crock pot --- healthy potato soup

Potato soup is a huge staple in this household - my husband and I make at least once a month during the chilly months of the year! I am so happy to report that I have found a healthy potato soup recipe! Yes, another crock pot recipe out of The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook :) You'll have to excuse my obsession with this cookbook, it's just that it's the first time I have been able to make delicious and healthy favorites in the crock-pot!

Enjoy!!!

Baked Potato Soup



Ingredients (serves 6):
1 onion, sliced
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups of water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup shredded  sharp Cheddar
3 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
2 strips of turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup diced green onions

Instructions:
1. Place the onions, potatoes, water, salt, and pepper into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 hours. 

2. Puree using an immersion blender or puree in a blender. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, bacon crumbles, and green onion. 

* My husband and I really like our food spicy, so we added extra white pepper and lots of hot sauce. We also used 3 strips of turkey bacon instead of 2, because, well...we like bacon :)

Per serving: 170 calories, 3.5g fat, 220mg sodium, 28g carbs, 3g fiber, 6g protein

Happy soup eats to you and your family! 
Cheers!

crock pot --- healthy black bean soup

Happy December to you all :) 

I have another FABULOUS crock-pot soup recipe to share with you! Coming to you again from The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (my new favorite!). This recipe is full of protein, and surprisingly savory/flavorful! Give it a tray :)

Black Bean Soup --- serve with corn bread on the side!




Ingredients (serves 8)
3 slices turkey bacon
1 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced (I passed on the celery and doubled the carrots, yum!)
30 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups of chicken stock
(Ingredients for cornbread or a cornbread mix from the grocery store)

Instructions: 
1. Cook the turkey bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Crumble the bacon into small pieces. 

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onions, habanero, garlic, celery, and carrot. Saute until the onions are soft, about 2-4 minutes. 

3. Put the beans, onion mixture, and bacon crumbles into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the broth and stir. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours. 

* This soup is wonderful served with cornbread! I totally recommend it :)

Per Serving: 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 730mg sodium, 24g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 8g protein

Cheers to good and healthy eats!

crock pot --- healthy tortilla soup

Hey blogland! It's been a while - but I thought I would take a second to share this delicious crock pot recipe with you! It comes from The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, and we tried it out last night. So delicious, hearty, spicy, and perfect for a chilly December 1st evening! Enjoy!


Tortilla Soup

Ingredients (serves 8)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp salt
25 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
14 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 cups Chicken Stock
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
4 ounces canned diced green chiles, drained
2 habanero peppers, diced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (we used frozen corn that we thawed in the microwave)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey breast
Tortilla strips on top 

• To make the tortilla strips: slice 4 corn tortillas in half, then into 1/4" strips. Heat 1/2 tsp canola oil in a shallow skillet. Add the tortilla strips and cook, turning once, until they are crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Blot dry.

Directions
1. Place the spices, tomatoes, stock, garlic, onions, chiles, and peppers in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours. 

2. After 6 hours, add the corn and turkey or chicken. Cover and cook for an additional 45-60 minutes. Serve with tortilla strips.

Per serving: 170 calories, 3g fat, 250mg sodium, 21g carbs, 4g fiber, 17g protein

*This is a super healthy/low calorie recipe! If you want to add to it, add sliced avocados, cheese, or sour cream to it once you have dished it up. The sour cream also helps cool it down if it is too spicy for you!

Enjoy and Cheers!

fifty shades of emotions

Hey friends! I know I've been a stranger...back to school will do that! I just wanted to stop by for a little book review! If you can't guess from the title, I finally read Fifty Shades of Grey. Book #11 out of my goal of 12 books in 2012! Yay :) I wanted to read this book, just to know what all the hype and fuss was about, so I read it. 

My first reaction:

• Why are people calling it "housewife porn" like that's a bad thing? If wives everywhere are reading this sexy book, it's probably increasing married sex rates everywhere, and thus saving marriages everywhere! {Like my logic?} Kudos, E. L. James, you have probably done what therapy couldn't for some couples. 

My second reaction:

• Whoa. That was INTENSE. 

I went through just about every emotion under the sun with this book. The book follows Anastasia Steele as she is finishing up her undergraduate experience. She fills in for her roommate {Kate}, and interviews the young, strikingly handsome, self-made billionaire Christian Grey for the school newspaper. The effect that Christian has on Ana is immediate, undeniable, and a first for her. As they keep finding reasons to meet again, it becomes clear that the electrical energy dancing between the two of them will quickly lead to something. When it does, it is hot. It is kind of a fantasy novel then, because Christian Grey is just incredibly alluring, even on paper. 

