Rich and Creamy Tomato-Red Pepper Soup

Do you ever dive into a magazine and start searching for the delicious recipe-gems that are hiding among the pages? I do! And I have found that my favorite recipe's to gather from magazines are soup recipes.

During the cold months of the year, I love to make all kinds of soup. I could live off of the stuff! There are so many different variations that the experimentation is never-ending. It's my own little science project- at least as close as I come to doing anything scientific- and I love it!

Last year, I found an absolutely delicious soup while I was flipping through an issue of Country Living Magazine. Its called Cheesy Tomato-Red Pepper Soup. Though the original recipe sounded wonderful, I modified a few things and made it my own. I never have liked following a recipe all the way. I prefer  to take pieces of it and then add my own flare.

For my version of this soup, you will need:

1 Tbsp butter

2 red bell peppers, finely minced and seeded

1 onion (or two tablespoons of onion powder)

1 Tbsp minced garlic (or 1 Tbsp garlic powder)

1 Tbsp paprika

1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth 

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup half & half

1 (8 oz.) container of light cream cheese

Now, I much prefer a smooth, creamy soup to a chunky soup, so before I did anything else, I processed my red peppers and tomatoes in the food processor. Don't let it go too long though. It doesn't need to turn to  paste; it just needs to be very finely chopped. If you like a chunky soup, skip this step and just dice the red peppers by hand.

Next, melt the cream cheese in the microwave as much as possible.

Lastly, throw everything into a crock-pot and let it cook on low for 2-4 hours, stirring once or twice during that time. (If you are not home to stir, the soup will be fine, I just like to stir it).

You can, of course, cook this soup on the stove-top instead. If you choose to do so, simply add the ingredients to a pot, stirring constantly on medium-high heat until everything is well blended and simmering (about 3-4 minutes). Then, turn the soup on low and let it sit for around 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I love this soup. The peppers and tomatoes give it a health boost, while the cream cheese gives it a creamy-goodness.

Taylor loves to add shredded cheese to his, so that's another option for the cheese-lovers out there.

You also have the option of making this a freezer meal. If you mix all of the ingredients together, (leaving out the chicken broth, butter, half & half, and cream cheese) and put it in a gallon-sized zip bag, you can freeze this to have for another day. 

If you use this option, simply put the frozen ingredients in the crock-pot and add the butter, half & half, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Instead of cooking for 2-4 hours, cook for 4-6 hours. Stir after the ingredients aren't frozen anymore.

Happy eating!



*Note: this was originally posted in December, 2014.

Choosing Healthy Snacks That Are Right For You

When I try to eat well, some healthy, protein-packed snacks are imperative.

When I sit down to have a snack, my initial reaction is to reach for the potato chips or brownies. Why? Because they are delicious. Most people go for what they want, not what is best for them.

So how do we train ourselves so that what we want is also what is best for us?

Personally, I think the best way to do this is to experiment. If you've rarely tried healthy foods, you aren't going to know what you like. Try something new until you find what you like.

Don't force yourself to eat "the most healthy" thing. You don't have to be eating a super-food to be healthy. If you hate kale and acacia berries, then don't eat them. Find something that you do like, and stick with it.

Personally, I love lightly salted (or not salted) nuts. My favorites are cashews, sunflower seeds, and honey roasted peanuts. However, I try not to buy honey roasted peanuts because there is more sugar.

Recently, I discovered an absolutely perfect snack. It consists of pumpkin seeds, cashews, honey roasted sunflower seeds (I caved), a serving of sharp cheddar cheese, a half serving of baby carrots, and a serving of dried mango. 

Now, this is a huge snack, but it is healthy (filled with protein, good fats, calcium, and vitamins) and it will keep you full. This would be a great post-workout snack, or even a good breakfast. There was something about this combination that really hit the spot.

The thing is, you don't have to do exactly what I did. You need to find what you like, because if you don't, you will never stick to eating healthy. If you just force down what someone tells you is best, you will not last long. There are thousands of healthy options out there, and you are bound to like some of them!

On your next grocery trip, explore somewhere like Whole Foods, Earth Fare, or better yet, your local farmer's market. If none of those are an option, I actually think that Food Lion has some great options. All the nuts, seeds and cheese pictured above are from Food Lion, and they also have good produce.

What is your favorite healthy snack?

Get It Together Initiative (update and a grateful heart)

Last Month, I started The Get it Together Initiative- a health and fitness goal Facebook group. It's a month-long challenge (June 15th-July 15th) that encourages accountability, shared goals, and community. As the challenge is winding down, I thought I'd share about how it's going.

I have been pretty pleased with how the challenge has turned out. Some people started out strong and then stopped posting, which is to be expected. But for the most part, I have a solid group of ladies that have actively participated in both the Facebook group and our Pinterest Board.

The thing I love most about this, is that it is so diverse. The group is comprised of some of my closest friends, my mother-in-law, my mom, some acquaintances, and some wonderful people from the blogging world who joined in too! And what's been cool to see is how well everyone jumped right in and got to know each other.

On the 15th of July, all of us will weigh-in and share if we lost weight and met our goals. Points will be awarded based on goals met, as well as activity in the Facebook group. My friend, Grace, has offered one of her pottery items as a prize, which is an awesome treat!

And though the challenge ends on the 15th, my hope is that we will still use the group to encourage each other. Just because the challenge is over doesn't mean our health and wellness journeys are!

