The Kitchen
@GardenGerty (169533)
United States
November 1, 2018 8:26pm CST
I feel like I have been in the kitchen almost all day, with very little to show for it.
There was this soup I wanted to make that is supposed to help you feel satisfied and lose weight. i actually followed the directions, instead of doing it MY way. Next time, you can bet I will do as I see fit.
First I had to cook some barley, as it called for cooked barley. Meanwhile I was baking chicken so I would have some for the soup. Oh, and I was thawing bone broth for my nourishing liquid.
I chopped celery, onions, carrots, and I threw in a little garlic. I also chopped mushrooms. By then the barley was done.
The recipe was kind of drawn out. Put the broth in, cook all the veggies, not the mushrooms and cook a while. Then add the mushrooms, and cook some more. Oh, NOW you add the chicken and the mushrooms. Simmer another half hour.
It turned out good. I will eat it before my lunch and supper. I made at least three quarts of it. Hubby does not like barley so it is all mine.
Eating a clear soup (not a cream soup) before or with your meal fills you better and soup is a great way to get nutrition from all those veggies. I hope it helps me feel more satisfied and sleep better at night.
I also made our regular meals. I have to insist hubby eat. He does not feel very hungry.
Oh yes, I made cat food as well.
And I roasted the chicken bones to put in a slow cooker to make more bone broth.
Found myself washing all kinds of dishes too. Now it is time to relax.
We keep getting calls that hang up before the voice mail kicks in. I suspect that they are all campaign calls. It is frustrating and I will not talk to them.
It is early but I will head to bed.
15 people like this
16 responses
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Yes, I have heard of the cabbage soup diet. I think I am just treating this as a supplement to regular meals. If I lose weight, well and good. If I sleep better, that is even better. If my diabetes improves I will be thrilled.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
@LadyDuck Any time we reduce our portions and fill up with vegetables it is good. I do have a hard time losing weight and staying fit. I am hoping this is helpful.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
2 Nov 18
Yes we got a few of those calls, Tony says, none of your business and they hang up.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98072)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Nov 18
Sounds like a delicious soup. To feed myself and work off some weight I like to make a barley soup with sauerkraut. Hope you have a good night.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
@RasmaSandra I have had soup like that when I worked in a nursing home in a Mennonite German community. They called it borscht, but I always thought borscht had beets.
@RasmaSandra (98072)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Nov 18
@GardenGerty cubed potatoes and carrots. Sometimes I add some diced tomatoes.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
2 Nov 18
@GardenGerty
That is very annoying getting calls that they do not want to leave a message. What do you make for the cat?
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
I roast chicken, saving some of the fat with it. I put in rolled oats, pumpkin and yogurt ( homemade yogurt). I use either a food processor or an immersion blender to grind it all together. It kind of looks like baby food, but I know what is in the food I am feeding her and her hair is nice and shiny.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
@Hannihar I had a couple of sick cats that had dental problems, about five years ago. When they could not eat dry food, and I would buy canned food, they got more infections and lost more teeth. When I cooked this for them, they did fine and were healthy. Princess is pretty healthy, just old, and picky. I would rather make food for her and have her eat it all than buy food for her and have to throw it out.
1 person likes this
@Spontaneo (14699)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Tomorrow, I am making vegetable soup in the crockpot. I cannot wait. I love vegetable soup! What should I serve along with the main course? My roommates sometimes like butter bread...sometimes crushed saltines on top. I'd love to have a good loaf of Italian bread or garlic bread.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Italian bread, or garlic bread is good. An apple crisp for dessert. I am glad to be in soup weather for now.
2 people like this
@marlina (154103)
• Canada
2 Nov 18
@GardenGerty Apple crisp is good but now I like pear crisp even more, do not need all that sugar.
Few days ago, I made some cherry crisps.
2 people like this
@Spontaneo (14699)
• United States
2 Nov 18
@GardenGerty Have you ever made apple crisp in the crockpot? Super easy and delicious. Basically, it is made like a crockpot dump cake. Toss in a vanilla cake mix, then a can of apple pie filling, cook and voila!
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (89872)
• Rupert, Idaho
2 Nov 18
That is a lot of cooking! But it's always nice when you are done and get to relax finally
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
I have almost four quarts of soup. I froze a lot of it for next week. I love to have leftover foods.
