Slim Down Vegetable Soup

Happy Sunday, friends! I hope you're well :) So one week ago today, I decided to go sugar-free for the next 28 days. After I got sick a couple of years ago, I cut down my sugar intake considerably, but I never completely cut it out of my diet (partially because I bake so much!).

The truth is, though I DO love sugar, I love healthy food too! If you were to have come to my house last weekend, before I threw out the processed stuff, you'dve seen a counter and fridge full of fruits and vegetables! ...however, if this was a panoramic view of the kitchen, you'd also have seen some iced lemon cookies and some apricot-raspberry thumbprint cookies. Soo.... yeah. Haha! What can I say? I like balance.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

FALL FOOD IS MY FAVORITE! Let's just get that proclamation out of the way. I love the way it looks, smells, tastes...it's beautiful, inviting and all things wonderful! As the weather grows colder, it's so nice to know that a few staple ingredients, combined correctly, lead to a comforting, hearty, delicious dish like today's!

I had a bunch of sweet potatoes that I hadn't really decided how to use yet, so I decided to get creative. I wanted to do something other than bake them! I made a spicy black bean soup around this time last year, and wondered how the two might taste together, so I started experimenting, and I'm so pleased with the results!

Spinach and Mushroom Quinoa

Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Lend me your bellies...ha. Hi, guys. It's been a while since I've been here, and I'm very sorry about that! It's not that I haven't been cooking; but like usual, it's about finding the time to get recipes to you guys!