Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Post Christmas Musings

During the two weeks preceding Christ,mas the following disappeared from my kitchen:

2 bags of Pepperidge Farm Chessman butter cookies
1 whole tray of  Pizzelle Di Nonna Italian Waffle Cookes
One homemade cinnamon sugar and pecan coffee cake
6 rounds of Lefse with butter and sugar
A pint of peppermint ice cream
2 Nestle Aero chocolate bars from the U.K.
A round of cheddar and one big A** Wasa Crispbread
3 bottles of Chardonnary.

I will be eating a Green Superfood smoothie for breakfast and/or lunch the next week.  The scale has been removed to the closet.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

My Mom's Swedish Pancakes (Gluten free/Low Carb)

There was a morning this week, where after a bachelor dinner while my husband was traveling for wotk (I ate most of the box of KD), I wanted a light breakfast.

Since it's the Christmas season in my home, I wanted Swedish pancakes, using the recipe my half Swedish/half Norwegian Mom made (her parents were both immigrants at the turn of last century)

But my Mom's were a little different than most you see on a restaurant menu, as, although thin, they were made with extra eggs and much less flour, making them almost like a cross between a crepe and thin omelet.  Served with just lingonberry jam, they are truly delicious, light and delicate with a rich taste that pairs perfectly with fruit or jams. These were made with King Author's gluten free flour, so the whole dish was gluten free and low carb.

Mom's Swedish Pancake

Serves 1 as a main course or 2 if you are nice and share with your spouse or partner.  My husband is of Swedish descent so I had no choice :-)  The recipe easily doubles, but don't cook all in one pan or they will be too thick and difficult to handle. Cook in two batches, placing a towel over the first batch to keep warm or cook concurrently in two 9-10 inch cast iron skillets.  I've not done it but I imagine you could also cook as thin little rounds similar to regular pancakes, I just prefer the nice crispy edge you get from the cast iron skillet).

2 eggs
1 cup low fat milk
2 Tablespoons King Author's gluten free flour (or all purpose)
pinch xanthan gum (omit if using regular flour)
3/4  teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (approx, like Mom I don't measure except by eyeballing what's in my hand)
1 Tablespoon melted butter 

Whisk eggs until very fluffy with a hand whisk,  Whisk in rest of ingredients.  Pour into a lightly oiled and pre-heated cast-iron skillet in a thin layer, over medium heat.  Cook until the edges are set and the top looks dry to the touch (several minutes, don't get anxious and raise the heat or they will burn), covering the pan the last 30 seconds for better browning.

It's ready to flip when you can cut into quarters and no batter runs out.  Flip each quarter and cook for two-three more minutes, covering the pan again for the last minute.  They are done when the inside is set and bottom is lightly browned. 

Serve with preserves.

Even if you eat the entire pancake yourself, it's less than 400 calories (plus jam) and very filling with the protein from the two eggs.  For my friend Carol, two quarters (pictured above) would be 5 Weight Watchers Points (plus jam).

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

My Rap Name is Smooth-E

Smoothie time - After trying one of the home delivery smoothie services for a month, I decided to go back and make my own. They were  super easy and very good but some of the combinations I didn't care for, and some of the containers must have melted slightly in shipment because even though I put them immediately in the chest freezer when I got them (they come with dry ice) some came out of the container as a solid chunk of "fruit ice" which was almost impossible to blend.  Since I  can make my own for a 1/2 the price I canceled my subscription, giving them feedback as to why. But for someone seriously short on time with cash on hand, you might look into it and I imagine since they are new, the shipping issues may resolve themselves.

But I DID learn some GREAT flavor combos and found that if I prep my ingredients the night before and put in the freezer, in the morning (or do a few days worth and freeze in small Tupperware's) all I have to do is put the frozen bits in the blender, add liquid and protein powder, and it's Smoothie time, a no brainer when it's not even light out yet.
Vega brand is one of my favorite brands of vegetarian/vegan smoothie protein powder, I tried using hemp protein powder for a while as it's much more easily digestible than the tradition whey or pea protein powder, but found it a little bit gritty for smoothies so I'm trying to find a good middle ground between creamy but hard to digest (for me) whey and gritty but easy-to-digest hemp.

