Quick & Easy Sweet Potato Fries

Yesterday I was in need of a late afternoon snack.  I wanted something more substantial than a cup of yogurt and fruit or a handful of nuts.  I wanted something warm and comforting, so I whipped up a pan of my sweet potato fries.

Here's my trick for making them quick and easy... I wash and pierce them with a fork and cook them in the microwave until almost done.  Be careful not to cook too long or they will fall apart when you cut into fries.  For one small potato I bake about 3 or 4 minutes turning potato over half way through.  Times will vary depending on your microwave.  Not only does using the microwave speed up cooking time, it's also much easier to cut an almost done sweet potato rather than a raw one.  When cool enough to handle cut in to fries.  Then I prefer to fry mine in a skillet, but you could brush with oil and bake them.  I fry in a heaping tablespoon of coconut oil to keep them healthy.  Brown them on all sides until completely tender (if not already) on the inside and crispy on the outside.

I prefer to eat them plain, but you sure could spice them up with your favorite seasonings.  Make them savory, sweet or sweet & spicy.

Busy In The Kitchen... Rustoleum Cabinet and Counter Transformations with Pictures

If you follow me on Facebook you already know things have been crazy at my house for the past two weeks.  Have you ever started out with a small home improvement project only to find yourself in the middle of something way bigger than planned?  That's what happened to me.  My oven went out and in the process of getting a new range it proceeded into a new floor, but you can't put in a floor without painting the walls.  Then we looked at our way outdated cabinets and counters and one thing led to another until our kitchen looked like it had been through a tornado!  Needless to say it meant eating out way too much and no fun in the kitchen!  I am happy to say it is coming together quite nicely.  We are still working on it, but at least I can cook again. Yay!

One of the first things I had to make was my Vegetarian Taco Burgers.  They are so Yummy! ;)  The recipe can be found HERE.

My 2nd big craving is a fruit smoothie.  Will have one to post soon!

Here is a glimpse of the before and after.  We are also doing the laundry room that is connected to the kitchen.  I hope to have everything completed by Thanksgiving...I hope. :)

My very outdated and blah kitchen.  I hate even posting this photo, lol.  You can't see the backsplash thanks to the counter clutter, but it is a very outdated hunter green ceramic tile.  I have been over hunter green for many years. :/  Replacing the cabinets and counters was not in the budget so we opted to do the Rustoleum Cabinet and Counter Transformations.  We chose the cabinet kit in frost and the counter kit in java stone.  The results amazed us!  You can learn more about the transformation kits HERE.   

 Hard to believe the transformation.  Same cabinets and counters...just refinished.  Gives such a fresh new look.  Note the missing drawer pulls.  We had to order them and are still waiting.   We have more trim work and touch up painting to do.  My range hood is a little larger than standard so we had to order it and it won't be in until Dec.  Once it's all complete I will post more photos.  If you are looking for an inexpensive way to update the look of your kitchen...I highly recommend the Rustoleum Transformation Kits.  No, this is not a paid endorsement.  Just my opinion.  With that being said I must add...it does take some elbow grease, time and patience, but it is well worth it!

    

Tropical Breeze Smoothie

If you prefer your fruit smoothies to be on the sweet side...you're gonna love this one.  The coconut manna adds such a rich sweetness that no additional sweeteners are needed.  

It's sweet enough to cure that mid day sweet tooth, but healthy enough to have for breakfast.

Tropical Breeze Smoothie

1 C. water or liquid of choice

1 C. pineapple

1 medium banana

1 navel orange

2 Tbsp. coconut butter or manna 

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 C. ice

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Garnish with shredded coconut and cinnamon if desired.

If you do not have coconut butter or manna you can substitute unsweetened shredded coconut.  

This can easily serve two, but nutritional information is calculated as one serving.

Calories - 517

Fat - 22 g 

Saturated fat - 16 g (a healthy fat from coconut manna)

Protein - 9 g

Dietary fiber - 17 g

Carbs - 78 g
Sugar - 44 g

Creamy Avocado Dip

This creamy dip puts a new spin on guacamole.  It's got a lighter avocado flavor and a creamier texture.  

