snack – Healthy Little Secret

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016

Healthy Snacking!

So, I’m back. I had a little sabbatical there for the month of December and most of January. I’m sure you all can relate; sometimes the things you love the most are the things you have to give up first. Eeek! My Holidays were wonderful, action packed even! Hope yours were as well.

I do love a snack every now and again. Who doesn’t? I mean the SUPERBOWL is headed here in a week. Who won’t be snacking that day? Sometimes it gets me in trouble, but most of the time I snack to have smaller meals throughout the day. This works particularly well on days where I work out and need to keep the metabolism going all day long. I typically go for something savory in the afternoon—anything from veggies with hummus, a piece of protein, some dip or a little bit of cheese.

A few years back, my husband and I started making our own hummus. It’s 100% better than anything you can buy in the grocery store. Not to mention, our in home version didn’t have all the extra ingredients that store bought processed hummus had. Why not make it at home? It’s simple. Dump in blender, blend and serve! Done.

Last year, I discovered that beans no longer agreed with me. Every time I ate any type of bean, even the smallest amount, I immediately became bloated and filled up with gas (I know, the thing we don’t like to talk about) with sharp pinches of pain in my abdomen. It became so uncomfortable that I decided to take them out of my diet completely. (Enter sad face here.) I’m a bean LOVER. I used to put beans in almost everything. From soups and stews to sandwiches and salads. Chickpeas were my favorite. I’d eat them daily. No joke… right out of the can. I even stewed them at home. I would give up meat for beans, that’s just how much I enjoyed them. So what’s a girl to do? Almost all kinds of hummus are made from some type of bean, mostly chickpeas. What could possibly take the place of the beloved hummus?

I tried to make hummus out of a few other veggies like cauliflower and eggplant, but it wasn’t quite right. And then…ARTICHOKE! Yep, artichokes. They have a similar texture to chickpeas when blended and are full of flavor. And even better… they are considered a SUPERFOOD packed with antioxidants and have been known to have properties to help lower cholesterol and detox the liver. I don’t know about you, but this is a win-win for me!!!

ARTICHOKE HUMMUS
Makes six ½-cup servings

Ingredients:
1 can artichoke hearts (whole or quartered, NOT MARINATED)
2-3 cloves of garlic, cut in half (can use roasted garlic for milder flavor)
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup olive or avocado oil
2 tbs lemon juice (more if you like the tang)
½ tsp salt
⅛-¼ tsp cayenne (optional heat)
Dash of paprika

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.
Blend until desired texture is reached.
If too thick, add additional lemon juice or oil.

Place in bowl and drizzle with a tsp of olive oil and dash of paprika.

That’s it. It doesn’t get any easier. You can use this hummus to snack with veggies, smear on top of fish or chicken or even put in a lettuce wrap.

And don’t forget about your Super Bowl party that’s coming up! This would make a perfect addition to your spread!!!

Snack Happy!

November 20, 2015May 11, 2018

Move over Pumpkin: Sweet Potatoes are here!

There are all kinds of veggies that make their way out during the fall season. Pumpkin is the all time favorite. It’s the king of the fall veggies. Everything turns pumpkin—POOF! Just like Cinderella’s carriage. There’s Pumpkin cereal, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Crackers,Pumpkin Stew, Pumpkin Biscotti, Pumpkin Ice Cream. The list goes on and on. One local market has over 22 varieties of pumpkin flavored products. Yes, 22! Over-kill? Well, I suppose they have to strike while the iron is hot.

For me, the fall is more about subtlety. No need to crack yourself over the head with pumpkin everything so that you’re sick of it by the Thanksgiving Day. Autumn lasts about 60 days. Sixty wonderful days of leaves changing, brisk winds and cozy sweaters. So what’s the rush?

The sweet potato is one of those veggies that doesn’t get its time in the spotlight as it should. It makes an appearance at the Thanksgiving table, but then it’s quickly gone. But why? What’s not to love about the sweet potato? Why shouldn’t they be a part of your healthy lifestyle?

In a one-cup serving, sweet potatoes have the daily recommended value of:
● 214% of Vitamin A
● 52% of Vitamin C
● 50% of Magnesium
● 36% of Copper
● 27% of Potassium
● 26% of Fiber

In addition:
● Has Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients
● May improve blood sugar regulation
● Filled with Antioxidants

Wow…all that and it tastes good! Score!

We’ve eaten sweet potatoes several different ways. Mashed, roasted, fried and even in pie. But what about a delicious breakfast bar? One filled with oats and quinoa?

Behold my Sweet Potato Quinoa Oat Bars. These little delights will have you in love well past the autumn season, well into winter!!! They are delicious, gluten free, and the quinoa is packed with protein to keep you fuller, longer. I can’t think of anything better!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Oat Breakfast Bar
Makes 16-18 Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups quick oats
1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
1 15 oz can sweet potato
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey, raw organic
1/3 cup almond butter (or favorite nut butter-I used cashew)
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon, heaping
½ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp ginger
Optional:
½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
½ cup raisins

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper in the center only. Grease the sides.