So when I spotted this new Vega Clean Protein powder (at my local CVS) I had to try it.  It comes in Vanilla and Chocolate.  At the CVS price it's about $2 a serving.  Looking online I saw you can order it from Vitacost for $5 less, and at Amazon for $7 less than what I paid.
From their website:

Because doing epic, crazy stuff can be better with clean fuel, now you can enjoy protein without compromise. Each serving of Vega Clean* Protein has 25 grams protein, and 4 grams BCAAs in a complete, plant-based protein blend made from pea, hemp, alfalfa, and pumpkin seed proteins.

Help build and repair muscle

Complete multisource blend of premium plant-based protein

130 calories

No sugar added (it's sweetened with Stevia)

It also has 4 grams of BCCA's.  Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) help to build and repair muscles post-workout.

It has a comparable amino acid profile to whey, without the harder to digest ingredients I don't want. . Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, and made without dairy or soy ingredients, artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, Vega Clean Protein is plant-based, which means that (unlike some whey protein from US cows), there are no growth hormones or antibiotics to worry about, either.  

Not only are all the proteins used minimally processed and clean, but pea, hemp, alfalfa, and pumpkin seed protein together provide complementary amino acid profiles.  It has a slightly different texture than regular Vega protein powder but was great mixed with fruits and veggies in a blender.
This one was made with equal amounts frozen apple bits, cucumber, spinach, and kale with a little bit of peeled lemon and a dash of turmeri and a scoop of the Clean Vanilla flavor.  It had a nice creamy texture and refreshing creamy-yet-clean taste with a great balance between veggies and fruit. I will definitely make this combo again and after a 90 minute workout, I was recharged.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Gluten-Free Swedish Waffles

One of the gadgets I'm really glad I added to my tiny kitchen was my



Yes, it was a bit pricey but I use it multiple times a month to make the waffles my husband and I have become addicted to. Swedish waffles are very, very thin, soft in the middle and delicately crispy around the edges. Almost crepe like in structure they are typically eaten in my grandmother's native land as a dessert with whipped cream and fruit,  but they also make a great light breakfast with some carbs to fuel an active day without "I ate too much too much to move" feeling of the traditional Belgium waffle.

But I'm cutting back on gluten. I'm only sensitive to it according to blood tests not allergic, but it has helped my IBS to cut back. So how to make a gluten-free Swedish waffle that's doesn't taste like packing material? It's all in the flours. With a little experimenting, this recipe made waffles my "don't tell me it's gluten-free again?" (and add "gluten-free face)  husband gave an enthusiast 2 thumbs up and it doesn't require the usual addition of xanthan gum.

The Recipe makes 5-6 waffles (2 servings) and would easily double or triple if feeding a crowd (they only take a couple minutes to cook so it's easy to make a bigger batch if you're feeding a family.

One bit of advice, do not add more than 1/3 cup batter at a time to the waffle iron and you won't have any spillage that means extra clean up. Trust me on this. 1/3 doesn't look like enough when you add it but if you add more you'll have a mess.  Made correctly this waffle iron is a breeze to clean.

Gluten Free Swedish Waffles

With a combination of 2 gluten-free flours and flax meal, you'll have a whole grain, light, fiber filled waffle that's light as a feather and no one would guess it as "gluten-free".

In one bowl mix:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons goat milk kefir (or coconut yogurt if you are dairy free)
1/2 cup milk or nut milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil) streamed in slowly while whisking

In another bowl mix:

1/2 cup oat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2 Tablespoons coconut flour (I used NOW brand)
1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal (NOT whole flaxseeds, meal has the consistency of flour)
1 Tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix wet and dry ingredients and let sit 15 minutes.   Add to a pre-heated Swedish waffle iron (sprayed with non-stick spray) 1/3 cup at a time and cook per waffle iron directions (mine beeps when they are done).  Serve with fruit and whipped cream or butter and maple syrup.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Some Things Don't Improve with Age - A Beauty Product Review

There are a couple of advantages of menopause early (no more PMS and no pregnancy worries when one isn't trying to get pregnant).

But hair loss and hair thinning is one of the disadvantages many women encounter.  I had seriously thick hair on my head, so even with thinning, it's still pretty decent.

My eyebrows were another issue.  In just a few years I went from Cindy Crawford eyebrows to Granny on Beverly Hillbillies.

