Traditional Leftovers--Turkey Vegetable Soup

It all begins with the turkey.  What are leftovers from Thanksgiving about if they do not have turkey in them? You remove the meat from the carcass, and then the carcass gets immersed in water.  So begins the makings of Mammy's Turkey Vegetable Soup.

My great-grandmother Mammy (Estella Trowbridge) was known amongst family for her holiday soup.  Every holiday my mom would begin to prepare the soup and always reference that we were going to have Mammy's soup.  There are numerous times throughout the year when I think of Mammy and my grandma, whom have passed on, and Thanksgiving is definitely one of them.  I actually think of many of my family members during this time of year because of the food traditions that have been imparted and passed along to me. So, today I share with you my Mammy's Turkey Vegetable Soup.  Not only is this delicious, but it also gets a check mark for health!

Mammy's Turkey Vegetable Soup
Servings--A giant Crock Pot
Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass
Water
3 carrots, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced
Turkey meat, just put in how much you'd like (about 3 cups)
1 frozen bag each: corn, lima beans, & green beans
1/2 green cabbage, thinly sliced


Directions:
Clean your carcass of meat and skin.  Place carcass in a Crock Pot, cover with water and cook over night or for 2-4 hours on high (6+ hours on low). If you are using a soup pot, bring the pot to a boil and allow to simmer for 2 hours. Add carrots, onions, celery, and turkey meat and cook for 2 hours.  For the last hour of cooking add in corn, lima beans, green beans, and cabbage.  Season with salt and serve.  Possible additions: fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, cubed potatoes, or fresh lemon zest.

This soup is hearty and filling, and better the second day! In addition, you can freeze or can this soup! If you choose to add in potatoes or sweet potatoes you cannot freeze or can.  I hope you get that warm and fuzzy feeling that I get when I eat this soup!  Happy Leftovers to Y'all!

Holiday Recipes!

Yes, Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite times of the year.  I love whipping up a meal for family and friends.  One thing that saddens me is the amount of stress some people choose to have during this time of year. Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks--not stress.  If your holiday season is more stressful than enjoyable you need to take some time to reflect about what is important and look for ways to minimize the stress.  Your stress makes it less enjoyable for people to be around you, as well.

One way to enjoy the season more is to keep the recipes simple!  Here are two recipes that I prepared from www.Epicurious.com (I now have a widget on my Mac so I can google a recipe from Epicurious anytime I want!!--Love Technology!):

Cranberry Cider Relish
On a side note, the health benefits of cider vinegar have been on my mind.  So, this morning I prepared a smoothie with this concoction to start my day off right, as well! Really tangy and tasty!




Pancetta-Sage Turkey w/Gravy (although, I used parsley instead of sage, because that is what I had--improvise!!)
Italian Sausage & Bread Stuffing

Happy Thanksgiving to Y'all!!

Cast away your thoughts that I will ridicule the enormous amounts of food on this day!  Yes, I realize there are those who think nutritionists (aka dietitians) feel that people should sustain themselves on tofu and vegetables, but the TRUTH is--- that is simply not the case!  All foods can fit and a single day of gluttony does not pack on the extra 25lbs of fat so many people carry around.

Today, I spend without my immediate family and instead give thanks to my extended military family for taking me in this holiday season.  I am so blessed to have such a large family amongst my NSW friends. I thankful that my husband is "safe" (albeit perhaps in my head only), my family is healthy, I have a roof over my head, and food on my plate!  Speaking of food, here is my menu for the day...

Smoked Turkey with Pancetta & Sage Gravy

Steamed Green Beans 

Sausage & Parmesan Stuffing

Sweet Potato Casserole

Mashed Potatoes

Rolls

Cranberry Relish

Apple Dumplings

 Pumpkin Pie

I am in charge of the desserts, the turkey, and the relish--all from scratch!  Cooking over the holidays and feeding those I love most has a euphoric feeling for me.  I look forward for the leftovers to follow! Fabulous recipes & pictures to follow...stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Eat Well, Be Well, & Enjoy Today!

~The Edible Nutritionist

No Skimping on the Shrimp: A 5 minute meal!

