Homemade Hummus? Yes, please!

I LOVE hummus! I have heard of people making it and to be honest, I have no good answer as to why I have not done this before. I served store bought at a gathering in my home recently and one of my friends said she makes hummus all of the time. So I thought, I should too!

I did today and I was SO easy! And healthy! And Quick! And my kiddos loved it.

There are many variations but this is what I made. I am looking forward to trying different recipes in the very near future since I have so much Tahini left! lol! So please share if you have a good one!

RECIPE:

1 can of chick peas or garbanzo beans

(reserve a little of the liquid from the can to blend in and drain the rest)

the juice of half of a lemon

1 1/2 TBS tahini

minced garlic (to taste. If you like garlic use more!)

a couple of shakes of garlic salt (I am not a measurer! I don't like to oversalt so I tend to go light here. You can always add more but can't take it away)

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

I blended all of the ingredients in my magic bullet blender for about 2-3 minutes until smooth. You can use a regular blender too.

Serve on pita chips, crackers, fresh veggies and fruit. This is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. My favorite is with the Shaklee 180 snack crisps which also give you 6 grams of non-GMO protein per serving! Total health and energy packed snack!

Refrigerate your left overs and they are good in the fridge for a few days. Can also freeze.

Thanks for stopping in. Would love to hear your favorite hummus recipes too!

And a reminder that July is ending soon and you can still take advantage of my JULY SPECIALS which include freebies and now also FREE Shipping! 

Have a great day!

~Rebecca~

Zucchini Chips! & Paprika benefits

I recently saw a recipe floating around Facebook on zucchini chips. I am all about finding new and creative, not to mention yummy, ways to incorporate more veggies in my family's diet so I decided to give it a try. And the fact that there are tons of zucchini at the farmers market right now helps too. ;)

It was super easy! All I did was thinly sliced up 2 medium size green zucchini. (you could use your favorite) I tossed it with about 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil along with a little garlic salt and black pepper. 

I spread the zucchini in an even layer on my cookie sheet and then for the magic ingredient - Paprika!!! I sprinkled this over the top.

I baked them for about 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees. (You can play around with your oven temp if you have a hotter oven). They were crispy and delicious! Even my kids loved them. I did have some that were too thin and burned so watch your pan to avoid that.

The key ingredient is paprika because it adds SO many health benefits! Did you know that? And you only need a little each day to gain some great benefits from the vitamins it has as well as the antioxidants. Some of those benefits include:

Hair Health

Skin Health

Digestive Health

Helps with Sleep

Lowering blood pressure

Boosting metabolism

Helps maintain energy

And more! If there are things on this list you are looking for, consider adding some paprika to your diet regularly. It is easy to add to soups and different recipes. I also have other suggestions through supplementation that could help with those health issues as well in case you need a bigger boost. Please contact me for more ideas.

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy some Zucchini chips soon and let me know what you think of them.

And remember that our June Shaklee specials are ending soon! Check them out and take advantage of the free products (Free Stress Relief complex and free Shaklee 180 Mango smoothee) AND free shipping we have going this month. Check with me for the details. There's never a better time to take charge of your health then right now and I can help you do that. :)

~Rebecca~

Homemade Pizza? Yes, Please!!

I have two little boys who look alike, are close in age, and like many of the same toys. But one area where they seem to be polar opposites these days is their taste in food. So when I can find something that they both enjoy, I need to blog about it so I don't forget! lol

The other night my husband was working late so I thought I would make a homemade pizza with the kids. It didn't take too long and was a healthier pizza choice then frozen or take out.

I found this easy, no-yeast, crust recipe online. The only suggestion I would make would be to pre bake the crust about 5 minutes before putting toppings on to make it a bit crispier. It doesn't have to look perfect so just roll it out as you like it.

I did substitute 1/2 cup of the flour for this awesome Baking Protein for a little extra nutrition. It doesn't lose any nutrients when heated.

I also used about 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and the rest all purpose. But you could use whatever you like. I also mixed in about a TBSP of Chia seeds into the crust for extra omegas and fiber. If you are not familiar with Chia seeds, you need to be! They are easy to add to recipes, soups, smoothees, etc and are a sort of super food.

After I got the crust going I quickly cut up veggies for my half of the pizza. My kids don't like cooked veggies but they will eat them raw. so I left some out for them to eat on the side. 

I sautéed  chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, mushrooms and I added fresh spinach right onto the pizza.

I made my sauce with approximately 3 oz of tomato sauce, 2 oz of tomato paste to thicken it, oregano, basil, fresh garlic, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and about a tsp of raw honey to sweeten it. 

