Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Leek Soup

Hi there, friends! It's been a while since my last post, but I swear I haven't been neglecting you! I was finishing up the semester, and those last few weeks tend to be the most hectic part of the entire semester. Only two more to go, and I'm finished with my Master's! How exciting?!!?

Anty-way, I've completely dropped the ball on my meatless monday meal posts, so I may as well start with what I had today for lunch to kick this thing off. I wanted to work with what I had on hand, and figured I could do potato leek soup... However....I didn't want just potato leek soup. I happened to have a sweet potato on hand that I had zero plans for, so... why not? Sweet Potato Leek soup, baby! Now, this soup is crazy easy to make. It's not a complex soup, and honestly, I may do a little tweaking to this recipe over time. But, I found it delicious and a good accompaniment to the veggie sandwich I ate it with.

Adapted from this recipe .

Sweet Potato Leek Soup

1 leeks (dark green stems removed), sliced into rings
1/2  of a large white onion, chopped
1 medium sized russet potato, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium/large sweet potato, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbs butter
4 C chicken stock or veggie stock (organic or homemade)
1/2  C  Milk
salt & pepper


1. Fill a large bowl with water, add chopped leeks to the bowl. Separate the rings of the leeks and swish them around in the bowl of water. Let sit for 5 minutes or so for dirt to separate to the bottom of the bowl. Trust me, don't skip this step, unless you like your soup with a side of grit and earth. I'm not here to judge.

2. Melt butter in a medium pot over a medium flame.

3. Add leeks and onions. Let cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add russet and sweet potatoes, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

5. Use immersion blender and blend soup until smooth, adding milk during the blending process.

6. Add salt & pepper to taste.


If you're looking to recreate my little lunch I have there, let me tell you, quickly, how I made this sandwich--it's a favorite of mine. Ok, Boom. Here's what you'll need:

whole wheat/multigrain bread, a few slices zucchini, sliced red pepper, thinly sliced onions, sliced mushrooms (about 2),handful of spinach, few thin slices of mozzarella cheese, slices of tomato, some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

- mix together equal amounts of balsamic vinegar and olive oil to use as your sandwich dressing. VERY little goes a long way. A half a teaspoon of each should be fine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
-put a frying pan on medium high heat, spray with cooking spray or olive oil, add sliced zucchini, and red pepper. Cook on each side for about 1 minute. Remove, and put in a dish until it's time to assemble your sandwich.
-add sliced mushrooms to pan. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, flipping halfway through to make sure each side gets browned. Remove from pan and add to same dish as other grilled veggies.
-Brush one side of each slice of bread lightly with oil and vinegar mix. Assemble grilled veggies, onions, spinach, tomato, and mozzarella cheese.
-(Optional) Wrap sandwich in parchment paper, tightly. Place it in the pan on medium heat. You can either press on the sandwich, or put a small saucepan on it to weigh it down. After 2 minutes or so, flip the sandwich over, and weigh it down again.
-Cut in half, serve with soup. Voila!

Eating smart..On a budget!

People assume I spend a lot on groceries. After all, "eating healthy is expensive". They assume I go to Whole Foods and "ball out". Well, as an unemployed graduate student, housewife, full-time stepmom to 3 boys, living on one income, I can assure you that I. Do. Not. We've all been to the grocery store and witnessed people spending hundreds of dollars on one grocery trip! Yikes!

It doesn't have to be this way.

I spend $80 or less per family member (5 of us) per month. Yeah. You read that right. This includes breakfast and lunch for my husband and I, dinner for the entire week, and snacks and food for the kids during the week and on the weekend. And this is my absolute limit. I tend to spend less. When you go to the store and spend $300 per trip, besides wasting money, you waste time at the grocery store, and you waste food when the unused and spoiled portion goes into the garbage! Here are some tips to eat healthy without breaking the bank.

Everything on this table came up to $25.77

1. PLAN
 Every Sunday I sit down and make a list of what I'll make for the week. I'll have my list of lunch and what I'll make for our dinner (my breakfast is always a smoothie), and a list of my husband's breakfast and lunch for the week. From this list of weekly meals, I write a grocery list that corresponds with it, and all the items I'll need for those meals. Also, I'll write down any necessities we've run out of (toiletries, milk, etc.)

2. BROWSE CIRCULARS 
 Always have more than one store you shop from. From each of these stores, browse the weekly circular. Many grocery stores have these online. Every Sunday, I browse the Shoprite, Pathmark, Trader Joe's, and Corrado's Market circulars to see which has the items on my list for the cheapest price. I write down how much the item costs next to the name of the item on my grocery list, and I also write down where I'll be buying the item (Shoprite, farmer's market, Corrado's, etc). The point of this is to keep me on track with my budget, and make my trip more efficient. For the farmer's market items, since there's no circular, I put down how much I think it will cost (from previous experience in going there). So, for example, my list would look like this:
     -wheat bread $1.99 (Shoprite)
     -almond milk $1.99 x 2 (Trader Joe's)
     -bag of spinach $1.79 (farmer's market)

3. DON'T BUY PRODUCE AT REGULAR GROCERY STORES. 
  Produce markets or farmer's markets always have produce for waaayyyyy less than your run of the mill grocery stores. This is usually my first stop on my grocery trip, because sometimes the prices are SO good, that I pay less for an item than I thought I would, and then that money can either be used up for something else at the grocery store, OR I can just save that money for another day!

