Easy and filling Leek and Potato Soup

Leek and Potato Soup 

This is my own recipe

VEGAN

This soup is both hearty and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp
coconut oil
4 Leeks, sliced
6 - 8 potatoes, (peeled)
parsley,
Black pepper
Vegetable broth (1 Litre)
Coconut milk (also about 1 litre)
Coarse salt to taste
Onion powder
2 cups of water or more if you like it thinner

It's easy to make, just cook leeks in coconut oil till soft, add the rest of the ingredients and cook till soft, then puree and season to taste. I added the coconut milk at the end.

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To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here  Melony Teague a freelance writer , ghost writer, columnist and motivator who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children. Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out"   

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Pumpkin Time Again

October is here and since the leaves are starting to turn their autumn shades and fall gracefully to the ground, that's when I start looking forward to all things PUMPKIN!

There are a few things you may not think to pair up with Pumpkin. Like Cheese for example.
Another way to enhance the flavour is to add sea salt, pepper and butter. Delicious, it is a saltier take on the sweet version. Don't overdo the salt though or the butter.

This morning I had this recipe land in my INBOX :
Soft Pumpkin Cookies.  Give them a try.

Below is the Pumpkin cheese bread I came up with. ENJOY! It is melt in your mouth good!

 

PUMPKIN CHEESE BREAD RECIPE  - CLICK HERE!

Pumpkin is high in fiber and vitamin A! Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, a cup of Pumpkin yields 245% Vitamin A, so don't overdo it if you are pregnant. A cup of pumpkin also yields 19% Vitamin C, 4% Calcium and 8% Iron based on the same diet.

The Pumpkin bread recipe above has NO SUGAR added to it! But believe me, it's delicious!

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To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here 
Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
Join me on facebook. 

Coconut Milk Rice Pudding or Breakfast

Comforting and fragrant....

This Brown Bismati rice pudding is a winner. It is gluten free and the raisins add iron to the meal. I make mine dairy free by adding a can of coconut milk. Be sure to look at the ingredients on the label, don't buy the cans with additives and gum in them.

RECIPE

 

Brown Bismati Coconut Rice Pudding 

(Rice Cooker method)

Ingredients:

1 can Coconut milk (NOT LOW FAT)

1/4 cup sultana raisins

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 - 3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup white Bismati rice

1/2 cup brown Bismati rice (* if you have allergies make sure it is gluten free and that there is no cross contamination)

1/2 cup water

lemon zest

Method:

1. Rinse the rice very well, at least 4 times in cold water and place in rice cooker
2. add spices
3. Open can of coconut milk and scoop off 1/3 cup of the "cream" and set aside. Pour the rest of the cream and coconut milk into the rice cooker and stir to combine with rice.
4. Add lemon zest, maple syrup and raisins, stir to combine.
5. Turn on your rice cooker and let it cook.
6. Once it is done add in the coconut cream that you set aside to make the rice pudding nice and creamy.
7. Serve warm with heated rice milk and whole raw almonds for breakfast or chill to serve as pudding. (1 cup per portion for breakfast.) 

ENJOY!

By Melony Teague

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www.melonyteague.com  To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here  Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist and motivator who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children. Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out"  Join me on facebook. 

One week of the challenge already past

Today is the 8th Day of the Summer 30 Day Challenge and so far so good. Some have already used up their "get out of jail" cards, but for the most part participants are on track. The first week is always the hardest because you have to learn to think differently. It is easy to "let slip" and  realize after you have taken a bite of whatever it is that you have chosen to replace just because you are in still in the "old habit" mode. It happens and you can't beat yourself up about it, at least you realized and didn't just go ahead and eat the forbidden thing intentionally! Remember, it is about progress not perfection.

Participants have been reporting their daily activity to me and are doing well. Most are going way over their minimum 15 minutes a day (for 5 days in a week) requirement.


Here is Elizabeth's Landmark photo as well as one from Debra. Kristin from Michigan has been doing gardening and sent along a photo for us! Also, photos of the "Girl's Night Out" pics are coming in too! Thank you ladies.

Tea and Vietnamese food in Portland Oregon with 2 of my favorite 
girls!

HERE ARE SOME LINKS THAT YOU MAY FIND USEFUL:

• Is Coffee Right for you?
• Quinoa and Vegetable Soup Recipe
•  Breakfast Pumpkin smoothie
• 10 Tips from Igor

Subscribe to Fitness Training for Life and Adventures

  

www.melonyteague.com  To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here  Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist and motivator who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children. Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out"  Join me on facebook. 

Landmark shots

Subscribe to Fitness Training for Life and Adventures

www.melonyteague.com  To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here  Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist and motivator who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children. Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out"  Join me on facebook. 

Sheila in Cape Town sent in her landmark photo.

She has already done her first homework assignment. 

Here is the pic.

"We had a pub lunch and a light beer, before heading off down the Peninsula to Steenberg Winery for wine-tasting - a very Cape Town touristy day. My lunch was healthy - stir fry veg with small rare steak and an egg - theirs?? another matter - pie and chips!" - Sheila

Anna in Australia had a rest day. This is her idea of a rest day:

"Rest today, but went for a long walk along the (surf)
beach with the wind blowing in my hair. The sea air
was invigorating and we climbed a vantage point,
Elephant Rock with spectacular views. For a winter
day, we reached a sunny 70 degrees." - Anna

As for me, we went for a family Canoe around the Lake.

Girl's Night Out

One contributing factor that helps participants achieve success on their 30 Day Challenges is accountability and support. For this challenge I have introduced something different and it is going to be fun. You can do it too and let me know how it went. I have included some links below for you to check out.

PLAN YOUR

Girl's Night Out

Pick one night to go out with some BFF's with healthy snacks and chats.
Share with your friends your victories so far on the challenge and ask them to support you through it.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!

Here are some ideas for your

Girl's Night Out

1. Supply the snacks and invite your friends on a picnic. Take healthy snacks, lemon water and a little note to tell each person what they mean to you. No cake needed, when friendship fills the heart. 
2. Meet at your favourite coffee shop and order a Peppermint tea or Rooibos tea. Share your story with your friends and ask them to support you. 
3. Ask each person to prepare one hilariously funny story to share with the those gathered.

 A few words of caution:

Try to avoid decaff coffee since typically the caffeine is removed chemically. Check out the methods of decaffienation discussed here.
Green tea can be acidic, so watch your intake if you are trying to avoid too much acidity in your body.
If you have to have Soy milk, Choose Organic Soy milk if at all possible. 
I prefer to have half and half...since I only have one cup a day! ( According to "The Plan" by Lyn Genet - it is less reactive and less likely to cause weight gain. 
 

 Submit your photo to me to post with a few words.

 

Where do we come from? Part II

To all my USA Participants, Happy July 4th! 

We are on day 4 of the Summer 30 Day Challenge! 

TIP OF THE DAY:

Today we had one more participant join the challenge!  

Welcome to Debra.

Here is a landmark photo from her.

Debra is rearing to go and wrote,

"My goal is to stop overeating and eating when I am not hungry. I will give up sugar and soda."

Day 2 and 3 have been good ones, and although the first few days are hardest it is best to just keep going. So there may be wobbles along the way..it is not perfection we are striving for but PROGRESS.

Sheila from Cape Town, South Africa reported,

"My Day 3 was spent enjoying the cold Winter sunshine in the winelands with a friend - after 2 hours at gym, burning calorie."

Nina in Oregon reported,

"Day 2 went very well. Made good food choices, portion control, exercise- walk with Husband and Dog, met my veggi/ fruit goal and met the protein goal for the 1st time in weeks. It takes focus to get nutrition into balance! Working on doing the same for Day 3."

Crystal in Regina reported,

"Day 2: Dairy free! 90 min weeding in +32C, lots of bending and hacking and hoeing. Garden looks good though."

 This was day 2's lunch with lemon and olive oil dressing.

As for me I am seeing good progress on the scale already! 

Well done to all the participants so far! 

Subscribe to Fitness Training for Life and Adventures

  

www.melonyteague.com  To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here  Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist and motivator who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children. Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out"  Join me on facebook.