Five Favorite Fall Food Trends: Slow Cooker Soups

Easy soup recipes that cook all day and are ready for you when you walk in the door? Yes please! Everyone is obsessed with fall soups and and slow cooker recipes, so as you can imagine this pin for the "Top 10 Soups You Can Make in the Crock Pot" has been quite popular. Want more? Check out Slow Cooker Recipes by My Recipes and 20 Slow Cooker Soups for more great ideas.

Soups are a great way to get a ton of vegetables, but watch out for excess sodium by using low-sodium broths and bases. When possible, skip that extra sprinkle of salt.

Keep checking back for the other fall food trends including stuffed seasonal veggies, pumpkin recipes, and more!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD


photo source: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2011/11/hearty-chicken-stew-with-butternut-squash-quinoa-recipe/

Wedding Images

These are a collection of pictures that I snapped during the wedding planning, I thought I would share a few moments of the most exciting time of my life:

Bridal manicures are a must! There will be a lot of people looking at your hands.  And you will find yourself looking at them too! After I got engaged, I stared at my ring constantly, it was perfect! 

A little Proseco goes a long way! After a busy day of planning my Mom and I enjoyed an afternoon glass of Prosecco.  It was the perfect way to relax and spend time together.

And yes it does taste better in Waterford crystal glasses!

Bride and Groom tumblers given to us as a Valentine's present from my best friend and  Maid of Honor

Shoes! 

My grandfather's wedding band that my husband now wears.  Such a special ring,

Bridesmaid gifts: monogrammed button down shirts to wear when getting ready

Hotel Welcome bags- Created by my wonderful aunt

Worn out from wedding planning-an afternoon nap is important

Huggers for the rehearsal dinner

bridesmaid, groomsmen, and flower girl gifts

Unlike me, my dog had no problem getting some good sleep!

Couch to 5k: The Milne Way

Let me start this post off with the fact that I really want to be a runner! I want to be one of those people who casually runs 5 miles one afternoon.  Or signs up for half marathons on the weekend.  I am absolutely not that person! I love a long, brisk walk, but when it comes time for me to actually run I am absolutely pathetic. My husband always tells me I am extremely goal-oriented, if I set my mind to getting something done, it usually gets done. So that is why I have set my first running goal- a 5k.

This is what we have been up to:

Our first route was a total of 4.3 miles, and I loved it because the route was in a neighborhood and we could look at the different houses, people, etc. We ran 0.75 out of the 4.3 miles, which was really hard at the time, but became easier.

Because of the amount of traffic at 5 pm we switched routes to the Samford Trail along Lakeshore Drive. This is a total of 3.25 miles. We started running a mile, and now we are up to 1.25 miles.  The goal is to add a quarter of a mile each week, but that has actually turned into a quarter mile every 2 weeks.

When we are able to actually run about 2.5 miles, we plan on signing up for our first 5k! I know this sounds so easy for some, but getting into shape is hard work.  I think anyone who is trying to become a runner, or just become more active should simply remember that any little step you take (even if it is just a few) is so much better than just sitting on your lazy butt. Be proud of your little successes, and don't be intimidated by the iron man that just ran past you! 

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Recipe Report: Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice is one of the go-to, comfort food recipes in the Milne household.  My favorite part about this recipe is the fact that you can make it on a Sunday night and eat it throughout the week, and it just gets better and better!

Red Beans and Rice:
Yield- 8-10 servings
Prep Time- 20 minutes
Cook Time- 2 hours

3 Celery Stalks
2 Bell Peppers
1 Medium Yellow Onion
1 Tbsp Garlic
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
5 cans Red Beans
1 lb Smoked Link Sausage (we use a local favorite, Conecuh)
1 Tbsp Thyme
4 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper
2 cups Long Grain Rice

Suggested Toppings:
Fritos
Cheddar Cheese
Hot Sauce

Directions:
1) Dice the celery, pepper, and garlic.
2) Heat the olive oil on low and add the diced celery, pepper, and garlic.
3) Slice the sausage into bite size pieces and brown in a separate pan.
4) Then add the browned sausage and the 5 cans of red beans to the celery, pepper, and garlic.
5) Add the thyme, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste (I do not rinse my beans so I do not add salt)
6) Let simmer for approximately 2 hours to let all the flavors soak in
7) About 15 minutes before eating prepare the rice according to package
8) Add your desired toppings, and enjoy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Use What You Have: Tomato & Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese

Last night was definitely a use what you have kind of night, and I've realized if you have cheese in your fridge you can you usually avoid the grocery store.  So with a can of  condensed tomato soup and some slices of provolone cheese we were inspired to create the classic tomato soup with grilled cheese dinner.

