Sabtu, 21 Mei 2016
Diet Tips for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain
Selasa, 17 Mei 2016
Thai Peanut Curry with Chickpeas
Sauces made with nut butter are a total hit in this house. The husband loves them, Layla loves them, these types of sauces are super easy to make and they are rich and delicious while still being healthy! Win-win.
This particular curry uses chickpeas instead of the traditional tofu that you'd see in a Thai curry, and I really enjoyed the change of pace. It's packed with flavor thanks to the garlic, onions, and warm spices like cumin, cardamom and coriander. Ground peanut powder adds a richness without all of the calories of peanut butter (more on that in a sec!), and coconut milk turns that peanut powder into a creamy, thick sauce that all of the veggies and chickpeas just soak right up.
You can serve it over brown rice, quinoa, eat it as a “stew” on its own, or serve it with naan or roti! It's really versatile and a one-pot dish, which makes clean-up that much easier. I topped ours with roasted chopped cashews, and we ate it with brown rice on the side.
But my secret ingredient for this recipe is this amazing Peanut Protein Powder from Naked Nutrition. (Just a little tip – I'm giving away some free Naked Nutrition products here!) Unlike most of the low calorie peanut butter options like BetternPeanutButter or PB2 which are either super processed with tons of random ingredients, and have added sugar, Naked Nutrition's peanut protein powder has just one ingredient: Roasted Peanuts! There is no added sugar, salt, artificial sweeteners, flavors, thickeners, or colors. 2 tbsp have only 50 calories, 6g protein and 2g fiber. It's the perfect addition to anything you need peanut flavor for but don't want all of the calories of regular peanut butter!
This ingredient added such a richness to the curry, it felt like I was eating a dish that had been cooking all day long. This recipe makes a TON of food, so we ate this for leftovers later in the week and then I also froze a big batch to save for later (it freezes great!) Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 194 Calories, 3.7g Fat (1.5g Saturated), 495mg Sodium, 34.8g Carbs, 7.4g Fiber, 3.8g Sugar, 7.3g Protein
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, diced
- 10 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp ground peanut powder
- 2 15oz cans light coconut milk
- 1/2-1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 yellow peppers, sliced
- 4 carrots, cut into quarters and sliced
- 3 zucchini, cut into quarters and sliced
- 3 15oz cans of chickpeas
- ½ tsp salt (or more to taste)
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- Chopped Roasted Cashews (1 tsp per serving)
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger and saute until the onions are translucent.
- Add all of the spices and let them toast for 1 min, stirring constantly
- Add the coconut milk and peanut powder
- Add rest of the ingredients (broth through sugar)
- Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer for at least 30 minutes, but the dish can be simmered as long as 1-2 hours
- Top each serving with 1 tsp chopped roasted cashews
Notes
Adapted from Vegan Richa
Senin, 04 April 2016
Banana Chocolate Chunk Frozen Yogurt (or “Ice Cream”!)
Banana fake-out ice cream is all the rage these days. It's kind of like the coolest healthy swap ever, because guilt-free ice cream that actually tastes delicious is hard to make!
That's not the case anymore
It's crazy that just one simple ingredient - frozen bananas - can turn something like ice cream healthy. And you don't need an ice cream maker to make it or any fancy equipment - all you need is a freezer and a food processor/blender.
Frozen bananas and Plain Greek Yogurt serve as the base. You could do it without Greek Yogurt, but I've found that adding a bit of the yogurt gives it an even more ice-cream like consistency (I used Stonyfield Farms Plain Greek Yogurt for this recipe). And, as an added benefit, you get a ton of protein from the yogurt, which helps this dessert to actually be a filling treat.
And then you can add in any mix-ins you'd like! For this recipe, I chose walnuts and dark chocolate.
But if you used frozen berries and peanut butter (for a PB&J feel) – this recipe would turn into something you could eat as a meal.
Ice cream for breakfast anyone?
Either way, you can't go wrong with this recipe! It's guaranteed to be a family-favorite, even the pickiest kids will like it!
