healthy recipe no. 1

This recipe is going to be the first of my healthy recipe series (length unknown). I will start off with some recipes from a Cooking Light cook book, Fresh Food Fast, since all the recipes have minimal ingredients, are healthy, and are quick and easy to make. I will try to mix it up with things I create, recipes from the Internet, and other cook books I have lying around that I have neglected to use. If you have any suggestions or requests for recipes just let me know, I am excited about this journey towards eating more healthful foods and I am excited to share it with you all! Enjoy!

Sausage and Barley Soup

(from Cooking Light, Fresh Food Fast)

Cooking spray

6 oz. uncooked Italian Turkey Sausage (I used Jennie-O)

2 1/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry

2 cups water

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley (or if you have regular barley I part way cooked mine before adding it to the soup)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove sausage from the casing and place in pan. Cook til browned and in crumbles. Remove from heat.

2. While the sausage is cooking place stir-fry bell peppers and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes and barley to sausage in a pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach, cook one minute until spinach wilts. Place in serving bowls to serve and enjoy or place into 4 glass containers to store for later. (I placed 2 containers in the refrigerator for this week and 2 in the freezer for later)

Makes 4 servings, about 145 calories each!

Pictured above served with Parmesan Crusted Toast! (Not in the calorie total)

Up next: Sweet Potato, Leek, and Ham Soup