Categories
Flavor Blending Healthy Living

Healthy Breakfast Smoothies

I’m a big fan of smoothies. I have at least one, if not two or three, almost every day. I’m always experimenting with flavor combos — had a wonderful chocolate ginger cherry smoothie for breakfast this morning.

The following infographic from Recommended Things offers some interesting flavor combinations. I look forward to trying some out! What about you?

Healthy

[divider]

[one_third] Healthy Eating Worksheet [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

Download Now [/two_third_last]

Categories
Healthy Living

A Go-Getter’s Breakfast: How to Start the Day Right

How to start the day right

There’s a reason why so many of us put such an emphasis on the food we eat and the fluids we drink: they’re the fuel that keeps our engine running! And, there’s a reason breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. If you’re looking to start the day with all the energy you can muster, then it’s important that you’re starting your day with all the right things that’ll keep you going throughout the day. Breakfast sets the stage for what will play out for your day. Below, I suggest some things you may want in front of you as you begin your day.

How to start the day right with breakfast

Start the Day with a Large Glass of Water

glass of waterYou’ve spent the whole night sleeping, but guess what? You’ve been losing fluid all that time — especially if you’ve been sweating. That’s why it’s important that you have a large glass of water as soon as you wake up; indeed, this is one of the most underrated ways to wake up. It’s free and simple, and will jolt your body into life after many hours of slumber. Before you move onto all the other tasty food and drinks that can use to form your breakfast, you’ll be readying yourself for a day of action: All thanks to good old H2O.

Mixing up the Fruit

fruits of the forestAnd now that you’ve had your water, let’s think about the other natural goodness that nature provides: Fruit! Most people are content with having a banana or apple on their desk, but true go-getters know that the only way to start the day is with all the colors of the rainbow present in a bowl. Mix your favorite fruits all in one bowl, add some all-natural yogurt, and you’ll ensure that you’ve got a big dose of the all the essential vitamins that are oh-so-important to good all-around health. You won’t be able to achieve anything if you’re laid up in bed all the time!

A note about yogurt: Look for one that is high in protein and low in sugar. My favorites include Greek Gods, Zoi and Fage.

The Tried and Tested Way to Start the Day

drinks - coffeeOf course, not everything about having an energetic breakfast has to be new or exotic. The old tried and tested have a reputation for energy and alertness for a reason: They work. We’re talking, of course, about coffee. Rich in variety, they’ll provide the caffeine hit you need to feel alert and ready for action. Don’t like hot drinks when the weather is nice? Buy the best cold coffee maker, and get all the benefits of a cup of joe without the heat.

Breakfast of Champions

eggsSome people make do with grabbing a snack and running out of the door. But you? Oh no, you’re different. To keep going all day, consider making what can only be described as a breakfast of champions. That’s eggs. Scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, no matter how you like to serve yours up, they are packed with protein that will fuel your body and keep you feeling fuller longer.

I just finished reading The Craving Cure by Julia Ross (review to be posted soon, but as a sneak peek — I really liked it!), and she recommends eating up to 10 eggs a week! They are an excellent source of protein and amino acids necessary for proper brain function. They are a great way to start the day.

Going Light

Not that there aren’t light options too! To keep things light footed, consider having a salmon bagel mixed with cream cheese, or a pancake with peanut butter on top. Full of energy and oh so delicious, you’ll be running around with energy to burn like it’s the last day on earth.

[divider]

[one_third] Healthy Eating Worksheet [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

Download Now [/two_third_last]

Categories
Tools of the Trade

7 Unusual Kitchen Gadgets

7 Unusual Kitchen Gadgets

Everyone’s kitchen drawers are full of ordinary gadgets like peelers and potato mashers. For something a bit different, check out this list of seven unusual kitchen gadgets. At first glance, you might laugh or think they’re useless, but you just might find them indispensable in the kitchen as time goes on.

7 Unusual Kitchen Gadgets

Corn Desilker

Cleaning the silk from a fresh cob of corn is an irritating chore. The silk gets everywhere and sometimes doesn’t fully come away from the food, getting stuck in your teeth. Try a corn desilker for a smooth way to complete this job with ease. The desilker is in the shape of a ring with brushes facing inward. Just put the corn through it to clean off the silk. This can also be used for cleaning any cylindrical vegetable like cucumbers or summer squash.


