Easy Game Day Taco Soup

Who says you can't enjoy eating healthy foods while watching the Big Game? Nothing beats a nice hot bowl of soup on a figid, snow-bound Super Bowl Sunday! Or any winter day.

Here's an easy game day treat all your guests are sure to enjoy.

1 lb. cooked ground beef

1 lb. velveeta cut into chunks so it will melt.

1 packet of taco seasoning



1 can of each of the following:

corn (entire can, do not drain)

kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

rotel (entire can, do not drain)

stewed tomatoes (entire can, do not drain)

add another can of dark red kidney beans for even more fiber and healthy vitamins!

Combine it all in a crock pot and let it cook for several hours.

Stir often to blend flavor and keep the cheese from burning.

Enjoy poured over some brocoli or with your favorite tortilla chips!

Go Saints!!

Keep eating healthy!

Warm Your Tummy with some Wholesome Pumpkin Bread!

Do you have any cans of pumpkin left over? Try some delicious - and wholesome - pumpkin bread this weekend! Pumpkin is full of good vitamins and healthy antioxidants and the pumpkin and whole wheat in this recipe will give you some healthy fiber!

Here is all you need:

1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin
1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup yogurt, plain lowfat
1/4 cup local honey (if you have some)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1 cup chopped cranberries

Let's get Baking:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, honey, and yogurt.

2. In another bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until just moistened.

3. Stir in chopped cranberries.

4. Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans and bake for 1 hour.

5. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool.

Now share a loaf with one of your favorite family members or friends. They're sure to thank you!

Eating Healthy Foods is fun and easy during this special time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Save Your Oven - Use the Barbecue

One easy way to keep the oven freed up for other tasty treats ( like the Turkey ) is to utilize your microwave and your barbecue grill for some of those Thanksgiving dishes! The recipe below is great year round and so easy to prepare! Enjoy some of your favorite vegetables - warmed together on the good old barbecue!

Here some easy ingredient:

4 large sweet potatoes ( chopped )
2 turnips ( chopped )
1 large onion diced
3 or 4 large carrots ( chopped )
4 tablespoon olive oil
a dash of cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

In a big piece of heavy duty foil ( try doubling it up for even greater strength ) toss in your chopped vegetables. Add a few tablespoons of water and sprinkle a few tablespoons of olive oil on top. Add four or six thick slices of butter if you like. And top off with your favorite spices.

Fold up the foil and put it on the hot grill for 45 minutes! You might want to add some charcoal to keep that fire good and hot! Now go enjoy some beautiful Autumn scenery or catch some Thanksgiving Day football while your veggies are slowly warming their way into a delicious side dish!

While you're out enjoying the mild November weather this Thanksgiving - fire up the grill and keep that precious oven space for other dishes!

Keep eating healthy foods and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Chili for the Big Game

Enjoy some classic Autumn fun this weekend watching your favorite teams while munching out on some Tasty chili!

This stuff is so easy to make. Stock up on some of these ingredients so you won't have to make last minute runs to the market.

Here is all you need.

One can ( 20 ounce ) of Campbells RoadHouse Chili.
One can ( 20 ounce ) of Campbells FireHouse Chili.

One can of Bush's HOT Chili beans
one can of Bush's mild chili beans
One can of Dark Red Kidney beans drained and rinsed.

Three cans of Rotel original peppers and Chopped tomatoes
one Green Bell Pepper - chopped
one Red Bell Pepper - chopped
A couple pinches of chili powder if you have any.
A few ounces of your favorite beer ( optional )


If you like more meat in your chili try one or both of these:

Optional - One package ( 5 or 6 ) of your favorite Hot links. Chopped
Optional - One 16 ounce Sirloin ( or your favorite steak ) cooked rare and sliced thin.

Pour everything in your largest Crock pot and cook on low for a few hours.

Or cook it on the stove-top in a big Stainless Steel Pot. Pour in a few ounces of extra virgin olive oil , followed by the chopped tomatoes and then the rest of the ingredients. Heat on medium low for a couple hours!

