Whole Millet Pancakes

My mother in law makes these with whole spelt, and they are amazing!  So light and fluffy...  But since we try to avoid gluten, we make these with whole millet instead.  Still just as tasty :)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. whole millet/spelt

• 1 c. milk (DF milks work well)

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 c. applesauce OR 1 banana, pureed

• 1 T. honey OR maple syrup

• ½ t. salt

• 1 T. baking powder

• 2 T. ground flax

Directions:

1.   Soak millet/spelt in 2 c. water for 8 hours.

2.   Drain millet/spelt; add ingredients to blender and blend till smooth.

3.   Heat pan over medium heat, grease with butter or coconut oil, and add ¼ c. batter; cook until bubbles start to form.  Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown.

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

I found this recipe a while ago, and now I can't find it anywhere...  I made some modifications to the original version, and now it's one of our family's favorites!  It always hits the spot.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chicken/vegetable broth
• 1 cup carrot juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 small bunch asparagus, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, chopped
• 4-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1-2 handfuls spinach, chopped (opt)
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (opt)
• 1 cup chickpeas/canellini beans, drained and rinsed (opt)

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa with broth, carrot juice and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is translucent. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
2. While quinoa simmers, preheat oven to 425. Toss prepared veggies with olive oil, and salt/pepper to taste. Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes.
3. Add roasted vegetables, spinach, almonds and white beans to cooked quinoa. Toss to coat or until well combined. Enjoy!

You can use whatever vegetables you want, and as many or as few as you wish.  Green beans work well, as does broccoli.  This makes for a wonderful side dish, and the addition of almonds and beans makes it a great vegan meal.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!  *B

Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Organic Pasta

[source]

Nowadays there's a plethora of gluten free products available at your typical grocery store.  Except Target.  I don't know what their problem is...  Anyway, I've tried quite a few different pastas out there and the Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Organic Pasta is by far our favorite.  I recommend it to anyone and everyone, whether or not you're gluten intolerant.  It's that good!  *B

Freedom Pasta (cheese-free macaroni)

I have to admit that I'm quite proud of this recipe: it's tasty and versatile.  We've found that butter doesn't seem to bother us as much as cheese or milk... but if you're sensitive to dairy of any sort, simply substitute your favorite vegan spread and you're dairy free!  And while you're at it, swap out the chicken broth and replace it with vegetable broth and you've got yourself a vegan meal!  Serve over gluten free pasta and you've got yourself a peace treaty ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, cubed (1/2 c.)
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. hummus
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/4 c. rice milk
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• salt & pepper, to taste
• couple dashes of nutmeg
• 4 c. unprepared macaroni (or any noodle pasta)

Directions:

1. Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and melt.
2. When butter starts to bubble, add the pumpkin puree and stir until well combined.  For added depth/flavor, (if you want) you could wait until the butter starts to brown before adding the puree.  Just be careful not to let it burn!
3. Simmer the pumpkin for a couple of minutes before adding the hummus.  Stir well and simmer for another minute.
4. Carefully whisk in chicken broth and bring sauce to a simmer.
5. Add rice milk and seasonings and whisk well.  Allow sauce to simmer until desired thickness/consistency.  Remove from heat and cover.
6. While sauce simmers, fill a large stockpot full of water.  Add enough salt until water tastes salty.  Bring pot to a rolling boil.  Add pasta and a couple tablespoons of olive oil and stir.  Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook pasta until done, but still firm.  Stir and taste noodles every few minutes for doneness.
7. Remove from heat.  Drain cooked pasta and return to pot.  Add sauce and stir until well combined.  Serve warm.

If you're using gluten free pasta, be careful not to overcook or you'll end up with super mushy noodles that fall apart easily and end up resembling polenta.  But also be careful not to undercook the pasta, or else you'll have a crunchy bowl of noodles to munch.  Growing up in an Italian household, I've never prepared pasta according to the package.  I prefer to taste-test my noodles for doneness, and I always end up with perfect noodles, regardless its gluten content.  If your noodles are done before your sauce is, you can add them back to the pot and add a little more oil so they don't clump together.  Once your sauce starts to cool, you'll notice it thickens up real fast.  This is why it's best served warm; not because it tastes better or worse, it's simply a matter of thickness preference.