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 177 Calories, 8.4g Fat (2.8g Saturated), 29.7mg Sodium, 21.2g Carbs, 2.5g Fiber, 13.2g Sugar, 7.2g Protein
Ingredients
- 2 bananas (frozen)
- 3/4 cup Stonyfield Organic Plain Greek Yogurt
- 2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp walnuts
- Optional mix-ins: 1/2 cup frozen berries and 1 tbsp peanut butter, or 2 tbsp Pecans + 1/2 tsp cinnamon, the sky's the limit!
Directions
- Place frozen banana chunks in a food processor. Blend until you have coarse crumbs.
- Add the yogurt and blend 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate and walnuts and pulse a few times until incorporated.
- Serve immediately, or place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes for a firmer, more ice cream-like consistency.
Senin, 28 Maret 2016
Peanut Chocolate Chia Quinoa Truffles
There is something about no-bake treats that I can’t get enough of. And I love the idea of energy balls, but I prefer to call them truffles, because doesn’t truffles sound so much better than “energy balls”? Energy balls sound like something you’d eat after a workout, something that’s super healthy, but maybe not so decadent.
Not the case with these little guys.
They are rich little bites of heaven. You can’t even tell that they are packed with the healthiest ingredients: light and fluffy quinoa, sweet dates, gooey peanut butter, and chia seeds to hold it all together. And the best part is they are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free — and if you have a peanut allergy you can just substitute the peanuts for almonds or any other nut.
You can enjoy them as a dessert or a snack – and they will keep well in the fridge for at least a week!
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 90 Calories, 5.4g Fat (0.8g Saturated), 45.5mg Sodium, 9g Carbs, 1.7g Fiber, 4.4g Sugar, 3.1g Protein
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked truRoots® Organic Sprouted Quinoa
- 1/2 cup cocktail peanuts
- 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 13)
- 1/2 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
- 1/2 tbsp. truRoots® Organic Chia Seeds
- 2 tbsps. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 tsp cinnamon sugar (make cinnamon sugar by combining 4 tsp granulated sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
Directions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cool slightly.
- Process peanuts in food processor until coarsely ground. Add dates. Process until finely chopped. Add 2 cups cooked quinoa, peanut butter, chia seeds and cocoa pulsing just until combined.
- Shape into 24 balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar. Place into candy cups or baking cups, if desired. Chill.
Notes
From truRoots
I recently partnered with truRoots because I absolutely love their mission: they create Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project® Verified and gluten-free sprouted grains and legumes – while maintaining relationships with farmers, providing transparency in their supply chain, and supporting sustainable farming practices. They sent me some of their products to try, and I’ve included them in this recipe!
Peanut Chocolate Chia Quinoa Truffles
There is something about no-bake treats that I can’t get enough of. And I love the idea of energy balls, but I prefer to call them truffles, because doesn’t truffles sound so much better than “energy balls”? Energy balls sound like something you’d eat after a workout, something that’s super healthy, but maybe not so decadent.
Not the case with these little guys.
They are rich little bites of heaven. You can’t even tell that they are packed with the healthiest ingredients: light and fluffy quinoa, sweet dates, gooey peanut butter, and chia seeds to hold it all together. And the best part is they are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free — and if you have a peanut allergy you can just substitute the peanuts for almonds or any other nut.
You can enjoy them as a dessert or a snack – and they will keep well in the fridge for at least a week!
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 90 Calories, 5.4g Fat (0.8g Saturated), 45.5mg Sodium, 9g Carbs, 1.7g Fiber, 4.4g Sugar, 3.1g Protein
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked truRoots® Organic Sprouted Quinoa
- 1/2 cup cocktail peanuts
- 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 13)
- 1/2 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
- 1/2 tbsp. truRoots® Organic Chia Seeds
- 2 tbsps. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 tsp cinnamon sugar (make cinnamon sugar by combining 4 tsp granulated sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
Directions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cool slightly.
