Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup

Chilled soup really hit the spot in this 90 + degree weather!


Yesterday, I made my easiest ever Carrot Ginger Soup  and then chilled it for dinner. The soup is vegan ( and fine that way,  but I  topped it with some Greek plain yogurt and some cumin for additional flavor and protein. Simple, but perfect on a  hot humid evening.

It's not a new recipe , but the picture looked so pretty I wanted to share it. 


Do you ever think of eating your soups chilled ?  What kind of chilled soup do you make? Sweet or Savory?

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Will be linked to the following Blog carnivals: 
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Monday

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Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; ; Take a Look Tuesday ; Terrific Under $10 Tuesdays ; Hearth and Soul Hop ; Frugal Tuesday Tip  Tuesday ;  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday  Fat Tuesday  

Wednesday

 Works For Me Wednesday; Real Food Wednesday; Whatever Goes Wednesday; We Did It Wednesday  What I Whipped up Wednesday;  This Chick Cooks; Your Whims Wednesday;; Wow Me Wednesdays; Wild Wednesday Hop; Show and Share;  Sweet Tempatations; ; Success U-Wednesday Link-up ;; Create and Share ; Workshop Wednesday ;  Ducks in a Row  Frugal Ways, Sustainable Days   Gluten Free Wednesday,, Welcome Wednesday,  Gluten Free Pantry  Beyond the Peel  Healthy2day    Wed Simple Living Wednesday    My Pick Of The Week  Homestead Revival, Whole Lifestyle Recipe Swap The recipe box is a new linky at Bizzybakes

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Gluten Free Snacks on WW

             “If You Keep Good Food In Your Fridge, You Will Eat Good Food” ~Errick McAdams”

                                   


Healthy gluten free snacks are easy when you think ahead!  I like to eat well and be conscious of my weight  I  realize that I need to have some healthy and easy snacks ready on the spot. I call them my  healthy " grab and go "  snacks.


                              
My "Grab and Go" snacks need to be quick and available for me when I am hungry,  tired, or in a hurry.
It must be something healthy, low calorie ( of course gluten free) and easy to eat with minimal cooking that I can just see and grab.


The other day I was visiting The Positive Pear, a gluten free website for keeping healthy, happy and fit.
That is where I saw the the quote:
“If You Keep Good Food In Your Fridge, You Will Eat Good Food” ~Errick McAdams”

It is so true. You need to keep good food in the fridge to eat good food! My motto is " Be Prepared". When I'm not prepared I am NOT at the mercy of foods that are way too caloric or not healthy choices.

I take some of my" Grab and Go" snacks to work or anytime I leave the house , just to make sure I stay on track for healthy eating. Otherwise I may go to things that I really don't want to eat because they are available and I'm tired or very hungry.

Here is my basic list:

Grab and Go snack #1   

 WW cheese stick and grape tomatoes    1 point plus total)

Simple, easy to grab or transport, and satisfying. I take this to work daily.
The Weight Watchers brand mozzarella cheese stick  is very tasty and only one points plus per stick!

Grab and Go snack #2 

Hard Boiled Eggs  ( 2 points plus each)

Hard Boiled Eggs
I either make my own in advance or if  really pressed for time , I  buy a bag of Eggland's Best Hard boiled or Trader Joe cage free brand. They run about $2.59 for 6 hb eggs and are worth the convenience if you pressed for time.
If I need a snack , the egg is ready to eat and satisfying. It transports to work or shopping too.

Grab and Go snack #3 

Quick Soup Purees I keep in a Container in the refrigerator ( zero PP)

Zero point plus soups. I make these on Sunday. They are very quick and easy to make and they are filling. I cook a vegetable, some spices, and puree in the blender.
I eat them when I want something satisfying or just want something hot. I put different spices in them and sometimes put some Greek yogurt in them.
I do the same thing for each of these soups. I boil the veggies, put in the blender and eat.
I keep a container of soup in the fridge ready to eat when I need something quick.




Very fast and easy Carrot Ginger Soup 

Grab and Go snack #4 

Cut Up Fresh Fruit  (zero points plus)

Fresh Fruit- I make sure I buy enough for the week. I buy navel oranges, grapefruit, melon, organic apples, or I cut up watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew in containers in the refrigerator.




