Passionate About Healthy Lifestyle
There was a break in the rain yesterday, so I went out to prune my wisteria. There is no way it could be termed ideal weather for gardening, but I’d been stuck inside most of the day, and I thought this was a great to get some fresh air and a little exercise.
Passionate About Healthy Lifestyle
While I was working, I asked myself why I was passionate about diet and exercise. My immediate response was that I wanted to keep my weight down so that I felt good about myself, but it goes deeper than that. I realized I’m on this weight loss quest to improve my quality of life, not just right now, but as I age. I want to remain healthy and active into my 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond.
A pipe dream some might say, but I disagree. There’s no reason not to look forward to an active life. In fact, I’ve seen many active people well into their 80s. Eating well and exercising increases those odds, plus I feel better, too.
Healthy Eating
Does that mean I always eat healthy and exercise? Absolutely not, but I strive for both 90 percent of the time. In the last few years, my meals have become simpler, but I find I struggle to get a variety of vegetables into my diet.
Rebecca J. Clark, author of The Checklist Diet had a great recipe in her latest newsletter for a pureed vegetable soup. When I first looked at the green mush I thought no way I can eat this, and I love split pea soup, but surprisingly it’s delicious. I loved it and so did my husband. The best thing about this recipe is that I can add some of my least favorite vegetables, and I don’t even taste them.
Pureed Vegetable Soup
Fill a pot with organic vegetable broth, add an assortment of the following chopped green vegetables: celery (strings removed), parsley (stems removed), zucchini, kale, spinach, broccoli, artichoke hearts, etc. I added carrots, cauliflower and mushrooms, too.
Cook until all the veggies are tender. Remove them from the broth with a slotted spoon or strainer. Puree the vegetables in a blender, then pour back into the pot. I added some broth when I pureed them or it was too thick for the blender. Use water or more broth to thin the soup to the right consistency (about the thickness of pea soup). You can add some pepper and a bit of sea salt to taste. I also added, oregano, basil, and thyme.
I will say it takes a little time to prepare and puree, but it’s the best hour I ever spent cooking. With one cup of soup a day, I’ve added a ton of vegetables to my diet, and it’s delicious, too.
How do you get your veggies in? Got a recipe to share? Would love to try it!