It's perfect for your favorite tortilla chips.  It also taste great with veggie dippers such as red or yellow bell peppers, carrots or tomato wedges.

This recipe is as easy as it gets.  After mashing avocado with a fork simply stir in remaining ingredients and serve.

I was experimenting with making homemade tortilla chips.  The tortillas behind the dip are brown rice and the front ones are Ezekiel tortillas.  I didn't have any corn tortillas, but they would have been good, too.

Creamy Avocado Dip

1 Avocado

1/3 Plain Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp lime juice

Heaping 1/4 tsp salt

Heaping 1/4 tsp cumin

Heaping 1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/16 tsp or a pinch black pepper

1/16 tsp or a pinch cayenne pepper

In a small bowl mash avocado with a fork.  Stir in remaining ingredients and serve.  

For homemade tortillas - simply brush tortilla with oil (I used coconut oil) and bake at 425 degrees about 7 or 8 minutes until golden and crisp.

Nutritional Information per serving (serves 2) - for dip only (does not include tortilla chips or dippers.  Calculated using 2% Greek yogurt.

Calories - 190

Fat - 15 g

Saturated fat - 2 1/2 g

Cholesterol - 2 1/2 mg

Sugar - 2 1/2

Protein - 6 g

Fiber - 7 g

Sodium - 315 mg

Sweet Chili Salmon

Here is a flavor packed meal that is quick and easy to prepare.  It is full of nutrients, too.   

Salmon - brush with your favorite healthy oil.  Sprinkle with a little garlic powder and seasoning salt or salt substitute.  Brush with sweet chili sauce (I used Mae Ploy from Walmart).  Homemade sweet chili sauce would be a healthier alternative as the Mae Play has quite a bit of sugar.  Bake until it easily flakes with a fork.

Fresh steamed green beans - sprinkle with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper and real butter.

Baked sweet potato - These are a snap to prepare in the microwave.  I added a dollop of coconut oil to mine, but season to your liking.  

Protein Energizer

Here is another smoothie that is loaded with everything you need to keep you full and satisfied.

For today's smoothie I added Vega's Vanilla Almondilla energizing smoothie protein powder.  It's a little pricey so I use it sparingly.  What I like about it is the flavor of the Vanilla.  It's got a refreshing hint of something (some say a hint of lemon).  It's a plant based protein (good for vegans).  One scoop is equivalent to two servings of veggies.  Not to mention 1 scoop gives you 10g of complete protein and 5g of fiber.  When you feel like your smoothie is lacking nutrition this is a quick and easy way to give it a boost.

Protein Energizer  

1 C. plain unsweetened almond milk (or liquid of choice)

1 1/2 C. raspberries

1 1/2 C. pineapple

1 medium banana

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1 C. ice

For an added boost of protein and nutrients make it a green smoothie by adding 1 C. spinach or kale.

Blend in blender until smooth.  

Nutritional Information

This makes 1 big serving.  Of course you can share if you like, but nutritional information is for 1 serving. :)  It might seem like a high calorie breakfast, but remember not all calories are the same.  For those calories you are getting a load of protein and fiber and a good dose of healthy fat.  This smoothie is from real, whole foods to fuel your body.  It will keep you going until lunch.  

Calories - 515

Fat - 9 g

Saturated Fat - 0

Protein - 20 g

Dietary Fiber - 30 g

Sodium - 254 mg

Vitamin A 725 IU, Vitamin C 155 mg, Calcium 626 mg (if using almond milk for liquid), Iron 4 mg.  

Vegetarian Taco Burgers

Not too long ago I made taco burgers for the family.  This is one night I decided to partake of what they were eating (they don't choose to eat like I do...Yet). ;)  Needless to say I have been craving a taco burger ever since.  I knew I needed to come up with a healthy version if I was going to be eating them on a regular basis.  I had some ideas on how to create them, but seriously wasn't sure they would compare to the real thing or if they would be edible.  Well let me tell you...I had no reason to worry!  These babies are ever bit as good if not better than a traditional taco burger...seriously!!  I am so excited because I love them and I know they are healthy. 

