Recipies

Healthy Thanksgiving Meal Ideas

Nov 14, 2012

Healthy Thanksgiving Meal Ideas {0}

Thanksgiving conjures images of feasting with family, with a bounty of food and drinks to try. Thanksgiving dinner can be flavorful and healthy simply by creating a few healthy dishes to balance and compliment the less healthy ones. Those that highlight the autumn season’s bounty, including root vegetables and pumpkin, are a great addition to bring to the table.

Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

This easy side dish can be prepared in advance. The autumnal hues of these fiber-rich root vegetables offer a visually appealing presentation.

Ingredients:
6 red beets, peeled, cut into sixths
3 turnips, peeled, cut into sixths
2 large parsnips, peeled, sliced crosswise into 1-inch rounds
5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, but into sixths
1 1-pound bag of baby carrots
12 garlic cloves, peeled
6 shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the cut vegetables, garlic and shallots in a roasting pan. Add the olive oil, thyme and sage. Generously sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Toss all of the ingredients well, until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Roast this for about one hour, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Serves eight.

Pumpkin Bread

Loaded with beta-carotene, potassium and healthy fat with every bite, this satisfying dessert option makes the most of fall pumpkin spice flavors without the inclusion of heavy cream.

Ingredients:
1¼ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
7 ½ ounces canned pumpkin
¼ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Mix all ingredients and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 ¼ hours. Cool to room temperature before removing the loaf from the pan. Makes one loaf.

Side dishes of vegetables and complex carbohydrates create a visual cornucopia of autumn’s bounty. In lieu of mashed potatoes laden with butter and heavy cream, consider mashing the potatoes with turnips and roasted garlic cloves for added flavor. Substitute white flour rolls and stuffing bread with whole grain variations. Instead of heavy cream pies, choose desserts that showcase the season’s fruits.

To your health, happy Thanksgiving!

Rowena is a writer for Ivein.com. In her spare time she loves to go hiking and read.

 

By Rowena Category: Healthy Foods, Meal Tips, Recipies Tags: , ,

Great Desserts

Nov 6, 2012

Great Desserts {0}

It’s that time of the year when out come the treats. It seems from Halloween to Christmas it is a non stop treat feast. And I  can’t help it. I love making desserts. I love how they look and taste and they make a great entrance to a party. I have made quite a few treats in the last little while and here are some of my favorites.

Rainbow Cheesecake-

This rainbow cheesecake is pretty simple but a bit time consuming. rainbow cheesecakeThe cheesecake has a very rich and creamy flavor. You separate the batter into 6 even bowl then use food coloring to get the correct colors and pour one at a time in the middle and somehow it just pushes the colors out to create this rainbow effect. The cheesecake takes about an hour in preparation, and cooks for an hour and forty five minutes, and then needs to cool in the oven for an hour, so make sure you have enough time to complete it. You don’t want it to crack.

 

 

Frankenheads-

Frankenheads These little guys are awesome. You may think you don’t like marshmallows but once you have these you will be singing a different tune. I found these guys on Damsels in Success. They are really simple! You just get some white chocolate, melt it, and mix in green food coloring and dip about 3/4 of the marshmallow. Let the marshmallow sit and dry and then do the top in milk chocolate. The faces are made with black cooking gel.

 

 

 

Holiday Pretzel Treats

holiday-pretzel-treats-christmas-recipe-photo-  These are a super simple but great holiday treat I found online. All you need is square pretzels, M&M’s and Hershey’s Kisses and Hugs. You lay the pretzels down on a cookie sheet and put a hug or a kiss on them and melt them for about 5 minutes in the oven, then you put the M&M on it, and let cool. That is it.

There are so many fun desserts you can make this year. Hopefully I will post more as I get time this holiday season.

By Emily Category: Recipies

Roasted Broccoli

Jan 27, 2012

Roasted Broccoli {0}

A delicious variation of your basic dinner vegetable!

You preheat the oven to 425.

Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I just got two large bunches), cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Wash and dry them THOROUGHLY.

Now, it’s easy. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. About 5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper – or just eyeballed it. Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too.

Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

You can shake the pan around once or twice during the roasting.

When it’s done, take it out of the oven–and here’s where it gets really good–zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts, and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This delicious combination of crispy broccoli with garlic, lemon, and cheese will make this main dish worthy!