I don't like using chemical or hormone laden products on my skin so I found this natural oil at Vermont Country Store that claimed to naturally condition the skin and hair follicles so you could get thicker brows.  I was skeptical but for less than $30 it was worth a try.

Renew Eyebrow  Revitalizer.

You apply a tiny bit morning and night.  It absorbs in a few minutes and didn't make my eye makeup smear.  Based on the amount I used, I'd guess the little bottle would last 2-3 months so you're looking at about $3 a week, the cost of a cup of coffee.

I'll let you be the judge - after six weeks (and there were nights I totally forgot to apply). It says it takes 8 + weeks to see results but I do think it's working.

BEFORE




AFTER




Saturday, November 26, 2016

Slip Sliders Away

After Thanksgiving most years there are always a lot of leftovers.  But since it was just my husband and I this year, with a dear friend invited over at the last minute when we found he had no place to go, we went simple.  We had some roast for him, a veggie meatloaf for me, lots of veggie trimmings. but no turkey and we did brownies for dessert because you all know how I am on that whole pumpkin spice thing.

So there wasn't much in the way of leftovers though we did have some of those yummy little King's brand Hawaiian Rolls, which weren't homemade like most of the bread around here -  but are addicting. If I have time I make them from scratch with a recipe from King Arthur flour, but this week was crazy busy and  I just bought mine.

Recipe is here:

 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2015/04/24/hawaiian-buns/

(just cut and paste that in your browser - they are SO worth it).

So lunch was Oriental "Meatloaf" sliders.

First the sauce:

1 tablespoon molasses ● 1/2 cup soy sauce ● 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ● 1 teaspoon ground ginger ● 1 clove minced garlic ● 1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper ● 2 teaspoons cornstarch ● 2 teaspoons water

Place everything but the water and cornstarch into a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until combined. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling liquid and reduce to a simmer. Allow the sauce to thicken for 2‐3 minutes, then set aside. I  usually double the amounts so I have extra to drizzle on the leftovers or chicken on another night.  But the amount listed make enough for the meatloaf to have a nice glaze.

The "meatloaf" is from the Engine 2 Diet Book. I won't post it here as it's probably copyrighted, but you it's one of the better vegan meatloaves I've had.

To serve, cut the "meat" loaf into serving size pieces and top with sauce.


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

A Week With a Personal Trainer - A Little Humor

I had a great experience with my personal trainer - down 17 pounds and wearing sleeveless shirts again. But a gal friend sent me this and it was too good not to share, especially for my friend that refers to her trainer as f(#)ing Alex.  :-)


Dear Diary,
For my birthday this year, I  purchased a week of personal training at the local health club.
Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.
Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
________________________________
MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god-- with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile.  Woo Hoo!!
Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines... I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
________________________________
TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.  Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it!  My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile.  His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!  It's a whole new life for me.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it.  I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals.  Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members..  His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster.  Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?  Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.  He said some other crap too.
_______________________________
THURSDAY:
Butt face was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl.  I couldn't help being a half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes.
He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom.  He sent some skinny witch to find me.
Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which I sank
_________________________________
FRIDAY:
I hate that jackass Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor.  If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
Christo wanted me to work on my triceps.  I don't have any triceps!  And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher.  Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
________________________________
SATURDAY:
Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today.  Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel..
________________________________
SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over.  I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy.  I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Homemade Energy Bars

I was wanting a cookie or bar that had whole grains, and enough sugar and fat to hold me pre-workout, as I do some intense cardio and strength training.

I came up with these, adapting a couple of different recipes on-line into one and really liked how they turned out.  They are NOT super low fat or low sugar, but they are choc-FULL of good grains and fiber, perfect before a run or workout, and sturdy enough you can tote one with you just wrapped in a little foil. Plus my husband really liked the taste and asked for one in his lunch each day this week. The texture is almost a cakey granola bar, but the taste is  very much like a blondie (butterscotch brownie).

They are also super easy and quick to make.

They will also go gluten-free quite easily, just replace the pastry flour with gluten free flour and add 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum, ensuring your oats are also gluten free.  Oats themselves are but they might be prepared in factories where cross contamination can occur.  When I'm doing gluten free with oats for my friend, I use Bob's Red Mill brand.

