Creamy, Refreshing Carrot Soup

Creamy, Refreshing Carrot Soup

3 lb carrots, peeled, boiled in 3 quarts of water

1 c Old fashioned oats, cook with carrots

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp Indian spice mix (Sabji Masala) …you could try allspice, pumpkin pie spice, or curry

¼ tsp cinnamon
plain, non-dairy yogurt (optional)

Experiment with quantities of spices to make it just right for you!

Let the carrots and oats cook for 20-30 minutes, the longer it boils will just thicken the soup. Combine carrots, oats, water remaining, lemon juice, and spices in a blender, and blend until creamy. It should be ready in a quick minute or two! Yum! Add a dollop of plain yogurt on top!

I recommend buying a nice Indian spice mix from a local Indian food store. Lakshmi Plaza is a great one in Mayfield Heights (5888 Mayfield Road).

This particular mix contains: coriander, cumin, chilli, tumeric, black pepper, cloves, fenugreek leaves, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom , cinnamon, bay leave, pulse, fennel, caraway, mustard, garlic, onion, cardamom green, and asafoetida.

Indian spices offer a variety of anti-inflammatory and delicious spices. They are sometimes particularly expensive, and the shear variety of spices would cost a bit to purchase.

This recipe was inspired from a guest's recipe on the Dr Oz Show. It was a great recipe -- I just simplified, decreasing some of the ingredients and work. It was after all a great recipe!

In case you want a carrot dessert, after your carrot soup, try these No-Bake Carrot Cakes!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: Do you like Indian food? What is your favorite dish? Do you cook it at home? Did you have it as a child?

Get Happy!

Here are some great tips to get you out of your funk before the holidays! Pick what sounds most practical for you :)

1. Eliminate caffeine -- if you are addicted, it can really have an effect on your mood.

2. Cut out packaged foods -- these cause inflammation, and new research indicates that inflammation and depression are closely linked.

3. Take fish oil, vitamin D, and a multivitamin. Omega-3 are building blocks for your brain, vitamin D deficiency causes depression and even psychosis, and a multivitamin is especially helpful in providing B-vitamins so key to neural health. (Update: of these, I would only recommend a USP-verified vitamin D supplement. Get your omega-3 from walnuts, flax, chia, and hemp. Get most of your B-vitamins from the Daily Dozen. With one exception: here are the details on B12.)

4. Turn off your cell phone and computer at 8pm each night. Our electronic world is decreasing our social interactions, those of actually touching and talking with people in person. Having strong relationships, with friends especially, is key to happiness.

5. EXERCISE IS AT LEAST AS EFFECTIVE AS ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS, without the side effects, well negative side effects anyway!

6. Gratitude (posting things that I am grateful for daily this month have been a great little part of my day!), forgiveness, and volunteering are also very effective in increasing the satisfaction in your life!
HERE is a link to 7 Benefits of Gratitude!

Dr Weil was a guest on the Dr Oz Show and explained a lot of this and he even has a new book, Spontaneous Happiness, which I've only just heard about, but seems like a wonderful resource!

How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky is another book that I did read which may be very similar, and since it is older, may be easier to check out from the library.

I also really enjoyed Stumbling on Happiness, in which Daniel Gilbert describes research about happiness, or rather life satisfaction.

I also really thought Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar was cool because it provided sort of a workbook format of steps for you to take toward a happier you! Tal's is a cool story -- he taught a class at Harvard (on which his book is based) for the first time with a handful of kids, and it pretty immediately became the most popular Harvard course of all time!

I find all of this pretty amazing. It's not that I have really battled depression through my life, rather I am luckily pretty satisfied with my life and it seems unfair that not everyone feels like I feel. These books make it clear that YOU can DO things to become HAPPIER!

I question whether a severely depressed person could take the time to get through a book and its steps, but it sure beats taking medications. It's fascinating that some of these techniques are in fact as, or more effective than drugs. I implore you to try just one thing and see what happens!

Be sure not to stop taking any medications without first speaking with your physician.

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

You might also enjoy another post which includes a video by Tal.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: what do you do to get happier? Does it help? What works best for you?

Take a Seat and Build Up Your Bones!

Do you know which bone breaks the most in people younger than age 75? The wrist! So, next time you watch a movie, strengthen your wrist muscles, and therefore wrist bones with the following exercises.

In addition to injury prevention, strong wrists can help you firmly shake hands, open tight jars, and improve your softball swing! These exercises may also decrease arthritic joint stiffness.