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: oats, quinoa, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a second smaller bowl, mash bananas to a smooth texture. Set aside.

In a third bowl, whisk eggs together until scrambled. Add vanilla, honey, nut butter and sweet potato puree; combine. Add mashed bananas to wet mixture and blend together (a spatula works best).

**TIP**Steps 2 and 3 and be combined if using a blender. Add all wet ingredients to blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds on medium speed until all ingredients are combined. The only difference is you will get a smoother texture, since the banana will become pureed instead of smashed.**

Now combine the wet and dry mixtures together. Batter should not be too runny. If it is, add more quinoa or oats until desired texture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until bars are golden brown and firm to touch. Remove and let cool completely in baking pan. Cut into 16-18 squares. May store in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze.

These can easily be made into muffins. I use silicone liners, but traditional liners will work as well. The batter typically makes 16 muffins, but you can make them smaller if you’d like, just reduce the baking time.

These are so easy to make and so satisfying! I usually make large batches of them and freeze.

They warm up perfectly in the microwave, or thaw in the fridge overnight.

Remember to give thanks to the sweet potato as well. Don’t let pumpkin have all the fun!!!

Happy Baking!

August 18, 2015

Skip the Diet! Just eat Healthy!

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be all salads and granola type of foods. It doesn’t mean you cannot have the joys of indulgent foods. I hear that time and time again, I like the food that I like and that’s it. or What’s the point of eating something I don’t want. I just want to enjoy life. But in my opinion, healthy eating is an 80/20 choice, you can have your kale and cake and eat them BOTH! Enjoying healthy options most of the time and savoring those foods that we know should be eaten in moderation, 20% of the time. For me, that’s things like pasta, NY style pizza and wine. (I’m Italian, can you tell!).

Clean Eating has become my lifestyle of choice for the 80% (or more!) of the time. And with that, I’ve taken dieting out of my vocabulary! I no longer eat things like overly-processed foods,rice, flour, deli meats and refined sugar. Dairy is only eaten on occasion. I fill up my plate with fruits, veggies, lean proteins, seeds, nuts and minimal whole grains. For me, beans have taken a back seat as well only due to some digestion issues, but I love them and wish I could eat them. This is my lifestyle and I know I’ve gone wrong in the past over-thinking about the foods I couldn’t have versus thinking about all the foods I could enjoy all the time! It’s not a punishment, it’s a way of life. A better life. I actually feel 100% better when I’m eating healthfully and when I stray on that 20% my body knows it. I’m lethargic, cranky and completely zoned out. It’s a really bad place for me to be. I’d rather eat real, unprocessed foods that are healthful and feel good than eat French fries and feel like crap the rest of the day. Again, that’s why it’s 80/20!

The other thing that has shaped my healthy eating is creating menus for the week. Meal planning has single handedly supported my healthful lifestyle. Not only does it give me a snapshot to what I’m eating for the week, it can support my workout schedule to ensure I’m eating the best foods to give me the energy I need for my more strenuous workouts. In addition to all that, it has actually helped with food expenses in the house. Because I’m creating these menus, I only buy what my husband and I need for the week. No wasted food! It’s awesome.

So what’s in the average healthful day for me? A lot! About 1,500 calories packed with all the nutrition I need. Three meals and two snacks keep me full and satisfied all day long.

For breakfast I usually eat overnight oats. Oats sustain me on my heavy workout days and I feel completely satisfied having them. With only ⅓ cup of oats they are packed with 33g of carbs, 9g of protein and 5g of fiber. It get all those nutrients in just ⅓ cup for breakfast! I top my overnight oats with some strawberries or blueberries (right now they’re in season here) for the perfect morning meal. I add a tablespoon of chia seeds as well to fill me up and keep me fuller longer and because the chia and oats expand so much overnight, I usually split this meal pre and post workout. This is the best breakfast for me to start my day.

For lunch I’ll eat a lean protein with veggies. Usually a salad since it’s been so hot this summer. My favorite right now is arugula with sauteed asparagus and onions, an ounce of feta, tomatoes and two poached eggs. A squeeze of lemon juice tops off the salad. It’s so delicious and keeps me filled up until my snack! (Check out my instagram https://instagram.com/healthylittlesecret/ for the recipe.)

A few hours later, I’ll eat a small piece of fruit with almond butter. Just a tablespoon is all you need to give some extra protein! My other go to snack is a bean free dip that I’ll eat with tons of veggies. Either snack will keep me full until dinnertime. (Spicy Pepper Dip on blog)

Right now in OC we’ve been having a little bit of a heat wave (to put it mildly) so the grill has been my method of choice for cooking dinner. I usually cook wild caught salmon along with kale and zucchini. If you haven’t made kale on the grill you’re missing out. It’s FANTASTIC. A grill basket and a touch of olive oil, garlic powder and salt and pepper to make this easy, light and yummy dinner. (TIP: I make extra salmon for lunch the next day. Nicoise Salad! It’s on my Instagram account as well https://instagram.com/healthylittlesecret/!)

