#FitnessFriday #FoodieFriday – Cashew & Date Caramels

Is there something perverse about working out while watching the Food Network? Seriously? Yep, I do it. Ironic much, but I get lots of ideas for new recipes and ways to make what I’m eating tastier and healthier. I’ve lost 25 pounds so far and it’s been with a balance of sound nutrition and exercise. The thing is, if you feel deprived all the time, you won’t maintain your new lifestyle. I’ve been at it for 6 months with this new regimen and I can honestly say I don’t feel deprived. Anyway, one of the things I came across was vegan caramels. VEGAN! you say. Well, I have tried vegan food recently and found it quite tasty, not that I’m giving up the meat. But variety is nice. Plus, caramels are so fattening but these recipes use mostly three ingredients: dates, cashews, and chocolate. Three tasty things. So take a moment to check out these recipes!

https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-vegan-cashew-caramel-clusters/

https://nadialim.com/recipe/healthy-date-cashew-caramel-chocolate-slice/

https://www.veganosity.com/3-ingredient-date-caramel-vegan-and-gluten-free/

Fitness Friday Foodie Friday

April 20, 2018

Eggplant Un-Parm #FoodieFriday #FitnessFriday

One of the things about changing up how I eat is to keep food fresh and flavorful, but healthier. After all, the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to create a lifestyle that you can live with every day.

I always watch a lot of cooking shows and one of the things the chefs mention is building layers of flavor. With that in mind, I tackled an update to one of my favorite meals: Eggplant parmigiana.

Eggplant is tough on several levels. It can be bitter although that doesn’t normally bother me. It sucks up oil like there’s no tomorrow. Plus there’s the frying in the parmagiana essential. So I decided to change it up by grilling and also, by not going heavy with sauce and instead also grilling the tomatoes. The grilling added a great smokiness to the dish that was offset by the tang of the goat cheese I used. I think you’ll love this!

Ingredients

2 medium eggplant sliced into rounds about 1/2 inch thick (I had about 20 rounds when I finished)
5 tomatoes sliced into rounds about 1/2 inch thick (I had about 10 rounds when I finished)
5-6 ounces of goat cheese
6 ounces of a mix of shredded provolone & mozzarella (Bought this pre-shredded and mixed)
4 garlic gloves
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Preheat your grill on high and brush/spray with oil.

Place 1/2 olive oil, garlic cloves, vinegar, parsley and basil into either a blender or food processor. Blend until you have a sauce (kind of like pesto).

Place eggplants in a tray and put about 3/4 of the pesto mixture over the rounds. Toss to coat each one. Place on hot grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes a side. Don’t worry about cooking all the way as you’ll finish this dish in the oven, but don’t undercook. Eggplant is squeaky and unappealing when not totally cooked!

Remove eggplant rounds and place on a tray. You can put two on top of each other for now if you’d like. I used a greased cookie sheet that I later used to bake everything. Why wash more than you have to?

Place tomatoes in the tray and put remaining pesto mixture on them along with remaining 1/4 cup oil. Tomatoes stick a lot more hence the extra oil. Coat well with the mixture and place on hot grill. Cook for maybe 1-2 minutes a side. Don’t worry if they break. Place tomatoes in another bowl and let cool until you can handle.

Put one eggplant round on the greased cookie sheet and top with one tomato round. Add a sprinkle of the shredded cheese mix. Top with another eggplant round. Place 1 teaspoon or so of goat cheese on this layer and top with a little more shredded cheese mix. Enough to cover the goat cheese.

Repeat until all rounds are done.

Cook in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese on top.

Serve with a little grated parmesan cheese on top and a side salad! It sounds like a lot of work, but it really only took about 20 minutes of prep time and it was DELICOUS!

April 13, 2018

Chia Seed Pudding #fitnessFriday #foodieFriday

Today’s post both helps you get fit and hopefully has you trying a new food. Chia seeds are one of the hot new super foods! They are packed with fiber, protein, anit-oxidants, omega 3 fatty acids and iron. For more on the benefits of chia seeds, you can visit http://bit.ly/2IRcyVd.

Today’s recipes are for chia seed puddings, but I also sprinkle dry chia seeds on salad for some added texture and taste. I make my chia seed pudding with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and I don’t add sugar or honey because I usually mix it up with fruit and sometimes a little yogurt. The recipes below show you just how versatile you can be with this superfood! Chia seed pudding will last for about 5 days in the fridge so one batch is enough to last you for an entire week of breakfasts or desserts.

