For some people, eating straight vegetables is tough. You might be one of these people. Perhaps you find yourself bored of the same old vegetables, verging on becoming a vegetable yourself. Then again, the taste may not be to your liking, or maybe it's the texture. I personally have never had any of these problems aside from the being bored out of my mind part, but several members of my family certainly have. In fact, my youngest brother claims that he can still taste the tomato on a sandwich even after it's been removed. Future husband (haha.) beware, because if you're picky or a proud carnivore, I've got some tricks up my sleeve ;)
Blend 'em up and hide 'em in things
Whether they're carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, or any other vegetable, blend them up and use them as a thickener or flavoring for sauces and stews. You still get all of the benefits of the whole vegetable, you just can't see them. Put the pulp of carrots or other "pulpy" vegetables (shoot, you can even use apple pulp) into ground meat for burgers or meatloaf. This is perfect for picky eaters and kids.
Use them as replacements for grains
My mom's digestive system is really messed up, so she has to eat gluten free. Over the years, I've come up with ways to "recreate" some of our favorite meals without using products with gluten (or any other flour products for that matter). Making quiche using thinly-sliced potatoes as the crust is great, and sort of reminiscent of scalloped potatoes, without all of the fat. You can also use spaghetti squash as a replacement for spaghetti. Go Italian and use thinly sliced eggplant or zucchini in the place of lasagna noodles.
Replace "traditional" fats with them
I'm sure you've heard of the whole banana ice cream with one ingredient (spoiler alert: it's bananas) and applesauce in cake. But you can also blend up avocados with a little lime juice and use them to replace mayonnaise in chicken or tuna salad, or on sandwiches as a spread. I also love making chocolate frosting and mousse out of avocados.
Marinate them
This is less "hiding" them and more transforming them. A little vinegar and some spices (try to avoid salt, as pickling brines can make vegetables super high in sodium very easily) go a long way. I've just recently gotten in to using this type of technique in my food, inspired by Asian fusion cuisine. I just love the little sides of spicy, freshly-pickled cucumber slices or tangy-sweet slaws that come with barbecue and soups. Some rice wine vinegar, chili flakes, and a twist of lime are all you need to make a simple, tasty marinade.
What do you do to transform fruits and vegetables to include more of them in your diet? Let me know, because I always love new ideas!
Also, follow me on Twitter for more recipes and health tips at @EmRSullivan, #foodfromthought!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
National Diabetes Awareness Month
No recipes today! It's National Diabetes Awareness Month, and with that, I'd like to put the focus on a part of diabetes that people aren't quite so aware of.
Diabulimia.
As a dietetics student, I have only heard of this eating disorder (currently categorized as an eating disorder not otherwise specified - EDNOS) twice. It was on a British TV show I was interested in for a while, and in another video we watched in a nutrition therapy class at school. No one else in the class had heard of it before then.
Diabulimia is exactly what it sounds like: diabetes and bulimia combined. People affected by diabulimia are those suffering from Type 1 diabetes.
Here's a basic rundown of what type 1 diabetes is: the body does not produce insulin, or it may not produce enough. Insulin is a hormone which picks up the sugars in your blood after you eat, delivering it to your liver and muscles to be processed or stored. That's why on TV, when you see a character with diabetes, they talk about "insulin shots". Since the body can't make its' own, it must be put there through a shot or a monitor. You can find more information on Type 1 as well as Type 2 diabetes here.
So where does the bulimia come in? Why is it called 'diabulimia'? Isn't bulimia the same for everybody?
In general Bulimia nervosa, the sufferer binges and purges - they eat a lot, then get rid of it by throwing up, taking laxatives, or exercising more than is considered healthy (in some cases, 8 or more hours per day). With diabulimics, it is the same basic concept: they still eat, but they also still lose weight. Diabulimics typically only eat foods containing carbohydrates, the body's source of sugars. With no insulin to pick up that sugar and store in the body's tissues, it just gets peed out. No storage = no weight gain.
The dangers of skipping insulin include thirst, fainting, blurred vision which eventually progresses into permanent blindness, coma, and even death among numerous other harmful outcomes.
This is the video I watched that first informed me of this little-known disorder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rs-g3fJJS8&t=40m39s
It's tragic, but a very real problem. Fortunately, it has been being recognized much more in recent media.
