Roasted Garlic and Cayenne Kale Chips

I've been in the kitchen experimenting again, and surprise surprise, I've got another winner. In the past I've made kale chips with lacinato kale or dinosuar kale as it's sometimes referred to. The flatness of this type of kale doesn't allow for chunky nut mixtures to stick to it very well -- which is what I was going for with this recipe.

Lately, I've been buying the curly kale chips. And trying out all the different flavors has been fun and delicious. However, I don't like that they're so darn expensive. Shelling out $7 or $8 for a tiny package just won't be happening on a regular basis for me. So, what's a gal to do? That's right ... make her own. And I've done just that.

Check it out.

Ingredients:

5 stalks curly kale
25 raw almonds
1/2 lemon
roasted garlic seasoning
cayenne pepper
coconut oil (or olive oil)

Directions: Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. Place parchment paper on baking sheet, set aside. In a food processor, pulse almonds until they reach a course meal consistency. If you don't have a food processor, try a blender (though you may need to use more to get it to blend). You can also place almonds in a sealed plastic baggie and beat with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to get a similar consistency. Whatever you do, don't skip this ingredient. It gives the chips a great heartiness and helps make them a filling snack.

Wash kale and trim from stalks. Cut kale into chip-sized pieces. Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, almonds and seasoning. Take the lemons and squeeze all the juice onto the kale. Mix thoroughly. Place kale on baking sheet with the parchment paper. Place in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Now for a little secret! At this time, turn off oven and leave kale inside until oven cools. This helps make them extra crispy without overcooking them.

Enjoy!


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Recipe: Herb Roasted Root Vegetables

When I was a kid, the thought of eating unfamiliar sounding vegetables was worse than thought of the boogeyman that I swore lived under my bed.

A turnip? What? Um, no. Beets? Excuse me? Um, no again.

Let's face it, we like what we like. And we usually like what we're familiar with. Even as a more open-minded adult, I still find myself raising my eyebrows at foods that aren't in my regular rotation. Yup, before I tried nutritional yeast, it got a giant one-eyebrow raise (think, The Rock's People's Eyebrow).

But at least these days, I am willing to try anything once. (Well, most things. I probably will never know what lutefisk tastes like. And I'm OK with that.)

But vegetables can be really tasty, especially when roasted. The process allows the natural caramelized sweetness to come out and can make for a delicious side dish or snack.

I took a variety of root vegetables: turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots and beets. I stuck them in the oven with some thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper and was pleasantly surprised when the family gobbled them all up.

Root vegetables contain loads of fiber, vitamins and minerals that keep our bodies functioning well. Not to mention, most tend to be slower-digesting carbohydrates that keep our insulin levels stable while keeping us full for a long period of time.

Beets are particularly awesome because they contain betalains which not only give them their bright color, but also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The betalains also trigger enzymes that bind and neutralize toxic substances in the body allowing them to exit the body.

Now, it should be noted, that though root vegetables are healthy and contain many vital nutrients, you shouldn't go all crazy when eating them. I mean c'mon, it is possible to eat too much of something -- even healthy items. They are higher in starchy carbohydrates, which should be limited. Just make sure you keep your portions in check.

If you're in a rut of eating the same 'ol stuff, give this recipe a try. You'll be happy you did.

Check it out.

What you'll need:

beets
carrots
sweet potatoes
turnips
olive oil
dried thyme
pepper
sea salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with foil. I recommend using a cookie sheet or some other shallow baking pan/dish. Using a deep roasting pan doesn't give the same effect. Trust me, I've tried using a deep baking dish. While still tasty, you don't get the "roasting" result of browned and caramelized vegetables.

Slice vegetables in any shape you like (except the beets, I'll explain those later). I find that 1/2 inch to 1 inch thickness works well. Take some olive oil on a pastry brush and lightly coat the vegetables, on both sides. Then lightly sprinkle the seasonings over both sides.

Or use the method pictured below by adding about (I eyeball it, so I don't have exact measurements), 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper and thyme to a plastic baggie. Add the vegetables, seal bag and massage oil mixture evenly onto vegetables. Repeat until done with all vegetables. You may need to make another oil mixture depending on how many vegetables you're using.

Place the vegetables on the foil lined cookie sheet. Be sure not to overcrowd the sheet, don't let the vegetables touch each other.

Now, for the beets. As pictured below, place beets with tops sliced off in foil. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme to beets. Completely seal the beets inside the foil.

Place all vegetables in preheated oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes, turning the cookie sheet lined vegetables once. The beets may take a little longer. To check beets, test with a fork. If fork tender, then they are done. If you have to put any pressure to get the fork to go through, cook a little longer.

Enjoy!

Resouce: Dr. Weil

Cacao Protein Pudding

If you're looking for a new way to add a little more protein into your diet, this is just for you. Sometimes protein shakes can get boring. And there's only so much boneless, skinless chicken breast one can stand.

Here's your solution -- a little bit of almond milk, protein powder, chia seeds, some cacao powder, and you're all set.