4. SHOP WEEKLY
 It sounds annoying, I know. But set one day a week, and do your shopping on that day. When you buy only what you need for the week, you tend to eliminate the wasting of spoiled food.

5. BUY MANAGER'S SPECIALIS
  I will GLADLY purchase produce that goes on sale because it is close to becoming too ripe and unsellable. This week, I purchased 4 lbs of tomatoes for $1, and about 12 ears of corn for $1. All because they were becoming too ripe. I made the corn that night, and whatever part of it looked a little shriveled, I cut it off, and threw it into my compost bin. The tomatoes are all fine, though some are more ripe than others! If they become too soft and ripe, I'll make them into a tomato sauce, which I'll freeze until needed. Recently, I bought a 5 lb bag of bananas that were a day or two away from jumping into the grave,  brought it home, and immediately put it in the freezer. I use 1 banana in my smoothie every day, and haven't bought bananas in a month. For whichever portion of fruits/veggies that are too ripe to eat, I cut them up and throw them in my compost bin. It's a win win!

6. WHEN FOOD IS SEVERELY ON SALE, GO OVER BUDGET.
  I know it seems counterintuitive for saving money, but if something you normally buy is severely marked down for some special sale, go over your allocated funds for that item. Sometimes Purdue chicken is 40% off at my Shoprite, and during those times I buy more than I initially intended to buy. I'll spend more now, but I'll save more for the next week or two when I don't have to purchase any meat!

7. DO. NOT. STRAY. FROM. YOUR. LIST
  It seems contradictory from the tip above, but under normal circumstances, don't buy anything off the list. If you saved money on one item, and want to transfer those funds to use toward another item, GREAT. For example, If I see that lettuce is 99 cents, instead of the 1.99 I budgeted for it, I just saved $1 that can go towards something else, or I can just leave the money there for another day and count it as a penny saved. If I take my step-kids shopping with me, and I use less money than I budgeted, I'll treat them to an extra snack or something.

8. MARK EACH ITEM OFF YOUR LIST AS YOU BUY IT
  Just to keep you organized and on track. Plus, it feels really good to know you're sticking to your budget and getting everything you need!


Most of the foods I buy aren't coupon eligible. So, following these rules has saved me lots of money without the use of coupons. Not only that, but planning your meals for the week takes the whole guesswork out of "What am I making for dinner, tonight?". Also, if you plan to make healthy meals, you are more likely to stick to it. Don't give yourself the opportunity to choose unhealthy meals or spend unnecessary money on lunch Monday through Friday. Eating smart and healthy doesn't have to be expensive! Plan ahead!

Do you have any money-saving tips?? Share!

Turkey Lasagna!

One of my favorite things to make (and eat) is lasagna. However, every time, I make it I come to the realization of two things:

        1. This is definitely not going to be the healthiest thing I eat all week.
        2. Why did I decide to make lasagna? It takes FOREVER!!

Well one of those things still holds true. Lasagna takes forever to make, but it's a labor of love, because its deliciousness is well worth the effort. Lasagna doesn't, however, have to be that unhealthy. Matter of fact, it can almost be kinda healthy. Imagine that? The trick is to use all clean or mostly clean ingredients, and stuff as many veggies as you can into it!

I was inspired by a friend who has a lasagna recipe using thinly sliced zucchini as lasagna noodles  for a low carb rendition of this tasty meal. However, I knew I couldn't use just zucchini as the pasta. My family would disown me. Therefore, I decided to alternate between the zucchini "pasta" and Bionaturae organic lasagna noodles.

My favorite marinara sauce!

It only has 7 ingredients and they're all natural, which I love!

Lower Carb Turkey (and veggie!) Lasagna


2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4" thick (like a thick flat ribbon of zucchini)

1 rib of celery, diced

3/4 C diced bell pepper
1 C chopped mushrooms
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
4 gloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp italian seasoning

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce or 25 to 28 oz of homemade sauce

1/4 C parsley, chopped

1/2 C frozen peas

Salt & Pepper

1 egg

1 3/4 C ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp dried basil

6 lasagna noodles (or as many as you need for 2 layers in your baking dish)

4 C mozzarella, shredded, and reserve 2 C for top of lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Add all vegetables, and saute until veggies start to let out moisture (Approx. 5-7 minutes). Stir frequently to avoid browning or sticking to pan.

3. Add ground turkey, red pepper flakes, and italian seasoning. Let cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to incorporate turkey into vegetables and to reduce clumping.