Try 10 repetitions of each of these exercises today! Work up to 3 sets as you become familiar and stronger!

Tennis Ball Squeezes – squeeze the ball or some modeling clay as hard as possible for 5 seconds and release.

Wrist Curls – while seated, place your forearms on your thighs, with wrists hanging off past your knees, palms down, and lift up a wrench or can of beans and lower it back down slowly. You can flip your hands over to repeat the exercise with palms up to curl toward you.

Chinese Hand Ball Exercises – simply roll the balls around in your hand. In addition to increasing strength and circulation in the wrist, hands, and fingers, this exercise also improves dexterity and is great for relaxation!

Chair Lift – while seated at the edge of your chair, place hands at your sides, palms down on the chair, lean forward slightly, and lift your hips off the chair, lower back down slowly.

Begin cautiously, remember to breath, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, and have fun!

You can "like" the fresh-you FB page for more updates like this!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment, have you ever broken a bone? Which bone? How did you brake it?

No-Bake Carrot Cake!

Per request :) Plus, I gave one of these to a guy on an airplane and he said they were "FANTASTIC!" ...he also said he hadn't had breakfast; but hey, these could be your breakfast! They are nutritious and filling, and easy to bring with you where ever you go!

No-Bake Carrot Cake
1/3 c almonds
1/3 c walnuts
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c pitted dates
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp allspice
1/2 to 1 tsp unsweetened coconut
1 Tbsp pineapple juice (I use from canned pineapple in juice)
1/2 carrot (3-4 baby carrots)

Simply blend all ingredients in a food processor until they stick together like a gooey dough. You can leave a bit CHUNKY to better resemble carrot cake! Then you can put the whole dough ball into a resealable bag and make them into balls without getting gooey hands; one inch diameter works well. We keep refrigerated, though this probably isn't necessary. Freezing works really well too! Enjoy!

You can also try Skinny Mints (chocolate-mint Laraballs...like Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies) and PB&J Poppers!

"Like" my FB page to see on your home page when new posts show up here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: Do you talk to strangers on airplanes? Has anyone ever offered YOU food? Would you eat it?

Save Money and Boost Your Nutrition

Follow a few simple steps to feel better on your next vacation! Also, you'll have some extra money and calories you can spend on yummy treats! It's all about packing a simple lunch and some snacks.

Pack your favorite nuts, and perhaps Larabars, from home.  They won't get squashed or need immediate refrigeration, they're less expensive at your local grocery store, and they'll also be great to have WHILE you travel to your destination -- for the car, airport, and airplane!

When you arrive, head to a grocery store to buy a case of bottled water, a big jar of natural peanut butter, and a couple loaves of whole wheat bread. You'll probably want some plastic sandwich bags too. Then, each morning, make some sandwiches to pack along with plenty of water each day you head out while vacationing, and bring your nuts.  Also grab some apples, oranges, and/or bananas from breakfast, for the day!

When we're hungry, out on vacation (or anywhere for that matter), our bodies get a natural sense of "I NEED FOOD!" and all sense about the cost, in dollars and cents, as well as nutritionally, goes out the door. Avoid this by following our little plan.

After you and your family have had a healthy sandwich, everyone will be less irritable and hungry, and have more energy! Then, knowing you've saved some money and earned some healthy nutrition points, you can splurge on a yummy treat, or even a meal that you'll really enjoy!

Visit and like the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? What foods and snacks do you bring/pack for trips?

Spice up Your Morning!

Here is a quick and delicious option to add protein, fiber, and cayenne pepper to your day first thing! Weight loss helpers! Tofu is an awesome protein source to start your day! Additionally, cayenne pepper has been shown to speed metabolism!

Refreshing "Egg" Wraps (Tofu Scramble)

3/4 c tofu, mashed with a fork
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 c salsa (experiment with quantities per your spice-meter)
1 whole wheat tortilla

Mix the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl. Heat for 1-2 min. Fill tortilla with mixture, roll up, and enjoy! Great with a side of fresh fruit! It's surprising how much salsa you can add without it being too spicy.

Salsa is a great way to add veggies, cooked tomatoes for lycopene (cancer prevention, especially prostate), and hot peppers for capsaicin (speeds up metabolism and decreases appetite)!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: What foods seem to be good for you one day and bad for you the next? For example, how eggs have gone in and out of the spotlight.

