Creamy Tomato Soup a Weight Watchers Recipe

Have you ever wondered how to make Creamy Tomato Soup?  I love tomato soup, it's my favorite soup.  For me it brings back wonderful childhood memories of lunches with tomato soup and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.  It also reminds me of when my kids were little in Colorado and on would make it for them on snowy days.  I, also, love gooey, yummy, buttery grilled cheese sandwiches almost as much as I love tomato soup.   They kind of go together.  My mom always made Campbell's tomato soup, but I wanted to make a homemade soup that was a little more natural, a little healthier

Now I live in Southern Florida, so it is kind of like summer all year here, but when we get those cold days, I take full advantage of it. Most of the rest of you live in climates that have winters that are more conducive to soups and stews.  The weather is a little colder, so you can make these a lot more often then we can down here.  I guess I could make them more often if I turned the air conditioner on, but I think SW (sweet hubby) might get a little upset about the electric bill being higher just for a pot of soup.  The good news, though, is that yesterday we had a high of 66 degrees, which was great.  I could wear pants and even a sweater, but the best thing was that I could make this delicious Creamy Tomato Soup and share the recipe with all of you.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Print Recipe

Serves 6 / 4 Weight Watchers Smart Points per Serving

Ingredients:

1 28 oz can tomato puree

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 medium onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/2 TB Trader Joe's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 tsp Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Coconut Sugar, 16-Ounce

1 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals with Built in Grinder 2 Pack

1/4 tsp Trader Joe's Ground Black Pepper (Spices of the World)
1/4 tsp Mccormick White Pepper, Ground, 1-Ounce

2 cups Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth, Low Sodium, 32 Ounce

1 cup Trader Joe's Organic Coconut Milk, Reduced Fat
1/2 cup So Delicious Organic Coconut Milk - Unsweetened 32 oz

9 basil leaves cut up ( I stack them together, then roll them up, then cut them into thin strips.)

Directions:

Saute onions and garlic in olive until the onions are translucent.

Next add the tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, coconut sugar, pink Himalayan salt, both peppera, and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Use a stick blender to make the tomato soup smooth, pureeing the onions into the soup.  If you don't have a stick blender you can put it in a blender to make it smooth.  

Return the soup to the stove and over low heat add the coconut milk.

Bring to a light boil and then add the cut basil leaves.

It is now ready to serve.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe for Creamy Tomato Soup.  I loved it.  I'll share my recipe for grilled cheese sandwiches next week, and they are only 5 weight watchers points each.

Have a great weekend.

 

Fighting in Prayer

How do you fight your battles? If you are not fighting in prayer then you need to learn how to fight better.  We received all of the tools to battle the enemy when we were filled with the Holy Spirit.  A friend from church posted this line post on Facebook a few weeks ago, "If we're just praying and not praying and fighting, we're losing... #prayerwarrior".  As I was asking God what to share with all of you next, he told me "fighting in prayer".  So here are some verses to help you fight in prayer, with prayer. Through the Holy Spirit you have the AUTHORITY!  Be a prayer warrior.

And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction.

Matthew 10:1

And He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them the authority over unclean spirits.

Mark 6:7

Behold I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Luke 10:19

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

Matthew 10:6-8

Declare these things: and exhort and rebuke with all authority.  Let no one disregard you.

Titus 2:15

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, to the end of the earth.

Acts 1:8

For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

1 Cor 4:20

These scriptures tell us that we have the power, the authority to fight for our families, our friends, ourselves, even our country, our president, the world.  When we pray in the name of Jesus Christ we are using the power of the Holy Spirit.  I urge you to use the tools we were given, our weapon is  prayer, to defeat the enemy.  We can defeat him, it is written that in the end he loses.  Don't let him have one more soul.  Fight in prayer, fight with prayer, be a prayer warrior.

Have a blessed week.