Recipes

Chia Seed Pudding Recipes

March 2, 2018

Caridad’s Guacamole on #FoodieFriday

Long before hipsters and others discovered avocado, Latinos were eating them in droves (when you could find them if you didn’t live in an ethnic enclave). Now avocados are ubiquitous, although I still find it hard to find Florida avocados. What’s the difference? Florida avocados are bigger and have smoother skin. They also have significantly less fat, but the fat in avocados is a healthy fat in the form of oleic acid. In general, avocados have lots of fiber, vitamins, can help reduce inflammation, improve good cholesterol . . . I could go on and on, but you get it. Avocados are good in moderation.

So when are avocados ripe? For the Hass ones which are more common (they are the small bumpy skin ones), don’t rely on color! If they’re brownish they are probably way far gone. Just gently press at the top near where the avocado connected to the tree. If it’s a little soft, that’s good and give it another day or so for it to be ripe. If it is ripe and you’re not ready to eat it, put it in the fridge! It will keep for a week or more in the fridge until you’re ready for it.

We always have a simple avocado salad on Christmas Eve, but one of my fav things to do is to make a nice guacamole with them!

Caridad’s Guacomole

Ingredients

Directions

Place your salt and garlic in a mixing bowl. Mash together with a fork until close to a paste. Then add the oil and vinegar and mix. Add the avocado chunks and mash with a fork, but leave some nice chunks in there. You may want to put in half and mash it well, and then add the second half and only partially mash it. Add the Rotel tomatoes and chiles plus and mix. Add the ripe tomatoes and mix. Finish with adding the lemon or lime juice and Cholula. If you like it spicier, add more Cholula or a shot of Tabasco.

August 7, 2015

2 Ingredient Ice Cream #FoodieFriday

It’s hard to believe. I know. I find it hard to believe as well, but the recipe says that all you need are two ingredients and 12 hours to have homemade ice cream. I am definitely going to have to try this one. Maybe add some mix-ins like crushed Oreos, a Heath Bar or Butterfinger bar. Maybe some strawberries or mango.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks
1 14 oz can condensed milk

Directions

Whip heavy cream into stiff peaks and then fold in condensed milk.

If you want to do any mix-ins, add them now. Place in airtight container and freeze for 12 hours. That’s it. The consistency of this ice cream will be more like gelato I understand, but I can’t wait to try this!

April 3, 2015November 7, 2018

#FreebieFriday #FoodieFriday #Recipe Help for the Weekend

Happy Friday! I’m getting ready for the Easter weekend and one of the things I normally do is bake some goodies for Easter Sunday. There are some traditions, like the Italian Easter Egg bread (see below). But I also like to mix in some new things. To help us all find some new things, here are some freebie recipe books you may want to try out!

Just Desserts by Kemberlee Shortland

9 Types of Copycat Girl Scout Cookies: Your Favorite Copycat Girl Scout Cookie Flavors by Prime Publishing

101 Quick & Easy Cupcake and Muffin Recipes by Victoria Steele

A Baker’s Guide to Chocolate: A Collection of Recipes and Useful Information by Dennis Weaver

Whoopie PiesJul 12, 2013 by Tyrel Ferris and Taleah Ferris

And for those who have some dietary restrictions:

Gluten Free: Desserts – 50 Delicious Gluten Free Recipes For Celiac, Paleo And Gluten Free Diets (Health Wealth…by Charity Wilson

January 16, 2015April 28, 2021

Egg Creams & Business Trips

Sorry for being silent, but I was away on business and it was impossible to blog. The trip went nicely. Business accomplished, delicious Kansas City BBQ tasted and even more awesome, I got to visit with some friends! Of course my little kitten Slate was not happy to see me go and wanted to sneak away with me!

While I was away the topic of egg creams came up. Egg creams are a Brooklyn tradition and include neither eggs nor cream and are quite easy to make! Where does the name “egg cream” come from? Theories abound that it is because fountain sodas of that time sometimes had eggs and cream or that the name is a bastardization of either French or Yiddish words. Regardless, it’s a tasty treat.

Ingredients

1/2 cup 2% or Whole Milk (skim or 1% do not foam enough)
2 tablespoons Chocolate Syrup (Fox’s U-Bet is the most commonly used in Brooklyn)
Seltzer

Directions

Some people will tell you to put the milk in the glass and then add the seltzer, stir and add the chocolate after.

I think it’s more fun to put the chocolate in the bottom of the glass, add the milk and then pour in the seltzer while stirring. What you’ll get is a foamy chocolatey soda that’s lighter than an ice cream soda.

My family used to have a Cuban variation of the egg cream that involves putting about 2-3 tablespoons of condensed (not evaporated) milk in a glass and then adding a cola while stirring. Very tasty also, but very very sweet!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! See you Monday!

Thanks to Jason Perlow for releasing these photos into the public domain.