(sorry for all of you who love to measure. I never do which is why I would never be able to write a cookbook! Just add flavor to taste and go easy on the salt. Most of the time you don't even need it or much of it)

I picked up some fresh pepperoni from the deli that day and topped it with that but sometimes I will sauté  chicken or use ground chicken or turkey.  Pepperoni just saves me time but it has a lot of sodium so that is another reason to go easy on the salt with the sauce and veggies.

I shredded my favorite colby jack cheese (it happened to be what I had on hand and I am kind of drawn to the name. lol.  use your favorite) and then put it all together and baked at 400 for about 15-20 minutes until the crust was browned and cheese melted.

It.Tasted.Awesome!

both of my kids loved it and kept asking for more. Goes nice with a green salad too.

Let me know if you try this recipe or have another to share that your kids love!

Thanks for checking in. Sorry I have been a bit MIA lately. Life is busy and business is going well. Don't forget to check out the awesome Shaklee specials and free shipping this month!

~Rebecca~

A Dinner that Both of my Kids Asked for Seconds!!

Many of you know that I have two adorable little boys ages 5 and 3. They are alike in many ways. Some people even ask if they are twins because they look alike. 

But one area where they really differ is their taste in food! You would think they came from a different womb or grew up in different houses when looking at their complete opposite tastes. I do make them different things for breakfast and lunch, which isn't too difficult and I don't mind doing. But for dinner I put my foot down and only make one thing for the whole family. I really love to cook and experiment with different recipes and admittedly I don't always hit a home run in that area. But it is always edible and always usually fairly healthy. :)

When one of my sons wasn't feeling well the other day, I wanted to make something that wouldn't upset his stomach further. So what did I think of? Chicken noodle soup! But I wanted to change it up a bit. I usually boil a whole roaster chicken and add carrots, onion, celery and potato along with noodles and seasonings. But I didn't have a chicken defrosted and didn't have the time to do that. So I improvised with the time and ingredients I had and…….they both loved it! My husband and I did too.  And BOTH kids asked for seconds! Something that doesn't happen often in our house. lol

Note: my youngest will eat cooked carrots but my oldest will not. Most days as I am preparing dinner I give them both a plate of raw veggies that I am cutting. My oldest will dip in hummus and my youngest likes them plain. :) They think it is something special and I am taking advantage of the fact that it is almost dinner and they are hungry and then they also get their veggies in so I don't stress if they won't eat them with the meal.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breast cut to bite size pieces (we prefer this but you could use whatever chicken you like and more if you are cooking for more people)

1-2 cups Chicken or Veggie broth (Aldis has a good organic one now that won't break the bank)

Water

Noodles of your choice (my family really likes the thick Reames brand found in the frozen section. Not the healthiest choice but they do taste really good)

1-2 carrots, chopped

Celery optional. I didn't have any so I didn't put it in.

1/2 onion, grated (I grate it so my kids will eat it but you could also chop it)

fresh garlic (I cook with a lot so use what you like. garlic has a lot of great immune boosting properties and it adds a ton of flavor)

1-2 cans of white beans drained (or dry if you have them on hand. I didn't this time)

Seasonings of your choice. I used a little garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and parsley

1-2 TBS of Instant Protein (I always add this baking protein powder to my soups and baked items to thicken them or in place of some flour. It works great and adds some good nutrition to the recipe. You could also use flour to thicken)

Directions:

Saute grated onion and carrot on medium-high heat with extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan. After it cooks down for a few minutes add garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Stir in broth and water to fill your pan 3/4 way and seasonings and  protein baking powder or flour. Bring to a boil.

Add defrosted chicken and boil for approximately 20 min until no longer pink.

Add frozen noodles while chicken is cooking according to package  directions. When you add the noodles make sure the chicken continues to boil or add more time so it cooks through.

Add beans last. You can smash some of the beans before adding which will thicken your broth further.

Simmer and serve! The longer it sits the thicker the broth will be.

It was a nice variation on chicken noodle soup with the beans and different seasonings.

Do you experiment with recipes? Do you also have a family who has opposite tastes in food? I would love to hear some of your family favorites! Let me know what you think of this recipe.

Have a great day and visit me on Facebook soon! Would love to connect with you!

~Rebecca~

My Favorite Black Bean Soup!

I LOVE a good black bean soup! I found a recipe awhile back that I have been tweaking and make for a lot of parties and functions I have at my house. It is always a big hit and I always get asked for the recipe. So I thought I would finally write it down in a post and share it here since I just made it the other day and have it fresh in my mind.

I like to use dry black beans for this but canned will work. Just rinse them first. We bought a ton of dry black beans from the farmers market this summer. They store well for a long time and we enjoy them all winter long. Beans are such a great and healthy source of protein and fiber! 