Blueberry Crisp - Weight Watchers Recipe

I am always experimenting with new Weight Watchers dessert recipes that are low in points and this Blueberry Crisp was delicious.  It is very easy to make and it's gluten free, grain free, and sugar free which is always an added plus for me.  It makes 4 very nice sized servings which are 6 points each.

I am a dessert lover.  I love sweets after dinner and for years I have deprived myself of some of my favorite foods in my quest to loose weight.  That is not something that happens since I started Weight Watchers.  I am still careful about using sugar and flour, because for me there is a direct correlation between sugar and flour and inflammation in my body, but I no longer shy away from eating them either.  I found that I couldn't live my life like that any longer.  I want to be able to have to have a luscious and sweet treat after dinner or at some point during the day.  Just like I want to be able to eat a chip or a cracker.  I don't want to go through life feeling deprived any longer.  One of the results of that change in thought and behavior is this delightfully, effortless Blueberry Crisp.  I hope that you like it as much as I do.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Blueberry Crisp A Weight Watchers Recipe

Print Screen

Serves 4 / 6 Weight Watchers Smart Points per serving

Ingredients:
Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Non Stick Cooking Spray

3 cups blueberries

1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener, Confectioners

1/2 tsp Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Xanthan Gum

Topping Ingredients:

2/3 cup Almond Flour

2 TB butter, melted
1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener, Confectioners

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a small casserole dish or a 9 x 9 pan with .  I use the Trader Joe's Coconut Oil non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix blueberries, Swerve, and xantham gum.   Then pour into the casserole dish.

Next, in another bowl, mix the almond flour, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Swerve and crumble it over the blueberry mixture.

Bake in the over for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.  Watch it carefully, because the almond flour burns easily.

Remove from oven and let it cool down.  It is ready to serve once it cools a little.

I hope that you enjoy this new Weight Watchers Recipe.  It is really easy to make and delicious to eat.  I always love hearing from you. so send me your comments.

Have a great week.

Chicken Piccata with Pasta A Weight Watchers Recipe

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Today I am sharing this yummy recipe for Chicken Piccata with Pasta from the Weight Watchers Five-Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes Winter 2017.  This chicken piccata is so delicious and very easy to make and you can lose weight eating it.  I made it for my mom the other day, and she loved it so much we wrote the recipe down for her, also.  The lemon and lemon zest add so much flavor to this recipe.  It really makes the flavors pop.

I shared with you a few weeks ago that I had joined Weight Watchers, and I'm so grateful that I did.  As of Tuesday, February 7th, I have lost 10 pounds.  I am thrilled. That is 10 pounds in 5 weeks.  So approximately 2 pounds per week, which is great as far as I'm concerned.  I am eating everything that I want to eat.  Nothing is off limits.  I do have to make choices with my points, but isn't everything about choices.  I may forgo an english muffin so that I can have a cookie butter cheesecake bite from Trader Joe's. That is totally worth it to me, because there is no good food or bad food, no off limit foods, just choices about what I want to eat.  I get to make the choices not someone else saying you can't have that.  So for me this is a good thing.

Now, on to the recipe.  You know me, I always change things around. and this is not different.  Here is my version of this Weight Watchers recipe.

Chicken Piccata with Pasta

Makes 4 servings - 7 points per serving

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

5 ounces uncooked capellini  pasta

4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken thighs - (the recipe called for breast cutlets, but I prefer thighs and the cutlets are very expensive)

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt ( I use pink Himalayan salt)

coconut cooking spray (I use Trader Joes, but you can use you favorite type of cooking spray)

3 tsp vermouth or dry white wine

2/3 cup of fat free low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 TB lemon juice

2 TB butter

1 TB capers, drained

Directions:

Start bringing a pot of water to a boil for your pasta. 

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Set aside

Heat a large skillet and then spray a with the coconut oil spray.  

Next add your chicken and cook for approximately 8 minutes per side.

While your chicken is cooking put the pasta in the pot and cook it according to the directions on the package.

Once your chicken is cooked, pull it out of the pan and set it to the side, keep warm.

Add the wine to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds stirring and scraping any of the brown bits loose in the pan.