Scramble Eggs Without Breaking Them

It’s possible to buy a device that lets you scramble the inside of the egg without breaking the shell. The gadget spins the egg to scramble the contents. When the egg is cooked, simply crack the shell and you have a scrambled egg ready to eat. This is almost more of a magic trick than a utensil. It will provide entertainment for your family, as well as being a practical product.

Rub Away Smells

A stainless steel bar is available which lets you get rid of the smell of onion, fish, or garlic on your hands. Just rub the bar between your hands until the smell is gone. This works by binding sulfur molecules on your hands with the stainless steel. This is a great gift for anyone who loves to cook, or for anyone who is especially sensitive to smells. You will still need to wash your hands with soap and water, but the pesky odor will be gone.

No Boring Butter

If you’re bored with pats of butter, try a gadget that curls, grates, and slices your butter. It works like a cheese slicer but is sized to fit a standard stick of butter. Decorate your family’s toast, bread, potatoes, and vegetables with artful curls of butter. The curls and thin slices are also much more spreadable than a standard pat of butter, cutting down on the problem of spreading cold butter and tearing your bread.


Helping Hands with Zipper Bags

Zipper bags are a great help in the kitchen. They can be used for storing food and leftovers and for food preparation tasks like crushing crackers. Holding a bag open to pour something in can be a difficult task if you are alone in the kitchen. It sometimes requires a great deal of creativity to get the food into the bag without making a mess. This gadget has plastic arms that hold the bag open so that liquid or food can be poured in easily.

Pancake Pourer

Kids love pancakes shaped like animals and letters, but they are difficult to pour using a standard ladle or cup. For shaped pancakes, you can buy a bottle with a special tip that makes creating a pancake as easy as writing on paper. It does take a bit of skill to write clearly, but if you put a little bit of time into it, you can make beautifully shaped pancakes. Your friends and family will be impressed.

Peel Shrimp in a Snap

Fresh shrimp is delicious, but cleaning and preparing it can be disgusting and time-consuming. Pick up a shrimp cleaner and deveiner and get everything you don’t want to eat off the shrimp in one easy step. The device works like a pair of tongs that slip inside the shell and devein the shrimp at the same time.


This list of seven quirky kitchen gadgets might help you prepare your food more easily while having fun. They would be great gifts for any home cook or a fun purchase for yourself.

About the Author

KatrinaKatrina is on the content team at www.bighivemind.com. She can be found around the web writing about health, nutrition, relationships, family and other lifestyle concerns. Katrina enjoys cooking, comedy and spending time with her adorable (but exhausting) young family.

Categories
Cookbook Reviews

Cookbook Review: “Girl in the Kitchen” by Stephanie Izard and Heather Shouse

Girl in the Kitchen by Stephanie Izard and Heather Shouse

Girl in the Kitchen by Stephanie Izard and Heather ShouseWhat do you get when you cross a coffee table book with a cookbook for home cooks? You get Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats, and Drinks by Stephanie Izard and Heather Shouse.

Specs

Format: Hardback
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0811874478
ISBN-13: 978-0811874472

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past book reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.

Summary of Girl in the Kitchen

Food & Wine’s Best New Chef of 2011, Stephanie Izard, has produced her first cookbook and it is a beautiful — and odd — combination of gourmet coffee table book and down-home, roll up your sleeves and learn some cookin’ cookbook.

What Worked for Me

When you pick it up, you’ll see that Girl in the Kitchen is a lovely, displayable book. The photographs by Dan Goldberg are rich, colorful and make each dish look wonderfully delicious. The book’s design makes the content easy to read and easy to peruse. Visually, this book is so beautiful you almost don’t want to use it in your kitchen for fear of getting it dirty with the occasional splatter of sauce or dribble of oil.

Despite the lavish design, this book was written to be used. Tips on how to improve your technique, as well as highlights of interesting ingredients are sprinkled throughout. Even if you read only through the Ingredient Spotlights, Technique 101s, and other quick tips you’ll end up a better cook, which will inspire you to unleash your Kitchen Creativity.

In addition, each recipe is prefaced by a mini-essay from Chef Izard, sharing how she was inspired to create the recipe in question, often with suggestions on how to modify it for your own tastes. It is these recipe introductions that give Girl in the Kitchen it’s own unique seasoning. Chef Izard’s personable, cheery personality shines through and inspires you to do some kitchen experiments yourself. And you know how much I encourage Kitchen Creativity!

