On Monday I started a Facebook Page; Forty Days to Feeling Fit and Fabulous, to jump start my getting fit and loosing weight routine. It’s not my first trip to this rodeo, I’ve done it before and for me it is about support and willpower. My quote yesterday rings quite true for myself; “Willpower is like muscle-the more you use it, the stronger it gets.”

When a group member asked if anyone had tried a well known company that sells ready made food, it got me thinking that perhaps a lot of people out there really don’t know what to cook that is healthy. I do, I have a culinary degree and cooking is my passion, my hobby and love. My problem is moderation; cheese, wine, etc., …
Too much of a good thing, that’s me.

So I decided to post some of my dinners that I will be making. Keep in mind it is also about portions, I had about 1 Tbls. of Parmesan on top of my soup, only one bowl and I skipped the warm crusty bread with butter I gave my boys, mmmm.

Truth be told, I used regular Italian Sausage since it was left over from Saturday night’s dinner. In fact, I had everything on hand except the bag of spinach, kale, chard mix which I would have skipped since it was 1 degree out but this gal will not go without her morning coffee and I was not doing without the next day, just my two cups!

Also, if you have not tried wheatberries they are a very healthy whole grain chalked full of vitamins and fiber, farro is another whole grain I have on hand too, they are very similar. I like to slightly toast the wheatberries in olive oil before cooking in chicken stock, they are chewy and a bit nutty, really good. The are also great in salads with a vinaigrette.

In my pantry I have all kinds of beans and honestly until I looked up beans I never realized that the black beans are one of the healthiest, so in they went. I prefer to use dried beans but I have canned as well for convenience.

So stock that fridge with lots of veggies, your pantry with some stock, grains and beans and be creative with your healthy choices! Happy Cooking~Carol

Sausage, Bean and Wheatberry Soup

1/3 cup red onion diced
1/3 cup celery diced
1/3 cup carrot diced
¾ cup wheatberries
½ cup diced potato
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
15 oz. black beans, rinsed
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, cooked and drained and cut up in bite size pieces
1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes; some juice drained
About 1 ½ cups fresh spinach, kale and chard mix; STEMS REMOVED
6 cups chicken broth (love Minor’s Chicken base it is great to have on hand)
grated Parmesan, for serving
2 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
½ Tbls fresh rosemary
3 Tbls. olive oil

Pour olive oil in a large pot sauté carrots, celery and onions; add wheat berries and the garlic at the very end. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and potatoes and let simmer about 30 minutes. Add sausage, beans and herbs and simmer another 15-20 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan on the side for sprinkling on top. Serves 4.