Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts

Saturday 30 October 2021

Mini Calzones


Ingredients:

 

  • 1 Roll Your Favorite Biscuits 
  • 1/2 Ricotta Cheese 
  • 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
  • 2 tsps. Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Dash Salt 
  • Dash Garlic Powder

 

Directions:

 

Open the biscuits and roll each one out flat with a rolling pin. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin take a little bit of flour and sprinkle over the rolling pin. 

 

For each biscuit add a 1/4 tsp. of Parmesan cheese onto one half of the flattened biscuit. Then add 3 Tbsps. of mozzarella and a tsp. of ricotta. Sprinkle with a little salt and garlic powder. Fold the biscuit over on itself. Crimp with a fork. 

 

Cook at 350F for 14-17 minutes or until the biscuit is golden brown. 

 

Sides:

 

  • Spaghetti sauce for dipping
  • Green salad with dressing
  • Iced tea


Ham & Mozzarella Sticks

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 4 Ham Slices
  • 2 String Cheese Sticks
  • 2 Green Olives
  • 2 Toothpicks

 

Directions:

 

Take two ham slices and wrap around one cheese stick. Add the olive to the seam and secure with the toothpick. 

 

Serves: 1

 

Sides:

 

  • Red Seedless Grapes
  • Mini Pretzels
  • 100% Real Juice Box

 


Italian Sausage & Broccoli Egg Muffins


Ingredients:

 

  • 1 lb. Italian Sausage
  • 8 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Broccoli Florets
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Milk
  • 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

 

Directions:

 

In a large pan, fry up the sausage until it’s no longer pink.  Remove from heat and add broccoli florets

 

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, oil, baking powder and salt and pepper.

 

Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with oil. Spoon the sausage mixture evenly into each tin. Pour the egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F

 

Refrigerate lunch portions overnight and add to lunch box in the morning. It’s portable and yummy!

 

Sides:

 

  • Jello with fruit at the bottom
  • Apple slices
  • Milk


Banana Burrito Ideas


Peanut Butter & Jelly

 

  • Whole-Wheat Tortilla
  • 2 Tbsps. Peanut Butter
  • Banana
  • 1 Tbsp. Jelly

 

Nutella and Peanut Butter

 

  • Tortilla
  • 2 tbsp. Peanut Butter
  • Banana
  • 1 tbsp. Nutella 

 

Fluffer Nuttier Roll-Up 

 

  • Tortilla
  • 2 tbsp. Peanut Butter
  • Banana
  • 1 tbsp. Marshmallow Fluff

 

Directions:

 

Spread peanut butter over the tortilla. Peel banana and put it at the edge of the tortilla. Spread the banana with your optional topping (jelly, Nutella, marshmallow fluff) and then roll up the tortilla.  Fold the ends to hold all the ingredients inside.  For a yummy alternative warm up the tortilla in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for an ooey gooey treat.

 

Pair with these items to make a delicious lunch your child will love:


  • Fruit cup
  • Yogurt
  • Non-sugary drink like Water, Bai, or Crystal Light


Friday 29 October 2021

Boost Your Workouts and Nutrition With Protein Powder Smoothies


One of the most important aspects of living a healthy lifestyle is diet. Sound nutrition can truly make such a difference in your daily energy levels, disease prevention, health, and improving the results of your hard work in exercise.

 

Protein, along with carbohydrates and fat is what is known as a "macronutrient," this simply means the body needs large amounts of it as compared to micronutrients, which include, vitamins and minerals and are needed in lesser quantities. 

 

In contrast to micronutrients, the body doesn’t store protein to draw on when it needs it, so it should be an important part of your daily diet. 



The Power of Protein

 

  • Protein is an essential component of every cell in the body.
  • The nails and hair are made mostly from it.
  • The body uses protein for vital internal functions, such as, to repair and build tissue. 
  • It is the building block of bones, cartilage, skin, blood and muscles.
  • Protein also makes hormones, enzymes and other vital chemicals in the body. 

 

Benefits Of Protein For Workouts

 

Along with the vital benefits of protein mentioned before, ingesting protein after a workout, especially after doing strength and muscle work is one of the most important times to get protein into the body. 

 

This is because it will go to the muscles where it can begin the healing and recovery of the "micro tears," which, are small tears in muscle tissue caused by intense contractions of lifting weights. 

 


The key to supplying and nourishing the body with protein is to choose the right forms. 

 

When it comes to eating animal protein for example, it is best to choose lean varieties most of the time, such as, chicken and turkey.  