Enjoy the game and all your favorite Fall fun! Keep eating healthy!

Eating Healthy - Easy as ABC

Our bodies need a variety of vitamins and minerals to stay healthy! Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and even certain cancers.

Getting your proper level of vitamins is easier when you enjoy eating healthy foods! Here are just of few of the vitamins your body needs to stay healthy:

Vitamin A helps keep your skin healthy! It will also help keep your eyes healthy and able to adjust to dim light.

Its easy to get enough vitamin A eating dark green and deep yellow vegetables (such as broccoli, collards and other green leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and winter squash). Whole milk also has some vitamin A!

The B Vitamins: Thiamin ( Vitamin B1) helps body cells obtain energy from food and keep your nerves healthy. It also promotes a healthy appetite and digestion.
Food sources include: meat, poultry, fish, dried beans and peas.

Riboflavin (B2) Helps keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear. Vitamin B2 is most easily found in milk, liver, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and green leafy vegetables.

Niacin (B3) Maintains health of your skin, tongue, digestive tract, and nervous system. You get vitamin B3 from liver, meat, poultry, and fish, peanuts and peanut butter, dried beans and dried peas, and enriched and whole-grain breads and cereals

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Helps form cementing substances such as collagen that hold body cells together - strengthening your blood vessels and hastening healing of wounds and bones. Vitamin C also increases your resistance to infections. It helps your body absorb iron.

We get vitamin C from the following food sources:
cantaloupe, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, honeydew melon, kiwi fruit, mandarin orange sections, mango, orange juice, papaya, strawberries, tangerines, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, sweet green and red peppers, and sweet potatoes.

Eating Healthy Foods is as easy as ABC. Get enough of the vitamins your body needs when you enjoy eating a variety of healthy foods!

SuperFoods for Feeding Your Brain

The old maxim - "You are what you eat," may be more truth than fiction! Scientific research on certain so-called "brain foods" reveals some chemicals in the foods we enjoy go right to work in our brains! Some compounds are known to produce a beneficial effect on our brain activity!

Chocolate can lift your mood! And cocoa - the good stuff in chocolate - can improve blood vessel function, boosting circulation throughout the body and blood flow to the brain. The good stuff in cocoa may even help reduce the formation of damaging clots, which can lead to heart disease or even stroke.

Walnuts are well known to feed your brain. The United States Food and Drug Administration agrees that eating just 1.5 ounces per day of walnuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Walnuts also help maintain elasticity in your arteries. Healthy arteries enable your heart to function more efficiently!

And no healthy brain-food story would be complete without some mention of cold water fish. Salmon - that wonderful and delicious source of healthy omega-3 fats - feeds your brain and nerve cells! Try some grilled salmon or tasty salmon patties at your next barbecue.

Flaxseeds are another healthy source of omega-3 fats. Flaxseed meal and flour also offers a good supply of fiber that can help lower your cholesterol. Sprinkle some ground flaxseeds in with your morning yogurt or add to a healthy breakfast shake!

The purple skin of eggplants contains a flavonoid compound that may help protect brain cells from free-radical damage. Other phytonutrients found in eggplants can help lower your cholesterol and keep your blood vessels healthy!

Give your brain - and your body - the healthy nutrients they need to perform at their maximum! Keep eating healthy foods and have a healthy, Happy 4th of July!

The Skinny on Fat

There are several types of fat:

Saturated fat. This fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures. It is found in greatest amounts in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole-milk dairy products, lard, and some vegetable oils, including coconut and palm oils. Saturated fat increases cholesterol in the blood more than anything else in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low.

Unsaturated fat. This fat is usually liquid at room and refrigerator temperatures. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish, such as salmon.

There are 2 types of unsaturated fat—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. When used instead of saturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils, and many kinds of nuts. A type of polyunsaturated fat is called omega-3 fatty acids. These are the "good" fats. Good sources of these healthy omega-3 fatty acids are some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Enjoy wild caught, cold water salmon or other heart healthy fish several times a week! Or - if you just plain don't like fish - take a salmon oil or omega-3 supplement!

