Monday, November 19, 2012

HEALTHY cookie dough dip

Seriously, Nikki? Did you really just use healthy and cookie dough dip in the same sentence? Yes, yes, that just happened. And seriously Nikki, you expect me to believe that it's tasty?! Why yes, yes I do! I'd have you know that not only did my kids lick the bowl clean (after I devoured like half of it myself before sharing)...but I've had 2 other friends give it a go, and they too raved. How on earth do you make cookie dough dip healthy? Ready for this one....CHICKPEAS! Now you really don't believe me when I say it's delicious! BUT, you're just going to have to take a leap of faith and try it. REALLY, please do...it's awesome! I had a hankering for chocolate chip cookies one day, and had heard through a fellow vegan that they had made a cookie dough filling for a homemade candy bar using chickpeas. The wheels started turning and after a variety research (turns out this is not a new concept after all, there were hundreds of similar recipes to choose from) and a combination of several recipe ideas...this is what I came up with!

1 can chickpeas- drained & rinsed
1/4 c agave nectar
2 TBSP rolled oats
3 TBSP peanut butter
2 TBSP almond milk
2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
dash of baking soda
chocolate chips (to taste)

Blend all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor (or blender, but processor works best) until smooth. Then fold in desired amounts of chocolate chips.

Dip away! My kids and I went through several apples- that was our favorite dipper of choice, but Annie's golden graham bunnies as well as bananas were up there too. Or just use your fingers....oops did I just say that? Luckily it makes a fairly large batch so there should be plenty to share (if you absolutely have to)...it also stores well for several days!

This goes on the kids favorite healthy snacks list- as well as on MY favorite snacks for the kids. I feel great knowing that my kids are getting enough of natures goodness. To learn more about the nutritional benefits of chickpeas check out my previous post here.

Until next time...stay strong, don't quit, and most of all- SMILE!
xoxo
~Simply, Healthy Nikki~


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Busy bee

Last week I found this chart, and thought I'd start by sharing it. In the book, "The China Study" there are all sorts of statistical data and charts from years of research that has been done to prove the validity of the benefits of consuming a largely plant based diet. Pretty jaw dropping don't you think?



Moving along. Sorry that I left you hanging after last weeks post on the basics.. Life got super crazy, super fast. It's Tuesday and I'm just now regrouping after this weekend. My son turned 6 on Friday (I know I'm still pretty broken over this) so there was a celebration for him at school during the day, and dinner and a movie Friday evening. Not to mention the running around I had to do to finish prep for his official birthday party for Saturday afternoon. Then Saturday morning our entire family participated in the "Color Me Rad" 5k. Ohhhh, what fun!!! FREEZING! But fun! So fun that I had to share some pictures with you.

 
before  (and freezing)
after (the endorphins must've warmed me up)


 If you have been wanting to try your very first race, but you've been chicken (BAK BAK)...the color 5k would definitely be a great way to go...they are very informal (not even officially timed) and there all varieties of experience. From elderly to very young, from walkers to mad dash sprinters. And most importantly, it makes running (walking, jogging, skipping, leaping, etc.) FUN!



My son ran the entire thing, and my daughter ran through all the color stations and my husband carried her in a backpack the remainder of the time. If my 6 and 3 year old can do it...so can you! Remember laughing burns calories too- and there will be lots of laughing in this run too! Take a gander here and see if they're coming your way...get up and get moving. I've said it before, but the best way to set yourself up for success is by creating a tangible goal (ie: registering for a race). 

After the race, we dashed home to start setting up for my sons football party, which my son demanded that we host on the same day as the race. He was not concerned in the least with exhaustion setting it, and somehow his little energizer bunny self just kept going and going and going. Even after running a 5k, he managed to play some serious amounts of football with his buddies and annihilate the football "training camp" we put together. That boy is resilient, and makes me proud. An active lifestyle instilled at a young age sets them up for success.

Purpose of the above....ummm...we'll call it a motivational pep talk to get you and your family active (I'm not bragging about my kids-AT ALL)! 

Now after braving the cold ALL day Saturday I was ready for lots and lots of warmth. So Sunday consisted of my Simply-Healthy-Nikki Veggie Chili and my Mom's recipe for spiced cider which I am going to share with you. It's the perfect season for cider, and not to mention it'd go wonderful with your Thanksgiving meal. 

It's simple, delicious, and makes the house smell so festive!
Juice 10-12 apples (or purchase organic apple cider), add juice to a large pot (or crock pot). Then we add 2-3 slices of grapefruit, 2-3 slices of oranges with about 10 whole cloves stuck into the slices, 2 slices of lemon, and 2 cinnamon sticks to the juice and simmer on low/medium until you're ready to sip it down. The longer the better.  
Perfectly healthy way to warm yourself up from the inside out!


Come back tomorrow for a recipe you WILL NOT want to miss... 
{cough cough:: healthy chocolate chip cookie dough dip ::cough cough}. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Back to the basics!