Grab and Go snack # 5-


Plain Greek Yogurt 3 points plus



Greek yogurt is rich and creamy, yet low in fat and calories. It's a great "grab and go  " snack when I need a fill in. I like the Chobani plain Non fat . A container is 3 points plus
I will eat it plain, but you could add some berries.


Of course I always keep raw or roasted veggies that I made in advance in the refrige ( I make them twice a week) are a nice addition to any of these Grab and Go snacks.

 My post will be shared on the following blog hops which share lots of other great recipes that you might enjoy:
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,  Simple Lives Thursday,  Thursday Ultimate Recipe Swap, Tastastic   Katherine's Corner

I Gotta Create

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Should You Be Eating Cauliflower ?

                  
Cauliflower is low in carbohydrates and calories. When nutritionists say, "don't eat anything white", they are certainly not talking about cauliflower. I make pizza, mock potato salad, mock rice, mock rice risotto, mock mashed potatoes and more all from cauliflower and most of the recipes taste so good, you never know they are made from this vegetable. In addition, cauliflower is very healthy and should be part of your diet.

Here are three good reasons you should be eating this white versatile vegetable.

• First of all, it is a healthy crucerferous vegetable which provides lots of antioxidants thought to protect against diseases like cancer and help build a strong immune system.
• Second, it is low in fat, calories, and carbs making it a perfect diet food.
• Third, it tastes great ( these recipes are amazing) and can take the place of starchy potatoes or rice in many interesting recipes that appeal to adults and children alike.

Over the past year, I have been collecting cauliflower recipes. It's amazing how versatile this vegetable can be. The recipes that I am going to share are all gluten free and vegetarian which is perfect if you are looking for more meatless meals. I am always amazed at how good each of the recipes turns out ( They never really taste like cauliflower)

The possibilities for low calorie or low carb recipes using cauliflower are endless and delicious..
You can rice it, roast it, mash it, devil it, make it into a crust or a fabulous risotto.

Cauliflower Rice :
Use cauliflower instead of rice for a great side dish that can be made lo carb or low calorie
It is so simple to make and it actually has the texture of rice.
Use 1 head of cauliflower, cut it into flowerettes.
Place in the food processor. Zip on off on off on off about three times and it will look like rice.
It's hard to believe it really works!

Cauliflower Rice 

To cook it for low carb rice:
Steam rice for 5 minutes until soft. Add butter , salt and pepper

To cook it for Low calorie rice:
Steam rice for 5 minutes until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe #1: The most basic

• Roasted Cauliflower is one of my favorite recipes and by far is the simplest to make.Roasting brings out the best  flavor in any vegetable, and cauliflower is no exception

Before roasting I put these in a large zip loc bag with seasoning, ( oil if desired) and shake the bag to distribute the seasoning. If you want to keep it lower calorie, omit the oil in the bag and just spray with oil spray before roasting
.. will really crisp up when roasting. Bake at 450 degrees.
Put these on the bottom shelf so they don't burn and check after about 1/2 hour.

• Cauliflower crusted pizza

• Riced Cauliflower Risotto ( creamy and delicious) 

Mock Mashed Potato Type Cauliflower; 

This is very easy and tasty too. 

Steam the cauliflower flowerettes until tender, remove from steamer and mash with butter and a little cream or coconut milk. Serve for a low carb version of mashed potatoes.

• Mock Cauliflower Potato style Salad  

 My post will be shared on the following blog hops which share lots of other great recipes that you might enjoy:
My Meatless Mondays ;Mouthwatering Monday; Midnight Maniac Meatless  ;  Monday Mania ; Mangia Mondays; ; Motivate Me Mondays; ;Homestead Barn Hop ; Make Your Own Mondays  Just another Meatless Monday,  Meet Me Monday  Mix it up Monday  Green Backs' Meatless Monday Veggie Mama's Meatless Monday On the Menu Monday In the Gumbo Monday   
Yummy  Inspriations Breakfast   Mealtime Monday 

Tuesday
Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ;  Naptime Creations Tasty Tuesday Link Party; Show Me What You Got  ; Anti-Procrastination 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 

Wednesday
 Works For Me Wednesday; Real Food Wednesday; Whatever Goes Wednesday; We Did It Wednesday; Penny Pinching Party;  Passionately Artistic;  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;  Sweet Tempatations; ; Success U-Wednesday Link-up ;; Create and Share ; Workshop Wednesday ;  Ducks in a Row  Frugal Ways, Sustainable Days   Gluten Free Wednesday,, Welcome Wednesday,  Gluten Free Pantry  Beyond the Peel  Healthy2day    Wed Simple Living Wednesday    My Pick Of The Week  Homestead Revival, Whole Lifestyle Recipe Swap The recipe box is new see below.