A little bit about some of the ingredients:

Almond milk is my non-dairy milk choice -- you can use whichever you like. I try to avoid as much dairy as possible because it can be difficult to digest and, I can really do without the fat it contains.

Chia seeds are a great source of protein, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and fiber. The thing that is really cool about chia seeds is that they are gelatinous. They are the secret ingredient that makes this pudding, well ... pudding. When the seeds come in contact with liquid they expand and become gel-like.

Cacao is different from cocoa, in that, it is less processed and has a high concentration of antioxidants. It also contains protein, fiber, essential fats and minerals. If you're going for a chocolate flavor, might as well get the added nutritional benefits, right?

Here's the recipe:

1 cup almond milk*
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon cacao powder
3 tablespoons chia seeds

Directions: add all ingredients into a blender and pulse on a low speed for a few seconds. -- just long enough to break up the cacao powder. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator overnight. The longer it sets, the more the mixture becomes like a pudding.

*For this recipe, I would suggest using original almond milk versus unsweetened almond milk. The cacao powder is a little bitter and the small amount of sugar in the original almond milk will help balance that out.

Enjoy!

Healthy Snack: Sticks and Dip

When you're trying to think of a healthy snack, I'm sure carrot and celery sticks are one of the first things that pops into mind. While those are good choices, you don't have to stop there. Make it a little more interesting than that.

Branch out a little. Any raw veggie is a good snack -- well, most are. I don't know if you want to eat raw potatoes.

I put together a variety of sticks: cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, and of course, the beloved carrot. I also whipped up a quick and easy vegan avocado dip to go along with it -- because let's be honest, eating veggies alone can be a somewhat ... "blah."

If you're looking for healthy options to have between meals, give this a try.

Check it out.

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 carrot
1 cucumber

Dip:
1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon plain coconut milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 lemon, juiced

Cut the peppers, carrot and cucumber into sticks in the size of your liking. For the dip, scoop out the avocado and add to a food processor. Add the yogurt, dill, salt and lemon juice. Pulse until it forms a smooth consistency.

Enjoy!

Are Rice Cakes a Healthy Snack?

Photo by Mary Thompson via Flickr

Rice cakes seem like a healthy food choice. They are low in calories, fat and they're made from rice. Seems like a great option, especially if you get the plain brown rice variety, right?

Wrong.

I'm not a fan of rice cakes. Rice cakes are a high glycemic index food.

During processing, the fiber that was once in the rice is stripped down. Fiber is what we need to keep our blood glucose levels stable when consuming carbohydrates. Many rice cake brands have absolutely zero fiber and other brands have a tiny amount. But that tiny amount usually comes with twice as many carbohydrates.

You may be thinking, "So. I'm not afraid of some extra carbs."

We have to be careful of our consumption of starchy carbohydrates while trying to lose weight. And these refined processed carbs are not what you want to eat. You would basically be eating sugar. And sugar makes blood glucose levels skyrocket.

When these levels are spiked, the body is more prone to store fat. Eating a rice cake is not like eating rice. If you eat rice, your blood glucose levels do not increase as sharply as they do when you eat a rice cake.

Additionally, rice cakes are not filling at all. You may intend to eat only one, but will probably end up eating several, just to feel full.

Let's not even talk about the flavored varieties of rice cakes: butter, caramel, chocolate, cheddar, etc. I'll just say this -- all of that added sugar and those artificial ingredients are not good for our health or weight loss.

If you're looking for a healthy snack, opt for high fiber foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, apples, pears, oranges or strawberries -- to randomly name a few.

Healthy Snack: Gourmet Guacamole

Last weekend, a friend of mine and I went out to dinner for her birthday. We went to Barrio Queen in Scottsdale, AZ which is known for its small authentic gourmet tacos. The tacos were great, but what I really loved was their guacamole. It was fantastic!

Our server brought a cart filled with little boxes containing all types of ingredients from tomatoes to serrano chili peppers to our table. Then she created a fresh and delicious bowl of guacamole right in front of us. I remember thinking, "This isn't your average guacamole." The fact that it had cubed pieces of avocado and dried cranberries in it, really stood out. 

It didn't take long -- a couple bites, when I decided that I would make my own version of it at home. I love going to restaurants and finding something I really like and being inspired to make my own version.

The main difference in my version is the tortilla chips. The restaurant used yellow corn tortillas. In my version, I use organic blue corn tortilla chips. The starch content in blue corn is lower than that of yellow corn chips, which results in less of a blood sugar spike. Keeping your blood glucose levels as even as possible helps prevent weight gain. And I prefer organic corn because most corn products that are not labeled organic, are made from corn than has been genetically modified (GMOs), which I try to avoid when possible. 

Here is the recipe. Check it out! 

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

1 Roma tomato

2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

1/2 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

3-4 shakes sea salt

3-4 shakes hot sauce*

Organic blue corn tortilla chips

Open the avocados and slice lengthwise and crosswise so that when you spoon it out, it comes out in small cubes. Add the tomatoes, onion, cranberries and salt. Mix well. Lastly add lime juice and hot sauce and toss lightly. Serve with tortilla chips. 

The guacamole makes about 4 servings. 