4. Stir in tomato sauce, parsley, and frozen peas. Cover and reduce to low flame. Let simmer for as long as you'd like up to 45 min (I let mine simmer for about 30 minutes). Be sure to check on it and stir frequently to ensure turkey is well broken up, and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. While sauce is simmering, place thinly sliced zucchini strips on baking pan (or pans. You may have to use more than one) in a single layer. Let bake for 10-15 minutes until soft. Let cool.

Before baking

6. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until JUST BEFORE al dente (approx 6-7 minutes). If you're using no-boil noodles, then just sit on your pretty little ass for 6 to 7 minutes and take a few sips of that coffee you made to get you through this laborious task.

7. In a bowl, mix together egg, ricotta, and basil until well combined. 

LASAGNA ASSEMBLY AT LAST! I don't have measurements for this, as I tend to eyeball it, so here's the basics.

In your baking dish, spoon 1 cup of meat/veggie mixture and spread into an even layer.

1. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.

2. Ricotta mixture

3. Meat/veggie sauce

4. Mozzarella

5. Zucchini strips

6. Ricotta mixture

7. Meat/veggie sauce

8. Mozzarella

Nobody said this would be pretty

One cup of Mozzarella 

Repeat as many times as you have to. Make sure to press each layer down a bit with a spatula. 

Use 1 cup of your reserved mozzarella to top lasagna. Put into oven to bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella, and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes.

I usually like the middle a little more brown, but we were in a rush and hungry. Still delish though! 

I have a tendency to not let my lasagna cool enough before cutting it, and it ends up being a blob of gooey deliciousness instead of a tower of deliciousness. If you want your lasagna to actually stay in layers, let it cool for at least 10 min. I didn't know this until a week ago. LOL! 

Bon apetite! 

I eat avocado with everything

Chicken Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

Often, at the end of the week, I have to scrape up ingredients to make a meal of whatever I have available. Yesterday (Thursday) was no different from other weeks. The only meat I had in the freezer was chicken breast, but not enough for everyone to have their own. I decided to make meatballs, but I didn't have any pasta sauce on hand--and quite frankly, tomato sauce is getting "old"--so I'd have to get creative here! I've made a mushroom sauce to go with pork chops before, so it should work for chicken meatballs as well! With my meat grinder ready to go, and my notebook on hand to write it all down, I came up with this tasty meal. Even though it LOOKS indulgent, chicken meatballs are very lean, and the recipe is mostly clean!

If you've never ground your own meat, and have a Kitchenaid mixer, get the meat-grinding attachment. I can't even explain how much it expands your cooking options--especially when you have a few pieces of meat here and there--and saves you money!


Chicken Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

Meatball Ingredients

1 lb           ground chicken
1/2            medium onion, finely chopped
3               cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp          parsley
1 1/2 tsp    Herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp       kosher salt
                 black pepper to taste
1/4 C         parmesan cheese
1/2 C         italian bread crumbs
1               egg

Mushroom Sauce Ingredients

1 Tbs         unsalted butter (don't substitute with margarine. trust me)
1/2             medium onion, thinly sliced
2 C            sliced mushrooms
2 C            chicken stock
1 tsp          thyme
1 tsp          dried parsley
1                bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp     soy sauce
1/2 C          whole milk
1 Tbs          corn starch


1. Meatballs: Mix all ingredients with a fork or by hand until all are thoroughly combined. Form into 1" meatballs.

Clearly I didn't finely chop my onions. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

2. In a large non-stick pan, heat 1-2 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat.

3. Add meatballs. Brown on all sides. You may have to brown the meatballs in batches, unless you have a ginormous pan. Once adequately browned and almost cooked through, remove and set aside.

Browned but not all the way cooked through, as chicken breast can easily become too dry. 

4. Reduce to medium heat. Add butter to pan. Constantly move it around until melted.

5. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook on medium until onions and mushrooms are soft, and browned (approx. 2-5 minutes). Stir occasionally.

6. Pour chicken stock into pan and stir. Add thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and soy sauce.

7. Put meatballs back into pan, and whatever juices they may have leaked while resting on plate. Stir so that meatballs are covered with sauce. Cover and let cook for 3-5 minutes.

8. In the meantime, whisk cornstarch into milk until smooth. After meatballs and sauce have been cooking for 3-5 minutes, whisk cornstarch/milk mixture into sauce until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

9. **had to come back and add this step** REMOVE BAY LEAF! Because chomping down on a bay leaf while eating isn't exactly my idea of fun.

You can serve this with egg noodles, couscous, brown rice, or any other side. I chose to stick to veggies and served it with roasted broccoli and a salad. For my step-sons, I served it with rice. The chicken meatballs were way more moist than I thought they would be. I'm glad I wrote this one down!

Yield: Approx. 20 meatballs
Calories per serving: 158 calories (2 meatballs with 1/4 C sauce)