Wonder what the Weather will be?

Have you ever wanted to know what the weather might be like for your outdoor sporting event in the future, perhaps in another city? The big football game in a few weeks, or the marathon in a few months!

The following is also a great tool for planning a family vacation! Weather Underground provides a way to easy search weather history through their Trip Planner.

Use the following example to see the weather I might expect for my next marathon in Houston, Texas in January! Play around with it to see what you might expect the weather to be like for your next vacation, or destination marathon!

As another example, the average weather in Cleveland from May 15-25 is between 46-61 degrees -- Clevaland Marathon is on May 20 and somewhere in the middle of that range is the perfect weather for running!!

The report provides the average highs, lows, and chance in terms of a percent, that it will be a "hot", "warm", or "freezing" day, as well as the chance of precipitation. As you will see, there is a great chance that I will have quite perfect running weather for my next marathon in Houston!

You can select a single date, or for a better idea of the time of year, choose a range of dates around your specific date. For example, my race is on January 15, so I choose Jan. 12-18, in order to compile more data. Have fun!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? TELL ME IN A COMMENT: What location/time of year would you look up? Did you get good news? Change plans?

PB&J Poppers!

Craving peanut butter? No worries! It's a healthy fat that speeds up your fat-burning and overall metabolism! It's a great source of protein and FIBER, as well. Peanuts also provide vitamin E, folate, and magnesium.  For more on benefits of NUTS click HERE!

Be sure to eat "natural" PB; this is peanut butter with an ingredients list that includes only one or two items: peanuts, and perhaps salt.

PB and J Poppers

GRAB YOUR FOOD CHOPPER and whip some up!

1/2 c peanuts

1/2 c unsweetened raisins

1/4 c ground flaxseeds

Add 1/2 tsp chia seeds for an added nutritional punch!

Blend together until mixture begins to clump and then shape into balls! Addicting! For more hints about how to make these yummy treats, click here. Here is carrot cake flavor!  You can learn about Laraballs here!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: do you like some other version of PBJ? Grape or strawberry jelly? Jam? Add dried fruit or nuts inside? Almond butter instead? Perhaps peanut butter and butter (Earth Balance spread) like my oldest daughter?

PB&J Poppers!

Craving peanut butter? No worries! It's a healthy fat that speeds up your fat-burning and overall metabolism! It's a great source of protein and FIBER, as well. Peanuts also provide vitamin E, folate, and magnesium.  For more on benefits of NUTS click HERE!

Be sure to eat "natural" PB; this is peanut butter with an ingredients list that includes only one or two items: peanuts, and perhaps salt.

PB&J Poppers

GRAB YOUR FOOD CHOPPER and whip some up!

1/2 c peanuts

1/2 c unsweetened raisins

1/4 c ground flaxseed

Add 1/2 tsp chia seeds for an added nutritional punch!

Blend together until mixture begins to clump and then shape into balls! Addicting! For more hints about how to make these yummy treats, click here. Here is carrot cake flavor!  You can learn about Laraballs here!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: do you like some other version of PBJ? Grape or strawberry jelly? Jam? Add dried fruit or nuts inside? Almond butter instead? Perhaps peanut butter and butter (Earth Balance spread) like my oldest daughter?

Dr Oz's Tangy Green Drink

Here are some benefits of this tangy green drink! You get nearly 40% of the fiber you need each day, half of your iron, vitamins A, and folate (the important vitamin for pregnancy), tons of vitamin C (may help relieve arthritis) and vitamin K (well over daily requirement), 25% of magnesium and riboflavin and it’s a source of coenzyme Q10 (important especially for those on statin drugs).

There is lipoic acid which is important for fat burning capacity, lutein for your eyes, and glutathione an important antioxidant for cancer prevention. Silica helps with skin health and your overall complexion. Green drink also provides some calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and all but one of the B vitamins (7 out of 8).

Experiment with making it however is best for you, and you will certainly become more efficient with experience. Soon, you may find you miss it on days that you don’t drink it! I find that when we (my husband and I) are into the habit of making it, we are sick less often and feeling healthier overall!

