Pomegranate – How to Deseed and Eat

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Pomegranates are one of those fruits that I was initially intimidated by.  I had never eaten them growing up and I had no idea how to deal with getting the seeds out.  Well, I am so glad evenutally picked one up at the store a few years ago.  The arils (aka seeds) aren’t too hard to remove and are so tasty.  Right now, pomegranates are reasonably priced (I think they were 4/$5 at our grocery store this week) and really delicious!

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Every time I cut into one I am amazed by all the jewels that were hidden in this not so attractive fruit.  I can only imagine how surprised someone was the first time they discovered pomegranates.  They are to be believed to date back to ancient times and some believe that the forbidden fruit might have been a pomengranate instead of an apple.

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Pomengranates are deemed a superfood and have many health benefits.  Tons of antioxidants, Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium abound in these juicy morsels.

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I find the best way to remove the arils is to take chunks and just pull off the seeds.  They usually fall out pretty easily.  I have also used the water trick.  This contains the messiness a little bit better.  Take chunks and pull off the arils under water.  The arils will sink and the white fiber will float to the top.

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Whichever method you use, it doesn’t take too long before you have a bowl full of juicy tart arils.

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Today I sprinkled them over yogurt along with walnuts and dark chocolate – I highly recommend this combination.  It was delicious!

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Other recipe ideas:

-In a salad such as this mixed green and pecan salad or this citrus chicken recipe.  I also like to just eat them plain as a snack.

 




Friday Favorites

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Happy Friday!  I am so glad the weekend is here!  It is beautiful in Michigan right now so I hope to get some good quality outside time.  Here are couple of things I have been enjoying this week:

-Dish gloves!  Very random but hear me out – we have a never ending supply of dirty dishes and I always dread that chore but when I wear dish gloves it is so much more pleasurable.  I bought some new hand lotion and I lather up before putting the gloves on so it is like a mini hand treatment.  Added bonus is I don’t have to touch any of the gross food scraps that are at the bottom of the sink.

-Rainbow Rowell books.  I just tore through Attachments and now I am listening to Landline as an audiobook.  I finally figured out how to get audio books from my library onto my phone which has been really convenient.  I loved the characters in Attachments and it was such an easy read – I definitely recommend it.  Landline is taking me a little more time to get into but I’ve just started listening to it.

-Boscia skincare is my new favorite skincare line.  I have been using the Clear Complexion Cleanser for 3-4 months and I really like it.  It is gentle, doesn’t sting my eyes, and removes makeup pretty well. Plus it has lasted a lot longer than I expected, I’ve been using it daily and it still feels like there is quite a bit left in the bottle.

I also have used the Clear Complexion Willow Bark Spot Treatment and while it isn’t a miracle worker, it does seem to help take out some of the spot induced redness.  

 I just got a sample of the Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask.  I’ve used it a couple of times and it sinks in right away and helped with some dry patches I had on my cheeks.  I’m a fan! 

(Ok, I also may have just ordered a few more items from the Boscia website – they had some great sales and I’m a sucker for a good deal!)

 

Have a great weekend!




Butternut Squash Soup

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It’s squash season!  I have a deep love for anything with butternut squash especially this soup.  I got this recipe from a friend of a friend 4 or 5 years ago and I have no idea where they got it from but it’s definitely a keeper.  It’s a little sweet, a little spicy and so comforting on a damp fall day.  I would call this a thai inspired recipe due to the lemongrass and Sriracha.  I pretty much follow the recipe except I typically halve the mirin just to cut down on the sweetness.  (FYI Mirin is similar to rice wine but much sweeter. It can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.)
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I took pictures of the cooking process but unfortunately forgot to use a memory card so I just have a few pictures of the finished product.
Oh, a couple more notes:  I used one can of full-fat coconut milk and one can low-fat.  I’ve made it with all low-fat and it still tastes great.  I have never used creme fraiche – I just use sour cream, greek yogurt, or whatever creamy ingredient I have on hand.
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Butternut Squash Soup
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced lemongrass {about 1/2 stalk}
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced onion {white}
1 tbsp Sriracha chile sauce {or another chile sauce that’s garlic-based}
1 cup mirin
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2, 14 oz. cans coconut milk
1 large butternut squash: peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
Garnish:
2 tsp yellow curry powder
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1 lime, peeled, cut into segments
Toasted pumpkin seeds {also known as pepitas}
1.  Make the soup: In a large pot, over medium heat, heat the oil and add the lemongrass, ginger, garlic and onion.  Sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add the Sriracha and stir to incorporate, then add the mirin, rice wine vinegar, coconut milk, butternut squash, soy sauce and cilantro.  Stir, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the squash is tender, about 30-45 minutes.
2.  In batches in a blender, puree the soup until smooth.  {For greater consistency, pass through a fine mesh strainer}.  Return the soup to the pot and whisk in the lime juice and salt to taste.
3.  Garnish the soup: whisk the curry into the creme fraiche until incorporated.  Pour the soup into bowls, garnish each with a spoonful of curried creme fraiche, lime segments and toasted pumpkin seeds.

