Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

October 17, 2014

Foodie Friday Pumpkin

Foodie Friday  

                                                 Research all week, then put it into practice this weekend.

Ready, Set, Mmm...

It's Pumpkin Season! We'll come close to ODing on pumpkin this month.  
But for now, bring on the pumpkin!





Drinks...

In the vein of everything in moderation, we bring you a special treat for the weekend...








Pumpkin Cordial & Pumpkin Martini

Definitely the king of the pumpkin bases... 
I LOVE Roundhouse Pumpkin King Cordial.  

My favorite way to drink it is just as you would drink a cordial.  
A little poured into the bottom of a small glass, room temperature.

 It also makes an awesome martini served up.


Appetizers


Toasted Pumpkin Seeds are a quick and healthy snack.

Pumpkin Seeds

Protect your cells & keep cell membranes flexible.

Protect your heart.  High in omega 3
High in antioxidants

Head over to She Wears Many Hats for the recipe


Roasted Garbanzo Beans

High in protein, fiber, folate, iron, zinc and B1.

Head over to When Pigs Fly for the recipe

The Meal

One Hour Roasted Chicken

Roast Chicken

High in protein- duh- also Vitamin B3 and Selenium (helps your body detox and protects against oxidative stress.)

This is the ultimate fall meal.  It is also a very good skill to master. 
(just make sure it reads 165 degrees before you pull it from the oven.  No food poisoning here please.)
If you mess it up then send your fiance over to the local grocer for a rotisserie chicken. Or if you're short on time or desire then just do that in the first place.

Head over to Number 2 Pencil for the recipe









Photo: ilovebutter

Roasted Vegetables

Vivid vegetables, like Red Peppers, Tomatoes & Carrots- rich in Carotenoids which reduce risk of heart disease. (Add a small amount of ‘good fats’ to increase absorption of Carotenoids- hey your olive oil!)
Green & Red Vegetables...Protect blood vessels, Help your Vitamin C work better, Prevent inflammation in your body, Help prevent osteoporosis, diabetes and other diseases
Cruciferous vegetables; broccoli, cauliflower, kale, watercress, cabbage and bok choy are the cancer warriors of the food world.

My favorite side- or sometimes as a meal itself.

Use any vegetables you want
Cut to approximately the same size
Drop them onto a jelly roll sheet and cover in olive oil & sprinkle with salt. 
(and other spices if you like.)
Roast at 450 degrees until they are brown and sweet and crispy
- or until your liking.  

Photo: Alpha

Pumpkin Spice Latte. 

 Made all by yourself.

The benefits of cinnamon...
Can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).may help treat Type 2 Diabetes, has anti-fungal properties, can reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells, has an anti-clotting effect on the blood, Honey and Cinnamon combined have been found to relieve arthritis pain, inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative, smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory, fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices, has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating headaches and migraine relief, stabilizes blood sugar- which is great for weight loss. 1.

Beforehand...

Pumpkin Spice Syrup (oh the places you could use this.)
Simmer
-1C Sugar
-1C Water
when the sugar has dissolved add
-2T Pumpkin Puree
-1 T Pumpkin Pie Spice

Make you own by mixing ...
-3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon 
-2 teaspoons ground ginger 
-2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 
-1½ teaspoons ground allspice 
-1½ teaspoons ground cloves 
-½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Simmer 10 minutes.  Cool.
If you want to be really cool you could keep your pumpkin spice syrup 
in a cleaned Roundhouse Pumpkin bottle (since they're only 375ml) Just don't confuse the two!

Draw your espresso as usual.

Add foamed organic whole milk to your liking.

Add 2 ounce syrup.


                              Mmm, now that's a good night.

                                                                                        Happy Cooking!


September 20, 2014

You Need Some Fat! No Seriously.


Americans have been so conditioned of our fear of fat that we are missing vital protection.  Guess what? Your cells need fat to function. Not saturated fat, not trans-fat, not fractioned fat- They are starving for Omega 3s, poly unsaturated fats and Omega 6s.

Give them...

Olive Oil-


Contains oleocanthal which relieves pain.

Darker oils have more blood clot fighting polyphenol. Go find that pretty green!
Olive oil helps regulate blood pressure.
It reduces chance of breast cancer.


Olives- 

are high in flavinoids.
High in...
Iron
Vit E
Fiber
polyphenols
antioxidants-protecting from heart disease, stroke, impotence & wrinkles.




Avocado-

High in:
Vitamin K
Fiber
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Folate
Potassium (60% higher than bananas)
Ease Osteoarthritis pain and onset.
(Contain antioxidant monounsaturated oils, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E. Promote cartilage repair in osteoarthritis.)1
High in Lutein (Protects your eyes)
Monounsaturated fats reduce your cholesterol & triglycerides.
Raises your HDL.
High in phytosterols.

1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1194401/Why-apples-avocados-glass-red-wine-ease-arthritis.html

Sardines-

packed in oil -are high in omega 3s
B12
Selenium

fresh- are high in vitamin D
Protein
Calcium
Protects you from blindness
Lowers your triglycerides.

Now before you turn your nose up... you just need a few good recipes to incorporate this powerhouse into your meal time easily.  No one will be squeamish and they rest of your household will never be the wiser.

I LOVE this recipe and my children will devour it with Ciabatta bread...

Bagna Cauda

grind 6 cloves of garlic into a paste w/ 1 t good kosher salt
add to 4T grass fed butter to pan on low heat
add 6 anchovies or sardines to pan and smash to paste
once fish has 'melted'
whisk in 1/2 olive oil
+ 1/4 c fresh parsley

Serve with crusty ciabatta slices and dip in this heavenly mix.

A little more about fats...

Did you know saturated fats increase hunger? Unsaturated fats are more satisfying. Probably because your body is getting what it actually needs from them!

Unsaturated fats can improve insulin sensitivity. 

  • You are insulin sensitive if a small amount of insulin needs to be secreted to deposit a certain amount of glucose, and insulin resistant if a lot of insulin needs to be secreted to deposit the same amount of glucose.2 Way to protect against and even cure diabetes!

September 18, 2014

Great Grains!


With the fall weather beginning to appear, it's time to bake.

Grains have gotten a bad rap from Mr. Atkins and others.  Many are quite beneficial for you.

Barley-
  • High Fiber
  • Anti-oxidants
  • Vitamin E
  • Selenium
  • Lowers your blood pressure
  • Lowers your blood sugar
  • Lowers LDL
  • It can help your asthma
  • Cure gout
  • Help your arthritis
Oats-
  • High Fiber
  • Polyunsaturated fatty acids (reduces your heart disease chances 1)
  • Vitamin E
  • Selenium
  • Manganese
  • Vitamin B1
  • Magnesium
  • Protein
Thick cut steel oats are better than rolled and much better than instant oats.  It's lower on the glycemic index scale and better at lowering your LDL.  It prevents artery stiffening (especially after fatty meals- Oatmeal cookies anyone?)

21g/day and decrease coronary disease by 12% and cardiovascular disease by 10%.

We suggest you go make some Barley Pancakes and Oatmeal cookies.

As a bonus, here's my secret best ever... 

Meringue Oatmeal Cookies
with whisk attachment in your mixer...

whip 3 egg whites to soft peaks

add - 1 C fine sugar

add - 1⁄4 C melted coconut oil

add - 1 t vanilla

add - 1 T milk

with paddle attachment in your mixer...
add - 2 C oats (let sit 5 min to soak)

add - 1 1⁄4 C flour,
1 t baking powder,
1 t baking soda
1⁄4 t salt

mix until just combined.

add- 1 C Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

bake 375 degrees for 10­-12 min

To your health!