Keeping It Real!

In order to be real with everyone else, you must first be real with yourself and to be quite frank, for several months I haven't been real with myself. I have been on hyatius for several months after getting married August 31st and ALL that work, effort and time I put into losing 20 pounds and 20 inches has disappeared! After getting married, I didn't have to try to fit or lose weight to wear a wedding dress or to look great to be the center of attention anymore. What did I do? Where did I go? Why did I let myself go yet again? Well, I wish I could tell you all of the answers, but at this moment I can't. All I can say is that I am happily married and being married is something that I am learning to do. Learning to be a wife that wants to be healthy and exercise while incorporating my husbands eating habits with  mine. We both enjoy cooking, sometimes one of us loves cooking more than the other so the other skedaddles from the kitchen to do their own thing.

Since being married I have worked on the 21 day fix a few times, but after the first week every single time, my cycle began and I just stopped working out because of the pain, telling myself ok, let's work on the nutrition and although I have been good about this (I didn't say great), my weight came back. I look at me and say HOW can you let this happen to you? You have worked so hard and people are watching you! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??? Do I REALLY want to be healthy? Do I REALLY want to help others? OF COURSE I DO! SO, I need to get back in the saddle and not allow ANYTHING even painful cycles to get in the way of a better me! I want to help people around me live a better, healthier, fit more fun life!

So here goes!!!

I have been creating a meal plan that my husband and I have both been working on for each week and today I am making roasted butternut squash soup!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 5 lbs)
1 green apple, sliced and cored
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp ghee
3 cups chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, olive oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Mix together, coating the squash well. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Next, in the same bowl that the butternut squash was in, toss the apple slices, onion, and carrots to coat with the remnants. Place on a second rimmed baking sheet and add both baking sheets to the oven. Roast for 35-40 minutes until soft, stirring once.
Heat up ghee over medium heat in a large pot on the stove. Add the roasted ingredients and then the chicken broth. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, combine the ingredients until smooth, or transfer to a blender to puree. Serve warm.