Friday, January 9, 2009

QUICK TOMATO STEW


Okay, while this is not a very photogenic soup it was tastey and easy. Truth be told, I sometimes am so hungry at dinner that the photo thing gets kind of on the back burner.

You know when I started this weight loss plan of mine I made a decision that I would watch what I was eating and exercise but most importantly it was a decision to be hungry. That is what I HATE about this process. I love working out so that's no problem. I love eating healthy so that's no problem. Although I do like to have my sweets too. But really and truly the real decision was about accepting the hunger and it being okay with me. I think I make this decision on a daily basis. This soup helped with that a lot, it filled me up without stuffing me. I walked away from the table after I ate before my mind had a chance to think about a dessert. That's a new habit of mine. Get up from the table and just walk away! Just walk away....just walk away... mantra...


QUICK TOMATO STEW
Lori's Lipsmacking Original

2 cups marinara
1 carrot
1 onion, chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
2 celery ribs chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
2 cloves of garlic
8 oz. cooked chicken, diced
2 cups cooked kale ( I cooked this seperately just in case there was any bitterness)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Saute the carrots, celery and onion (mirepoix) in oil until just a little tender. Add marinara and cook for about fifteen minutes. Throw in chopped kale. You can water this down to your desired consistency. I probably added about two cups of water.

In a bowl place your chopped chicken and if you so desire some tubetti pasta (which I threw in for DH).
Calories: I used my own tomato juice so I have figured the calories with that in mind. whole recipe 640 calories. If you add the tubetti its 200 calories per cup.

Bench Notes:
If you have these ingredients in your fridge or pantry, which most of you probably will, it will come together very quickly. When you are counting calories or just trying to stay light it helps to have some ready cooked chicken in the fridge. It's so easy to make a meal out of, especially in a hurry.

For the tomato in this soup you really can use anything, watered down marinara, tomato juice or even in a pinch tomato paste reconstituted.

And so funny, thought I'd share this, the kale in this soup was from a fruit bouquet that my brother and sister in law sent her! Thanks guys! Yup, your either saying go girl or your saying eek gats, what are you crazy? Yup.

5 comments:

Temperance said...

Sounds like you are doing good with your diet, with food like this how can you go wrong. As to the kale I have been known to wander outside when the need for greens has struck, I just don't tell people their salad use to be weeds.

kat said...

Oh that sounds good! I even have some kale on hand. It would be really hard for me to deal with being hungry...

Bunny said...

Would it be easier for you to eat smaller meals during the day Lori, say maybe 6 small meals instead of 3, would that help you to not feel so hungry, I hate it that you feel that way, cause I know what that's like! I've been on lots of diets.

grace said...

i'm all about grazing--i eat all day long, but try to stick with the healthy stuff for the most part. there's not much i dislike more than being hungry!

Lori said...

Temp- I love that. foraging!

Kat- thank you.

Bunny- thank you for your concern. Actually I get about six meals in. 3 meals, 3 snacks. But for me there has to be a little hunger. Its not ravenous though. I just think of all the people in my position. It'll get better!

Grace- my grazing before got me into a pig mess. Oh I am tired. That wasnt even a good one.