- Process peanuts in food processor until coarsely ground. Add dates. Process until finely chopped. Add 2 cups cooked quinoa, peanut butter, chia seeds and cocoa pulsing just until combined.
- Shape into 24 balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar. Place into candy cups or baking cups, if desired. Chill.
Notes
From truRoots
I recently partnered with truRoots because I absolutely love their mission: they create Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project® Verified and gluten-free sprouted grains and legumes – while maintaining relationships with farmers, providing transparency in their supply chain, and supporting sustainable farming practices. They sent me some of their products to try, and I’ve included them in this recipe!
Jumat, 11 Maret 2016
The BEST Chana Masala Ever!
Ok guys. This recipe might be one of my favorite Indian recipes of all time. I’ve made a lot of versions of Chana Masala in the past, and actually posted a pretty good recipe on my blog a couple years ago, but I never felt like it was the “perfect” Chana Masala.
Until now.
This recipe tastes just like the Chana Masala you’d get in a fantastic Indian restaurant, but the best part is it’s super healthy for you! It doesn’t use any cream or butter, it’s 100% vegan and gluten free. It’s rich, flavorful, with just the right amount of heat and spice. And it’s ridiculously easy to make.
Basically, it doesn’t get much better than this.
The husband absolutely loved it, and Layla ate it up with a big scoop of plain, whole milk organic yogurt! I served it with a cauliflower sabji and some whole wheat tortillas.
Absolute perfection.
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 234 Calories, 3.1g Fat (0.4g Saturated), 738mg Sodium, 43.3g Carbs, 8.5g Fiber, 0g Sugar, 9.5g Protein
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 medium red onions, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 15oz cans chickpeas
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Heat oil in a large pot on high heat.
- Add cumin seeds and as soon as they start popping, add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add the coriander, cumin powder, cayenne, turmeric, paprika/smoked paprika, and garam masala. Cook for another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes + juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
- Add the water, chickpeas and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover. Cook on low for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to make sure the Chana Masala doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Notes
Adapted from SmittenKitchen
Kamis, 03 Maret 2016
4 Reasons to Always Choose Organic Dairy
When it comes to buying organic, there are many different ways to prioritize. The Dirty Dozen is a great guide to produce, but there’s more to buying organic than just produce! When it comes to milk and dairy, organic milk is my milk of choice. The reason I choose milk (instead of milk alternatives) is because I don’t have any digestive issues when it comes to milk or lactose, and I like the fact that milk just has one ingredient and the only sugar in it is natural (compared to some of the alternatives out there).
But the most important thing I emphasize when I get questions about milk is the importance of choosing organic dairy/milk whenever you can!
If there’s a place to spend your money and buy organic, dairy is it (along with the dirty dozen, soy, corn and sugar). So why is organic dairy so important? And what does organic mean anyway?
To start: milk can only be USDA certified organic if:
- There are no synthetic fertilizers used on the farm
- Farmers avoid most synthetic pesticides
- Farmers do not use growth hormones or antibiotics
- Farmers never use genetically modified (GMO) crops or feed for their cows
Here are my top 4 reasons for why organic milk is totally worth the money:
1. No artificial growth hormones. On some dairy farms, cows are given artificial hormones to help them to produce more milk. Organic milk is from cows free from growth hormones and antibiotics.
2. No synthetic pesticides. Most synthetic pesticides and herbicides (such as Roundup) are prohibited on the 100% organic feed that cows graze on that produce organic milk. I prefer buying milk where I know that the supply chain only uses organic-approved substances.
3. No GMOs. Cows that produce organic milk only eat 100% organic food, which prohibits GMOs (in the feed/on the farm).
4. Helps support small family farms. 97% of all dairy farms in America, including organic farms, are family-owned. Buying organic helps to show support for a system that keeps family-owned organic farms in business.
So to answer the question: is organic milk worth the money? And should you always buy organic milk? My answer is: Yes!
This post was sponsored by MilkLife.com
