FAVORITES!

I thought I would list some of our favorite meals and snacks. We're adding new things here and there, but these are always a hit!

Our favorite smoothie: (My 10 year old loves making this for breakfast in the morning!)

Banana Berry Wake up Shake
1-2 handfuls spinach
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 frozen banana
1 T chia seeds

Blend

Our favorite snacks: (Find recipes by clicking on the snack tab on the left)

Chocolate Chia Crispies
Chips and Guacamole
Pumpkin No bake Energy Bites
Kale Chips

Favorite Salad

Cabbage Almond Salad-we changed it up this time by replacing the sesame seeds with pepitas! Yum!

Favorite Main Courses:

Lemony Kale Pasta
Krispy Black Bean Tacos
Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Kale Tahini Salad

Kale Tahini Salad 

(sarasessentials.com)

serves 2-4

10 oz kale (I have NO idea how much this is, so I just use about 2 bunches)

1/4 cup tahini

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 Cups baby tomatoes, halved

2 T Olive oil

Pinch cayenne

1 tsp agave nectar

Cashews or Sunflower seeds (opt)

Combine the kale, lemon juice, salt and olive oil in a large bowl and massage with your hands 

until the kale starts to wilt but remains springy.

Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix by hand until completely combined. 

Serve immediately.

Raspberry Carob Smoothie

I've been trying to mix things up with my smoothie ingredients lately...still trying to go easy on the sugary fruits and still include lots of greens. I made this one today that really helped to steer my eyes off the sugary treats sitting on the counter from the girls' activity days yesterday...and it satisified my craving for chocolate!

Raspberry Carob Smoothie

1 small banana (fresh or frozen)
1 handful of spinach
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 T chia seeds
1 T Carob powder
1 cup rice milk (or almond milk)
crushed ice

Blend together!

*Add more carob to your desired taste

Healthy Chef Camp

Well, we feel pretty lucky to live by Robyn Openshaw (aka Green Smoothie Girl).

Her daughters held a 3-day healthy chef camp this summer in Provo.

The girls were so excited and got to bring home their own chef book

full of yummy recipes.

 Fortunately, I got to sample almost everything they made.

I have to say that the hummus was the best I have ever had! (Recipe below!)

No more store bought for me after I get my high-powered blender!

We will be whippin' up some of that goodness for sure! 

 They also got to design their own little aprons...

of course Brooklyn went above and beyond...

"Brooklyn rocks.

Brooklyn is a hero.

Brooklyn is beautiful.

Brooklyn can fly.

Brooklyn will marry a boy."

 Enjoying...Bryn has always been open to trying almost anything I make.

I am SO grateful for that...

She makes me want to keep trying...

Words that come to my mind as I reflect on our journey: 

Peaceful; fulfilling; energy;

enlightenment; hope; courage;

persistance; patience; love;

kindness; sharing; blessing;

thankful...

HUMMUS

1 Can Garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained well)

1 clove garlic

1/4 Cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Blend lemon juice; salt; olive oil; tahini and garlic in the blender

until there are no more chunks of garlic.

 Add beans and mix until smooth.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.



Veggie Chili

Don't ask me why I'm making chili in 100 degree heat! What am I thinking? Well, with soccer season in full force, and my husband and I coaching the team...plus everything else going on in life, I'm on the lookout for quick and healthy dinners that everyone will eat...(who am I kidding??!, that's the ONLY kind of dinner I like to make! Quick. Easy. Healthy. Delicious.) This is hard to do when everyone has different likes and dislikes. I'm happy to say that we are overcoming some of those dislikes...Addyson figured out that she can actually eat zucchini and not die from it! lol... And we can easily convince her that crushed tomatoes are just ketchup!

THIS recipes is not only easy...but it's delicious and healthy! And we have leftovers to freeze or eat later in the week...I know that it uses a LOT of canned food, but you let me know if you have time to crush up about 25 tomatoes and soak 3 cans worth of pinto beans...that is just NOT for me right now.

Veggie Chili

2-28oz cans crushed tomatoes

2-28oz cans hominy (more about what hominy is below) drained

3-15oz cans pinto beans (drained)

1-4oz can chopped green chilies

2 small zucchinis, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (you may want to peel them so your kids won't be suspicious of the "green")

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 C water (opt depending on how "hearty" you like it)

1/2 cup shredded montery jack cheese (opt)

Combine all except cheese. Bring to boil. Lower heat; cover and simmer until veggies are soft and chili has thickened (about 35 min). Stir in 1/2 cup cheese.

