Live Simple

My mantra these days. How I strive to live. I have to remind myself all the time to slow down and enjoy these simple, carefree days with my children. With that being said, this is another reason I decided to adopt this eating lifestyle. I wanted to eat simpler foods, whole foods, foods that I know where they came from. I just read a quick read by Michael Pollan, Food Rules, and it hit the nail on the head for me as far as eating goes. Know where your food comes from, don't eat foods with ingredients that a 3rd grader can't pronounce, don't eat foods that have been passed through your window, etc. I'm not perfect in ANY way and those that know me well, know that I have an enormous sweet tooth. But this lifestyle has taught me to slow down, cook my food with care, involve my children in the process and realize that I am giving them the best gift possible as a parent, the gift of healthy eating and living. It may sound corny, but when 1/3 of all children in this country are obese, with that number climbing every day, it's a little bit scary. In our house, we are going back to the basics and living our lives as simple as we can. Taking more time for each other, spending less money, having more game nights, making s'mores in the backyard, family dinners nightly.

Last nights dinner was incredible, so good that I am going to post the recipe here. I did add diced turkey (free range! of course) andouille sausage to everyone's elses bowls...the light coconut milk MADE this one dish meal. I highly recommend it. It made tons, so we are eating it again tonight. I imagine it will taste even better tonight. It's from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook, which I've had for about 8 years.

CREOLE RICE AND BEAN SOUP
Whole Foods Market Cookbook
by Steve Petusevsky & Whole Foods Market Team
Serves 6 To 8

Even in steamy South Florida, this soup is popular year-round. Many people from the Caribbean make their home in Miami, where this soup provides an inexpensive and nutritious meal. The combination of scallions and fresh thyme can be found in many island dishes.

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small green pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with their juice
4 cups cold water or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 cup brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chopped and washed kale
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat; saute the carrots, onion, celery, peppers, and dried thyme for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add the tomato puree, whole tomatoes, cold water, and coconut milk to the pot; simmer for 5 minutes. Break the tomatoes apart with a spoon and add the rice.

Simmer uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender.

Add the kidney beans, kale, peas, and fresh thyme; simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the parsley; season with the salt and pepper.

PER 1-CUP SERVING: Calories 110; Calories From Fat 30; Calories From Saturated Fat 20; Protein 5 G; Carbohydrate 16 G; Total Fat 3.5 G; Saturated Fat 2 G; Cholesterol 0 Mg; Sodium 120 Mg; 27% Calories From Fat

Today's Meals:

Breakfast:
acai berry banana smoothie with vega protein powder and almond milk
ultima replenisher (all natural electrolyte beverage since I ran this morning)
coffee with coconut milk creamer

Snack:
gRAWnola bar (locally made in Charleston!) filled with pumpkin seeds, apples, dates, figs, walnuts, orange essence, vanilla
Vita Coco coconut water with passionfruit (delish!)

Lunch:
Kashi Mayan Harvest bake (in the freezer section, I love this product line)
of course..So Delicious mini coconut ice cream bar (my daily treat!)

Snack:
1 oz raw almonds

Dinner:
Creole Rice and Bean soup



You are what you eat!

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!