And lastly - the bad stuff - Trans fatty acids. If you want to lose weight or live longer - avoid these trans fats. Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods. ( Yes, fellow donut lovers - that includes us! )

You can enjoy some fats in a healthy eating plan. Keep eating healthy foods and enjoy some of your favorite foods which serve up fat. Just try to stick to the healthy fats - the omega-3 fats. Use more Olive oil. Enjoy a handful of walnuts now and then. Eat more heart-healthy fish. Remember the quickest way to lose weight is keep eating healthy foods and get plenty of exercise!

Save your Money - Eating Healthy at Home!

Save your money - and your health. Enjoy eating healthy foods at home with your family and friends! Here are some easy ways that you and your family can eat better:

* Eat breakfast every day. Try a whole-grain cereal like raisin bran with fat-free or low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast spread with jam. Enjoy some fruit with your breakfast too.
* Teach kids that healthy foods taste good. Make macaroni and cheese with fat-free milk and low-fat cheese. Try a peanut butter (spread thin) and jam or preserves sandwich instead of a burger and fries.
* Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese instead of full-fat dairy products.
* Choose whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, or whole-wheat pasta more often than refined-grain foods, like white bread, white rice, and white pasta.
* Snack on fruits and vegetables. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table, bags of mini carrots in the refrigerator, and boxes of raisins in the cupboard.
* Do not keep a lot of sweets like cookies, candy, or soda in the house. Too many sweets can crowd out healthier foods.

You do not have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or a lot of money to eat well.

* Buy foods that are easy to prepare, like pasta and tomato sauce, rice and beans, or canned tuna packed in water.
* Plan ahead and cook enough food to have leftovers. Casseroles, meat loaf, and whole cooked chicken can feed your family for several days. (Be sure to freeze or refrigerate leftovers right away to keep them safe to eat.)
* Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Buy only as much as you will use, so they will not go bad.
* Buy frozen or canned vegetables (no salt added) and canned fruit packed in juice. They are just as good for you as fresh produce, and will not go bad.
* Try canned beans like kidney, butter, pinto, or black beans. They are loaded with protein, cost less than meat, and make quick and easy additions to your meals.
* If your local store does not have the foods you want, or the prices are too high, go to another store or your local farmers market. Share a ride or the cost of a taxi with friends.
* Involve your friends by having days of cooking and sharing healthy meals together. Cut the cost of the meals by buying the ingredients together.

TIP: Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel when you eat can help you understand your eating habits. You may be able to see ways to make your eating habits healthier. You can also use your diary to plan weekly menus, make shopping lists, and keep track of recipes you would like to try.

Dieting is Easier When You Love the Food. Delicious meals shipped to your door. It's a proven strategy that works!

Save Money and Your Health Eating Healthy Foods

When it comes to losing weight, there's no shortage of fancy diets promising fast, miraculous results. All too often these diets can be unhealthy, and fail to help you achieve lasting weight loss. Save your money! Make a few simple and very effective lifestyle changes and you'll soon start seeing incredible results!

The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't about short-term dietary changes. It's about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating, regular physical activity, and balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses.

Staying in control of your weight contributes to good health now and as you grow older. Evidence shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn't just about a "diet" or "program". It's about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits.

To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you need to reduce your caloric intake by 500—1000 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week.1

Once you've achieved a healthy weight, by relying on healthful eating and physical activity most days of the week (about 60—90 minutes, moderate intensity), you are more likely to be successful at keeping the weight off over the long term.

Losing weight is not easy, and it takes commitment. But if you're ready to get started, today is the perfect day to start eating healthy foods and get on the road to weight loss and better health.

