Peanut soup, pesto and weigh in

Good day as far as school and exercise were concerned. We did 2 sessions of walking, spent time with weights( non traditional kinds called cans and raw fruit in bags) and moved through the days lessons without serious incident. It's nice to have a day that is an even keel ! Friday means the end to the rhythm of the main week and into the pace of the weekend. Okay, for me it is just grocery shopping and errands, but it is different ! After our breakfast of oatmeal and our lunch of split pea soup with veggies and hummus, , the plan was to make yet an0other soup- this time a twist on an old favorite. I was going to make Peanut Soup. Normally I woulod make it with 4 cups of chicken stock, a can of solid packed pumpkin, 2 stalks chopped celery , one chopped onion and a cup of peanut butter- thick, yummy, cheap but could be made better. I came across this recipe and decided I HAD to try it out . Very glad I did, as it was heavenly . I paired it with open faced grilled cheese sandwiches with cilantro pesto. Cilantro has a possible connection with cheleation( removal of metal toxins in the body ). It also has a reputation to be an anti-inflammatory( reduces swelling in the body), helping to lower cholesterol and more, so along with a good taste it can do your body good. My main reason for choosing this recipe was that I had a ton of it in my fridge as well as in my freezer !

Peanut soup

1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup lentils
1 medium beet -- shredded
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 small zucchini (cut into chunks)
1/2 cup raw cashews
12 whole pitted dates
1 apple, chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup peanut butter

Simmer first 10 ingredients, for 45 minutes or until vegetables are very
tender. Blend all ingredients with immersion blender until smooth and
creamy.Add peanut butter , heat through and serve.

Cilantro CHELATION PESTO

4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup Brazil nuts (selenium)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (cysteine)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium)
2 cups packed fresh cilantro (Chinese parsley) (vitamin A)
2/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
2 tsp dulse powder
Sea salt to taste
Process the cilantro and oil in a blender until the coriander
is chopped. Add the garlic, nuts and seeds, dulse and lemon juice and mix
until the mixture is finely blended into a paste. Add a pinch of sea
salt to taste and blend again.

And being Saturday, it is time for another weigh in. One thing that I have succeeded in doing is restoring my fertility , and I am once again falling into a pattern of a gain each month with ovulation. Nothing to be done about it but applaud that it is less than it was when I was younger.It happened when I lost 110 lbs to get pregnant- I went from having an erratic cycle to becoming as regular as clockwork and conceiving. The nutrient rich diet has given my cycle rebirth - an indicator that some really deep level things are happening in my body and weight is just not the focus. Truly balanced health is, so i am not at all bummed about the gain. This too will pass.

Me- UP 2.8
Nick- DOWN 0.2
Bob- DOWN 1.6 ( his body is really responding to the eating, and he LOOKS like he has lost much more and seems to have more energy)

Evil moms love new kinds of peppers and use peanut butter in different ways

Yesterday was the first full day back to normal. and it can best be summed up by walk, school, walk, more school. exercise with Wii, more school and walk. Peppered by numerous reminders to put your glasses on, showing how to clean them, reminders to wear them so you look through the lenses and not over them- all the things any person who wore glasses as a kid had to be told for a million times when they first started wearing them. The make a HUGE improvement in his reading skills , so the rule is we enforce wearing glasses when he is reading , on the computer or playing video games, but it is his choice for TV watching, exercising, outside play and so on. My logic with this one is it may also make him a little more eager to exercise. Ah, being an evil mom is fun !!!!

Breakfast was quinoa cooked with dried cranberries and topped with the last of the tropical fruit and strawberry mix. For some reason, I am really liking the taste of papaya with quinoa. Papaya is a less sweet fruit and something about it's flavor complements the nutty sort of taste of quinoa for me. Must experiment with that combo further

Lunch was 15 bean soup with garlic hummus and veggies. One of the selections was Mexican Sweet Orange Peppers. These taste a little sweeter than red bell peppers and have a bit more of a crunchier texture. They were sold in a bag of about 20 peppers in our market. Several of the newer varieties of sweet bell peppers make a really nice addition to raw veggie options, as well as working perfectly in any recipe that calls for bell peppers.

Dinner was two favorites combined for the first time , and they hit it of rather well. Golden Sweet Potato saute with Peanut Noodles and a side salad of romaine, watercress, apples and pears.

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Sauté

1 medium onion -- chopped
4 medium cloves garlic -- minced
1 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cardamom
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 cups sweet potatoes -- peeled and cubed
6 oz frozen spinach -- thawed
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

Chop onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting
benefits.Heat 1 TBS broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add seasonings and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover to allow sauce to thicken and cook another couple minutes.
Press water out of spinach and add to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered for a few more minutes to
allow sauce to thicken. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Serves 4

Peanut Noodles

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar -- or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup natural peanut butter

Boil water for noodles and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, peel and coarsely chop the garlic. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic,
oils, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, and optional red pepper flakes. Process until smooth, and
then season to taste with salt and pepper.Drain pasta and toss with peanut sauce. ( can be served with mandarin orange sections and or cilantro if desired)

Rainy morning here, and my priorities this day are cleaning the house, planning next weeks menu, school and probably more indoor hall walking. It's lower on the list today because the other things are must do and I can afford to take a rest day.It's all about balance in the end .