Saturday, March 15, 2014

When You Just Aren't in the Mood to Slice and Dice

March 15, 2014





You laugh.  Okay, maybe you didn't laugh, but I did.  For me there is a ton truth in this little ecard.  I needed the laugh, and the not so subtle reminder, because it is a rainy, dreary day in our fair city. 
Which leaves me sitting here reflecting back and committing to paper (metaphorically speaking) the first steps of our journey, while the rain pounds on the roof.  My son, who doesn't live close enough for me to drag him into this new life style, has been mostly encouraging, except for one small area, where he thinks he knows best.  Well, he doesn't live close enough, and he has a wife to keep him on track.  Anyway, I digress.


 I remember, like it was yesterday my students would add because I have taught them the value of inserting their voice into their writing--if their voice sounds a little like my voice, it can't be helped.


However, I do remember this conversation because it involved some eye rolling, I won't say whose eyes were rolling.  When I finally shared with my son the whole liquid diet philosophy we had adopted he said, "Don't eat canned soup, Mom.  Homemade soup is a hundred times better.  You can make soup out of anything. Some chicken a few vegetables, and Waa la, soup! (He is a southern boy, not a French dude)." And he can be a bit of a turkey when he wants to be.


Well, yes.  I agree.  Homemade soup is better, but...and this is a big but  (no snickering, please), so listen up...canned soup comes with the serving sizes and the calorie count clearly marked on the can. Thank you very much truth in advertising or labeling or whatever governmental consumer advocate group that requires this of food manufacturers these days.  This one little piece of information has made my life so much easier.
 I did mention earlier that I have summers off, and I probably have already mentioned that I love to research things on the internet.  So after talking with my son I got busy and looked up some low calorie soup recipes.  Of course this meant another trip to good old Wal-Mart and more careful product label reading BECAUSE I simply could not let that statement go by without proving that Mother knows best. This time  my hubby and I were checking out plastic storage wear.  I knew if the whole make your own soup thing had any chance of succeeding, then I would have to divide said pot of soup into serving sizes immediately.   It doesn't take long to eat up 1200 calories.
We found that a pot of soup could be divided into 3 one quart containers of approximately 350 calories worth of soup--like the three bears--one for papa, one for mama, and one for daughter.  I calculated the calorie count per serving, and we were able to portion the soup out over several meals.
 It worked like a charm UNTIL I went back to work in August.  Since I don't cook during the school year, at least not very often, we gravitated back to the Progresso, and you know what, it is just easier.  Not as tasty.  I did find a chicken chili recipe that is lower cal and to die for, however it is fairly labor intensive.  So, most nights I just reach for a can of soup--Lite Cheesy Chicken Enchilada is pretty delicious when I am not in the mood to slice and dice.  Just putting out there, Mother does know best.

2 comments:

  1. I have to say I'm normally in the make soup yourself camp...BUT if you find Campbell's Gourmet Bisques in Sweet Potato Tomatillo snap it up! Soooo good! Here's a little taste of the kind of reactions this stuff can spark ;) http://becomingsupersonic.com/2014/01/25/soup-anyone/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. We are always looking for new soups to try. And it just happens that I need to go to Target this weekend anyway. I let you know if I love it as much as you do.

      Delete