Now, lets talk about HOMINY. I had NO idea what I was looking for, but finally found it in with the mexican food in a 29 oz can. I searched for info about hominy, but didn't get much. This was the best I could find from an unknown source:

Hominy is corn that's undergone nixtamalization. It means the corn's been mixed with something alkaline (basic), like lime (the mineral lime, not the fruit). Nutritionally, nixtamalization makes the niacin in the corn easier for your body to absorb, and also can add calcium, iron, zinc, and copper.

I LOVE the texture it gives to the chili...you could even use it as a substitute for meat in tacos! YUM!

Mini Pizza Smiles!

This is one meal I can make that everyone loves and doesn't take a lot of time.

The girls loved designing their own faces on the pizza.

Ezekial's Sprouted Grain English Muffins

Pizza Sauce

Mozzerella

Toppings

(We used spinach; mushroom; tomato; broccoli

and red peppers...they make great lips, lol)

Broil on low for 15-20 min or until the cheese melts

Shopping list

I thought I would share a typical shopping list so you would know what kind of things I'm buying on a more regular basis...to give you an idea of how much you would be spending for a weeks worth of food...My shopping list is for 5 people for a week, but it actually goes further because we end up having leftovers on some days or even CEREAL for dinner! Or pancakes! Or french toast! This is a journey by the way, lol...

I usually end up having to go to 2-3 different places for groceries...and I don't have a Costco membership (yet), but when I do it will be glorious! I go to Winco for the bulk of my groceries; Sunflower Market for things like almond butter and sprouted grain tortillas, and Macey's for their fresh pico de gallo...

Shopping List

 (This costs me about $220)

We typically end up spending around $500- $600 in groceries every month

Celery
Cilantro
Carrots (whole)
Sweet Potatoes (3-4)
Parsley
Tomatoes (4)
Broccoli (3 stems)
Spinach
Cucumber (3)
Romaine Lettuce
Onion
Leek
Green Onions
Avocados (8)
Roma Tomatoes (8)
Frozen Mixed Veggies
Green Pepper (2)
Ginger Root
Frozen peas
Lemons (3)
Limes (8)
Pineapple
Green grapes
Banana (2 bunches)
Frozen blueberries
Fresh Raspberries
Fresh Strawberries
Green Apple (8)

Pico de gallo
Honey
Cider Vinegar
Veggie Broth
Rice Milk (3)
Coconut Oil
Almond butter
Pizza sauce

Black beans (3 cans)
Pinto beans (2 cans)
Cereal (Kashi brand)
Red lentils

Brown basmati rice
White corn tortillas
Hamburger buns (thin whole wheat)
English muffins (sprouted grain)
Sprouted grain tortillas
Tortilla chips
Wheat bread

Salmon
Turkey (2 lbs)
Mozerella cheese (8 oz pkg)
Kashi snacks
Spring water jugs

Carob vs Cocoa

"Carob, like cocoa powder, comes from a tropical pod, which is dried, roasted, and ground into the powder that we're familiar with. However, carob is a slightly healthier alternative when comparing the two. With a higher calcium count (three times as much), no caffeine content, nor fat, carob presents your taste buds with a different experience (1). When contemplating substitution, consider that while unsweetened carob powder is slightly sweeter than its cocoa counterpart (containing twice the carbohydrate content), due to the composition and lack of fat, carob is considerably less flavorful. When making the switch, for every one part of cocoa powder, use 2.5 parts carob by weight (1).
Don't forget that both contain properties thought to reduce artery clogging and cancer risks (1), so go ahead and indulge...I mean get healthy!" http://mariyayufest.blogspot.com/2010/04/carob-vs-cocoa-powder.html

**Check out the No-Cook Chocolate Chia Crispies

under "snacks"

in the left upper corner on my blog!

Good stuff!**

Dinner Menu for the week...

Dinner menu for the week

 in no particular order:

Curried Red Lentil Soup w/ Lemon (http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/)  

Pineapple Turkey burgers w/ sweet potato fries

Baked black bean taquitos w/ cafe rio rice (http://www.greenshakesandgiggles.com/)

 Broccoli-Rice Bake w/ Coconut curry sauce (http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/)

Curried Quinoa and Salmon  

Mini Pizzas

Stir Fry

 

And don't forget dessert:

Banana Blueberry Whole Grain muffins (http://www.graincrazy.blogspot.com/)

Grapey Green and Strawberry Blackberry

These shakes are perfect for the summer!

