Healthy Delicious Snacks for Football Sunday

We all know that Sunday is not just about the game—it’s about the food, so pass up the store-bought snacks and take-out food because they're loaded with sodium and fat.   Here are 3 recipes to make your game-day delicious and healthier.


1. Barbecue Chicken Wings
The secret to these finger-licking wings is that they are coated in sauce before they are cooked and tossed in sauce after cooking.

20 whole organic chicken wings

1 cup Homemade Organic Barbecue Sauce, divided

Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients
3 cups organic tomato juice
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1/2 cup raw organic honey
1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried or powdered thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon minced ginger

Directions:

Simmer all ingredients in a medium-sized pot with the lid off on medium heat for 45 minutes.

Chicken Wings

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Wash the chicken wings and dry them well. Remove the wing tips, and split the wings into flats and drumettes if desired.

Toss the raw wings with 1/2 cup of the sauce and place them in a 9- x 13-inch lasagna dish in the oven.

If youre finishing the wings on the barbecue, bake for 30 minutes, then place on a preheated grill at medium heat until fully cooked and colored to your liking, about 15 minutes. For the oven method, bake for 45 minutes, then turn the oven to broil. Continue to cook until the wings are fully cooked and browned to your liking, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the wings from the oven or barbecue, place in a large bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup sauce. Toss until evenly coated. These wings are great hot or cold.


2.  Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
1 bag Organic Spinach
2 cans Organic Artichoke Hearts, Rinsed And Drained
3 Tablespoons Butter (additional)
3 Tablespoons Organic Flour
1-1/2 cup Whole Organic Milk (more If Needed)
1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Organic Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Grated  Organic Parmesan
1 1/4 cups Grated Organic Pepper Jack Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
salt and pepper


Directions:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat a bit and throw in the spinach. Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove the spinach from the skillet and put it in a small strainer. Squeeze the excess juice back into the skillet. Set the spinach aside.

Toss in the artichokes and cook over medium high heat for several minutes, until liquid is cooked off and artichokes start to get a little color. Remove the artichokes.

In the same skillet or a different pot, melt 3 additional tablespoons of butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in milk. Stir and cook until slightly thickened; add more milk if needed.

Add cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper jack, and cayenne and stir until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.

Pour into buttered baking dish. Top with grated pepper jack and bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with pita or tortilla chips. Way Better Snacks makes healthy non-gmo chips!


3. Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh organic Portobello mushroom caps
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup dry organic breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon oregano

Directions:
Wash and dry the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushroom caps, celery and onion.
Saute until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the bread crumbs, Worcestershire Sauce and seasonings.

Mound the stuffing onto the mushroom caps. Arrange caps on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

If you like mushrooms, you will love this recipe!


Enjoy the game and eat healthy!

Intuitively Yours,
Laurel ♥

Homemade Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

My recipe for homemade oven-baked sweet potato fries is a healthy alternative to eating those greasy fast-food french fries.  They are crisp and delicious, and so easy to make at home for your family.

Ingredients:
 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper    
 1 tablespoon organic olive oil
 2 large organic sweet potatoes  (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Directions:
Prepare the sweet potatoes: In a small bowl, combine cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel potatoes, cut each in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 6 wedges. In a large bowl, combine the cut potatoes, oil, and spice mixture. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated.

Bake the fries: On a baking sheet, arrange potatoes in a single layer and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake until edges are crisp and potatoes are cooked through -- about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.


Please leave your comments and suggestions!

Intuitively yours,
Laurel ♥

The Incredible Edible Cashew

Cashew nuts have been one of my favorite tree nuts to eat for a delicious snack. Not only are they tasty, but they have many health benefits which I found surprising.

The cashew nut is native to Brazil where its considered a delicacy. In the 16th century, the Portuguese introduced them to India and some African countries, where they are now also grown. Cashews are rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium and zinc. They are also good sources of phytochemicals, antioxidants and protein.

Cashew nuts are harvested with careful processing practices which are crucial to avoid contamination because of the caustic resin within the cashew shell. This is the reason why cashew nuts are ALWAYS sold pre-shelled.

Here are the health benefits of cashews:

1. Cancer Prevention:  Cashews are ripe with proanthocyanidins, a class of flavanol that actually starve tumors and stop cancer cells from dividing.