On the topic of eating disorders, I've decided that from here on out, I will no longer be posting the calorie content of my recipes. I had begun to cater to what I call "pinterest trends" in the way of blog content (basically: weightlossweightlossweightloss) to try to get more exposure to my blog, but I've begun to realize that in doing so, I've counteracted the ideas of health that I've been trying to convey in my posts. Though there aren't many people who read this blog, I don't want my blog to contain unnecessary triggers for those with or recovering from eating disorders. My blog is a health blog. I believe that there is more to health than weight, and that the nutrient content of a food is far more important than the calorie content. I want my emphasis to be on physical activity, lots of nutrients, and living a satisfactory, physically AND mentally well lifestyle. I will still be posting recipes, as well as nutritional information such as vitamins and minerals, as well as exercise tips and general fun health stuff.
If anyone would like to know the amount of calories in my recipes, there are plenty of websites and apps that you can plug recipes into to find out those numbers.
Also, my birthday is tomorrow!
Woo-oo-oo!
Diabulimia.
As a dietetics student, I have only heard of this eating disorder (currently categorized as an eating disorder not otherwise specified - EDNOS) twice. It was on a British TV show I was interested in for a while, and in another video we watched in a nutrition therapy class at school. No one else in the class had heard of it before then.
Diabulimia is exactly what it sounds like: diabetes and bulimia combined. People affected by diabulimia are those suffering from Type 1 diabetes.
Here's a basic rundown of what type 1 diabetes is: the body does not produce insulin, or it may not produce enough. Insulin is a hormone which picks up the sugars in your blood after you eat, delivering it to your liver and muscles to be processed or stored. That's why on TV, when you see a character with diabetes, they talk about "insulin shots". Since the body can't make its' own, it must be put there through a shot or a monitor. You can find more information on Type 1 as well as Type 2 diabetes here.
So where does the bulimia come in? Why is it called 'diabulimia'? Isn't bulimia the same for everybody?
In general Bulimia nervosa, the sufferer binges and purges - they eat a lot, then get rid of it by throwing up, taking laxatives, or exercising more than is considered healthy (in some cases, 8 or more hours per day). With diabulimics, it is the same basic concept: they still eat, but they also still lose weight. Diabulimics typically only eat foods containing carbohydrates, the body's source of sugars. With no insulin to pick up that sugar and store in the body's tissues, it just gets peed out. No storage = no weight gain.
The dangers of skipping insulin include thirst, fainting, blurred vision which eventually progresses into permanent blindness, coma, and even death among numerous other harmful outcomes.
This is the video I watched that first informed me of this little-known disorder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rs-g3fJJS8&t=40m39s
It's tragic, but a very real problem. Fortunately, it has been being recognized much more in recent media.
On the topic of eating disorders, I've decided that from here on out, I will no longer be posting the calorie content of my recipes. I had begun to cater to what I call "pinterest trends" in the way of blog content (basically: weightlossweightlossweightloss) to try to get more exposure to my blog, but I've begun to realize that in doing so, I've counteracted the ideas of health that I've been trying to convey in my posts. Though there aren't many people who read this blog, I don't want my blog to contain unnecessary triggers for those with or recovering from eating disorders. My blog is a health blog. I believe that there is more to health than weight, and that the nutrient content of a food is far more important than the calorie content. I want my emphasis to be on physical activity, lots of nutrients, and living a satisfactory, physically AND mentally well lifestyle. I will still be posting recipes, as well as nutritional information such as vitamins and minerals, as well as exercise tips and general fun health stuff.
If anyone would like to know the amount of calories in my recipes, there are plenty of websites and apps that you can plug recipes into to find out those numbers.
Also, my birthday is tomorrow!
Woo-oo-oo!
Saturday, October 26, 2013
National Pumpkin Day Smoothie
Today is National Pumpkin Day! In honor of this beloved Jack-O-Lantern of all trades (sorry, I couldn't resist...), I present you with:
Fist-Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
(So good your brain will scramble and reduce you to a state of uncontrollable fist-pumping)
Makes 4 - 12 oz. servings
1 - 16 oz. can of pumpkin puree (just plain old puree!)
2-3 medium (5-6" long) bananas, frozen
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk (substitute with almond milk for vegan option)
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey (optional, but I like things sweet)
1 cup ice
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy! I used Trader Joe's cinnamon sugar grinder to add a little topping to mine :)
This delicious smoothie packs in about 250% of your daily recommended amount of Vitamin A. Your eyes will thank you, as will your waistline, since each serving (WITH sweetener) has only about 190 calories. Leaving out the sweetener, since ripe bananas are sweet enough to pass as ice cream all on their own, makes this treat only 144 calories.
