Dallin Patrick Simmons

Dallin Patrick Simmons was born October 13th at 9:27 PM. He was 20 inches long and weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Abbi's thrilled that he's finally here and loves him alot (maybe a bit too much)

Clifton and Bree Koon Family Update

Sheryl passed on some pics for me to post of Clifton and Bree Koon's adorable kids!

Evelyn and Myra Jean are the adorable twins... though I'm still not sure which is which...

But look at how happy and cheerful they are!

The last picture is with their older brother Liam with Myra Jean and Evelyn on either side-

Boy will he have a handful keeping the boys away from his beautiful twin little sisters in line once they all reach their teens!

Nutritional Analysis for your Recipes!

Part of staying healthy is watching our diet and ensuring that we eat food to match our health and nutritional goals. One way to do this is to count our calories and watch our nutrition/ macro nutrients. This is easier to do if we only eat what is labeled from a supermarket, but harder accurately do when you make several foods from scratch. And as we need to incorporate several foods that won't necessarily have labels on them ( fruits and vegetables, lean meats, etc) this recipe analyzer can really help you stay on track!

Here's a link to help you analyze your home recipes for free!
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/recipe_analysis.php

for example, here's a family recipe...
(the label to the left does not apply to the recipe below)





Wheat Muffins
Kirsten Ellsworth
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. In large measuring cup combine liquid ingredients. Pour over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts; Serving Size 58 g Amount Per Serving; Calories 138 Calories from Fat 9% Daily Value* Total Fat 1.0g 1% Cholesterol 17mg 6% Sodium 173mg 7% Total Carbohydrates 28.7g10% Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2% Sugars 12.8g Protein 3.3g Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 4% Iron 7% Nutrition Grade C+ * Based on a 2000 calorie diet


When you cut and paste the ingredients into this site and determine how many servings you think this recipe will make ( I determined 12 muffins= 12 servings) you'll get a nutritional label for your recipe! Really if you think about it its determining those numbers for the entire recipe and dividing it per serving so you could figure it out for one batch of batter for cookies and then revisit and determine it for however many cookies you ended up getting out of the batter, then decide how many you're going to eat ;' )

NOTE: if a red flag shows up next to an ingredient you need to simplify the ingredient so it can find it and add it into the analysis. so instead of margarine melted or English cucumbers, just type margarine or cucumbers.

The great thing is that not only does it tell you the overall nutrition, and gives you an overall nutrition score ( notice the C+), it even breaks it up further and lets you know the nutrition is for each ingredient. So if you've determined that melted margarine should be replaced with applesauce, or some other substitution, you can see what kind of difference it would make in the recipes nutrition.


This is an invaluable tool for all of you calorie counters and dieters paying close attention to your macro nutrients. I hope you find it useful! I know I'll be using it more often!

Autumn Apple Salad

Autumn Apple Salad
(originally from Prevention Magazine)
Mindy Butler
How about a healthy fruit salad? No marshmallows, no cool whip, but each ingredient instead a healthy addition to your diet! Tart green apples lend fiber and antioxidants, dried cherries aid digestion, almonds lend protein, and creamy vanilla yogurt serves up probiotics and calcium in this easy side dish salad.
4 tart green apples, cored and chopped
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1 (8 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
In a medium bowl, stir together the apples, almonds, cranberries, cherries and yogurt until evenly coated. Feel free to add fresh berries like strawberries or blueberries to add vitamins and antioxidants! Enjoy!
Servings:4

Soups on!

As Fall is right around the corner we start to crave the warmth and comfort of healthy hearty soups. Soup can be a valuable addition to a healthy diet as it can help you get more vegatables into your diet and fill you up faster with fewer calories (usually- stick to broth based soups over cream based soups). Heres a collection of some of the Fielding Family's favorite soups!

Sausage Lentil Soup
Melissa Monson
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 c water
1 lrg. onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 lrg. carrot, chopped 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 c. dry lentils, rinsed
2 cans chicken broth (undiluted)
Cover and simmer for 60-70 min. until lentils are tender.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Clam Chowder
Marilyn Fielding
2 c potatoes diced
2 c sliced carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 chopped onion
salt and pepper
1 can milk
1 can creamed soup
1 pt half and half
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1 8oz chopped clams

Cook veg's, Make a sauce of butter, flour, milk, creamed soup, half and halfAdd in chopped clams. Do not boil sauce! Add cooked veg's. Heat and serve

Taco Soup
Liz Fielding
2 (14 oz) cans italian stewed tomatoes + 1 (14 oz) can water
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1-2 cups corn (canned or frozen)
1/2 lb. ground beef (browned)
Bring to a boil in a pot, then simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Valerie’s Spicy Lentil Barley Soup
Liz Fielding
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pearl barley
2 quarts chicken broth
1/2 cup minced parsley
1 cup lentils
1 15-oz can garbanzos, drained
1 12-oz jar salsa
1 lb. spinach, rinsed, stemmed, chopped
In a large pan, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic and barley; cook, stirring, until onion is soft and barley is toasted, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, parsley, lentils, and chicken. Boil, then simmer, covered, about 30 minutes until the chicken and barley are cooked. Shred the chicken and return to pan. Add garbanzos and salsa. Bring to a simmer and stir in spinach. Serves 6.

