Hey guys!
I made this Greek style Quinoa salad for a work potluck the other week and it was a hit.
Quinoa is super easy to make, it is very filling, and easy to add to almost anything. It is one of the highest protein grains (about 14%). It is also a great source of iron and magnesium.
I would recommend quinoa as a great replacement to rice and even pasta in some dishes!
So this recipe was quite easy. I made a lot because it was for a large group...here are the ingredients and steps:
Ingredients:
1 cup of red quinoa
1 cup of golden quinoa
1 cucumber- diced
1 tomato- diced
1 green bellpepper- diced
1/2 a red onion- diced
Just under a 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
As much feta cheese as you like
Greek dressing to taste
Steps:
Boil the quinoa to cook it. It takes 2 cups of water for 1 cup of quinoa. In this case I used 4 cups of water. Once the water and quinoa are boiling, turn the heat to low or simmer. The quinoa is cooked once the water has been absorbed and the quinoa begins to sprout.
After it is cooked all you need to do is toss everything and you are good to go.
Hey guys!
It was my dad's birthday last month, and my mom made a cake that was friendly for his diet. I found this chocolate cake recipe here and it was fantastic!
The glaze was quite sweet, and the cake is so good it doesn't even need a glaze. However, if I was topping it with the glaze I would add less sugar next time. We added the raspberries for decoration. You could add whatever berry you like best and I think it would taste great.
Happy Baking!
Hello lovely readers,
I was sick for a little while last week and wanted to tell you about some of the things I used to help me get better ASAP. I was taking my usual multivitamin and vitamin D, but also added zinc, echinacea, and a powdered antioxidant blend. Of course I drank lots of liquids and tried to rest as much as I could, but I definitely know these other things helped.
I want to focus on zinc though, and tell you guys about all it's great benefits and how good it is for your immune system. There is a link between zinc deficiency and some serious diseases (like AIDS) which makes the symptoms much worse. For something like a common cold or virus, it has been shown to help decrease the duration of the illness.
Not only does zinc strengthen the immune system but it also helps maintain good vision, keeps skin healthy (can help reduce eczema and acne), and helps keep hair strong. It helps wounds heal faster, maintains your taste and smell, and ensures proper growth. Zinc is also associated with decreasing the negative effects of inflammatory diseases.
It is important to note that zinc has been found to be effective in regards to the common cold when you take it RIGHT AWAY! As soon as you feel a tickle in your throat, or start sniffling, or just know you don't feel your best you should take it. The greatest results are seen when zinc is taken within the first day or two of getting sick.
So, you can get zinc in a pill form...I prefer the time release versions, and of course from food!!! Of course it is always better to get it from what you eat, but sometimes it gets tough, and when you're sick you just want a quick fix. Meat is the best source of zinc, and salmon and oysters have high levels as well. If you're vegetarian it is best to get your zinc from nuts and seeds. However, it is very important to remember that it is much harder for your body to absorb zinc when you eat it with veggies that have high phytate levels. This is not to say phytates are bad (they have loads of benefits themselves), and also not to say no zinc will be absorbed by your body, but just something to keep in mind.
You can also get zinc lozenges, which some people really like (personally I really dislike them...make my tongue feel all weird), and they can soothe a sore throat too. I hope this shed some light on how helpful zinc can be, and everyone stay healthy!
Hey peeps!
I want to tell you about this spelt and khorasan (brand name Kamut) blend pancake mix. It is a fantastic alternative to other pancake mixes and tastes great.
So what are spelt and Kamut? They are both types of ancient grains that are slightly better than our modern day wheat.
Spelt has a greater number of nutrients than regular wheat including a wider range and availability of minerals like manganese, zinc and copper. It is also very high in fibre, and fibre has endless health benefits. For more info on spelt visit this website.
Kamut also has a greater selection of minerals in comparison to modern day wheat. It is also one of the grain's that is fairly high in protein. One of the most beneficial things about Kamut is that it is high in selenium. Selenium is excellent in strengthening immune health and has high antioxidant properties. It also contains considerable levels of zinc and magnesium. Furthermore, Kamut is referred to as a high energy grain since it has a higher lipid content compared to other grains. This is great for athletes, busy people on the go, or anyone looking for a little more energy. This website and this one have some more info on Kamut.
