Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

If you like split pea soup, you will love this easy red lentil soup which can be made faster than split pea, and is also very economical. There is no need to blend it, as it will become this consistency while cooking.

It is very popular in most Middle Eastern countries and some say it dates back to Biblical times when Esau made a red lentil soup (porridge) for his father Jacob. 

It is nutritious, packed with fiber and lots of phytonutrients.  We enjoy it over some fragrant Basmati Rice and usually eat it with a hearty salad.

Red lentils are sold in the supermarket or in Indian, Middle Eastern, or in Spanish ethnic stores. These lentils taste very different than the common brown lentil, and cooked they have a consistency of split peas. Also, the red/orange color will turn golden yellow while cooking.

Red lentils are low in fat, high in protein, and provide many vitamins and minerals including natural iron, making red lentils a really healthy choice for everyone.

If you are looking for something a little different, try this healthy ethnic favorite which is natrually gluten free and vegan.

                          

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups red lentils, washed well ( available in most health food stores too)
2 large carrots , sliced
4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin, salt and pepper to taste
8 cups water
                                                                                                                                         

METHOD:
Cover cleaned lentils with 8 cups of water. Add garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are soft and carrots are cooked. Add salt, pepper, and cumin  and simmer for 5 more minutes. Add 1/4 cup or more of water if soup is too thick ( soup will thicken up as it sits)

link will be shared on: http://naturalmothersnetwork.com/



Friday Potluck ;Family Friendly Fridays ;Simply Sweet Home Friday’s Favorites ;Food on Fridays ;Foodie Friday  Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap ;Creation Corner, Friday’s Link Party ;Feature Yourself Friday ;Sweets This Week Friday ;Simply Delish ; ;It’s a Hodgepodge Friday  Fight Back Friday, Freaky Friday,  Frugal Friday, Wellness Weekend, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop,   Fight Back Fridays Thankful for Food   Frugal Friday @ Shabby Nest Foodie Friday @ Speckled Dog  Friday Jennifer Cooks' Fusion Friday  Fantabulous Friday  Friday Food, Allergy-Friendly Friday  Sunday Night Soup Night  Seasonal Celebration Sunday Seasonal Celebration Sunday  Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper,

My Meatless Mondays ;Mouthwatering Mondays ; Homemaker Mondays ; Midnight Maniac Meatless  ;  Monday Mania ; Melt in Your Mouth Mondays ; Made By You Mondays ; Made With Love Mondays ; Happy Homemaker Mondays ; Make a Food-e Friend Monday ; Menu Mondays ; Mangia Mondays; ; Motivate Me Mondays; ; Made It Monday; Making Your Home Sing Monday; Making Monday Marvelous Day; Making the World Cuter Monday; Amaze Me Mondays; Muffin Monday; Motivated Mondays ; Homestead Barn Hop ; Make Your Own Mondays ; A Marvelous Monday ; Savvy Homemade Monday  Just another Meatless Monday, ,   Meet Me Monday  Mix it up Monday Must Try Monday
These are new to me:

Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday

Green Backs' Meatless Monday

Veggie Mama's Meatless Monday

Flour Me With Love's Mix it Up Monday

Melt in Your Mouth Monday

On the Menu Monday

Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ;  Made From Scratch Tuesday;  Naptime Creations Tasty Tuesday Link Party; Show Me What You Got  ; Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie  ; Tuesday To Do List; Tuesday Time Out Inspiration Party; ; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; Tea Party Tuesday; Tuesday Confessional; Topsy Turvy Tuesday;  Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training ; Tutorial Tuesday ; Tuesday Time Out ; Domestically Divine Tuesday ; Take a Look Tuesday ; Terrific Under $10 Tuesdays ; Hearth and Soul Hop ; Frugal Tuesday Tip  Tuesday ;  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday Traditional Tuesdays,  Fat Tuesday  Allergy Friendly lunchbox  Jennifer Cooks, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Jo's Health Corner, Allergy Free Vintage Cookery, Fitness Friday, Whipperberry, Food Renegade, Natural Mother's Network, Butter Believer, A Well Seasoned Life, Six Sister's Stuff, The Sweet Details  Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits.