 I only wish I had a better blender...someday.

 For now, my Walmart special is going to have to do.

Grapey Green Shake

(http://www.greenshakesandgiggles.com/)

2 Handfuls spinach

1 1/2 Cups grapes

1 Banana

1/3 to 1/2 C Coconut Milk

1/4 C hemp seeds

Ice (about 10-12 cubes)

Blend!

Strawberry Blackberry Shake
(http://www.greenshakesandgiggles.com/)

2 handfuls spinach
2 C strawberries (with stem)
3/4 C fresh or frozen blackberries
1 banana
1/3 to 1/2 can coconut milk
1/4 hemp seeds
Juice of one lime (opt)
Ice

Blend!

Healthier No-Bake Cookies

I don't post any recipes on my blog unless they have been given a thumbs up from most of my family. Not only did my family really enjoy these, but also my good friend and her 2 year old little boy. These turned out delicious and filling and they were super easy to make. You could even double the batch and freeze them for later...a perfect little healthy snack in between mealtime.

No-Cook Chocolate Chia Crispies

(Green Smoothie Girl 12 Steps to Whole Foods)

1 C Almond Butter (or organic peanut butter)

2/3 C raw honey

1/4 C  chia seeds

1/4 C raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa, which is less nutritious)

1/3 C coconut oil

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 C crisped brown rice (in a cereal box at the health food store)

Cream together all the wet ingredients in a large bowl by hand. Add the chia seeds, cacao, and salt and then blend well. Add the crisped rice and stir until evenly mixed. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, then form into balls and refrigerate until serving.

Just a couple of notes:

*Drink water with these, as chia absorbs up to 10 times its own weight in liquid
*I used Carob powder instead of Cacao (found it at Sunflower Market)
*I also found crisped brown rice cereal at Sunflower Market and Walmart...I only added about 5 1/2 cups. The 2nd time I made it, I blended some of the rice cereal in the blender before adding it to the mix.

Baked Black Bean Taquitos

Baked Black Bean Taquitos 

 Serves: 6 pieces

Prep time: 30 minutes

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 small jalapeno (opt)

1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil (or olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup black beans

1/4 cup cilantro

6-8 none corn tortillas

1/2 cup Colby Jack Cheese

More Sunflower oil (or olive oil) for brushing

1.Pre-heat oven to 425ish and bring a medium/large pot of water to a simmer.

2.In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and pepper until onion becomes translucent. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add in black beans and cilantro, cooking until beans are heated through- two to three minutes more.

3.Turn off pot of water. Taking one corn tortilla at a time, dip in hot water for 3-4 seconds. Place on a cutting board and scoop one spoonful of black bean filling and a hefty pinch of cheese on top. Roll tight and place seam side down on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Repeat until all the filling is used. Brush each piece with oil.

4.Bake for 12-15 minutes until the corn tortilla is a light brown color. Dip in salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

Everyone loved these and they were so simple to make.

 I didn't have a couple of the ingredients, but they still tasted delicious.

And don't forget the lime. We love a little squeeze on ours...

 I made some fresh guacamole which was devoured in minutes.

A must have for the recipe book...

healthy; easy and delicious!

Now if only we can find a good substitute for cheese!

Popsicles and Peppers

Finally a warm enough day for popsicles!
I found these popsicle molds at Tai Pan for $1.50
 (LOVE that store)...I whipped up some green smoothie (and brown for Brooklyn)
and poured them in. The girls could hardly wait until they were frozen to eat them.
I still can't convince Addyson that she likes them...
she only had a few licks before she realized what was happening, lol.
Brynley and Brookly licked theirs clean and asked for more the next day.
It makes me SO happy!

 Green Smoothie Popsicles

Handful of spinach (or kale or mixture)

1 Avocado

Juice from 1 Grapefruit

Juice from 1 Lime

1/2 English Cucumber

1/2 Cup (or more) Rice milk/Almond milk/Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp Flaxseed

Blend together and pour into molds and freeze...Walah!