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Enjoy!




Farmers’ Market

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This time of year we do the bulk of our grocery shopping at the Farmers’ Market.  I love it!  It feels so good to support local farmers and the produce typically tastes better than the produce that has been sitting in the supermarket for who knows how long.  This is what we picked up last weekend.  Everything looked so fresh and delicious I just had to capture it (well actually Derek took the pictures.  Thanks Derek!)

We got:

Brussels sprouts, beets, bell peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, broccoli, carrots, red onions, eggs, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, nectarines, kale (two types), eggs, pork tenderloin, a whole chicken, and chicken thighs.  Oh and I can’t forget the dog treats that smell like banana bread (spoiled dogs).

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A few of the things that have resulted from this trip so far are:

-steamed broccoli

-roasted brussels sprouts

-eggs for breakfast and hard boiled eggs for snacks

-Shutterbean’s Masala Kale Chips (so good!)

-From the whole chicken – we roasted it and used the chicken for Lentil-Chicken Soup (this recipe is a definite keeper!) and chicken enchiladas.  We also made chicken stock from the bones.

-Beets, carrots, and fruit have been used up in smoothies

If you have a Farmers’ Market in  your area, please go support it!




Added Sugar Lowdown

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Sugar is the new smoking.  Have you heard that yet?  The American diet is overflowing with sugar.  Back in the 80-90’s when the low-fat craze hit, food manufacturers compensated with the lack of fat in processed foods with adding more sugar.  It is very hard to find processed food nowadays without added sugar.  It takes time and very careful label reading to eat a low sugar diet.

Our body does not know the difference between added sugars and natural sugars such as those found in fruit and milk.  But typically along with those natural sugars, you are also ingesting vitamins, mineral, fiber and other beneficial nutritients that are not always found with foods with added sugars.  So basically I do not worry about natural sugars too much.  The trick is to look at the ingredient list to find out if there are added sugars.   Added sugars can be hiding under a multitude of names.  Here are some of the most common names: sugar

It is hard to find clear and concise guidelines about sugar intake.  The USDA does not recognize sugar as an essential nutrient so there is not a recommended daily intake.  The Dietary Guidelines state :

“For most people, no more than about 5 to 15 percent of calories from solid fats and added sugars can be reasonably accommodated in the USDA Food Patterns, which are designed to meet nutrient needs
within calorie limits. “

This basically means for the average diet (2000 calories) no more than 100-300 calories should come from added sugars and solid fats.  This is higher than the WHO recommendations.  Earlier this year the World Health Organization dropped it’s sugar recommendation from 10 % to 5 % of daily calorie intake.  The Dietary Guidelines will be revised in 2015, it will be interesting to see how they address sugar.

So back to the basic question:  how much sugar should we be eating?  Well, in my opinion the less the better.  The 5% recommendation comes out to about 6 tsp a day or 24 grams of added sugar.  If you have ever added up the sugar in common ingested foods, it would be very hard to hit that guideline.

I took a look at our own pantry just to see where the sugars were hiding.  Take a look at what I found.

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Dried fruit is typically a sugar bomb.  I think it is very hard or near impossible to find cranberries without added sugar.  Even the ‘natural’ no sugar added varieties typically are sweetened with some sort of fruit juice concentrated.

These are the reduced sugar variety but they still contain 13g per 1/3 cup.  That’s about 3 tsp or half the recommendation.

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Tomato products seem to be the worse offenders.  It is hard to find pizza sauce, ketchup, or pasta sauce without added sugar.   This FAT FREE pizza sauce has 3g in just a 1/4 cup.

5 grams in a 1/2 cup!  I probably use more than a 1/2 cup on one serving of pasta.  So it’s like taking over a teaspoon of sugar and sprinkling it on my pasta.  I think we need to start making our own pasta sauce more often!