 

And, then there is the highly efficient, convenient and fun protein powder and all that it can do to improve the efficiency of your workouts and nutritional stability.

 

Protein Powder Smoothies And Shakes

 

It is a fact that the best way to get the needed benefits of protein is through solid food, but, this is not always possible or convenient, as people are busy, and have hectic lives. Hitting your protein macronutrient goals day by day can be a really difficult task. This is how protein shakes can be of great use. 

 

By enjoying delicious protein powder smoothies you can enjoy what you’re consuming while reaching your goals. 

 

Because solid food takes more time to digest and to break down the protein and send it to the muscles, it can be best to take a protein shake immediately following a workout, since it will reach the muscle within 30 minutes of ingestion. Definitely, we can see the advantage to taking a protein shake in this instance. 

 

Protein, alike any other macro nutrient is essential to make sure that you get everything out of your workout. Being dehydrated before a workout can be detrimental to your performance and cause a significant lack in strength and focus.

 

Protein smoothies, as well as, water, are an excellent way to keep hydrated before a workout!

 

Unlike standard protein powder shakes (typically mixed with water or milk) protein powder smoothies not only provide essential protein to reach daily goals, but, they are also an excellent source of energy from the natural sugar within the fruits that you include. 

 

This means that with a single protein powder shake you can stay hydrated, reach your protein goals, enjoy a nice tasting drink, as well as, benefit from an increase in energy levels! 



What could be better?

 

Does The Brand Of Protein Powder Matter?

 

Some people think of protein powders as a “magic solution” to building muscle. This is not the case. Protein powder is simply a convenient way of consuming grams of protein. A gram of protein from a chicken breast is identical to a gram of protein from powders.

 

Make sure you read the label when purchasing your protein powders. Typically, a solid protein powder will contain 20 grams of protein for every 25 grams powder. Some cheap protein powders are full of sugary carbs and little protein content. Always choose all natural products without unnecessary added artificial ingredients.

 

4 Protein Powder Smoothie Recipes

 

1.    Banana-Oat Protein Smoothie

 

Bananas are essential sources of potassium that aids calcium absorption and protects the heart. This is the ideal drink before a strenuous workout - it will sustain your blood sugar and prevent muscle cramps. 

 

Ingredients:

 

1-2 scoops / 25-50 grams (depending on your protein goals) of protein powder

2 scoops / 50 grams of oats / Instant Oats 

1 & ½ half bananas

1 & 1/2 half cups of low or non-fat milk

 

2.    Blueberry Blast

 

With the various micro nutrients packed into blueberries it means that not only are you benefitting from all the pro’s already outlined but you are also becoming healthier all at the same time.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup vanilla almond milk (unsweetened)

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup blueberries

1 scoop protein powder (unflavored or vanilla flavor, but, watch the sugar content on the package)

 


3.    Tropical Breeze

 

With a range of healthy fruits the tropical breeze is a healthy nutrient and protein filled smoothie that will provide excellent results when consumed.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup vanilla almond milk (unsweetened)

1 cup pineapple

1 teaspoon fresh shredded coconut (no sugar added) or coconut milk

1/2 cup blueberries (get frozen when out of season)

1 scoop of protein powder (unflavored or vanilla flavored)

 

4.    Banana Bread Shake

 

Another excellent source of energy and potassium from the bananas along with the slow release energy from the oatmeal and bran flakes to keep you going throughout your workout and your entire day!

 

Ingredients:

 

1- 2 Scoops / 25-50 grams (depending on your protein goals) of protein powder

1 banana

½ cup of Oatmeal

3/4 cup bran flakes

1 bottle of water

Sweetener to add taste


 

Best Times To Drink Protein Smoothies?

 

Some people like to consume their smoothie in the morning. This can be a great idea if you generally don’t feel hungry in the mornings. A protein smoothie can provide a boost of energy to get you started for the day if you also feel tired.

 

Generally, a smoothie that is consumed pre-workout (before the workout) can generate the best results due to the high amount of natural sugar carbs and fast release energy that can increase performance during workouts. 

 

And, of course, a protein shake can be great after workouts to aid in muscle recovery. 

 


Sunday 24 October 2021

An Anatomy Of Leafy Greens And How They Serve Good Health


No diet is truly optimized without a healthy amount of leafy greens. These plant foods are truly a miracle of nature, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals; they also are low in calories so you can eat plenty of them without gaining weight. Leafy greens can be eaten in sandwiches, be part of casseroles and can be eaten in numerous types of salads.  

