In with the Good, out with the Bad

This moving stuff has me completely derailed. 

So much for my assertations early on in this FMD that life goes on so I may as well eat properly.

I thought that since I was able to stay strong while having out of town guests and traveling, this eating plan was going to be a piece of cake.

Hah.....Fool be I.  Moving is not for sissies!!  And it is not for dieters either....or at least not for this dieter.  The only thing attempting to stay strictly on this plan was accomplishing was to add to my stress levels which were already pretty high. 

The author, Haylie Pomroy, stresses that stress....hmmmmmm.  Yes, she stresses that stress makes you gain weight, especially belly weight.  She teaches that if you stress about stress eating it causes more stress which causes weight gain.  Therefore, should you fall down, as I so often do, you should be good to yourself and not beat yourself up over it.

So, that is what I'm doing.  I am not going to worry about strictly staying true to this plan until after we are settled into the new house.   That doesn't mean, however, that I am not going to try to eat healthily for the most part. That has always been important to me.

So, on that note, I want to share a great recipe that I adapted  from the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook.  It is seasonal, it is creamy and comforting and it is easy to prepare.  

I made this recipe as part of #PumpkinWeek that we are celebrating over at my other blog, A Day in the Life on the Farm.  Pumpkin doesn't have to be sweet and calorie laden......although I am sharing some of those recipes too.  It is also wonderful in savory dishes like this Ginger Pumpkin Leek Soup.

It is chock full of vegetables and contains black beans for protein that helps to fill you up and keep you filled.  2 cups of this soup along with a slice of Sprouted Grain Bread or Sprouted Grain Tortilla makes a complete Phase 1 meal.  You can serve it to guests and they will never believe that it is part of a healthy eating plan.

Ginger Pumpkin Leek Soup

adapted from The FMD Cookbook

1 lg. leek, halved, rinsed and thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 c. pumpkin puree 1 lg. sweet potato, baked, peeled and cut into chunks 3 mini or 1 large orange bell peppers, seeded and diced 6 c. vegetable or chicken stock ( I used a mixture of each) 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 T. tamari 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/2 t. ground cumin salt to taste cilantro for garnish, if desired Place the leeks and garlic in a non stick skillet over med heat.  Add 1/4 c. stock or water and cook until tender and liquid is cooked away.  Set aside. Place the pumpkin, potato, peppers, stock, black beans, ginger and cumin in a large pot.  Place over med high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, add the leeks and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Puree the soup using an immersion blender or putting it (in batches if necessary) into a regular blender until smooth.  Return to pot, taste and season with salt.  Rewarm gently.  Garnish each bowl with cilantro if desired.