It's a chilly winter Sunday in Florida, perfect day for a pot of soup. I just whipped up this corn chowder and it came out so yummy that I want to share.This is a vegetarian recipe than can easily be made vegan.
I have found that chipotles in adobo make a great meat substitute for many recipes and use them instead of bacon, chorizo and other meats in soup and bean recipes. They have fabulous, spicy heat and a touch of smokiness. A little goes a long way in the spicy heat department.

Vegetarian Corn Chowder

10 oz bag organic frozen sweet corn
1/2 onion
1 stalk celery (I used organic)
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce*
bay leaf
2 small yellow flesh potatoes
vegetable stock**
kosher salt and pepper
can coconut milk
butter****
fresh parsley

I started with about 2 T of butter in a heavy, large saucepan, heated with a drop of oil (olive, grapeseed, etc). Finely dice onion and add it to pot (on

med), finely dice celery and add to pot. Stir frequently. Dice potatoes and add to pot and stir. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Add

bay leaf to pot and stir. Finely dice a chipotle pepper, I used about 1/2 one or about 1 teaspoon and stir into pot. Add bag of frozen corn to pot, stir

and cook for several minutes creating a fond on the bottom of pot. Season again with salt and pepper.
Add vegetable stock to pot to cover vegetables, about 2 cups or so. Cook until vegetables are tender, another several minutes or so.
Add coconut milk to desired level of soupiness/creaminess, I used about 1/2 can.*** Add chopped fresh parsley, I used about 1 T, stir, check

seasoning and serve.

*There are many many peppers in a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (found in the latino section of the market). I divide them into small containers

and freeze them once I open a can.

**I had homemade vegetable stock on hand that I made with potato peelings, leek greens and celery stalk.

***Reserve the leftover coconut milk in a plastic or glass container and save in fridge for another use (curry, coffee, whatever) and use up in a couple

days.

****Substitute olive oil for butter for a vegan recipe.

Quinoa is an ancient grain (or grain like food) that is high in protein and amino acids. It can be substituted for rice or pasta in dishes, supplementing a high nutritional content. It has a rather bland, but slightly nutty flavor and a fine texture.
Cooking it is simple, especially if you buy the kind that is pre-rinsed*. You can cook it in broth to add more flavor. 

Put your quinoa in a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. Measure the ratio 1 part quinoa to 1 1/2 parts liquid. In other words, if you are using 1 cup of quinoa, use 1 1/2 c. of liquid. Bring it to a boil, turn down, cover and simmer for 15 min. When that time is up take the pot off the heat and place a clean, folded dish towel over the top and put the lid back on to absorb excess moisture.

Once you have cooked quinoa you can use it to make many different recipes: pilaf, salads, etc. 
In the above picture I have used it as a simple backdrop for my piccata style swai and it was a perfect complement.

To cook the swai I heated a non stick skillet on medium and melted a bit of butter in it with a couple drops of olive oil to keep it from burning. I washed the swai and seasoned one side with salt and pepper. When my pan was ready (the butter will stop sizzling) I added the fish, seasoned side up. I then grated the zest of 1/2 lemon (I wash my lemons) and squeezed all the juice onto it. I had to turn my pan up to high at this point. After a couple minutes I turned the fish and the butter was sizzling back up nicely, with the water content evaporating. I turned the fish one more time and then added about a tsp of capers.

The squash medley I made last night. My friend signed up for a fresh produce co-op and brought me a basket of several different kinds of squash. Well, there's no sense in letting fresh veggies get old in your fridge, so I cooked it all up, sauteing it in olive oil with some onion and both fresh and dried herbs and a little salt and pepper. I've eaten it twice and still have more for another meal, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned.

Here's a little tip to help control your eating: Take your supplements before you sit down to a meal with a full glass of water, it will help to fill up your belly. Or, take them after your meal to keep you from going back for seconds, as I do. I admit, I devoured that entire plate of food pictured and it barely made a dent. By time I take my vitamins and drink down the water I will be full. :)

*Afternote: rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. I used the pre-rinsed kind today and after eating it have noticed a slightly bitter taste in my mouth.

Let's talk about oatmeal.
We all know it's a grain and that it is good for our cholesterol levels, but some of us still despise the slimy bowlful. I converted my boyfriend to loving oatmeal and he detested it for 56 years.
I believe there are two keys to yummy oatmeal. No. 1 is salt. And a good bit of it. 
No. 2,  you must pour the oats into boiling water, on the stove top. It changes the texture. No microwaved oats for me, thank you.

