My Top Secret Diet Weapon Continuing the theme of my post-vacation shape up, I went home and drank my veggies for lunch in the form of a… Green Monster Spinach Smoothies are one of my top secret diet weapons, because although they’re packed with baby spinach, which make my skin, hair, nails, and overall self feel totally great, they do not taste healthy at all. I repeat, they do not taste healthy at all. Spinach is fat free, cholesterol free, low in calories, and very low in sodiumSpinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K, iron, fiber, folate, and luteinLeutin is an antioxidant that promotes good eye health, and may help prevent cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate, and even dementia.Dole lab tests found spinach juice has twice the chlorophyl, eight times the calcium, six times the magnesium, 10 times the potassium, 15 times the vitamin C and 43 times the vitamin A of wheatgrass juice! Are you convinced yet? First add 1 sliced frozen banana, and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter in a blender. Serves 1
Fun Superbowl Recipe {let's eat ~ recipe swap} Excuse my fancy paper plate picture! This was hastily prepared for New Years Eve... making it again for Superbowl Sunday Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls aka Crack Bread Ingredients 1 unsliced loaf of sourdough bread (preferably round)8 to 12 ounces Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced3-ounce bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits1/2 cup butter, melted1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix Method Using a sharp bread knife, cut the loaf in both directions in a checkerboard pattern, being careful not to cut through the bottom crust.Place slices of cheese between cuts.Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get between cuts.Mix butter with ranch dressing mix. I found the recipe in blogland and then used this version for my recipe (and the NYT picture is more appetizing than mine!) Enjoy!! disclaimer: We are Eagles fans in our household, but for the SB we have to root for our home team and for betting pool purposes.
My REAL Food Journey 50 Different Foods You Can Put in a Jar {Saturday Inspiration & Ideas} A couple weeks ago I posted 50 different things to do with mason jars…though all the ideas were creative and fun, none of them had anything to do with food. I thought the whole concept of food in a jar deserved a post all of it’s own. So this weeks Saturday Inspiration post is dedicated to all the glorious foods … You can put in a jar: desserts in a jar, bread in a jar, appetizers in a jar, meals in a jar, drinks in a jar… I think you can pretty much put anything in jar and it instantly becomes a million times cuter! Now I want to save even more jars! The Sunday Showcase starts tonight … I can’t wait to see what you have been working on this week!
Sprouting the seeds of health « ByzantineFlowers Sprouted foods have been part of the diet of many ancient races for thousands of years. Even to this day, the Chinese retain their fame for delicious mung bean sprouts. Sprouts provide all the essential vitamins and minerals. Research shows that sprouts are a veritable fountain of youth. All edible grains, seeds and legumes can be sprouted. Grains: Wheat, maize, ragi, bajra and barley. Seeds: Alfalfa seeds, radish seeds, fenugreek seeds, carrot seeds, coriander seeds, pumpkin seeds and muskmelon seeds. Legumes: Mung, Bengal gram, groundnut and peas. Alfalfa, as the name in Arabic signifies, is the king of all sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts contain significant dietary sources of phytoestrogens—known to have preventive elements for cancer, heart diseases, menopausal symptoms, and osteoporosis. Sunflower sprouts are rich in lecithin and vitamin D. Broccoli sprouts are known to have anti-cancer properties. Clover sprouts are known as an anti-cancer herb. Buckwheat: Makes a great salad green.
Cream of Turkey and Wild Rice Soup I woke up with a migraine yesterday. I have to say that after this odd three-week hiatus (unheard of if you’re me), I particularly resented this one. It was just there. No usual phantom warning, flecks of light, odd pain elsewhere. There. I think the fact that I’d been oddly migraine-free for about three weeks really made me bitter with this one. But it is these days that I truly enjoy things like a fridge and freezer full of heat-and-eat goodness. Smallish-sized pieces of celery, onion and carrot. Slice a few mushrooms. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large stockpot. Kind of. We’re looking for the onions to lose their fog and become translucent. And when they get that way, toss in a bit of garlic and give it a stir. For kicks, I’m adding in some wine. Now, stir in a cup of flour. And keep stirring and cooking for a good three minutes to make sure it starts to cook down. Then we’re going to add the wild rice and… …the turkey stock , or chicken or vegetable. Finally, dump in the cream.
One-Pot Mac and Cheese Well, I have to say, I LOVE this version of Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese! Why? You put the noodles in dry, uncooked!!! Yep, you read that correctly! For me, dumping in the ingredients and starting the crock pot is the whole point!! I don't like crock pot recipes that require other cooking steps first. Photo Credit: 1bg.blogspot.com Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients: Cooking oil spray 2 cups skim milk 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 1 egg 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 1/2 cups pre-shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni Directions: Spray the pot of the slow cooker or if using a liner bag, spray the bag well. Turn slow cooker on low and cook 3-4 hours, or until the custard is set and the macaroni is tender. Jans tips: between the 3-4 hour mark on low, the edges start to get that crispy, cheesy edge. The original recipe called for 1/4 tsp. salt , but I increased it for my own taste preferences.