I've made this a few times now, and both free and captive (?) eaters love it!  We typically pan-fry some chicken sausage to throw in with the pasta, too...  And just FYI, my mother-in-law raved about this dish when she had it, even going so far as to say it's one of the best mac & cheese dish she's ever had.  And there's not even cheese in it!  It really is a satisfying dish full of flavor that everyone can enjoy!  *B

PS- This makes a HUGE batch of pasta, enough for four adults and two children (and maybe seconds for some).  So feel free to halve the recipe.  Or instead of tossing the sauce and pasta together you can spoon the sauce over individual servings of pasta.  Or make the sauce as is and freeze any sauce that you don't use and save it for next time!  Like I said, it's versatile ;)

Slightly Nutty Green Drink

My green drinks all have one thing in common: their hue.  But each one has a very distinct flavor all their own...  This one is smooth and nutty, and very satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. rice milk
• 1 T. almond butter
• 2 handfuls baby spinach, frozen
• 1 banana, frozen

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen spinach or banana, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

I love to drink this one sometime between lunch and dinner, right when those afternoon munchies hit!  It always hits the spot.  *B

Energizing Green Drink

Growing up my mom would occasionally make us a green drink with parsley and spinach.  I loved them!  But she never had a specific recipe (she never does).  So I came up with my own... In college, my friends/roommates were seriously disturbed with my blended beverages, and none were brave enough to try them.  I think they might have attempted an intervention of sorts, they were that worried about me.  During my final year at school, I made a green drink as part of a presentation for my classmates.  Most tried it, and several liked it.  Take that, roommates!  And thank you mom for raising me proper :) 

Ingredients:

• 2 c. pineapple juice
• 1 T. chia seeds (opt)
• 1 handful fresh parsley, trimmed
• 1 handful baby spinach, frozen
• 1 tiny cucumber, peeled & frozen (about 4 inches)
• 1 celery stalk, frozen

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen veggies, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

The pineapple juice makes for a really sweet drink, but balances nicely with the rest of the ingredients.  If you don't like parsley (Mandi), then replace it with another handful of spinach.   If you don't like cucumbers, substitute zucchini.  If it's too sweet for you, try it with half juice and half water.  Just make it work for you... Because if you're feeling sluggish and need a little fresh pick me up, this oughta do it!  *B

Super (Green) Smoothie

This green drink is the husband's favorite, and I don't blame him!  It's sweet and satisfying, and full of green goodness :)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. rice milk
• 4 oz. vanilla yogurt
• 1 T. natural peanut butter
• 2 handfuls of spinach, frozen
• 1 frozen banana

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen bananas or spinach, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

PS - the kids love it, too.  *B

My Go-To Green Drink

I will have you know that I've been drinking green drinks since my teens (many thanks to my mother), and I've been making them since college.   Apparently it's all the rage nowadays, as even Jamba Juice is making veggie smoothies.  But, I will have you know that mine taste WAY better!  Seriously, my coworker (who is always such a willing guinea pig) told me that she tried one that had bell peppers in it.  Bell peppers?!?! Seriously.  Anyway, she told them theirs are yucky and mine are yummy.  She literally told them that mine are better!  Because they are.  True story.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. apple juice
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 T. chia seeds (opt)
• 1 carrot
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach, frozen
• 1 frozen banana

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen bananas or spinach, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

I have a few more versions up my sleeve, so stay tuned!  But this particular recipe is the best for converting vegetable haters to the green side.  Honestly, my kids (and meat obsessed husband) love them.  No joke, they request them!  They really do crave them...  And some most days it is the only way I can get anything even remotely green into their picky little (big) mouths.  I make it, and they drink down it.  It keeps them healthy (and regular), and even makes them smile.  And there's nothing better than a green smile.  *B

Super Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

I might be biased, but these are amazing!  What can I say, I like my cooking ;)  But, I will have you know that my husband will eat three before I notice and yell at him.  And my coworkers will hoard them, and fight over the last one.  And my husband's coworkers will beg him to share, and make him promise to bring more.  So, I think it's safe to say that these are indeed pretty tasty... and very aromatic!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. agave nectar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/3 c. unbleached white flour
• 1/3 c. wheat flour
• 1/3 c. wheat germ
• 1/2 cup oats (thrown in a blender until fine)
• 1/2 T. gluten
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ground cloves
• 1/4 t. allspice
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 2 dashes of nutmeg
• 1 dash of black pepper
• 1/2 c. walnuts (thrown in a blender until fine)
• 1/3 - 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Add chocolate chips (and nuts) and toss.  Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Fold the dry into the wet, being careful not to over-mix.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.  Bake at 350 for 22 minutes.