 

What are leafy greens?

 

There are both common and relatively uncommon leafy green vegetables available to you.  Most you can get at the produce department at your local supermarket but others you may have to grow in containers in your house or in a garden or visit a store like Whole Foods. 

 

Leafy green vegetables include:

 

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Red and Green Leaf and Romaine Lettuce
  • Cabbage
  • Edible Green Leaves: dandelion, red clover, plantain, watercress and chickweed 
  • Mustard greens
  • Dandelion greens
  • Swiss chard
  • Escarole
  • Turnip greens

 

What makes leafy greens so special?

 

Disease Prevention

 

It seems that Mother Nature knows what she’s doing, as leafy greens contain disease preventing plant-based substances that may help protect from diabetes, heart disease and even various cancer mainly because of the powerful antioxidants they offer. Kale for example, is a great source of vitamins A C, K, calcium and also supplies folate and potassium.

 

Weight Loss

 

These vegetables have so few calories that they hardly even count and lettuce, kale and spinach can be eaten in abundance. These are also high fiber foods and so they keep you full longer and allow you to eat less. Another benefit of the fiber is that it helps to stabilize blood sugars, and that results in less out of control cravings for sweets and other junk.



Vitamin K

 

Different leafy greens have different properties but all of them can be considered good for you. They contain vitamin K, which is essential in helping the body to properly clot blood. Vitamin K also helps prevent several conditions related to advancing age and can help prevent bone loss, arterial calcifications, kidney damage and heart disease. Just a single cup of most leafy green vegetables will provide you with more than enough vitamin K for your system per day. Kale is especially helpful, providing about six times the recommended intake of vitamin K. 

 

Lower Cholesterol

 

You can actually lower your cholesterol by eating leafy green vegetables. The bile acids produced by the liver which help fats digest from the gastrointestinal tract are bound by the fiber in the leafy greens. The bile acids pass through the body along with the residue of leafy green vegetables, forcing the liver to use up even more cholesterol to make bile acids. This reduces your endogenous cholesterol level. There was one study in the Nutrition Research journal that indicated that slightly steamed kale and mustard greens did the best job of binding bile acids.  

 

Eye Health

 

Leafy green vegetables are good for the eyes. The best leafy greens to eat for eye health are mustard greens, Swiss chard, kale and dandelion greens because they are high in carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids help filter the high energy light caused by sun and therefore prevent sun-induced cataracts. These carotenoids also improve overall visual acuity.  

 

Vitamin B5

 

A cup of raw escarole can help your body by adding pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5. The B vitamins together help carbohydrates break down into glucose to be used for cellular fuel. The body cannot store B vitamins each day so you need to find a daily source for these vitamins. What better way than to incorporate escarole in your diet.  



Calcium For Bone Health

 

Leafy green vegetables contain large amounts of calcium. It’s the calcium that gives these foods their slightly bitter taste. While leafy greens do not give you alone the amount of calcium you need in one day (about a thousand milligrams of calcium per day for women between 30 and 50), they provide easily absorbable kinds of calcium.  A half a cup of dandelion greens will give you about 75 mg of calcium, while mustard greens can give you 55 mg calcium. 

 

Considering that these are virtually fat free foods they give high fat dairy foods as a source of calcium a run for their money.

 

Prevent Colon Cancer

 

Kale and mustard greens can help prevent colon cancer by being part of the group of vegetables that includes cabbage and broccoli. In a study in one dietetic journal, those people that ate more of these leafy greens suffered a lower risk of developing colon cancer.



How do you eat leafy greens?

 

Leafy greens can be eaten raw in salads or can be steamed and mixed with things like herbs, other vegetables, or added to stir fry. Generally, it is advisable to have as little heat applied to these vegetables as possible to keep their nutritional content intact. Kale and spinach both are at risk for overcooking very fast because they cook so quickly. 


A good rule of thumb when cooking is to only steam to a bright free color, such as the case with broccoli, once it turns a dark green color it is likely overcooked and has lost valuable nutrients.

 


Tuesday 21 September 2021

3 Powerful Slimming Drinks You Can Make at Home

  

In the fight against excess kilograms, slimming drinks play an important role. In the modern world, obesity is becoming a problem for an increasing number of people, regardless of age, gender or social status.

 

Sedentary work, a sedentary lifestyle, a huge number of places for a snack on the run sooner or later lead a person to increase in body weight. Fighting excess weight has subsequently become a priority in many countries around the world.

