Delicious and Nutritious – Healthy Habits

Today I am going to start a little series about healthy habits. (Note that they will be in no particular order, and they may or may not be consecutive… basically just whenever I want to share about health, fitness, or nutrition.) So having said that, here is a delicious recipe for fresh juice that is just packed with vitamins.

We have been doing this every day pretty consistently for over a year now. About two weeks after we started juicing every day I noticed that I was not really getting headaches anymore. Seriously…. I used to get headaches fairly regularly. Now, I don’t even remember the last time I took something for a headache. 

 

Anyway, here are the portions that I use to juice for two people:

- About 4-5 pretty big carrots

- A big chunk of beat (this is hard to describe because the sizes vary so much) and you can juice the stems too!

- 1 lemon (if I am using organic lemons I just cut it half and juice the whole thing, skin and all)

- 1 Apple

- 2 big leaves of Kale

- Fresh ginger (I do a lot of ginger because I love it, but I started with about a chunk the size of the tip of your thumb. I have since progressed to the size of about two full pinkies)

These are my staple ingredients that I always have in the house. Sometimes I will add spinach, cabbage, or celery if I have any.

I am by no means a nutritionist. However, I do know that vegetables are good for me and I happen to be pretty handy on google. So here are a few health benefits of the aforementioned ingredients. This list is by no means exhaustive; there are many more wonderful virtues to be found in these items.

Carrots possess vitamins A, B, C, and K, potassium, Fiber, beta-carotene, and good carbohydrates to fuel your body. Also an amazing cancer fighter!

Beets are loaded with: Potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid. Purifies the blood and prevents cancer.

Kale is high in fiber, iron, vitamin K, antioxidants, vitamin A, it is an anti-inflammatory, and it can help lower cholesterol.

Ginger is an amazing root which contains magnesium and zinc, it is good for inflammation and your digestion, strengthens immunity, and is an excellent remedy for motion sickness.

Lemons are also amazing cancer fighters. They alkalize your body, are rich in vitamin C, and possess many antibacterial properties. That is only a brief beginning to how good they are for you. Plus they make the juice so yummy!

Apples possess nutrients and antioxidants that reduce the risk of developing hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

A lot of these are common knowledge but these are only a few of the amazing benefits that eating (and drinking) what God made can do for you.

Test it for a week. The nutrients that you get from this combination will likely give you more energy and make you feel better!

A few of the articles I quickly pulled from if you care to study a little more for yourself :)

livestrong.com

foodmatters.com

medicalnewstoday.com

A Little Home Cooking

Today’s blogathon prompt is a super easy (and very useful) one. Share one of your favorite recipes.

I find a lot of great recipes on Martha Stewart's website. Now my favorite recipes are those that are in the crock pot, simply because I can prepare in the morning and dinner is ready whenever. However, this recipe that I am going to share is not a crock pot recipe. But it is a great one to have in your cookbook. It is simply my favorite because:

1.      Both my husband and I love it.

2.      It is a very tasty and healthy option. 

3.      It only takes as long as the rice takes to cook, with about twenty minutes of hands on prep time. 

4.      I usually keep these ingredients on hand. So it is a great back up meal if you hubby is over spaghetti :) 

5.      It is packed full of fresh garlic and ginger. Who doesn’t love that?

 

• 1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (or some other thickener)
• 1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled
• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 Large egg
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil

1.     Cook rice. Meanwhile, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.

2.     In another bowl, whisk together egg, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.

3.     In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Lift half the chicken from egg mixture (shaking off excess), and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet).

4.     Add snow-pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with rice.

What is your favorite go-to meal? I always love finding new recipes. Link Below!

The Perfect Dessert

No need to continue reading if you are guilty of any of the following:

1. You are not interested in tasting the most delicious bit of heavenly chocolate oozing from your own individual remekin (its late and that just rolled off my finger tips... I am just going to go with it).

2. You are not interested in a dessert that is both ridiculously easy and impressive for dinner guests. 

3. You are not interested in eating. Period. 

Otherwise, trust me, you want this recipe in your life.

  

Because of my recent trip on the high seas, I was inspired by Carnival's signature dessert. The amazing and delicious chocolate melting cake. Now that I make my own... I have heard it rivals carnival's quite well.

• 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
• 7 eggs, divided use
• 6 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of flour

Step One: Melt the butter and the chocolate in a double boiler (or if you are like me and don't have one, put a bowl into a pot with water in it. DIY double boiler).

Step Two: Beat four of the eggs with the sugar until combined.

Step Three: Add the flour to egg mixture, beat well.

Step Four: Add remaining three eggs.

Step Five: Combine chocolate mixture with egg mixture

Step Six: Pour batter into remekins (should make six)

Step Seven: Bake for 13-18 minutes depending on the wellness you prefer. We like ours pretty gooey... but not like soup. About 13 to 15 minutes up here in the altitude.

And voila, there you have a delicious, impressive, and easy dessert. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you want to taste perfection.

I have just given out one of my favorite dinner party recipes.... oh well. Now everyone will know how easy it really is to impress my guests!

Oh My Goodness... Make This!

I am just sorry that none of you could have smelt the delicious pumpkin aroma coming from my kitchen this evening. Bread pudding is one of those heavenly creations that could easily force an individual to wear stretchy pants every day. And pumpkin bread pudding.... you may as well buy yourself an assortment of leggings because you will be wearing those bad boys a lot. 

This is a super fun dessert idea for the holiday season. I love me some pumpkin pie, but it is also fun to change it up a little. And its so easy! Five minutes of work time, an hour in the oven, and you will be delving into carb heaven.

·   Butter, for baking dish

·  1 baguette (8 ounces), sliced 1/2 inch thick

·  4 large eggs

·  1 quart half-and-half

·  1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

·  1 cup packed light-brown sugar

·  1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice

·  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toast the bread in the oven for about twenty minutes while you add all of the other ingredients to a medium bowl. 

Add the bread to your pumpkin mixture and let it soak for twenty more minutes so the bread can become all juicy and puffed with pumpkin. 

Pour bread mixture into a buttered 9x9 baking dish. Bake at 300 for 60-70 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Heap on some vanilla ice cream (if you choose to take it to that extremely delicious level) and enjoy!