As many of you know, I have not made this journey to health over night. I am also aware that many of you are just now joining this journey, and I'm so grateful to be apart of that. And as I have several years under my belt now, it has been brought to my attention that some of my recipes and ingredients are a little intimidating and/or unfamiliar. Unfortunately, blogger does not allow me to better organize and file my blogs...It only organizes them in my blog archive by date. So many of the "essentials" and "beginners" posts that I posted in the beginning (that are oh so important for your success) get lost because they are from almost a year ago. The only way to find them is to use the search box on the top left corner, or to search tediously through the months in the blog archive on the right hand side.

So as a refresher I'm bringing back the basics, and then some...because, as many of you also know, my diet has continuously progressed since beginning this blog. However, I also understand that many of my followers do not have the goal to be "Vegan", and I hope this post will help make my blog more relateable, and doable for all of my readers. My recipes here can be modified or can be used as a side dish to perhaps something more animal infected (ewww, jk jk, kind of).

My previous post Define Clean outlines (and still holds true) what I avoid, and contains a few staples and replacements that can get you started on a clean whole foods diet so I highly advise thoroughly reading it. When I personal train, I have a broad array of clients, with a broad array of goals, from the elderly to the athlete, that is more or less what I advise to everyone modified slightly to incoorperate allegries, medical conditions, and preferences. Obviously on that list, I now avoid any animal products, organic-free range, or not, I choose not to consume it- however, if you do consume it, lean, organic, free-range is the less toxic way to go (but, yes, it is pricey)! Even way back when I wrote "Define Clean", my goal was to consume and create healthier alternatives using whole foods opposed to prepackaged highly preserved junk...and that is still my goal, and still what I strive to have my recipes do. I do this by purchasing lots and lots and lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, clean oils, nuts, and seeds. These, along with a broad collection of seasonings which can be obtained at any grocery store, are what make up my primary ingredients list in my recipes. 

Now a more thorough introduction and explanation of my pantry staples, that again, many of you are unfamiliar with. For those of you that are familiar with these products, please, bare with me because I want to make the transition as comfortable and convenient for everyone! I do shop at a health food store about twice a month for a few rare ingredients and supplements, but those stores can be entirely overwhelming for someone who has never been in one and is unfamiliar with the products, what, and where to look. Not to mention, they can be insanely expensive depending on the product...but I very rarely use the goods that I buy from there in the recipes that I share on here, and if I do there is almost always a possible substitute. The remainder of my ingredients (because they are simple foods produce and such as listed above) are easier to get a hold of then you may think. So let me familiarize you a bit with the commonly used and easily found ingredients. 

A few of my more recent posts include the occasional tofu, veganaise (vegan mayo), or alternative "cheeses", but I try to use these products sparingly because they are processed- and whole foods is definitely the way to go. But if you are unfamiliar with tofu but are trying to replicate one of my particularly "vegan" recipes, like my scrumptious pumpkin pie, tofu is commonly found at your local grocery store (even Walmart) in the produce section. There are a few expensive suppliments I may have mentioned in a few smoothie recipes and such like maca, hemp or rice protein, or cacao powder, these are just supplemental and can be taken out completely or replaced (example: cacao can be replace with cocoa or carob). 

Coconut oil and olive oil are pretty much my go-to butter and oil substitute, and are used in just about every recipe I post. These are both easy to find everywhere (again, even Walmart) in the baking isle. Coconut oil is a touch pricey (I've seen it anywhere from 8-13 bucks for a 16 oz container) but remember you will probably only need to budget this purchase in once a month. I bake and cook a lot more than the average Joe, pretty much 3 meals a day and for 4-7 people on average, so I budget in the 54 oz jar found at Costco for $27, and that lasts me at least a month, if not two. 

Moving right along, sweetener replacements that I use regularly are stevia in the raw, agave in the raw, raw honey, and occasionally Grade B maple syrup. Stevia in the raw comes in a very large 9.7 oz green bag in the baking isle of Walmart for $8, and will last you a life time. I might go through a bag every, hmmmm, 4-6 months, maybe. I use stevia in my tea, and some baking dishes when I need just a little sweet but want zero calories. Next, agave in the raw, is low glycemic and rich in nutrients, and is also found in the baking isle in Walmart for about 5 bucks. This, and raw honey is what I buy and use most frequently. When I can't purchase my raw local honey in bulk through my produce box, I am able to find it in the health food section or syrup section of a few of my local grocery stores out here in the west- It's not exclusive to a health food store. Depending on where you live though, prices may vary significantly, and it might not be at every store (I have not found RAW honey at Walmart). BUT, that's okay, because you can ALWAYS substitute honey with agave. Last sweetener, is Grade B maple syrup, this is the priciest and hardest to find alternative, so I rarely use it...Grade A can be found everywhere but it's more processed than I prefer. Agave can be substituted for maple syrup as well...agave is what I typically use to top my kids pancakes. 