Since I wasn't sure how they would turn out... I didn't take pics as I was making them, but will post what I have.

Click pictures to enlarge.

Here is a picture of the filling before adding condiments.  When simmering everything in the skillet...I tried to mash some of the beans and lentils with my spoon.  This makes the texture more like a traditional meat taco burger.  For my condiments I added shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomato, salsa and avocado.  A dollop of plain Greek yogurt would have been good as well.

Here is a close up of the filling

Because regular buns can tend to get soggy I decided to put mine on a toasted sandwich round.  I really liked the texture and crunch of the toasted round.

Vegetarian Taco Burgers - Serves 4

1 C. lentils, cooked until very tender

2 C. black beans

2 Tbsp. coconut oil or oil of choice

1 C. chopped onion

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. water

Add as much black pepper, cayenne pepper, or jalapeno's as you like for heat.  My salsa I added for a topping was already warm so I didn't add any extra pepper.

I don't recommend cutting back on the oil as that helps to give the filling a more realistic texture of a traditional burger that has fat from the meat.  However, if you are counting calories or fat grams, you can, but I can't say how they will compare to the full fat version.

Cook lentils according to package directions.  Only I cooked mine about 4 or 5 minutes longer to ensure they were very tender.  You don't want crunchy lentils for this recipe.

In a skillet saute onion in oil.  When it starts to turn translucent add minced garlic and saute another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add cooked lentils and all remaining ingredients.  Bring to a simmer then turn heat to low and simmer for a good 15 minutes or until filling has thickened and is nice and hot.

Serve on your choice of bun and top with your favorite taco burger toppings.

Nutritional Information for the filling only.  Does not include bun or condiments.  Calculated using Great Value brand lentils.  If using sprouted green lentils add another 60 calories per serving.  

Nutritional Information per serving - for the filling only.

Calories - 299

Fat - 9 g

Saturated fat - 7 g

Protein - 18 g

Dietary Fiber - 19 g

Sugar - 4 g 

Carbs - 45 g

Sodium - 668 mg

The majority of fat in this recipe is from the coconut oil.  I will do a post soon on why coconut oil is super healthy even though it's mostly a saturated fat.

Good Morning Smoothie

Here is a quick and easy smoothie recipe that will leave you full and satisfied.  It is packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats.  See bottom of this post for nutritional information.

With only a few ingredients you can have it whipped up in no time.  

It's not the most colorful smoothie, but it tastes delicious!

I apologize for my food photography.  I have some lighting issues and more than a few things to figure out.  I will be working on that and hope to improve in time.

Recipe

1 1/4 C water or other liquid

1 medium banana

8 strawberries

1 C pineapple chunks

1/4 of an avocado

2 Tbsp hemp seeds

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 c ice

I consider this a single serve recipe, but for some it might serve 2. :)

Nutritional Information for entire blender full

Calories - 434

Fat - 16 g

Saturated fat - 2 g

Protein - 11 g

Dietary fiber - 13 g

Sugar - 39 g (0 refined)

Carbs - 67 g

Sodium - 7 mg

Also has 251 IU vitamin A, 190 mg vitamin C, 66 mg calcium and 3 mg iron.

Yogurt Parfait

Mid afternoon after having a veggie round for lunch I was getting hungry.  I wanted a protein packed snack with a little something sweet.  I decided to whip up something I have on a regular basis...a yogurt parfait. 

Since I'm restricting my refined sugar intake I used plain Greek yogurt, but vanilla would also be good.  I also happen to have a big jar of raw honey that I've been devouring. :)  The walnuts give a nice crunch and add healthy fat and protein.

Doesn't that look Yummy?!  And there's no guilt because it's loaded with good things and void of refined sugar.

This is not really a recipe and I didn't measure my ingredients, but I have put together a recipe for you so I could include the nutritional information.  

Yogurt Parfait

1 C. plain or vanilla Greek yogurt  

1 1/2 Tbsp. raw honey

1 Tbsp. walnut pieces

Layer ingredients in a single serve dish and enjoy!

