For Better Nutrition Be Bold!

Is losing that extra poundage you've gained during the last 2 months of feasting a New Year's 2016 Resolution?

So here we are...it's the first Monday in January 2016 and many of us are deciding to kick up health the "diet" we blew over the holiday season. Do not beat yourself up mentally if you've gained this past holiday season. It's the long term eating of better nutrition that will make the difference for you. Here's some of my ideas on that. Remember variety is good for you mentally and physically.  Good healthy starts in your mindset.

Today is the first day of the rest of your soon to be healthier life....don't think "diet" think health.
If you deny yourself the foods and flavors you love you will binge.   The key to losing and keeping it off is to love what your eating and yes smaller portion size too.   Trust me....I know how it is to lose a LOT of weight.  Without weighing and measuring food I took a new and healthy approach years ago and lost well over 100 pounds on my own.  No surgeries or diet pills.   Weight loss starts in you mind!!!  It's what is eating you that is keeping that weight on you!!

Keep track by first taking measurements
(you'll be glad you did)

Start by shaking up the grocery shopping routine!  Variety is the spice of life.  Are you bored, tired of the same old, same old foods?

Here are some out-of-the-box food ideas to incorporate into your diet, along with some stand-bys with benefits just too good to ignore: 

• WATERMELON – If you need an excuse to load up on this summer favorite, here’s one: watermelon contains lots of nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s 92 percent water, meaning it will full you up with minimal calories. 

• JICAMA – While this Mexican turnip may look like a fuzzy brown lump, beneath the surface is a fiber-packed snack that can work wonders for weight loss. With a high fiber-to-sugar ration and plenty of potassium (which the body requires for maintaining its water balance) – not to mention a delicious, light taste and crispy crunch – jicama is a winning snack to work into your diet.  

• NUTS – There are few foods smarter than nuts. Not only are nuts like almonds and pistachios packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, which help you control your appetite while lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but they also contain protein that will keep you full AND increase your calorie burning potential for up to three and a half hours. Other nut benefits include increased vitamin E levels along with improved memory and performance. Not all nuts are created equal, so be sure to check out what’s best for your goals.  

• PURPLE CARROTS – If you think regular old carrots are a healthy eat, just wait until you try their purple cousins! In addition to the beneficial phytochemicals contained in the orange variety, purple carrots contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants with anti-aging properties. 

• MANGOES – These delicious fruits hold a number of benefits in their juicy orange flesh. Sweet enough to curb sugar cravings, mangos are also high in fiber, iron, magnesium and antioxidants. They also aid in digestion, so make sure you opt for the fruit over just the juice. 

• EGGS – The incredible, edible egg is making a comeback among fitness circles. Several studies have shown that egg protein outperforms other proteins in boosting muscle strength and development, thanks to its high concentration of the amino acid leucine. Egg protein also helps curb hunger over a sustained period of time while providing plenty of energy.  

• MULBERRIES – Change up the summer berry routine with this power-packed fruit. Like most berries, mulberries are low in calories, but these winners also contain plenty of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and the phytonutrient resveratrol, which has been shown to protect the heart. 

•  WHOLE GRAINS – While whole grains aren’t news, this research is: after analyzing the diets of more than 27,000 people across an eight-year span, Harvard University researchers found that those who ate whole grains daily weighed an average of 2.5 lbs less than those who ate only refined-grain foods. Researchers at Penn State University additionally found that those who ate whole grains lost 2.4 times more belly fat than their refined-grain-eating counterparts. This makes sense when considering how whole grains favorably affect blood-glucose levels, keeping your body from blood sugar spikes. Whole grains’ antioxidants help control inflammation and insulin (which the body uses to store belly fat).

The closer to eating food in it's natural state as Mother Nature planned them, the healthier you will be long term and your skin will thank you too!  Remember to hydrate yourself daily!

Here's a fun recipe to help you get started to a healthier you!!  Enjoy!!

Ciao for now!

JPKC

Mango cubed

Mango Banana Smoothie

1 cup cubed frozen mango cubes

3/4 cup sliced ripe banana (about 1 medium) 

2/3 cup milk or almond milk

1 teaspoon honey 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Place frozen mango and the remaining ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Note: If using fresh mangos, peel and cube then arrange the mango cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; freeze until firm (about 1 hour).