These smell sooooo good.  They smell great before you even start baking them!  And it only gets better in your mouth.  Seriously, the spicy aromas coat your mouth and nose with Autumnal goodness.  Like I said, amazing.  And what's even more amazing is that these are healthy!  They easily have twice the amount of fiber of your normal pumpkin muffin.  They have 1/3 less sugar, too.  And they're made without any oil, shortening or butter.  Moist, fragrant, and deceptively delicious.  Like I said, amazing.*B

how to cook tofu, part I

I made tofu this week.  It was ok.  I've never been a huge fan of the stuff, but I'm determined to find a way to make it more palatable!  My husband thinks it's a waste of time, but I love a good food challenge... so I'm going to document my tofu experiments in hopes of enlightening myself, and any others who might feel similarly ;)

This week I decided to just pan fry it.  First, I drained and rinsed an extra firm block of tofu.  Then I got my cookie sheets, paper towels and canned food.  And then I pressed those puppies good!  Next, I cut them up into little cubes and tossed them into a hot skillet with a little butter... I figured they could use a little fat.  And nothing makes food brown beautifully like butter!  I may be a nutritionist, but I know when to admit the benefits of butter.

So, the tofu browned up nicely.  And the texture wasn't too bad.  Flavor was ok, but that's probably because we drowned it in peanut butter and soy sauce!  So my next tofu adventure will include freezing and boiling.  And thus concludes the first of our tofu series.  *B

Blueberry Smoothies

This sweet drink is FULL of antioxidants and potassium.  So good, and so good for you!  Just the way I like 'em ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. grape juice
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 frozen banana
• 4 handfuls frozen blueberries
• 1 handful of spinach (opt)

Directions:

1. Combine grape juice and water in a blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.

Tip: if you're a part-time lover and a full-time friend of fresh spinach, you can extend its shelf life by freezing it raw!  I like to buy a bunch or two of spinach, trim off the stems and give them a good rinse.  I end up rinsing them three times to get all the sand and grit off of them...  You can buy fresh, prepped spinach in a bag, too.  Then just stick as much as you can into a large ziplock bag and pop those green beauties in the freezer.  Break off handfuls when you need them (great for smoothies or soup).  So, go green and freeze those leaves!  *B

Granola Rounds

I love granola bars.  Let me clarify: I love good granola bars.  And good granola bars are usually pretty pricey.  Enter homemade granola bars!  Except these are not so much bars as they are round... But have no fear, what they lack in way of angles is by no means related to how they taste.  Because they taste totally awesome :)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. oats
• 1 c. raw almonds, chopped
• 1/2 c. shell-less sunflower seeds
• 1/2 c. ground flax seed OR wheat germ
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 c. agave nectar
• 1/4 c. natural peanut butter
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. vanilla
• 1 c. dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Toss oats, nuts and flax/wheat germ in bowl; transfer to large, ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every five or so minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, add brown sugar, agave, apple sauce, peanut butter and salt and heat over low heat until all ingredients are well combined.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.
3. Lower oven temp to 300.  Pour dry oat mixture back into bowl; add cranberries and sugar mixture and mix until everything is well coated.
4. Using 1/3 c. measuring cup, spoon wet oat mixture into muffin tins and pack tight (I use the bottom of the measuring cup and my fingers).  How full you pack your muffin tins will determine how thick your granola rounds turn out... I only pack mine half full, which leaves me with some leftover granola that I just bake on the baking sheet, alongside the granola rounds.  Or, pack them full and you'll have no leftovers, only thick granola rounds.
5. Bake at 300 for 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick your rounds are and how chewy/crunchy you want them.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool COMPLETELY before devouring.