Nutritional information using plain 2% Greek Yogurt

Calories - 301

Fat - 9 g

Saturated fat - 3 g

Protein - 24 g

Carbs - 35 g

Sugars - 33 g 

(all sugar is natural if using plain yogurt and raw honey)

If you are unsure about what brand of yogurt is healthy I will tell you this...I switched to FAGE not too long ago.  The only ingredients in their plain Greek yogurt is milk, cream and live active cultures.  If you get 0% fat there is no cream.  There is no preservatives, no gelling agents, no anything else and for me that's a plus!  If you only do organic I can't say that I've seen it in that brand.

Don't give up on a real recipe.  It's coming. :)     

Light Lunch Veggie Round

This is not what I had planned for my first food post.  It's not a recipe, but rather something I threw together with what I had on hand for a quick and light lunch.    Substitute with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

I used a whole wheat sandwich round.  In place of using mayo or a sandwich spread I used a garlic and herb cheese wedge by The Laughing Cow.  I have also used plain cream cheese and it is good, too.  For my veggies I used avocado, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber and tomato.  

What makes this sandwich for me is the combination of cheese and avocado.  I like to leave the avocado chunky rather than blending it smooth.

Add whatever seasoning you like.  Since I used garlic and herb cheese I only added some fresh ground black pepper to mine.  If using plain cream cheese I might add a dash of salt and a sprinkle of garlic powder.

Keep topping with veggies until it's to your liking.

This is what I consider a light lunch.  By adding avocado you are getting healthy fat and the whole wheat sandwich round has fiber.  Both of which will help to fill you up along with all the veggies.  I added a side of strawberries and on most days I would have a bowl of Greek yogurt to top it off.

A true recipe coming soon!

WELCOME...

Let me start by saying, "Hello and thank you for stopping by".  I have thought long and hard about starting a blog to share my own personal journey to better health, my favorite better for you recipes and the like.  I do not have a degree in health or nutrition or any special training.  However, through many, many hours of research and reading pages and pages of material, I feel I have a good foundation for the basics of health and nutrition.  At least I have found what works for me and wanted to share it with all of you. 

For me it's all about balance.  I don't claim to be a vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian.  Nor do I eat a completely raw diet.  With that being said I will say that about 75% of my meals are vegetarian.  The other 25% I try to eat lean chicken, turkey and fish and only a small amount of red meat.  I try to eat mostly whole foods as close to their original state as possible.  I have really cut my intake of processed foods and refined sugar (I have a story on that and I will do it in another post).  I guess you could say I'm a self proclaimed "healthitarian". ;)

Since getting serious about my health over a year ago I have lost 17 pounds.  Although I wouldn't mind dropping a few more, my new lifestyle is not primarily about weight loss.  It's about overall health and energy.  About feeling good and staying active the older I get.  Not only do I not count calories or fat, but I can tell you I consume a good amount of fat on most days.  I make sure the majority of my fat consumption is from heart healthy fats (more on why we need fat to be healthy and great sources of healthy fats in a future post). I truly believe you can consume more fat and calories without gaining weight when eating real, whole, healthy foods than when eating a high processed diet.  The wonderful thing about that is you never have to feel hungry!  What I try to pay attention to is the amount of protein, fiber and overall nutritional content as well as the amount of added sugars and unhealthy oils.  

Although I've come a long way since first starting my healthful journey... I know I still have a lot to learn.  No matter how much research I do... I know there will always be more to learn and improve upon.  I guess that's why it's a journey not a destination.   I hope you will check back often or sign up to receive updates via email, become a follower or find me on Pinterest and Facebook.

A side note... some of my information will show up as Bug Junkie.  While I'm new to blogging about health...I've had a paper crafting blog for a long time and that is my paper crafting user name.  Since I still paper craft I am going to leave it as is.  If you enjoy paper crafting, card making or scrapbooking I would love for you to check out my other blog... HERE. 

If you have stayed with me this long... Thank You! :)  My first recipe post coming very soon!