Winter Veggie Bean Soup w/Pesto

Whenever fall comes around I start wanting "fall" comfort foods like soup and chili!   Due to my new diet, I'm forced to get creative in my cooking.  Here's a recipe that turned out pretty yummy!  It's vegetarian, Gluten Free, and can even be made vegan pretty easily.

Winter Veggie Bean Soup with Pesto

5 1/4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 medium Carrots, diced

3 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced (I left these out because I can't eat potatoes)

1 medium Turnip, peeled and diced

2 large Leeks, sliced

2 stalks Celery, sliced

2 cans white Kidney Beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Easy Basil Pesto (see below)

Instructions:

Place 1 3/4 cup broth, carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, and celery in a pot.  Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup broth for the pesto.  Add remaining broth, beans, bay leaf, and red pepper to the pot.  Heat to a boil.   Reduce heat to low.  Cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve topped with Easy Basil Pesto.

Easy Basil Pesto:

Mix 2 cups backed fresh basil leaves, 3 T grated Parmesan Cheese (I used soy cheese), 3 cloves Garlic, and 1/2 cup reserved broth.  Place in either a food processor or a blender.  Process until smooth.

The soup turned out really good!  And it was pretty easy to make.  I had never cooked leeks before. In fact, I didn't even know what leeks were!  They look like big green onions.  I had to call my mom and ask her which parts I was supposed to use.  She said to use the bulb, and then a little bit (about an inch) of the leafy part.  But first she told me to fill up my sink with hot water and to soak the leeks for about 10 minutes to get all of the sand out.  I'm glad I did that!  Those things are dirty!  So just a little tip in case you too are new to leeks...soak those babies!

Hope you enjoy the soup!  I think it's pretty yummy!

Who do you think you are?

I know I can't take one more step towards you

Cause all that's waiting is regret

And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore

You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live half a life

And now you want me one more time

And who do you think you are

Running 'round leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts

And tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold

From the ice inside your soul

So don't come back for me

Who do you think you are?

-Christina Perri

P-Nut the Rapper

All you hardcore gansta rap fans out there are going to love the new kid on the block: P-Nut.   P-Nut is a 7 year old rapper from Memphis.  His newest single "You Might Be the One," is a compelling story of his love for a 3rd grader.   I personally like when he offers to be her "study buddy" and complements her on her hopscotch skills.

Oh my goodness, this is the best thing I've seen in a long time.  It is downright funny!

I know, I've posted twice today!  But I just couldn't help but share this. 

Oh cheese... how I miss thee.

So yesterday I met with a bio-chemist and had my saliva and urine tested.  (mmmm.... don't you just love hearing the words saliva and urine in the morning??!)    And it turns out, I'm allergic to the following things: Tomatoes, Eggplant, Green Peppers, Peanuts, all Potatoes, ALL Dairy Products, and Gluten... which includes wheat, spelt, rye, and oats.

: (   BIG SAD FACE!

The first thing he said when he came back in the room is "wow, you do not get enough sleep."  How he can tell that from my pee, I have no idea, but he is right, I don't!   He said that my body is severely lacking adrenaline, my blood sugar is low, and my progesterone levels are low.   It's weird because I haven't necessarily been feeling bad.   In fact, I would venture to say that I probably eat healthier than most people that I know!  I eat hardly no sugar, I'm vegetarian, I exercise, and I use natural products.  I mostly went because I figured I had some sort of food allergies because my skin breaks out when I eat certain foods.   But anyway, he thinks that if I start getting more sleep and get my hormones balanced, that some of the food allergies will go away.   

And because I am really committed to bringing cheese, potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes back into my life... I went to bed at 11 PM last night!  Seriously.... that's like a record.   I never go to sleep before 2 AM. I'm also starting on Arbonne's natural progesterone cream tomorrow.   So... we'll see!

I'm hoping to lose the 10lbs I've gained over the past 2 years, and keep my skin from flaring up.   I've done gluten free before, so I don't think that will really be a problem for me.   But life without cheese and potatoes will be hard, and tomatoes.... eggplant.... okay it's all going to be hard.   

I'll keep you posted.   

Day 1.....

Life as we know it

Tonight we went to see the movie "Life as we Know it."   It was really good!   I've been wanting to see it for a while now, but ya know, you never know how movies like this will turn out.   Thankfully, it was as good as I had hoped.   Jake even said it was "better than expected."   I would definitely recommend it.  

The best part?  

  

Josh Duhamel

Um.... yes please!  

Not on the list

One of my oldest friends is getting married this saturday.   We've been friends for as long as I can remember.   Our families have been friends for decades, and we were always together as kids.   She was my first best friend.   She's 2 years older than me, so I always have looked up to her.   We moved away to Michigan when I was 5, but we still stayed friends.  She came to visit me and I of course came home to see family and got to hang out with her along the way.    Through the years, we were never the kind of friends who spoke all of the time, but we always could catch up where we left off, like family.    

When I got married, she of course was a bridesmaid in my wedding.    She spent the night with me the night before, and we stayed up talking about how my life was about to change.   Then, shortly after I got married, she moved away to California, which is where she's lived since.    Now, she's never been very good at keeping in touch, but that's just kind of how she is.   But through the years, I've tried to keep up with her through emails and the occasional phone call.    The last time I saw her was almost a year ago.   She came in town to visit and we went to lunch.  We had a great time catching up, and it seemed like no time at all had passed.   Not long after that, she went to Paris on vacation, where she met a guy.  We spoke a few times through email about this new guy, and how the relationship was developing.   And then......  that was it.   I haven't heard from her since.    