Brown Smoothie Popsicles

 (a little more fruit)

Handful Spinach

1/2 Cup Peaches

1/2 Cup Raspberries

1/2 banana

1/2 Lime

1/2 Cup (or more) Rice milk/Almond Milk/Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp flax seed

Blend and pour into molds...Freeze!

and now...for the peppers!

No worries...no pepper in the smoothie...how about:

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers!

 These were delicious! And pretty alkaline too! Everyone really enjoyed them...

well, Brooklyn and Addyson pretended to really like them

 and ate a few bites so they could have some "cake"

(well...cornbread...we tell Addyson it's cake because she says she doesn't like corn...

hey, whatever works!)

They were so filling and yummy!

You can find the recipe at BEST BITES..

.(be careful, you'll be hooked...these ladies have some AWESOME recipes!

Everything I've tried has been delish!)

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

4 very large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C white rice (or brown if you want to take the time to cook it), quinoa also works
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder (you can start with 1/2 and add more to taste)
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or more if you can fit it on there :) and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Slowly getting back...

I am slowly getting back into a routine...it's still hard since we are still in limbo; living in a furnished house; eating off someone else's plates and sleeping in someone else's beds...renting a house that we know will not ever be ours. No painting; no hanging pictures; no tearing out old carpet...planting a garden and knowing that we may never get our whole harvest worth. It's a nice house and it's great to have our own space and a huge backyard with neverending pretend-time for the girls, but it's not ours. In fact, I can't even imagine having our own house. I hope it will happen sooner than later.

That being said...I have also been putting off making green drinks because I have this $20 "chunk-in-your-gunk" blender. I REALLY want a BlendTec, but the budget hasn't allowed that quite yet. SO, I decided a couple days ago, that I need to stop making excuses and just work with what I have right now...PLUS, I've been sick for 2 weeks now...coughing so much that my ribs hurt and blowing my nose so much that it's raw. It's REALLY annoying. And I know that I brought it on myself by the CRAP that I've been consuming lately. It's all my fault. Not fun, but true.

So ya, green drinks all around for the last 3 mornings. Go me! Here's to being healthy! No more Nyquil hangovers or Mucinex stay-up-all-nighters!

Tired; Grumpy; Unmotivated; Headaches and Mood swings...

This is what happens when I indulge myself in carbs...like Robyn Openshaw from Green Smoothie Girl describes it: "a carb coma." This has been me the last couple of weeks. I guess I've made a lot of excuses: #1 no blender; #2 no husband to be held accountable to; #3 a sister who is an aspiring pastry chef (I NEED to get out of the house! #4 Did I mention I'm still living with my parents??); #5 stress...and more stress; #6 birthday cakes (3 birthdays in the family this month); no exercise (#7 hey, it's COLD out there!); etc, etc, etc. 

I'm realizing that I'm experiencing side effects that I don't really like and don't make me a happy camper (or my kids...poor kids dealing with a tired and grumpy mom). I need to get back on track...This week, I plan to start exercising. It seems like when I exercise I am more motivated to eat healthy. My kids have been asking me why I don't make green smoothies anymore?? Huh?? Never thought my kids would be missing those! I NEED to get a better blender! Money going into savings RIGHT NOW. This happens to the best of us, right?...

(not saying I'm ANYWHERE near best...but aspiring!).

Sunwarrior Ormus Greens Powder

I'm sure we all have those days when we know it's not going to be a green smoothie day...or we know that we just don't have the time or energy to make a delicious green salad or chop up veggies. (Believe me, it's been one of those MONTHS for me)

I recently purchased some greens powder that was recommended by Green Smoothie Girl . (I purchased it on sell for about $45 at Good Earth). She likes it because it has a minty flavor, and it's a little easier to digest and it doesn't have any of the fillers like some of the other green powders out there.

I have to tell you, the first couple of times, the gag reflex was trying it's best to reject, but I kept trying. I added a little less the 3rd time (should have added less the 1st time, lol) and it was MUCH more drinkable. I have to say, now that I am used to it, I can gulp it down pretty quickly.

So my advice, if you do try this product, start small and add more after you get used to the taste. You can also just mix it in with your smoothie or just add it to water like I do. Click HERE for more info. The ingredients include: Oat grass; barley and wheat grass; alfalfa; yucca; parsley; spinach; probiotic culture; peppermint; whole-leaf stevia (sweetener).

"This is the highest vibration greens product in the world, grown organically in a pristine ancient sea bed in a volcanic region of Utah and Arizona. The soil is loaded with platinum, gold, silver and ormus trace minerals that give the greens a magnetic property that increases the vibration and frequency of those who consume it."