However, as things progress, and Christian's kinky preferences become more apparent, I was a little put off. Not unlike our lead character Ana. I found myself amazed at the way with which the author successfully got me to mirror Ana's emotions throughout the story. My "Fifty Shades of Emotions" response goes as follows:

• Attraction to Mr. Grey
• Jaw dropped at his erotic nature
• Unease about his intensity
• Creeped out by his possessive/stalkerish tendencies
• Vehement feeling that Ana should say "no" to Christian's indecent proposals
• Sadness when Ana is subjected to her first "spanking" by Christian. I can't tell you how strange this whole scene was for me. Christian "punishes" Ana for rolling her eyes at him. And this punishment involves a spanking session that is meant to be erotic, yet stinging. The aftermath is that Ana feels diminished, and as small and valueless as a person can. Then Christian tries to make it okay. And I cried. I cried because I feel like this is what any victim of abuse may go through. The assailant trying to justify his/her actions, and the victim learning to trust the assailant and letting him/her do as he/she pleases out of love for the assailant. It was a very confusing emotional response. And I kind of wrote Mr. Grey off at that point. 
• Pity for Mr. Grey when you find out more about the childhood that gave him such a tormented soul with an aversion for typical expressions of love
• Wary intrigue as he opens up his mind and sexual sides to Ana
• Turned on by the loving side of him that is capable
• Disgusted by the dominant side of him that is also capable. 

Mr. Grey is like a double-sided coin. The shiniest, most irresistible coin you've ever seen. This book made me think a lot about S&M and the psychology behind it all. Which, I have never done before. And it turns out the psychology of that kind of sexuality is extremely complex. There are 2 consenting adults, right? Well, what if the dominant adult has captivated the submissive adult with his charm and wit and dazzling looks, then is she influenced to do things she doesn't want to do? Does that make it still 100% consenting and okay? She literally goes through the emotions that an abuse victim does, which is anguishing to read.

This novel certainly was interesting. Interesting in content, style, storyline, and themes. It is thought-provoking in ways I never thought possible, and left me with a lot of questions. 

Questions that just may be answered in the sequels...

 

Yes, I am planning on reading the sequels. Such an relationship develops between Ana and Christian, and I need to know what happens. Turned out to be much deeper of a story than I anticipated. 

Also --- Christian Grey is just a fantasy character. I like looking at who the public would like cast as Christian if a movie adaptation were ever made {how would they pull that off??? I mean, it is very pornographic...}

I was picturing Matt Bomer the ENTIRE TIME. A stunning man (also gay I heard).

Intriguing and fantastical. Not the best book I've ever read, but not as shallow as I thought it was going to be. Unique and unexpected --- Cheers to reading :)

DIY melted crayon art

Happy Weekend, Blogland!

I just finished doing my latest art project, and I am so happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to share it with you all :) FINALLY --- a pinterest project I didn't just completely fail!!! I made this for my mom, who is a 1st grade teacher, to hang in her classroom.

Interested in making your own?

Here are the steps!

1. What you need to have on hand: 

• a 64-crayon box of crayons (crayola brand melts best!) or more
• a canvas (16 inches x 20 inches is what I used)
• mod podge (I used gloss finish) --- find at Michael's
• paintbrush
• blowdryer
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• stick on letters if you want to have a word at the bottom

2. Decide which order you want your colors to go in, I stuck with the classic rainbow formation because I love rainbows! Line up the crayons at the top of your canvas. I didn't use browns or some other weird greens that I thought might look gross when melted. 

3. Put some hot glue along the top few inches of your canvas, enough to glue on a few crayons at a time. Glue down the crayons with the tips pointing down, it looks extra nice if you line them all up to have the same part of the crayon wrapper showing too. 

4. Once all your crayons are on, plug in your blowdryer and aim it directly at the crayons. WARNING --- some serious crayon wax splashing happens during this craft, so be sure you have enough space and something down on your floor to prevent a big mess. Luckily, I have a drop cloth in my craft space, it turned out looking like this:

5. Once the crayons get melty, you can tilt the canvas to encourage some of the colors to blend together, or you can just keep it straight and watch the wax drip to the bottom! Be sure to leave a little room at the bottom of the canvas if you want to put a word in. 

6. Once you have done all the melting you want to do, let the canvas cool down for a little bit. While it is cooling, you can add whatever word you want to at the bottom of the canvas.

7. Now it's time for Mod Podge! Use a paintbrush, and apply a generous even coat onto the entire project (crayon and the word and all the white space in between). Mod Podge is an excellent finish on this project because if you don't use it, the crayon drips will easily chip off of the canvas. The Mod Podge seals in everything and provides it with a beautiful glossy finish, it makes the melted crayon look really wet and drippy --- which I loved! Don't worry, the Mod Podge paints on white, but dries clear :)

8. Let it dry and paint another layer of Mod Podge if you'd like, then VOILA! Beautiful homemade art!

Have you tried this craft before? Any tips on how to make it even better? It's super easy and a lot of fun! Let me know if you try it out! Good luck :)

CHEERS to COLORS!!!

DIY mixed media paintings

Hello, friends!

Finally, a non book review post ;)   Although, I am working on 50 Shades of Grey and Francesca's Kitchen, so hopefully I will have a few reviews for you soon!

I have enjoyed my summer to the fullest! I have laughed with family, played with babies, filled up on amazing food, caught up on films, become one with nature, worked out my body, had dates with my husband, snuggled with my puppies, found peace at church...

I finally feel whole again. 

