{N}osh…The Little Ones Eat: #AtoZChallenge 2016

Feeding the Little Ones today is much more exciting than yesteryear!   Today we allow the Little Ones to get in there,  roll up their sleeves and unleash their creative juices.  One thing for sure,  if you want to keep the ‘picki-ness’ and the prickly food attitudes at bay,  get those young chefs engaged and involved!

You know, they’ll never turn their

faces up at their creations.

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Instead,  they’ll be nosh-ing everything in sight!

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 In all fairness to the years gone by, there wasn’t the amazing social media outlets that virtually puts cooking with children on autopilot.  Perhaps if there were,  we would have the likes of these nutritious delights:

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Do you have a Little  One who loves to create yummy meals to nosh?

Do tell……

Next. The Letter {O}

Fresh Squeezed

Good Morning Luv-lies

Just a short post this morning.

Have some special things in store for the day- It’s that type of day 🙂

Love it when I get my workout in early.

  Done.

✔ Check.

Past tense.

The weather is great – it’s that kind of day!

Now, I’m having a breakfast dilemma….

Veggies sandwich OR Fresh veggie juice.

Hmmmmm

Stopped by one of my fav home shopping stores and picked up one of these cuties

Can’t wait to use it!

So I guess that answers the question 🙂

Juice it is.

So Luv-lies,

While I’m squeezing all of the  yumliciousness from this fruit, I’ve  Have a few fun facts to share with you about the benefits of this whole juicing thing.

* Okay, let’s start with the obvious.  Juicing fresh veggies and/or fruits gives you a reeeally tasty and NATURAL drink that is especially welcoming after a good workout.  No preservatives.  No sugar. For me, a no brainer. 

* I’m thinking that with all the natural-ness going on, I’ve got to be getting a ton of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and the likes.  You know.  All of that stuff that’s good for us that we didn’t want to think too hard about!  Now if you’re like me, then you scoop up all of the pull left behind. Because pulp equals fiber and (among other things) fiber equals a filing of fullness.  … Mindless eating be gone!

* I can have a good bit of my daily allowance  of fruits and veggies all at once. Yep. How cool is that?  One cup. No lugging tons of fruit around in my, already over packed lunch bag.  No more ‘used to be yellow’ brown bananas or bruised apples.  All in my ‘special’ cup. Which brings me to

* Beautiful cups. Loads of them!. All shapes and sizes. Just to show off my concoctions! I mostly like decorated transparent glass.  Love  the color of the juice peeking through.  Chillin’ on the balcony? Now that, that requires a mug.  More durable and sturdy.  Can’t see the fruity colors (unless I’m standing over it) so much but it’s sooooooo cute to look at

Happy 105th Birthday Momofuku Andos

Good Morning Luv-Lies,

Quick post this early morning.

Google’s done a great 105th tribute to the founder of Ramen Noodles, Momofuku  Andos.

If you, like me, spent your college years:

“Peel[ing] off the lid.

Pour[ing] boiling water into the cup.

Let[ting  it] sit for three minutes.

Stir[ring] well and serve.”

Get yourself right over to Google and help yourself to this celebration! 

 

 

 

Happy World Pistachio Day!!!

Happy World Pistachio Day! Luv-lies

  Here’s a few Fun Facts about the pistachio nut:

~  Native to Central Asia & Middle East, they made there debut in the United States in 1880

~  it is related to the Cashew Nut

~  it is a desert plant

~  In 2013, the City Council of Avenal, California, proclaimed the city to be the Pistachio Capital of the World

~  The FDA says that they help to lower heart disease

~  Americans consume about 45,000 tons of pistachio a year

~  Here’s the ‘FAT’ breakdown:

roughly 14% saturated fat, 54% monounsaturated fat

and 32% polyunsaturated fat. A 1-cup serving of pistachio seeds contains 6.143 g

~  They are antioxidant rich and high in fiber, copper, manganese, and vitamin B6.

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Need more reasons to consume this delicious excuse to eat salt?

 The World’s view of the Pistachio Nut

Here’s some Fun, Fast Pistachio Recipes

How will you celebrate World Pistachio Day?

Do Tell …

‘ You Gotta Eat. Right?’

 

I absolutely LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!  Weight Watchers’  new Big Game Commercial.
It’s fast. It’s visual. It’s provocative. It’s confrontational.
It’s All of the reasons that,  ‘those who love us’,  use to convince us to abandon what we know works.

If you’ve missed it or saw it but it blew by too quickly, here it is- The Uncut version:

I’m glad that they posted it on their Youtube Page.

That way I can watch it again and again and again, so that I can become immune to all of the reasons to sabotage this good thing….

… You Are in Control. Right?

Do Tell…

My Weight Watchers. My Weigh….. I’m On Vacation! : How Do I Stay on Track?