Wednesday
 Works For Me Wednesday; Real Food Wednesday; Whatever Goes Wednesday; What’s On the Menu Wednesday; We Did It Wednesday; Penny Pinching Party; Friendly Wednesday; Passionately Artistic; Show Off Your Stuff; What I Whipped up Wednesday;  This Chick Cooks; Your Whims Wednesday; Show and Tell Linking Party Wednesday; Wow Me Wednesdays; Wild Wednesday Hop; Show and Share; Wow Me Wednesday; Sweet Tempatations; ; Success U-Wednesday Link-up ; The Mommy Club ; Create and Share ; Workshop Wednesday ;   Foodie Wednesday      Living Well Wednesday  Ducks in a Row  Frugal Ways, Sustainable Days   Gluten Free Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday,  What's on the Menu Wednesday, Welcome Wednesday,  Gluten Free Pantry  Beyond the Peel  Healthy2day Wed 

 Creative Juice Thursday;  Full Plate Thursday; It’s A Keeper Thursday; What’s Cooking Thursday; Making It with Allie Thursdays; Frugal Follies Thursday;  Bake with Bizzy; Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Link Party; Share Your Awesomeness Thursdays; It’s a Blog Party;  Pennywise Platter Thursday, Full Plate Thursday  Simple Lives Thursday,  Thursday Ultimate Recipe Swap, Tastastic   Katherine's Corner


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Guest Blogger- Angela Cring -Relax, Heal, Repair

This past December, we vacationed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for two weeks to relax and get away from stress.The hotel that we were staying at offered a free massage and spa hour to their guests.
It sounded like so much fun that my husband, sister in law, brother in law, and myself all signed up.

                                                 
It was there that I met Angela Cring.
Angela is a charismatic and talented individual who delighted us with an hour of stress release ideas and relaxation techniques. When the session ended we all agreed that Angela had  " magical hands and great ideas, and we were all really really relaxed and happy!
I also bought a wonderful aromatherapy detox product from her that I used in the bath that I really loved!

Angelia is my guest blogger today. She is sharing 3 very simple ideas that you can do start to do immediately to help you relax and boost your energy. I like the tips because in just 5 minutes anyone can incorporate these simple ideas into their daily routine and the benefits of daily practice may be huge!

Angela is a professional who is committed to teaching individuals to relax, destress, and make spa ideas part of their daily routine. After a successful career working for non-profit music and arts organizations in Nashville, Tennessee, she decided she wanted a career that would give her more time and flexibility to be with her daughters and not have to choose daycare.

"Beauticontrol has allowed me the opportunity to help women get that much needed relaxation they so desperately need. I love teaching women how to relax and de-stress, to work spa in to their daily hectic schedules, and have a makeup routine that is simple and helps them feel beautiful." She is married and lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fl with her husband and two daughters, Isabella and Lily.


Here's Angela:

If you just take 5 minutes out of your day - an hour out of your week, you can make a huge difference in your mental state and reaction to the stress around you. 

Did you know that 90 % of all diseases are stress related?  

We all have stress, but it all comes down to how you respond to it.

I want to talk about getting healthier mentally by addressing stress naturally. 

Here are some simple tips that you can add into your daily routine that can bring peace of mind and mental sharpness in your day. Instead of instantly checking your phone or rushing to read email first thing when you wake up, take just one moment to set the tone of your day with breath. 

Breath:

Start your day with 3 deep breaths.

 When we are busy, we take very shallow breaths and don't get enough of that much needed, rich mixture of oxygen that helps your body to relax, to heal, and repair itself. 

To relax, heal, and repair:

Breath deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth to the count of 5.

When you take three deep breaths in row,it will also bring down your blood pressure. 

Make relaxation convenient 

 Keep a basket of all of your spa treatments and skincare products in a place that is visible and easily accessible. Most at-home spa treatments contain essential oils that send signals to the brain to relax and lift your mood.If you put them under the counter, they will never get used, pull them out and get them on your body.

If you need a little pick me up from the afternoon doldrums or feel like your brain is not clicking, skip the snack or energy drinks and go natural:

 Give yourself a natural energy boost

Bend over at the waist and reach toward your toes with both arms, stare at the floor and hold for 30 seconds, take 3 deep breaths and slowly come back up. This will increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain and give you that boost you need to get through the day.

If you have any simple techniques that you do daily that help you relax, share them in the comments so we can all benefit!

Angela Cring is an Executive director with Beauticontrol Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with 10 years of experience in the spa and personal image idustry. Beauticontrol Spa is a Mobile SPA business offering fully customized skin care for adults and teens. She brings clinical strength Spa and skincare products to you, for a fraction of what you would pay in a day spa. BeautiControl does not test on animals. Skincare is gluten free and parabin free.


http://www.beautipage.com/angy  
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Post note from Judee: One of the things that really appealed to me about  Anglela's skincare and spa products was that they were both gluten free and paraben free.   I have known for a long time that paraben, which is found in most other lotions, creams, skin care products, make up etc. is not good for you. Angela's products are paraben free.


Why should you avoid paraben?



