a recipe that really pops

The other night I had a babysitting job, and I knew that once the girls were asleep and I was doing my work I would want a snack. I decided to try a new popcorn recipe; a quick and easy guilt-free snack! 

Coconut oil is good for so many things! It benefits in hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. Coconut oil also helps in brain function and is associated with Alzheimer's treatment. Cinnamon is good for lowing LDL cholesterol and enervating headaches. Hot sauces are also a good addition to any foods (I put hot sauce on everything - I even keep extra packets in my wallet!) Because of the spicy sensation, most people tend to eat hot foods slower, it can speed up your metabolism, and a lot of flavor is matched with very few calories! 

Here's what you'll need:

yields 2 servings

2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

2 tsp Sriracha 

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, Sriracha, and popcorn. 

2. Cover and shake pot constantly. This keeps the sugar from burning. (WARNING: Be careful when opening the lid at any time, the kernels will pop and the oil may splatter - everything is hot!!)

3. When the popping slows to once every 2-3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes.

4. Enjoy!!

follow this recipe gingerly

To begin this post, I need to start with a little anecdote. A few years ago, when I first got into nutrition and healthy baking, I was feeling ambitious and brave, so I tried a new brownie recipe I had been seeing in all the magazines and cookbooks on healthy baking. One of the ingredients was black beans, which sounded like a terrible idea, but I trusted all of the recipes I saw. My family warned me that the brownies wouldn't come out right, but I didn't care and I went for it. Lo and behold, the brownies were disgusting.

That was a few years ago, though. I have since gotten over my valiant attempt gone wrong, but I am still reminded of it sometimes by my family. I've been saying for a while that I want to give one of those bean brownie recipes another chance, assuming I must of followed it wrong or just used one that wasn't so reliable. I have that recipe to partially thank for my curiosity in the kitchen, because from the time I made those brownies, I've since learned so much more about baking and cooking.

For my birthday, I got a few new cookbooks (my friends know me very well!) and I already have gone through them all and flagged recipes I want to try soon. In "Double Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld, I made ginger cookies last night, and they were amazing. I promise you can't taste the beans, and as far as cookies go, these are pretty healthy.

Here's what you'll need:
yields 4 dozen cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp allspice
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses (or equivalent)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and pureed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together flours, spices, salt, and baking soda.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, canola oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add molasses and beans. Stir well. Slowly add dry ingredients to form a smooth, soft dough.

3. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!!

green machine

Of all the smoothies I've ever made, "green" smoothies included, I've never actually made one that looked green. I usually base smoothies with berries and then add in kale or spinach or flax. This smoothie is made of many ingredients I wouldn't have thought to put in, but it tasted great and refreshing!

The spinach is packed with calcium which helps your bones, the green grapes can help improve circulation and prevent blood clots (and their seeds contain protective flavinol compounds that fight free radicals and repair connective tissues). Oranges protect against colds, flu, heart disease and strokes because of their vitamin C content, and bananas are packed with cholesterol calming potassium.

Here's what you'll need:
yields 4 cups
1 cup green grapes
1 orange, peeled
1/2 Bartlett pear
1 banana, fresh or frozen
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup water
2 cups ice

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and liquefy!

2. Enjoy!!

a SAPpy birthday post

Now that it's Sunday, it means my birthday weekend is coming to an end! It was a perfect birthday though: I celebrated with my friends on Friday (along with 3 friends whose birthdays are all tomorrow!) after I had my favorite dinner of Panko-crusted chicken, sweet potatoes, and brocolli with my parents and best friend. And then last night I had a pot luck dinner with my camp friends to celebrate as well! Most of the celebrating revolved around eating, but that's how we all do it best!

Last night for the potluck, I made maple cinnamon and nutmeg acorn squash inspired by this recipe, but altered a little bit. Using maple syrup is a great sugar substitute, less of it is needed for the same sweet taste, and if you buy 100% pure maple syrup, there won't be any additives or chemicals added. As far as sweeteners go, it's one of the best in the category. Acorn squash is a good source of protein, and a great source of vitamin C, A and B6, in addition to thiamin and folate.

Here's what you'll need:
yields 4-5 servings 
2 acorn squash, cut, seeds removed and sliced into wedges
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp 100% pure maple syrup
6 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients (besides squash).

2. Either coat squash wedges with mixture, or drizzle toppings on top once placed on a baking sheet (whichever you choose).

Some of the wedges didn't balance well, so I had them balance on each other!

3. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until squash is soft when a fork is poked in.


4. Enjoy!!

butternut squash brrrrrito

Happy December! This is my favorite month of the year for a lot of reasons: first off my birthday is this week (yay!!), everyone is always happiest with the holidays coming up, and with the cold weather (hopefully no snow) comes warm, winter foods. Squashes and soups are always great lunches and dinners and they are perfect for this weather!

And this black bean and squash burrito recipe is a great one to try for all of the Chipotle fanatics out there. In my town Chipotle is a major hot spot, and a big topic of conversation. One of my friends works there, and at my lunch table in school my friends are always asking him questions and discussing the best burritos to make and how to order without annoying the workers. From my research, Chipotle isn't bad for you, but the tortillas, rice, extra chips and dressing,and large servings are what make the thousand calorie meals.

This burrito is a great home-made alternative (can I compare this burrito to Chipotle without everyone hating on me?) Butternut squash is a winter vegetable, so it's in season right now. It's a good source of vitamins A and C, and fiber. Black beans are a good source of protein with little fat. And the more vegetables you add in for extra toppings (tomato, avocado, etc), the more health benefits you pack in!

Here's what you'll need:
yields 4 burritos or 3.5 cups of filling
1 medium butternut squash
1 1/2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sweet red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
15oz can black beans
3/4 cup shredded cheese
4 tortilla wraps
additional toppings: avocado, salsa, lettuce, tomato, etc

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, cube, and roast butternut squash. Drizzle olive oil on squash and sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes or until tender.

2. In a large pot, add oil, chopped onion, and minced garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in seasonings and stir well.

3. Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and saute for another 10 minutes on low.

4. When squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add to the skillet and stir well. Add cheese and heat another couple of minutes.

5. Add filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Enjoy!!!

Resources: http://www.livestrong.com/article/111690-butternut-squash-nutrition/