Compare that with 350 calories in a slice of pumpkin pie, without whipped cream! Not to mention that 350 calorie slice is only a little bit more than 1" wide.
Compare THAT with Jamba Juice's (which, I'll be honest, inspired me to make my own home-made pumpkin smoothie) Pumpkin Smash: 390 calories, and only 40% vitamin A!
So, yeah. Make this instead.
Or you can fist-pump away all of the holiday weight you put on eating all manner of pumpkin-spice-latte-soup-accino-smoothie pies.
Or, you know, just enjoy all those things anyways...in moderation!
;)
Fist-Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
(So good your brain will scramble and reduce you to a state of uncontrollable fist-pumping)
Makes 4 - 12 oz. servings
1 - 16 oz. can of pumpkin puree (just plain old puree!)
2-3 medium (5-6" long) bananas, frozen
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk (substitute with almond milk for vegan option)
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey (optional, but I like things sweet)
1 cup ice
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy! I used Trader Joe's cinnamon sugar grinder to add a little topping to mine :)
This delicious smoothie packs in about 250% of your daily recommended amount of Vitamin A. Your eyes will thank you, as will your waistline, since each serving (WITH sweetener) has only about 190 calories. Leaving out the sweetener, since ripe bananas are sweet enough to pass as ice cream all on their own, makes this treat only 144 calories.
Compare that with 350 calories in a slice of pumpkin pie, without whipped cream! Not to mention that 350 calorie slice is only a little bit more than 1" wide.
Compare THAT with Jamba Juice's (which, I'll be honest, inspired me to make my own home-made pumpkin smoothie) Pumpkin Smash: 390 calories, and only 40% vitamin A!
So, yeah. Make this instead.
Or you can fist-pump away all of the holiday weight you put on eating all manner of pumpkin-spice-latte-soup-accino-smoothie pies.
Or, you know, just enjoy all those things anyways...in moderation!
;)
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Butternuts! About Fall
As I sit here, relieved that at least I've finished my chemistry prelab, with butternut squash boiling away on the stove in a concoction of cinnamon, chicken stock, and milk, and slightly cooler weather than usual outside, it's obvious that my favorite season, fall, is here at last. And, as you're probably aware, with fall comes warm, toasty, aromatic foods like soup, roasts, pies, and crumbles. Squash, root vegetables, apples, plums, and more are abundant at farmers markets as well as the grocery store, and I love it.
Of course, there are things I definitely dislike about Autumn. School starts, and 40 hours of work and 17 credits at school are not a happy mix, unlike pumpkin pie spice and lattes. I'm trying to save money this year by packing more lunches and dinners from home, but I can only live on PB&Js and salads for so long. My friends think I'm weird for it, but I literally get bored of food if I eat a certain type too often. So, using one of the butternut squashes my dear, sweet southern grandmother gave us a few weeks ago, I'm sharing three recipes that incorporate the hallmark squash of fall.
Butternut Squash Soup
Delicious all on its' own, or with a grilled slice of sourdough bread and a fresh salad on the side.
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 cup organic milk
1 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/4 cup onions, sauteed
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 leaves fresh sage (optional)
1/2 tsp. olive oil
Place squash, milk, stock, water, and spices into a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, chop up about half of a small onion and saute it in a little olive oil until slightly browned. Once squash is fork-tender, remove pot from heat and add onions. Allow to cool slightly before blending with an immersion blender or food processor. Garnish with fresh chopped sage. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Chili with Butternut Squash
Perfect for days when you're short on time. Full of fresh vegetables and plant-based proteins to keep you full, warm, and energized.
1 cup butternut squash, roasted and diced
1 small red onion
3 small sweet peppers
2 roma tomatoes
1 ear corn (about 1/2 cup kernels)
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup wheat berries or brown rice
2 tbsp chickpeas
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
shredded cheese (optional)
Soak beans, lentils, and chikpeas overnight. Drain, and add to crock pot with wheat berries or rice. Dice all vegetables and place in crock pot, excluding squash. Add seasonings and cover with 1/2 vegetable stock 1/2 water. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 3-4. If liquid becomes too low, add just enough to cover ingredients. Enjoy with shredded cheese or diced green onion.