By Esther Category: Recipies Tags:

Jan 22, 2012

Whole Grain Waffles {1}

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups kefir (or ½ yogurt & ½ milk, or use all buttermilk)
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 1/3 cup whole grain flower mixture (spelt, barley, oat groat, kamut, quinoa, millit, brown rice, etc)
  • 1/4 cup ground flax, cornmeal, or toasted wheat germ
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 TBSP raw honey, agave, or maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp applesauce or oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Mix kefir, eggs, sweetener, applesauce (or oil), & vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk flour, oats, flax, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.  You can let this sit for as long as you’d like. You can even have it sit overnight in your fridge. Add the baking powder & baking soda just before you are ready to cook & mix well. Coat a waffle iron with coconut oil, butter, or cooking spray.

By Kristie Category: Recipies

Jan 21, 2012

Quinoa Chili {0}

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dry beans, soaked and cooked (I like kidney or black)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, shredded
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2/3 cup quinoa (ideally soaked overnight in 2/3 cup water + 3/4 tbsp. lemon juice or kefir)
  • 1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
  • 2 cups tomatoes, diced (or canned stewed tomatoes)
  • 2 cups water

Instructions:

Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add green peppers, garlic, and zucchini and sauté until tender. Add garlic, salt, and spices. Add quinoa, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans and simmer for 15 more minutes. Serve topped with cheese.

Recipe was adjusted from Feed your Family.

By Kristie Category: Recipies

Jan 19, 2012

Veggie Topped Pasta {0}

Ingredients:

  • 4 C. cooked whole grain pasta
  • 3 C. Veggies of choice (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet peppers, snap peas etc).
  • ½ large onion
  • 2-3 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 tsp dill
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

Instructions:

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add all vegetables, spices, & salt. Stir to combine. Cover & let cook (stirring occasionally) until vegetables are as soft as you want them (we like ours pretty crunchy). Serve over pasta with parmesan cheese.

 

By Kristie Category: Recipies

Jan 18, 2012

Black Bean Salad {0}

Ingredients:

  • 1 pressed garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (or cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups black beans, cooked
  • 1 cup corn
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa (any color)
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1 avocado, sliced (optional)

Instructions:

Whisk together garlic, vinegar, oil, honey and spices to form a dressing. Combine all other ingredients, pour dressing over and toss. Serve alone, in lettuce wraps, in tacos, or as a side dish.

Recipe adapted from Taste is Trump.

By Kristie Category: Recipies

Quinoa with Saffron and Onions

Jan 11, 2012

Quinoa with Saffron and Onions {0}

(Makes 4 side-dish servings)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T butter
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed saffron threads
  • 1 large onion, cut into half-moon slices
  • 1 tsp. salt (or less, especially if you’re not using reduced-sodium chicken broth)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth (or home made even better), plus enough water to make 2 cups total
  • 10 oz. quinoa
  • chopped fresh parsley or toasted pine nuts to garnish, optional
In a small frying pan with high sides and a tight-fitting lid, heat olive oil and melt the butter. Add the crushed saffron threads and cook over medium heat 1 minute, stirring. Add the onion and salt and cook until onions are barely starting to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Break onion slices apart with a turner while they cook.
When onions are done, add chicken broth/water and bring to a boil. As soon as it is boiling stir in quinoa, turn off heat, cover pan with tight-fitting lid, and let it sit 5-6 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley or toasted pine nuts if desired. This will keep in the fridge for one or two days and can be quickly reheated in the microwave, but I think best served the day you make it.

By Jacob Category: Recipies

Quinoa Squash Soup

Jan 11, 2012

Quinoa Squash Soup {0}

At the farmers’ market a couple of weeks ago, I picked up two butternut squash that were each about the length of my hand. Since I love roasting butternut with a touch of lemon, I was considering cooking them in that tried and true (but unimaginative) manner when I got the idea to roast one of the squash and mix it in with my favorite grain/seed, quinoa. The results were a light and lemony side dish that goes with practically anything.

I served it with baked tofu, gravy, steamed broccoli, and a salad for a sort of traditional American meal, but the lemony flavor makes a great accompaniment to everything from Thai food to Italian. I’m considering making it a part of my Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces butternut squash (about 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons (about 7/10 ounce) lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds and strings (using a grapefruit spoon makes this easier). Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and toss with the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Place them on a non-stick baking sheet (or silicone mat), sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  2. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it well and allow to drain. Heat a deep, non-stick pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallots soften slightly. Add the quinoa and toast it until it has dried out and begins to exude a toasty aroma. Add the squash along with the thyme and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring once or twice, until all broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon peel and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if needed.
  3. Serve with toasted pine nuts and chives sprinkled on top.

Notes

Servings: 4 large side-dish servings

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 240 calories, 50 calories from fat, 5.7g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 291.8mg sodium, 576mg potassium, 41.2g carbohydrates, 5.2g fiber, 1.7g sugar, 8.4g protein, 4.5 points.

Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

By Ben Category: Recipies Tags: , ,