Hot Chocolate that Offers More than Warmth and Comfort

What could be more warm and comforting than hot chocolate on a cold and rainy day?

Don’t answer…that’s a rhetorical question. J

But seriously, there’s nothing like a warm cup of this stuff…

How do you like yours? Made with whole milk? And a couple marshmallows on top?

Those days are over!

“But, why?” you may be wondering.

Because, there is a new guy in town, and his name is Mr. Frother.

What, exactly, is a frother?

Well, it’s this amazing device, invented by some genius who wanted to make coffee or hot chocolate just a little bit more rich and fancy.

Actually, I just made that part up.

But, it IS an AMAZING tool that I HIGHLY recommend for making the perfect hot chocolate.

Not only will it MIX the chocolate perfectly into your milk, but it will also make your drink light, airy, and fluffy---mimicking the effect of marshmallows!

And, what’s more, it makes a fabulous hot chocolate made with soy milk and dark chocolate! (RECIPE BELOW)

What price must you pay for such a device? No more than $10.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a piece of chocolate, some milk (preferably non-diary), and get whipping!

Dark Hot-Chocolate with Soy Milk

1 cup plain soy milk

2-4 squares of a dark chocolate bar (depending on size)

Place the dark chocolate squares in the bottom of a coffee mug and then poor in the soy milk.

Microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until hot.

Use a frother to whip the soy milk and chocolate together until the froth reaches the top of the mug.

Enjoy slowly---preferably by a roaring fire. J

Complete Protein French Toast

French toast…

The perfect breakfast…

JUST GOT MORE PERFECT!

When someone says, “I had French toast for breakfast!” I think of two pieces of thickly-sliced white bread doused in some kind of cream and egg mixture, fried in oil, and covered in powdered-sugar and syrup. Not exactly the definition of a “healthy” breakfast.

Does this mean those of us who are doing our best to eat healthy breakfasts can no longer enjoy French toast? BY NO MEANS!

Try the following recipe, which makes use of my favorite bread---cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread---which also happens to be a complete protein!

(Meaning that it is made with a combination of grains that, together, include all the essential amino-acids necessary for our bodies---in other words, protein that is comparable to that found in animal products, such as eggs and meat)

Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast

4 slices cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread (or other sprouted-grain bread)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ tablespoon canola oil (or other vegetable oil)

Maple Syrup (to taste)

Heat the canola oil in a large, non-stick sauté for a few minutes on medium heat, or until hot.    

Crack the eggs into a large, flat plate or pie dish. Add the cinnamon and whisk together.

Working with two pieces at a time, dip the bread into the egg mixture and coat both sides.

Cook two pieces of bread in the pan on each side for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Repeat the dipping and cooking with the remaining two pieces of bread.

Transfer the French toast to a serving plate and add any toppings you like, such as bananas, walnuts, powdered sugar, or maple syrup.    

Serves 2.

A Vegetable and Egg-Stravaganza!

Seeing as I have not eaten eggs in about two years, making the following recipe was quite the “egg-stravaganza” for me.

Yes, I was vegan: for almost 2 years---until about a month ago when I started eating fish; and now for the first time today, eggs.

My mom just bought me some cage-free eggs (I don’t know how much of a difference this REALLY makes, but hey: if it makes me feel a little better and gets me to eat eggs, then I’ll buy them) and as I noticed the broccoli and red onion in the fridge, I started to get some inspiration.

While I was making this, my older brother snuck up from behind me and said: “What are you making?” To which I replied, “I don’t know…some vegetable egg thing…” Hence, the name of the recipe below, which he suggested I use as the title. J

You might want to make a stop at Trader Joe’s to make this recipe (you’re not surprised, I know), unless you don’t mind using another kind of tortilla.

I am partial to Ezekiel tortillas, as I am to Ezekiel bread, but any tortilla will work in this recipe. You could use a whole wheat flour or corn tortilla for a variation.

