(This is called a "Workout Smoothie" because it has some protein for the yogurt, unlike the other recipes.)
Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1-2 kiwi
2 cup fresh spinach
1 cup room temperature water
1/2 banana
1 cup collard
Directions: Place yogurt, water, banana, and kiwi in blender. Pulse and blend until smooth. Add greens and blend for one minute or until smooth.
This is my husband's favorite (probably because of the kiwi).
Variations: See Beginner's Smoothie.
***Warning: Do not gulp down a green smoothie! It will give you really bad indigestion because your body thinks you're just drinking a normal liquid. You need to "chew" (yes this sounds weird) it until it warms up and then swallow. Yes, it takes awhile to eat this, but think of all the health benefits you're getting (that you wouldn't have normally gotten.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Fall Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 pear
1/4 zucchini
2 cup kale
1 cup room temperature water
2 inch chunk cucumber
2 Tbls fresh parsley
Directions: Place pear and water into blender. Pulse and blend until smooth. Add vegetables and blend for one minute.
Variations: See Beginner's Smoothie.
***Warning: Do not gulp down a green smoothie! It will give you really bad indigestion because your body thinks you're just drinking a normal liquid. You need to "chew" (yes this sounds weird) it until it warms up and then swallow. Yes, it takes awhile to eat this, but think of all the health benefits you're getting (that you wouldn't have normally gotten.
1 pear
1/4 zucchini
2 cup kale
1 cup room temperature water
2 inch chunk cucumber
2 Tbls fresh parsley
Directions: Place pear and water into blender. Pulse and blend until smooth. Add vegetables and blend for one minute.
Variations: See Beginner's Smoothie.
***Warning: Do not gulp down a green smoothie! It will give you really bad indigestion because your body thinks you're just drinking a normal liquid. You need to "chew" (yes this sounds weird) it until it warms up and then swallow. Yes, it takes awhile to eat this, but think of all the health benefits you're getting (that you wouldn't have normally gotten.
Beginner's Green Smoothie
We had a church activity where a friend introduced me to "Green Smoothies." Basically, it's a way to get your fresh vegetables if you aren't good at eating them regularly. Here are a few that she shared.
Ingredients:
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 banana
1 cup room temperature water
2 cup fresh spinach
Directions: Place banana and chunks of apple with water into blender. Pulse and blend until smooth. Add spinach and blend for one minute or until smooth.
I would say enjoy, but remember you aren't drinking this specifically because it's yummy (think of it as an acquired taste), but because it's healthy for you. :)
Variations: Everyday (if you drink it this often) replace the spinach with romaine, lettuce, cabbage, kale, collards, etc. (If you don't use variety you could develop food allergies.) After a week, cut down the apple to 1/2 or omit the banana and increase the greens by another 1 cup.
***Warning: Do not gulp down a green smoothie! It will give you really bad indigestion because your body thinks you're just drinking a normal liquid. You need to "chew" (yes this sounds weird) it until it warms up and then swallow. Yes, it takes awhile to eat this, but think of all the health benefits you're getting (that you wouldn't have normally gotten.
Ingredients:
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 banana
1 cup room temperature water
2 cup fresh spinach
Directions: Place banana and chunks of apple with water into blender. Pulse and blend until smooth. Add spinach and blend for one minute or until smooth.
I would say enjoy, but remember you aren't drinking this specifically because it's yummy (think of it as an acquired taste), but because it's healthy for you. :)
Variations: Everyday (if you drink it this often) replace the spinach with romaine, lettuce, cabbage, kale, collards, etc. (If you don't use variety you could develop food allergies.) After a week, cut down the apple to 1/2 or omit the banana and increase the greens by another 1 cup.
***Warning: Do not gulp down a green smoothie! It will give you really bad indigestion because your body thinks you're just drinking a normal liquid. You need to "chew" (yes this sounds weird) it until it warms up and then swallow. Yes, it takes awhile to eat this, but think of all the health benefits you're getting (that you wouldn't have normally gotten.
100% Whole Wheat Bread (Bread Machine)
I started with the 100% Whole Wheat Bread recipe that came with my bread machine instruction booklet, but found that I really had to tweak it to work with my machine. This is the result.