Energy Bars - makes 16-20 depending on how big you cut them,

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (it retains all the nutrition of whole wheat but has a texture like regular white flour).
3/4 cup plus sugar
2 teaspoons Molasses
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1⁄2 cup butter melted and cooled
2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant packet kind, the sturdier ones)
1 and 1/4 cups raisins (or dried fruit of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8 x 8 pan with nonstick spray.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in vanilla, molasses,egg and melted butter until smooth. Stir in oats and raisins.  Replace some of the raisins with chopped walnuts if you wish less sugar and more protein.
Before Baking

Pour dough into prepared pan and spread into an even layer with a spatula or your fingers. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center no longer looks wet (center will still be soft though).  Don't overcook, if you cook until the center is really firm, they will dry out. My oven is very old and the temperature isn't always exact, so check yours at 22 minutes and then every few minutes.
When cool, cut into bars and leave out until completely cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Think Ingredients, Not Leftovers

My parents were alive during the Great Depression and thus raised me not to waste anything.

Mom could make a meal out of what seemed like scraps  - leaving money for the occasional store-bought treat for my brother and I and a cold beer for Dad on the weekends.

I'm much the same way. Our kitchen is quite small as is our 1940's refrigerator but we have lots of cupboards of storage space down in the basement where the temperatures are never too warm or too cool, perfect for storage of canned goods. So for today, just some tips on adopting some of the same practices in your home if you're not already doing so.

For today's recipe selections there are several recipes involving ethnic dishes. Protein and potatoes are the start of our leftovers but with what we make from them we try and create dishes that normally we would go OUT to eat to enjoy, such as Mexican, Chinese, Thai etc.  Making the dishes ourselves, out of leftovers with just a few exotic ingredients all available on Amazon, saves us a TON of money.

Here are my basic guidelines, please share your own in the comments if you have any you'd like to.

(1)  Think ingredients, not leftovers.  If your veggie meat favorites are on sale, buy in bulk and freeze.  We put a big chest type freezer in the basement just for this purpose (bought for $100 when a local Sears appliance store went out of business).

If making pasta sauce, I double the recipe and freeze it for spaghetti, lasagna, or a stuffing for a baked potato or biscuit dough placed up the sides of a muffin tin, then topped with sharp cheddar and baked.
Leftover coney dog sauce makes some really tasty nachos. OK, it's not really healthy but it sure was tasty.
If making rice or vegetables, make extra and freeze.

This was stir fry with leftover rice and veggie protein, fried up with 1 Tablespoon Thai roasted chili paste or “Nam Prik Pao” and 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce per 1/2 cup of rice (plus protein). Topped with carrot, basil. and lime it was as good as the restaurant stuff.

(2) Dedicate two nights a week to leftovers night, so your fridge and freezer don't get too full. Make sure you rotate foods from oldest to newest in the freezer.  Sometimes we just do a "leftover buffet" and bring it all out of the refrigerator and make up our own plate of our favorites to microwave.  Kids too, are less picky if you let them chose from an assortment of items.

(3)  Forget the Tupperware - if you store most of your leftovers in freezer bags (which can be washed and reused) you can better see what the leftover is. Otherwise, you may end up with a science experiment in a couple of weeks. The only Tupperware I use in the refrigerator is soup (in case of leaks) and muffins - so they don't get squished.
(4) "Mexican" night is way cheaper than eating out. To use up leftover rice, beans, or bits of veggie meat and non-dairy cheese.  Grab some lettuce and hot sauce and the corn or flour tortillas for tacos or burritos or make enchiladas by rolling the ingredients in a tortilla and placing in an 8 x 8 inch pan. Simply cover with a can of cream of chicken soup mixed with a can of Rotel, and a little cheese and bake till heated through (about 30 min, at 350 F.)

(5)  Leftover vegetables? Keep a bag in the freezer to which you add those little bits that don't seem worth saving on their own.  With that make soup or soup stock, add it to scrambled tufo for breakfast or with some red sauce to make pasta sauce.
Guinness Stew

If you wish, separate them by type.  Zucchini and squash winds up in spaghetti sauce. Broccoli and cauliflower go into beer-cheese soup. Green peppers and onions wind up in sloppy joe's or spaghetti. All other veggies can be soup or "shepherd's pie," which is also a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes
Pate Chinois

Small bits of diced veggies, especially onions and peppers, are great mixed into bean-based burgers for the grill, and you can always top whatever goes on a bun with whatever assorted bits of lunch cheese, breakfast meats, or salad that's in the fridge.  Gardein does a really yummy saucy "pork" tidbits that also makes a great "Carolina" style sandwich with coleslaw.