A few ideas to help you replace unhealthy habits:

* Eat more slowly. If you eat too quickly, you may "clean your plate" instead of paying attention to whether your hunger is satisfied.
* Eat only when you're truly hungry instead of when you are tired, anxious, or feeling an emotion besides hunger. If you find yourself eating when you are experiencing an emotion besides hunger, such as boredom or anxiety, try to find a non-eating activity to do instead. You may find a quick walk or phone call with a friend helps you feel better.
* Plan meals ahead of time to ensure that you eat a healthy well-balanced meal.

Lose Weight Eating Healthy Foods

Fruits and vegetables are a vital part of any well-balanced, healthy eating program. There are many healthy, natural ways to lose weight. Eating more fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats, nuts, and beans is a safe and healthy part of any healthy weight loss effort. Many health experts agree - the quickest way to lose weight is eating healthy foods and getting plenty of exercise.

Helping control your weight is not the only benefit of eating more fruits and vegetables. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that are important for good health.

If quick, healthy weight loss is on your list of goals - you can start eating healthy foods, exercising more and lose that weight fast! And keep it off! Weight loss is often as simple as basic math. You want to eat less calories and burn more calories than you consume!

Eating healthy enables you to easily cut the calories number! Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. Create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories.

A few ideas for cutting calories and still eating healthy:

Substitute some spinach, onions, or green peppers for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your morning omelet. The vegetables will add volume and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than the egg or cheese.

At Dinner time add in 1 cup of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, onions, or peppers, and leave out 1 cup of the rice or pasta in your favorite dish. Replace some of the meat, cheese, or white pasta, with peas, spinach, steamed broccoli, or another favorite vegetable. This will reduce the total number of calories in your meal. The vegetables will be just as satisfying and since they have fewer calories, won't add to your waistline!

There are plenty of healthy, natural ways to lose weight and keep it off! The quickest way to lose weight is eating healthy foods and burning more calories with daily exercise!

Enjoy Eating Healthy Foods

You don't have to spend countless hours in the kitchen or a lot of money to eat well.

Buy foods that are easy to prepare, like pasta and tomato sauce, rice and beans, or canned salmon. ( Remember to stick with cold water, wild salmon! )

Plan ahead and cook enough food to have leftovers. Casseroles, meat loaf, and whole cooked chicken can feed your family for several days. (Be sure to freeze or refrigerate leftovers right away to keep them safe to eat.)

Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Buy only as much as you will use, so they will not go bad.

Buy frozen or canned vegetables (no salt added) and canned fruit packed in juice. They are just as good for you as fresh produce, and will not go bad.

Try canned beans like kidney, butter, pinto, or black beans. They are loaded with protein, cost less than meat, and make quick and easy additions to your meals.

If your local store does not have the foods you want, or the prices are too high, try another store or your local farmers market when the weather permits. Share a ride or the cost of a taxi with a friend.

Enjoy eating healthy foods with friends. Arrange time for cooking and sharing healthy meals together. Cut the cost of the meals by buying in bulk together.

Many successful and healthy fitness lovers keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel when you eat can help you understand your eating habits. You may be able to see ways to make your eating habits healthier. You can also use your diary to plan weekly menus, make shopping lists, and keep track of recipes you would like to try.

Dinner and A Poem for Your Love(s)

An excellent meal for your favorite Valentine(s):

Here's all you need:

2 8 ounces cuts of your favorite steak
1 garlic clove ( minced )
8 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 big bag of mixed vegetables ( frozen ) or
2 smaller bags of different veggies ( frozen )
1 small bag of pre-washed baby spinach.

First get your steak ready -

Cut the steak into thin strips about 1/2 inch wide.

2. In a medium glass mixing bowl, combine garlic, lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Add beef strips and stir to coat with the oil mixture (marinade sauce). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

4. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil for 1-2 minutes until hot.

5. Drain marinade from beef. Put beef in skillet, stir and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until meat is thoroughly browned.

Then, while your beef is cooking - steam some of your favorite vegetables and drizzle a tablespoon of lemon juice over your steamed vegetables.

Serve the steak and steamed vegetables on a bed of rinsed baby spinach.

After Dinner serve up some delicious chocolates!

