52 Books in a Year

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Happy New Year! I hope you had a happy and safe New Year’s Eve. We’ve gone to our favorite Food Dance Café NYE dinner for the past few years so the tradition continued on.  The food was delicious as usual. IMG_2351.JPG
I’m not too big into resolutions but I did decide to take on the 52 books in a year challenge so 2015 is definitely going to be the year of reading for me. I first saw this idea on Caitlyn’s blog and immediately I wanted to do it too.

I love reading and I don’t do it nearly enough. I’ve already put a bunch of books on hold at the library so I’m ready to dive right into the challenge. I’m also looking forward to documenting what books I read here on the blog. I often read a book and never process or really think about what I just read so hopefully this will also make each book a little more meaningful.
I hope to read a variety of types: fiction, nonfiction, and probably a few nutrition related reads or cookbooks too. I think I will also count audiobooks since I want to get back into listening to audiobooks on my commute.  I finally figured out how to get library audiobooks on my phone so I should be all set.

Since it is about 6 degrees outside today, I think it is the perfect day to curl up on the couch and start reading!

Happy New Year!

 

 

Healthy Football Snacks

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I’ve never been a huge football fan but I married one so I’ve been working on getting into watching the games a little more.  Since the Lions actually made the playoffs this year, football is becoming a big part of our Sundays!  I’ve found that I do enjoy a little football because it usually either involves good food and a nap or good food and watching the game with friends or family. Either way there is food involved!

I thought I might share some of my favorite football snacks that are a little on the healthier side. Not to say that some of the games haven’t involved chicken wings and nachos but it’s always nice to have a little healthy balance.

A recent delicious combo we had involved our favorite veggie burgers from the Oh She Glows cookbook and vegetarian chili.  The burgers were made into slider size and tasted perfect on pretzel slider rolls.

The chili recipe came from the back of a monster size bag of beans from Costco.

Heirloom Bean Blend Vegetarian Chili

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 medium red bell peppers, diced (any color would work)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups cooked heirloom bean blend (I assume you could substitute any cooked bean for this)
1 cup reserved liquid from cooking beans
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
For garnish: (Optional)
Chopped cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese and chopped green onions

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions, bell peppers, and garlic.  Sauté until soft.  Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes.  Mix in cooked beans, 1/2 cup reserved bean cooking liquid and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish as desired with sour cream, green onions, cilantro, and grated cheese.

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Other healthy snack ideas:

-Black bean quesadillas
-Energy  balls
-Fruit skewers – Maybe use fruit corresponding with your favorite teams colors
-Fresh guacamole and salsa with whole grain tortilla chips
-Sweet potato fries
-Roasted chickpeas

Be Healthy, Be Happy!

The Oh She Glows Cookbook

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I have a quite few cookbooks but they are hidden away in a cupboard that rarely sees the light of day.   It’s just too easy to hop on my phone and search for a recipe.  But…sometimes I just want to not have to deal with unlocking my phone every few minutes while cooking or having to scroll through hundreds of options (these are definitely first world problems) and that’s when a cookbook comes in handy.

My recent favorite is the Oh She Glows Cookbook.  Angela’s blog was one of the first food blogs I started reading.  She is a vegan and while I’m not a vegan all her recipes look delicious to me.  I decided to buy this cookbook one day when I was feeling uninspired with healthy eating (It happens to the best of us!).   It turned out to be a great purchase.  The food photography is beautiful and all the recipes are on my to-make list now.   The majority of ingredients are just regular food so you won’t have to go on a hunt in the health food store for random vegan ingredients to make these recipes which I appreciate. Also, the cover of this book is so bright and colorful I find myself leaving it on display instead of in the dusty cookbook cabinet.

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Some of the recipes I have tried so far are the beet smoothie, sweet potato enchiladas, lentil loaf, and the most made recipe is definitely the veggie burger (Derek actually loves to make these!).

If you are looking for a last minutes Christmas gift I would definitely recommend this book for anyone that loves to cook (not just health nuts!).  If you know of any other cookbooks I might enjoy, please let me know!

Be Healthy, Be Happy!

Weekly Meal prep

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This week I wanted to do a little Sunday meal prep to prepare for a busy work week.  Here’s what I came up with:

-Cut up carrots and bell peppers

-Homemade hummus (this really is the best hummus recipe!)

-Beet, carrot, and apple juice

-Lentil and potato soup

-Hard boiled eggs

-Energy bites (dates, oats, almonds, walnuts, and coconut blended up and rolled into balls)

-Homemade almond milk

-Two jars of overnight oats (not pictured)

I’m hoping having some healthy snack foods prepped will prevent that dreaded after work snack session that usually involves chocolate and or cookies. :)  Plus, having a big batch of soup in the fridge makes for easy lunches and/or dinners.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

DIY Coffee Body Scrub

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coffee scrub

We had to do a massive pantry clean out last weekend due to a critter invasion.  During the cleanout, I found quite a few bags of random coffee grounds.  Since we don’t use a coffee maker very often and  I can’t stand throwing things away I decided to make a body scrub out of the grounds.  I have heard the claims about coffee scrubs reducing cellulite due to the caffeine content however I just don’t buy it.  But I do think the grounds make a great exfoliator and smelling coffee during a morning shower might be a nice way to start the day.

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DIY Coffee Body Scrub

1 cup coffee grounds

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 almond oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix coffee grounds and brown sugar together until well combined.  Pour in the almond and melted coconut oil. Store in a air tight container.  Use as a body or hand scrub.  Enjoy!