*Instead of hot sauce, you can use any type of fresh pepper. I didn't have any on hand when I put this together, so I used hot sauce instead. 

Enjoy! 

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt

Every now and then a craving for something salty might take over you. It's so easy to grab a bag of chips out of the vending machine or throw a bag in your cart while you're grocery shopping. I get it. Sometimes you need a little salty snack.

Hubby has a salt tooth, so I'm often trying to find healthy salty snacks for him. I'm overjoyed that after much trial and error, I've finally perfected my sweet potato chips recipe to something he'll like.

The chips are baked, of course -- making them a healthy alternative to the average white potato chip that's fried. Sweet potatoes are a good swap for white potatoes because they have a lower glycemic index rating, which indicates that your body is less prone to turn them into fat. Also, they are high in fiber, making you feel fuller longer.

Next time you want some chips, throw a batch of these together. Your stomach and waistline will thank you. Check it out.

Ingredients:
1-2 sweet potatoes
Himalayan sea salt (or regular sea salt)
100% pure olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash sweet potatoes. I like to keep the skin on, but if you prefer, go ahead and peel them. Using a mandolin's super thin slice plate, slice potatoes. If you don't have a mandolin, you can cut the potatoes by hand. I recently discovered mandolins and am so happy I have one. It makes slicing so much more precise. Also, it saves you time and stress.

Using a wire rack -- I just used the wire rack from my roasting pan and flipped it upside down -- line potatoes, making sure they don't touch. Using a wire rack of some sort is essential and is the secret to good sweet potato chips! I've tried placing the potatoes flat on a cookie sheet and they just don't come out right. Lightly spray each side of the potato slice with the olive oil spray. Shake salt evenly over the potatoes.

Place wire rack on a cookie sheet (so the wire rack won't fall through the oven rack) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Ovens vary, you just want to make sure the chips are cooked and that you remove them before they burn. Keep your eye on them, burning happens fast.

Once done, remove from oven. Let cool for at least 5 minutes to allow the crunch to set in.

Enjoy!

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 15 Say No to 100-Calorie Snack Packs

Photo by Horia Varlan on Flickr

Cookies. Cupcakes. Brownies. Cheese crackers. Ice cream bars. Peanut butter bars. And even soda. You name it -- and there is probably a version of it that you can get in a package of 100 calories. But just because you can get junk food in smaller quantities, that doesn't make it better.

You may be gasping right now and thinking "it's only 100 calories, that's not bad."

It's still junk food. And it is filled with non-nutritive calories like sugar, saturated fat and additives.

In a previous post, I talked about why sugar is bad for us -- sugary foods are addicting, lead to fat storage and cause unstable blood glucose levels which is a risk for diabetes.

Additives are bad because they are non-food, often toxic substances that lead to weight gain. Many processed foods contain some form of the additive MSG which oftentimes is unidentifiable because it is contained in ingredients such as glutamic acid, calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate and flavorings -- to name a few. MSG is an excitotoxin which interferes will brain function. These substances have been linked to lepin resistance. The hormone leptin is the fullness hormone that tells our brain when we are full and can stop eating.

So, what does this mean? When sugary and additive filled food is consumed (like cookies, cupcakes, soda, etc.) the more it is craved. And when that happens, without having some serious willpower, more is eaten which leads to weight gain. It's an on-going cycle of want more -- eat more -- want more -- eat more, until you have to force yourself to stop eating the food.

Ever have a serving of chips and want more, not necessarily because you were hungry for more, but just because you craved it? The same applies to the 100-calories snack packs. Who can really just eat one package?

The 100-calorie snack packs are probably even worse. Because you think you're making a better choice, and may end up eat two or three packages in a sitting. You may be thinking "oh, it's OK, they're only 100 calories." But those calories add up. And if you've eaten three packages, that's 300 non-nutritive calories you've consumed that only detract from your health and sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Eat fresh fruit, nuts or seeds instead of snacking on junk food. You'll feel full and satisfied -- which is what you want when you're trying to loose weight.

Resources:
Documentary: The Gerson Therapy
Mercola 

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 12 Prevent Impulsive Junk Purchases

Photo by www.healthaliciousness.com

Ever been out and your stomach starts howling and you become lured by the ever-present fast food restaurants that line most streets? Or maybe you're sitting at your desk and the image of the office vending machine keeps flashing in your head? Prevent making a bad decision by always having a healthy snack on hand.

Whenever you leave the house, make sure you have some easily accessible snacks available. I always make sure I have some raw almonds or a piece of fruit stashed in my purse for those instances when I'm out longer than expected and I find myself starving.

Some examples of healthy snacks that travel well are: bananas, apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines and bags of strawberries, blueberries, grapes, almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

If you plan properly, you put yourself in a better position to succeed in your weight loss pursuit.

Note: I no longer recommend store bought protein bars or any variation of health bars. Many are high in sugar and fat which makes them really comparable to candy bars. Furthermore, because they are a packaged good, they will almost always contain some type of preservative (a non-food substance). Foods that have non-food substances should be avoided.