Paraben is a preservative that has a chemical makeup similar to estrogen. When it is absorbed into the sytem it can affect you like estrogen affecting your mood, cause bloating, weight gain, cysts, etc. When used daily, paraben may be affecting you because what you put onto your skin is absorbed into your body.
Check your labels of the cosmetics you purchase and avoid paraben if you can.
http://www.beautipage.com/angy  


This link will be shared on the following blog carnivals:
 Creative Juice Thursday;  Full Plate Thursday; It’s A Keeper Thursday; What’s Cooking Thursday; Making It with Allie Thursdays; Frugal Follies Thursday;  Share Your Awesomeness Thursdays; It’s a Blog Party;  , Full Plate Thursday  Simple Lives Thursday,  Thursday Ultimate Recipe Swap, Tastastic    Katherine's Corner
Friday
Friday Potluck  ;Simply Sweet Home Friday’s Favorites ;Food on Fridays ;Foodie Friday  ;Creation Corner, Friday’s Link Party ;Feature Yourself Friday ;Sweets This Week Friday ;Simply Delish ; ;It’s a Hodgepodge Friday  Fight Back Friday, Freaky Friday,  Frugal Friday, Wellness Weekend, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop,   Fight Back Fridays Thankful for Food   Frugal Friday  Friday Food, Allergy-Friendly Friday   Seaonal Sunday

 Savory Sundays; Every Day Sisters Sharing Sundays; Your Recipe, My Kitchen Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper,  Sunday Night Soup Nighthttp      ://www.day2dayjoys.com/

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Pizza for Passover ( Grain Free)

                                   
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This pizza is perfect for Passover ( or anytime) because it is grain free.  It's light and crispy,  low in carbs,  and easy to make. It is delicious any time of the year, but is especially perfect for Passover.
Askenazi Jews ( those from Eastern European backgrounds as opposed to Jews from Middle Eastern backgrounds) do not eat rice or any flour with leavening during Passover. But they can eat  "riced cauliflower" which looks and behaves like rice in most recipes but is a vegetable.

Because this crust is made with raw cauliflower ( don't stop reading)  and then baked, it makes a perfect Passover dish. It's hard to believe because it doesn't taste like cauliflower. My husband loved it and thought it was made with rice . It makes a wonderful light dinner and doesn't leave us bloated or stuffed . I topped mine with sliced fresh tomatoes and herbs, but you could also put tomato sauce, additional cheese, and any toppings you like. If you do make it with tomato sauce, cook your crust first till cristpy; then add sauce and cheese and heat to melt cheese.  Eat it with a simple salad and or a cup of soup.



Break  Raw Cauliflower into Flowerettes



Place in processor with metal blade;Process on /off about 3 times quickly ( don't over do)



Will look like this when done

     


Mix Riced Cauliflower with eggs and cheese and seasoning.

               



Press into spring form pan as a crust ( or any pan) tomatoes optional

                  

Bake in a preheated oven at 475 for about 10 minutes or until crispy

Top with cherry tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms , or sauce and any topping of choice.

  Ingredients:
 1 small head of cauliflower, riced in the processor
 2 eggs, beaten
 1 cup shredded parmesan or any shredded cheese
 Rosemary,basil, salt, cracked pepper, etc.
Directions:
Mix "riced" cauliflower, eggs, cheese and seasoning.
Press into a spring form pan as a crust;
(should have enough to make two crusts.)
Heat in a preheated oven at 475 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully depends on your oven.


Other Real Food Recipes that can be made at Passover
Mexican Guacamole
     


I will be linking this recipe on the following blog carnivals:
Katherine's Corner
Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ;  Made From Scratch Tuesday;  Naptime Creations Tasty Tuesday Link Party; Show Me What You Got  ; Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie  ; Tuesday To Do List; Tuesday Time Out Inspiration Party; ; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; Tea Party Tuesday; Tuesday Confessional; Topsy Turvy Tuesday;  Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training ; Tutorial Tuesday ; Tuesday Time Out ; Domestically Divine Tuesday ; Take a Look Tuesday ; Terrific Under $10 Tuesdays ; Hearth and Soul Hop ; Frugal Tuesday Tip  Tuesday ;  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday Traditional Tuesdays,  Fat Tuesday  Allergy Friendly lunchbox  Jennifer Cooks, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Jo's Health Corner, Allergy Free Vintage Cookery, Fitness Friday, Whipperberry, Food Renegade, Natural Mother's Network, Butter Believer, A Well Seasoned Life, Six Sister's Stuff, The Sweet Details  Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits. Works For Me Wednesday; Real Food Wednesday Thursday
Creative Juice Thursday;  Full Plate Thursday; It’s A Keeper Thursday; What’s Cooking Thursday; ;Frugal Follies Thursday;  Bake with Bizzy;   Pennywise Platter Thursday, Full Plate Thursday  Simple Lives Thursday,  Tastastic  Friday
Friday Potluck ;Family Friendly Fridays ;Simply Sweet Home Friday’s Favorites ;Food on Fridays ;Foodie Friday  Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap ;Creation Corner, Friday’s Link Party ;Feature Yourself Friday ;Sweets This Week Friday ;Simply Delish ; ;It’s a Hodgepodge Friday  Fight Back Friday, Freaky My Meatless Mondays ;Mouthwatering Mondays ; Homemaker Mondays ; Midnight Maniac Meatless  ;  Monday Mania ; Melt in Your Mouth Mondays ; Made By You Mondays ; Made With Love Mondays ; Happy Homemaker Mondays ;; Menu Mondays ; Mangia Mondays; ; Motivate Me Mondays; Made It Monday; Making Your Home Sing Monday; Making Monday Marvelous Day; Making the World Cuter Monday; Amaze Me Mondays; Muffin Monday; Motivated Mondays ; Homestead Barn Hop ; Make Your Own Mondays ; A Marvelous Monday ; Savvy Homemade Monday  Just another Meatless Monday, ,  Healthy Recipes and Healthy Living  
Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. I read each and every comment and it makes my day! Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Fabulous Finds #7

