All posts filed under: healthy eating

healthy snacking: cherry-almond power bar

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I love dried cherries and will probably eat them by the pound, almost on a daily basis. I also love almonds, not as much as dried cherries, but will reach for them more than any other nut. So, I couldn’t have been happier to discover this recipe and I have to tell you, it is probably one of the best recipes for anyone with a sweet tooth and on a health kick. Cherry-Almond Power Bars *makes 8 large bars 2 ½ cups unblanched slivered almonds 1/3 cup flaxseed meal 2/3 cup dried cherries 1/3 cup dried cranberries 2-3 tablespoon raw hemp seeds (optional) 8 drops liquid stevia 1 pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoon water Place almonds, flax meal, cherries, cranberries, hemp seeds, stevia and salt in food processor. Pulse until ground and then pulse in water until the mixture begins to form a solid ball. Press mixture firmly into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish lined with wax paper. Slice into bars and serve.

healthy recipe: beet tartine and goat cheese

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I found a recipe here, which included one of my favorite vegetables – beets and the fact it is marinated, and eaten with goat cheese make it even more appetizing, not to mention the fact it is one of the best ways to detox. Beet Tartine with Marinated Caper Berries Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 medium-sized beets 4 slices whole-grain rye bread (check the ingredient list for suspicious ingredients) soft goat cheese / chèvre (optional) handful marinated caper berries fresh rosemary sea salt + cracked black pepper Directions: 1. With the skin still on, wrap beets individually in foil and roast in a 400°F / 200°C oven for at least one hour, until you can easily pierce the beet with a sharp knife. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Unwrap and slide skins off. Slice into desired shapes. 2. While the oven is hot, spread goats cheese on the slices of rye bread and place under the broiler until golden, about 5 minutes. 3. On each piece of toast place the sliced beets, caper berries, …

healthy eating: yogurt with caramelized figs

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While adjusting to my new eating regiment (going on week three), I have to incorporate at least 6oz of plain yogurt with some sort of fresh fruit on a daily basis. Since the recipe never indicated which brand of yogurt to consider, I decided to go with my favorite yogurt complimented with fresh organic  blueberries. I loved the combination until of course I came across this recipe and my world hasn’t been the same since: Yogurt topped with Caramelized Figs 1 cup Yogurt of choice (I used Fage Plain Yogurt) 2 Figs, halved 3 Tbsp Organic Agave Sprinkles of Pistachio Nuts Dashes of Ground Cinnamon To caramelize the figs, add agave to a small skillet and place figs face down. Simmer over low heat until browned and toasty smelling (3-4 minutes). Place yogurt into bowl, drizzle over caramelized figs and sprinkle over pistachios and dashes of cinnamon. {click here for photo credit}

healthy eating – not just as a new year resolution

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While in my twenties, I have to say I had no worries about eating healthy, nor in moderation. I was able to eat and maintain my size 4 figure for decades,  so of course when I hit 40 I figured I was still one of the lucky ones who could eat whatever she wanted to and stay thin and healthy, until of course I developed high blood pressure and other health concerns which got me to re-think my eating habits. In the last two years, I’ve been on a crusade to find the best possible recipes and menus to follow just so I could, not only maintain my weight, but also ensure, all my health issues are under control. What I got sucked into during the time was following an accelerated and pre-packaged diet plans and  although I lost weight, I didn’t do it the (very) healthy way I wanted to. I won’t mention what didn’t really work for me, but from all the aggressive dieting I not only gained the weight back, but my …

healthy snacking: pumpkin granola – seasonal

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Since I’ve been on this healthy diet and eating kick, I am always searching for ways to create a better version of what I can buy processed from a grocery store.  Here’s one, which, I think I can either use as a snack or eat it with my almond milk as cereal. Pumpkin Granola: 2 cups Rolled Oats (scoop this up from the bulk aisle! Bonus: these are gluten-free!) 1/3 cup Pure Pumpkin Puree 1/2 Agave Nectar or Pure Maple Syrup 1/2 cup Coconut Oil- melted (Place open jar on top of stove while preheating oven!) 1/2 cup chopped Pecans 1/2 cup chopped Pistachios 1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds 1/3 cup Coconut Flakes 1/2 cup Golden Raisins Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, bring all ingredients together and mix thoroughly. Evenly spread mixture out on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes until golden-browning occurs. A good gage is to look at the color of your raisins, for they cook fast. If they look really dark like the way mine did- you’re done. Your …

thanksgiving recipe: french onion green bean casserole

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I love green beans and since it’s on the healthy eating list, I try to at least make a dish once a week with green beans. But, I have always been too intimidated to make a green bean casserole dish for Thanksgiving, so I simply stir fry the beans and put them on the table to eat with a touch of butter. (Boring) This is I am utterly and completely determined to include a green bean casserole into my menu, so I searched high and low, online of course and found the perfect one to make: Here is the recipe for your viewing pleasure and click here  for the video on how to make the casserole. It looks simple and down right delicious. For the onions: 2 tablespoons butter 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar For the white sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1 pinch ground nutmeg cayenne pepper to taste(optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme For the topping: 2 tablespoons melted butter 2/3 cup panko bread …

healthy recipe: thanksgiving salad with kale, cauliflower and parmesan cheese

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays celebrated in the U.S., not because of what it stands for from  the historical aspect of it, but because I literally consider it a “thanks” giving day for my family and the many blessing which go unnoticed throughout the year. So, although most of the fun of thanksgiving revolves around cooking a hearty meal to celebrate giving thanks, I can’t help but look for ways to make the meal  healthy and light.  In light of that fact, one must on our dinner table is a salad, so I was glad to come across a recipe  here which I can  surely include on  my menu, while I host this years Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving Sides :: Kale, Cauliflower + Parmesan Salad Refreshing and clean—a welcomed crunch to your Thanksgiving plate. ½ head of cauliflower large bunch of kale Fresh parmigiano reggiano to grate Juice of one lemon 2 Tbsp Olive oil Salt + pepper Wash and tear Kale, removing spine. Slice quartered Cauliflower with a mandolin. Pour good extra virgin …

healthy recipe: fig, ricotta and hazelnut hors d’oeuvres

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There are evenings, when I come home from work, I don’t necessarily want to have dinner or even bother with making one, so I open a bottle of red wine and put together something quick to pair it up with and voila it’s dinner. (I don’t recommend this if you have small children in the house 🙂 ) Anyway, here is an easy recipe I found here and I must say it is heavenly and a wonderful pairing with a bottle of red wine on those evenings when you need to have an out of the norm experience. Grilled Fig, Hazelnut and Ricotta Crostinis Ingredients: 1 cup part skim ricotta 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, lightly toasted 1/2 cup honey, divided 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 10-12 fresh figs (mission or kadota or whatever is local), cut in half lengthwise 1/2 French or sourdough baguette, sliced into ½ inch slices and lightly toasted 1. Place ricotta, hazelnuts, 1/4 cup honey, and ground cinnamon in a food processor and process …