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,  Simple Lives Thursday,  Thursday Ultimate Recipe Swap, Tastastic   Katherine's Corner

I Gotta Create

 Simply Sweet Home Friday’s Favorites ;Food on Fridays ;Foodie Friday  Diane's 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   Frugal Friday,   Fight Back Fridays Thankful for Food   Shabby Nest  Speckled Dog   Fantabulous Friday  Friday Food, Allergy-Friendly Frida, Natural Mother's Network, Butter Believer, A Well Seasoned Life, Six Sister's Stuff, The Sweet Details) Katherine Martinelli, Fitness Friday,  Sugar Bananas  My Romantic Home  Iron Violet Designs    Home Is Where My Story Begins  Food Friday   Real Food Freaks,


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Easiest way to cook Spaghetti Squash

I found the easiest way to cook spaghetti squash.
I am totally  into eating spaghetti squash, but it hasn't always been that way.

The first time I made spaghetti squash was twenty years ago, and I absolutely hated it  didn't like it!
It was really hard to cut, it was really messy to clean, I didn't care for the taste because I way overcooked it and it was mushy.
Truthfully, I never ate it again until a few weeks ago.

.

 I re-considered making it after my daughter- in- law, Wendy, started talking about it.
She said she had been making spaghetti squash as a substitute for real pasta in her quest to lose weight. She said that she really loved it, and a cup of spaghetti squash has only 35 calories and provides fiber ( vitamins & minerals) as well. It can easily be eaten in any recipe in place of any pasta.

Wendy and I like a lot of the same foods, so I thought I would give it one more try.

 I went to the grocery store and bought a small spaghetti squash. I brought it home and was determined to find an easy way to cook it.. After talking to a few friends, I got their difficult method ( my old method)

• cut length wise in half
•  scoop out the seeds ( which are really entwined in the squash)
•  place in a baking dish face down in pan with a some water and bake
• I said,

 " NO WAY!!! I refuse to cut the squash before cooking because it is hard as a rock and that is not easy!

Here is the easiest way to cook spaghetti squash:

• wash the outside of the squash well and pierce with a fork a few times
•  place it on a cookie sheet 
•  bake at 475 degrees for about 35- 40 minutes 
• When done, you have to take it out immediately and cut half down the middle to release the steam ( so it doesn't keep cooking and become to soft) .
• There will be some seeds that you need to remove ( easier now)
•  Once you remove the seeds, take a fork and begin to pull down the strands from the sides of the squash until you have a large bowl of what looks like yellow spaghetti.

I buy a small squash because it has less seeds.

Truthfully,when I made it this time,  it was love at first bite.

This interesting unusual vegetable  automatically created itself into hundreds of spaghetti like strands and  was absolutely delicious . With a little stretch of the imagination , it is a great subsitute for  regular spaghetti. And of course is low calorie, healthy, and gluten free.

The secret is to eat it as you would spagehtti with a great marinara sauce or a basil pesto.
Personally, I used a vegetable green sauce that I whizzed up in my Vitamix ( or any strong blender) that had very few calories ( because I cut back on the oil) and lots of rich flavor.  I call it Presto ( not pesto) Vegetable Sauce

Spaghetti squash is a dieters best friend .

I will be linking this recipe to the following blog carnivals including a brand new one " Recipe Box Linky"

Garlic and Herb Roasted Tomatoes

I love any kind of roasted vegetables, but the recipe that I made today, garlic and herb roasted tomatoes, is exceptional.

Roasted tomatoes by themselves are fabulous; roasted garlic by itself is delicious, but tomatoes slowly roasted together with fresh garlic, freshly snipped oregano, and fresh basil is sensational and olive oil.

