As I sit her sipping my morning smoothie, I thought it was time for me to share what I put in it. I've procastinated sharing the recipe, because I don't really measure & it's a constantly evolving one. So I'll share the basics & you can modify it as you like.
1 banana, medium
1 c. berries (rasp, blue or straw are my favorites)
1 T. flax seed oil
1 T. raw honey
3 T. brown rice protein powder
1/4 tsp. kelp
1 1/2-2 c. coconut or almond milk (unsweetened cuts down on sugar content)
1 T. raw wheat germ
**2 T. Wheat grass (optional); 1 tsp. spirulina (optional- if you can get past the smell, it really doesn't have flavor as long as it is mixed in well & no chunks remain. It will turn your smoothie green!)**
Dump this all in a blender and blend. It's that easy and tastes great! Also, you can make it ahead of time, stick it in the fridge & it's a great breakfast drink on the run.
The only part I leave out for my kids is the protein powder. But little do they know I'll soon be sneeking it back in. The first time I tried adding some to theirs, I didn't have enough liquid in it & it gelled pretty quickly so noses where turned up & now I'm asked every time "Is there protein powder in this?"
Although it's been complicated to determine, when I posted this I wanted to include the nutritional information. I never would have imagined prior to my Vegan dietary changes that I could get so much nutrition in one little drink.
And don't let the calories or sugar content freak you out. This is designed to be a meal. It will fill you up for several hours. So as long as you're not eating this along with a 3-course meal, relax, enjoy and don't feel guilty about having a deliciously sweet shake! If you are concerned about sugar intake and wish to reduce it, simply replace the honey with powdered or liquid stevia according to taste.
Nutritional Information:
Calories- 499; Fat- 22 g (33%-Most of this is from beneficial flax seed oil); Sodium- 100 g (3-4%); Total Carbohydrates- 80 g (26%); Dietary Fiber- 15 g (41%); Sugars- 37 g; Protein- 21 g (27%); Potassium- 24%
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Vitamin A- 13%; Vitamin C- 73%; Vitamin D- 30%; Vitamin B12- 50%; Magnesium- 10%; Zinc- 4%; Selenium- 8%; Folate- 6%; Iron- 36%; Calcium- 14.5%; Iodine- 260%; Omega 3- 500%; Omega 6- 2 g; Omega 9- 3 g
PLUS the following Amino Acids- *L-Isoleucine; *L-Leucine; *L-Lysine; *L-Methionine; *L-Phenylalanine; *L-Threonine; *L-Tryptophan; *L-Valine; L-Alanine;* L-Arginine; L-Aspartic Acid; L-Cystine; L-Glutamic Acid; L-Glycine; *L-Histidine; L-Proline; L-Serine; L-Tyrosine
*Essential Amino Acids
The vitamin & mineral content of Raw Honey is not included here. Do your research & discover all the benefits of consuming raw honey. Also, when I'd originally researched the berries & banana, the nutritional information did not include all the vitamins & minerals in them either.
**If you add wheat grass, you could be adding as much as 25% RDA of protein, plus adding chlorophyll and high amounts of Vitamins A, C & E AND 12 amino acids (8 of which are essential to our bodies). If you really want to get uber-healthy, try adding just 1 teaspoon of Spirulina and you'll get 4% RDA protein; 225% Vitamin A; 6% Thiamin; 7% Riboflavin; 33% Vitamin B12; 17% Iron; and more chlorophyll, Gammalinolenic acid; zeaxanthin; carotenoids; and c. Phycocyanin.
Kelp, wheat grass & spirulina are all Super Foods that you should try to add to your diet any way you can. And the great thing is it only takes very small amounts to reap HUGE health benefits!
Notes & Disclaimer- All of the nutritional information was what I could compile based on product labels & internet research. I cannot guarantee that all the information is complete or 100% accurate. Also all nutritional content would vary depending upon portion size and actual ingredients used.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Lentil Chili
8 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tsps chili powder
16 ounces brown lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes or until onion and pepper are tender.
2. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining 7 1/4 cups broth.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
5. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer.
6. Stir in cilantro and serve.
Notes:
You can add a piece of kombu to the pot while the beans are cooking to add iodine and speed up the cooking time a little.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tsps chili powder
16 ounces brown lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes or until onion and pepper are tender.
2. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining 7 1/4 cups broth.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
5. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer.