Fresh Ripe Mangoes at the Market

Busy Morning Corn Muffins

There really is nothing like fresh muffins right out of the oven, but who has the time?   You do!   

Here's how I save time in the morning. If I'm already pulling out all the ingredients, measuring spoons and cups I also pull out a 2nd bowl or more and here's why:   

• You can make at least 1 extra dry mix and store individual recipe portions in air tight containers. 
• Please remember to label them as muffin mix so there's no confusion later.  
• Label the container with the liquids you need to add and baking times also.  
• This is like making your own box mix muffins without the chemicals and with out over paying!
• Do this the night before, days ahead or even weeks ahead.
• This is also a nice gift mix to bring with you too  (dress up the packing and attach instructions for finishing and baking)

I often use those quart size deli containers since I have so many I've saved with Chinese takeout over the years.  Love those containers for portioning and storing soup stocks, marina and other sauces also.

These muffins are perfect on their own or slathered in butter and a bit of jam.  For variety why not add 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, dried blueberries, or even some thawed and drained frozen corn for texture and flavor.   I've also occasionally added some chopped jalapeno peppers (be careful of the amount use less than 1/2 cup), some cheddar cheese or even crumbled bacon.   Yum!!  Experiment!!

You'll enjoy the linger heavenly aromas to start your day from the kitchen.   These are also good later in the day with a side of a nice home made chili too.  Additionally, you can always freeze some too. 

Treat yourself well, your body with thank you for it!

Just out of the oven and waiting for you!

 Busy Morning Corn Muffins 

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 cup milk (regular, buttermilk or even almond milk)

¼ melted unsalted butter or flavorless oil

2 eggs

Equipment you’ll need ready:

2 bowls  (1 for dry, 1 for wet)

liquid and dry measure cups

measuring spoons

muffin tins to make 12 regular sized muffins (not the huge muffin tins)

cooling rack

whisk (if you have one)

wooden spoon

rubber spatula

cupcake papers  (or grease the muffin tin very well)

Pre-Heat oven to 500 degrees

Bowl 1 - Dry:

Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder whisking till all ingredient are completely mixed so ingredients are evenly dispersed.  I love using the whisk for this.

Bowl 2 –Wet:

Thoroughly blend eggs, milk and oil together.

You can add wet to dry bowl just mix well enough so nothing is dry sticking to the sides of the bowl but don’t beat.  Use a scraper of wooden spoon to mix thoroughly  - over mixing (no electric beaters please) will make for tough muffins!

Evenly fill the muffin tins.  Using a scoop* helps with aim into the cup part or even a dry measure ½ cup size would be beneficial so they are all the same size which makes for nicer presentation and more even baking.  Note: I find it easier to wipe batter that didn’t make it into the cups before baking is easier than scrubbing it off later.

Evenly fill muffin cups

Pop the tin into the oven and as soon as you close the door LOWER the oven temperature to 400º bake 18-20 minutes.  This super hot then lower method will allow the muffins get that nice domed look. 

You’ll smell their beautiful fragrance as they are approaching done. When muffins are done, take muffins out of tin and cool down to just warm before eating.

*Note: My kitchen stainless tableware set came with a small ladle I love to use for making muffins and also for pancakes.

Dessert in a hurry....Baked Cranberry Orange Rice Pudding

Love to exercise my creative side especially in the kitchen!  How often have you been bored making the same old thing even though you have favorite recipes?   Always great to have a change of pace in life whether it's wearing something new, trying a new restaurant, or even traveling. 

Often I just head to the kitchen and see what's there and experiment.  Not everything turns out as perfect as it sounded in your head!  Inspiration for this recipe was a large container of white rice from the local Chinese restaurant that was leftover.   I could have turned this into a quick fried rice but had a sweet tooth that needed satisfying!   

What's on hand and what can I create?

