Thanksgiving Remorse Beef Vegetable Soup

I gained four pounds in three days! Yes I did! Too much cornbread stuffing, creamed corn, sweet potato biscuits, etc. Have mercy!

OK – when I this kind of situation arises I have a fall back plan. I call it my “Remorse Soup.” It’s my take on the Cabbage Soup diet. My body works much better with a good balance of protein and healthy carbs (from fruits and vegetables)  so my soup is a beef vegetable soup instead of being mostly cabbage and peppers. In fact, I don’t even add peppers. I don’t like them in my soup. Beginning this past Sunday, my eating plan for the week has looked like this:

Breakfast: A lean protein with half of a grapefruit. (I usually have two hard boiled eggs or a fist-size serving of grilled chicken breast. Yes – chicken for breakfast.)

Lunch: Bowl of Remorse Soup, small serving of fresh fruit or veggies.

Dinner: Bowl of Remorse Soup sprinkled with 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese.

Snacks in between meals if I get hungry: I snack on sliced turkey breast from the deli, roasted almonds with sea salt, grilled chicken, raw veggies, diabetic friendly yogurt. If I want dessert at night I have a couple of berries. I only drink water. Nothing else.

I walk 1-3 miles at least every other day.

A couple of times during the week I will replace the soup for lunch or dinner with a lean protein and a veggie or salad. (Keeps me from getting bored.)

At the end of the week I will have lost the four pounds.

And… the soup is really yummy!

I’m guessing that some of you are in this boat along with me. I think, like telling a girlfriends about a great sale, we should share diet tips! So… I’m sharing mine with you. I can’t guarantee that this will work for you but it sure works for me. I’ve already lost three of the pounds I gained over the Thanksgiving weekend. Of course I need to give you the standard disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before … blah, blah, blah. OK – It’s been said. You’ve been warned

Here you go, friends:

Thanksgiving Remorse Beef Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs ground beef (85/15)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 leeks (white part only) cut in half lengthwise and then sliced
• 1 package sliced brown mushrooms, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2  14.5 oz cans petite cut tomatoes
• 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix (or onion soup mix of choice)
• 4 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1  14.5 oz can cut green beans, including the liquid
• 1  1 lb bag shredded cabbage or slaw mix
• 1  5 oz package baby spinach leaves
• 32 oz V8 Juice (or vegetable juice of choice)

Brown beef over medium heat in a very large stock pot. When about halfway cooked, add the onions and leeks. When the beef is cooked, stir in the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until carrots are tender.

That’s it. You will have a huge pot of soup that should last you the week. The fact that it’s yummy and filling makes this pretty easy for me to follow. It’s my quick way to get back on track after a disastrous encounter with my bathroom scale.

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn