Move over traditional pasta, there's a new noodle in town! ( I really should probably stop trying to be funny...) Yep you heard me right; sweet potato noodles are in the house! Sounds crazy...and kind of weird but tastes AMAZING. I'll be real with you guys I was hesitant at first to give it a shot but I couldn't be more pleased that I did! So similar to the zucchini noodle craze, it seems to be that sweet potato noodles as well as butternut squash noodles and beet noodles have made their way to the grocery store shelves. For all of us gluten haters...or well people who are forced to hate gluten this is fantastic! My favorite veggie has been morphed into one of my favorite dishes -- pasta! Coming from an italian family and those who are aware of the italian heritage know that pasta is a BIG DEAL. It's served roughly 7x a week (no joke) and if it's not a main dish it's certainly a side dish on the dinner table during your casual 5 course meal. As an amateur culinary extraordinaire, I was excited to expand my horizons and take a shot at putting together something [hopefully] great. Although I am a big fan of a plate of pasta covered in a delicious sweet red sauce, I was more in a mood for a little stirfry so I decided to give it a chance. The result : amazing (obviously...kidding). I was so pleased that all the flavors I mashed together, because I literally guess at everything, flowed perfectly and made for a fantastic dish! The sweet potato was cooked perfectly without being too tough, and it actually cooked much better than my zucchini noodles have cooked in the past. Generally with zucchini noodles I cook them in a little bit of water to avoid completely over-sautéing them but I found with the sweet potato that I didn't have to do that at all which was great! Another great thing I found was that the noodles are so extremely versatile. After tasting them I was able to think of thousands of flavor combinations that I could possibly come up with in the future. ALSO I found that it's so much faster to cook my sweet potatoes this way compared to them being cubed and then sautéed...that can tend to take a while unless you jack the heat up to high... anyways enough rambling, let's get to the recipe! Saweeeet Sweet Potato Noodle Stirfry 1.) 1 package of sweet potato noodles (got mine at Hannaford's or you can spiralize your own) 2.) 2 cups of broccoli florets (raw) 3.) 1 orange bell pepper cubed 4.) 1 red bell pepper cubed 5.) 1 medium sweet onion cubed 6.) 1 can black beans 7.) 2 TBSP olive oil 8.) 2 TBSP Gluten free soy sauce 9.) 1 TBSP organic honey 10.) Salt and pepper to taste 12.) 2 cups brown rice (optional) Instructions 1.)First off if you're going to put the stirfry over brown rice I HIGHLY suggest you start cooking your brown rice in your rice cooker well before you start doing anything else (it takes a while) 2.) Chop up/cube your peppers and onions 3.) Place peppers and onions in a skillet with olive oil and sauté on medium-hot heat but do not burn 4.) Chop up your broccoli and add it to the pan once the onions and peppers start to become soft and flimsy 5.) After about 5 minutes or so add in your sweet potato noodles (raw) and cook everything together on medium heat after about a minute add in the soy sauce and honey -- continue to stir 6.) Add salt and pepper 7.) Mix, and after about 7 minutes add in your black beans, putting the heat of your stove down to low 8.) Remove pan from heat and place your stirfry over your brown rice and enjoy!! Quick and easy especially if your rice is cooked before hand, you're done in about 10-15 minutes depending on how fast you can chop your veggies (if your Gordon Ramsey I estimate that it takes you about 2 seconds). Next time I will definitely experiment with a few different spices and sauces... I can guarantee a peanut sauce would taste AMAZING on these noodles (now I am starving...). Well these noodles have definitely made their way up on my favorites list and I am so excited to test out some different variations of noodles, give them a chance! Until next time.... Stay Green, Amanda
0 Comments
I love when birthday's come around in the office...or well someone's birthday in general in which whom I am close with. Why? Because it's a PERFECT excuse to make/create something a little sweet but yet extremely healthy (for the most part...). Lucky for me it was my best friend's birthday! I work with her in my office, so it was the perfect opportunity to whip up a big batch of something sweet for everyone to enjoy without the worry of a high calorie count or being filled with preservatives. Here folks I introduce to you my all organic, healthy, better than Reese's PB cups! I know in my "sugar break" I said I would obviously push away from sugar but that doesn't mean other's can't enjoy them right? Plus with the organic PB I had it was sugar free so WIN! Reese's Peanut Butter cups/products are one of the most popular "candy bars" on the market next to the classic Hersey's bar. Reese's have been an all time favorite of mine since the day I was born...literally. Well that is until I started to pay attention to my diet and the nutritional benefits of my food. I think it's pretty obvious as to why a majority of the planet and I have always been a peanut butter cup lovers...because it is a GENIUS idea to combine chocolate and peanut butter. It's literally the best invention/combination you could ask for , that's all I can say -- true genius. As good as peanut butter cups are, unfortunately most come with consequences such as an outrageous amount of calories, sugar, and chemicals (preservatives). However don't fret, because there is a solution to all of this -- a sweet solution to say the least (I know i'm not clever or a comedian...). With a few substitutions you can easily have yourself a concoction that makes you regret all the dollars spent on Reese's...or not...that could easily be true as well but let's pretend it does make you regret the money spent. Let's cut to the chase because I know you're all DYING to know the secret..honestly probably not because Google exists so you could find this yourself but i'm going to give ya' my recipe anyways! Better Than Reese's PB Cups BASE 1.) 1 cup Peanut butter (organic) 2.) 1/2 cup coconut flour 3.) 1/4 cup organic/pure maple syrup 4.) 1/8 - 1/4 cup agave (don't let the dough become too liquid-y) TOPPING 1.) 1/2 to 1 cup Peanut Butter (organic) 2.) 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (found mine at Whole Foods) Instructions 1.) Line a mini muffin pan (or multiple pants) with mini liners 2.) Combine flour, agave, maple syrup, and PB in a medium sized bowl 3.) Mix with a spatula until dough is formed 4.) I used a 1tsp scoop to scoop out dough evenly 5.) Place dough balls in cups and push down with thumb 6.) In a double boiler melt PB and Chocolate over a stove top 7.) Use that 1tsp scoop again to evenly scoop chocolate into cups over the dough 8.) Once completed with the entire tray place in a freezer for about 90 minutes 9.) TA-DA! Enjoy Easy peasy right? They come out SO GOOD I swear...I did try one... multiple one's. They were a huge hit in the office and didn't break my bank account either compared to buying ingredients to bake a cake or cupcakes. Easy to handle, consume, and enjoy I HIGHLY recommend trying this recipe out! Until next time.... Stay Green, Amanda I promise folks i'll get my Nikon up and running soon so I can actually publish good looking photographs of my food..For now we can just all agree that photo quality does not reflect the quality of the food. I am so proud of myself for these muffins, they came out so good! I cannot take full credit for the recipe because it did somewhat stem from my favorite book "Run Fast, Eat Slow" by my all-time favorite marathon runner Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. Ever since I purchased the book I have been in LOVE. It's a perfect mix of nutrition information for runners as well as fantastic recipes. If you haven't checked it out yet YOU MUST. It will change your life! Any who, in the book there is a recipe for what Shalane and Elyse call "Superhero muffins" (delish by the way!). A truly power-packed, superfood muffin that's absolutely mouth watering, and packed with enough nutrients for a great pre or post long run snack. I love the recipe mostly because it's gluten free and I can snack on a muffin and be satisfied for quite some time. Now in the book, the recipes are not all plant-based. Their muffin recipes do include eggs as well as butter because Shalane and Elyse refuse to restrict their diets and believe in the benefits from organic eggs and butter. For me I used a half and half substitution just because I was nervous with how they were going to turn out at first. So since I was pretty much buried in my home today due to this awful snowstorm we have been receiving all day long (good old New York...), I decided it was a perfect day to put my baking skills to use. The only parts I really kept from the superhero muffins was the base because well like I said it's gluten free and it has been working really well for me since I began my muffin obsession. Nutritious, delicious, and power packed, these muffins will keep you full on your Sunday long run! Recipe for Chocolate PB Power Muffins 1.) 2 cups almond meal 2.) 1 cup rolled oats 3.) 1tsp baking powder 4.) 1tbsp cinnamon 5.) 1/2 tsp nutmeg 6.) 1 cup vegan chocolate chips 7.) 1/2 - 1cup organic peanut butter 8.) 1/2 cup walnuts 9.) 6 tbsp butter (or olive oil/ coconut oil) 10.) 3 organic eggs (or 3 mashed bananas) 11.) 1tsp organic vanilla extract Instructions 1.) Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 2.) Line your muffin/ cupcake tray with liners 3.) In a medium sized bowl mix all dry ingredients (almond meal, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate chips, walnuts) 4.) In a separate bowl mix all wet ingredients ( melted butter or oil, eggs or bananas, vanilla, Peanut butter) 5.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients 6.) Mix! 7.) Distribute mixture to all of your liners 8.) Bake for roughly 30-32 minutes 9.) Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy! Quick, easy, and delicious! I get all of my organic ingredients from Trader Joes, and I go for raw walnuts as well as un-roasted, creamy, un-salted, organic peanut butter. If you feel you might need more sweetness I recommend adding about 1/4 cup chopped dates they give a great flavor and sweetness to the muffins. Give them a try and then try your own combination! Until next time.... Stay Green, Amanda It's Super Bowl Sunday! (Well yesterday was) Which means there was a perfect excuse/opportunity to make guacamole and have all of the ingredients being on sale at Trader Joe's. It's estimated that approximately 12 millions pounds of avocados are transformed into hundreds of bowls of this perfect game day snack. I will forever be thanking the Aztec's for one of the best inventions in the food industry ever (in my personal opinion). According to www.mnn.com, the original name