FRUCTOSE can trigger CANCER CELLS to grow faster

"The major sources of fructose in our diet are sucrose (table sugar)
and high fructose corn syrup, sweetener found in soft drinks,
fruit drinks, candy, cookies, ketchup, salad dressings, 

cereal bars, frozen dinners and countless other processed foods. 

While it's widely known that cancer cells use glucose to fuel their growth, 

last week's findings were the first to link fructose to cancer growth."   
The Globe and Mail

Read more about this study HERE

Grapefruit and Diabetes

Yesterday morning, the girls and I all had a grapefruit for breakfast. We think they're delicious! I did some research on the benefits of grapefruit and found some interesting information that would especially benefit those with diabetes:

"Early results from US researchers suggests that eating ruby red grapefruit really does help people lose acidic weight, and could help reduce the risk of developing the acid condition that causes blood sugar problems."


"When you reduce blood sugars and increase alkalinity in the blood and then tissues you can lose up to 1 pound a day and reduce or even eliminate insulin injections," says Dr. Young.


"Grapefruit can be one of the fruits, including avocado and cucumber, that can help maintain the alkaline design of the blood and tissues and prevent all sickness and dis-ease," states Dr. Young.


"Writing in Chemistry & Industry Magazine, Marina Murphy reports on a pilot study of one hundred obese patients at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego. The group who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 lb (1.6kg) over twelve weeks, compared with a placebo group who lost an average 0.5lb (0.2kg). Some patients lost as much as 10lbs. After the meal, the "grapefruit groups" also had reduced levels of insulin, the alkaline buffer which enables the body to neutralize the toxic effect of sugars. The acid glucose levels were also lower, suggesting a more efficient elimination of the sugar."

Read more about this study HERE
 

Bring on the grapefruit!

SHARE!

I know there lurkers out there and I would LOVE to hear from you and all of my followers!

*Any tips that help your family to choose healthier foods?

*Healthy snacks that you like? 

*Your favorite kitchen appliance?

*Some of the challenges you have faced trying to live a healthier lifestyle?

*What changes you have noticed since eating healthier?

**Please share and become a follower! 

I would love to put a face with a dot on the map! 

(Plus it motivates me to keep going...)

Quinoa; Sweet Potato Fries and Wild Salmon

That's what we had for dinner tonight. There was a sale on wild Salmon and I've wanted to make this variation of sweet potato fries for a while now. I'm trying to perfect my skills at making quinoa. It shouldn't be that hard, but it is for me. And I don't didn't know what lime zest is (now I do, lol), so I messed up the dressing and had to rinse the quinoa again after I cooked it, but it all turned out okay. I seem to make things harder than they should be...

Anyway, here is the recipe for the quinoa and the fries:

Southwest Quinoa  (courtesy of Green Smoothie Girl)
(I made this for 6 people and should have cut the recipe in half, because it made a TON)

2 C quinoa (soak for a few minutes, then drain in a fine strainer)
4 C water
2 cans black beans (rinsed well)
4 med tomatoes, diced
8 green onions, chopped (including most the green part)
1 C hopped fresh cilantro

Dressing: (Whisk together)
1 heaping Tbsp. grated lime zest
1/4 C fresh lime juice
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup (the real kind)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the dressing. Simmer the quinoa in water uncovered for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain any excess water. Add the quinoa to dressing and toss well, then stir in the remaining ingredients (beans, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro) Pour dressing on cooked quinoa and toss well; then add other ingredients. You can serve it hot or cold. 

Sweet Potato Fries (Courtesy of Green Smoothie Girl)

8 C sweet potatoes (about 3-4 potatoes) Peeled and chopped into sticks (We didn't peel ours)
1/4-1/2 C coconut oil
1 tsp. sea salt or lawry's


Heat oil on medium-high in a large skillet; add sweet potatoes and saute several minutes, stirring frequently with a spatula until tender. Sprinkle with salt and serve. 

My 7 and 8 year old ate everything on their plate, but especially LOVED the sweet potato fries...It was very satisfying to me that my hard work paid off! Now if we could just start working on my 4 year old...She seems to be my pickiest eater so far and it drives me crazy sometimes. I try to make it a huge deal when she finally tries something new and different. I think I'm making progress??