Recipe

Redbridge, Asparagus, and Red Pepper Risotto

Redbridge, Asparagus, and Red Pepper Risotto

This risotto uses Redbridge gluten-free beer to create the creamy texture as well as give it additional flavors. It is a great recipe for a cold night in and can be used both as a main dish or a side. If you are using it as a side you can cook up some protein or add some toast with cheese on top. For those of you who don’t like cheddar cheese you can always replace it with another kind.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

7 Tbs. olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
3 cups vegetable stock
12oz. bottle Redbridge Gluten Free beer
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

  1. Directions:
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus, bell peppers, onions, and garlic and cook. Stir vegetables constantly until the onions turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and cook. Continue stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Slowly add the stock, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring constantly, allowing the liquid to absorb before adding another cup of the stock. Continue until all the stock has been added, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Stir in the beer gradually, allowing time for the liquid to absorb. Bring to a boil and gently fold in the cheese, add salt and pepper to taste, stirring constantly until it is fully melted, about 2 minutes.
  5. Allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
*This recipe is based off of  a recipe from The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook by Vanessa Maltin

Stay happy and healthy signature

Recipe

Quick & Easy Vegan Potato and Artichoke Ragout

Potato and Artichoke Ragout

This ragout is both super easy to make and delicious. I increased the cooking time for the potatoes as mine weren’t brown until about 7 minutes in.  I also added more vegetable broth so that way it would have more gravy in the end. All in all, is a really nice light, but filling recipe to have in on a cold day in the winter.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 Tbs coconut oil, divided
1 can water-packed whole artichoke hearts , rinsed, drained, and halved
4 cups quartered baby potatoes
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook artichoke hearts cut side down in skillet without stirring, 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to plate, and set aside.
  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet. Add potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Stir, cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until potatoes are deeply golden all over.
  3. Uncover pan, and add artichokes, olives, garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest. Stir to mix the ingredients together.
  4. Add broth, cover, and gently simmer 5 to 6 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender and liquid reduces to a light gravy.
Nutritional Facts: per 1¼  – cup serving
260cal; 5g protein; 13g total fat (2g sat fat); 36g carb; 0mg chol; 266mg sod; 9g fiber; <1g sugars
*This recipe is based off of  a recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine

Stay happy and healthy signature

Blog

Monthly Favorites: November Edition

Monthly Favorites November 2015

Garden Veggie Chips With Sea Salt

These chips are so delicious and healthy for you since they are made from real vegetables. They are also the perfect size to carry in a little bag when you want a snack on the go. I love having these as a little snack in the afternoon and since you can find them in almost any grocery store, I can pick them up anytime.

Just Pure Foods: Zucchini Chips With Pesto

These could either be a hit or a miss for people. I love the raw flavor of these chips. They are extremely green and are very healthy since they are completely natural. They do have more flavors as well, but I just picked up this bag to try. If you love vegan and raw treats I would highly recommend giving this one a try.

Quaker Rice Cakes With White Cheddar

I love to have a couple of these for a quick and easy snack. The cheese isn’t so overpowering so you still taste the rice cake. Simply put, this is just yet another easy snack I like to have in the afternoon.

Brenton Gluten Free Crackers

I have been seeing these in the gluten free section at my local grocery store for a while and was always curious. These are some delicious crackers to have with cheese or could even be great with some meat. They are very grainy crackers so they really aren’t the best by themselves but I would probably do these for appetizer plates.

Next Organic Dark Chocolate Ginger

Since I tend to have a lot of stomach issues I like to eat ginger as a natural calming remedy. I saw these and thought I would try them as a way to have my ginger with a bit of a better taste. Honestly, you do really taste the ginger, but the dark chocolate really complements it and makes it easy to eat. I have had two or three pieces when my stomach has felt bad and I truly think it has helped with the stomach pains. It also makes a nice sweet snack in general.

Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods Asian Entrée: Masala Lentil Pilaf

These little entrees are great for lunches. They are packed with flavor and are light while also filling. They are great when you need a meal quick since it is an instant meal. There are also tons of other flavors that I am intrigued to try out.