For those who like to actually read cookbooks, this one has plenty to offer you: well-written, personality-driven introductions to every recipe, highlights of interesting ingredients spiced with Chef Izard’s personal experiences, and helpful tips on cooking techniques such as peeling chestnuts, sautéing cauliflower, and infusing butter.

And if that isn’t enough, every recipe comes with a wine or beer pairing suggestion, explaining what about that particular beverage makes it a good match, so you can find a substitute should the scenario arise.

What Didn’t Work for Me

The one flaw the book has is its duality. It wants to be a book for home cooks, featuring common, seasonal ingredients. And for the most part, it does this, but you have to read the recipes and ignore the fancy, gourmet names to discover this. And, yes, there is the occasional exotic ingredient — but always with tips on how to find it.

Basically, my recommendation is: Don’t let the high-quality photography and high-class restaurant recipe names intimidate you. This cookbook is approachable and inspirational for amateur home cooks.

Beyond her personality, Chef Izard’s fondness for seafood and asparagus are quite apparent. Every main chapter has at least one recipe featuring asparagus and there are a wide variety of recipes featuring shrimp, scallops, and fish. I’ll admit that I’m not a fan of asparagus, and I’m very finicky about seafood.

Recommendation

Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats, and Drinks is an excellent addition to the library of any home cook who enjoys reading about food as much as preparing it. It offers you the best of both worlds: good food writing and creative kitchen inspiration. Still worried about soiling the high-quality paper? Stash the dust jacket in another room, open the book to the page you want, and gently wrap it in plastic wrap!

Rating for Girl in the Kitchen

[one_fifth] thumbs up [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth] thumbs up [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth] thumbs up [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth] thumbs up [/one_fifth]

[one_fifth_last] thumbs up [/one_fifth_last]

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.
Available in both Kindle and hardcover versions.

Categories
Healthy Living

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee — the beverage so many don’t even feel human without. There are downsides to drinking too much, but did you know that in moderation there are health benefits, as well?

How often have you heard the half-true jokes about how no one should speak to a certain person until they’ve had their morning cup of joe? Coffee is a huge part of our culture. So popular that you’ll often find coffee shops across the street from other coffee shops! Even fast-food restaurants serve the beverage.

Yes, too much caffeine (the addictive chemical found in coffee) can cause health problems. But, you’ll be glad to know that this beverage does have health benefits, as well — you may be a little surprised at what those benefits are. By the end of this post, you just might find yourself running to your local Le-Vel Thrive cafe for a latte.

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee improves energy and makes you smart

The benefit of a morning brew that we all know already is that it makes us wake up. The reason for this is that coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant which is absorbed into the bloodstream and then the brain. It blocks a neurotransmitter called adenosine and when this happens we release dopamine which makes us feel happy and awake.

In turn, this can make us smarter and improve memory because our brain is able to work much more efficiently.

Be careful though, not all people can tolerate the stimulant effect. So don’t overdo it!

Java can help you burn fat

Did we just hear the sound of thousands of people cheering? Was that you?

Yes, it’s true. Drinking a cup of joe can help you to burn fat, and in turn to lose weight. The way it works is by speeding up our metabolism by up to 11%, which can help us to digest food better and therefore burn fat more efficiently. This is why you’ll often find caffeine in diet pills.

Coffee helps your physical performance

Caffeine comes into play again in the form of our nervous system. In the same way, as caffeine stimulates brain activity, it also stimulates the nervous system. This subsequently sends signals to fat cells to break them down as we exercise. Drinking a small cup of java 15 minutes before you work out can help your body during the workout.

A cup of joe contains some good stuff

Coffee isn’t just caffeine in water, it also contains a lot of micronutrients which can be a huge help to the overall function of our bodies.

One cup contains:

  • Magnesium and niacin: Together these nutrients are associated with improved energy and metabolism, heart health, and preventing diabetes.
  • Manganese and potassium: Manganese is an essential nutrient involved in many chemical processes in the body, including processing of cholesterol, carbohydrates, and protein. Potassium is necessary for the heart, kidneys, and other organs to function normally.
  • Riboflavin: Also known as vitamin B2, is an essential component of two major coenzymes that play major roles in energy production; cellular function, growth, and development; and metabolism of fats, drugs, and steroids.
  • Plantothetic acid: Another B vitamin (B5), this nutrient is among the most important of the B vitamins for the basic processes of life and is associated with energy production and fat metabolism.