Homemade Bread Recipe: In an Upcycled Can for Fun! Honestly, is there anything better than the smell and taste of freshly baked homemade bread? In this age of instant gratification, the art of bread making is at risk of being forgotten as it can be rather difficult to motivate people to make their own bread. Yet, the benefits are well-known and let’s remember…easier isn’t always better:) What are the benefits of making homemade bread? Whatever happened to the consumption of our daily bread? This is the case for making your own bread! And lastly, one of the greatest benefits of making your own bread is the revival of this nearly forgotten skill. What ingredients should I look for? From unbleached bread flour to 100% whole wheat to sprouted spelt the choices for ingredients are numerous (and a bit overwhelming if you ask me). Purchase directly from the farmer.Locally-produced and harvested (if possible).Non-GMO.Small family run operation. This list is in no way exhaustive. with the Dry Blade , NutriMill Grain Mill The Recipe Directions:1. 2. 4.
Eating Rules - Three simple rules for healthy eating. Tis the Seasonings. . . In the back of my mind, I have wanted to do this for a while. And, I finally did! I made my own taco seasoning, dry onion soup mix, and dry ranch mix. It was pathetically easy. Why did it take me so long to try? I don't know. Taco Seasoning: 1/2 cup chili powder1/4 cup onion powder1/8 cup ground cumin1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon paprika1 tablespoon sea salt Put ingredients into a jar and shake. Dry Onion Soup Mix: 2/3 cup dried, minced onion 3 teaspoons parsley flakes 2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons turmeric 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper Mix all ingredients in a jar, then give the jar a good shake. Use 4 tablespoons in a recipe in place of 1 packet of onion soup mix. Ranch: 5 tablespoons dried minced onions 7 teaspoons parsley flakes 4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder Mix together and store in an air tight container. For dressing: Mix 2 tablespoons dry mix with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream.
Tartelette I know, it seems very strange to put "baked" and "doughnuts" in the same sentence and then expect you to believe me when I say they were good...but they were! But why would I turn a completely good fried piece of Americana into a baked good? Well, for once I was curious to try another recipe after my first success last year. Looking online you will find dozens of recipes for baked doughnuts but how would you know if they are any good? Baked Doughnuts, adapted from this recipe: 1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)2 tablespoons butter2/3 cup sugar2 eggs5 cups all-purpose flourA pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted1 1/2 cups sugar1 tablespoon cinnamon Place 1/3 cup of the warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. P.S: Last month I woke up to an early Christmas present: a nice lady named Tammy Wood emailed me with a beautiful collage of my pictures as a banner/header for my blog.
Salted (and Other) Caramel Apples Happy week-before-Halloween! My girl and I made caramel apples a couple of weeks ago, and we had so much fun, we’re doing it again tomorrow. The great thing about caramel apples is, the possibilities are endless. Whether you leave the caramel plain and glossy and beautiful…or decorate it with everything you can get your hands on…the end result is always individual and special. And oh-so-delicious, which is the most important part. Apples! Caramel. Note: True caramel apples, of course, are those that involve making your own caramel (with brown sugar or corn syrup or sweetened condensed milk or all of the above). I’m weird like that. You’ll also need toppings. Chocolate chips. Coconut. Slivered almonds. And crushed pretzels. Other stuff you can use alone or with other things: crushed Heath bar, crushed pecans, graham cracker crumbs, crushed saltines, crushed cashews, etc. But I love walking on the wild side. Here I am with the chopsticks again. I love them. My girl did the M&M versions.
How to Make Mason Jar Meals: Part 1 Last week I placed the following photo on Big Red Kitchen’s FaceBook Page and received an overwhelming amount of requests on how I made these Mason Jar Meals. I aim to please… How many of you have poured over the web looking at this photo or that wishing it was your house, or pantry, or wardrobe, or garden? I do it all the time. It is so easy to click through Pinterest and say, “I wish I had that.” I have always wanted my refrigerator to look like that photo up there because I was tired of… 1. With a little work I made it happen. I have done those once a month cooking marathons in the past and hated it. What was different this time? Ready to start? Purchase and lay out all the food you are going to prepare, and wash and dry your jars and lids. Next, start cooking. Tips on Cooking 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hints on Filling the Jars 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Now it is YOUR turn. Related Post:How to Make Mason Jar Meals: Part 2- the recipes! See you tomorrow.
Cargile Family Favorite Recipes: Chocolate Vodka Soaked Strawberries I found this idea online and couldn't stop thinking about them. I knew they would be perfect for our annual Super Bowl party. Ingredients: Chocolate infused Vodka Strawberries 1 tub Baker's Milk Chocolate Dipping Chocolate Directions: Rinse off strawberries. Marinate strawberries in air tight container with chocolate vodka for at least 24 hours<-----this is essential! Take strawberries out after 24 hours and pat dry. These are DELICIOUS! Source: Thoughtfully Simple