Stay happy and healthy signature

Recipe

Autumn Gluten Free Scones

Orange and Cranberry Scones

I really wanted to bake something for breakfast, so I decided to bake some scones. After consulting the family and friends as to whether or not they wanted cranberry or pumpkin the results had been a mash up of the two. I decided that rather than choosing which one to make, I would just make both flavors. I am not great at being able to come up with my own gluten free baking creations; so after searching the web I found these two amazing recipes. Both of which make delicious flavor packed scones that are still moist as any great scone should be. I added cinnamon on top of my pumpkin ones for a bit more of that pumpkin pie flavor.

Orange and Cranberry Scones

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cup Almond Flour
¼ cup and 2 Tbs Arrowroot Flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg
1 orange, zest
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine maple syrup, coconut oil, and egg. Blend with hand mixer until smooth. Add wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and blend until all ingredients are combined. Fold in orange zest and dried cranberries.
  3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into a ball. Place dough ball onto baking sheet and flatten slightly. Cut the dough into eight equal wedges, and bake in over for 18-20 minutes.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
241 cal; 5g protein; 9g total fat (6g sat fat); 40g carb; 26mg chol; 14mg sod; 4g fiber; 14g sugars
*This recipe is based off of Primal Palate’s recipe

Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Scones

Serves 12

Ingredients:

½ cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
3 Tbs coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
½ cup unsalted butter

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla. Set aside.
  3. In a food processor combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice mix. Process to combine.
  4. Cut the cold butter into ½-inch chunks. Add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal (it should look unevenly crumbly with some pea-size chunks of butter within). Add the pumpkin mixture and pulse just until the mixture comes together. The dough will be very sticky, and you should still be able to see some pea-size clumps of butter.
  5. Lightly flour a countertop or work surface with coconut flour. Dump the sticky scone dough onto the floured surface and dust the top lightly with more flour. Using your hands, gently knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half. Dust your work surface with coconut flour again and form each half into a 5-inch circle, about ¾-inch thick. Using a sharp knife dusted with flour, slice each circle into 6 even wedges. Repeat with second half of dough. If the dough starts to stick to the knife, dust the knife with more flour. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes. To see if they are done, peek at the bottoms; they should be slightly browned but not burnt. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
109 cal; 3g protein; 2g total fat (1g sat fat); 21g carb; 18mg chol; 62mg sod; 2g fiber; 6g sugars
*This recipe is from A Healthy Life For Me’s recipe

Stay happy and healthy signature

Recipe

Vegan & GF Sweet Potato-Black Bean Falafels

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Falafels

These falafels are great if you are looking for something to make but don’t have a lot of time to make it. Even the meat eaters in the family will go for seconds with this deliciously simple dish. Instead of using traditional pitas, you can use lettuce or cabbage as your wrap, as I have, for a gluten-free option. Add in your favorite vegetables to give it more health benefits and taste. I decided to go for some caramelized onions, sautéed asparagus, cucumber, beets, and bell pepper.

Serves 6 (12-16 patties)

Falafel Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup flaxseed meal
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs olive oil

Tahini Ingredients:

2 Tbs tahini
2 Tbs water
2 tsp lemon juice
red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, set on a paper towel and microwave on high for 6 minutes, or until tender.
  2. When cool enough to handle, halve the sweet potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl. If it is still tough pulse in a food processor until it is mixed into a hash. Add the beans and mash together with a fork. Mix in the flaxseed meal, onion, walnuts, mustard, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  3. Shape the potato mixture into patties that are about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place half the patties in the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they form a crispy crust. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with the remaining falafel and oil.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the tahini sauce ingredients.
    Divide the falafels into either lettuce, cabbage, or pita add desired vegetables and sauce.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
475 cal; 22g protein; 18g total fat (2g sat fat); 61g carb; 0mg chol; 62mg sod; 18g fiber; 4g sugars
*This recipe is based off of  a recipe from Runner’s World Meals on the Run

Stay happy and healthy signature

Blog

Is Detoxing For You?