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (89872)
• Rupert, Idaho
2 Nov 18
@GardenGerty That's a lot of soup, but that's great!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
@MommyOfEli2013 Hubby will eat a little of it. I will eat about two cups a day, so it will not last that long.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (24417)
• Palisade, Colorado
2 Nov 18
That as one long day in the kitchen. I remember when I used to do that but don't anymore. I am glad that the soup turned out good. I am going to do ham and beans this weekend. I have been craving them. Idon't know why the j keeps won't disappear.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
The day felt longer because I was lacking in sleep. Ham and beans will be coming up soon, we love it.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (24417)
• Palisade, Colorado
3 Nov 18
@GardenGerty I am doing ham and beans tomorrow. I have been craving them big time lately.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
@velvet53 Do you make cornbread with yours?
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21891)
• Thailand
2 Nov 18
Is this better than the cabbage soup? I had cabbage soup and it was great.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
I have had many different cabbage soups. It is kind of a regional meal around here. I do not think any one soup is better than the other. They are all pretty tasty and delicious.
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
@Mavic123456 I never tried it. The real secret is that any broth based soups with lots of veggies will fill you up with few calories. The extra nutrition helps you not crave unhealthy foods.
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21891)
• Thailand
2 Nov 18
@GardenGerty ohh I mean the cabbage soup for dieter.. the 10 day diet cabbage soup.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Nov 18
We do get a lot of campaign calls too but they do leave messages on our machine. I need to take out ones of my bases for a smoothie. I prepared to types of vegetable bases to later add a tad of fruit and liquid to along with protein powder and chia seeds.
I'm trying to stay away from candy and sweets and eat better to promote quicker healing of my wound. I did pretty good yesterday since someone brought a humongous bag of candy to Bible study and I didn't have any.
I did have a little Debbie's pumpkin roll earlier in the day and gave the rest of the packages to my employees.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
The extra protein is essential for healing. When I worked nursing homes the people with wound issues were always given protein stirred into things. Bone broth is good as a base for any soup for health as well.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Nov 18
@GardenGerty I will try to up my protein intake somewhat if I can remember. Actually, I bought three bags of flavored almonds and now only have the smoked ones left. It's I can stick to serving sizes I'll be doing good.
I'll also be off my feet for a month or more. I've taken off three days at a time to do some elevating but not more than that. It's been harder to walk properly lately and I got my family physician to sign me up for short-term disability thru my job which I pay for. It's been harder to do my job as my foot hurts around the site and then I walk incorrectly which throws other body parts out of alignment. I'm hoping having the extra time off will hellp the wound get back to heal in again as it's been a bit stuck.
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
And now I have several meals ready for when I want to eat them.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Me too. I hope it helps me feel more satisfied.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
I TRY to follow a recipe the first time through, then wing it the next time.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
4 Nov 18
@GardenGerty That’s best if you want the original. Sometimes I wing it because I don’t like all the ingredients in the recipe.
@spiderdust (14756)
• San Jose, California
2 Nov 18
It sounds like a good soup, but also an awful lot of work. I also had one of those "on my feet all day with little to show for it" days.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
I am sorry you had a long day. It goes with having little kids, I think. The short cut on this soup would be to throw it all in together and simmer an hour, adding extra liquid for the uncooked barley. A real "cheat" would be to go to the produce section and buy everything chopped and the deli for a rotisserie chicken. I was just looking for a way to use up stuff I had. I did have to buy carrots and barley, though.
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
3 Nov 18
It is very filling and satisfying. I feel like I am treating my body well.
@wolfgirl569 (135944)
• Marion, Ohio
2 Nov 18
Hope you sleep good as you had a busy day.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
No, I still wake up a lot, but did stay in bed until almost six. I also was not hungry in the night.Hubby is up a lot and it disturbs me.
@NJChicaa (127170)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Sounds like a good soup but I don't see how eating food before eating more food will help you to lose weight. Calories are calories and barley and chicken definitely contain them. . . veggies too though in lesser amounts.
I guess it is supposed to fill you up so you eat less of the main meal?
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169533)
• United States
2 Nov 18
Yes, the experts have said for years that soups fill you up before you eat things with higher calories. The theory on this particular soup is that it has a lot of "umami" savory flavors that satisfy. Also, you slow down when you eat soup and your stomach has time to send the message to the brain that you have been fed. All the veggies and the barley increase the fiber in your diet, both soluble and insoluble and there are lots of vitamins, minerals and iron to help you feel "nourished". I am doing this because barley is supposed to be a good grain for diabetics and I find lately that I think I am "starving" all of the time.Even when I have eaten plenty of junk.
1 person likes this
