Lyndzie, thanks for the link for that soup - I use apple a lot in my winter squash recipes, but orange peel? - that sounds interesting. I am going to give that a try.
Another one to try - Spiced Pumpkin Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
https://fussfreeflavours.com/spiced-pumpkin-carrot-sweet-potato-soup/ by Helen Best-Shaw, she says it is freezable. I see a squash cooking session in my near future.
October 23, 2019
I think my body is guiding me to prepare for the winter. I am eating a lot of carbs, and I mean a lot. I really need to pay attention to the "eat until satisfied" rule - I am stuffing my face. The other day, when I made the rice and beans, I ate way beyond the "I feel satisfied", but it was so good. I made it using a cooking method I learned way back in the day when I was getting WIC (women infant and children supplement). They were always giving suggestions on how to cook and make different things with beans.
Here is how I made it:
1/2 large onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 cup rice
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups black beans, (2 cans) rinsed and drained
Water saute the onion and green pepper, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomato paste and spices, stir and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the rice, stir to blend. Add the broth and beans, stirring to blend. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer and cook until rice is done, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: amounts are guesstimates because I don't really measure accurately when I cook.
It has been years since I made my rice and beans this way that I couldn't stop eating it because it was so good.
Yesterday, my day did not turn out how I planned. GD1 was to take her driver's test and she was going to use hubby's car, but his third brake light shorts out every now and then, yesterday was the day it did not work. Then we got in my car, same type just different year, so GD1 would still be comfortable driving it for the test. Turns out my switch for the high beams went out, fortunately it was just on the automatic setting so it is not an immediate repair.
But, we planned to let her do a solo drive home if she passed. I was going to go to town early and help my mom get some stuff done, but I needed to have my car available for GD1 - She passed - she only did poorly on the finally park. That was because she was told to park anywhere and because she had to make the decision herself, she totally flubbed it because she kept second guessing what she needed to do. I am happy she passed on the first try. A lot of her friends did not pass at first, but her grandfather (hubby) spent a lot of time teaching her driving skills. She was the most comfortable driving with him and often did not want to drive with me even though I gave her many opportunities. i always got too nervous and I think it was contagious. It is just a matter of not being in control. I get nervous when I have to be a passenger when hubby drives too.
So, I did not get to visit with my parents and will have to make that another time. But, on the positive, I got to take my granddaughter to get her driver's license and watch her do her first solo drive. How exciting for her...
I think I am going to stop with what I plan to eat, because I am getting too discouraged because I cannot seem to make it through one day without deviating from my plan. Maybe that is my problem, I am so stressed with everything that is going on with my family and trying to stick to a plan is just one more thing to add to it. maybe I will make better choices if I am not feeling pressured by following a plan (as per what one of you commented a few days ago).
I'll see how this new strategy works for me...