2. Heart Health:  Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts.  They are cholesterol free and their high antioxidant content helps lower the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases.  The magnesium in cashews helps to lower blood pressure, preventing heart attacks.

3. Weight Loss:  Cashew nuts contain less fat than most other popular nuts, including peanuts, pecans, almonds and walnuts.  They are dense in energy and high in dietary fiber, making them a superb snack for managing weight loss.

4. Bacterial Fighter:  The most fascinating aspects of cashews is their ability to destroy gram-positive bacteria.  The bacteria responsible for acne, tooth decay, tuberculosis, pneumonia and leprosy have met their match with of all things, the cashew nut!  The anacardic acid present within cashews is an extremely effective bactericide, which will kill gram-positive bacteria within 15 minutes.  

Eating more cashews will help you lower the risk of disease-related death by 20%, will eliminate gram-positive bacteria in your body, and help you to lose weight!

Please send me your comments and suggestions ~

Intuitively yours,

Laurel ♥

Regrow Foods From Kitchen Scraps

If you prefer to plant an economical garden, did you know that you could grow this year's garden from scraps of food?  Guess what, you can!  In fact, some of the leftovers that usually end up in the trash can be used to grow some of the simplest  and most inexpensive plants.  Just make sure you buy organic fruits and vegetables, because conventional produce is treated with herbicides and pesticides, which rarely are able to produce a second generation.  If you frequently purchase GMO produce, you should be aware that suicide seeds were most likely used to grow them.  They cannot produce another generation of viable seed.  Basically, they are just not healthy for you!

The following 5 foods can be easily grown from the scraps you normally throw away:

Green Onions:  The first thing you usually do with green onions is chop off the root ends.  However, if you soak the roots in a container of water, making sure to leave a short shaft of green about an inch above the line of clean water, and place them in the sun, you will have a new batch of green onions.  After a few weeks, you will be able to plant them in your garden.


Celery:  Do not throw away the root base of your celery, but save it and set the base in a glass of shallow water and make sure to leave it in a sunny spot.  After a week or so you will begin to notice new celery sprouts growing from the center of the base.  After they are a few inches high, plant them in your garden.  Remember celery prefers cool weather, so if it's too hot outside, simply transplant into a pot in a sunny window inside your home.


Carrot Greens:  Buy organic carrots that still have the green 'tops' attached.  The green on top can be used to grow new carrots.  Well, actually just the green parts only, which are extremely nutritious.  You can't grow an actual carrot because the root is the part you consume.  Regrow the green tops using a shallow dish with a little water and sunlight.


Ginger:  Simply plant part of a fresh ginger root and you can grow more ginger.  Plant the new bulbs face up in potting soil.  Purchase a rhizome (the plant stem) and plant the remaining section.


Romaine Lettuce:  You can grow new romaine lettuce leaves simply by using the heart of the lettuce.  Lettuce is always a good food to regrow your own and save you money, since organic prices tend to be higher than conventionally grown produce.


You can even grow potatoes, pineapple, red and white onions, garlic that has begun to sprout, and turmeric root.  Now is the time to cut way down on your monthly grocery bill and begin growing your own organic foods using kitchen scraps.



Happy growing!

Intuitively yours,
Laurel  ♥

Homemade Sweet Potato Oven Cakes

Enjoy my baked version of the pan-fried potato pancake with applesauce made organically.  This recipe makes 4 servings and is a healthy meal to eat as a side dish or serve with a poached egg for breakfast.


Ingredients:

3 medium organic sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 onion
1/2 cup organic applesauce
4 tbs rice flour  (whole wheat or oat flour can be substituted)
1 tsp organic baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil or coconut oil
3. Grate potatoes and onion into a large bowl.  Add applesauce, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly by hand.
4. Place rounded mounds of the mixture on cookie sheet (about 3" diameter).
5. Bake for 20 minutes, flip with spatula, and bake on the other side for another 20 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve with more applesauce.

*Sweet potatoes are one of the top vegetable sources of beta-carotene, (vitamin A), which is excellent for your vision and preventing cancer.  They are rich in vitamins C & E that contain potent antioxidants.  Sweet potatoes have a large amount of vitamin B6 and potassium, each helping the body maintain healthy blood flow and normal brain function.