Next at the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Then add the butter and capers. and then add the chicken back to the pan. 

Make sure the chicken is well coated with the lemon sauce and it is ready to serve.

Put the pasta on a plate, put 4 ounces of chicken on top, and then pour sauce over each piece of chicken and the cappelini.

This is one of my favorite recipes.  I love chicken piccata, I love pasta, and I am so excited to be eating pasta again after so many years of avoiding pasta and breads.  Yeah!!!  Life is good.

I hope you like this recipe also.  Let me know what you think.  I always love hearing from you.

Have a great week.

A Battle For Souls

There is an unseen, invisible battle going on around us, a battle for souls, for yours, and mine, and everyone that we know. The battle between good and evil has been going on since the beginning of time.

By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; 
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones.
Ezekiel 28:16

Spiritual warfare has been part of this world since before Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden.  It continues to this day.  You can't see it, but it's happening, everywhere, and all of the time.

1  Now the serpent was more cunning then any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden"?
2  And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3  but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said, "You shall not eat it, nor touch it, lest you die."
4  Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.  
5  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave it her husband with her and he ate.
7.  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Genesis 3:2-7

The snake wanted Adam and Eve to fall, so he convinced them that God wasn't being truthful.  He was a deceitful witness and he still is. He uses deception to blind our minds and hearts.  He doesn't want us knowing the Bible because God's word keeps us from being deceived by him.

A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies
Proverbs 14:25

He tries to convince people that God is not real, that Jesus wasn't the son of God, that He didn't die for our sins, that He wasn't resurrected, that we are not saved through the grace of God.  He tries to convince people that they are worthless, unloved, that there is no need for God, and no need for Jesus our savior.  Satan continues to try to convince humanity that there is no salvation.

God has given us freewill, and Jesus was a true witness who delivers souls to his Father, our Father.

17  Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."
18   And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.
19   Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20   Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
Luke 10:17-20

We have authority over the spiritual realm when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  God has given us the weapons to fight for our souls, the souls of our family, for the president, the country, and the world.  In Ephesians 6:10 - 18 we are told to put on the whole armor of God.

10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13  Therefor take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-
Ephesians 6:10-18

You actually have the power in this age old battle for souls. You are in control, but you need to know His word, hide it in your heart, keep it with you at all times.

9   Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10  No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11  For he shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12  In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your food against a stone.
14  You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
Psalm 91:9-14

God is on one side of this battle and the devil is on the other side and we already know the outcome.  The outcome has already been written.  The battle has been won, but it is a battle to save more souls, to not allow the devil to lead even one more person away from God.  So fight for your family, friends, country, and the world, because if we are not fighting in prayer who will be?  This is a battle we win, but we wont have won the battle if we haven't won souls over for the Kingdom of God.  That's what this battle is for, souls.

The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:10

Have a blessed week.

Pure Flix Movie Channel

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something, I will receive a small commission.  All of the opinions are my own.

I love PureFlix.com, and I have had it for several years.  If you have not heard of it before, it is similiar to Netflix, but with Christian content.  It has something for everyone and you can let your kids watch it without worrying what they may be seeing.

They have also added PureFlix original series such as The Encounter and The Inspectors which are both great family shows.  I started watching The Encounter series at the end of last year and really enjoyed it.  It is based on the movie series The Encounter with Bruce Marchiano who continues in his role as Jesus.

They are offering, Watch "The Encounter" now and get the 1st month FREE at PureFlix.com.  Which means you can try it for a month for nothing and if you like it continue, or if not you can cancel your subscription.

I hope that you will give Pureflix a chance, they offer great family entertainment, which you don't really find anywhere else.

Have  a great week.