On my previous staples list in Define Clean I didn't mention flax, chia, or hemp seeds. These are absolute staples in my house (due to their high protein and omega 3 content) especially since I adopted an all plant-based diet. Now that I don't use eggs, you've probably seen a lot more flax in my recipes. 1 tbsp of flax (or chia) seed added to 3 tablespoons of water is equivalent to 1 egg. It's generally a necessity in my recipes, not optional, unless you substitute an egg. Luckily, flax seeds are the easiest seed to find though, and can be found in any grocery store (I've even found it at Walmart), however it's not always in the same section. It's usually in the baking isle, cereal isle, or healthy/organic isle (just ask someone). Chia and hemp seeds I have found in some regular local grocers that have a larger healthy foods section but not Walmart. I use flax and chia for baking so those you will find in my blogged recipes. Hemp seeds are a complete protein that I use for supplementation to my smoothies, salads, wraps, pastas, and so forth but they have little to no taste and are completely optional.

Quinoa is becoming more popular by the day, thus it's becoming easier to find. It's an awesome complete protein that is so versatile so it'd be a shame not to spend the money on adding this to your pantry. Again, check your local grocers health food/organic section, or pasta, baking, or cereal isles. Or  make your life easy by just asking- you might think that they won't know what you're talking about, but they will- pronounced KEEEN-WAH;)! Expect to pay about 10 bucks for what seems like a tiny bag, but it holds more servings than you'd think. It expands a lot, and is very satiating. 

Aside from these few majorly important staples, the remaining ingredients are a VERY LARGE VARIETY of fresh produce, whole grain flours, rices, pastas, and beans...again, found everywhere with average prices. Hopefully, this simplifies things a bit. Don't be intimidated, eating clean can be easier than you think. And I'm here to help, feel free to ask me your questions, especially if you are curious about certain substitutions. The more you cook and explore with these ingredients, the easier everything becomes. Practice makes perfect. I didn't get here over night. I was that girl that refused (literally, refused) to cook anything that didn't come out of a box or package, and now I own that produce section and refuse (literally, refuse) to walk down the frozen "foods" section (unless it's for frozen fruits and veggies). I was so uneducated, and so unfamiliar with the kitchen...but I did it! SO I KNOW YOU CAN TOO! It becomes so rewarding when you start realizing you can create tasty and healthy meals on your own. 
In the future I will be hosting cooking shin-digs, where you can join me in the kitchen to learn and explore these products first hand. So all you Floridians, get excited, and start thinking of things you'd like to learn how to recreate from wholesome healthy ingredients!

I'm sure I left out something, or perhaps I left you with more questions than maybe you had going into this post. I'd be happy to expand further. Feedback is always welcome!

There is no better day than today to get started! 

~xoxo~
Simply, Healthy, Nikki

Monday, November 5, 2012

Simplicity.

As a mother, I have really come to appreciate the simple things... Early bedtimes, a few minutes of peace and quiet before the kids awaken, a 10 minute long shower instead a 3 minute rinse off, I'm sure you get the idea. With my busy life, I also appreciate simple and quick goodies to get me through the tough days. 
I love pears, they are juicy, and scrumptious. I most commonly eat them alone or in a salad, but not this time. Nope, I went all out last week (and by all out, I mean I spent 5 minutes halving them, basting on the marinade, and chucking them in the oven and forgetting about them until the timer went off). Home run recipe for sure!

Baked pears:
Note: The best pears for baking are firm varieties of pears, I used brown Bosc pears, but firm green Anjou pears work just as well. 
Half and core your pears (how ever many you desire, I used 3) and rub a baking dish down in a little coconut oil. Mix in about 1/4 c coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, and 1 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl. Baste mixture all over both sides of all the pears and then place them skin down in the oiled baking dish.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Serve warm! 
I topped mine with a heaping tablespoon of organic vanilla rice dream and a few coconut flakes.
With the toppings it only came to about 100 calories, without the scoop of rice cream it's only about 75-80 calories per half. But you might feel like your sinking your teeth into a decadent, sugar laden apple pie. My kids literally fought over the last one, and they didn't even have or want any ice cream on theirs. 



Now about mid day Saturday I had the crazy munchies and a sweet tooth...yes, I am human too! But I also have goals, and determination so I wasn't about to get glutenous. Instead I whipped up a pumpkin smoothie!
The perfect pumpkin smoothie:
Blend following ingredients until smooth:
1/2 large frozen banana
1/4 c of organic canned pumpkin
1 c almond milk
1-2 tsp grade B maple syrup
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a dash of nutmeg, ground cloves, and cinnamon)
Then, garnish with a dash of cinnamon.
I doubled this recipe and shared with my husband and children (because I'm thoughtful like that)...and my son repetitively told me that it was the best smoothie I ever made. Winner! And I've already discussed the benefits of pumpkin here, so you know it's great for you and can fulfill any sweet tooth you might be suffering from!

Simplicity.
That's how I roll- and you should too!

xoxo
Simply, Healthy, Nikki