2 Tblsp olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

1 large can tomatoes, pureed

2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, cut in chunks

1 onion, chopped

1 ear of corn (or 1/2 cup frozrn)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare onions, garlic, celery, green pepper, and zucchini; and saute in olive oil for three minutes.  Add chicken broth.  Puree tomatoes in food processor and add to pot.  Break ear of corn in half.  With paring knife, scrape corn kernels off cob and add to pot.  Add spices.  Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Season to taste.

Crust:

1 cup tepid water

1 tblsp honey

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 1/2 tblsp olive oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 tsp salt

Into small bowl, dissolve honey in tepid water and add yeast.  Let sit 5-10 minutes until mixture is foamy.  Stir with fork and add olive oil.

Measure flour and salt into larger bowl.  Blend with wire whisk.  With fork, stir in yeast mixture.

Using extra flour, knead dough until smooth and elastic.  Grease bowl and dough with olive oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.  Spread on greased cookie sheet. 

Vegetarian Topping:

2 Tblsp olive oil (for frying)

1 small-medium zucchini, cut in thin slices

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut small

1 small can pizza sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Using non-stick frying pan, saute vegetables in olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes.  Cover crust with pizza sauce.  Top with vegetables and cheese.  Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

As a first step to becoming a Responsible Eater, I spent some time becoming a Conscious Eater.  I did this by spending a week observing my eating habits, paying close attention not only to my food choices, but also to when I ate and when I stopped eating. 

i.e. Did I start eating because I was hungry, because it was mealtime, or because somebody else was eating something that looked good?    Did I stop eating because I felt comfortably full or did I wait until all the food on my plate was gone?  If I went back for seconds, was it because I was still hungry or because the food tasted good and I wanted to eat more of it.

Was I choosing food that had the most nutritional value for my body?  If not, what was motivating the choices I was making?

I set aside all judgements during this process; I just made a mental note of the facts that were important for me to be aware of.

Once I was more consciously aware of what my eating habits were, I was ready to begin modifying them while making healthier food choices.  Gently easing myself into lifestyle changes that I could adapt to - not forcing anything onto myself that I was not ready for.  This put a stop to the personal sabotage that was my custom.  Now that I was working With myself, there was no reason for sabotage.

The next step in the process was to become better informed about my food choices by learning to read the nutritional labels on the back of packages.  Although I am a fan of natural foods, it’s pretty hard to boycott packaged foods altogether.

Whenever I find myself unwilling to go with the healthier choice, I give myself over to enjoying the food I have chosen to eat against my better judgement.  Now that I am no longer taking time out to beat myself up for poor choices, I find myself much more willing to quickly resume my healthier  plan of eating.

2 slightly beaten eggs

2-1/4 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups day-old bread cubes (preferably whole wheat)

1/3 cup Splenda

handful of raisins

Combine eggs, milk,vanilla, salt and Splenda.  Stir in bread cubes and raisins.  Pour into 1-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with Pam.  Let sit for 5 minutes and then stir.  Place casserole dish in larger shallow pan.  Pour hot water into larger pan 1 inch deep.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or til knife inserted halfway between centre and edge comes out clean.  Delicious served warm.  Also good served cold with Cool Whip.

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup raw oatmeal

1 small carrot, grated

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

couple dashes of pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

Puree carrot, onion, and garlic in food processor.  Add to ground turkey with other ingredients.  Shape into 30 meatballs.  Bake on greased cookie sheet at 400 for 15 minutes.  Then let simmer in your favorite bottled, canned, or homemade spaghetti sauce for 20 minutes.  Serve on your favorite crusty roll with a shake of parmesan and some grated mozzerella cheese.

For those of you who are trying to avoid wheat products, serve the meatballs over rice.

I was surprised to find that I like hummus - I never cared for the taste of chickpeas on their own.  In fact, it has become one of my favorite foods.  I enjoy the taste; I enjoy the fact that it is so good for you; and I enjoy that it stays with me til the next meal.  I hate being distracted by hunger before it is time to legitimately do something about it.

This is how I usually make my hummus:

1 can chickpeas plus 1/4 cup of the liquid from can

1/4 cup tahini

juice from 1 lemon (approximately 3 tblsp)

1 tblsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Put all ingredients together in food processor and puree until smooth.  I like to use the fresh parsley if I have some on hand because it is a natural diuretic but if I don’t have any on hand, I make it without.

Last week I tried a recipe for Rosemary Artichoke Hummus that I found on www.inadvertentgardener.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/ which was really tasty:

1 can chickpeas

1 can quartered artichoke hearts

2 cloves garlic

3 or 4 tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped (I used 1 tsp dried)

3 tblsp lemon juice (1 lemon)

3 tblsp olive oil

Put all ingredients into food processor and puree until smooth.

I have recently come across another variation that calls for roasted red pepper which I plan on trying next week.

This tastes so good, you feel like you are eating dessert.

1 pkg diet lemon jello

1 can beets

3/4 cup liquid from beets

2 tblsp vinegar

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp horseradish

1 tblsp chopped red onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped celery

Drain beets, reserving liquid.  Dissolve diet jello in 1 cup boiling water.  Add liquid from beets.  Stir in vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, horesradish, salt and chopped onion.  Chill until partially set. 

Chop beets and fold into partially set jello along with the chopped celery.

I have adapted this recipe from one which I found in Better Homes And Gardens New Cook Book.  Every time I serve it, I am asked for the recipe.

This recipe comes from the Harrowsmith Cookbook.  It takes very little time to prepare, but it is only ready to bake the next day, and to eat the day after that.

I am not a real fan of Red River cereal as far as taste and texture go; but know that it is very healthy so decided to give this no-yeast bread a try.  It wasn’t bad.  I had guests in so had made Salsa Dip with cream cheese and sour cream.  The bread went really well with that (and certainly was filling.)  The other ways that I have been told it is good is with peanut butter and honey, also with cheese melted on it under the broiler.

2 tblsp molasses

3 cups hot water

3 cups Red River cereal

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine the water and molasses.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Beat at high speed for 2 minutes.  Cover with a cloth towel and let stand overnight, then pour into greased loaf pan and smooth.  Bake at 275 for 1 hour, reduce heat to 250 and bake for one more hour.  Store in refrigerator one day before slicing.

This is a good tasting mayonnaise and is equally good on a sandwich or in any recipe that calls for mayonnaise.

1/3 cup Splenda

2 tblsp flour

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tsp butter

dash of tobasco or cayenne pepper

Mix in order given and cook in double boiler until thick and smooth.  Beat occasionally with whisk while cooking.

I plan my grocery list around what’s on sale each week; keeping  a keen eye focused especially on fruit and vegetables that are available.

I then plan my meals around the perishables that need to be used up first.

I stumbled onto a wonderful combination of tastes when making this salad for my lunch yesterday.

baby spinach

grape tomatoes, halved

english cucumber, cut in chunks (unpeeled)

yellow pepper, cut in chunks

crumbled blue cheese

Renee’s poppyseed dressing

I had a slice of whole grain toast with it; which just seemed to compliment the wonderful flavor combination of salad ingredients. 

And it kept me going until the next scheduled meal - which is always a plus in my books.