I make a pot of soup every week in the winter time this week I made this one, it's delish and warm in this cold weather ...

Originally Posted by Glory87:
I love this one - definitely filling and relatively low calorie.

Spinach Chickpea Leek Soup

This is SO good and so fast and easy to make - makes plenty for several days. Great to make on a Sunday and eat all week.

1 tbs olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thinly (circles)
1 zuchini, chopped
minced garlic (I use tons)
2 14 oz cans tomatoes
small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 3/4 cup veg broth
1 14 oz can chickpeas (gabanzo beans) drained
block of frozen spinach (thawed, drained)
1 tbs oregano
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh parm cheese for topping

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add leeks and zucchini and cook briskly for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, vegetable broth, chickpeas and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Shred the spinach finely, add to the soup and boil for 2 minutes. Season to taste. (the longer it cooks on the stove, the better it is). Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired).

I'm only just seriously getting back to zig-zagging, but the last time I stuck to it I was my lowest weight ever, so I'd say it was either the zig-zagging or the running that made me drop weight! :)

So this week is the first "structured zig-zag" week I've had in a while - I naturally zig-zag but the zigs tend to be a lot higher than the zags are low, so I end up about staying the same. I'll report in next week and I'll be able to tell you for definite! :)

I've been to the gym this lunch, I feel glad I went and I sweated buckets but I've recovered so fast I don't feel like I worked hard enough :crazy: I did 10 sets of 3 @ 15kg benches, 10 sets of 3 at 50kg on the ab machine, then 15mins HIIT with jogging in most of my cool-down intervals and some stretching. But I feel about as rested as before I went! :lol: In fact I feel better because I was feeling all lazy and lethargic and now I feel nice. :crazy:

Oh well, I have to plan out my kickboxing lesson for tonight, methinks grading stuff. Methings scaring them with how many weeks are left till gradings :yes: Methinks telling them they won't pass :devil: :lol: Actually that's probably a bad idea. I should tell them they "need to practise" rather than they won't pass! :devil: :lol:

Well, I made my new version of my really good dip for the game yesterday. I substituted Morning Star Farms crumbles (a TVP product) for the sage sausage and used only 4 oz cream cheese with 4 oz Z Trim instead of 8 oz cream cheese. Everyone had had my original version and everyone liked the new version (saved 1000 calories and about 75 grams of fat). The only difference I found was that the TVP crumbles weren't as chewy as the sausage and they were smaller bites than the sausage so after the dip sat in the crock pot for an hour or so, it was more mixed looking. Kind of hard to explain. Anyway, everyone liked it!

I haven't had the tomato yet. It's sitting on the counter next to the bananas. I needs to get just a tad riper. Perhaps we'll have it tomorrow with the turkey burgers.

I made homemade turkey soup for dinner last night and everyone liked that. Its getting warmer and warmer here, so soup season is almost over and salad season will be starting. That will be nice. I need to get more nighttime salads in--they really help me stay on track. Yesterday, I browsed through Cooking Light online and printed several recipes to try out over the next few weeks--some of which I'll incorporate the Z Trim into.

I'm proud of myself. I didn't set my alarm, but I got up early and exercised! Weight is holding steady....

Good Morning,

I woke up nice and sore so I think I must have gotten the dust off those weights yesterday.

I haven't counted calories in 20 years and I am really enjoying this for some strange reason. I thought it would just kill me. OK I'm only on day 2 so maybe the enthusiasm is premature but heck I might as well just enjoy it.

Allison, I just noticed that you are in Southern California. You are not supposed to have to pay so much for produce. I hope that tomato is good. I don't usually buy tomatoes in winter but I sure love them. Heirloom tomatoes are usually very tasty. Enjoy!

Susan, congrats on your son's 25th. Mine turned 9 last week.

Originally Posted by hikerchick:
Allison, I just noticed that you are in Southern California. You are not supposed to have to pay so much for produce. I hope that tomato is good. I don't usually buy tomatoes in winter but I sure love them. Heirloom tomatoes are usually very tasty. Enjoy!

I don't usually pay a lot for tomatoes or other produce, either. I get them at Costco and can get a large package of the on-the-vine variety for less than $5, but I had heard about both ugly tomatoes (a new variety) and heirloom tomatoes and I wanted to try them. Vons had the heirlooms for $5.99 a pound and wouldn't you know it, I picked on that weighed more than a pound! I should have gone to our weekend farmer's market instead! Perhaps I'll get there next weekend.

Over a pound, wow that's a super tomato.

I am jealous that you have farmer's markets in January. But though its too cold for that here I can't complain either. Hope all you folks with sub zero temps are staying warm.