I found today's recipe for slow roasted garlic tomatoes on a great blog called, Mostly Food and Crafts which is my Secret Recipe Club partner for this month of June! Being a gluten free vegetarian blogger sometimes makes it challenging for me to find a recipe on my assigned blog. However, on  Mostly Food and Crafts,  I found lots of recipes to choose from and many other recipes that I'd like to try at another time; Baked Polenta and Mozzerella , Roasted Chickpeas and Cauliflower, Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese , Mango Guacamole... I could go on and on!!  I truly enjoyed looking through the recipes and all the wonderful photos. It's a blog I definitely will be following.

Each month I always say that I love the Secret Recipe Club because it gives me and my readers a chance to meet another blogger who has wonderful recipes.

I selected the roasted tomato recipe because the recipe called for fresh oregano and fresh basil. Both of which were growing on my deck in pots. Since my plants were ready to be harvested, I became very excited.

 On the right is a variety of basil call Thai Basil, in the center is another unusual variety ( forgot the name) and on the left is  hearty oregano.

Ingredients and Instructions from Mostly Food and Craft's site

 

What you need:

1 pint or 6-8 handfuls cherry tomatoes

1 head of garlic

2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2-3 splashes olive oil

What you do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut a small slit n the top of each tomato.

Fill a small cast iron skillet with the tomatoes, slit side up.

Separate the  head of  garlic cloves and cut the cloves to fit and insert into the slits on top of the tomatoes.

Sprinkle the herbs and spices on top and then drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes.

Roast the tomatoes for 35 minutes then remove from oven. Press the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to release some of the juices. Stir a little to combine.

Return the pan to the oven and roast for another hour. 

Press tomatoes again to crush the roasted garlic and mix well.

Serve and enjoy!

** My adanptions:
 I didn't have a cast iron skillet, so I used a stainless steel skillet. Before I put the tomatoes back in the second time, I added some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Because I don't like things hot, I left out the red pepper


This recipe calls for an entire bulb of garlic peeled . See my post for how to peel the whole head in 1 minute.
                                                click here:  Peel an entire bulb of garlic in 30 seconds

Gather Ingredients

Slit the cherry  tomato and placed a piece of garlic inside


After I roasted the tomatoes, I used them for the topping on my cauliflower crusted low carb pizza.

                                
                                     Cooked cauliflower crusted pizza  without the roasted tomatoes

Roasted tomatoes on cauliflower crust before cooking 

My husband ate the tomato and garlic  as a side with some fried eggs, or you could eat them with humus, on top of rice, or with any vegetables. 

Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.Shared on the following blog carnivals:

My Meatless Mondays ;Mouthwatering Mondays  ;  Monday Mania  ; Mangia Mondays;;Homestead Barn Hop  Just another Meatless Monday,    Mix it up Monday   Making you crave Mondays Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday Green Backs' Meatless Monday Veggie Mama's Meatless Monday  In the Gumbo Mond Tasty Tuesdays; Tempt My Tummy Tuesday; Show Me What You Got ; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; ; Terrific Under $10 Tuesdays ; Hearth and Soul Hop ; Frugal Tuesday Tip ;  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday  Fat Tuesday  

Wednesday
 Works For Me Wednesday; Real Food Wednesday;;  This Chick Cooks;  ; Success U-Wednesday Link-up   Ducks in a Row  Frugal Ways, Sustainable Days   Gluten Free Wednesday,, Welcome Wednesday,  Gluten Free Pantry  Beyond the Peel  Healthy2day    Wed Simple Living Wednesday    My Pick Of The Week  Homestead Revival,  The recipe box is new see below. Recipe Box 



Creative Juice Thursday;  Full Plate Thursday; It’s A Keeper Thursday; What’s Cooking Thursday; Making It with Allie Thursdays; Frugal Follies Thursday;   Pennywise Platter Thursday,  Simple Lives Thursday,  Thursday Ultimate Recipe Swap, Tastastic   Katherine's Corner
I Gotta Create  Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper, Seasonal Celebration Sunday 


 Simply Sweet Home Friday’s Favorites ;Food on Fridays ;Foodie Friday  Diane's 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   Frugal Friday,   Fight Back Fridays Thankful for Food   Shabby Nest  Speckled Dog   Fantabulous Friday  Friday Food, Allergy-Friendly Frida, Natural Mother's Network, Butter Believer, A Well Seasoned Life, Six Sister's Stuff, The Sweet Details) Katherine Martinelli, Fitness Friday,  Sugar Bananas  My Romantic Home  Iron Violet Designs    Home Is Where My Story Begins  Food Friday   Real Food Freaks,