Detoxing can be a great way to get yourself out of a sluggish period. If you are feeling more depressed, anxious, tired, or just not yourself you might consider detoxing. I have found it most helpful for me to do it around the holidays or even at the beginning of the new year, as the holidays can tend to involve a lot of deliciously unhealthy food and alcohol.

Detoxing allows your body to naturally heal and reset itself. You can get stress and anxiety under control, help release emotions that you may have put away, help with sleep, energy levels, and can even help with women’s menstrual cycles. It is a great idea to try to detox your body at least once a yea. I like to try to do it 3 to 4 times a year to better help with my high anxiety and depression.

Detox can include yoga, meditation, writing, and an overall relaxation state; however it most commonly involves eating extremely healthy and fasting. There are numerous programs for detoxing your body and is completely personal to you. There are plans such as:

  • Simple Fruit and Veggie Detox
  • Smoothie Cleanse
  • Juice Cleanse
  • Sugar Detox

I tend to do a combination of a few different kinds of detox plans while increasing my yoga, meditation, and writing. I like to do a Juice cleanse for the first 3 days, a smoothie cleanse for the next 2 days, and then a detox-diet meal plan for a week. While I try to eliminate as much sugar from my diet already I work especially hard on eliminating sugar during my detox period.

Even when I am doing my detox I do exercise, however I may not do it to the extreme that I would do normally (no half marathons for me during it). Mostly this is due to the smaller amount of food intake. It is important to note that while you are detoxing your body you should drink lots of water, especially if you are still participating in physical activity.

If you are looking for some great books to start your detox here are some great ones below. However, remember detoxing is extremely personal and one method isn’t the best for everyone, so there may be a bit of trial and error with each one.

  • The Juice Cleanse Reset Diet by Lori Kenyon Farley and Marra St. Clair
  • Best Green Drinks Ever by Katrine van Wyk
  • The Yoga-Body Cleanse: A 7-Day Ayurvedic Detox to Rejuvenate Your Body and Calm Your Mind by Robin Westen
  • The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies by Eric Helms with Amely Greevan
  • The Detox Prescription: Supercharge Your Health, Strip Away Pounds, and Eliminate the Toxins Within by
  • Woodson Merrell, MD with Mary Beth Augustine, MS, RDN, and Hillari Dowdle

Finally, If you are looking for some great recipes to get you started, check out this list here.

Stay happy and healthy signature

Recipe

Simple Speghetti Squash Gratin

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

This is a great casserole dish for a cool autumn night. It can be easily parred with some vegetables, chicken, or lamb. When I cooked it for the family I picked up some simple pre cooked salad chicken strips and some zucchini and squash to cook up and pair with this dish.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 spaghetti squash
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 Tbs. olive oil
½ cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup low-fat milk
2 Tbs. ricotta cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 375 F. Coat 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Pierce squash in several places with knife. Microwave 3 minutes on high power to soften. Slice off ends, and cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with spoon. Place halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 ½ cups of water to the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until squash yields when pressed.
  3. Increase oven temperature to 425 F. While the squash cools, cut broccoli into small florets and toss in a large bowl with olive oil.
  4. Whisk together eggs, milk, ricotta, green onion, and mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  5. Once squash is cooled scrape squash halves with a fork to release strands. Transfer the spaghetti into the bowl with the broccoli and add ¼ cup of cheddar cheese.
  6. Stir sauce into spaghetti and broccoli. Spread the mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
  7. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until center is set and top begins to brown.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
118 cal; 5g protein; 6g total fat (3g sat fat); 12g carb; 54mg chol; 150mg sod; 3g fiber; 4g sugars
*This recipe is based off of  a recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine

Stay happy and healthy signature

Blog

Monthly Favorites October Edition

Purely Elizabeth: Ancient Grain Oatmeal

Purely Elizabeth is a great certified gluten free, non-GMO, vegan, and organic brand. Their products are mostly grain based and include granola, oatmeal, muesli, and even cookie mixes. I have tried their granola before which was delicious so when I saw the oatmeal I had to give it a try. This only reassured my assumptions that this brand makes some absolutely delicious healthy products. I am excited to taste more of their products and flavors.