The farmers market isn't really a true farmers market. Every weekend, the local college has a swap meet that is very popular. There are a few booths where local farmers bring in stuff to sell. Not all of what they have is fresh, though. And I can't be certain that all of is it local grown, either. Some of the time, the things they have look like they were cast offs from what they sold to the grocers--quite sad looking! But they do have some good prices. I'd really rather drive down valley and go to the little roadside stores--now they have some nice produce and good deals, but it is so far to drive, and you can't be guaranteed that they'll have stock of anything that you need. I guess I am just to reliant on the grocery store!

Good morning everyone!

Yum, those recipes look lovely! I love soups - we often make up the soup in the morning, then sit the pot on top of the fire for the day. Since it's a low heat, the soup is ready at dinner time and the whole house smells amazing.

2frustrated, the zig zagging sounds really great!

It's summer here, so my tomatoes are ripening in my garden - they smell *so* good, I can't WAIT to eat them! Yummmmm.

I've got a busy day ahead of me - the school year here runs with the calender, so we're a week into the madness. The routine is starting to fall into place, but we're so busy! I'm not working today, so I'm going to do all those little jobs (like dusting) which are ignored when I'm busy. I keep on top of the bathrooms and floors, and I tidy everything every day, but I'm behind on my ironing. Ugh.

Here's our timetable so far:

Sunday - Church, plus I go to the gym
Monday - I go to the gym (evening), DH goes to the gym (morning), and my 6 year old goes to Scouts
Tuesday - I go to the gym, both boys have piano lessons, and my 9 year old has Scouts
Wednesday - DH goes to the gym.
Thursday - I go to the gym, both boys have swimming lessons.
Friday - DH goes to the gym, both boys go to recreational gymnastics. Sometimes I go to a scrapbooking evening with girlfriends.
Saturday - 9 year old has professional gymnastics.

In winter they both also play soccer. Phew! Plus DH owns his own IT business and works extremely long hours (he came to bed at 4am this morning, and was up again at 6am - thankfully he doesn't do this often). I feel so tired sometimes! I try to do about 10 hours work a week for him so that it frees him for more important stuff, but I also work half time (I'm a teacher).

When I write it down I think it's no wonder I feel overwhelmed sometimes!

Wow! You guys and your exercising, I have no excuse, I have to try now. Well, this was my first day of counting calories and so far, and I don't eat past 6, I have managed 1400 calories, 200 past my goal, but not a bad start. I also started developing a work out program.
Hickerchick- Looks like we are both starting from the beginning.
I used to work at a farmers market, I miss all that fresh produce, but my thighs don't miss the cheese!

Well my daughter is demanding my attention!

Dana

Pink, you're a buzy buzy gal!!

I had an awesome leg workout this morning :strong: ... I worked this afternoon, pretty ho hum day ... Food was good...

:wave: Stuck to my low calories yesterday :) Must find some better proteiny goodness so that the low days aren't such a trial! :lol:

Got squats today :D and then I'm going to rack up some more HIIT and some kickboxing. :D Oooh and I found an offer in the paper for a free class at Gym Box to entice you into buying membership! :lol: I will just go to the free class! :D

Morning! I was up wandering and couldn't resist one peek to see what everybody was up to ... But I am going back to bed!

It's leg so me today too! Later.

Oooh what leggy things are you going to do? I've got squats and calf raises (using a barbel) and those one-legged squats on a bench. I might try tabata squats or I might do some HIIT running.

What are YOU going to do ;)

I should have stayed awake. I had terrible dreams!
Tabata squats for sure. I should do calf raises and probably some floor stuff that I remember from Buns of Steel.

Morning all...wow, I miss a day and two pages of postings already.

My goals for the week....to get enought sleep and eliminate the binge days and stay on track. I was just exhausted yesterday after not enough sleep, and when I'm tired, all control disappears....Ended up eating two bowls of nuts and oatbran plus an extra helping of that Italian Pie.....allison...was it you who recommended it? Found the recipe on line at Cooking Light and it came out great....even tho' I forgot I had it in the oven and left it there for 45 minutes. These cheese topping was almost black, and the lasagna noodles were crispy on top, but it was still delicious. The sauce is great....I had enough left over that I mixed it with beans and have been eating it for breakfast. Thanks for recommending it.

Ilene, thanks for the soup recipe, will try it next week.

Have been doing the Tabata squats every day along with watching the video....love squats!

Susan B....I think of it being really cold here but you've got the true cold....I won't complain!

Gotta run, work calls.....hope everyone has a good day.