Ingredients (for 1 1/2 pound loaf):
1 1/8 cup water
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cup wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast
Add ingredients into your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. My machine says to put liquids in first, flour 2nd to last, and yeast on top (in case you decide to use the delay start). I use the whole grain setting (3 1/2 hours).
A few tips: Measure the oil and then use the same measuring spoon for the molasses - it will slide right out.
I do a little more than 1 cup of water (1 cup was too little, 1 1/4 was too much).
More bread tips.
Variations: Instead of 3 cups of wheat flour, do 2 3/4 cups wheat flour, 1/4 cup ground flax seed, and 1/3 cup cracked wheat (be sure to put the cracked wheat on top of the flour so that it doesn't soak up all the water). I like this variation because it gives the bread texture.
Ingredients (for 1 1/2 pound loaf):
1 1/8 cup water
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cup wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast
Add ingredients into your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. My machine says to put liquids in first, flour 2nd to last, and yeast on top (in case you decide to use the delay start). I use the whole grain setting (3 1/2 hours).
A few tips: Measure the oil and then use the same measuring spoon for the molasses - it will slide right out.
I do a little more than 1 cup of water (1 cup was too little, 1 1/4 was too much).
More bread tips.
Variations: Instead of 3 cups of wheat flour, do 2 3/4 cups wheat flour, 1/4 cup ground flax seed, and 1/3 cup cracked wheat (be sure to put the cracked wheat on top of the flour so that it doesn't soak up all the water). I like this variation because it gives the bread texture.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Homemade Maple Syrup
My parents always made this syrup and I really don't like store-bought syrup. It's too thick and fake tasting. This recipe is great and so easy!
Combine the following in a saucepan
1 cup white sugar**
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
Stir and cook on medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
Allow to cool before you serve because it's very hot. Enjoy! (My husband and I usually triple this because it stores easily in the fridge.)
**For a lower sugar recipe we use 1 cup of Splenda instead of the white sugar.
Combine the following in a saucepan
1 cup white sugar**
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
Stir and cook on medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
Allow to cool before you serve because it's very hot. Enjoy! (My husband and I usually triple this because it stores easily in the fridge.)
**For a lower sugar recipe we use 1 cup of Splenda instead of the white sugar.
Granola
Normally granola at the store is not very healthy and pretty expensive, so I've been wanting to try to make it at home for some time now and finally had time to do it. I did a Google search for granola, looked at about four recipes, and then made up my own.
Granola Recipe
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (I thought my bowl was big, but it was barely big enough):
4 1/2 cups rolled oats (quick oats don't work as well)
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, unsalted (I don't like their taste, so I always skip these.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped almonds (I used slivered almonds, but many people use sliced)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves (optional, but I think it brings out the cinnamon flavor)
Combine other ingredients in a medium saucepan:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar (Splenda also works fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil (some recipes use as much as a cup, but I've done as little as 2 Tbsp and noticed that my granola is just more chunky and crispy)
2 tsp vanilla (or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp mapliene or almond extract)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large cookie with parchment paper. (You can use wax paper, but I found my pans were getting a wax residue and didn't like to think about what I was eating so I splurge for the parchment paper.)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well.
Combine other ingredients in a saucepan and warm (I stirred it over medium heat for a few minutes until everything was well combined and the sugar and salt dissolved).
Drizzle the wet ingredients over the dry, stirring well (everything should be thinly covered with the syrup mixture). Spread evenly onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes to cook evenly.
Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container. (Most websites said it lasts 1 week on the shelf or 3 months in the freezer.)
My thoughts: At first I was surprised when I tasted it because it smelled so rich but is not very sweet. However, once I got over my surprise I decided that I really like it this way.
Serving suggestions: Eat as cereal, stirred in yogurt, or just as a yummy snack. Eat with Crasins, raisins, or other dried fruit.
Variations: Add coconut for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Use honey instead of maple syrup.
Some people suggested using All Bran instead of wheat germ.
My take on this: I was worried that this would be expensive, but I'm lucky enough to have a WinCo Grocery Store near me and they sell everything I needed in bulk. I estimated how much I would need; it was about $3 and I didn't use all of what I bought. This was quite an easy recipe, but does require "tending" since you need to stir it every 20 minutes for an hour.
