Tag Archives: winter

Vegetable Calories

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I want to start off by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

And share some things I have found.

When I started on my health adventure there were some basic truths that I had face:

  1. I was getting too big and it was starting to affect my health
  2. I ate too much and did not eat enough of the right foods
  3. And I drank a little too much….
  4. Then I realised that this behaviour had to slow down or stop

It is universally accepted that food is a beneficial factor in the weight loss process. I agree that the thought of eating to lose weight is a bit ridiculous, but to me very relevant to me as I love food. I have now come to accept that for me it is true and can be done.

As I am the master of finding the easiest route to something, if it can be done easily then its me. Then it hit me in the face, by eating the right foods like fruit and veg this could be my “easiest” route to losing weight. Since both fruit and veg are lower in calories and higher in volume than most foods they will help me lose weight. They are also jam packed full of vitamins and nutrients which will help my health. Then added to this, and is the best news for me, is the fact that eating fruit and veg helps to actually burn calories.

I found that these vegetables listed below help to burn calories and appear in  a lot of my soups:

  • Asparagus
  • Fennel
  • Squash
  • Broccoli
  • Leek
  • Cabbage
  • Lettuce
  • Carrots
  • Marrow
  • Cauliflower
  • Peppers
  • Celery
  • Radishes
  • Chicory
  • Spinach
  • Cress
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Turnips
  • Onions

So these will help lose weight and boosts your overall health. Veg is full of nutrients and vitamins like A, C, E, K, carotene, carotenoids, to name but a few and supports your immune system. And whilst your eating more fruit and vegetables you eat less junk food in the process so avoiding sugars, food colouring, high-fructose syrups, and broken down oils. Just avoiding a few of these foods from your eating will result in a positive effect on your health.

Now that I am 3 stones (19 kilos) lighter than I used to be, just by eating and a little walking, I feel 100% better in myself.

Peter

Squash, Lentil and Ginger Soup

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“Take your Soup to Work Day” If this is not a thing then it should be!

On Sunday I decided that I would take my soup to work for lunch. This soupy offering would replace my usual baguette, crisps and diet coke from a local bakery nearby.  The soup itself would provide me with the calories my body needed not the calories that my head desired and that would be sensible.

Being sensible with my food is not always my thing, also being able to do the right thing is sometimes against my nature as my friends would willingly testify to even if they haven’t been asked?  I set about my task of making a soup for work on the Sunday afternoon before the Tottenham v Bournemouth football match.

Anyway my internal fun police have now left the building so its probably off to the nearest pub to watch the second half……..

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 682 (170 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 celery stick sliced small
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger chopped (thumb sized)
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 medium potato
  • 1.75 of a butternut squash chopped
  • 2 handfuls of red split lentils
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Knorr vegetable stockpot (any veg stock will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredient’s into the soup maker and set to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth.
  • Optional – If you like a thinner soup just add more water or for a thicker soup add less water.

Red Winter Soup

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Don’t pay any attention to the veg in the background, that was my new Able and Cole delivery in which I got five beetroot.

The slightly warmer weather in the UK has led me to think that Christmas is just around the corner, this means for us unseasonable temperatures and winter veg. So I thought to myself red soup! its a must as I have the perfect veg for that colour “beetroot”

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 456 (114 calories per serving – if you any cream add 60 calories or crème fraiche add 45 calories) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 teaspoon of thyme
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons of cumin
  • 2 medium red onions chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes (or 12oz) chopped small
  • 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2 to 3 medium beetroots (or 12 to 15 ounces) chopped small
  • 2 Knorr vegetable stock pots (any veg stock will do)
  • Add salt and pepper to taste
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredient’s into the soup maker and set to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth
  • For a thinner soup add more water for a thicker soup add less water.
  • Optional – when serving add some cream, sour or single, or crème fresh to taste.

Soffritto Soup

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Continuing on the Italian theme I was intrigued by the “Soffritto”. This is the base for many Tuscan dishes including soups.

Why a base I thought this could make a soup in and of itself. So yet again I grabbed my chopping board and set about making a Soffritto to put in my Soup!

Link to Soffritto

I used the balance of my tomatoes from my veg box and began to create the soup.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 600 (150 calories per serving – add about 150 calories if you have the cheese and bread) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, finely chopped
  • 10-12 small tomatoes, finely chopped (5-6 large tomatoes)

To make the Soffritto heat the oil in frying pan, add the onions, celery and carrots and soft fry for about 4 minutes.

Then add the chopped tomatoes to the Soffritto and fry for a further  8 minutes. While that’s going on add the rest of the ingredients to the soup maker

  • 1 green pepper chopped
  • 1 potato chopped
  • 2 knorr beef stock pots (Chicken or Vegetable stockpots will do as well)

Then pour in the Soffritto over the other ingredients in the soup maker

  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Set the soup maker to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a saucepan when ready and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth.
  • For a thinner soup add more water for a thicker soup add less water.
  • Optional – Parmesan cheese and crusty bread as desired (cheddar can be used)