Rice....dried cranberries and that led me to think cranberry orange relish flavor profile!  Always have the staple of milk, eggs, vanilla, natural extracts and usually fruit too. Find it quite handy to keep the Cinnamon and Sugar blend on hand also which is a great addition to oatmeal, hot coffee, tea, dusting on toast or a warm buttered muffin.  Yum!!  Keeping a nicely stocked with basics pantry allows you to "create" things in a hurry and on the fly.   Kind of the home version of Chopped with ingredients you know!

This is a super easy dessert to throw together quickly any night of the week.  Perfect to make ahead too for the next day. 

Ciao for now!!

JPKC

Baked Cranberry Orange Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups milk

2 eggs

1T butter

½ tsp orange extract

1 tsp orange zest

1/4 tsp almond extract (or real vanilla extract)

½ cup sugar
 pinch of salt (if the rice was not cooked with salt)

 1/8 tsp nutmeg

 ½ - ¾ cup dried cranberries (or raisins)

 Cinnamon sugar blend (see below)*   

**Note:  If you want this really rich try using part half and half or cream for part of the milk.                                   

                                                      

Preparation:

Butter baking dish or casserole 2-1/2 quart will work unless you're making a larger batch.  Add cooked rice to casserole.   I use my fingers to break the grains up so they're loose. Do that only if the rice is cold and coming out of the refrigerator. Then once grains are loose, mix in the cranberries or other dried fruit.   If your rice is still warm cool it to room temperature first so the eggs won't seize and scramble.  The dried fruit can be mixed into hot fresh cooked rice without a problem.

In a bowl, beat eggs, add to milk, extracts, zest and sugar; stir to blend.     

Pour into buttered baking dish on top of the rice and fruit mix. 

Ready for oven...notice the way all the rice is covered with the liquid.

Bake 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes until set.  Take a sharp knife go straight down into the middle, if it comes out clean, the pudding is done. 

While hot, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix so that it melts onto top

Remove from oven, give a light sprinkle of *cinnamon sugar blend. Cool, serve with or without vanilla whipped cream.

Serve in a nice glass, desert dish or stem ware

*Cinnamon Sugar Blend

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Blend well.  Great to keep on hand.  Store in an airtight container.

Super Easy Healthy Granola

The first time I made granola, I found myself researching for an easy cooking method and just what ingredients should be included in the granola. Well I searched recipes and took what I liked from the dozens of recipes I read, merged cooking methods and wrote a recipe that I believed would work well. With that recipe I  created my very "first homemade granola".   

Since that first granola, I've made this about once a month and I do experiment with ingredients based on what's on hand at the time.  After I made my first batch of granola I realized that I had greatly over spent for years on boxed granola.  You can't beat the fresher flavor of homemade granola!  You are the boss when it comes to cooking!  Experiment!! I love creating in the kitchen which is playtime for me!  

The best part of making your own is it's exactly to your taste with the fruits and nuts you love best! And did I mention that the house smells amazing too?  Play with this recipe too as far as what you love best in your granola.  If you love more fruit or nuts....add more to taste.

Ciao for now!

JPKC

Rolled Oats

Super Easy Healthy Granola

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Total baking time 60 - 65 minutes

In a large bowl mix together the following:

·      5 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)

·      1 cup shelled Sunflower seeds or shelled pumpkin seeds

·      ½ cup wheat germ

·      ½ cup flax seeds

·      1 cup brown sugar

·      3/4 cup honey or maple syrup

·      ¼ cup coconut oil

·      1 Tablespoon vanilla

·      1 Tablespoon cinnamon

·      1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

Spread on 2 cookie sheets either lightly oil sheets or use parchment paper.

Bake 20 minutes 

Stir in 2 cups of almond slivers.

Bake another 20 minutes.

Stir again.

Raise oven to 300 degrees for the final 20-25 minutes.

In a large bowl mix together:

·      1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

·      1 cup flaked coconut

·     3/4 cup dried mango, apricot, pineapple or papaya into bite sized pieces

After baking oat mixture, scoop the granola off the sheet pans into a large bowl with the dried fruits.  

Mix well and cool thoroughly.  

Store in airtight containers up to 3 weeks.  Serve with milk, over ice cream, with yogurt or however you love to eat your granola.

Finished granola ready to eat and store