Soup’s On!

The last few days I have been really hungry for soup. I’ve been looking at different soup recipes trying to find one that sounds really  good at the same time as being healthy. I am trying to boost protein and fiber in my diet and eat plenty of veggies. On my search I not only found one that sounded good, I found THREE! Instead of choosing just one to make, I decided to make all three.

Today was the day, I went to the store and gathered the ingredients and set to work! As with almost all recipes I kind of stray from it and do my own thing. That way I feel like I can call it my own. 😉

Here are the chosen soup recipes:

Spicy Mexican Sweet Potato, Black Bean, & Rice Soup –

This soup has a unique flavor that makes you slow down and savor it!

http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2012/02/dinner-a-movie.html

Black Bean Chili with Rice –

This is really good, I went ahead and mixed the rice in and it is really thick almost like a jambalaya. Love it!

http://www.ichef.com/recipe.cfm/recipe/Black%20Bean%20Chili%20With%20Rice/task/display/itemid/83955/recipeid/83617

Quinoa Vegetable Soup –

This one I have not tasted yet, but it looks and smells delicious!

http://www.celiacteen.com/2010/share-our-holiday-table/

 

I am looking forward to eating from my soup buffet this week. Something about soup just speaks cozy to me.

 

 Day 49 of 365

What can you do to help?

I was invited by an old college friend to volunteer with his church to prepare and hand out food at a local homeless shelter. We met at the church and prepared soup and a sack lunch with sandwich, apple and cookies in it. We then caravan across town to Humility of Mary Shelter where we ladled soup into cups and handed the sack lunches out to those who wanted food. We had the soup on the tailgate of a truck to ladle up and there were several of us standing there ready to hand out the sacks of food. It was amazing the amount of people there that need such a service.

Humility of Mary Shelter is just one of many shelters in the Quad Cities area serving those who are struggling through life. This was such an eye opener for me. I had no idea there were such a high number of homeless in the area. I guess I’ve been naive in this area of thinking. When I think of hungry, homeless and poor people I think of 3rd world countries. I always knew we had homeless and hungry people in the states I just never knew how many. Statistics say there are 10,000 homeless children in the state of Iowa. That number only covers the children!

I encourage you to make a difference in the lives of those in need,  in and around your community. What can you do to help?