Whoopie Pies for Valentine's Day

I made these really easy, super cute Whoopie Pies for Valentine's Day to share with all of you.  I wish you could taste how delicious they are. Yum!!!  These are semi homemade Whoopie Pies.  I used big soft cookies from the store bakery and then fill them with the heavenly filling. There are two kinds in this batch, peanut butter cup cookies and chocolate chip cookies.  I think the peanut butter cup cookie Whoopie Pies were amazing.  I loved them.  It was reminiscent of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter for any of you who like marshmallow fluff / peanut butter sandwiches.  I thought it was absolutely delightful.  The chocolate chip ones are scrumptious also.  Are there enough adjectives describing these Whoopie Pies for all of you?  I was trying to be creative.

I first made them at Christmas for my daughter in law's birthday.  She requested them for her birthday party.  I didn't have time to make the devils food cakes for the Whoopie Pies, so I bought several different kinds of soft bakery cookies from the grocery store and then filled them.  She was very happy with this tasty alternative.  Everyone at the party thought they were really good also.

Anyway, here is the recipe.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Whoopie Pies for Valentine's Day
Serves 6
Print Screen

Ingredients:

12 large soft bakery cookies (any flavor you would like)
4 cups Marshmallow Fluff - 16 oz plastic tub
2 cups Crisco Baking Sticks All Vegetable Shortening, 20 Ounce
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp OliveNation Alcohol Free Gluten Free Vanilla Extract - Add Great Depth of Flavor in Baking and Cooking Recipes - Size of 2 oz
any type of Valentines Mini Hearts sprinkles

*Marshmallow Fluff, Crisco, Olive Nation, and Culpit are not paying me to give you my opinion.  If you’d like to order any of these products, though, click the Amazon* links above (who will pay me a small commission for your purchase).

Directions:

Put the marshmallow fluff, shortening, and powdered sugar in you mixer and mix using the whisk attachment until well blended.

Next add the vanilla.

Spread a several large spoonfuls on one cookie, then top with the second cookie.  I used a lot of the marshmallow frosting

Then, over a plate sprinkle whatever sprinkles you have on the frosting edges.  I did this way rather then rolling them in the sprinkles, because it worked better.

Finish putting the rest of the cookies together and put them on a serving plate and you are done. 

The only way these would be easier would be to buy them, or maybe buy the frosting.  This frosting is so good though, that you can be really proud of serving this for dessert.  They look and taste like you worked really hard on them.

I hope that you enjoy these Whoopie Pies.  I always love hearing from you.

Have a great week.

Apple Banana Bake

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

In a recent post, I told all of you that I had joined weight watchers, well this Apple Banana Bake recipe is delicious and only 1 point per serving.  I am enjoying eating fruit after so many years of only eating very small portions.  I am loving making new recipes for desserts with fruit that are healthy and low in points.  This came out so delicious and I think you are going to love it as much as I did.  It was so easy to make and you should have all of the ingredients in you house.  Especially, since there are only 3 ingredients.  Give me an easy dessert recipe to make any day of the week. 

I am also giving you an alternative option, using Log Cabin Sugar Free Syrup.  This would be 0 points and that would make the whole baking dish 0 points.  So you could eat 2 servings instead of 1 for 0 points.  This is a delicious alternative and if you are really hungry, it would certainly fill you up.

Apple Banana Bake

Serves 2

1 Smartpoint per serving - with maple syrup

0 Smartpoints for all of it - with sugar free syrup

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly

2 bananas sliced

2 tsp Butternut Mountain Farm Grade A Dark Maple Syrup - 8 oz  (or substitute 2 tsp Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup, Sugar Free, 24 Ounce for 0 points)
1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a small baking dish with non stick spray.

Put your sliced apples and bananas in a large bowl and pour maple syrup over them.

Toss the fruit and syrup.

Pour into the baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.

  

Eat and Enjoy!

I always love hearing from you, so send me your comments.

Mrs. Butterworth's and Butternut Mountain are not aren't paying me to give you my opinion.  If you’d like to order either of these syrups, though, here’s the Amazon* links (who will pay me a small commission for your purchase).