 

The use of beverages for weight loss also promotes:

 

  • body cleansing;
  • the restoration of health;
  • an elevated standard of living.

 

It is not a secret for anyone that it is much more difficult to lose weight than to gain some. To cope with this difficult task, you need exercise, fitness, a balanced diet, as well as tasty and healthy drinks for weight loss.

 



Everyone who has faced the problem of excess weight begins their path to weight loss with attempts to limit themselves in what concerns food. Often, this method does not bring the desired result. What, in this case, does a person need to achieve their goal?

 

They are going to seek additional means that will help get rid of the life-threatening kilograms. First of all, this will come in the form of sports, and secondly - it will be a diet tailor-made for their own body. One contribution to that diet is provided by fat-burning drinks. They are low-calorie, taste good, and are easy to make.

 

Rules for the use of beverages for weight loss

 

To achieve a positive result with the use of beverages that help to get rid of extra kilograms, it is desirable to adhere to some completely uncomplicated rules:

 

  • the slimming organism is susceptible to dehydration, which is why it is necessary to drink at least 2-2.5 liters of liquids per day;
  • to achieve a long-term result, all fat-burning drinks should be taken in strict dosages and, preferably, on an ongoing basis;
  • during the diet, tea (preferably green) and natural ground coffee are allowed without the addition of fatty cream and sugar;
  • all nutritionists, without exception, have ruled against the intake of liquids during meals. It is better to drink a glass of water half an hour before a meal or an hour after;
  • in order to avoid edema, do not drink any liquids just before bedtime;
  • slimming drinks should be consumed three times a day preferably.

 

Types of drinks for weight loss

 

Drinks that effectively fight excess weight are special herbal teas with spices and honey, fruit and vegetable cocktails, berry smoothies and a novelty that has recently made its way into the world of slimming - Sassy Water (named for the nutritionist who created it).

 

It should be noted that, along with the consumption of these drinks, not only does one lose weight, but the human body will also be relieved of any slag, the antioxidants will eliminate toxins, the metabolism will be accelerated, the digestion process will improve, and, as a result, the person will feel an unprecedented burst of energy.

 

Recipes for weight loss drinks

 

Recipe #1. The Miracle Sassy Water

 

There's nothing complicated about Sassy Water. To make it, you need a couple of litres of pure still water, a ginger root, some fresh mint, a small cucumber and lemons.

 

Prepare it in the evening, so that during the night, it has infused and absorbed all the useful substances. Prepare only one helping if you want to enjoy a fresh drink the next morning.

 

All of the solid ingredients must be thoroughly washed, crushed and mixed with the two litres of water. That's it, the drink is ready!

 

Keep Sassy Water preferably in a cool place. Every night, you will have to prepare a new portion of the cocktail. It is recommended to drink it the next morning on an empty stomach. The first portion is one glass, then, during the day, you need to drink the rest of the mixture.

 

The ingredients in the drink have a beneficial effect on the body. The fibre-rich cucumber kills the feeling of mild hunger and slows down the transformation of carbohydrates into fats.

 

Recipe #2. Green herbal cocktails

 

The green herbal cocktail is jam-packed with vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, macro- and micronutrients.

 

To make this truly healing drink, you need a set of your favourite fresh herbs, a little water, a blender, any vegetables or fruits (cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, avocados, apples, grapefruit, kiwis...), a pinch of spice (a mixture of peppers or Provencal herbs would be great for a vegetable cocktail), cinnamon, vanilla, ground sweet paprika, cloves and other seasonings.

 

All of the prepared ingredients should be simply ground in a blender, then half of the result splashed with water and put in a refrigerator for a while. This green cocktail fights off hunger well and can easily be used as a pre-lunch snack.

 

Recipe #3. Beetroot and carrot-apple juice with celery

 

In the application of beet juice, one very important point needs to be considered: this juice cannot be consumed in its pure form, in order to avoid problems associated with cardiac activity and digestion. To accustom the organism to beet juice, it is necessary to up the dose gradually, starting from 50 ml and diluting it with juice or water.

 

So, for the preparation of beetroot-carrot-apple juice, you will need beets, carrots, green apple, celery and pure filtered water. All of the ingredients must, as usual, be ground in the blender, splashed with water and left in the cold for a couple of hours. You can drink this juice throughout the day.

 

This super-useful cocktail will contribute to the removal of toxins, cleanse the vessels, improve the general condition of the body and fill it with energy.

 

The use of beverages for weight loss has a beneficial effect on the human body, helps it get rid of excess weight and accumulated slag, and also improves mood and appearance.