Coffee lowers the risk of Type II Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the more severe of the two types and is caused by spikes in blood sugar levels which cannot be controlled by insulin.

The reason for this is unknown at the moment, but coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing diabetes. It could have something to do with sugar being metabolized more quickly, but it is unknown exactly the reason.

Coffee could protect you from Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a disease which is caused by the cells in the brain prematurely deteriorating. It is a condition which affects many people all over the world and is the main cause of dementia in older people. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, however, you can reduce the risk of developing this disease in the first place by drinking coffee. Because coffee stimulates the brain cells, it can also keep them healthy — leading to a lower risk of deterioration.

But Exercise Caution with Coffee

Yes, there are health benefits to drinking your morning latte, but like anything, overdoing it can cancel those benefits out. And, of course, not everyone will react to caffeine in the same way. In fact, caffeine has been known to put me to sleep! Also, many caffeine-containing beverages, including coffee, are acidic which is not so good for people with reflux disorders.

A cup of joe a day could keep the doctor away, but too many cups can put you in the doctor’s office — or emergency room — if you’re not mindful of what you put into your body.

[divider]

[one_third] Healthy Eating Worksheet [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

Download Now [/two_third_last]

Categories
Recipes

Healthier Holiday Cocktails

Healthier Holiday Cocktails

With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, I thought you might like some suggestions for cocktails you can toast the coming year with. Yes, I know, you could easily grab a bottle of something pre-made that comes from the shelf. But pre-made drinks are usually very high in sugar. If you had a healthier option, would you give it a try? Take a look at these healthier versions of your favorite holiday cocktails.

Healthier Holiday Cocktails

Rosemary Gin Spritz

Simplicity is one way to make it easy to have a healthier drink. Clear alcohol with some lighter mixers helps keep the calories down and can often make digestion easier. Just be sure to read the labels.

Ingredients

  • 1 large shot of gin
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 3 ounces soda
  • 1/4 tsp honey
  • Fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions

  1. Mix together gin, lemon juice, and honey. Add in soda. Serve with 2-3 pieces of rosemary to garnish.

Winter Holiday Ocean Breeze

If you’re looking for something that can give you some much-needed refreshment, then the winter holiday ocean breeze might be the absolute best drink for you. This drink is wonderfully festive and is great for your urinary tract.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces vodka
  • 2 ounces club soda
  • 1/2 ounce quinine simple syrup
  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice (pink is more festive)
  • A few pomegranate seeds
  • 3 mint leaves, sliced
  • Crushed ice

Directions

  1. Combine vodka and club soda in a glass.
  2. Add simple syrup, grapefruit juice, pomegranate seeds and mint. Stir.
  3. Add crushed ice for a fast chill.

White Sangria

Sangria is a favorite for all sorts of functions and get-togethers. It is usually made with a red wine and fruit chunks, but is there a way for this classic drink to get healthier than that? Yes, it can! This sangria recipe will definitely raise some eyebrows and impress some guests. It comes out best when it’s made in a large quantity, so grab a punch bowl and some plastic wrap.

Ingredients

  • 1 apple, sliced
  • 1 pear, cut into matchsticks
  • 2 bottles of sauvignon blanc (or use Gewertraminer for a sweeter sangria)
  • 2 cups frozen mango cubes
  • 3 clementines, wedges separated
  • 1-1/2 cups vodka

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Let it sit for the night, then stir it up and serve.
Categories
Recipes

Light Lemon Cookies

Light Lemon Cookies

When you want a tart and fruity cookie, these light lemon cookies are perfect. They are a type of snickerdoodle cookie that uses lots of lemon for soft and chewy cookies.

Light Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1-3/4 cup Splenda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 tsp lemon flavoring
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Zest from one lemon
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

  1. Cream butter and sugar.
  2. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.
  3. Add lemon juice, lemon flavoring, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.
  4. Mix in lemon zest.
  5. Add flour and mix until combined. The dough should be thick and crumbly.
  6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.