God Provides

I was trying to come up with a topic for today (on my own, never a good thing), and I finally turned to God and asked Him for a topic.  (Which I should have done from the start.)  I, of course, was provided with one while I was washing my hair, it always seems to happen that way.  He told me "I will provide", which He did.  On this day He provided the topic for me, other days He provides inspiration for my designs, or recipes, whatever I may need that day.  He provides.

  

He is our constant, our healer, our deliverer.  He is dependable, reliable, loving, and kind.  He is all seeing, all knowing, available.  He is our Father.  He is our Provider.

I love the stories about Abraham's life.  He was such a faithful servant to God.  He finally received Isaac, that child that God had promised.  Then God asked him to do the unimaginable, He wanted Abraham to sacrifice his cherished son to God.  I can not even imagine how hard that would have been, but he was willing to do it for God.  He took Isaac to the mountain and was prepared to sacrifice Isaac, but God sent and angel at the last minute and said not to sacrifice his son and provided a ram for the burnt offering instead.  You can read the entire story in Genesis 22.  God provided.

So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
Genesis 22:14

God will provide, you need to trust Him, you need to believe in Him, you need to ask Him. Spend time with God in prayer.  Get to know Him.  He is waiting to spend time with you.

I love Matthew 7:7.  Jesus told us exactly what to do when we need something.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:7

Have a blessed week.

Valentine's Party Crackers and Dollar Tree

**I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I saw some images of Party Crackers on Pinterest, and thought that it would be fun to make some Valentine's Party Crackers for my family.  They are incredibly easy, you just need to remember to save the cardboard tubes from the center of  toilet paper rolls to fill.  

I bought lots of cute little candies at Dollar Tree to stuff the tubes with.  I was also able to get the tissue paper and ribbon to wrap them.  This is such a simple project and it cost me all of $14 to make 12 of these fun little Valentine's Day Party Crackers.  I still have more supplies left for another 4 or 5,  but I ran out of the toilet paper tubes.  Dollar Tree has so many fun things to stuff into them.  I bought 7 different kinds of candy, 1 Valentine's Day Tissue Paper, 3 Valentine's Day Ribbons erasers, and little foam stickers.  I had bought some other things also, but I ran out of room in the tubes, so I will just send them separately.  You can fill them with whatever you would like.  You can Shop For Quality Supplies Today! Visit DollarTree.com!

By the way, this cost about $1.16 per Valentine's Cracker, and it is so much cuter then buying a small box of candy at the store and the cost is so much less.  I can still make four more once I have more cardboard tubes, and that would bring the cost down to under $.90 per cracker.  An amazing price for such a cute little gift.

You can even have your supplies to make these cute Party Crackers Shipped To Your Local Dollar Tree Store For FREE*!  You don't get much more convenient then that, and the added plus is that you don't have to pay for shipping.

Now I know that you are buying these items in bulk, but they would make such a cute party favor for a school Valentine's Day Party, and you can do a ton of them for very little money.  They would also make cute party favors for birthday parties or weddings, just change the tissue for the outside and you are set.

Supplies:

7 small bags of any type of wrapped candy ( I used Smartees, chocolates, and suckers)
Valentine's Day Stickers
Valentine's Day Erasers
1 package Valentine's Day Tissue Paper
3 rolls of Decorative Ribbon (3 yards each)
1 double stick tape

These are some of the candies that I used for my Valentine's Day Party Crackers.

I laid everything out and then separated everything into 12 piles for each toilet paper tube.

I cute the tissue paper in half lengthwise.

Next, I stuffed the tubes with the candy, stickers, and erasers.

I then put a piece of double stick tape on the cardboard tube and set it on a piece of tissue paper and rolled it up.

Then put a piece of tape at the edge of the tissue paper and finish rolling.  This way you don't have to worry about getting the tape in the right place.

Cut the ribbon into 8 pieces, a little over 12 inches each and tie into bows on the crackers.  If the candy has fallen out of the tubes, just push them back in and tie.

This is such an easy gift to make and they are so cute.

Have fun and thank you for joining me today.  I always love hearing from you.

Have a great Valentine's Day.