*Sweet potatoes are high in "good" carbohydrates, meaning that although high in fiber, they are low in fat content so that caloric energy is used more slowly and efficiently than a low-fiber carbohydrate.

Quinoa "The Supergrain of the Future"

Pronounced  ("KEEN-WAH"), Quinoa is a superfood or supergrain discovered by the Incas 4,000 years ago, and was called "the gold of the Incas".  They believed it increased the stamina of their warriors.

On my journey towards eating healthier organic foods I have spent time perusing the shelves of my local health food store searching for new health foods to add to my diet. One of the foods I sampled and enjoyed was Quinoa.  Quinoa is actually a seed, although eaten as a grain, it's gluten-free.

Quinoa has increased in popularity in the last few years -going from health food stores to the mainstream.  It is high in iron, magnesium, fiber and low in calories.  It's high fiber content, pleasant nutty taste and delicate texture have made Quinoa a popular replacement for starchier pasta and rice.


Quinoa is easy to make and quick to cook.  Add to salads, meat dishes, pilafs, or serve in place of rice.


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup organic Quinoa (any variety - white or golden, red or black)
2 cups liquid (spring water, chicken or vegetable broth)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Dash of pepper
1 clove minced garlic
Splash of olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1)  Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly, drain.

2)  In a medium saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat and add quinoa.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.

3)  Stir in liquid and seasonings & boil rapidly.

4)  Turn heat to lowest setting, cover and cook for 13-15 minutes.

5)  Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, covered.

6)  Fluff with fork and add to your favorite dish or serve alone. 

You should see tiny spirals ("the germ") separating and curling around the quinoa seeds.

                                                         

     

Cara Cara Organic Oranges

CARA CARA ORANGES

Cara cara oranges are in season!  I just discovered this special variety of naval orange while shopping at my local Natural Foods store. This particular variety of orange is juicy, seedless, and simply delicious!

Cara cara oranges have a pink to reddish flesh inside unlike the typical orange hue.  They may look like a grapefruit inside, but they have an incredibly sweet flavor and are much lower in acidity.  That is good news for me personally because of my acid reflux (heartburn) problem.

Cara cara oranges have been harvested from Venezuela since about 1976.  They are an excellent source of antioxidants and only 80 calories.  They are rich in Vitamins A and C, but also contain the powerful antioxidant known as LYCOPENE.  I always thought that Lycopene was only in tomatoes and a few vegetables or fruits.  Because of Lycopene, the Cara cara orange has 2-3 times more antioxidants than the conventional naval or valencia orange.

YES, the Blood Orange does have it's health benefits, but it does NOT have Lycopene in it and is more expensive.  In my opinion, after eating both of these varieties, the Cara cara orange tastes much better and is easy to peel.

They smell wonderful and taste even better.  Try a Cara cara orange for yourself!  They make a healthy snack and are great for juicing.  

ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC FRUITS AND VEGETABLES for optimum health benefits -

Healthy Delicious Organic Pomegranate Arils

Pomegranate means "seeded apple" in Latin.

The juicy delicious red arils inside a pomegranate contains about 600 seeds and are surrounded by a membrane called the pith, which is bitter.

The arils are low in calories, high in fiber, vitamin C & K and help to aid in weight management.  The arils are rich in potent antioxidants preventing against heart disease and cancer.  These powerful antioxidants also help to fight wrinkles.




I prefer to buy an organic pomegranate for approx. $1.99 instead of purchasing an 8 ounce package of pomegranate arils that costs $4.99 when you can easily unseed a pomegranate yourself.  You will end up with 8 ounces of pomegranate arils for less than the cost of buying the package.


There is an easy way to seed a pomegranate in about 15 minutes:

SEEDING A POMEGRANATE

1. Cut the crown (blossom end) off the pomegranate, removing with it some of the pale-yellow pith.  Take care not to pierce the seeds within.
2. Lightly score the skin in quarters from stem to crown end.
3. Immerse the scored fruit in a large bowl of cool water and soak for 5 minutes.  Holding the fruit underwater, break sections apart with your fingers, separating the seeds from membrane.  The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl.
4. Discard skin and membranes.  Drain the seeds and dry on paper towel. Refrigerate dried arils in a container or plastic bag.  

Toss these delicious crunchy sweet arils on your salad!   Add them to your favorite smoothies or juice.