Then after a sumptuous Valentine Dinner - share this wonderful old poem with your favorite loved one(s):

Go, Cupid, and my sweetheart tell
I love her well.
Yes, though she tramples on my heart
And rends that bleeding thing apart;
And though she rolls a scornful eye
On doting me when I go by;
And though she scouts at everything
As tribute unto her I bring—
Apple, banana, caramel—
Haste, Cupid, to my love and tell,
In spite of all, I love her well!

And further say I have a sled
Cushioned in blue and painted red!
The groceryman has promised I
Can "hitch" whenever he goes by—
Go, tell her that, and, furthermore,
Apprise my sweetheart that a score
Of other little girls implore
The boon of riding on that sled
Painted and hitched, as aforesaid;—
And tell her, Cupid, only she
Shall ride upon that sled with me!
Tell her this all, and further tell
I love her well.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lentils - A Super-Food

Lentils offer a whole bunch of healthy benefits and are so easy to cook. One cup of lentils provides about a third of your daily fiber needs and a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals. Good for the heart - Lentils serve up excellent doses of folate and magnesium. Lentils are inexpensive and easy to include in just about any soup or crock-pot recipe!

Here is an excellent dish - sure to warm you up on a chilly Winter night!

Here's all you need:

1/2 lb. of lentils - rinsed and cooked ( Boil for 10 minutes and let simmer for another 10 or 15 minutes )

1 lb. of potatoes - rinsed well and sliced

1 lb. of tomatoes

1 Large red or purple onion

1 heaping teaspoonful of your favorite herbs ( we like cumin, mint and thyme

3 hard-boiled eggs

1-1/2 oz. of butter

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

pepper and salt to taste.

Peel, wash, and dice the potatoes and onion,

and fry them in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil until nearly soft.

slice the tomatoes ( Or use a small can of chopped tomatoes )

mix the fried vegetables, lentils, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning well together.

Turn the mixture into a pie-dish, and pour over as much water or vegetable stock as may be required for gravy.

Quarter the hard-boiled eggs and place them on the top.

Cover with a short crust, and bake at 300 for 1-1/2 hours.

Enjoy this delicious dish at your next family meal. If you enjoy staying healthy or maybe even want to lose a few pounds this year - keep eating healthy foods this winter!

Eating Healthy for less

Eating healthy foods doesn't have to cost a small fortune. Enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. You'll save money and eat better!

Try these tasty New potatoes with taco seasoning - they're sure to warm your tummy without taking a big bite out of your budget!

Here's all you need:

8 medium red new potatoes
6 Tablespoons olive-oil
1 package taco seasoning
5 Tablespoons corn meal

Let's get ready to Cook:

Wash and scrub potatoes well. Cut the potatoes into small pieces. ( 1/2 inch pieces

Place potatoes in large mixing bowl, toss with the olive oil until potatoes are well coated.

Sprinkle the seasonings and corn meal over potatoes, toss again until coated.

Arrange the potatoes on a nonstick baking sheet and bake at 400 for approximately 30 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

Happy New Year! Keep eating healthy foods!

Southern Hospitality

Enjoy some real Southern cooking with these delicious baked sweet potatoes.

What you'll need:
6 or 8 good sized sweet potatoes
1 cup brown sugar
2 sticks real butter ( 1/2 pound )
1/2 cup whole wheat flour ( or all purpose, white flour )
1 cup water

Preparation:
Slice your sweet potatoes.
Then Boil them for 15 - 20 minutes
Butter the bottom of 3 quart casserole
Add a layer of sliced sweet potatoes
sprinkle on a layer of brown sugar and flour
add some sliced butter
add another layer or sweet potatoes
and another sprinkling of flour and brown sugar
add more thinly sliced butter

If you have any pototoes left -
add another layer and top off with brown suger and butter.

pour water over the top.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve up some real Southern hospitality and enjoy a big serving of these delicious sweet potatoes with your favorite meat or beans dish! Start saving money - eating healthy foods and sharing with your family and friends!

Here is another incredibly yummy sweet potatoes dish!