If you would like to be a part of this community, feel free to join. You won't be able to participate in this challenge, but we would still love to have you. And who knows, maybe we can do another challenge soon!


I am very thankful for this group and all the wonderful women who are participating. I am also thankful that I got to be the one to set it up and lead. I've never done something quite like this before and I have enjoyed it :)

Also, I am posting links below to the blogs of those who are in our group. Show them some love!

Trine Hansen: Creative Pink Butterfly

Destiny Barker: The Journey

Hannah Johnson: Hannah Says

Cupcakes, Friends, and Weddings- Oh My!

I'm exhausted. My feet ache and my brain is not quite functioning. But my heart is full and happy.

This past weekend was my friend's wedding. Bri and her fiance' are so sweet together and they have been waiting for this day for a long time! They are a Christian couple who have committed their relationship to the Lord and they strive to honor Him. And anytime there is a couple like that, it's hard not to be happy for them.

On Wednesday evening, Challice arrived from Kentucky to stay with me and Taylor during the wedding festivities. I have missed my dear friend and I am so happy she was able to stay with us.

We spent the day together on Thursday laying out in the sun and buying ingredients for Bri's wedding cake and cupcakes. That evening, we headed over to Asheville for Bri's bachelorette party at an Italian restaurant called Vinnie's. It was delicious and the service was fantastic! I was very impressed with our waiter and the food. We sat inside, but there was also the most adorable outdoor seating area with strands of lights hanging from the wooden ceilings. If you are ever in Asheville, I highly recommend Vinnie's.

After we ate we went shopping and then drove to Bri's house, where we watched my all-time favorite movie, 27 Dresses :D

The next day, me, Challice, and our friend Sara worked together to bake, frost and decorate the mini cupcakes that would be served at Bri and Chris' reception. We baked around 350 mini cupcakes. Half were red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, with a white chocolate pretzel on top. The others were white cake with cherry frosting and half of a cherry on top. They were so cute!

Challice also made the wedding cake!

The Bride looked beautiful!

Pre-wedding fun :)

Saturday was the wedding! The sanctuary and all the reception decorations looked perfect, the cupcakes were finished and delicious, Bri looked stunning on her big day, and we were all ready to see the happy couple get hitched. Everything went incredibly smoothly. 

I think the sweetest part of the day was watching all the dances. Bri and Chris' first dance was super cute, Bri and her dad danced and cried together (which in turn made me cry), and than I balled like a little baby when Bri and Chris honored her parents' approaching anniversary by having them dance to their own first dance song from their wedding day. It was ridiculously sweet. It made me happy.

 I am so thankful for Bri, and happy for her and Chris that they don't have to wait anymore. I am thankful for the time I was able to spend with Bri, Challice, and Sara, and thankful that I met some wonderful people.

Was your weekend as eventful as mine? What did you do? 

Bored of all Food: Recipe Inspiration

Lately I've felt frustrated by my menu. I don't know what to cook but I know I want something different. After countless times a day looking into the fridge and cupboards to try to find something that sounds appealing, I end up making a sandwich and calling it quits (or worse: I drive to Taco Bell to pick something up).

I can't really figure out why this is happening. I just can't decide. Thankfully, Taylor isn't too picky, but I still wish I could be more creative and cook him awesome meals every night.

So, since I have been having this dilemma, I thought I'd turn to my good ol' pal, Pinterest, for some dinner-time help.

Dinner Ideas

Joyfully Domestic
Recipe

Skinnytaste
Recipe

Little B Cooks
Recipe

Rasa Malaysia
Recipe

All of these sounded delicious to me. I'm not sure why I don't look through my "Cooking" board on Pinterest more often, because I am already feeling oodles more motivated to cook for the rest of the week!

I hope you found cooking inspiration from this post! If you want to find more recipes, check out my "Cooking" board and "Yummy Foods" board on Pinterest. You may end up finding your new favorite recipe.

The Biltmore House

This week has been a week of being blessed and spoiled. In one week I have had four meals paid for by other people just because they love me, I have been soiled at the Clinique counter by my mother-in-law, I was given a free, 30 minute massage, and then yesterday, I was taken to the Biltmore House for the first time ever, again, for free! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all these things and that the Lord not only provides, but sometimes he allows us to be spoiled :) I am a blessed girl.


The Biltmore House is less than an hour away from me and Taylor, but I have never been. I have always wanted to go, but could never afford it. But yesterday, Toni (Taylor's mom), and our friend Renee went to the Biltmore House. They were excited about the Downton Abby exhibit, which was really cool, but I was just glad to get to see the house. You cannot photograph inside the house, but I got some outside beforehand :)

We explored the bottom floor of the house and then we took a break and had lunch. We ate at The Stable, a restaurant located in what used to be the house's horse stables. They've fixed it up and converted it into a restaurant. I personally love the way it looks!

Toni got a burger and fries and Renee and I both got the herb roasted chicken with mashed-potatoes. I also got a side of soup. It was all great! I was very happy with everything I ordered and I loved the atmosphere. The service was great too!

After we ate, we headed back to the house to finish the tour. I think my favorite parts were the swimming pool, the bowling alley, and the pantry full of blue mason jars. I know those things are not actually that impressive compared to the rest of the house, but I loved it.

We finished touring, took a few more photos, and then headed home. It was a great day with two wonderful ladies. I am very thankful for them and for my day with them.

Have a great day!