March 5, 2012

Minestrone Soup

Are you on Pintrest??? The most addictive thing ever? I keep finding yummy recipes and ideas and I keep pinning them to my boards and don't look back…well this week I looked back. I made my entire breakfast and dinner menu from Pintrest recipes.  This is the first one and WOW it is amazing. 
This is not the original recipe I changed mine a bit you can get the original here  she has so many AMAZING recipes I am sure you will enjoy! 

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup 
(I made mine on the stove top not in the crock pot)
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 4 • Points+: 5
Calories: 215.7 • Fat: 0.7 g  Protein: 8.7 g  Carb: 42.0 g  Fiber: 6.7 g   
this info is for the original recipe….I didn't use the pasta but I added turkey meat balls
This is my version of the ingredient list
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes drained
  • 2 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed (cannellini & navy)
  •  fat free chicken broth 
  • 1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • salt and fresh pepper
  • 2 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow squash chopped
  • 1 bunch of swiss chard
  • mini turkey meat balls
  • cooked pasta (I did not use pasta)
  • extra parmesan cheese to top (extra pts)
Rinse and drain beans and tomatoes

(I did not use the crock pot I just cooked it on the stove but you can do either way. Just save the meat balls and zucchini and squash until the end either way.) 

 On the stove top…. combine broth, tomatoes,  beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper and let cook for about 45 minutes. Chop and stir in the swiss chard, about 10-15 minutes before you are ready to eat drop in the uncooked meat balls and let simmer (try not to stir to much it will break up the meat balls, then chop and stir in the zucchini and squash. Just push them down into the soup try not to stir.  The squash doesn't take long only about 5 min.  Then serve with shaved parm on top.


In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and swiss chard. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper.Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.


This may be one of the best things I have ever made! Its so hearty yet low in fat and calories. Make ate a big bowl and asked for more!!!  Hope you enjoy!

February 15, 2012

February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's day!

Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment  

Love….. love is a funny thing. You can't live without ever loving someone or something. Love can break your heart & make you cry, it can make your heart flutter and make you smile. Love is a part of our everyday life yet we only have 1 day designated to celebrating  the ones we love. 

As a child Valentine's day was fun. I would awake on Valentine's morning to a little box of chocolates and a stuffed animal sitting in my breakfast spot. As a teenager and adult I never really liked Valentine's day. I never really had a bad Valentine's day just never really got into it! In high school if you didn't have a boyfriend and all the girls were getting flowers and candy and stuff you just felt bad about your self.  As an adult if you didn't do enough for your loved one you felt bad about yourself.  Why would anyone want to go through all this. 

Steve and I have been together for over 15 years we have had our fare share of Valentine's days apart and together! We have never really gone all out for Valentine's day. We choose to celebrate our love everyday instead of just one day! But now that I have children Valentine's day is fun again!

Makayla and I decorated the house with candy heart in all the candle holders,  we made warm fuzzies for  everyone, we glued pink and red glitter to almost everything that was standing still.  This past weekend we made strawberry pink cupcakes, with pink frosting covered in pink sprinkles! We've been reading Valentine's books for over a month now and last night we filled out all the Valentine's for her class mates. She will bring pink covered pretzels and fun cups to school today. 

Makayla does not yet have a boyfriend, though she tells me all the time she is going to wear a white dress one day and marry Daddy because he is her "Charming".  I hope she never looses site of these days and that we are making happy memories for her. I hope she is always filled with love and hope and never has to experience heart break or loneliness. ( I know I would have to put her in a bubble for this to happen)  As a mom I only want the good for my children. I want them to see how happy Steve and I are and that marriage, love and relationships is not something that just happens but something you have to work at everyday! And yes hopefully one day her real prince charming will come and sweep her off her feet but for now I think Daddy is the perfect Charming filled with love and laughs for his little princess! 

Makayla and Jackson Daddy and I love you to the moon and back!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

February 12, 2012

Compare on Birth-days

Makayla on her birth-day
Jackson on his birth-day

Makayla 

Jackson

Makayla 31/2years  Jackson 31/2weeks


February 11, 2012

Makayla

Makayla at 3 1/2
Makayla at 3 1/2 you are so sweet! But can be such a sassy pants. You are so smart! You know all of your colors, numbers, letters and you are learning to spell and read. You can write your name (you still need help with the K) and you are learning Jackson's. You love to count EVERYTHING!!! You enjoy watching Mickey Mouse and Strawberry shortcake. The Fresh Beat Band is your absolute Favorite and you ask to watch them daily! You know all the songs and most of the dances! 

You like to dress yourself and you always pick out a dress or fancy skirt, and you can't forget the matching headband! You like to be the center of attention and you LOVE to talk & sing! You can hoola-hoop for a really long time and bounce on your trampoline for hours.
You are very thoughtful of others and you always make sure to include everyone.  You like when you have your whole family around you. You are a total daddies girl and always thoughtful of your little brother. Since the first time you met him you can't get enough of him. You always want to kiss and hug him or sing to him. He loves to hold your finger and calms down when he hears your voice. 

You are a good eater. You love Steak and Chicken…or any kind of meat! You eat all vegetables except lettuce and strawberries and blueberries are your favorite fruits. You are a great helper in the kitchen and at setting the table. You clean up your own play room and you always make sure your shoes are put away! 


You are doing great in school and always the leader. You jump all the time which drives me crazy! You like to play with matchbox cars, baby dolls and puzzles.  You draw all the time and are getting great at drawing people! Camping at Disney is your favorite place to vacation! You play your leappad (you think its called an ipad) and try to play mine (but I don't like to share). You make your dad and I laugh all the time. We always wonder how you come up with the things you do.  You are an amazing girl and I am so proud of who you are becoming.  You are so much like me and we butt heads all the time, but I wouldn't change a thing about you! You are perfect just the way you are!