Butternut Squash Waffles
My personal favorite, a delicious way to add some vegetables to breakfast :) Recipe adapted from the Amish Country Cookbook, Volume 2.
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup butternut squash, roasted or boiled and mashed
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 eggs, separated
Beat egg yolks, add milk, and beat for 1 minute. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the yolk/milk mixture. Mix in squash. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into batter. Dollop batter onto hot waffle iron for about 5 minutes, or until steam stops and waffles are golden brown and crispy.
Serve with warm (real) maple syrup and toasted pecans. Fresh plum or pear also goes well with these.
Of course, there are things I definitely dislike about Autumn. School starts, and 40 hours of work and 17 credits at school are not a happy mix, unlike pumpkin pie spice and lattes. I'm trying to save money this year by packing more lunches and dinners from home, but I can only live on PB&Js and salads for so long. My friends think I'm weird for it, but I literally get bored of food if I eat a certain type too often. So, using one of the butternut squashes my dear, sweet southern grandmother gave us a few weeks ago, I'm sharing three recipes that incorporate the hallmark squash of fall.
Butternut Squash Soup
Delicious all on its' own, or with a grilled slice of sourdough bread and a fresh salad on the side.
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 cup organic milk
1 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/4 cup onions, sauteed
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 leaves fresh sage (optional)
1/2 tsp. olive oil
Place squash, milk, stock, water, and spices into a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, chop up about half of a small onion and saute it in a little olive oil until slightly browned. Once squash is fork-tender, remove pot from heat and add onions. Allow to cool slightly before blending with an immersion blender or food processor. Garnish with fresh chopped sage. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Chili with Butternut Squash
Perfect for days when you're short on time. Full of fresh vegetables and plant-based proteins to keep you full, warm, and energized.
1 cup butternut squash, roasted and diced
1 small red onion
3 small sweet peppers
2 roma tomatoes
1 ear corn (about 1/2 cup kernels)
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup wheat berries or brown rice
2 tbsp chickpeas
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
shredded cheese (optional)
Soak beans, lentils, and chikpeas overnight. Drain, and add to crock pot with wheat berries or rice. Dice all vegetables and place in crock pot, excluding squash. Add seasonings and cover with 1/2 vegetable stock 1/2 water. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 3-4. If liquid becomes too low, add just enough to cover ingredients. Enjoy with shredded cheese or diced green onion.
Butternut Squash Waffles
My personal favorite, a delicious way to add some vegetables to breakfast :) Recipe adapted from the Amish Country Cookbook, Volume 2.
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup butternut squash, roasted or boiled and mashed
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 eggs, separated
Beat egg yolks, add milk, and beat for 1 minute. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the yolk/milk mixture. Mix in squash. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into batter. Dollop batter onto hot waffle iron for about 5 minutes, or until steam stops and waffles are golden brown and crispy.
Serve with warm (real) maple syrup and toasted pecans. Fresh plum or pear also goes well with these.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Anxie-Tea and Smoothie
I'm going to be a little bit serious today.
At the risk of sounding like a hypochondriac, I've decided that I have a problem with anxiety. I don't know if it's GAD, or chronic anxiety, or just a tendency towards being anxious about things, but I do know that ever since I was very young, I would go through periods where I literally couldn't sleep all night because I couldn't stop thinking and worrying, and I still do from time to time. It isn't so much the thoughts as it is just the physical reactions I experience that make it hard to sleep. Prayer and reading my Bible are two things I've always gone to first when I feel anxious about anything, and I have a peace of mind in that even if my body is still spazzing out.
I try to use as few drugs as possible, so rather than trying out over-the-counter sleeping pills or anxiety medications, or recreational drugs for that matter, I started drinking chamomile tea before bed. It actually did help, whether the effects were real or just placebo. Who cares? It helped. I also noticed that once I started taking hemp or flax seed oil to get more Omega-3 and -6 fats I had an easier time sleeping and less days where I felt too jittery to eat and less nights in which I was too hot or my heart was racing to sleep.
So I got a really cool book from a tiny used bookstore downtown several months ago, and it's huge and full of nutritional prescriptions. It's basically a big reference guide to what vitamins, minerals, herbs, and foods have been scientifically proven to be effective in the treatment of certain conditions. The symptoms of anxiety, while possibly just genetic, have also been seen popping up with certain deficiencies...namely omega 3 and 6's and several vitamins and minerals. Among the recommendations were chamomile tea, as well.