The last snack of the day for me is dessert. Yes, living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean not having something to treat the sweet tooth. For me, that’s DARK chocolate. I’ve found many varieties that are 85% or higher and taste amazing. I usually get an organic bar and I don’t miss the overly sweet chocolates that I was eating before. One or two squares, that’s all that’s needed to end the evening. I don’t have this every evening, but at least 2 nights a week.

Now, after reading my menu of choice, does it sound like I’m not living a life or am being deprived? I’m hoping you’re saying NO right now and agreeing that it sounded yummy!!! And you know what, healthy eating is delicious. Now actually living on this lifestyle I crave things like kale and overnight oats! It’s true. My cravings for pizza are few and far between.

I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries lately about the obesity epidemic we have in the U.S. Many things stood out while watching that I just cannot get out of my head: One, every person that is overweight knows that eating fast and over processed foods are what’s causing their weight and health issues. However, because it ‘tastes good’ they continue to eat it. Two, a man actually said he knows he’s going to die from eating they way he does, but he’d rather die at 55 and not give up his BBQ. DIE! Three, people feel that eating healthfully is too expensive and they’d rather use their money on other things. I just cannot get those things out of my head. DEATH. MONEY. TASTE. That’s more important than HEALTH? What is going on here? Are we that brainwashed?

It’s time to break the cycle. I know it’s difficult. I was on the dieting roller coaster for 10+ years. I eventually snapped out of it and got on the road to health! 80/20, it can be done!

Skip the Diet. Just eat Healthy!

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015

Snack Happy! Spicey Pepper Dip: Bean, Gluten and Dairy Free

I’ve been on this mission to create healthful snacks. I know my body works best when I eat three meals a day plus two snacks in-between. If not, I get hangry and that’s not good a good thing. Never heard of hangry? Well, I can guarantee you’ve felt it! It’s when you’re so hungry you get angry and then become one with the refrigerator!!! ERRR!!! You almost feel a little out of control mainly due to your blood sugar dropping, and you end up eating whatever you see first vs. something satisfying and healthful. I don’t know about you, but I like to save up my calories for something really good and not binge hangry eating!!! 80 healthful and 20% whatever you want. Important not to switch those numbers around and a hangry appetite can do just that!

So the journey began to find a healthful snack. I’ve tried all kinds of homemade, healthful things…but have begun to get bored. Hummus with veggies – BORING! Apple and almond butter – BEEN THERE DONE THAT! Cheese and celery – SNOOZE! Although these snacks are very healthy and could absolutely fill my hunger, I was getting bored with them and found my way into the fridge more times than I needed because I wasn’t satisfied!

Above everything else, my body has decided to reject beans. BEANS. I could live off chickpeas. That means no kind of hummus or bean dip. Ugh, now I’ve really have to think outside the box and figure out something that will cover all my needs: filling, healthful, satisfying and above all not boring. What’s a girl to do?

I recently read a fantastic book called The Beauty Detox Foods and was inspired by all the healthful foods you can have in your life and still be satisfied. (Check out the book if you need some tips on healthful eating. The author’s vision is clean vegan eating and foods that heal the body. Love that! Everything homemade.)

Have you ever had Muhammara Dip? I hadn’t until I picked up the book. It’s a traditional Middle Eastern dip packed with walnuts, red peppers, spices and olive oil. But the author of The Beauty Detox Foods managed to make it healthy by keeping it raw and eliminating the olive oil.

This particular dip totally inspired me to get in the kitchen and test our some new recipes. I’ve toyed around with a recipe for some time now. I love to mix it up and have found my version of a healthful pepper dip. It’s delicious! It’s spicy, tangy, sweet, and is 100% satisfying. Goes with any kind of veggie or you could turn it into a spread or thin it out for a healthful dressing.

The base of my dip is roasted cashews. I’m using cashews for a few reasons. Roasted cashews add a richness to this dip that regular nuts just wont do. In addition, cashews, when ground, give a starchy quality that thickens your recipes without actual starches. It’s great to thicken soups, stews, curries (it’s typically the base of curries) and desserts. The plus is that cashews have great health benefits. They are a good source of Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Protein.

Behold, your new favorite snack:

Spicey Pepper Dip

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted cashews
4 small tomatoes, roasted or grilled
3 hatch chilis, roasted and skinned
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 large lemon)
1 tsp tamari sauce
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Place cashews, sesame seeds, and garlic powder into a high-speed blender. Blend until it comes to a mealy texture, almost paste like. Then add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth!

It’s that simple. A few minutes and you’ve got the base of a healthful and satisfying snack. Think about how great this would be at parties in addition to your daily snack. It’s easy to make in a large batch and with no dairy, it can sit out worry free!

Some things to note:
**This version of the dip is not raw. However, you can change to accommodate raw eaters! Raw cashews, garlic, tomatoes and chilis would be perfect in this recipe.

**I HIGHLY recommend roasting your own veggies. They take about 10 extra minutes to prepare on the grill or under a broiler. The chili peppers I did skin, but the tomatoes I just left whole. If you’re not into that, you can substitute canned fire- roasted tomatoes with green chilis. But again, TRY to roast yourself. It’s super easy, I promise!