It's been about 9 months since we've spoken.   The last email that I sent to her got no response.    News came of her engagement through the grapevine.   After I heard, I called her and left her a voicemail telling her congratulations and that I wanted to hear all about it.   No response.   Then, I sent her a text saying the same thing about a week later.  No response.   Then, I sent her another email.  No response.   

And now, the wedding is Saturday, and I'm not even invited.    The wedding is here in Kentucky, and no doubt she's already in town, getting ready for the rehearsal which is probably tomorrow.    Lots of my friends are traveling in for the wedding, and even some of my family members are going.   But not me.  

I don't understand.   I don't understand how she could just forget about me.   We never had an argument, or a falling out of any kind.   The last time we were together was great!    And yet, here I sit, with no response in over 9 months.    

She's my oldest friend.   She was IN my wedding, and I'm not even invited to hers.    I'm a little bit angry about it, but I'm mostly just sad.    Sad that I mean so little to someone who means so much to me.   I've never even met the guy she's about to marry.   

I've always tried to be a good friend to my friends.   I try to be there for them, to be supportive, to show that I care.   And so little of them have returned the favor.    

I guess I just have to realize that she obviously doesn't care to be my friend.    And I guess there's nothing I can do about that.    So.... I wish her well.   I hope that she has a beautiful wedding, surrounded by all the people she cares about.      

It's kind of a funny story

So a few months ago I was heading to my brother's house when I got pulled over.    The road to his house drops suddenly from 55 to 35, and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I passed that sign there were lights flashing behind me.   : (   He gave me a ticket for speeding and because my tags were expired.  

I had fully intended to go to court and fight this one!  The signs are really unclear and the sign where the speed limit drops is actually on the OTHER side of the street going the opposite direction.    So, on my court date, I went in to argue my case.   But, of course as soon as I got in there, the police officer asked if I wanted to contest it.... and I lost all my nerve (clearly intimidated by the badge) and said "no, I'll pay it."   So... that's what I did.  They dismissed the charge for my expired registration since I showed them that I had renewed, and then I paid my ticket.  End of story.   Or so I thought....

Fast forward to last Sunday.   My family and I head to Frankfort, (about a 45 min drive) for a one day Bible convention.   Jake and my dad left early in the morning because they had to be there by 7:30 to help. My mom and I arrived together later that morning.   And boy am I glad I wasn't with Jake!   He got pulled over (we should really buy stock in law enforcement.... oh wait... that's called taxes), and got a speeding ticket.   But after the cop runs his license, he comes back and says "by the way, are you aware that there is a warrant out for your wife's arrest?"    Um.... what!??    No, it's safe to say neither he nor I were aware of that.

My first reaction when they told me that was to laugh, only later to find out that he totally would have taken me to jail if I had been there!    Can you imagine me getting hauled off to jail on the way to a Bible convention!?  Now that would have been a story to tell!   Since I haven't committed any crimes lately, my only guess was that they somehow didn't post that I had paid my ticket.    Of course I had to wait until Monday to find out, so until then, Jake refused to let me drive, convinced that I would get taken to jail if I got pulled over.  He toted me to and from work saturday, and drove like a snail, afraid that HE would get pulled over again.

First thing Monday I marched myself to the courthouse decked out in the cutest outfit I could find, complete with my black ruffle high heels and coach purse (if I was going to jail, I was going in style) and announced "I'm here to turn myself in, I hear there's a warrant out for my arrest."   Haha, I couldn't help it.  The cop looked at me like I was crazy, and then finally went to run my license.    The result?   There was no warrant out for my arrest.  Never was.   They had no idea why the police officer said that.  I don't know which made me more mad, the fact that the one officer said there was, or that the other said there wasn't!   I mean.... I'm glad I didn't go to jail, obvi, but it's really irritating that it was all for nothing!

As I was leaving the police officer said "sorry, we can't lock you up today, but maybe another day!"

Sigh.... I kind of liked having the street cred.  

Look what Faith can do

I feel like I have been playing catch up since we got back from our trip.   I haven't even completely unpacked yet and we've been back almost 2 weeks now!  I know.... poor me, I got to go to Europe.  Trust me, I'm not complaining!  It was definitely worth it, I just have a lot to do now between work, and stuff around the house.    

Yesterday we started painting the outside of our house.   Wow, I did not know how big of a job it was going to be!  It's a brick house, but the trim all around it desperately needed to be repainted.  Right now it's cream, with green shutters.   We're painting the trim white, and the shutters black.   It's going to look great when it's done, but there's still a lot left to do and we're running out of warm weather.   Hopefully we can get it done over the next few weeks.  I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished!

On an un-boring note, did anyone see Oprah today?   I love a good animal story and the show was full of them!   

Meet Faith, the 2 legged dog who is truly an inspiration!  

Faith was born deformed and she only has two legs!    

This little dog was taken in by a loving family and learned at an early age to sit up like a bunny and hop.

Here she is today, a healthy and happy dog who gets around just fine!  

She stands up on two legs like a person, walks, hops, and even runs.

She is really an inspiration!  

 She had to learn to get around with only 2 legs.... 

kind of makes my long to-do list look pretty pathetic.