The grocery store offers a plethora of items that can transform your dinner into a minute meal and keep it healthy, too.  I must admit, I actually enjoy the precooked rice bags and I love frozen cooked/peeled shrimp--another inspiration in tonight's 5 minute meal! It's not that I am lazy, I just like good food--fast! Don't fault me until you try it!

5 Ingredient, 5 minute Shrimp
Ingredients:

• 1/4 bag of frozen, peeled shrimp (cooked or uncooked)
• 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 bag Uncle Ben's Ready Wild Rice
• 1 1/2 cups lettuce
• Bernsteins Chardonnay Citrus Vinaigrette
• Seasonings: Olive oil, Garlic, Season Salt, Pepper

Directions:
Defrost your shrimp in cold, running water. Prep your plate with torn lettuce. In a skillet heat garlic and olive oil for 2 minutes (don't allow garlic to brown). Toss in bell peppers and shrimp.  Microwave your rice for 90 seconds.  Plate rice, season shrimp with season salt & cracked pepper, and serve over rice.  Top lettuce with a splash of dressing and you are ready to enjoy a simple shrimp dinner! 

The Lighter Side of Breakfast Tacos

As soon as the tread of my tires cross the Texas line I am on the hunt for breakfast tacos--yes, tacos.  In South Texas breakfast tacos are tradition, a mainstay, a piece of our culture.  They are fluffy eggs, bacon or chorizo wrapped in a fluffy homemade flour tortilla (the small kind--not a burrito), and dolloped with salsa or pico de gallo.  I am salivating just thinking about them! I know, a little dramatic, but when you are out of Texas these are one of the things you miss the most.  Chorizo sausage, bacon, eggs--yes, heart attack waiting to happen.  In order to fulfill my love for these breakfast treats I opt for a lighter version, and I serve it up with a fresh carrot juice smoothie. Hope you give it a try!

Breakfast Tacos--the Lighter Side of Texas

Ingredients:
4 eggs (or 1 cup egg substitute)
2 cups frozen potatoes with onions and peppers
1/2 cup chopped ham or pancetta
Cooking Spray
4 corn tortillas

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (2% if you can find it)

Salsa of your choice

Directions:

In a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray heat potatoes over medium high heat for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, grate your cheese, cut up your ham, and crack your eggs into a bowl. Add your ham to your potatoes after 10 minutes.  When your potatoes taste tender turn down to low and cover (stirring occasionally).  Heat up a skillet to heat up your corn tortillas--the fresher they are the easier the more pliable they are. Cook eggs in another skillet.  To assemble: place corn tortillas on a plate, top with eggs, pile on potatoes, a touch of cheese, and kiss it with salsa.  Enjoy!

Carrot Juice Smoothie

Ingredients:
3 cups carrot juice
2 apples, sliced
1 piece candied ginger
10 grapes
Directions:
Place all ingredients into blender and spin away!
Great for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner!!

Power Pack Your Oats

The benefits of oats have been well known for a long time.  They are packed with fiber which can help lower both your cholesterol and blood sugars.  For me, oats don't seem to stick with me as long as I'd like, so I "power pack" them to give them a little more nutrition.  Skip the instant and go for the old fashion type--they microwave in 3 minutes!

Wendy's Power Packed Oats

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old fashion oats

1 cup water

1 apple, grated
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
Place oats and water in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1-2 minutes more.  Toss in your apple, nuts, cinnamon and stir.  Serve with milk and enjoy!

Curl Up with a Warm Bowl of Corn Chowder

When you walk in the door and have the smells of dinner dance on your tongue you know you can sit back and relax.  A slow-cooker (aka CrockPot) gives you the ability to kick off your shoes, scoop up a big bowl of something warm, and relax after a long work day.  Tonight is corn chowder, and this one takes the cake as something simple!  Plan a day next week to prepare this delicious slow-cooker meal!
Fiesta Corn Chowder
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen corn (if you can find the Southwest Corn use it)
1/2 bag Oreida frozen potatoes with peppers and onions
1 can Campbell's Fiesta Cheddar Soup (you can use the plain cheese soup, too)
1 can chicken broth, low sodium

3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or frozen cooked chicken strips, rotisserie, etc.)

