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I know that I already posted a bunch of avocado smoothies, but this one is more like a dessert. Well, and I love avocado. I think, avocado makes a fie milk substitute for any smoothie, as long as you put a small cup of water for every small avocado added. Oh,and this new smoothie is absolutely gorgeous. I adapted it from here.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. raw cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups cold almond milk
- 2-3 tbsp. agave syrup
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 banana
- One handful crushed ice.
Spoon out the avocado pulp and place in a blender with the 1 tbsp. of the agave syrup and a banana. Add 1 cup of cold almond milk, 1/2 of the ice and blend again. Don’t wash the blender yet. Divide the green mixture between 2 tall glasses. Blend the remaining 1/2 cup of almond milk with 2 tbsp. of agave syrup and 2 tbsp. of cocoa powder. Add the remaining ice. Top each serving of the green smoothie with 1/2 the chocolate mixture (to form a separate layer.)
Even after making the zucchini casserole yesterday, we were left with extra zuchinis. Here’s what I threw in the blender today:
1 zucchini
7 ice cubes
1 banana
1 cup orange juice
1/2 avocado
It turned really yummy and the yield was 2-3 servings.
Next time, I will try this interesting smoothie.
What else can I do with zucchinis?
My twin babies fell madly in love with zucchinis. So, I buy big quantities of zucchinis and put them in pretty much every vegetable dish. I even like them raw in a salad. Their mild taste works for the days when there isn’t a single cucumber in the fridge. Since,in my opinion, a casserole is the easiest dish to feed the whole family, I like to make this simple zucchini bake. It tastes delicate enough to eat the leftovers for breakfast. Zucchini is rich in nutrients, especially manganese and vitamin C. One cup of cooked zukes contains 1.64g of protein and .15g of omega-3 fatty acids.
You can make this recipe vegan by using flax or chia, instead of an egg and a vegan cheese instead of cheddar. I personally never tried using quinoa or gluten-free flour here, but am sure it’s possible. If you manage to make this casserole free of gluten, please, write me a note!
Ingredients
4 cups unpeeled, chopped zucchini (and/or yellow summer squash)
¼ cup chopped onion
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. agave syrup
1 egg
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, set aside ½ cup
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. Mix in all other ingredients (except for ½ cup cheddar cheese) and stir well. Pour into a greased 8-inch pan. Bake for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle the second ½ cup grated cheddar cheese on top and bake an additional 15 minutes.
This breakfast is sweet, delicious , easy to make and also works as an afternoon snack. You can substitute olive oil for butter or coconut oil, if desired. The crepes are usually well-received by kids who like sweets. If fruit salad is not your thing, consider filling the crepes with two-three sliced bananas and maybe a couple of tablespoons of nut butter.
Buckwheat is a gluten-free grain, which is rich in iron, b-vitamins, calcium, protein and fiber. Buckwheat flour can be purchased in any health-food store.
Ingredients (for 6 crepes):
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 tbsp quinoa or almond flour
- 1 large egg or chia
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A pinch of sea salt
Whisk the water, he olive oil, and egg together and then mix in the dry ingredients. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Heat a pan and melt some olive oil (or butter). Once the pan is heated, pour some batter in and rotate the pan to get the batter thin and smooth. Return the pan to heat for a couple of minutes until the top is hard. Flip the crepe over.
Ingredients for Fruit Salad:
2 bananas, sliced
1 apple or pear, chopped
4 strawberries, sliced
1 kiwi, sliced
1/2 cup Orange juice
Mix the fruits together and sprinkle the juice on top.
Fill the crepes with the fruit salad and serve.
Today, my friends and I were discussing avocados. Specifically, avocado smoothies. The best part about putting avocado in a smoothie is the smooth texture it provides and the light flavor it gives out, making it possible to mix avocado with stronger-flavored foods. I believe, avocado can be substituted even for ice cream in any milk shake recipe! It can also be substituted for frozen yogurt or regular yogurt, because of its texture.
Avocado is a powerhouse of healthy nutrients. It is exceptionally high in soluble fiber, which has the ability to bind to fat and excess cholesterol. One cup of avocado has about 23% of FDA’s RDV for folate, a nutrient important for heart health and for healthy pregnancy. Avocado also contains “oleic acid”, a monounsaturated fatty acid, which may help lower cholesterol. Avocado is a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help protect against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke. Avocado is also a very concentrated dietary source of the carotenoid lutein. Addiitonally, it contains measurable amounts of other carotenoids and significant quantities of vitamin E.
Avocado Banana Strawberry Smoothie
2 servings:
Half a ripe avocado
1 frozen banana
5 strawberries
Splash of nut milk
Blend everything on high.
Blueberry Avocado Smoothie
1 avocado
2 bananas
1 cup orange juice
1 cup of blueberries
1/2 cup ice
Blend everything until smooth.
Avocado Colada
serves 2-3
1 avocado
1 1/2 cup fresh pineapple
stevia to taste
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp shredded coconut
2 ice cubes
Blend everything until smooth.
Avocado Cashew Smoothie
serves 2:
1 medium avocado
1 handful raw cashews
1/2 teaspoon stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
6 ice cubes
Blend everything until smooth.
Chocolate Avocado Banana Smoothie
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 banana
1 avocado
1 tablespoon of raw cacao or carob
10 ice cubes
Stevia to taste
Blend everything until smooth.
Avocado Coffee Smoothie
Serves 2
1/2 cup brewed coffee, chilled
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 banana
1 avocado
Stevia to taste
Blend everything until smooth.
Today, I was making some butternut squash puree for my babies ( they have tried broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot, apple, cucumber, banana, avocado, quinoa, buckwheat and butternut squash so far.) Then, I realized I had way too much leftover squash. In a case like this, I usually make a soup, but today I was craving something cold, so I made a smoothie instead. A pretty great one, I might add.
Butternut squash is rich in Vitamins A and C; and minerals, such as potassium and manganese. It is also rich in fiber. Butternut squash is good for blood sugar regulation and prevention of type 2 diabetes. The B-vitamin like compound d-chiro-inositol-a has been connected to blood sugar stabilization by multiple studies. Blood sugar regulation is also associated with other B-complex vitamins, and squash provides a good amount of five B-complex vitamins, such as B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, and folate.
Butternut Squash Smoothie
Ingredients:
for 2 cups:
- 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup milk or almond milk ( soy works, too)
- 1 banana
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. of agave or a few drops of stevia or one date
- 4 ice cubes
Put the squash in a pot, cover with water, so there is about 1 inch of water over the squash. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 7 minutes, or until the squash gets soft (test with a fork.) Cool the squash in the refrigerator ( or freezer, if in a hurry.) Blend the squash with all other ingredients.
My family and I are trying to go gluten-free for a while. Gluten an dairy have been linked to allergies and immune weakness by multiple nutritionists, so our new diet would probably do us a lot of good. The problem is, gluten hides in many things we like, like our morning oatmeal, for example. So, here’s what I came up with:
Quinoa With Raisins
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 tbsp. unrefined extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
1/4 cup raisins (or dried cranberries, r dried apricots)
optional: 1/4 cup almonds or walnuts or 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes or 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1 tsp of agave syrup.
Mix the quinoa with the oil and the salt, put raisins on top.
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Buckwheat flour is widely available, but since I always have some cooked grains lying around, I came up with this breakfast recipe. Feel free to add blueberries, if you wish.
photo
All rights reserved by Baking and Mistaking
Buckwheat Pancakes
1 cup cooked buckwheat
1 egg
1 grated apple
1 banana
Mix everything together and fry on a lightly oiled skillet.
photo
All rights reserved by fakeginger ......................
Scrambled Eggs With Onions, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Kale
1/2 onion, chopped
2 leaves of kale, cut into strips. Stalks separated and thrown out
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms
4 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
1/4 cup parsley, diced
Tobasco sauce to taste
4 eggs
Put the kale into a frying pan, add 1/2 cup of water, cover and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes, until the kale is soft. Open the lid, add the onion and the olive oil and saute for about 2 minutes. add the mushrooms and sautee for another 2 minutes. Add the tomato and possibly, more olive oil. Add the parsley and sautee for about another minute. Add the tobasco. mix well. Add the eggs and cook for another minute or two, making a scramble.
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We also love eggs over buckwheat with onions: hearty and delicious.
Do you have any gluten-free breakfast recipes?
The following is a reprint from IIN blog. I am a proud graduate and love this post, full of yummy recipes by my fellow grads!
100 Recipes for a Healthy Summer
Posted on May 25, 2011 by Integrative Nutrition
Summer is finally here! It’s time for BBQ’s and outdoor dinner parties with friends and family. We want to make it easy for you to make healthy dishes for your family, but still enjoy the cooking activities that define summer. We collected a list of 100 healthy recipes for you to enjoy all summer long!
Appetizers
1. Pizza Caramel by Nourish Nutrition
2. Artichoke Pesto Stuffed Tomato by Making Good Choices
3. Vegan Spring Rolls with Mango Ginger Dipping Sauce by Wholesome Kid Food
4. Easy Hummus by Andrea Beaman
5. Mango Salsa by Terry Walters
6. Spicy Slaw by Elana’s Pantry
7. Peaceful Parsley & Pistachio Pesto by Peacocks and Moonshine
8. Creamy Curry Sauce with Summer Veggies by Collective Nutrition
9. Sesame and Thyme Pancakes by Wholepromise
10. Asparagus Sundried Tomato and Goats Cheese Pizza on Spelt by Wholepromise
Soups
11. Roasted Tomato Soup by Love, Life and Lollipops
12. Farmstand Gazpacho by Eat, Live, Run
13. Really Easy Spice Pumpkin Soup filled with Beta-Carotene by Scott Mathias
14. Summer Herb Soup by Kath Eats Real Food
15. Cold Beet and Fennel Soup by Clean and Delicious
16. Easy Asparagus Soup with Seasoned Dill Yogurt by Cook me Healthy
Salads
17. Quinoa Summer Salad by Alicia Somma
18. Raw-Vegan Som Tum by Tina Leigh
19. Radish, Celery and Apple Salad by Seven Spoons
20. Roast Chili Butternut and Fig Salad by Me Organic
21. Watermelon, Feta and Tomato Salad by Lemons and Loafers
22. Refreshing Chopped Salad by Miligirl Wellness
23. Jicama Salad by Raw, Radiant Health
24. Quinoa Salad for all seasons by Chronic Wellness Coaching
25. Orzo Super Salad by 101 Cookbooks
26. Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Apricot Lime Vinaigrette by Terry Walters
27. Southern Style Cobb Salad by Find Your Balance Health
28. Rustic Pesto Potato Salad by Clean and Delicious
29. Pumpkin Seed Salad by Feed Your Life
30. Delicious Life Beet and Walnut Salad by Live a Delicious Life
31. Crunch Salad by Live a Delicious Life
32. Ribboned Asparagus Salad with Lemon by Smitten Kitchen
33. Radish, Asparagus and Mint Salad by Coloring the City
34. Fresh Corn, Tomato, Avocado and Black Bean Salad by Whole Nutrition
35. Black Lentil and Quinoa Salad with Citrus Dressing by Infinite You
36. Green Light Salad by My Healthy Vision
37. Spicy Curry Kale Salad by Natalie Duhamel
38. Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad by Maureen O’Neal
39. Roasted Butternut Squash and Wheat Berry Salad with Goat Cheese by Cook me Healthy
40. Spinach Salad with Mango and Avocado by Linda Poynter
41. Raw Kale & Beet Salad by Beth’s Botanical Scents
Refreshments
42. Watermelon Aguas Fresca by Elana’s Pantry
43. Summertime Blueberry Coconut Smoothie by Frank Giglio
44. My Green Smoothie by Muscle Chick
45. Watermelon Lemonade by Smitten Kitchen
46. Pineapple Ginger Cooler by Maureen O’Neal
47. Peachy Green Smoothie by Natalie Duhamel
48. Super Simple Strawberry (Shh, and Spinach) Smoothie by The Nourished Life
Breakfast
49. Veggie Frittata by Frank Giglio
50. Sweet Corn Pancakes by Smitten Kitchen
51. Japanese Style Breakfast by Integrative Nutrition
52. Coconut Spelt Pancakes by Wholepromise
53. Homemade Granola by The Sublet Kitchen
54. Buckwheat Banana-Walnut Pancakes by Cook Me Healthy
55. Breakfast Casserole by Integrative Nutrition
Dinner
56. Sautéed Chicken with Caramelized Onion-Tomato Relish by Cook me Healthy
57. Mixed Green Salad with Tilapia and Clementine’sby a Hint of Greens
58. Coconut breaded Mahi-Mahi Tacos with Mango Salsa by Coloring the City
59. Grilled Salmon Paprika by Elana’s Pantry
60. Spiced Turkey Burgers with Green Olives and Feta by Pinch My Salt
61. Sesame Chicken and Orange Salad by Wholepromise
62. Sweet and Hot Chicken with Eggplant and Mushrooms by Destiny Kelley
63. Quinoa and Spinach Burgers by Winspiration Wellness
Vegetarian Dinner
64. Thai Coconut Stir Fry by Selkis Whole Foods
65. Bean Burgers by Kath Eats Real Food
66. Pasta with Green Beans and Cannelloni Beansby Mary Curran
67. Cashew and Ginger Stir-fry by Laurel Staples
68. Sweet Potato Burgers by Making Good Choices
69. Bean Stir Fry by Making Good Choices
70. Spicy-Sweet Arugula Sautee by Pure Potential Wellness
71. Spring Panzanella by 101 Cookbooks
72. Peanut Soba Noodle Bowls by Eat, Live, Run
73. TLT Sandwiches by 101 Cookbooks
74. Gluten Free Veggie Burger by Whole Health Designs
75. Vegan Pot Pie by Curvy Gals
76. Brussels Sprout Pizza by Simply Seeking Life
77. Avocado Pesto Pasta by Landry Fuller
78. Rice Soba Noodles with Tea Spice Veggies by I Wanna Cookie
79. Quinoa Grilled Vegetable Salad by Monica Delgado Chaffee
Side Dish
80. Grilled Summer Vegetables by Your Wellness Tree
81. Spicy Jicama “Fries” by 2Good2beRaw
82. Summer Squash Saute by Integrative Nutrition
83. Sautéed Summer Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Basil by Andrea Beaman
84. Vegan Stuffed Red Peppers by Becky’s Kitchen
85. Sweet and Spicy Kale Chips by Get Healthy with Lindsay
86. Spicy Asian Cabbage Slaw by Chef in my own mind
Dessert
87. Detox Blonde Macaroons by Healthy Hoggin
88. Rawberry Rhubarb Pie by Me Amoeba
89. Banana Peanut Butter “Ice Cream” by Lemons and Loafers
90. Healthy Jell-O by Becoming Raw
91. Healthy Popsicle by Becoming Raw
92. Ricotta Millet Pudding by Lottie and Doof
93. Blackberry, Honey and Yogurt Pops by Lottie and Doof
94. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp by Clean and Delicious
95. Strawberry Mango sorbet Popsicles by Live a Delicious Life
96. Coconut Pudding by Edna Michaeli
97. Awesome Raw Coconut-Almond Fudge by Aamina Barbara Arnoth
98. Heather’s Maple Squash Muffins by I Wanna Cookie
99. Coconut Cherry Chia Bomb by Maureen O’Neal
100. Tropical Mango Banana Sherbert by Delicious Nutrition
Need more summer recipe inspiration? Check out these recipes from IIN!
- dizziness
- irritability
- craving for sweets
- craving for caffeine
- tiredness
- fatigue
- inability to focus
- constant hunger
All of these are possible warning signs about the fact that your diet is not working for you. If, within two hours of eating a meal you are hungry, tired and craving sweets and/or caffeine, you can almost be 100% sure that your meal was not perfectly balanced and tailored to your needs at the moment. These needs can vary from person to person and from time to time. Some of us require more protein, while some thrive on a vegan diet, some prefer crunchy foods and others would do well on a diet based on smoothies and juices.
My first solutions for any of the aforementioned problems are: more protein and more nutrients.
Usually when we consume processed foods, devoid of healthy nutrients, we constantly feel tired. For example, if you had a slice of white bread with some strawberry jam for breakfast and some coffee with it, how soon afterwards would you feel exhausted and need that second cup of java? That’s right, pretty soon. And you would feel tired until lunch. Try an apple, a bowl of whole grain oatmeal and a hard-boiled egg instead of your toast with jam and see if you have noticed any difference in your energy level. The latter is an example of a balanced breakfast, which is high in nutrients, yet low in sugar.
If you had a salad for lunch and that salad included only vegetables, you are likely to want a chocolate bar an hour later. Protein deficiency is probably to blame for your chocolate cravings in this case. Try to eat your salad with some nuts, seeds or tofu or chicken and include 1/2 a palm-sized serving of whole grains with it, and see if you’ll want that chocolate bar, after all.
And… the more junk we eat , the more junk we want, because junk foods and processed sugary foods contribute to nutritional imbalance, which, in turn, creates more food cravings. There is no way around whole and natural food consumption, if you’d like to stop food cravings.
We’ve been eating oatmeal for breakfast for a few years now. Whenever people hear “oatmeal” they usually visualize a boring bowl of bland porridge. There is also the “my kids won’t eat it” factor. Oatmeal is like tofu :a metaphor for life. It’s boring, until you choose to make it exciting.
You can make it with rolled oats, or you can use steel-cut oats. I don’t like the instant oatmeal varieties, because, essentially they are processed food. You can sway from oats by adding other grains, such as quick-cooking barley, buckwheat, millet, wheatberries and quinoa. Mix a few grains together and see which mix works better for you. You can add wheatgerm, chia or flax seed to your oats for extra fiber, fatty acids and nutrition. You can even put a teaspoon of spirulina in it, which would make the oatmeal bright green. Don’t say I hadn’t warned you!
Or, being more conventional, half a teaspoon of cocoa and a few drops of stevia should keep your chocoholic kid satisfied, without you sugaring him/her up in the morning. Adding nuts, seeds and dried fruit works: I love the almond slices/cranberries combo. I also love oatmeal with some dried apricot slices and some banana slices on top. Making your oatmeal salty, by adding olive oil and sea salt, instead of the typical sweet additions, works too. A bit of miso instead of salt and some cracked nori seaweed pieces works, too. I know, I am also surprised! If your kid demands cereal for breakfast, sprinkle some on top of his/her bowl of oatmeal. Grate an apple into your oatmeal and sprinkle the porridge with some cinnamon. Add some coconut oil for flavor and for health. Mash a banana into your oatmeal and add a teaspoon of almond butter to make it taste very rich and dessert-like. Stick some strawberry slices into it. Add blueberries for an antioxidant-packed breakfast. Or, you can try this amazing oatmeal concoction. And if nothing works, add some oats to your pancake batter!
What do you put in your oatmeal?