Feel free to play around with different vegetables; broccoli and red onion are only suggestions. You could even add your favorite hot sauce or salsa at the end of the recipe.

This recipe makes a single serving, but it can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc. as needed.

Some Vegetable Egg Thing

2 (preferably cage-free) eggs

1 small head of broccoli

¼ red onion, sliced

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 Ezekiel tortilla (or regular whole wheat tortilla or 2 corn tortillas)

Salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and red chili flakes to taste

Crack eggs into a bowl and add about a ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk with a fork until combined.

After washing the broccoli, chop into small pieces and steam for about 5-8 minutes, or until tender.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan for about a minute and add sliced red onion. Sautee red onion until soft, then add the steamed broccoli and a few sprinkles of red chili flakes.

Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Add the beaten eggs and turn off the burner. Let the eggs cook from the heat of the pan for a few minutes, until slightly underdone.

Heat the tortilla over a burner on medium heat until warm, and place on a large plate.

Transfer the vegetables and eggs to the tortilla and serve immediately with your favorite salsa or hot sauce.

Almond Butter---Salvation for Folks with Peanut Allergies! (AND the rest of us...)

Yes, I really did just say folks. But that's not what we're talking about here. So let's move on...

Goodness in a jar. Richness and satisfaction like you’ve never experienced before.

“Is this almond butter that you’re speaking about?” you may be wondering.

You wish! But it does come pretty close to the above description. Which is why it is worth noting…on your grocery list.

I have always (well, as long as I’ve known about it) LOVED almond butter. But this rich and versatile spread has taken on new meaning for me in recent times.

You see, my good friend (yes, I’m talking about you, Ally J) is allergic to peanuts, and therefore cannot partake of one of my all-time favorite staples in life: peanut butter.

But, thanks to the genus who invented almond butter, there is an amazing peanut butter substitute! And it is equally as good, if not better than peanut butter, if I don’t say so myself!

A word of caution, however: Almond butter is not cheap. And that’s not surprising, considering that most health-food items run on the expensive side. HOWEVER, there is a store that sells almond butter for a reasonable price. You guessed it! Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s sells a Raw Almond Butter and a Roasted Almond Butter. I suggest keeping the roasted almond butter on hand for day-to-day uses because it has a richer flavor than the raw almond butter. Save the raw almond butter for when you plan on incorporating it into a recipe.

Once you have your hands on a jar of this good stuff, here are some ideas to make almond butter a part of your regular diet:

·         Make an almond butter and jelly (or honey) sandwich   

·         Spread on a banana (or, even better: spread on Ezekiel bread with sliced bananas!)

·         Slather on celery sticks and sprinkle with cranberries

·         Use as a dip for apple slices

·         Enjoy with a piece of chocolate or add to chocolate recipes

·         Substitute in for peanut butter when making cookies, muffins, and cakes

Five Keys to a Successful and Healthy Dinner

What makes a successful dinner? Fancy ingredients? Complicated recipes? Not at all!

From my experience, fancy ingredients and complicated recipes usually ensure an unsuccessful dinner.

Follow these five easy guidelines and be prepared to enjoy a DELICOUS and RELAXING dinner!

1. De-stress: De-stress or you will be in di-stress. If you stress, you won’t enjoy your meal, and neither will anyone else. I hate to say it, but it’s the sad truth. J

2. Balance: Aim for a focus on vegetables and lean protein, complimented by grains. Try not to make more than one dish in the same food group in the same meal, such as serving potatoes with pasta.

3. Creativity: Switch up the vegetables, grains, and proteins you eat each week and prepare them in different ways.  Try grilling, sautéing, steaming, baking, or broiling on different nights each week. And don’t be afraid to experiment with herbs and spices!

4. Color: Use a variety of colors when it comes to vegetables. Not only will this ensure that you are getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need, but your plate will look prettier.  

5. Simplicity: Stick to a few ingredients per dish. The simpler, the better! Buy what you need for your next few meals to prepare for the week and then relax…

See, that’s not so hard. J Now get cooking! 