To make vegetable stock, dump the gallon bag of leftover veggie bits in a big pot when it is full, cover with water, simmer on low for a couple of hours and strain.  This is great for making a stock that's very low sodium, compared to the store-bought stocks which are loaded with salt.

(5)  Roasting vegetables.  Those make great, tasty soup.  In a blender puree the leftover roasted veggies, or a variety and blend in a blender with 2-4 cups of broth, then warm in a pot. Since they're usually seasoned as they roast, simply serve the soup with salt and pepper and some croutons.

(6) Have a juicer?  Juicing can be a bit pricey as you're using lots of fruits and veggies to make one big glass, but it's a great way to get a whole bunch of enzymes and phytonutrients and I do a juice or smoothie daily during cold and flu season.  So how not to waste all of the pulp that remains in the juicer after you are done?  I add a bit of veggie juice pulp to stews or soups, stir the fruit-based pulp into a fruit salad and my favorite - with the 4 carrots/half a cucumber/2 granny Smith apple juice that is my go-to juice,  I make muffins out of them with whole wheat flour and just a few other items. They taste like little healthier versions of carrot cake without all the white sugar and flour and they are a favorite around here.

Juicer Pulp Muffins

Makes10 high fiber/low fat muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 and  1/2 cups plus 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Cardamon (substitute nutmeg if you wish)
1 cup fresh fruit/veggie pulp from your juicer (remove any bigger pieces)
1/4 cup vanilla flavored Yogurt
1 egg or 1/2 Banana
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1/4 cup  plus 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey
Note:  If using a pulp that's high in fruit (and thus water content),  you may wish  to omit the extra 2 Tablespoons of "milk"   You want it thick, but not with dry bits in the batter.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom together. Then add in the pulp followed by the yogurt, banana (or egg) almond milk, maple syrup (or honey).  If you use plain yogurt add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix until just combined and  moist adding more milk if needed.
Add batter to lightly sprayed muffin tin. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Muffins will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the bottoms and sides are just starting to brown.

(7) Stale bread -  if it 's it's just starting to get old - make french toast out of it.  If it's harder than that, cut the loaf crosswise, drizzle it with some good quality olive oil, rub it with the cut side of a halved ripe tomato, sprinkle with a little garlic salt and parmesan, wrap in foil and bake til warm.  Stale bread is also great for French Onion Soup,

If you have a single or small household and can never get through a loaf of bread before it starts getting old, put a third of it in the freezer to use for more sandwiches or some homemade breadcrumbs.

(8) Leftover Spaghetti - Spaghetti and garlic and veggie heavy sauce is one of my favorite dinners and we eat it every couple of weeks.  But sometimes I end up cooking more noodles than I have sauce for.  I will use leftover spaghetti cut into smaller pieces in a stir-fry with veggies and protein and some sort of leftover oriental sauce, adding it in the last couple of minutes of cooking.

Thai curry soup is an easy-to-find recipe on the internet and great for using leftover bits of meat and noodles.
Leftover pizza - look, no one needs instructions for leftover pizza, right?

Got a "buy one get one free" bread or rolls or tortillas? Place a sheet of waxed paper between the portions, wrap and freeze.  With the family packs of meat, save what you will use this week and freeze the rest.
Just a little bit of juice left in the container.  I make DIY energy drinks out of it.  In reusable glass bottle mix 1-2 Tablespoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/4 cup fruit juice and add mineral water.  It makes a tart, refreshing drink that will give you a boost of energy with the B Vitamins and the Enzymes in the ACV.  This is especially good with stronger, unsweetened juices. If using OJ, you may wish to use more juice and less mineral water.

I hope this gives you some ideas.  You'll find, not only that you aren't throwing out food, you are eating less convenience food which usually isn't as nutritious AND you are saving a lot of money.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Juicy!


I've always been a fan of  drinking lots of liquids, water especially, which has helped my skin tremendously. I gave up Diet Coke a few years back (I was drinking a couple cans a day) and was amazed how my skin cleared up when I stopped.

Smoothies are consumed probably 5 times a week, but I was wanting to add juices, natural ones, not the ones from the store with additives and sometimes extra sugar added.