Navitas Naturals Power Snacks

These bite sized power snacks are a powerhouse of superfoods mashed into one. I have been having these as a snack during the day or after dinner as a chocolate tasty dessert. If their healthy organic ingredients won’t entice you to buy them their taste sure will.

Annie’s Gluten Free Bunny Cookies

I don’t know why these haven’t made it into a favorites yet, but Annie’s brand is another delicious brand gluten-free eaters should know. I enjoy their fruit snack gummies and their snickerdoodle cookies. I decided to try these chocolate and vanilla snack packs. They were yet again a delicious snack. Annie’s also makes some macaroni and cheese that is decently okay but not the best (however I tend to like homemade mac and cheese better than that from a box anyway).

Three Bridges Superfood Pesto Sauce

This is a new brand I have recently stumbled upon. They make some delicious pastas and of course pasta sauces. They pride themselves on good living and making healthy products. Their brand includes both gluten-free and non-gluten-free products. They are great for some easy pasta meals.

Paromi Tea

I enjoy having tea for many reasons mostly for relaxation and to help with sleeping. This tea is some of the best herbal teas I have had. They truly make sure that they provide the best ingredients in their teas. They also come in easy tea bags.

St. Dalfour Strawberry Jam

I used to not like jam because of how sugary they tasted, but this brand uses no added sugar. They also have many other products such as teas, preservatives, honey, and ready to eat meal packs. I have had a couple of the meals before and they are just as delicious and healthy as the jam.

Stay happy and healthy signature

Blog

Easy Ways to Add In Superfoods

In the morning:

Try adding some vegetables when cooking up your eggs. It has a supreme amount of protein and vitamins to help boost you for the remainder of the day. For an easy way to do so try making these flower eggs. If you don’t like red peppers or want to try something else try substituting it with eggplant, squash, or pumpkin.

You can also add some greens and chia seeds into your favorite smoothies. Especially smoothies with peanut/ almond butter and bananas.

For lunch:

Try making this easy quinoa salad that can even be made ahead of time and kept fresh in the fridge. It is jam packed with protein and vitamins and will even leave you full if you are looking to watch your weight.

This cashew stir fry is a perfect way to help your immune system while adding in some great superfoods.

For dinner:

Make some pasta using vegetables like squash, carrots, or potatoes. This sweet potato noodle recipe is a great take on a delicious Asian noodle dish.

For a recipe perfect for the whole family try this take on falafel with this recipe . You can even have them for lunch the next day.

For snacks:

Try making some trail mix. It can be made in a bunch so that you can enjoy them days later. Add granola, nuts, cranberries, blueberries, goji berries, and some cocoa nibs for some extra flavor. It will keep you energized and healthy all day.

You can also dip some apple slices in some dark chocolate (the higher the cacao count the better) and put it in the fridge to cold. Add some walnut slices on top to add some more vitamins.

If you are in for more of a dessert, try this delicious take on a mousse that is packed with superfoods. It is also a great treat for guests that will leave them asking for the recipe.

Recipe

Vegan Cauliflower Leek Soup

Vegan Cauliflower Leek Soup

This soup is absolutely delicious for a light, warm dish for the cooler weather; and makes plenty for more to have later in the week. It is also so simple and easy to make. You could add some vegetable broth instead of water to make it a bit thicker and heavier, but I loved the lightness of the soup as it was. I also cut up some bread to dip in to the soup which of course is always amazing.

Serves 4-6 main size portions

Ingredients:

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 head of cauliflower
Water
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2  Lemon (juice and zest)

Directions:

  1. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium to high heat. Sauté the onion and leeks until tender. Add garlic and cauliflower florets to the pot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer.
  2. Once the cauliflower is tender, season with thyme, salt and pepper. Puree the soup with either an immersion blender or food processor. Once smooth stir in lemon juice and zest.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
109 cal; 4g protein; 4g total fat (1g sat fat); 18g carb; 0mg chol; 54mg sod; 5g fiber; 7g sugars

Stay happy and healthy signature