Directions:

Pour corn, potatoes, cheddar soup, and broth into slow cooker.  Turn on (low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours).  Add the chicken in during the last hour to 30 minutes to reheat.  Garnish with cilantro and serve.  Toss in a salad for a complete meal! Enjoy!

Homegrown Goodness

Have you ever considered taking some seeds, a little dirt, water, and lots of love to grow your own lettuce?  Lettuce is a great winter crop throughout the South and the West.  It also has to be one of the simplest things to grow, too!  Once you plant your seeds, and the leaves begin to grow you can simply cut off the ones you want and leave the rest to grow.  I cut them at the base and leave the root in the ground, and wait for next week when I have a new batch!!  They definitely grow fast and produce a lot.  Growing lettuce yourself not only saves you money, it also alleviates part of the concerns with foodborne illness (see previous post). Here's my batch from tonight...

Top 10 Riskiest Foods--You might be surprised!

The Center for the Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) came out with a list of the top 10 foods that can possibly lead to foodborne illness.  The list:

1. Lettuce/Leafy Greens
2. Eggs
3. Tuna
4. Oysters
5. Potatoes
6. Cheese
7. Icecream
8. Tomatoes
9. Sprouts
10. Berries

Channel 6 Local News in San Diego interviewed me about my thoughts on the list above, check out my video:
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=697937@xetv.dayport.com

Take away messages from Edible Nutrition:

• Wash your hands
• Wash your food
• Don't cross contaminate
• Keep foods at the right temperatures
• If you doubt the food is fresh, dump it
• If you are pregnant, sick, a child, or elderly your immune system may be compromised and some of the above foods need to avoided all together (sprouts, raw seafood, cheese are just a couple)

Don't fear your food instead arm yourself with the knowledge on how to keep your food safe!

Blogger Awards!

According to the rules of the award, I must provide GGB readers the answers to the below 35 questions. I also must THANK my award giver (one more time now–THANKS Corinne!) AND grant 6 of my FAVORITE BLOGGERS this award. Then, give them the heads-up that they have been nominated by yours truly. And, out of pure blogger goodness, my nominees must follow suit! Oh yea … I must answer all questions in ONE WORD … Here I go …
1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket

2. Your hair? Straight

3. Your mother? Retired

4. Your father? Professor

5. Your favorite food? Pizza

6. Your dream last night? Venture

7. Your favorite drink? Espresso

8. Your dream/goal? Author

9. What room are you in? Livingroom

10. Your hobby? Crafting

11. Your fear? Widow

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home

13. Where were you last night? House

14. Something that you aren’t? Angry

15. Muffins? Zucchini

16. Wish list item? Venture

17. Where did you grow up? Texas

18. Last thing you did? Blog

19. What are you wearing? Cycling

20. Your TV? Unused

21. Your pets? Spoiled

22. Friends? Incredible

23. Your life? Exciting

24. Your mood? Sassy

25. Missing someone? Yes

26. Vehicle? CRV

27. Something you’re not wearing? Frown

28. Your favorite store? REI

29. Your favorite color? Orange

30. When was the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Weeks

32. Your best friend? Solid

33. One place that I go to over and over? Texas

34. One person who emails me regularly? Katie

35. Favorite place to eat? Texas

NOW MY NOMINEES!!!
My favorite foodie and Dallas-based dietitian Robin Plotkin
My #1 dietitian fun buddy and fiber guru Katie Clark
The nutrition & etiquette queen, Shelly Marie at CollegeLifestyles
Sports Nutrition expert and friend Mitzi Dulan at NutritionExpert
A fabulous resource for sound advice on diabetes by dietitian Nicole at ProducePrincess
The Meal Makeover Moms rock the web at MealMakeover

Alright ladies–hop to it! And, enjoy spreading the blogger fun!

I hope all of you take a peak at my favorite bloggers sites and look to them for healthy nutrition tips & fabulous recipes!! Happy Healthifying!

Let the Celebrating Begin!