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HERBED BUTTERNUT SQUASH-APPLE SOUP

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Squash and Apples  - Two Sweet Delights

Here's a soup for those of you looking for a little sweet in autumn.  

24 oz. of chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 med. apple, peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
1sm.. onion, finely chopped
1 med. shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried leaf
1/2 c coconut milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. finely ground pepper

Extra rosemary, parsley or thyme leaves

Heat stock in 6 quart enamel or stainless steel casserole until simmering.

Add squash, apple, onion, shallots, and herbs. Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft and tender.

Puree in food processor fitted with steel blade or in blender.

Return to pan and add coconut milk. Add salt and pepper and simmer for 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with herbs

Markers for Health

Consider your current lifestyle and rate each of the following aspects from a high of 10 to a low of  The higher the rating, the higher the level of adherence.

                                                                                       1      2     3     4    5   6    7    8   9   10

Rest__________________________________________________________

 

Balanced diet_________________________________________________

 

Physical activity_______________________________________________

 

Mental stimulation_____________________________________________

 

Social interaction______________________________________________

 

Enrichment/fun________________________________________________

 

Loving relationships____________________________________________

 

Giving of self/volunteerism______________________________________

                                                                                1    2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10

Make a Plan

All of the above are markers for healthy living. 

Scoring below 6 or 7 suggests there is work to be done.  Set a goal for raising your rating by 1 or 2 points over the next 3 months. 

Be specific about the steps you will take to accomplish your goal.

 

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A Doctor's Recipe for a Healthy Breakfast

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Dr. Monique Tello of Harvard School of Public Health is a working mom who takes the train to work. She needs something quick, easy and transportable as many of us do.  She combines fruit/yogurt/grain/nut bowl for her breakfast, which happens to be my daughter's daily breakfast. I personally cannot eat the same thing for breakfast every day. If I have time to eat at home it's likely to be sautéed vegetables with a pasture raised egg.  That is not transportable so it's only on eating in mornings I have that. In the office the fruit/yogurt.grains/nut bowl works perfectly. 

Here's Dr. Tello's description of her breakfast ingredients:

  • "Frozen fruit: berries, mixed fruit, fruit with kale bits, whatever. Fruit is frozen at the peak of freshness, so the quality and vitamin content can be better than what’s in the produce aisle. We buy large bags of frozen mixed berries at the wholesale club or discount grocery, as they are much more economical than fresh and don’t go bad.
  • Nuts and/or seeds and/or grains of your preference: for example, unsalted nuts, toasted seeds or grains, or a combination such as a low-sugar granola. 
  • Your favorite yogurt, ideally plain or low-sugar.

Either the night before or the day of work, grab a plastic container that can hold at least a few cups, and fill with the frozen fruit, heaped up at the top (mine holds 3.5 cups). Defrost it in the microwave (mine takes about 3 minutes). Put a top on it. Throw that in your lunch box alongside a snack-sized baggie of nuts and/or seeds and/or grains (I like cashews), and the yogurt. Don’t forget your spoon.

Why is this a healthy breakfast?

The fruit is not a token sprinkle, nor a decorative touch. The fruit makes up the bulk of this meal. There’s fiber in the fruit, and plant sugars in their natural form, not to mention healthy fat in the nuts, and protein in the yogurt. A low-sugar yogurt will leave us feeling more satisfied, for longer. We won’t get the insulin spike that triggers hunger pangs (unlike when we eat processed carbs).

If you want to step it up a notch, ditch the dairy. We can get plenty of calcium and other vitamins from leafy greens and other veggies. Personally, I’m not there yet, as I love yogurt, and have weighed the added benefits of my beloved creamy protein and probiotics against the recognized risks of regular consumption of animal products. So, I limit my intake of animal products as much as I can, and enjoy my daily morning yogurt."

How would that work for you?  Additional at work options might be whole oats that you reheat in the morning and add nuts, cinnamon and fruit. 

Planning Is Key

We can have the best of intentions, but unless you have the ingredients you need at the ready, a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner just won't happen. 

If you're not sure of what a healthy shopping list looks like, contact me and I will send you one.