:
Red Bell Pepper (who knew, but it's very high in Vit C)
Citrus Fruits (grapefruit, oranges, lemons etc)
Broccoli
Spinach (and other dark leafy greens)
Sweet Potatoes (high in Vit A which is great for your mucous membranes)
Papaya
Kiwi
Green Tea/Black Tea
Goji Berries
Wild Blueberries
Strawberries
Dark Chocolate (can I get an amen?)
Cranberries
Elderberries
Artichoke
Kidney Beans
Amonds
Pecans
Sunflower Seeds
Garlic
Ginger
Turmeric
Clove
Cinnamon
Oregano

Again, this list is not all-inclusive but it is a good reference point. Give your body it's best chance at staying healthy this winter by arming yourself with the best nutrition that you possibly can!

May God Bless!
Ashley

Are you full of hot air?

Yes, high-fiber foods are good for you. But, oh my, can they cause uncomfortable gas and bloating! Early on in our healthy-living journey, incorporating high fiber foods often left us feeling pretty "torn up" as I like to call it. The intestinal distress we experienced could be felt, heard, and smelt in all corners of our home. As my husband and I continued on in our healthy-living journey, our bodies began to gradually adjust to the increase of fiber. But, then a few months ago, we adopted a plant-based, whole food diet, otherwise known as a vegan diet. After being on this diet for about a week, I realized that I was going to have to do some research on how to eat such a high fiber diet without the intense intestinal distress that we were experiencing. 

My guess is that it is common knowledge to most that fiber-rich foods are very good for you. They are nutrient dense and also help our bowels to operate in a regular manner. But, my next best guess is that most Americans don't eat enough fiber. And for those of you who are attempting to amp up your diet in the new year by adding in more fiber are probably going to wind up wanting to back off on the fiber once you begin to experience the discomfort that inevitably will follow. But, don't give up on a high fiber diet just yet! There is hope.

I have found varying opinions and articles posted online about the reasons and solutions for the unpleasant symptoms that we were experiencing. The research that I have done and my own experience with a fiber rich diet have left me with the following conclusion: due to the general lack of fiber in the average person's diet, the bacteria colony in the gut is not equipped to handle the increase in fiber. But, as you increase the fiber in your diet, the bacteria colony in your gut will eventually adapt and change but this may take several weeks for some people. So, in the meantime, here are some things to ease the gas and bloating that really helped us. 

1. Eat smaller meals. This helps alleviate some of the bloating and feelings of "fullness." The first couple of weeks of our plant-based diet, I was unable to eat more than a few bites of food before feeling like I was too full.
2. Drink plenty of water. This helps your bowels to keep things moving which will greatly ease some of the distress.
3. Take a daily probiotic. This GREATLY helped us; in fact, I experienced relief within the first two days of taking it! Once your body has adapted to your increase in fiber, you may even be able to stop taking the probiotic after a month or so.
4. When cooking beans - soak them in water overnight, then drain off the water and rinse them well before cooking. This helps to get rid of some of the starch which is what causes all that gassiness in the first place.
5. Avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, and some teas as they can act as stimulants to your intestines and can exacerbate your feelings of discomfort.
6. Try incorporating more problematic fibers such as beans and raw veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc) slowly and gradually. Your body will more than likely adapt but may take a few weeks. 

Give your body plenty of time to adapt and don't give up! Your body will thank you later for those nutrient-packed foods! I also read somewhere once that granny smith apples are great for your gut bacteria - food for thought! 

May God Bless!

Ashley