Last year (my first year of grad school) was detrimental to my well-being. While I gained immense knowledge, and am eager to pursue my career as  Physician Assistant, year 1 was no easy task. I spiraled into dark places of despair, sadness, and faithlessness. It wasn't pretty. I am hoping and praying with all of my being that I am able to face this school year more prepared than last year. I have fought to find myself, to remind myself of the critical nature of maintaining a balance between the work we love and the life we live. I never again want to be in that frame of mind. 

One of the important things I did for my sanity and happiness this summer was paint. I love art, have never claimed to be spectacular at it, but it makes me smile to create something unique and beautiful. 

I decided to try my hand at mixed media art this summer, starting with this piece I created for my best friend's nursery. She is having her sweet Baby Girl on September 1st, and the Little One needed a special creation for her bedroom. Here is what I made:

This painting is made from: acrylic paint, glitter in some of the flowers and on the tree (just sprinkle on the wet paint and it sticks!), gem stones outlining the cloud (self-adhesive), an oil paint heart for texture, feathers for owl and bird wings (glued on with rubber cement), printed ribbon to make the green bird (cut in the shape of a bird and glued on with rubber cement), and flower stickers for the 2 small pink flowers (self-adhesive). I am very happy with how this turned out, and I can't wait for Baby Girl to come into this world!

My second piece of art this summer was created for my little sister's new dorm! This was made so that her good dreams can be harnessed and become inspirational to her consciousness upon waking, and that her bad dreams can be trapped and removed from her mind. Here is her Dreamcatcher:

 This piece was made with acrylics, glue/glitter for the central portion of the dreamcatcher (draw the design with regular Elmer's glue, glitter, and let it dry!), and feathers (glued on with rubber cement so it dries clear). It was super fun, reminds me a lot of my sister, and I hope it brightens up her dorm room :)

What inspires you?

What brings you peace?

What makes YOU smile?

Thanks for stopping by --- Cheers :)

wicked bossypants

Hi, Strangers!!!
 

I know, it's been a month since the last time I have posted...and I also realize that the last time I posted...it was a book review. And probably the post before that, too. Haha. 

Nonetheless, I am very happy to report to you that I have completed two more books, which brings my 2012 total to 10! [For those of you who don't know, I have a personal goal of reading 12 books this year]

Here are my book reviews :)

Book #9 : Bossypants by Tina Fey

Let me just say that I LOVE TINA FEY. Now that that's out there, I can tell you that, while her book was a lot of fun, it wasn't what I would call a good book. I admire her breaking the comedian mold and brazenly being a comedienne who doesn't give a shit about whether or not people like what she does or says. She has made a name for herself, has one of the most famous impersonations ever (Sarah Palin, dontchaknow), and is the boss of her own TV show (30 Rock, in case you don't pay attention to TV ever). Her book is like an exaggerated Tina Fey history, or her favorite snippets and defining moments throughout life. 

My husband and I actually decided to read this book together, meaning that I read the entire book out loud to us! I read it before bed, in the car, wherever we were with a little time to kill. We both had dozens of LOL moments, because she just uses the most fabulous phrases to describe the numerous awkward situations she has been the star of in her lifetime. 

My only regret is that I am about 15 years too young to understand a lot of the pop culture references she uses throughout the book. We spent a lot of time googling the names of kind of famous people from the 80s. 

Overall, I grade this book a B. No real plotline, just chapters of Tina Fey rambling about this or that. It's funny, and I love Tina Fey (though not 30 Rock). Have you read this book? What did you think?

Book #10 : Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Wicked is not exactly a new book. It was first published in 1996. I first read it in 2006 I think. And I LOVED it when I read it. It wasn't until I saw the play Wicked (which is based on this book) in April, and I didn't recognize the ending, that I realized I never finished the book! Sure enough, when I picked up my copy of Wicked in May, I realized my bookmark was wedged in the pages, about halfway through the book! So, I recently picked it up where I left off in '06.

Wicked is basically the Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. And I am a HUGE FAN of books based on different perspectives (Room, The Art of Racing in the Rain!!!) The story of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) begins before her birth, as you learn about the history of Munchkinland, Oz, and her parents. She is born green, and, because of this, is feared by all. You can certainly gain some empathy for a little 2-year-old who is hated and feared because of how she was born. The story follows Elphaba as she goes to college and rooms with Glinda (yes, the Good Witch) --- my favorite part! There are political goings on in Oz, propaganda led by the Wizard, and assassin missions throughout the city. Then comes Dorothy Gale. Dorothy doesn't actually arrive into the plot until page 330, but the history of Elphaba all leads up to this encounter with Dorothy over those damned ruby slippers. 

Wicked is so unique, and is a passionate tale of a girl who grew up in response to how those around her treated her. A victim of circumstance who got a bad rap. I recommend anything by Gregory Maguire, as he does a great job of creating a back-story about individuals typically portrayed as villains (Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister).

What's on your nightstand? What's on your Nook? I think I have time for one or two more books this summer! One is going to be Fifty Shades of Gray (just because I'm so damned curious!) and the second isn't decided yet...

Until next time! CHEERS and READ ON :)