I picked up the New York "Times Best Seller by Joe Cross - "The Reboot with Joe Juice Diet".  Now, I didn't pick it up specifically to lose weight, but to greatly increase my phytonutrients, and get away from sports drinks or other sugary afternoon temptations. It has a plan for incorporating juice into your diet as well as a number of great juice receipes and vegan recipes for your non juice meals.
I owned a juicer years ago, and honestly, sold it at a garage sale as it was a #%)@ to clean, and weighed about 87 pounds.  I did some online search for "easy to clean" juicers and came up with a Breville Juice Fountain Compact which can be found at Amazon and other places online for right about $100 with a year warranty.

Not surprisingly, as I started reading Joe's book, that's what he used when he documented his 60 days of driving and juicing across the country in the hit film "Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead" which was very informative and entertaining.

So I asked for one for my anniversary.  I know, not the most romantic gift but I'm not a fan of purses or jewelry so there it was with a bow on it

For starters:

It's LIGHT, not cheap light, but "I can actually get this off a lower shelf easily" light.

It was super easy to assemble, I almost didn't need directions (but I ALWAYS recommend reading the safety instructions for anything with a blade)

My first juice was what was on hand.

a good chunk of fresh pineapple (about 1/3 of what you see pictured)
a cucumber
2 Granny Smith Apples
a squeeze of lemon (to keep the apples from getting brown)
and a big huge leaf of kale

It took less than2 minutes after the fruits and veggies were cut into pieces that would fit into the feeding tube to make the juice, enough for two nice sized servings.

The juice pitcher has a little top for it that allows you to pour without getting the foam" but I didn't discover that until I'd already drank my first cup. :-)
a little foamy but REALLY tasty

Now for the true test.

Cleaning it.

It could NOT have been easier, just four parts that you can wash with hot water and soap (all but one of which will wash in the top rack of a dishwasher) and I had it clean in about 90 seconds after I removed the pulp. It comes with a long handled brush so you can get the bladed filter basket clean without getting a finger near the sharp bits.
You don't have to compost the pulp. If using an all veggie mix use it to make vegetable stock for soups or stews or add to a veggie loaf.  Carrot/orange juice pulp is great added to whole grain muffins for extra fiber and flavor.  You can also mix a small bowl of pulp with a block of cream cheese (or soy cream cheese) for a great wrap or sandwich spread on which you can pile more veggies.
Juicer Pulp Muffins

Makes10 Vegetarian muffins (use banana and maple syrup for Vegan)
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 and  1/2 cups plus 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. Cardamon (substitute nutmeg if you wish)
  • 1 cup fresh fruit/veggie pulp from your juicer
  • 1/4 cup vanilla flavored coconut or soy yogurt
  • ½ banana, mashed or one egg
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup  plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
Note:  If using a pulp that's high in fruit (and thus water content),  you may wish  to omit the extra 2 Tablespoons of "milk"   You want it thick, but not with dry bits in the batter.
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom together. Then add in the pulp followed by the yogurt, banana (or egg) almond milk, maple syrup (or honey).  If you use plain yogurt add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  3. Mix until just combined and  moist adding more milk if needed.
  4. Add batter to lightly sprayed muffin tin. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Muffins will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the bottoms and sides are just starting to brown.
Now go get JUICING!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Green and Mean Smoothie

After  a LESS than low-fat breakfast (my husband's favorite yeast buttery muffins)
Danger Will Robinson, DANGER

I decided to go lean and mean for lunch.  This recipe, adapted by one of the same name by Joe Cross, turned out VERY delicious, tasting very light and refreshing with a hint of citrus. My husband came in the room when I'd finished preparing itand commented on how good the room smelled.

If you don't  have a juicer, you can peel all the fruit and veggies first or turn them into sludge in a food processor, then strain through a sieve for the juice - which is what I did,

It was REALLY yummy though and only 150 calories with the extra green powder I added to the recipe.

1 cucumuber
2 Granny Smith (green) apples
1-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
1/2 of a lemon peeled, or scooped out with a spoon, removing seeds
4 big leaves of kale.
1/3 cup spring water
1 heaping Tablespoon Amazing Grass Green Superfood in pineapple/lemongrass flavor (I love this flavor)

Wash your veggies with a gentle organic soap, rinse thoroughly and prepare in juicer or food processor.

Enjoy!