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Fabulous Find #1

Need to serve ice cream to a group of kids at a birthday party or any family celebration ? This is a fabulous idea from Real Simple

Click to find out the details.. works great! 

                                         
                                                     Photo property of Real Simple

Fabulous Find #2

What a great idea! Got a bad cold? Keep germs from spreading.

Keep this handy idea by the bed, in the car, or on your desk at work, if you have a cold.

I found this fabulous tissue and trash idea ( and photo) at  Meck Mom

Photo from Meck Mom





Fabulous Find #3
How to peel a full head of garlic in 10 seconds. You gotta see this one. I really works and I use it all the time now.This truly a fabulous idea is from ( and photo) from The Kitchn 
                                                                                  Photo property of The Kitchn 

      Photo property of The Grocery Cart Challenge
Fabulous Find #4
Burned Something?
Gayle at The Grocery Cart Challenge has an
Odor Be Gone Formula ( all natural) that works  great to 
clear out burned odor Gotta read it..
                         


Fabulous Find #5 is quite a time saver and avoids the mess! This fabulous find comes from a helpful decorating site called In my own style

Photo property of In My Own Style



Fabulous Find #6
Leftover coffee. tea, lemonade, etc. ? Make ice cubes! The  next time you make iced coffe or iced tea or lemonade, you have the perfect cubes.
This fabulous find came from a blog called Hither and Thither
visit the blog for other great ideas.
            Photo property of Hither and Tither
 


I will be linking this post ont he following blog carnivals:

Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ;  Made From Scratch Tuesday;  Naptime Creations Tasty Tuesday Link Party; Show Me What You Got  ; Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie  ; Tuesday To Do List; Tuesday Time Out Inspiration Party; ; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; Tea Party Tuesday; Tuesday Confessional; Topsy Turvy Tuesday;  Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training ; Tutorial Tuesday ; Tuesday Time Out ; Domestically Divine Tuesday ; Take a Look Tuesday ; Terrific Under $10 Tuesdays ; Hearth and Soul Hop ; Frugal Tuesday Tip  Tuesday ;  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday Traditional Tuesdays,  Fat Tuesday  Allergy Friendly lunchbox  Jennifer Cooks, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Jo's Health Corner, Allergy Free Vintage Cookery, Fitness Friday, Whipperberry, Food Renegade, Natural Mother's Network, Butter Believer, A Well Seasoned Life, Six Sister's Stuff, The Sweet Details  Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits.


My Meatless Mondays ;Mouthwatering Mondays ; Homemaker Mondays ; Midnight Maniac Meatless  ;  Monday Mania ; Melt in Your Mouth Mondays ; Made By You Mondays ; Made With Love Mondays ; Happy Homemaker Mondays ; Make a Food-e Friend Monday ; Menu Mondays ; Mangia Mondays; ; Motivate Me Mondays; ; Made It Monday; Making Your Home Sing Monday; Making Monday Marvelous Day; Making the World Cuter Monday; Amaze Me Mondays; Muffin Monday; Motivated Mondays ; Homestead Barn Hop ; Make Your Own Mondays ; A Marvelous Monday ; Savvy Homemade Monday  Just another Meatless Monday, ,  Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper,  Meet Me Monday  Mix it up Monday Must Try Monday


Creative Juice Thursday;  Full Plate Thursday; It’s A Keeper Thursday; What’s Cooking Thursday; Making It with Allie Thursdays; Frugal Follies Thursday;  Bake with Bizzy; Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Link Party; Share Your Awesomeness Thursdays; It’s a Blog Party;  Pennywise Platter Thursday, Full Plate Thursday  Simple Lives Thursday,  Tastastic  

Friday
Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. I read each and every comment and it makes my day.  Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.