Luckily, my husband is a chef and brilliantly decided to saute some mushrooms to add to the soup.  We added the mushrooms to olive oil, splashed a little red wine into the mix, and finished them off with a little garlic, ground pepper, and oregano, and ta da-- amazing! We then added the mushrooms along with a splash of cream to the soup, and topped it off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh basil from the garden.

We made the grilled cheese in the same pan as the mushrooms so the bread was able to soak in some of the already existing flavors. Good move on the part of the hubs.  A few minutes later we had a complete dinner. See below.  So look around your pantry, clean out some of the items in your fridge that are about to go bad, do a little experimenting, and enjoy the time and money you will save not having to go to the store.   #usewhatyouhave

Sauteed Mushrooms

And the meal is complete!

Have a great week,

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Wedding Videos

So since my blog is about the adventures of a newlywed, I thought I would go back to the day it started... Enjoy!

Introducing....



And a good night it was....


This will probably be the new Georgia State- CP Progam promo video!


White people dancing... yes please!




This will probably be Julia and Cutler's video Save the Date someday....


And the night's almost over


The Grand Finale


What a great time, so thankful for the friends and family that were able to join us!

Elizabeth Milne

Five Steps to Healthy (Step 5)

So here it is, the final piece to the puzzle- the fifth way to be healthy:

Plan Ahead- Here is how I do it:

• First, I find one large recipe that we can eat for the rest of the week, for example potato soup.  
• Then, I find some other recipes  that will help use the rest of the ingredients I have on hand.  For example, with the leftover carrots and celery I made buffalo chicken lettuce wraps.
• Also, I always have those easy go-to-meals like spaghetti or grilled cheese and tomato soup.
• Once I have collected all of the recipes recipes, I make a list of all the ingredients you need. Then go through my pantry and fridge to see if there are any ingredients I already have. This also saves some money (very important)!
• With the leftovers from the larger  meals I go ahead and put each serving in its own individual container. This saves a ton of time when packing lunches the next day.  And it will prevent those days where you say, "I'll just go out to eat today, because I don't have time to pack a lunch."
• Eating food away from food can be higher in calories and fat, therefore looking up the menu ahead of time can be helpful in finding healthy choices before the overwhelming smell of greasy fries gets the best of you.  Many restaurants have nutrition information that can also help. 
• Don't stop with the food either. Planning ahead for exercise, appointments, etc. will help lower your stress and feel better. For work I use my google calendar on my iphone and my computer, and for personal plans I use my Maybook (see below).

Obsessed! 

The Inside

Good luck planning!

Elizabeth Milne MS, RD, LD

Five Steps to Healthy (Steps 3 & 4)

3. Measure It

Yes, check the serving size, break out your measuring cups, and measure it out.  This does not mean you can only eat one serving, but if you do eat more you will have to account for the extra calories.  So if the above label was the one for your food, and you had two cups, you would consume 90 calories. Pretty simple math, but often forgotten.

The great thing about measuring your food is that you get used to what servings should look like.  That way when you receive a heaping pasta dish at a restaurant you realize you are actually consuming 1,000 calories, and go ahead and request the to-go box.

Great news- you don't need to spend a whole lot of money on getting your own set- measuring cups are $1 at Dollar Tree!

4. Get moving

Everyone knows they should exercise, but man how we can come up with excuses not to. Lately, I have started walking/running with the husband every afternoon Monday-Thursday. We usually do about 3 miles total- 1 mile actually running. Every week we run a little more, and I have to say I have been feeling much better!

My advice for exercise is to set specific goals. Use apps like Map My Run to figure out distances. Also, consider your schedule. Husband and I have tried to run in the morning and it just doesn't happen.  We also are out of town or busy with other plans on the weekend so we don't plan on exercising those days.

For those living in the Birmingham area, we run on the Lakeshore Trail.  It is so much better than running on the streets and having to worry about 5 o'clock traffic.   

Be Well,

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Five Steps to Healthy (steps 1 & 2)

Are you interested in losing weight? Being healthier? Or just feeling better? Well here are my five favorite recommendations to achieve this. These tips are not magical nutrition drinks, or fad diets, but they are easy, and lead to long term results.