So I mixed up my own concoction of foods and herbs that supplements some of the nutrients that could play a role in anxiety. If you're curious, they include:
vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, zinc, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids, among others.
I don't recommend drinking this in the morning or before you go to work or driving anywhere, as chamomile tea can make some people drowsy.
Anxie-tea
Basically, this is a simple tea blend made up of two parts chamomile tea to one part dried lavender flowers. To make one cup (8 oz.) of tea:
1 tbsp. loose-leaf chamomile tea
1/2 tbsp. dried lavender flowers
Steep in steaming hot water for 3 minutes. Add honey if you want.
Anxie-tea Smoothie
8 oz. Anxie-tea, cooled.
1/2 cup ice
1 1/2 cups frozen cherries (vitamin C, magnesium)
1 whole, frozen banana (potassium, B vitamins)
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (calcium)
3 tbsp ground flaxseed (magnesium, EFA's)
3 tbsp hulled, unsalted, raw sunflower seeds (magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, B vitamins, and zinc)
2 tbsp honey
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Now, the taste is pretty much strawberry and banana with a slight herbal-iness from the tea. I think it tastes sort of like you blended up a parfait with the granola. This recipe makes about 28 oz., so you can share it with someone or drink it all as a meal replacement.
Please note: This is not a cure or treatment for anxiety or panic-related disorders. If you're on any type of prescription medication, check your labels and with your doctor before using herbal supplements to avoid negative side effects. If the symptoms you're experiencing are effecting your quality of life at all, please talk to someone or see a professional! The recipes provided have helped me with my own physical anxiety symptoms (lack of appetite, mild insomnia, and racing heart), so I wanted others to be able to benefit from them, as well. Enjoy! :)
At the risk of sounding like a hypochondriac, I've decided that I have a problem with anxiety. I don't know if it's GAD, or chronic anxiety, or just a tendency towards being anxious about things, but I do know that ever since I was very young, I would go through periods where I literally couldn't sleep all night because I couldn't stop thinking and worrying, and I still do from time to time. It isn't so much the thoughts as it is just the physical reactions I experience that make it hard to sleep. Prayer and reading my Bible are two things I've always gone to first when I feel anxious about anything, and I have a peace of mind in that even if my body is still spazzing out.
I try to use as few drugs as possible, so rather than trying out over-the-counter sleeping pills or anxiety medications, or recreational drugs for that matter, I started drinking chamomile tea before bed. It actually did help, whether the effects were real or just placebo. Who cares? It helped. I also noticed that once I started taking hemp or flax seed oil to get more Omega-3 and -6 fats I had an easier time sleeping and less days where I felt too jittery to eat and less nights in which I was too hot or my heart was racing to sleep.
So I got a really cool book from a tiny used bookstore downtown several months ago, and it's huge and full of nutritional prescriptions. It's basically a big reference guide to what vitamins, minerals, herbs, and foods have been scientifically proven to be effective in the treatment of certain conditions. The symptoms of anxiety, while possibly just genetic, have also been seen popping up with certain deficiencies...namely omega 3 and 6's and several vitamins and minerals. Among the recommendations were chamomile tea, as well.
So I mixed up my own concoction of foods and herbs that supplements some of the nutrients that could play a role in anxiety. If you're curious, they include:
vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, zinc, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids, among others.
I don't recommend drinking this in the morning or before you go to work or driving anywhere, as chamomile tea can make some people drowsy.
Anxie-tea
Basically, this is a simple tea blend made up of two parts chamomile tea to one part dried lavender flowers. To make one cup (8 oz.) of tea:
1 tbsp. loose-leaf chamomile tea
1/2 tbsp. dried lavender flowers
Steep in steaming hot water for 3 minutes. Add honey if you want.
Anxie-tea Smoothie
8 oz. Anxie-tea, cooled.
1/2 cup ice
1 1/2 cups frozen cherries (vitamin C, magnesium)
1 whole, frozen banana (potassium, B vitamins)
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (calcium)
3 tbsp ground flaxseed (magnesium, EFA's)
3 tbsp hulled, unsalted, raw sunflower seeds (magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, B vitamins, and zinc)
2 tbsp honey
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Now, the taste is pretty much strawberry and banana with a slight herbal-iness from the tea. I think it tastes sort of like you blended up a parfait with the granola. This recipe makes about 28 oz., so you can share it with someone or drink it all as a meal replacement.
