This blog will help you towards healthier lifestyle choices!

I owned a State Approved K-6 for over 20 years and when it closed, I was devastated. However, I decided to make lemonade out of lemons and so I thought: I went to school for 40 years (one class at a time) and I have a PhD, I'll just look for a better job.



And, I did.....look that is, the "finding" part eluded me. I was 60 years old, never got sick and could outwork almost anyone half my age but, as I was looking for a job, it was NOT looking for me!



In the first two years after my school's closure, I applied for over 450 jobs (everything from Starbucks, to Admin Assistant to jewelry sales) and had no luck.



Finally a friend asked why I was counting the jobs and I realized I was focusing on what was NOT happening instead of what might happen so I quit counting, but not applying.



In order to survive, I sold my house and lived off the proceeds while I continued applying. I lived extremely frugally because I knew that the money would not last forever.



Over the years, I have continued to live frugally and apply for jobs. However, there truly is ageism in America today and I have been unsuccessful in getting a "real" job.



What I have been successful at is cobbling together a life by working at my many part time jobs! Currently, I have 2 jobs each day (subbing in the Auburn School District and tutoring at Sylvan Learning Centers). And I do other jobs occasionally such as Real Estate Broker, Author, and Editor.



Because I am a Health Coach, my passion is helping people be healthier.
Over the years, I've learned much about how to be healthy even if I wasn't wealthy so I decided to share my expertise with you! I will bring you tips, recipes, and many ideas on how to choose a healthy lifestyle, even if you are eating out of the local Food Bank and/or don't have much money to pay for gym memberships!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Yummy Sweet Potato Soup

This yummy soup is a great tummy warmer!  (adapted from The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (McKay's has a non-chicken broth that is delicious)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained (15 oz can)
Instructions:
In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occassionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stire in sweet potato, garlic, paprika, turmeric, oregano,m ginger, bay leaf, sea salt, pepper and cayenne (if desired).  Stir and cook for about 1 minute to blend ingredients and start to soften the garlic.  Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and copk, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Seasson to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Servings: 8
Calories: 20
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrate: 32g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
total Sugars: 6 g
Total Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 263 mg

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