6. Stir in cilantro and serve.
Notes:
You can add a piece of kombu to the pot while the beans are cooking to add iodine and speed up the cooking time a little.
Zippy Corn Chowder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. coconut oil*
14 1/2 oz vegetable broth or bouillon
2 large red potatoes, cubed
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups frozen corn
4 green onions, chopped**
3 cups milk of choice***
1/4 cup flour of choice****
1. In a large saucepan, saute onion & green pepper in the coconut oil until tender.
2. Add broth & potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Remove lid, stir in jalapeno, mustard, salt, paprika & red pepper flakes.
4. Add corn, green onions & 2 1/2 cups of the milk.
5. In a separate bowl or cup, combine flour & remaining milk until smooth. Gradually add this to the soup.
6. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until thick.
Notes:
*I prefer coconut oil for sauteing because it will not oxidize at normal cooking temperatures.
**The green onion are optional
***I prefer unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
****I prefer spelt flour or you could substitute organic corn starch or potato starch for high sensitivities to gluten.
This is a versatile recipe that you can reduce or increase the heat to accommodate your personal taste. As always, with all of my soup recipes, this is great paired with the Fast Cuban Bread.
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. coconut oil*
14 1/2 oz vegetable broth or bouillon
2 large red potatoes, cubed
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups frozen corn
4 green onions, chopped**
3 cups milk of choice***
1/4 cup flour of choice****
1. In a large saucepan, saute onion & green pepper in the coconut oil until tender.
2. Add broth & potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Remove lid, stir in jalapeno, mustard, salt, paprika & red pepper flakes.
4. Add corn, green onions & 2 1/2 cups of the milk.
5. In a separate bowl or cup, combine flour & remaining milk until smooth. Gradually add this to the soup.
6. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until thick.
Notes:
*I prefer coconut oil for sauteing because it will not oxidize at normal cooking temperatures.
**The green onion are optional
***I prefer unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
****I prefer spelt flour or you could substitute organic corn starch or potato starch for high sensitivities to gluten.
This is a versatile recipe that you can reduce or increase the heat to accommodate your personal taste. As always, with all of my soup recipes, this is great paired with the Fast Cuban Bread.
Tropical Fruit Salsa
Here's another salsa recipe. It is mango season after all!
3 Tbsp red onion, minced
2 c. pineapple, diced
1 1/2 medium mango or 1 large, diced
2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 medium jalapeno, seeded & minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1. Combine all ingredients
2. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long!)
3 Tbsp red onion, minced
2 c. pineapple, diced
1 1/2 medium mango or 1 large, diced
2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 medium jalapeno, seeded & minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1. Combine all ingredients
2. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long!)
Corn Salsa
I love a good salsa and this recipe is one of my favorites.
1 cup corn (I've used canned or frozen in the past)
2 med. tomatillos (optional!)*
1 Tbsp. fine diced red onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno
2 tsp. lime juice (preferably fresh)
2 tsp. coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. honey
Notes:
* I don't usually have tomatillos on hand. But I almost always have the other ingredients, so I rarely use the tomatillos and just use a little more corn.
The great thing about salsas are once you have the flavor combinations, the quantities don't really matter much. So just throw some corn, diced onion, jalapeno (I usually use a whole one chopped and don't measure!), lime juice, cilantro & a bit of honey together, taste it and adjust if needed. Enjoy!
1 cup corn (I've used canned or frozen in the past)
2 med. tomatillos (optional!)*
1 Tbsp. fine diced red onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno
2 tsp. lime juice (preferably fresh)
2 tsp. coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. honey
Notes:
* I don't usually have tomatillos on hand. But I almost always have the other ingredients, so I rarely use the tomatillos and just use a little more corn.
The great thing about salsas are once you have the flavor combinations, the quantities don't really matter much. So just throw some corn, diced onion, jalapeno (I usually use a whole one chopped and don't measure!), lime juice, cilantro & a bit of honey together, taste it and adjust if needed. Enjoy!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix
Okay, I went for convenience this time. Pamela's may cost quite a bit, but just to be able to open a mix, add a few ingredients like milk (non-dairy of course!), egg (replacer of course!) and butter (coconut oil of course!) and pop some yummy muffins, scones, banana bread or waffles in the oven...it is so worth the price.
Regular price at my local Kroger is $15.99 for the 4 pound bag. But the first time I bought it was because it was on clearance for $7.49! Deal of the week!
