Edie Shaw-Ewald is a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer, and a regular contributor to the Bedford Beacon.
She coaches clients to use real and natural foods to achieve their healthiest body and mind.
She runs her own business called Nova Scotia’s Nutrition Coach:
When my sons were younger we had a book that we took out every Christmas. It was a wordless book, just beautiful illustrations of a family preparing for Christmas. Cutting a tree, decorating the house, shopping, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, caroling, visiting, preparing a feast, going to church, opening presents, eating, eating and eating.
Then, the following pages showed the ‘undoing’ of the festivities….the cleaning up of dishes and wrapping paper, the taking down of decorations, the garbage and the trees at the curbside. The children return to school and the adults go back to their routines and Christmas is over.
As a Mother, I always found that part of the book disheartening. After ALL of the effort ut into this special time of year – does it have to end so quickly? If we leave the tree up for a few more weeks, will the feeling last? Is it worth all of the work, really?
Last night I found some fortune cookies in the cupboard that I had meant to pass out at a New Year’s Day brunch. I cracked one open and the fortune said: ”You will be awarded some great honor.”
Well, I haven’t done any great acts of heroism or solved the climate change problem…yet…so I decided that this cookie must be meant for someone else…
Then, moments later, William calls out to me from the living room: “Mom…that was a great Christmas!” Wow, there it was…my effort for the Christmas season was my heroic feat; a happy son with lifelong memories of Christmas – my award!
Every Mom deserves an award of great honor after Christmas, don’t you think?
On a cold winter’s night in January a simple pot of soup simply can’t be beat. It is easy for the weary cooks in the family and healthy enough to be a part of everyone’s resolutions to eat healthfully!
This is a simple soup formula rather than a distinct recipe. Take a look in your pantry, fridge and freezer and see what will go into your pot. Start with a little olive oil heating in a soup pot, add some aromatics such as onion, celery, garlic…add some more veggies, spices and broth, perhaps a pasta, or a grain, and some beans. Then stir and simmer. So easy, so healthy and so inexpensive!
VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP
This is what was in my soup pot:
A glug of olive oil
1 onion, diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
4 large carrots, diced
about 4 cups of turkey broth (from the Christmas turkey – frozen then thawed in pot)
about 3 cups of boiling water (from the kettle)
1 can Canellini Beans, rinsed
1 cup Moroccan Couscous
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped kale
Pour the glug (about a tbsp) of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent.
Add the diced carrots. Saute for a few minutes.
Add the broth and boiling water.
Add the rinsed beans and the couscous. Let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chopped kale just a few minutes before serving. Season with a little ground pepper and salt.
I hope everyone had a fun-filled joyful Christmas and that you are looking forward to this new year!
Source: http://www.bedfordbeacon.com/a-formula-for-vegetable-bean-soup
