All posts filed under: healthy eating

healthy eating: sweet potato and hummus

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Who would have known my mediterranean cultural food would be the most sought after food groups to plan for healthy eating.  I mean as a child I was embarrassed when my mother spread humus in pita bread and send me off to school in the US (that is). Now, I laugh, as all those kids who poked fun at me back then, are now clicking their way through the internet for humus recipes. In light of some tidbit about my life, I want to share a recipe with you which I found here. In my opinion,  a very creative take on humus. I’ve eaten humus in all variations throughout my life: spicy, with eggplant, garlic or not, pasty, watered down and whatever else any store now offers, and am always still open to trying something new. So here it is Sweet Potato, Tahini/humus (as you know when you combine tahini and chickpeas, it’s humus) spread.  Let me know what you think: Ingredients for the sweet potato-tahini spread: 1/2 cup cooked & mashed sweet potato 2-3 tablespoons tahini …

no ordinary recipe: orange fennel cake

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I probably make a pit stop at Starbucks at least once a week, to treat myself to a shot of no frills espresso and a low-fat lemon mini loaf. The combination is amazing. Zesty lemon, not too much sugar, paired with coffee all black. So, you can imagine how excited I was to discover this amazing recipe – using mostly orange zest to create a similar cake I just cannot resist. Toasted Fennel & Orange Morning Cakes (makes 6 mini bundt cakes) 3 cups finely ground almond flour, packed ( I used Honeyville) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 TBS fennel seeds 3 eggs 1/4 cup whole milk yogurt 1/4 cup honey 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup fresh orange juice zest from one orange Preheat oven to 350F and grease your mini bundt pan. *You may use a muffin pan but note that the baking time may vary. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Toast the fennel seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Crush or chop fine and set aside. Combine the almond flour, salt, …

healthy recipes: skinny red velvet cupcakes

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My weakness for sure, red velvet cupcakes. I can eat them by the dozen and make them everyday meal replacement if I had it my way. But, since I have to watch my weight and eat right, blah blah blah, 🙂  I decided it was time to search for a ‘skinny’ version of this wonderful dessert. I found the recipe here: Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 26 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Calories: 141 • Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp white vinegar 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 egg 2 egg whites 2 tsp vanilla 1 1/3 cup light buttermilk 1 tbsp red food coloring Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with liners. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, salt, cocoa, and baking powder. In another large bowl beat sugar, applesauce and butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix baking soda and vinegar. Add half of the dry ingredients …

healthy snack: vacation inspired granola bar recipe

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First day back from any vacation is always the hardest, especially from a relaxing one. (Meaning mostly spent by the poolside or under an umbrella at the beach, sipping cool drinks). The funny thing was, while I wondered what to post on my blog at the start the week after a vacation, I came across the perfect recipe to make the transition and bring a little of the island back with me. Tropical Chewy Granola Bars Makes 12-16 bars Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. chia seeds + 6 Tbsp. water 2 cups / 200g rolled oats (certified gluten-free if possible) ½ cup / 150g raw buckwheat groats 1 cup / 50g coconut flakes ¾ cup / 100g macadamia nuts, chopped 60g / 2 oz. dried banana, chopped (or Medjool dates) 60g / 2 oz. dried mango, chopped ¼ cup / 60ml coconut oil 1/3 cup / 80ml honey (or maple syrup) 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp. extract) 2 very ripe bananas ½ tsp. coarse sea salt Directions: 1. In a small bowl, combine chia …

month in a nutshell

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The month of April, almost over, was the busiest month for me, even though I thought last year this month was, when one of my favorite people got married. Although I spend the month, rekindling family get togethers, bridal showers, business lunches and company after work happy hours, not to mention moving friends across the state,  I had enough time to think about what I foresee in the near future – meaning the next 6 months remaining for 2013, for myself. I had set goals, like everyone else at the beginning of the year and one by one, the daily challenges, altered my course or direction.  However, I haven’t forgotten what I needed to do still and so, I wrap up this month with a laundry list of things yet to achieve. 1. Launch book to kindle and other electronic reading tools 2. Work with a personal trainer to sculpt my body 3. Manage a garage sale in an effort to downsize 4. Donate entire wardrobe and revamp my style 5. Travel with those near …