These are perfect for snacks or meals on the go...  Full of fiber and protein to give you the energy you need, minus the sugar crash and cavities you can certainly do without.  Now that's what I call well-rounded (oh yes I did)!  *B

Beth's Better Bread

I'm not one for baking... BUT, I've been trying to change that as I search for tastier ways to sneak whole grains to my family.  Also, I'm pretending that Fall is nigh, which makes me want to bake.  Plus, there is something magical about the oven.  I love (and prefer) the stove top, but there's nothing that makes me feel more homemakey than when I bakey ;)

I have yet to master baking bread in the oven.  BUT, I believe I have mastered it in the bread machine.  Please tell me that gets me at least one brownie point! Anyway, it's too hot here to turn the oven on for very long.  At least, that's what I keep telling myself.  The real reason is I'm too lazy to do all the necessary steps to make a loaf of bread.  Enter bread machine: it's like a crock-pot, for bread!  Love it.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. white, unbleached flour
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. wheat germ
• 2 heaping T. vital wheat gluten
• 1 c. warm water
• 1/8 c. rice milk
• scant 1/3 c. agave nectar
• 2 T. applesauce
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. active dry yeast
• handful of sunflower seeds (without the shells, in case you were wondering)

Directions:

1. Combine flours, wheat germ and gluten together and set aside.
2. Combine water, milk, agave, applesauce, and salt and pour into bread pan.
3. Add dry ingredients to bread pan.  Make sure the wet ingredients are covered.
4. Add yeast and sunflower seeds to the top of the mixture.  Insert bread pan into bread machine.
5. Use the following settings: basic cycle, light crust, 1.5 lb. loaf size.
6. When your bread is finished baking, remove bread pan from machine.  Carefully dump out your loaf and allow to cool while resting on its side.

After the bread is sufficiently cool (but still warm!), slice it up and enjoy!  Butter, of course, tastes amazing on it.  Which you can justify using (every once in a while) because you didn't use any oil or fat of any kind when making the bread ;)  I make a loaf a week... I slice the entire loaf at once and stick it all in a big ziploc baggie, with a folded paper towel sheet.  We don't eat a ton of bread or go through it too fast, so I keep it in the fridge.

Of course, everyone's bread machine (and oven, for that matter) is different.  This recipe works wonderfully for me, but feel free to experiment until you get results you're happy with.  I just love homemade bread!  Who doesn't?!  Seriously though.  No nasty preservatives, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no hydrogenated nothing.  Just good, wholesome ingredients that result in a good smelling and good tasting loaf of happiness.  *B

The Not-So-Guilty Brownie Muffin

I DID IT!!!  If I were a dancer, I'd be doing an ecstatic jiggity-jig.  If I were a cheerleader, I'd be doing back-flips and sporting spirit fingers.  If I were a monkey, I'd be waving my arms around and frantically pounding my chest.  I'm not any of those things, but I think you get the idea... I'm just so dang thrilled with myself!  And success has never tasted so sweet ;)  Voila! my twist on chocolate muffin/brownies:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1 banana, pureed
• ½ c. sweet potato puree
• ½ c. black beans, pureed
• 1 c. flour blend (white flour, wheat flour and wheat germ, 1:1:1 )
• ½ T. gluten (opt)
• 2 heaping T. cocoa powder
• 2 t. baking powder
• ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• handful of Chocolate chips
• Chopped nuts (opt)

Directions:

1. In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Add chocolate chips (and nuts) and toss.  Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Fold the dry into the wet, being careful not to over-mix.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

These can be made/served as muffins or brownies.  They're full of fiber, protein, AND chocolate!  Sinfully sinless.  Go me!  *B

Rockin' Corn Muffins

I love muffins!!!  Especially good tasting and good-for-you muffins...  And boy, does this corn muffin have it all!  It's savory AND sweet, hearty AND moist.  It basically rocks, but doesn't taste like one ;)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. flour blend (white flour, wheat flour and wheat germ, 1:1:1 )
• 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1/2 c. white beans, pureed
• 1/2 c. corn, pureed
• handful of shredded cheese

Directions:

1. In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Add shredded cheese and toss together.
2. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Fold the dry into the wet, being careful not to over-mix.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.  Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes.

Add a little honey and eat alongside some awesome meatless chili.  Whole grains and incomplete proteins, unite!  *B

Complete Chocolate-Chip Cookies

I LOVE these cookies! They definitely taste healthy, but that does NOT mean they taste bad. They're the perfect little sweat treat. Jam-packed with fiber and protein with the added joy and bonus of chocolate, these cookies are great as a snack or even as a quick breakfast! Give them a try; I bet you'd be surprised ;)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. unbleached white flour
• 1/3 c. wheat flour
• 1/3 c. wheat germ
• ½ t. baking soda
• scant ½ t. salt
• ¼ c. rolled oats
• 2 T. almonds
• 1/2 c. butter (1 stick), softened
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 t. vanilla
• ¼ c. white bean puree*
• 1 handful chocolate chips
• 1 handful chopped walnuts (opt.)

Directions:

1.  Combine flours with wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.  Process oats and almonds in a food processor until fine; add to flour mixture.  Add chocolate chips and nuts and toss. Set aside.
2. Beat butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and white bean puree until creamy.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Drop cookie dough (about 1-2 T.), spaced 2-inches apart, onto nonstick or parchment lined baking sheets.  Gently press cookie dough so it's a little on the flat side, not rounded.
3. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes, rotate sheet and cook another 6 minutes (or until golden brown). Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for two minutes.  Remove cookies and allow to cool on a metal rack.

I will say (out of experience), that the butter is necessary.  But considering all the protein and fiber, I'm willing to overlook the "offending" ingredient ;)  Really, these little cookies are full of so much goodness!  They're my kind of treat.  *B

Breakfast Smoothies

Soooo easy and soooo good for you! A great quick breakfast or snack on its own, but also great alongside a good muffin or quiche -or all three for a true power-house bfast!

Ingredients:

• 1 c. milk, almond/rice
• 1 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 banana
  
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (opt)
  
• 2 handfuls of frozen strawberries
  

Directions:

1. Blend milk with protein powder, yogurt and banana until smooth.
2. Add frozen strawberries and blend until smooth. Slurrrrrp!

You might want to try sneaking some veggies in, too. Try a handful of baby carrots or raw spinach; whatever you can get away with, do it! *B

Quiche a la Queen

I am the self proclaimed quiche queen... Just in case you didn't know ;) These also freeze great and can be used as fillings for breakfast burritos. A very versatile and overall awesome recipe!

Ingredients: base

• 4 eggs
• 1 c. cottage cheese
• 1 c. shredded cheese (Romano/Parmesan is amazing, but cheddar is good too)
• salt & pepper, to taste
• garlic & herb blend, to taste (opt)
  
• dash of nutmeg (opt)
  
• dash of cayenne pepper (opt)
  

Ingredients: fillers

• 1/2 zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 c. chopped mushrooms
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 c. prepared hashbrowns (reconstituted dehydrated ones)
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 c. ham, chopped (opt)
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
1. Beat eggs in large bowl. Mix in cottage cheese and shredded cheese; add spices.
2. You can either throw in all your veggies raw, or you can lightly saute the onion, mushrooms and zucchini in olive oil.
3. Add the fillers to your quiche base and mix together.
4. Pour into prepared/DeMarle muffin pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until set. You could also pour into a prepared square baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until set. Serve warm.

*The first three ingredients are my base in any quiche I make. Vary the additional ingredients (fillers) according to your taste and pleasure. I like mine as a garden veggie quiche (so, minus the ham), but I also make a mean ham and cheese quiche (minus all veggies except potatoes and zucchini). It just depends on what you prefer that day! *B

The Mighty Muffin

These are my favorite of all muffins (even bought ones)! They taste like muffins should: a little sweet yet healthy breakfast alternative - unlike a cupcake ;) You can also make a large batch and freeze them; pull them out later as needed. Awesome.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. flour blend*
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. vanilla
  
• 1 banana, pureed
  
• 3/4 c. sweet potato puree*
  
• 3/4 c. peanut/almond butter (but I HIGHLY recommend the almond butter rather than peanut butter)
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
1. Mix dry ingredients together - add chopped nuts and chocolate chips and toss to coat; set aside
2. In a large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients (sugar is considered a wet ingredient).
3. Fold dry ingredients into wet, just until mixed. Don't over mix.
4. Add 4 T. per muffin cup - make sure to grease them beforehand. Very important. I use butter on my finger and lightly coat the cups. If you have some paper liners, then go with that. DeMarle also happens to make some bake ware that is pure awesomeness, and does NOT require cups, grease or flour... just FYI ;)
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes

*flour blend is equal parts non-bleached white flour, wheat flour and wheat germ. And you can either make your own sweet potato puree, or you can buy baby food! Pureed carrots or canned pumpkin would also work well. My favorite about this recipe is that there's no oil/butter. Yet they're still really moist, thanks to the goodness known as fruits and vegetables! *B

on being crafty

Nutrition really is my passion. I may have several hobbies and many projects that bring me joy, but there is nothing that thrills me more than being healthy. I really do feel like it's my calling in life. I may not be a certified nutritionist yet, but I'm working on it! Now I am definitely not the epitome of health. It's certainly easier said than done. But I'm working on it! However, I get a lot of questions from family and friends on how to eat healthier. So here's a list of my favorite substitutions, tricks and tips:

• There's a lot that worry that changing your eating habits is too expensive. While this is true in part if you're used to eating Mac & Cheese or Top Ramen, for the most part the increase in price is trivial. I think most people assume that eating healthy means you have to buy everything organic or farm raised. While that may be ideal, for many of us (myself included), it's not realistic. Being healthy means eating consciously. Be aware of what you're putting in your mouth. Read the ingredients. Buy produce in season and get yourself a good fruit and vegetable wash to rid yourself of any harmful pesticides, waxes, toxins, etc. Never cook produce in the microwave if at all possible because it zaps all those good nutrients and you're left with nothing but roughage. The fresher, the better. You can also save money by buying frozen fruits/veggies. They were picked while in their prime and are ready to eat. Canned food can also be good (although fresh/frozen is preferred). Be careful though of super high amounts of sugar/salt. Look for canned fruit that sit in their juices rather than syrup. You can also drain and rinse your canned foods before using them.
• Read the nutrition labels. Ingredients to watch out for: Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), High Fructose Corn Syrup (or any corn syrup for that matter) and hydrogenated oils. Also be aware of the order of ingredients. Anything that has sugar or salt within the first three ingredients should be a warning sign. And of course you should take into account the sodium, sugar and fat content. Trans fats are evil. Saturated fats are not so great. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats are preferable.
• Buy food as close to its natural source. For example, pure Maple syrup is much better than butter flavored syrup. Just read the ingredients (do I sound like a broken record yet?) and if you can't pronounce an ingredient, then don't eat it.
• In regards to salads and dressings; beware of fat-free dressings. Like most fat-free items, they make up for the decrease of fat by increasing the flavor, aka. sugar. You'd be better off buying the full fat version and limiting the amount you use. Try mixing your creamier salad dressings, like Ranch, with plain yogurt (up to equal amounts). And always ask for the dressing on the side so you can determine how much to use. I like to dip my fork in it and then stab at my greens. Yes, I'm one of those people.
  
• If you simply can't eat raw veggies without a dip, then try hummus. But don't overdo it either. Hummus may be good for you but it's still high in fat. Good fat is good, but not a lot of it. It's still fat.
• If you're making breads or muffins, try substituting applesauce for oil, equal parts. No joke.
  
• Try substituting plain nonfat yogurt for sour cream. Lowfat cottage cheese is also a good choice. Both are high in protein and low in fat.
• I've had great success in substituting rice milk for cow's milk in many recipes. We're not huge milk fans here...
• Soymilk can be good, but not too much of it. It's overproduced and I tend to question the quality of the soybeans they're using. Soy also has a tendency to have hormone-like effects on the body if used in large amounts.
  
• Ground turkey vs. ground beef. I actually mix the two because my husband prefers the taste of ground beef. So I buy the huge packs of ground meat at Costco and cook it all up that night with some chopped onions and salt/pepper. I then put 1 c. of each mixture into a baggie and pop it into the freezer to save for a later date.
• Mix whole wheat with white. That goes for pasta, flour, or rice (brown with white). It makes it more palatable for the hub, etc. ;) Be aware though that the cooking time varies for different versions of grain.
• I cook my rice in broth. It adds more flavor and I end up doing without added butter.
• When something calls for a lot of butter, I use half the amount it calls for and substitute the rest with olive oil. That way you're balancing fats and taste. And just a little FYI: olive oil does NOT do well at high temperature. So use peanut or coconut oil if you're going to do any kind of frying, etc.
• While you're sauteeing your veggies, you'll find yourself wondering where all the oil went. Don't add more! Simply add a little water or broth (or don't even use oil at all).
• Mix your sugar coated cereal with its plain counterpart. For example, Honey-Nut Cheerios with plain Cheerios, or Frosted Flakes with plain Corn Flakes, etc. You can also add a spoonful of plain yogurt to your bowl (or vanilla yogurt to just plain cereal). Same thing goes for those instant oatmeal packages (I personally HATE oatmeal and can only manage to choke it down in this manner). I also add plain yogurt, slivered almonds, and no-sugar applesauce to my oats. It helps :)
• If you're worried about the sugar content of jams, just chop up your own berries and make a spread; add some honey to taste. Or look for spreads made with juice concentrate rather than gobs of sugar or syrup.
• Don't just balance your meals, balance your entire food intake for the day. If you happen to have cereal for breakfast, then don't have a sandwich for lunch; have a salad with some chicken. Or if you have eggs for breakfast, then go ahead and have a sandwich for lunch. Snacks throughout the day should be nuts, fruit, vegetables, etc. that may be missing from your meals.
• Drink lots of water. Limit your intake of juice --unless it's crafty! And if you are really serious about losing weight, clearing up your skin, having more energy and being generally more healthy, then STOP DRINKING POP! I don't care if it's Diet or not (although that tends to be worse in my book, but I won't expound on any of my personal conspiracy theories right now...). It's a bunch of empty (and nasty) calories that your body DOES NOT NEED. So stop it. Just stop.
• More on water and liquids. Limit your intake during meals. It tends to water down your gastric juices and you won't be able to digest your food as well. So eat first, sip a bit during, and then drink some after you've finished and let it sit for a while. Don't fill up on liquid. Fill up on food.
  
• Limit your salt intake by using garlic/onion powder & herb blends. A little salt is good, like unprocessed sea salt. It helps stimulate the kidneys and detoxify poisons. But a lot is not so good, especially refined salt which contains anti-caking chemicals, potassium iodide and sugar to stabilize the iodine. You'll retain water and find yourself at risk for high blood pressure. So be careful.
  
• While nuts are a good source of protein and fat, most are rancid, and eating a rancid nut is worse than not eating a nut at all. If you can, buy your nuts with their shells still on. And always refrigerate them to keep them longer. This brings me to peanut butter. If you choose to buy natural peanut butter (I'm referring to peanut butter that is made with just peanuts and a little salt and has NOT been hydrogenated), you HAVE to keep it in the fridge. Also, limit your intake of peanuts in general. Peanuts tend to be quite toxic due to the chemicals, fertilizers and the carcinogenic fungus aflatoxin. Eat them sparingly.
• What does sparingly even mean? My good rule of thumb: if you feel like you need it, then eat it. This goes for peanut butter, hamburgers, chocolate, etc. Sometimes you need that iron your body is craving... but moderation is key. And don't eat till you feel sick. Eat until you're satisfied then box everything else up as leftovers.
• If you NEED chocolate every day, then by all means, eat it every day! But don't overdo it. A few chocolate chips or one piece of candy should suffice. Also, choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate. It'll satisfy your craving more and it's richer in antioxidants. No joke.
• Enjoy eating. Chew slowly. Take the time to appreciate the flavors and let your salivary fluids do their job (which, combined with mastication, would be the beginning steps of digestion). And if you cave in to a craving, then enjoy it and move on! We tend to be very emotionally tied to food which does effect our bodies, for good and bad. Psychology and physiology are closely related... so eat well and be happy!
  

And after all is said and done, bless your food. We can try our best to pick the best foods, prepare them the best we can, etc. But we're not perfect and the food industry certainly isn't. So pray. It is my personal opinion and testimony that the Atonement of our Lord and Savior goes beyond saving us from our sins. It is a filler. After doing all that we can do, He comes in and does the rest. So pray for your food. And pray to be healthy.

Working out, on the otherhand, is a completely different story. *B
Thanks to Paul Pitchford’s Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition for the knowledge and inspiration that led me to writing this today. Many of his teachings and/or words are sprinkled throughout this post.