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Package up and you have yourself a cute little gift to give to a lucky someone this holiday season!  This recipe fits perfectly into a 8 oz jam jar.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

What I Ate Wednesday – Cold Fighting Edition

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This WIAW I’m posting what I ate yesterday which was mostly spent at home due to the start of a cold.  But…I’m going to fight it with lots of water, healthy foods, and sleep!  Here’s a WIAW when battling a cold:

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Kitchen sink smoothie by the light of the tree.

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Jar of water #1 and #2.

Blueberry oatmeal with homemade almond milk, butter, maple syrup, and walnuts.

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Salad with spinach, tomato, squash, yellow pepper, and goat cheese plus water jar #3.  (Side note: Yellow bell pepper has the highest Vitamin C content of any other fruit or veg – take that sickness!)

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Perfect afternoon tea for a scratchy throat.

This soup is becoming an all time favorite around here.  It is one recipe that I follow exactly and it always turns out delicious.

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Jar of water #4 and an orange that I only ate part of – I don’t think the citrus is quite at its peak yet.

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Dinner out for a Junior League meeting.  I had a salad (picture half eaten already) and white chicken chili plus lots more water.

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I ended the night with  a couple pieces of chocolate – if you like ginger, try this chcolate – it is so good!!!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Curry Roasted Chickpeas

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chickpeas

This has to go down as one of the easiest snacks to make.  It is the perfect snack for when you are starving but dinner is still in the oven cooking.  Throw these in and you have a nutritious appetizer in just a few minutes.

Chickpeas or otherwise known as garbanzo beans are a great source of protein, fiber, and iron.  You can buy them canned and ready to use or buy them dried.  Don’t be intimidated by dry beans.  They do require a little planning but the cost savings is definitely substantial.  To cook dry chickpeas, I typically soak them overnight and then cook in water in the crockpot on high for 4-6 hours.  They come out just like canned.

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Curry Roasted Chickpeas

1 cup of cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

Rinse chickpeas and dry well.  Place on cookie sheet.  Sprinkle oil, salt, and curry powder on chickpeas and toss to coat well.  Place in 350 degree oven until crispy which usually takes 10 minutes.  Eat while still warm.

We gobbled these up in about 5 minutes flat.  I think they are the best straight out of the oven and I don’t think they keep very well.  I recommend just making small batches at a time.  I also recommend experimenting with different spices – I’m thinking a sweet version with cinnamon might be next on my list.

Be Healthy, Be Happy!

Friday Favorites

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Happy Friday!  Here are a couple of things I’ve enjoyed this week:

1. City Ballet  I totally got sucked into this series on the New York City Ballet.  The mini episodes are only 5-10 minutes long and delve deep into the inner workings of rising through the ranks of the NYC Ballet Company.  Being a ballerina is no joke!

2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream and Instant Oatmeal Mask  I’m hoping this duo is going to help my skin tough it out through this brutal winter.  The repair cream is super gentle and I’ve noticed when I wake up my skin still feels moisturized.  Sometimes different lotions will sting after I wash my face but this feels so nice.   I’ve also used the mask a few times and I love it!  First of all it smells amazing – just like an oatmeal cookie.  Plus, it felt very soothing and calming.  I’m excited to try more products from this skin care line!

3. Last week the People’s Food Coop had out an amazing sample to try – pickles, sharp cheese, and crackers. Since then that combo has been my new favorite snack.  These are the pickles that are already half gone after just a week.

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4. We got our Christmas tree last weekend!

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Tree farm selfie

I tried to take a picture of the tree and the dogs but these were the best  I got.  They aren’t the best at sitting still for a photo.

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But I actually really like this one!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

 

Spicy Rosemary Almonds

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spicy rosemary almonds

I have made a version of these nuts this past few holiday seasons and they are always a hit.  This time I went with straight almonds but I have used pecans or mixed nuts in the past.  These nuts are sweet, salty, savory, and spicy all in one crunchy bite.  What more could you ask for??

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Spicy Rosemary Almonds

3 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened or melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place raw almonds on a cookie sheet big enough for them to spread out and not be too crowded.  Toast almonds for 6-8 minutes or until they are fragrant.  Don’t walk away because it might happen sooner than you think depending on your oven.  While nuts are roasting, place other 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix together until well combined.  When nuts are fragrant, place nuts in mixing bowl and stir until all nuts are coated with mixture.  (Keep oven on and cookie sheet handy.) Feel free to try a couple of almonds to make sure you are happy with the flavors.  Place nuts back on cookie sheet and back in the oven for another 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Enjoy!

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(Don’t forget to soften/melt your butter – I forgot and it took a lot of stirring to combine everything!)

I would say these are more on the spicy and salty side with a hint of sweetness and rosemary.  If you prefer sweeter, add more sugar and a little less salt.  There is no wrong way to make these. As with all my recipes, this is just a guideline and please adjust it to your liking.   These are great to set out as a snack or put into jars and given as a gift.  Or eaten by handful while writing a blog post which is how I’m enjoying them. :)

 

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Be Healthy, Be Happy!

Broccoli and Kale Pizza

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Have you tried adding some green to your pizza?  Broccoli and kale make surprisingly good pizza toppings!  I started adding broccoli to my pizza after having a deep and meaningful conversation with some close friends regarding all time favorite pizza toppings.  One friend said broccoli.  I was a bit skeptical but since then I’ve tried it and have been loving it.  Plus when you buy a a ridiculously large bag of broccoli at Costco, you start to put it on everything.

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Even if you don’t like the taste you can’t deny it makes the perfect red, white, and green Christmas pizza!