Now, I've ordered from Amazon & get 3 bags for a little under $40. That's still cheaper than the cheapest store price and it qualifies for Super-Saver no shipping fees with Amazon.
Is it cheaper to buy all the different gluten-free flours and stir up everything for myself? Of course! But when I'm in a hurry, we have no bread in the house and the kids (or I!) want something yummy for breakfast, you can't beat Pamela's!
**Disclaimer- Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix does include buttermilk powder so it is not Vegan. I'm still having difficulty eliminating all dairy and egg. The only way I can do this affordably, is to make everything from scratch. That's difficult when you're working. So I keep plugging away!
Regular price at my local Kroger is $15.99 for the 4 pound bag. But the first time I bought it was because it was on clearance for $7.49! Deal of the week!
Now, I've ordered from Amazon & get 3 bags for a little under $40. That's still cheaper than the cheapest store price and it qualifies for Super-Saver no shipping fees with Amazon.
Is it cheaper to buy all the different gluten-free flours and stir up everything for myself? Of course! But when I'm in a hurry, we have no bread in the house and the kids (or I!) want something yummy for breakfast, you can't beat Pamela's!
**Disclaimer- Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix does include buttermilk powder so it is not Vegan. I'm still having difficulty eliminating all dairy and egg. The only way I can do this affordably, is to make everything from scratch. That's difficult when you're working. So I keep plugging away!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Bottom Line
The numbers are in!
While reviewing our grocery & dining out expenses for the month of December, I discovered something interesting, that actually debunks the strongly held opinion of most people I know. It actually costs less to eat healthy. This was the first full month of my vegan lifestyle, plus I incorporated many more organic, natural, live, raw, thus healthy, foods into our family's lifestyle.
Granted, we're not total organic and we do still eat some things that aren't good for us, but improvement is my goal each month...not perfection. And if you can quantify such a thing, I think a safe estimate would be a 50-60% improvement in how everyone in our family is eating.
When discussing this financial revelation with my husband, he admitted that he's getting less hungry while he's at work. And I know my kids are asking for food less often. But yes, when they ask, they tend to complain that there's nothing here to eat. While that's not true, they think if they can't grab something out of a box or from the fridge already made then we "don't have anything."
Now for the dollar figures. Even with travelling around Christmas, hosting two families during the month, preparation for our family Christmas & taking food for a small group dinner & New Year's Eve party, plus having to eat out here & there because of the extra busyness, we were down over $200 in groceries (Which includes personal products. I don't split them in the budget) and down about $150 in dining out (I know...ridiculously high amount to be down...but dining out has always been our weakness!)
Plus, I actually lost weight during the month of December. Eight pounds to be exact! I'm pretty sure that has never happened to me before. Usually, I'm just content to not gain weight from late November to January.
So who says you can't eat healthy, save money and survive the holidays without gaining weight?? Who knows?? But the more I learn about food and big business, it was probably someone that wanted me to buy his highly-processed, toxic food!
While reviewing our grocery & dining out expenses for the month of December, I discovered something interesting, that actually debunks the strongly held opinion of most people I know. It actually costs less to eat healthy. This was the first full month of my vegan lifestyle, plus I incorporated many more organic, natural, live, raw, thus healthy, foods into our family's lifestyle.
Granted, we're not total organic and we do still eat some things that aren't good for us, but improvement is my goal each month...not perfection. And if you can quantify such a thing, I think a safe estimate would be a 50-60% improvement in how everyone in our family is eating.
When discussing this financial revelation with my husband, he admitted that he's getting less hungry while he's at work. And I know my kids are asking for food less often. But yes, when they ask, they tend to complain that there's nothing here to eat. While that's not true, they think if they can't grab something out of a box or from the fridge already made then we "don't have anything."
Now for the dollar figures. Even with travelling around Christmas, hosting two families during the month, preparation for our family Christmas & taking food for a small group dinner & New Year's Eve party, plus having to eat out here & there because of the extra busyness, we were down over $200 in groceries (Which includes personal products. I don't split them in the budget) and down about $150 in dining out (I know...ridiculously high amount to be down...but dining out has always been our weakness!)
Plus, I actually lost weight during the month of December. Eight pounds to be exact! I'm pretty sure that has never happened to me before. Usually, I'm just content to not gain weight from late November to January.
So who says you can't eat healthy, save money and survive the holidays without gaining weight?? Who knows?? But the more I learn about food and big business, it was probably someone that wanted me to buy his highly-processed, toxic food!
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