Chili
Liz Fielding
½ -1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1can S&W chili beans (pinto beans, chili peppers, onion, & garlic in a zesty tomato sauce)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp – 2 T. chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it, I use 2 tsp.)
Brown beef and drain. Mix all ingredients together. Simmer for at least one hour on the stove or in a crockpot. Easy and delicious!


Creamy Potato Soup
Liz Fielding
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. peeled, diced potatoes
1 c. finely chopped carrots
¼ c. finely chopped onions
¼ c. finely chopped celery
1 can evaporated skim milk
3 T. cornstarch
½ c. grated cheddar cheese (optional)
In saucepan, combine broth and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. In small cup, stir together ¼ c. of milk and the cornstarch until smooth. Then stir the cornstarch mixture and the remaining milk in to the broth mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Slowly stir in cheese. Cook and stir just until melted. Also good with cubed ham.

Lorna's Soup
Marilyn Fielding
2--4 Tbsp butter
1 onion diced and sauté
2-3 cloves garlic sauté
Add
2 can beef broth
2 cups potatoes cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1 cup green onions sliced
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
Simmer 1/2 hour Then Add
1 large can of tomatoe juice
2 Tbsp basil--rubbed between fingers
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 pkg chopped spinach
chopped kale
Simmer 10 minutes then add
1 pkg fresh ravioli
1 16 oz bottle of spagetti sauce
Simmer again and serve

Three Bean Soup
Liz Fielding
(Originally from Parents magazine)
2 15-oz cans cannellini (white) beans, drained & rinsed
dash chili powder
1 15-oz kidney beans, drained & rinsed
dash cumin
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 tsp dried thyme
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp canola oil
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
2 medium onions, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped scallions, (optional)
salt and pepper
Hot pepper sauce (optional)
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and thyme. Cook 1 minute. Add beans, stir well, and cook 1 minute. Raise heat to high, add the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook 10 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth and thick. Simmer over low heat. Season to taste (we added some salsa). Serve hot, sprinkled with grated cheese, scallions and hot pepper sauce if desired. Good with tortilla chips.

Tortilla Soup
Liz Fielding
2 cans great northern white beans
1 can corn
1 can green chilies
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
3 carrots, grated or thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can chicken broth
Boil vegetables until soft in the broth and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Serve over tortilla chips with cheese and sour cream.

French Onion Soup
Annika Davey
4 lg onions
1/4 c butter or margarine
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp. salt
8 c beef broth
salt & pepper to taste
Croutons:
8 1-inch-thick french bread slices 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 400. For soup, slice onions. Melt butter and add onions and sugar. Cook and stir 15-18 min., stirring frequently, until onlins are tender adn golden brown. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually add beef broth; bring to a boil over md-high heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 10 min.
For croutons, place bread slices on pan and bake 5 min. or until lightly toasted. Turn bread slices over; sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking 5-8 min. or until cheese is lightly browned and melted.

Cream of Potato Soup
Heather Astle

In a large soup pan put:
1 c. celery diced
1 c. onion diced
3 medium diced potatos
1 grated carrot
Add a little salt and cook together in 3 cups chicken broth.In medium saucepan mix: (for sauce)½ c. butter
3-4 heaping Tbs. flour
1 quart half-half.
Cook slowly until thick. Do not boil. Mix vegetables and sauce together. Add a little salt and pepper. Add 1-1 ½ c. grated cheese. Stir in and don't let it boil. Add a little milk or chicken broth if too thick.

Clam Chowder
Robyn Astle
2 c. ptotoes diced small or shredded
1 c. celery
1 c. onion diced
1 ½ carrots diced or shredded
2 cans of clams
Put in pan cover with water and the liquids from 2 cans of clams. Cook until tender. Place in saucepan: 3/4 c. margarine and 3/4 c. flour Blend, then add 1 quart milk. Stir until thickened. Add drained clams, vegetables, and salt and pepper.

Hamburger- Rice Soup
Sheree Baird “Really good!”
1lb of hamburger
1 onion, chopped
-cook together first.
2/3 cup rice(raw)
1qrt. Tomatoes
1qrt waterSugar to taste
tsp sweet basil
celery leaves
Simmer until rice is cooked and enjoy!

Peanut Soup
(originally from Self Magazine)
Mindy Butler
1 tbsp canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, quartered, juice reserved
10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) chicken broth
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup creamy unsalted peanut butter
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high, then sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic until the onion and garlic begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes and cook, stirring from time to time, until they cook down, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in tomato juice and broth and add black pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, add rice, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes. Add peanut butter all at once, stirring until it melts. Bring soup to a simmer. Serve hot.
Nutritional analysis per serving 233 calories, 12.2 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 24.1 g carbohydrates, 7.6 g protein, 3.9 g fiber

Spicy Pumpkin and Split Soup
(originally from Self Magazine)
Mindy Butler
1/4 tsp saffron threads
10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) chicken broth
1 1/4 cups dried yellow split peas
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Minced fresh parsley
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed pumpkin (from a 3- to 4-pound pumpkin)
In a large metal spoon or a small pan, heat saffron over low heat about 10 seconds until dry, then grind to a powder with the back of a spoon and steep in 1 tbsp boiling water to release flavor, about 1 minute. Bring broth, peas, and onion to a boil in a large soup pot over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in oil, cinnamon, ginger, spoonful of saffron, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. The soup is done when the pumpkin begins to fall apart and the peas are tender. Salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.
Nutritional analysis per serving 228 calories, 5.4 g fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 35.4 g carbohydrates, 12.8 g protein, 11.2 g fiber