Hello Luv-lies,

It’s vacation season and with all of the things that you have to do before you take that much needed ‘fun in the sun’ hiatus, the last thing on your mind is planning meals that won’t make you feel guilty when your vacay is over.  One thing for sure is healthy food choices don’t have to go by the wayside.

So how DO you stay on plan and still eat well while you’re on  vacation?  Here’s a couple of travel tips for healthy and mindful eating while you’re spending your time poolside.

~ 1 ~

  Ask for Options.

*Because you always have options*

Many hotels and restaurants, aside from their standard menus,   often have a  ‘heart healthy’ menu. And these days,  heart healthy doesn’t have to mean lettuce and carrots!   Feel free to ask that your meals be prepared salt-free.

Substitute extra virgin olive oil or sesame seed oil for butter or margarine.  Have your salad dressing on the side (you already know that trick).  If all else fails, create your own meals by ordering from the ala carte menu (this may be a little more costly than the ‘bundle pack’ meals from the main menu. But …The portion size keep me on track. No-brainer. Right? )

~ 2 ~

Snack Smart.

*Snacking is good. Look at snacks as mini meals that hold you over until the next feast.

 

In an ideal world ( and when we’re not on vacay) we would travel with pre-planned,  snacks that help us stay on plan. But on vacation?   I think not!   So.  When scavenging for nutritious snacks that won’t interfere with the fit of that swimsuit that cost you one whole paycheck, try to avoid high- caloric snacks (like candy and cookies).

My strategy.

I pick snacks that tend to be either fruits, veggies and/or a combo of one of those … with … some type of dairy ( I’m loving Yoplait brand right now.. 2 Points Plus Value for one serving). Throw in raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. I’m good! Need more sustenance?  Add a protein (walnuts are one of my favs).  Snack attack under control! Check!

Now this next tip I struggle with everyday. Not just on vacay. Right now, adding fruit keeps it enticing.

~ 3 ~ 

Drink!

Water! … Loads!

I’ll drink plain ol’ tap water. Sure. Given a choice; however…. I opt for it, either,  bottled or  filtered.  But not sparkling.  Not much of a fan of sparkling water. Can’t get used to the bubbles. But, if that’s your thing- go for it! Get your aqua in the way that works for you.

I’ve made it a habit to keep a bottle or glass on hand at all times. And to motivate me to get it in? There’s an App for that! And I do Luv a great App!

Keeping yourself ‘watered down’ all day had its bennies. It wards off overeating, flushes out excess salt in your system (and you know, the salt always show up on the scale), and can I tell you that your skin is going to loooove you!!!

Okay. Recap.

Ask for options. You always have them. Being on vacay doesn’t mean making lazy snack choices. There are tons of good stuff out there. Eat it! Drink up! Water. That is. Here’s a game that might help get the aqua in – ‘Two For’ it! For every non-water drink that you down, drink twice as much water.  !BAM!

That brings me to the last tip

~ 4 ~

 Keep It Simple

* K.I.S.  {… you decide what the last ‘S’ stands for}

 

Simply put….

If your meal arrives in today’s super-size portions, don’t panic. *Don’t eat it all, either! * Half the portion – put it in a ‘to-go’ bag (that’s a meal for later on.  And … money saved on meals equals more money for shopping!  Now, that I like!).

Don’t want to be bothered with keeping up with a to-go bag, after dinner? Ask your server for the lunch portion of your entrée selection. Lunch portions are almost always less than dinner size.

How’s that for simple?

So Luv-lies, you don’t have to throw your healthy eating habits out the window just because you’re on vacation. You’ve planned your vacay, now plan to stay on track.
What’s your plan?
… Do tell …

Friday {FOOD} Porn…. ‘Happy’ in Print

Hey Luv-lies,

Ahhhhhhh.     The weekend.      Finally here.

And all of this reading awesomeness landed in my mailbox today!

It’s Friday!

I bet you know how I’ll be spending my weekend.

And.

What’s even better is, tomorrow is the first day of Summer! That means even more time to spend on indulging in this goodness.

Happy First Day of Summer!

What’s on your ‘Happy’ List this Summer?
…. Do Tell …

‘Top Chef’ … for a moment

Hello Luv-lies,

Hope that your weekend was a relaxing one.

I spent most of the weekend lazy-ing around scouring through my many stockpiled magazines.   The mags run the gamut – fashion, interior design, business, science, catalogs (loads of catalogs) and, of course, food! (even more loads of these)!  Now, over the year (or three), I’ve taken to tearing out pictures of the most enticing recipes with inflated intentions to ‘some day [I’m going to] make this’.  My cyber recipe box consists of Pins and/or saves to the recipe section of my Evernote folder.

Just wanted to make this  quick Monday post.

When I  posted all of this deliciousness on Facebook, I got a good deal of requests to post the recipe.