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Why is there sugar in bread crumbs???  Which also raises the question what are all those other ingredients?!?  Note: will also be making homemade bread crumbs in the future.

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This was a real bummer.  This delicious ‘all natural’ almond butter has evaporated cane juice.  :(

 

I have found that I feel much better when I am not eating a lot of added sugars.  When I do indulge, I have felt lethargic, headachy, and definitely crave more sugar later in the day.  It’s proven to be addicting and I believe it.

So bottom line: make sure to read the label to check if there are added sugars in your grocery favorites.  Tip: ingredients are listed by weight so if sugar is one of the first ingredients that’s a red flag.

Check your pantry and let me know what hidden sugars you have found.

Have a great day!




One Apple = Two Snacks

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It’s the first day of autumn and that means it’s apple season!  Not many fruits can beat apples in their versatility and convenience.  An apple makes the perfect on the go snack but also can be used in countless sweet and savory recipes.  Last weekend we went apple picking and got a variety of delicious local Michigan apples.   I believe the picture below is of the Golden Supreme variety but I can’t be sure (the trees weren’t labeled).

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Today I’m sharing two ways to use up just one apple.  It’s a two for one bargain and I love bargains!

First up: Apple Grilled Cheese

Thinly sliced cheese and apple slices on whole grain bread takes a regular grilled cheese up a notch.

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Tip: Cover the pan with a lid to speed up cheese melting!

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There is something about the apple and cheese combo that I love.  I used cheddar cheese but any type would work.

Next Up: Apple Nachos

This a great ‘healthy’ dessert.  Melt a little peanut butter and chocolate together in the microwave. ( I usually stop about every 20 seconds to stop and the stir the mixture.)  Top sliced apple with melted chocolate and chopped pecans.  Oh my, I devoured this plate in about two minutes!  It was so good and a little too easy!

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Happy Fall!  Have a great day!

 

 




Homemade S’mores

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S’mores are probably one of my top 5 favorite foods.  I love how they taste, what feelings/memories they evoke (bonfires, summer, beaches), and how easy they are to make! Three ingredients and a flame is all you need.

This past weekend a s’mores craving hit!  This time I decided to experiment with some homemade ingredients.  I had made graham crackers before and they were surprisingly easy.   This was my first time making marshmallows.  The s’more that resulted was pretty much the best thing I’ve eaten all year!  Homemade foods for the win!

Making marshmallows is a little involved mainly because you have to watch the temperature. The basic steps are boil sugar and corn syrup and then whip until fluffy.  This Kitchn post has great step by step pics and instructions.  I halved the recipe and it made about 20 marshmallows.   One thing I didn’t realize before starting the process was that  marshmallows have to cure which usually takes a few hours.  So our s’mores had more of a marshmallow cream element which was fine by me.

It took about 10 minutes for the mixture to turn fluffy and white.

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I cut them up the next day after they had firmed up a bit.  I only used a tiny portion of the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture that was in the recipe.

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Now on to the graham crackers!  I love this recipe from Kitchen Simplicity.  It doesn’t call for graham flour and I always have all the ingredients on hand.  The dough comes together really easily and rolling it out wasn’t bad at all.  I always dread rolling things out because of the dough sticking to everything but using the parchment paper prevented any dough stickage.

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Derek had the idea to put the chocolate on the graham right as they were coming out of the oven since we weren’t going to be roasting the mallows.  It melted the chocolate perfectly!  That man is a genius.  I’m going to be dreaming about this s’more for years to come.

 

Have a great day!




Pinterest in Real Life

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I love Pinterest.  I have been a fan since the way beginning when you had to make a request to join or did you have to get a referral?  I don’t remember exactly but it wasn’t easy as it is now.  Pinterest is looking a lot different these days but I still enjoy it.  I know how easy it is to just pin things right and left with good intentions but how often do I really try that new recipe or make the ‘best’ homemade laundry detergent.  Well, I’ve decided to take some of my pins and try them in real life!  (Hopefully they turn out better than these Pinterest fails!) Here’s what happened:

 

1. Homemade Ranch Dressing

home made ranch dressing so much better than bottled!

Homemade ranch dressing so much better than bottled!

(Pinned 2 years ago)

Original Source

Verdict: My version does not look like the picture but it tasted really good. I followed the recipe but substituted sour cream with greek yogurt.  I would use this recipe again!

