Vita-Mix (or Blend Tech :) Tortilla Soup

Let me just say-I love this soup. This easy, peasy, super healthy soup. How healthy is it you ask?? Well-it's all raw veggies! It's so simple to throw together, well, that is if you have a vita-mix or a blend tech. I have a blend tech, and I love it. One of my best purchases ever! It's really made it easier for me to eat healthy. I can make yummy healthy soups like this one, or I can whip up a green smoothie, and it does so, so much more! If you don't have one of these high powered blenders, you could try pureeing everything in a food processor, and then heating in on the stove.

Look at all of those healthy vegis you will be putting into your body!

I like serving this soup with lots of mix ins. My favorites are brown rice, black beans, corn, avocado, cheese, and tortilla chips. I am thinking of making a few batches of this soup and keeping it in my freezer, so I always have a healthy dinner or lunch option kickin around :)

Ingredients:

Servings:

4 4

4

Servings Size

• 2 cups hot water
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1/3 yellow squash
• 1/3 zucchini
• 1 inch cheddar cheese
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1/3 serrano chili
• 1 dash cumin
• 1 garlic clove
• salt and pepper, for seasoning (I also add some taco seasoning, 1-3 T. , I season to taste)
• 1 -3 ounce cooked white chicken meat
• 1 -3 ounce cooked brown rice
• 4 -6 sliced black olives
• 3 ounces mexicorn (1/4 can)
• 5 ounces black beans (1/3 can)

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

1. 1 First 14 ingredients blend at high speed in Vita-Mix for 4-5 minutes.
2. 2 No need to peel any of the vegies, you can even leave the skin of the garlic on.
3. 3 Then the last 6 ingredients blend 5-10 seconds on #1 variable speed.

Sausage Cauliflower Spaghetti

This is my favorite "good for you" thing I have posted...really, I LOVED this! My kids loved it as well so that might have something to do with it. It's pretty much a complete meal alone and not too time consuming, so a definite repeat for me.

Kosher salt

12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook as the label directs. Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Clear a space in the pan, add the garlic and cook until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until the edges are browned, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking water, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 more minutes. Uncover and boil over high heat until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 more minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the skillet along with the scallions. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss for a minute or two to wilt the scallions and coat the pasta with the sauce, adding up to 1 cup cooking water, if needed, to loosen. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and toss. Divide among shallow bowls and drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

And the Winner is...

Thanks to those who posted this month!!! Kori, Melissa, and Dana- you gals were all entered into the drawing for the giveaway. Melissa, you were entered twice, one for each post you made. I wrote all of your names on a separate piece of paper, threw them into the mad hatter hat, stuck my hand in and picked one! Wanna know who won??? K, here ya go....drum roll please....And the Winner is....MELISSA!!!

Melissa- your 2 pack of Rio Vida, Rite Start or Women, and Bountiful Harvest Plus will be on there way! Could you just email me your address? As soon as you do I will have them shipped to ya : carly@fromheadtoheel.com Thanks and Congrats !!! :)

I would love to do a giveaway again if people are interested. If you thought that was a fun idea and you liked it, let me know and I will do another one. If you thought it was lame-sauce, then that will be the last one we do :) Please leave your comments and let me know what you think!

My eating habits have been...well...less than stellar shall we say. I've received most of my protein intake the past couple days from recesses peanut butter cups and my calcium from frozen yogurt, a change is definitely in order :) I am going to try out some vegetarian dishes this week, mostly bean and rice dishes. With Micah and I most likely moving in the next few months we are trying to be more frugal, and beans are definitely cheap so I want to experiment with a few recipes. I will be posting them as soon as I give them a try :) Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween and I love the recipes you gals post, it's so fun to be able to come to this blog when I want to cook something specifically healthy because I know that whatever is on here will be "good for me too" :) Happy Healthy Cooking!

xoxo Carly