Both spelt and Kamut have slightly nutty flavours, but nothing too strong. Making the pancakes were super easy- all you need to add to Anita's Mix are eggs and milk (or water, soy milk, almond milk...you get it). I also added a dash of cinnamon and some vanilla.
They turned out even fluffier than regular pancakes, and were SUPER filling. They were absolutely delicious as well! Next time I'm making chocolate chip and blueberry.
Hey guys!
So I want to tell you about this cool contraption called Yonanas...it basically turns frozen fruit into an awesome ice cream like treat. My family ordered ours from the shopping channel, and it arrived very quickly...I think within a week.
It is super easy to use. There is a motorized base and a chute you attach with a thing to push your fruit down the chute.
You need some frozen fruit that's been in the freezer for at least 24 hours and that's basically it.
We let our fruit thaw for about 3 minutes (we used bananas, blueberries, and mango chunks). Then we put 1 banana down the chute, a handful of blueberries, some mango, and another half banana. We plugged it in and turned it on and voila and frozen masterpiece (kind of)! We made a round with dark chocolate and bananas as well and it turned out great.
The only cons- it is SUPER loud (I guess not really a big con), and some of the fruit does get stuck inside the grinder part...cleaning it is not too bad but you do lose some fruit.
All in all it is pretty amazing; easy, fast, and the treats were delicious.
Hey guys!
So I ended up making the apple chips I had mentioned in my previous post...and they were delicious!
Here are some pics:
This was one HUGE honeycrisp apple, sprinkled with the teeniest amount of sugar and cinnamon.
Some of my slices were a bit thicker since I was in a crazy rush trying to slice the apple so I wouldn't be late to pick my sister up from school.
They were in the oven for about an hour and a half and the majority came out super crispy...like real chips :')
The thin ones were very crunchy and pretty sweet, while the slightly thicker ones were chewier and had a tangier/more apple-y taste to them, but both were super yummy.
Next time I wouldn't include any sugar since they were more than sweet enough.
PS- The one apple made about a cereal bowl sized serving. The bottom picture is only showing about a third of the total.
So I decided to write about apples because I LOVE them...especially honeycrisp apples...so tart, yet sweet, and absolutely delish. Apples are a great snack, healthy, and easy to pair with other foods.
I found a great article here outlining the many wonderful effects of apple phytochemicals. Also, stats from Nutrition Data has the composition of an apple. For example, 1 medium apple is only 95 cals, is a good source of vitamin C and fibre. OK, back to the phytochemicals, (which are basically chemicals in fruits and vegetables that provide benefits to us beyond our basic nutritional requirements) apples have lots- specifically flavonoids. According to the article I had previously mentioned, apples have been linked to help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Apples have also been linked to help with weight loss, and help with asthma symptoms. Quercitin, a very active compound mainly found in the peel of apples, has proven anti-oxidant activity as well. I'm sure some of you are wondering if this stuff actually gets absorbed into your body after you eat an apple, and this is a good question. Phytochemical bioavailability increases when you eat your fruits and veggies with a little bit of fat/oil. The fat helps ensure your body takes up more of these good-for-you chemicals rather than having them leave your body. Processing apples (aka apple juice, applesauce, cider, etc.) decreases phytochemical levels so make sure you eat your whole apple avec peel a day to keep the doctor and chronic diseases away!
Apple Snacks
1. Slice an apple into rounds. Spread each round with a bit of almond/peanut butter and sprinkle with granola.
2. Cube an apple. Put in in a bowl and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir and microwave for another 2 minutes.
3. Slice an apple and have it with cheese.
4. Make apple chips. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 250 F. Thinly slice 2-3 apples. Toss apples in a cinnamon and brown sugar mix. Bake for about 2 hours (the apples slices should look quite dry). Let cool and enjoy!
Ingredients: 