Making life easier:I always double the recipe, but have to mix it in two bowls because of the large amounts of ingredients. I also use two cookie sheets (some people commented that if you don't spread the granola thin enough then it won't cook and remains soggy). I stir it after 30 minutes, and then 20 minutes and 20 minutes, increasing the cooking time to 1 hour and 10 minutes. I usually throw a bag in the freezer since we don't usually eat it within a week. When my husband is running late for work and doesn't have time for breakfast I send him with granola in a small bowl and a container of yogurt and it makes for a great, easy breakfast.
I used the following recipes to create my own:
Jennifer's Granola (this was my base recipe) (Allrecipes.com)
Megan's Granola (Allrecipes.com)
Easy Cranberry Granola (Allrecipes.com)
Food Network Granola
CDKitchen Granola
Granola Recipe
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (I thought my bowl was big, but it was barely big enough):
4 1/2 cups rolled oats (quick oats don't work as well)
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, unsalted (I don't like their taste, so I always skip these.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped almonds (I used slivered almonds, but many people use sliced)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves (optional, but I think it brings out the cinnamon flavor)
Combine other ingredients in a medium saucepan:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar (Splenda also works fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil (some recipes use as much as a cup, but I've done as little as 2 Tbsp and noticed that my granola is just more chunky and crispy)
2 tsp vanilla (or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp mapliene or almond extract)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large cookie with parchment paper. (You can use wax paper, but I found my pans were getting a wax residue and didn't like to think about what I was eating so I splurge for the parchment paper.)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well.
Drizzle the wet ingredients over the dry, stirring well (everything should be thinly covered with the syrup mixture). Spread evenly onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes to cook evenly.
Serving suggestions: Eat as cereal, stirred in yogurt, or just as a yummy snack. Eat with Crasins, raisins, or other dried fruit.
Variations: Add coconut for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Use honey instead of maple syrup.
Some people suggested using All Bran instead of wheat germ.
My take on this: I was worried that this would be expensive, but I'm lucky enough to have a WinCo Grocery Store near me and they sell everything I needed in bulk. I estimated how much I would need; it was about $3 and I didn't use all of what I bought. This was quite an easy recipe, but does require "tending" since you need to stir it every 20 minutes for an hour.
Making life easier:I always double the recipe, but have to mix it in two bowls because of the large amounts of ingredients. I also use two cookie sheets (some people commented that if you don't spread the granola thin enough then it won't cook and remains soggy). I stir it after 30 minutes, and then 20 minutes and 20 minutes, increasing the cooking time to 1 hour and 10 minutes. I usually throw a bag in the freezer since we don't usually eat it within a week. When my husband is running late for work and doesn't have time for breakfast I send him with granola in a small bowl and a container of yogurt and it makes for a great, easy breakfast.
I used the following recipes to create my own:
Jennifer's Granola (this was my base recipe) (Allrecipes.com)
Megan's Granola (Allrecipes.com)
Easy Cranberry Granola (Allrecipes.com)
Food Network Granola
CDKitchen Granola
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bread Tips
I love homemade bread! If I never had to buy store-bought bread again I'd be happy. Here are some tips I've found:
-Spray the bread with cooking spray to keep the crust moist (other recipe books have suggested brushing with milk or butter, but I've never tried this).
-Slice your bread with an electric knife (turkey carver). It helps to not crush the bread and is so much less work (but does have a tendency to spray the crumbs further).
-Especially for bread machine bread, I've found it best to allow the bread to cool and then bag it up for a few hours before slicing. This softens the crust, keeps the bread more moist and also seems to help the flavor.
-Again, for bread machine bread, I often (thinly) slice off the bottom of the loaf because it is pretty tough. If you use an electric knife this is pretty easy to do without wasting a slice of bread. For breads with thick crusts I often trim the sides as well (the top is always fine).
-Store homemade bread in the freezer unless you plan to eat it in a day or two. It will taste fresh whenever you pull it out to eat it and easily defrosts in a fridge in a few hours. We make our sandwiches all at the same time and freeze them so it makes it much easier to prepare lunches for the work day.
-Spray the bread with cooking spray to keep the crust moist (other recipe books have suggested brushing with milk or butter, but I've never tried this).
-Slice your bread with an electric knife (turkey carver). It helps to not crush the bread and is so much less work (but does have a tendency to spray the crumbs further).