of the concoction was known as "ahuaca-mulli" which translates to "avocado-mixture". The original recipe consisted of avocados, chili peppers, tomatoes, white onion, and salt. Nowadays guac-enthusiasts have become quite creative with their recipes, mixing in various types of spices and herbs such as cilantro. Growing up I had such a fear of avocados (who woulda' known?). I think it mostly had to do with their color and texture that just had me feeling some type of way.... However i've come a long way since my childhood, because now I have developed an obsession with the fruit (yep, it's a fruit!). I put it on salads, toast, grains, vegetables, i've mixed it in salad dressings, pasta sauce, baked goods; you name it and i've probably at least tried it. It's not just the taste that has me addicted, but it's the benefits that avocados can bring to our bodies that has me craving for more. Avocados come packed with vitamins such as: Vitamins K, C, B5, B6, E, Potassium, Folate and slight amounts of Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Thiamine (vitamin A), Riboflavin (vitamin B), Manganese, and Niacin (vitamin B3). I'm sure to some of you that more than half of that list means nothing to you, so i'll explain all of those in another post. These guys also provide about 2 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs with 7g of those carbs being fiber, and the biggest benefit: 15 grams of good fats. So many people (especially females) shy away from fat in their diet when they shouldn't at all! Having a balance of good, healthy fats in your body can actually aid in weight loss, provide energy, and allow your body to recover and repair damaged tissue after intense exercise. The oleic acid from avocados can also help the body fight inflammation which is key for athletes. I've been experimenting with my guacamole recipe for a while, and i've tested almost every batch at all of the mexican restaurants that i've visited in my time. I still don't think i've nailed it completely, but I think I am pretty darn close. I've been utilizing my spices in the last couple batches i've whipped up by adding turmeric as another inflammation aid. My last two times that i've thrown some guac together have definitely been my best ones yet. Recipe for Game Day Guac 1.) 4 small ripe avocados (if making a big batch i'll use large ones) 2.) 2 cloves of garlic minced 3.) 3 Roma tomatoes cubed 4.) 1 red onion chopped (sometimes I use yellow) 5.) 1- 11/2 TBSP cilantro chopped 6.) 1 TBSP cumin 7.) 1 TSP turmeric 8.) salt and pepper to taste 9.) 1 TSP smoked paprika Instructions 1.) Chop all vegetabes 2.) De-skin (is that a real term?) the avocados and mash them 3.) Combine all vegetables with your mashed avocado in a big bowl 4.) Add your spices and then season with salt and pepper 5.) Mix! Wa-la! All complete, my best advice is to test out different combinations of spices and even try different types of salt (I prefer pink himalayan). Pair your guac with your favorite chip and you've got yourself a party! Until next time... Stay Green, Amanda First attempt ever at making chili was a success if I do say so myself! My mother used to make chili when I was a child, and I can remember feeling nauseous as the smell would fill up the entire house (sorry mom...). Simply put, I was NOT a chili fan, mostly because at the time I wasn't a fan of beans either (go figure). Since that young age I had no ambition to ever create any version of a chili dish until recently when I was proposed with the idea of making some chili. Of course however, it had to be vegetarian or there was no way in hell (excuse my french) that this was going to happen. I certainly surprised myself with this one because this chili came out so good! Or maybe it was because it was my first time making it...regardless it was delicious and I will certainly be making more in the future. However there was one downfall to this chili, it was a little more "soupy" than expected so in the recipe below I have negated the water portion of the list. This is so you all don't run into the same issue I did, where I was literally scooping all of the excess water out of the crockpot at the end of the heating/cooking process. Now I have to give credit to not only my mother for the recipe she provided me, but also www.realsimple.com for the additional recipe (I mixed the two and added some personal touches). So if you're down for some good old warm vegetarian chili during these cold winter months check this out! Recipe for Vegetarian Double Bean Chili 1.) 2 cans of low sodium organic black beans rinsed 2.) 1 can of low sodium organic kidney beans rinsed 3.) 1 - 15 oz. container of organic diced tomatoes (water included) 4.) 3 small/ medium sized sweet potatoes 5.) 1 large yellow onion 6.) 4 garlic cloves, chopped 7.) 1 TBSP chili powder 8.) 1 TBSP ground cumin 9.) 2 TBSP smoked paprika (found at Trader Joe's) 10.) salt and pepper to taste Instructions 1.) Place all ingredients in a crockpot, making sure the onions and sweet potatoes cover the bottom before anything else 2.) Turn your crockpot on to high heat 3.) Allow for the crockpot to do it's thing for roughly 4-5 hours 4.) Make sure to stir everything once every hour or so 5.) After everything is soft, turn off your crockpot and serve! BAM! The easiest chili you've ever made, I had poured mine over white rice but i'm sure it's just as good without it so experiment a little. Until next time.... Stay Green, Amanda |
RecipesHere are my Check out my past recipes
January 2018
|