So- measure out your water in a pot and start it to boil. Measure out your oats, I actually prefer store brand oats, I usually buy organic, either old fashioned or quick oats. The quick oats have a finer texture.
I pour the oats into a bowl while I'm waiting for the water to boil and pour a bit of salt into the palm of my hand, probably a 1/4 tsp or so for one serving. Add cinnamon, as much or as little as you like and any other favorite spices. Pour the oats into the boiling water and stir, immediately turn down the heat to simmer (if you have a cooktop stove, which I now do, this takes a bit of practice with the timing so the oats don't boil over), then add your favorite dried fruit. I like to buy organic dried fruit: cranberries, cherries, raisins, chopped prunes or apricots, currants. 
Cook according to package directions (1 min for quick oats, 3 min for old fashioned). I like to top my oats with chopped, toasted nuts. I used to put some brown sugar, but my palette has changed since I've gone off the sugar so I'm happy with a bit of almond or coconut milk which is lightly sweetened. If you need sweetener try a little honey or maple syrup. I recently discovered a wonderful alternative to brown sugar. I chopped up some dates with some roasted almonds very fine and it was sweet, crunchy and delicious and my sweet toothed boyfriend was happy without the sugar. (Whole dates remind me of dried out palmetto bugs, but once they are finely chopped with the nuts they are visually appealing. :)

Start your day off with this breakfast several times a week and you are well on your way to your healthy diet switch over.

So many people struggle with their weight. People diet, deprive, binge and yo-yo. I've seen people go on extreme diets, severely limiting caloric intake and possibly compromising their health. Certainly not aiding long term weight loss, which is, of course, their goal. And we all know that being obese or very overweight puts us at risk of disease and shortened life span.

I am writing this because from time to time I hear women (and men, though they don't seem to care as much) struggle with their weight and diet. "Diet" doesn't mean restricted food and calories. "Diet" means what we live on for food and sustenance. I would love to see people throw the notion of "diets" out the window and instead refocus on feeding their bodies healthy food. 

I am not here to discuss "health food" or vegetarianism, raw diets, gluten free or whatever. Don't eat things you dislike or make you sick. However, I would like to espouse the theory of us going back to the good old days when we prepared food from scratch. We bought whole foods at the store: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables and grains- and made meals from them. Throw out the notion of eating pre-packaged foods that are thrown in the microwave. When you prepare your food yourself you know exactly what ingredients are in it. 

You will never have to "diet" again. Retrain your way of thinking: instead of seeking out the comfort food that will fill you up and make you feel good, or worrying about cutting out carbs, instead focus on stuffing as much fresh produce down your gullet that you can every day. Colorful produce is full of the vitamins and antioxidants that our bodies need to fight disease. 

Don't deprive yourself of foods you love, just limit the unhealthy ones to 10% of your diet.
Cook your food in a healthy manner: grilling, baking or sauteing in olive oil or other healthy fats. Deep fried foods will not only clog your arteries, but also create acrylamides, a substance that may increase your risk of cancer. http://www.livestrong.com/article/440500-why-frying-food-is-unhealthy/
Trade in the Doritos for fresh or dried fruit and nuts. Try to eliminate sugar. After 10 days of detoxing off white flour and sugar your cravings will subside.
Don't drink your calories. Soda is just not good for you, diet or otherwise.
Move, move,  move. Yeah, you've heard it said before, now listen. Park far away from the store. Do isometric exercise while driving or sitting at your desk. Maximize your movements everyday, every little step adds up. Dance to the music. Dancing in your chair is great for your abs! Have sex.
Eat a well balanced diet. Eat high fiber, you burn more calories simply digesting it and it will boost your metabolism. High fiber foods have 2 grams or more of fiber per serving. 
Read your labels and ingredients. Look at the calories and fat and pay attention to the serving sizes.

Make your changes slowly. You didn't gain 50 lbs in 1 month so don't expect fast results. Let your taste buds change gradually, too. The more healthy food you eat, the more you will crave. 

Appreciate the beauty of the whole foods you buy and prepare. Eat the rainbow. Your dinner plate should not be full of brown and beige. Don't eat neutrals, eat color.