 

After an early morning run to the market where picked up all of this summer seasonal goodness, I recall one of those stowed-away recipes.  Didn’t use all of the goodies from the market run, just most.

* Those are oysters mushrooms in the lower left corner … got that question a lot too:/

~~~   ~~~   ~~~  ~~~   ~~~

By the end of my ‘Top Chef’ cooking moment, I had this savory and flavorful little ditty:

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Pepper with Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

 

~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~

This pic is of the finished Stuffed Pepper as it appeared in the recipe {along with the some of the individual ingredients}

And now for the Recipe…

 Don’t like or have Quinoa on hand?

You can use any kind of grains or rice.  This dish will love it!  Trust me.

 

While all of that is simmering, you can turn you’re attention to the making the ‘dish topper’ — The Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

So How’d  You Do?

Isn’t it Yumlicious?!

I’ll definitely be making this again.  Will you?

… do tell?

Making your Produce Safe… Tips

Happy Thursday, Luv-lies,

I think that we’ve seen the end of below 32 degree days ( and even colder nights) for a few months.  Yeeeeeah!!!  *Clapping hands*

As a matter of fact, over the last few weeks, I’ve seen the early signs of Spring…. tulips, daffodils, and the re-opening of Farmer’s Markets.  I can hardly stand the wait to get my hands on the fresh fruits & veggies from my local Farmer’s Market.  I’m looking forward to taking it all in…. the hustle of other eager market goers, the crisp new air of a changing season, supporting the local farming community, meeting up with neighbors, and of course, ALL of the fresh sights & smells and of this seasons wonderful produce.

It’s all quite cathartic… I think….

 

All of this goodness has a much more serious side.   These jewels of the earth, if not handled properly, carry some risks.

So here are a few tips that will help to keep you healthy while you enjoy nature’s yumlicious  goodies !

Enjoy!!!

Five general produce safety rules

1. Start with a clean kitchen, including cutting surfaces, colander, knives and sink.
2. Wash your hands well before, during & between handling produce.
3. Rinse produce under cold running tap water. In some cases, you’ll want to use a brush for extra cleaning (i.e. potatoes, mushrooms, yams, etc).
4. Blot dry with a paper towel or clean cloth to further reduce any ‘bugs’ that may be left after the first rinse.
5. Wash fruits and vegetables right before you plan to eat them. Washing and then storing them can promote mold and bacterial growth…. and who needs that?!

 

Nine more produce safety tips

• Scrub firmer produce like potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers with a vegetable brush under running water to get at pathogens that may be in grooves or sticking to any waxy coating. For softer produce, like tomatoes, peppers, and peaches, rub them gently with your hands under running water. It’s often recommended that mushrooms be simply wiped with a wet paper towel or soft mushroom brush—but if needed, rinsing or spraying them with water, briefly and gently, is okay, too.
• With melons, wash the rind well before cutting to prevent any bacteria on the surface from being transferred to the inside by the knife blade.
• Yes, do wash your bananas—at least if you are going to handle the flesh. They could have bacteria on the peel. The same goes for oranges, lemons, avocados, mangoes and other fruits with skins or rinds that you peel with your hands or cut with a knife.
• Discard the outer leaves of lettuce. Rinse even the tightly packed leaves in the interior, individually when possible. You can use a salad spinner to dry them. One way to clean loose gritty greens, like spinach, is to immerse them in a large pot of cool water and allow a minute or two for debris to sink to the bottom; then lift out the leaves, rinse them in a colander, and spin dry.
• To clean berries, first pull off any leafy stems where bacteria may be lurking. Place in a colander and rinse or spray with water, shaking them gently. Blot dry gently. Some salad spinners come with special inserts to dry berries (and herbs).
• To wash herbs, dip and swish them in a bowl of water.
• Don’t use soap and detergents. They can leave residues that affect the taste and may not be safe to ingest. Special produce washes are expensive and not proven to be more effective than washing with water.
• Be aware of bruises. Bruised areas on produce may harbor bacteria. If there’s a small bruise, cut away a large section around it before washing. If there is significant bruising, especially on small fruits and vegetables like berries and grapes, toss them altogether.
• Wash organic fruits and vegetables as you wash conventionally grown produce. The same is true of locally grown produce and even produce from your own garden.

 

I hope that this info is helpful….

Do Tell….

 

Find Your Balance : Snack Smart

Hello Luv-lies,

This is interesting.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

DEPRESSION

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

ANEMIA High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BRAIN POWER

200 students at a Twickenham school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

CONSTIPATION High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

HEARTBURN Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

MORNING SICKNESS Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

MOSQUITO BITES: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

HANGOVERS

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

NERVES Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

ULCERS The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniclercases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around so maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase to, “A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!”

Source: karenstan.net