1) Use Your Head

If you follow my blog you know that I love the concept of mindful eating. The simple idea of eating when you are hungry and stopping when you're full may seem too easy... But it's not.  How many times do you go out to dinner and eat until you are so stuffed you can barely move, and you are tempted to unbutton your jeans in order to be able to breathe? Yep, we have all been there.  Assessing your hunger throughout your meal can help you avoid feeling too full, and can avoid adding pounds over time.

A few years ago I read the book, French Women Don't Get Fat. Mireille Guiliano discusses the importance of enjoying quality food- for example, savoring a good piece of bread, instead of scarfing down a whole loaf.     I definitely recommend this read because she illustrates a beautiful picture of French culture while providing advice for better eating.

For more info visit the eat, drink, and be mindful website.

2) Keep A Record

It is true, "write it down, lose more pounds." Research has shown that those who keep a food record lose more weight than their non-record keeping counterparts.

You can write it down by hand using my favorite notebooks, Maybooks (see below). Or you could use a printable food log found online.

If your iphone or android is glued to you at all times, consider using a fitness or weight loss app like My Fitness Pal. I will be downloading this app for my personal use next so keep checking the blog for reviews, tips, and advice.

So get started and check back tomorrow for the next three steps to healthy...

Stay Healthy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

21 Day Challenge: Day 3

Day 3: The Tupperware Cabinet

Well since my little, galley kitchen doesn't have its own Tupperware cabinet, I had all the Tupperware in a cluttered mess under my sink. Using bins from the dollar store I got everything put away.  

By the way Dollar Tree is my new happy place, there is so much good stuff for a dollar! I got 2 bins, a shoe box container, 2 cereal containers, 2 toothbrushes, shower cleaner, a cheese grater,  16 tea candles (for pumpkins), 4 small containers, and 1 large Tupperware container for 10 dollars. Can you say amazing? 

Before

After!

Under the sink

Just remember, everything in your house needs a place, happy organizing!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Use What You Have: Basil Spaghetti With Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes

It was Meatless Monday yesterday and the grocery store just wasn't happening.  Luckily, I didn't even need to go! I went to my pinterest boards and found the perfect recipe for the all of the tomatoes in my refrigerator: Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes from Real Simple. The most time consuming part of preparation was boiling the pasta! Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of this dish before I devoured it, but this is from the original website:

Delicious!

I also want to point out that October is National Vegetarian Awareness Month.   I love eating vegetarian options not because I am against eating meat, but because I like to get as many vegetables into my meals as possible. And I am not suggesting that everyone give up meat, but I think it is a great idea to try to eat more vegetable-based dishes and skip the meat for a few nights this month.  Let me know how it goes!

Happy October!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Facebook Page

If you haven't already, please like the new facebook page for my blog.  I will be posting blog updates and other information here instead of my personal facebook page.  Thank you!

Elizabeth Milne MS, RD, LD

Weekend Update: Slice, Slow Cooker Potato Soup, and more...

Happy Monday yall! I hope you had a great weekend.  On Friday night, William and I enjoyed a pizza on the patio of Slice Stone Pizza & Brew.  We tried the Sausage and Peppers small plate and then chose the White Shadow Pizza for our entree.  The pizza included garlic, onions, portabella mushroms, feta cheese, fresh parmesan, and truffle oil. Delicious! 

On Saturday, we ventured to the grand opening of Hop City in Birmingham. We had 1/2 gallon growlers from Asheville that we needed to refill, and after sampling a few beers we decided on Highland Oatmeal Porter and the Naked Pig IPA.  

Sunday, was a pretty lazy, rainy day, but we did go to the grocery store early to get ingredients for this tasty potato soup recipe I found on Budget Bytes. I loved this recipe because it was packed with vegetables, and not too fattening.  It was wonderful to put everything in the crock pot and then watch movies for the rest of the day.  I also was excited to use the chives from our herb garden. 

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

The Oatmeal Porter from Hop City

Have a great week!

Elizabeth Milne MS, RD, LD

21 Day Challenge: Day 2

So the day 2 challenge was my desk, which did not require a whole lot of work. One thing that needed work was a drawer full of USB cords, wires, calculators, etc. In order to have a separate space for all of these random little items I used a shoe organizer (see below).

My Desk :)

Disorganized Cords

The Solution

Happy Organizing!

Elizabeth Milne MS, RD, LD