24 oz water (1/2 could be ice for immediate drinking temperature; otherwise, it gets a bit warm from blending process)

1/2 lemon, seeds removed, and most of peel*

2 large handfuls kale

1 small handful fresh parsley (1/2 c)

2 apples, cored, quartered

1 inch cube fresh ginger, peeled

1 small cucumber

3-4 stalks celery

2 servings green tea, Japanese, open tea bag and dump in contents

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Note that blending may warm drink and require chilling time in the frig or ice to drink right away! Preparation makes roughly two 32-ounce servings. Begin your day with a head start on your veggie intake, a good amount of healthy hydration, and a burst of energy from doing something for the good of your own body and well-being! Thanks Dr Oz!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: Do you watch Dr Oz? What is the best advice he ever gave you? What hints from him have stuck?

Calling All GIRL SCOUT THIN MINT Fans!

You can feel good giving your kids, these gooey, minty, chocolatey treats before noon! In fact, you’ll be giving them lots of great fiber, B-vitamins, and several key minerals! Free of sugar, butter, shortening, vegetable oil, or any of the many chemicals found in packaged treats!

Skinny-Mints (Girl Scout Thin Mint Laraballs)

In a food processor, combine ½ c pistachios, ¾ c pitted dates, 1/8 c unsweetened cocoa, 1-2 tsp peppermint extract, and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend until mixture begins to clump, simply shape into balls and enjoy this delight! Yum!

For quick updates on Facebook, “like” my fresh-you page!

Read on for more information about these yummy treats! They are similar in texture and consistency, and perhaps even more moist than Larabars. Larabars have a super-SHORT ingredient list and can always be available on the go! There are nearly 20 amazing favors. They are however (only shortcoming) expensive.

Really, for what you get, such nutrient-dense (tons of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and some "good" fat) product, the price isn't too bad, but looking at an individual bar, it's around a dollar when you "subscribe and save" on amazon.com, around $1.29 at Trader Joe's (cheapest at a store you can walk into), and more than that at any other store that I have seen.

It's fun to use the www.larabar.com website to make your own! Click on any of the flavors to see all ingredients. They list ingredients with pictures, as in cashew cookie: a picture of a cashew and a date. If you have a variety of nuts, plenty of dates, cocoa, some spices, and some different types of dried fruit, you can quickly make a batch of any flavor you choose!

For a consistency that will clump together nicely, you want around 1/2 c nuts (one type or a combination) and 1/2 c or so of dried fruit (such as dates). All ingredients can be blended at once. I small food chopper (like for baby food or chopping onions) works well. I have a Cuisinart 4-cup chopper/grinder that works perfectly! It is also easy to clean -- added bonus! It's small, so I can keep it on my counter, thus using it more than if I had to pull it out every time I wanted to use it!

Blend, blend, blend! As I said above, when you blend it long enough, it will begin to clump together. Now you can put the whole mixture into a sandwich bag, and have fun shaping! Your hands will stay clean (I don't like "food hands")! You can make balls out of the mixture -- it's like playing with play-dough! Then keep them in that bag -- the oils that remain will keep your treats moist -- though they might not have much time to dry out (too yummy!)!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? TELL ME IN A COMMENT BELOW: What flavor does your tummy's imagination want? Maybe I can come up with something you'll enjoy! You can also leave a comment about how your experience went when you tried making these "Larabar Balls". Have a great day!

"Like" the fresh-you Facebook page here!

2-Minute Friday Night Dinner*

Celebrate the end of the week with a quick dinner Friday night! Tonight, while you are surfing Facebook, cook some brown rice. When you prepare the rice ahead of time, dinner can be ready in just a few minutes!*

Prepare dinner in a flash!

Mexican Fiesta Bowl

Combine in a large glass bowl:
1 can black beans, drained (or 1 cup of cooked beans from dried beans ~ directions here)
1 cup salsa or diced tomatoes and chilis
1 avocado, cut in chunks
1 cup frozen corn
2-3 cups cooked brown rice (Click here for benefits!) 
Fresh cilantro chopped and lime juice, for extra awesomeness!

Stir it all up, pop in the microwave for a few minutes, and viola! Dinner is done!

For a slow cooker variation, you can put everything except the avocado in a slow cooker, along with lots of water, in the morning. End up with a lovely "tortilla soup" at the end of the day! Top with avocado slices, adding tastiness and nutrition!

The unlikely event of leftovers!

If you would like to see more recipes and tips, "like" my Facebook page!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: do you ever "cook" in the microwave? Besides just warming things up, what do you make?

The painful truth about trainers: Are expensive running shoes a waste of money? | Mail Online

The painful truth about trainers: Are expensive running shoes a waste of money? | Mail Online