 

 

2.

moto jacket + stripes + leopard flats

moto jacket + stripes + leopard flats

Original Source  (link goes to the website, not sure where actual picture is on that website)

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Verdict: I had fun recreating this outfit.  Luckily I had all the items already in my closet so it was pretty easy to pull together.  I need to work on my modeling skills but I like how the outfit looked.

 

This was a fun experience!  I look forward to pinning and recreating more in the future!

 

Have a great day!




How To Survive the Workday in a Healthy Way

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The majority of Americans now have sedentary jobs.  I believe this is one of the biggest contributors to the rise in obesity.  This infographic from Daily Infographic details just what happens to your body when sitting. Spoiler: it isn’t pretty.

If your job involves using a computer, it is so easy to go hours without having to get up.  Here are my tips for getting through the workday in a healthy way.

1. Force yourself to get up as much as possible.  Go talk to coworkers instead of sending an email.  Go to the restroom that is farthest away.  Take a 5 minute walk down the hall.  Anything that gets you up out of your chair will work.  I try to watch the clock and if 30 minutes have gone by, I make myself get up and at least do a quick stretch which brings me to my next tip.

Other ways to move more: take the stairs and park in the spot farthest from the door.

2. Stretch!  Sitting at a computer can wreak havoc on your neck, back, and shoulders.  Take some time to do some desk stretches.  I often search for a short YouTube video to follow and sometimes my co workers will join in.   We also store a yoga mat in our office so I sometimes will do some yoga moves or a couple of planks.

I also will do a plank while I am waiting for food to heat up in the microwave.  Now I understand if you have a public breakroom that might be a little awkward but the point is to try to squeeze in some activity whenever you can.

3. Sit on an exercise ball.  I have been trying to do this more and more.  I find that I move a lot more when I use it.  I also will use it to stretch by leaning back and stretching out my chest and abs.

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Work selfie on my exercise ball

4. Bring a water bottle.  Try to set a goal of refilling it a couple of times a day.  I usually have my 32 oz bottle and try to fill it up at least twice so I know I am staying hydrated.

5. Pack healthy snacks. I never ever go to work without food packed.  I always pack a lunch and a few snacks.  It is much easier to give in to office treats or the vending machine if you don’t have your own food packed.  I don’t tend to store food at work since I find I eat it when I’m not really hungry.  I like to pack just enough to get me through one day.

I also find that at work, I’ll reach for snacks when I am hitting that afternoon slump or if I am just flat out bored.  If I pack healthy snacks, at least I know I’m eating something nutritious rather than giving in to the basket of Reese’s Cups that are sitting in our break room right now (I’m not going to give in!).

Have a happy and healthy day!

 




End of Summer Tabbouleh

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tabbouleh

Summer may be winding down but it doesn’t mean we can’t squeeze in a few more summery recipes. Our basil is kaput but the parsley in our garden is still going strong.  It was just calling out to be made into a tabbouleh salad.  I believe authentic tabbouleh has a few more ingredients but I worked with what I had on hand.  I perused a couple of recipes and then got to work.  Bulgur wheat, mint, tomatoes, garlic and lemon were all invited to play along with parsley at this party.  I only had curly leaf parsley but it seems like flat leaf or Italian parsley is typically used.  Curly worked just fine.

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This was my first time cooking bulgur.   Bulgur is popular grain used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.  Bulgur is a whole wheat grain that has been cooked, dried and then ground into pieces.  Like most whole grains it is very high in fiber and minerals such as magnesium and manganese.   It also clocks in with 6 grams of protein per cup of cooked bulgur.   Interesting fact: bulgur in Turkish translates to ‘bruised grain’  which makes perfect sense!

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I found a quick cooking version that was done in about 10 minutes.   The texture reminds me of a cross between quinoa and cous cous.  It a little bit chewy with a very mild flavor.

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This salad comes together pretty easily.  Tomatoes and cucumbers are chopped.  Herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic go in the mini food processor.  Bulgur gets cooked.  Put it all together and you have yourself a tasty salad!

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I think this would pair well with chicken or fish or could be added to a pita sandwich.  Or just eaten out of the bowl straight from the fridge which I think happened with the majority of this salad at our house. _DJG9677

End of Summer Tabbouleh

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup mint, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lemon, juice squeezed

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

Salt to taste

1 cup bulgur wheat, cooked

Mix herbs, oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a mini food processor.  (Or chop by hand if you desire.)  Mix herb mixture, tomatoes, cucumber, and bulgur.  Enjoy!