As our thoughts turn to fall...

Wow! Where has the time gone? Has your summer been half as crazy/hectic/fun/exciting/healthy as mine? I hope it has been!

A lot of people tend to cut back on their fitness regimens once the weather heats up. You'll probably hear "it's too hot" or "there's too much other stuff going on"...to me, summer is the perfect time to ramp up your workouts. Too hot outside? Go walk inside an air-conditioned mall or check out your local library's stack of exercise DVDs (hint: use "exercise" as your "word or phrase" and change the "location" to "adult DVDs"). Try something totally new - if you're a cyclist, take up tennis. Swim instead of jogging. (Do like I did, and take your seven-year-old dog to a first-time beach vacation...see the sun rise every morning and walk more than four miles daily while WonderMutt tries to figure out the sand/bathroom thing!) Point is, just keep moving. Your body (and health) will thank you for it in the long run.

The calendar says we're slipping into autumn, day by day. Hard to believe another season of sun and fun has passed us by, but there's so much to look forward to once the calendar turns to September. With that in mind, I wanted to share a scrumptious super-energy kale soup recipe shared by my fabulous Zumba instructor, Christie. Who doesn't need more energy? And talk about simple to fix!

She writes: "I made this Kale Soup last week and it is really, really good (even my kids ate it!)!  The recipe feeds 4 to 5.  I would double it if you want leftovers.  It is so yummy, I am making more tomorrow with my extra Kale as an energy boost before tomorrow night's classes." (Well, shoot, if kids will eat it, you know it must be tasty!)

To make your own batch of this energizing super-food delish dish you'll need:

1 Medium Onion

4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped
5 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (not stock)
1 Medium Carrot, peeled and chopped 1/4 inches (about 1 cup)
1 Cup Celery, diced
2 Large Red Potatoes, diced 1/2 inch cubes
3 Cups Kale, rinsed, stems removed and chopped into bite size pieces
2 tsp. dried Thyme
2 tsp. dried Sage
Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop garlic and onions and let sit for 5 minutes (to bring out their hidden health benefits). Heat 1 TBS of the broth in a medium soup pot. Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute (continue to stir). Add 5 Cups of broth, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.  Add potatoes and cook until tender (about 15 more minutes). Add Kale and Spices (cook another 5 minutes).  If you want to simmer longer for extra flavor and richness, you may need to add a little more chicken broth.

 

Got your own recipes to share in this space? Want to share your own wellness success stories or fitness tips? We'd love to hear from you!