Please note: This is not a cure or treatment for anxiety or panic-related disorders. If you're on any type of prescription medication, check your labels and with your doctor before using herbal supplements to avoid negative side effects. If the symptoms you're experiencing are effecting your quality of life at all, please talk to someone or see a professional! The recipes provided have helped me with my own physical anxiety symptoms (lack of appetite, mild insomnia, and racing heart), so I wanted others to be able to benefit from them, as well. Enjoy! :)
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Delicious Deception
Lying is wrong. I learned that when I was a little girl, mostly because I lied all the time about everything, and my mom told me that if I kept it up, she would never believe anything I said when I was older. So I wisened up, and decided to earn my parents' trust so that I could have priveledges that my younger brothers would lose their minds over when I was in high school.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the same with my kids with a straight face, because lately, I've been lying again...
Mmm...look at those cute little hollowed-out, frozen banana pieces generously stuffed with silky smooth, indulgent, dark chocolate mousse. Aren't those sprinkles just adorable?
I made these for my swim team's end-of-the-year potluck. I figured I'm a coach, so maybe instead of bringing more cookies for the kids I've been trying to teach to live active lifestyles, I should bring them something healthier...
Oh, yeah. These are totally healthy. And I'm not just saying that because the mousse is inside of bananas.
Because the mousse isn't regular mousse.
It's made out of avocados.
I adapted this idea from this via Pinterest, and a recipe I found for an avocado-based chocolate mousse. Having experimented with chocolate avocado frosting in the past, and using it as a dip, I was all for trying it in mousse. And it worked, with delightful results.
First of all, they looked cute. Who can resist a cute thing?
Second of all, they taste just like a banana filled with chocolate creamy goodness.
Childrens' eyes widened with wonder when I walked past holding these. My coworkers begged for some before I set them out to be ravened by the wolves that are swim team families at a potluck. And I withheld my secret from them all...until they tried them and loved them, of course.
Oh, I didn't mention that they only have 70 calories per banana bite?
If only I could think of a clever name for them the way I do for my smoothies.
Chocolate Mousse-Filled Banana Bites
Makes approximately 30
6 bananas, cut into 5ths (about 1.5")
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup 60% dark cocoa chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup agave syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened chocolate almond milk
Peel and slice your bananas into 1.5" pieces. I left mine unpeeled, but the peels turned brown-black and gross looking in the fridge. With the small end of a melon baller or a paring knife, scoop out about half of the center of the banana. Try your best to keep the edges intact to hold your mousse. If you leave your bananas unpeeled, the peel helps to hold to mousse in until it sets even if you mess up, so there's a plus.
Pop the bananas into the freezer while you prepare the mousse.
Peel and dice the avocados and place them into a blender or food processor. Pulse until creamy and no longer chunky. In a microwaveable bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir, and microwave in 10-second intervals until smooth. You could also use a double boiler. Add the chocolate, cocoa, milk, and syrup to the blender and mix until smooth. The mousse should be a creamy consistency, slightly thinner than a frosting.
Scoop mousse into a ziplock bag that has a cute icing tip inside of it (mine apparently got eaten by the garbage disposal), and pipe into the bananas. Add nuts, sprinkles, or raspberries on top for decoration, and place into the freezer or refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, until the mousse is set up.
Serve cold, and enjoy!
Also, I'm super-duper excited, because I just got some new raw honey at Sprouts today. It's new at their store, and I hope they keep it, because so far, I love it! It still has bits of pollen in it, and the honey is slightly crystallized, so there are little specks that kind of work as gentle exfoliators! It also tastes great and comes in an adorable mason jar (how many times have I described something as cute or adorable today?)!
I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the same with my kids with a straight face, because lately, I've been lying again...
Mmm...look at those cute little hollowed-out, frozen banana pieces generously stuffed with silky smooth, indulgent, dark chocolate mousse. Aren't those sprinkles just adorable?
I made these for my swim team's end-of-the-year potluck. I figured I'm a coach, so maybe instead of bringing more cookies for the kids I've been trying to teach to live active lifestyles, I should bring them something healthier...
Oh, yeah. These are totally healthy. And I'm not just saying that because the mousse is inside of bananas.
Because the mousse isn't regular mousse.
It's made out of avocados.
I adapted this idea from this via Pinterest, and a recipe I found for an avocado-based chocolate mousse. Having experimented with chocolate avocado frosting in the past, and using it as a dip, I was all for trying it in mousse. And it worked, with delightful results.
First of all, they looked cute. Who can resist a cute thing?
Second of all, they taste just like a banana filled with chocolate creamy goodness.
Childrens' eyes widened with wonder when I walked past holding these. My coworkers begged for some before I set them out to be ravened by the wolves that are swim team families at a potluck. And I withheld my secret from them all...until they tried them and loved them, of course.
Oh, I didn't mention that they only have 70 calories per banana bite?
If only I could think of a clever name for them the way I do for my smoothies.
Chocolate Mousse-Filled Banana Bites
Makes approximately 30
6 bananas, cut into 5ths (about 1.5")
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup 60% dark cocoa chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup agave syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened chocolate almond milk
Peel and slice your bananas into 1.5" pieces. I left mine unpeeled, but the peels turned brown-black and gross looking in the fridge. With the small end of a melon baller or a paring knife, scoop out about half of the center of the banana. Try your best to keep the edges intact to hold your mousse. If you leave your bananas unpeeled, the peel helps to hold to mousse in until it sets even if you mess up, so there's a plus.
Pop the bananas into the freezer while you prepare the mousse.
Peel and dice the avocados and place them into a blender or food processor. Pulse until creamy and no longer chunky. In a microwaveable bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir, and microwave in 10-second intervals until smooth. You could also use a double boiler. Add the chocolate, cocoa, milk, and syrup to the blender and mix until smooth. The mousse should be a creamy consistency, slightly thinner than a frosting.
Scoop mousse into a ziplock bag that has a cute icing tip inside of it (mine apparently got eaten by the garbage disposal), and pipe into the bananas. Add nuts, sprinkles, or raspberries on top for decoration, and place into the freezer or refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, until the mousse is set up.
Serve cold, and enjoy!
Also, I'm super-duper excited, because I just got some new raw honey at Sprouts today. It's new at their store, and I hope they keep it, because so far, I love it! It still has bits of pollen in it, and the honey is slightly crystallized, so there are little specks that kind of work as gentle exfoliators! It also tastes great and comes in an adorable mason jar (how many times have I described something as cute or adorable today?)!
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Super Delicious Smoothies - Part 2
I'm still on my conquest to make delicious and healthy frozen drinks, and this week we had so many organic peaches from our co-op that we had to freeze most of them. So naturally, I made smoothies.
Sorry, no grainy, washed-out-color photos today! I'm sure your feelings are all hurt ;)
This smoothie is very basic, with just four ingredients. I call it
The Beaches 'n Cream
(Because it'll help you get that beach body ;) )
1 cup chopped peaches, frozen
1 container (6 oz.) low-fat or fat-free vanilla bean yogurt (I used Brown Cow brand, which uses only real fruit and ingredients for flavoring and sweetening. I really like their vanilla yogurt because they have actual vanilla bean in it, which I love).
3 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup ice
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Makes two 12 oz. smoothies. In case you're curious, here is the nutrition information:
Sorry, no grainy, washed-out-color photos today! I'm sure your feelings are all hurt ;)
This smoothie is very basic, with just four ingredients. I call it
The Beaches 'n Cream
(Because it'll help you get that beach body ;) )
1 cup chopped peaches, frozen
1 container (6 oz.) low-fat or fat-free vanilla bean yogurt (I used Brown Cow brand, which uses only real fruit and ingredients for flavoring and sweetening. I really like their vanilla yogurt because they have actual vanilla bean in it, which I love).
3 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup ice
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Makes two 12 oz. smoothies. In case you're curious, here is the nutrition information:
Nutrition Label made on Recipal.com
This smoothie is a great 'energy drink', as its sugar all comes from real food and no processed sugars are added. The protein from the yogurt also helps to slow down the absorption of sugar, which helps stabilize blood sugar rather than giving you an immediate sugar rush and its ensuing sugar crash. It's also a great way to get a serving of fruit and lots of calcium. To give yourself an additional boost, you can replace the almond milk with green tea for some extra antioxidants and, yes, caffeine. Enjoy! :)
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