Diana’s Vegetable Soup

Being in shape and healthy sometimes and for some people it is a struggle, but the truth is, that it shouldn’t be. That’s why we have to work with trial and error to see what really works for us.

Here I want to share this recipe that just came into my mind. Today talking with a client that can’t find the time to cook and eat the right foods, this Yummii and flavored soup came into my mind, and “voila” it does have life, spice and a lot of taste. Hope you like it as I did.

Diana’s Vegetable Soup

(You can add any type of lean organic meat or organic chicken or turkey breast)
I did it vegetarian.
All vegetables are fresh.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Beans soaked overnight in warm water. Change the water a few times.
1 medium sweet onion
3 cloves of garlic
½ squash
1 bag French green beans
2 tablespoon fresh ginger
¼ fennel with everything
3 stalks celery
1 medium yellow zucchini
½ orange pepper
1 leek (just the white part)
2 medium parsnips
2 medium carrots
1 small sweet potato
¼ cup Fresh cilantro
Dash of cayenne pepper
Indian curry
Salt


Preparation
Chop and grill the onion and the garlic in little oil in a tall pan.
Add water and cooked the beans for 20mn aprox.

While it cooks: take the squash remove the seeds and place it on an oven safe pan and bake it face down on 350 * with 2 tablespoon of water for 20mn aprox.. Take it out peel it and cut it.

While everything is cooking chop the rest of the vegetable, add them to the pan with the beans with enough water, add the squash, the cayenne pepper, curry and salt; boil everything for 20 more mn on low heat.

Let it cool, take ¼ of the vegetable soup and blend it, add it to the rest of the soup for a creamy texture.

I love eating, I love enjoying my food I love life!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep Moving!!!

How to Interpret Food Labels and Shop Like an Expert

Food labels can be confusing, even for seasoned shoppers. Does "trans fat-free" mean guilt-free? Is "organic" more healthful? Not always, here is a guide that breaks down label lingo and shows how to detect misleading enticements.

Serving Size
Isn't a small package of cookies or a can of soup a single serving? No, one serving is whatever the numbers on the label say it is.
"You have to multiply the fat and calories by the number of servings listed on the label." That can of soup showing 800 milligrams of sodium… Check the label. With the blessing of the Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer defines the amount as two servings. Mistaking it for a single serving will have you downing 1,600 milligrams of sodium, higher than the American Heart Association's recommended maximum of 1,500 milligrams for an entire day.
Take cereal, for example. "The serving size is one ounce, which is good information," "But what does one ounce mean?" A one-ounce serving of Grape-Nuts is 3 tablespoons; an ounce of Cheerios fills one cup. Unless you're measuring out cereal on a scale, it's hard to visualize what an ounce of cereal looks like.

No Sugar Added
This term doesn't mean sugar-free, as is often thought. The product may not have had sugar added during processing, but it could contain natural sugars that have the same number of calories. To know where your sweetener is coming from, check the list of ingredients for corn syrup, sorghum, maltodextrin, or anything ending in "ose" (like fructose).

Fat-Free
A product can contain up to 0.5 grams of fat per serving and still be called fat-free. But load up your plate and you could be consuming several grams of fat.
Moreover, "a lot of people associate 'free' with no calories, which is not the case," "One muffin could be fat-free, but could contain 600 calories and be loaded with sugar." So be cautious that "fat-free" food labels give consumers the impression that it's O.K. to indulge.

0 Grams Trans Fat
As with "fat-free," manufacturers can brand any product with less than half a gram of trans fat per serving with "0 grams trans fat." The giveaway sign is the ingredient list. If hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats are on it, trans fats are in the product.

Light
While this defines foods that contain no more than half the fat or sodium as their "un-light" version, it can also describe texture or color, such as light brown sugar or light olive oil. "Light olive oil is light in flavor, color, and has a lighter feeling in terms of texture, but has the same nutritional value as its counterpart," "You won't save calories by choosing a lighter oil."

Organic
This is called a "health halo"—a little-understood term that sends good vibes. As defined by the government, organic foods are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and cannot be genetically modified. Whether the foods are more healthful and worth a higher price is another question. Many nonorganic products, like whole-grain bread and peanut butter, are healthful while organic chips and cookies may be loaded with fat, sodium, and sugar. When buying organic, "don't be fooled by the front of the package."

Keep Moving!!!!