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)