healthy cooking: lemon coconut pancakes

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While I searched online for a new pancake mix recipe for the Easter morning breakfast  I had in mind and of course while staying  on my healthy eating kick, I discovered one, similar to pancakes I’d eaten at a restaurant in Emeryville, California several weeks ago and figured I’d try it. (Phew!!!) So, here it goes: Lemon Coconut Pancakes with Honey-Tart Yogurt Sauce 1 cup Gluten-Free flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 cup Brown Sugar 2 eggs 1 cup Coconut Milk 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil Juice of 1 Lemon 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract Yogurt Sauce 1/4 cup Plain Yogurt of Choice (Goat, Sheep, Cow) 1 Tbsp Honey 2 tsp Strawberry Preserves Juice of 1/2 a Lemon Mix all ingredients together well; set aside and serve with pancakes First, mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients together and whisk well. Slowly stir in wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly until a smooth batter …

healthy eating: cauliflower dough pizza

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Can a recipe get any better than this? Cauliflower dough pizza plus your favorite veggies and you have an amazing alternative to  everyone’s favorite meal. No seriously I must be feeling better, because the first thing I craved today was pizza, but not the doughy kind, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I found a healthy recipe here and wanted to share, like I normally do when I am happy about something. Healthy + Gluten Free Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust Prep time 15 mins Cook time 35 mins Total time 50 mins   Author: Eating Bird Food Serves: 8 Ingredients ½ head cauliflower (about 2 cups riced) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano   Instructions Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Prep a cookie sheet or pizza stone. You can grease the cookie sheet or use greased aluminum foil. It will stick if you don’t grease it properly. (I used a Pampered Chef baking stone, which doesn’t require any prep if …

healthy eating: lavendar granola

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I have to say I love granola, more so soaked in Almond Milk than over yogurt, although I’m not that picky. But the store bought version tends to have too much sugar, which is something I am trying to definitely cut down.  So, I was happy to find the recipe from here to try and also to share.  The only difference is, although, I love lavendar, I prefer not to incorporate it in my food, so I substituted the exotic flavor with a dash of cinnamon (my favorite) instead. Lavender Granola Ingredients: 2 cups Oats 1/4 cup Flax Seeds 3/4 Nuts of choice or mix them all! (A mix of almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds) 1 tsp Vanilla 4 Tbsp Honey 1 Tbsp Lavender Buds Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, bring all ingredients together and mix well. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden, dry and toasty. Let cool, then transfer to a mason jar to store. Serve over yogurt and top with fresh berries …

healthy recipe: fajita burgers

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As I stated many times before I eat healthy and with that there are many sacrifices I have made in order to stay within the guidlines of eating well.  On occassion, however, I crave the fat, the cheesy, the breads and carbs and when I stumble upon a recipe which gives me the chance to indulge in a healthy way, I jump right on it. Here’s one recipe I absolutely love and have included in my monthly menu planning. Ingredients 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/4 cup chopped scallions 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon chili powder, preferably New Mexican 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo, (see Ingredient Note) 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 4 French rolls, preferably whole-wheat, split and toasted 2 roasted Anaheim or poblano peppers, (see Tip) 1 cup shredded green cabbage 4 slices tomato …

healthy recipe: glazed beat and carrot salad

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Normally, on the weekends, I seldom crave wholesome foods. By that I mean, pastas, meats, potatoes, rice, even peanut butter and in all reality a good cup of coffee will do just fine, except when I come across an amazing salad from my favorite site here. Then I just can’t stop craving. GLAZED BEET + CARROT SALAD // Serves 4 1/2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 large yellow beets, roasted and peeled, cut into 1/2” wedges 3 carrots, halved, large halves quartered if needed sea salt + pepper 2 tsp. honey 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 2 Tbsp. tahini 1 Tbsp. orange or lemon juice 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, divided 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 12 cups mixed baby lettuces 1/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, white or black or mixed In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the carrots and beets and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring …