Hello and welcome to Food for Thought Blog Site! Our blog is here to provide you with recipes, and nutritional information on a variety of foods. The old adage "You are what you eat" is very true. What we put into our bodies impacts the way we feel, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
Avocados have been rising in popularity over the last decade and for good reason. They are nutrient dense and they contain nutrient to improve quality of life, and the health benefits of living a healthier, longer life. However, many people do not like the taste of a plain avocado, or do not know how to pick, or prepare a healthy avocado recipe. Here is an easy, delicious, healthy recipe that everyone will love!
RECIPE
2 Ripe Avocados
The juice of 1/2 lemon, or more if you like lemon like I do :)
1 Roma tomato diced
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 green onions/scallions or purple onion
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper
DIRECTIONS
Combine avocado and lemon immediately to prevent the avocado from oxidizing or turning brown. Next mash avocado and lemon. Add other ingredients. Mix together gently and enjoy! This is spread is great on toasted bagels, or as a guacamole with chips and salsa.
What a treat it was today to have created a childhood favorite flavor into a smoothie! Creamsicle. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to find a bargain on all natural frozen fruit with no sugar, preservatives, or other ingredients in them. I found 100% fruit where the only ingredient was the fruit for only $1.00 a bag, so of course I had to stock up on them. I found this great find at the Dollar Tree store. This smoothie is packed with Vitamins A, C and other vital nutrients! Both carrots and peaches are both high in beta carotene and lycopene, giving the peaches and carrots their orange/red/pink appearance.
Recipe
1 cup of frozen peaches
1 carrot cut into pieces
1 cup of pineapple
1 cup of frozen yogurt (I used vanilla)
2 cups of pineapple orange juice (100% juice, not cocktail)
Water if needed
Directions
Cut carrots into small pieces. This makes it easier to blend, especially if you do not own one of the more expensive blenders that chop and blend whole fruits and veggies. Next add additional ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water if you like a thinner consistency. Enjoy!
When I first set out to make this smoothie I didn't intend to add yogurt. However, when I tasted the finished product without the yogurt it reminded of a childhood favorite flavor, creamsicle! My son and I both said it reminded us of a creamsicle, and if it had a cream flavor in it it would taste exactly like a creamsicle. So of course we both said, yogurt! The vanilla yogurt was the perfect addition to this smoothie. We recreated a healthy version of the old fashioned creamsicle treat.
Peaches are at their peak season right now! July and August is prime peach season, so stock up while prices are low. Cut up and freeze fruits and veggies that are in season when you can. you will reap the cost effective savings and health benefits of doing so.
Health Benefits of Peaches
This is what the smoothie looked like before we added the yogurt. It was a much brighter orange.
Monday's are busy for most of us and thinking of easy, healthy, and inexpensive meals are often hard to think of during those busy days. Here is a simple, fast, and economically affordable meal that your family will love! This recipe will make 5 lettuce wraps.
Recipe
2 Thin sliced chicken breasts cut into strips.
Italian dressing
Romaine lettuce
Tomatoes cut into small pieces
1 Cucumber diced and seeded (Lightly salt diced cucumber and set aside for about 5-10 minutes. Drain excess liquid)
Purple onion
1/2 cup of sour creme
1/2 Plain Greek Yogurt
1 handful of cilantro
Italian seasoning. (Parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
Lemon - The juice of 1/2 a lemon
Tzatiki Sauce
Add a 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, and 1/2 cup of sour creme. If you do not have one or the other, this recipe will work with all sour creme, or all Greek yogurt. Next add about 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, chopped cilantro, cucumber, and the juice of about 1/4 lemon. Stir.
Directions
Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to chicken. If you do not have an indoor grill pan, then use a regular frying pan. Add Italian dressing to bottom of frying pan. Add seasoned chicken. Cook until golden brown. While chicken is browning. Slice 5 leaves of Romaine lettuce into strips and dice tomatoes. I used about 15 cherry tomatoes, or about 2 Roma tomatoes. Cut about 1/4 of a purple onion into strips. Add sliced lettuce,tomatoes, and purple onion to bowl. Toss lightly with Italian dressing. I only used about 1 Tablespoon of Italian dressing. Assemble. Add salad mixture to lettuce cups. Add chicken and Tzatiki sauce. Be creative! add Feta cheese or other cheese if desired.
NOTE: Adding salt to the diced and seeded cucumber before adding to tzatiki sauce will help to draw out some of the moisture, preventing the sauce from becoming too watery. It's a simple, fast trick that will improve the consistency of your sauce.
Depending on how many people are eating will depend on how many sweet potatoes you will need. I used one medium sweet potato and it made 26 thin fries.
1 Sweet Potato - I left the skin on as it contains many valuable nutrients.
Oil - I used vegetable oil, however any oil will do. Healthier oils are better choices such as olive oil and vegetable oils.
Italian seasoning which included the herbs parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme.
Garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Toss cut fries in oil add herbs, salt and pepper and spread out on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
When we think of spinach we often think of Popeye the sailor man. Mothers around the world have been trying to get their kids to eat their spinach for centuries. Unless you can incorporate the nutrient dense green leafy vegetable into other ingredients, then chances are you might not be so lucky in getting your loved ones to eat their greens.
This spinach and kale stuffed mushroom recipe is absolutely delicious. I made this recipe as an appetizer for a wine tasting party and it was a big hit.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
24 Baby Bella Mushrooms
1 package frozen spinach (Defrosted, and squeezed out in a clean towel)
1 bunch fresh baby kale (if you cannot find baby kale at your grocer, then use mature kale cut up and steamed). Steam the kale and let cool. Wring out any excess water in a towel the same way that you do with the frozen spinach.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 lemon zested
1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs (Japanese style)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil to drizzle
DIRECTIONS
Defrost frozen spinach and wring out with clean towel. Cook kale until it is wilted. After cooling, wring out the kale with clean towel. Add spinach and kale to bowl. Finely chop onion and celery and add to bowl. Chop and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Add remaining ingredients, salt and pepper to taste. Toss together, and add mixture to stuff the mushrooms. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 Degrees for about 25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown, cheese is melted and mushrooms are tender.
Are you looking for new ways to use avocado? Here is a simple salad that anyone can make. I used heirloom cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, and avocado. I had bought some delicious olives from the farmers market and added them to the salad along with some feta cheese.
Recipe
Cherry Tomatoes (Or tomato of your choice)
Cucumbers cut into bit size pieces
Avocado cut into chunks
Squeeze lemon juice over avocado to prevent browning. The lemon juice also adds a delightful flavor to the salad.
Olives (Optional)
Feta cheese (Or other cheese of your choice-optional)
Italian salad dressing
Mix all ingredients and dress with Italian dressing.
ENJOY!
HEALTH BENEFITS OF AVOCADO
BANANA PECAN MUFFINS
RECIPE
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of cinnomon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp of salt
4 ripe bananas (peel and mash)
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of pecans (or nut of your choice)
Frosting
8 oz of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
3 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup pecans (You can toast them for a warm, nutty flavor)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Next Mix the dry ingredients into bowl, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Beat the wet ingredients together, sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and add banana and nuts in. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Add the batter to the cupcake liners in the muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Next add the honey. Frost muffins as desired. Top with pecans if desired.
RECIPE