(And yes, the picture above is what I ate for dinner tonight. Bean and vegetable soup with an avocado and garbanzo bean salad: compliments to my mom.)

Healthy Pre-Packaged Meals? What Did You Just Say?

Okay, I know we’re talking about cooking from the ground here---using the freshest possible ingredients and local produce and bla bla bla…BUT!

“What if I’m in a rush?!” No, let me re-phrase that: “What do I do when I’m in a rush?” you may be wondering.

And, let’s face it: We’re all busy. We’re happy if we get to make even a few homemade meals per week, right? So, what do we do when we’re trying to eat healthy but we don’t have time to cook?

We buy pre-packaged meals! Right?!

It’s okay, you CAN ADMIT IT! See, I’m admitting it, and I’m the one blogging about cooking from the ground!

Realistically, it’s nearly impossible to find a pre-packaged meal that doesn’t have something about it that’s worth complaining about. Either it’s too high in sodium, fat, or preservatives; OR, IT DOESN’T TASTE LIKE ANYTHING! Well, not like anything recognizable…

So, WHAT DO WE DO? Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem?

YES!!!!

And the answer is….drum roll please….

TRADER JOE’S!

But, why Trader Joe’s, you may ask?

Let’s let the picture do all the talking…

Yum…doesn’t that look delicious?

And they’re only $1.99! (that’s only $1 per enchilada!!)

But how do the nutrition facts compare to the enchiladas’ reasonable price and deceptive good looks?

Let’s take a look…

If you eat the whole package (who wouldn’t?), which is 2 enchiladas, it’ll look a little something like this:

Disadvantages:

·         8 grams of fat

·         20% of daily sodium

(More importantly):

Advantages:

·         8 grams protein

·         Only 260 calories

·         20% daily calcium

·         20% daily iron

Now, all you have to do to make a nice presentation---so no one will ever know this came from a package---is add some diced avocado to the top, and VWALLA! You’ve got yourself a delicious and reasonably healthy meal in minutes!

Check out Trader Joe’s frozen isle for more tasty and healthy meal options!

(Okay, now I just sound like an advertisement for Trader Joe’s….but oh well…I LOVE that store!)

 

Somebody Say: Cha-Cha-Cha Chia!

Who doesn’t remember those Chia Pet commercials? We’ve all seem them…CHA-CHA-CHA-CHIA!

Well, guess what? Yes, that’s right! You can EAT the seeds! Weird, huh? And they look a little something like this:

Now, realistically, there are some important questions that arise when considering the Chia seed.

1. Why should I eat Chia seed?

Because I said so.

2. Where can I buy Chia seed?

At the store.

3. What makes you think you can tell me what to eat?

Because I’m the one blogging.

Okay, seriously. Let’s answer the questions for real.

It all started about 2 weeks ago…

(Well, actually, it all started with the Aztecs and Mayans, who used Chia as a staple food, but this isn’t a history lesson…)

…when one of my best friends, (you know who you are, Debbie) bought me a bag of Chia seed.

We had heard about Chia seed just a day prior to that, and Debbie went out and bought bags of Chia seed for everyone who she thought might be interested in trying it. So sweet….huh??

Okay, well, enough about this story. You are DYING to know why you should eat this stuff and if it is worth spending your hard-earned money on.

So, here’s the low-down:

Why You Should Eat

·         Sustains energy levels

·         Keeps the body hydrated

·         Easily digestible

·         Valuable source of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) an Omega-3 essential fatty acid (equal or  higher than flax seed!)

·         Higher in antioxidant activity than blueberries

·         Excellent source of calcium, magnesium, and iron

·         High in fiber and protein

Where to Buy

·         Local health-food store

How to Use

·         Sprinkle on cold cereal or oatmeal

·         Mix into yogurt

·         Incorporate into baked goods

·         Add to water bottle

So, what are you waiting for?! Go buy some and see for yourself! And don’t worry; you won’t turn into a Chia Pet! J