-Especially for bread machine bread, I've found it best to allow the bread to cool and then bag it up for a few hours before slicing. This softens the crust, keeps the bread more moist and also seems to help the flavor.
-Again, for bread machine bread, I often (thinly) slice off the bottom of the loaf because it is pretty tough. If you use an electric knife this is pretty easy to do without wasting a slice of bread. For breads with thick crusts I often trim the sides as well (the top is always fine).
-Store homemade bread in the freezer unless you plan to eat it in a day or two. It will taste fresh whenever you pull it out to eat it and easily defrosts in a fridge in a few hours. We make our sandwiches all at the same time and freeze them so it makes it much easier to prepare lunches for the work day.
Whole Wheat Bread
I finally found a whole wheat bread recipe that raises well, but doesn't take all day. I found a recipe on recipezaar.com and adjusted it for my needs (they seemed to have changed website host and their recipe a bit, but this is the closest I could find).
2 cups milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
a little sugar (about 1/2 tsp)
about 7 cups whole wheat flour
cooking spray
In a Pyrex measuring cup, warm milk and butter in the microwave for about 3 minutes (don't let it boil or it will kill the yeast). While this is warming up, add yeast to the warm water. I like to add a little bit of sugar so that the yeast will foam and I will know if it's working (this will take a few minutes). When the milk is warm, add in salt, brown sugar, and molasses. Pour milk mixture and yeast mixture into a mixer. Mix until blended and add flour one cup at a time. When the dough begins to get thick change to a dough hook (around 4-5 cups of flour added). Continue to slowly add flour until dough pulls away from the sides (make sure dough is still moist) and allow mixer to knead your dough for a few minutes. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Pour dough into bowl, turn over (so that some cooking spray is now on top), cover and allow to rise for one hour (or until it doubles in size).
Spray two bread pans with cooking spray. Divide dough into two parts and place in bread pans. Allow to rise for one hours (or until doubled in size).
Preheat oven to 375. Cook on middle rack for 35-40 minutes (do not under cook).
Remove bread from pans, spray with cooking spray (to keep crust moist), and allow to cool.
Unfortunately, I don't think I have any pictures because I have started using my bread machine to make bread now, but I LOVE how well this rises and tastes delicious.
Changes I made:
-I found that the original recipe made the bread a little dry, but adding the molasses really helped that.
-The original recipe says to heat the milk in a saucepan, but I always had to keep a close eye on it so that it wouldn't get too hot. Then my mom suggested that I should just use the microwave and I knew she was a genius! :)
-I always halve the salt in recipes and my husband never complains about that in my baking (even though he loves salt).
2 cups milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
a little sugar (about 1/2 tsp)
about 7 cups whole wheat flour
cooking spray
In a Pyrex measuring cup, warm milk and butter in the microwave for about 3 minutes (don't let it boil or it will kill the yeast). While this is warming up, add yeast to the warm water. I like to add a little bit of sugar so that the yeast will foam and I will know if it's working (this will take a few minutes). When the milk is warm, add in salt, brown sugar, and molasses. Pour milk mixture and yeast mixture into a mixer. Mix until blended and add flour one cup at a time. When the dough begins to get thick change to a dough hook (around 4-5 cups of flour added). Continue to slowly add flour until dough pulls away from the sides (make sure dough is still moist) and allow mixer to knead your dough for a few minutes. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Pour dough into bowl, turn over (so that some cooking spray is now on top), cover and allow to rise for one hour (or until it doubles in size).
Spray two bread pans with cooking spray. Divide dough into two parts and place in bread pans. Allow to rise for one hours (or until doubled in size).
Preheat oven to 375. Cook on middle rack for 35-40 minutes (do not under cook).
Remove bread from pans, spray with cooking spray (to keep crust moist), and allow to cool.
Unfortunately, I don't think I have any pictures because I have started using my bread machine to make bread now, but I LOVE how well this rises and tastes delicious.
Changes I made:
-I found that the original recipe made the bread a little dry, but adding the molasses really helped that.
-The original recipe says to heat the milk in a saucepan, but I always had to keep a close eye on it so that it wouldn't get too hot. Then my mom suggested that I should just use the microwave and I knew she was a genius! :)
-I always halve the salt in recipes and my husband never complains about that in my baking (even though he loves salt).
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