Recipe:

a lot of black beans! If you use dry then wash them and pick out the stone like ones. I like to cook my dry beans with a little broth, a lot of water (keep them covered in liquid) and seasonings (garlic, onion, pepper, etc) in the crock pot over night. I make a lot at one time so I can use them for different recipes. If you use canned then I would say around 4 cans!

1 large can of crushed tomatoes. Sometimes I will take fresh that I have blanched.

about 4 cups of broth (I have used veggie as well as chicken and they are both delicious)

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil 

1 onion (you can chop this but I like to grate my onion in recipes with a cheese grater to avoid chunks that my kids will pick out)

1-2  stalks of celery, finely chopped

1-2 carrots, finely chopped. you could also grate these.

garlic! I like a lot! good immune boosting properties and makes things smell and taste delicious. I like to buy fresh that is already minced in the jar. Saves me some time and I find I use it more frequently when it is so convenient.

chili powder (if you like it hot then use a lot - if not, then tone it down. )

1 TBS of ground cumin 

a dash of black pepper

a dash or two of garlic powder or garlic salt (easy on the salt as this will have a ton of flavor on its own)

Optional: 1-2 TBS of chia seeds. These are packed with nutrients, fiber and omegas. They expand in liquid to help you feel full. I usually add these to most recipes, esp. soups and smoothees!

Note: I do not like to measure things so that is why some of my instructions are vague. And also why I am terrible at baking. lol you can get away with not measuring with cooking so use your best judgement and play around with the ingredients  to make it work for your taste.

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery and carrot until it starts to get softer but not mushy. Add garlic during last minute or two so it doesn't burn.

Stir in broth and about half of your beans. Add seasonings and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a blender, blend the rest of your beans with your tomatoes until smooth. This will be your heavenly sauce mix!!

Stir into boiling soup and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better the flavors will mesh together. Make sure you cook it long enough for your veggies to not be crunchy. 

And…... enjoy!!!! You can add a dab of plain greek yogurt (healthy alternative to sour cream) to each bowl if you like. So good!!!

Do you have a  favorite soup recipe to share? I am always looking for new ideas in the kitchen. 

let me know what you think once you try this. 

Thanks and stop and visit me on Facebook soon! Would love to connect with you there and share more healthy living and recipe tips.

~Rebecca~

Healthy Mac and Cheese? Yes, Please!!

I was at the grocery store yesterday and noticed this new version of pasta that just came out that has veggies in it! It was on sale so I decided to buy a couple of boxes. There are 3 different varieties. This one has pureed squash and carrots which adds some vitamins and nutrients. Not as good as eating them raw but better then not having them at all.

It got me thinking about how my oldest has been begging me to make mac and cheese for him. I remember enjoying the traditional box of mac and cheese quite often when I was a kid. But there is more info out there now to indicate this may not be a good choice for people with all of the dyes, especially kids so my kids don't get that. We also have had some issues with dairy in the past so my kids don't get a lot of dairy so this would be a treat. 

I called my husband while at the store to ask him to look into my Deceptively Delicious cook book by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife) for the Mac and Cheese recipe. There happened to be two but he read me the ingredients for the first one here. The second recipe had pureed white beans or chick peas in it. Will have to try that sometime too!

If you aren't familiar with this book, I would recommend it if you are looking for ways to sneak some healthy things into recipes. Works great for picky kids and picky spouses too! :) I posted about her healthier brownie recipe awhile back too. So good!

It didn't take me long to make this and when it was done I told my kids what I had made. My oldest was practically jumping up and down he was so excited. My youngest who is 3 firmly announced, I don't like this dinner. I told him, it's lunch, not dinner, and you haven't even tried it! lol

But he held firm and reluctantly tried one bite and confirmed what he already thought to be true. I don't like it! ha ha!

But don't let that turn you away from trying this recipe. My 5 year old ate three bowls!!! And asked if he could have it again tomorrow. If only my kids had similar tastes in food it would make my job easier. Anyone else have this problem? I also ate some and thought it tasted pretty good!

I used pureed sweet potato which did make it taste a little sweeter. Next time I will try the pureed squash or cauliflower like Jessica suggests. I cut back on the amount of cheese the recipe called for and it was still very good. I also added chia seeds, which you couldn't even tell were in there once they expanded and cooked into the sauce. I also used almond milk because that is what we have in the house.

In place of flour, I used this Instant Protein, which I love to add to baked goods. It does not lose any nutrients when heated and is an excellent choice for a plant-based quality protein.

So that's it! The end result was quite good!

What are ways you sneak some health into your kids meals?

Thanks for stopping in. If you are over on Facebook soon, stop and visit me for more healthy tips and recipes.

Have a great day!

~Rebecca~

Advent Challenge Day 16

Yesterday started the third week of Advent already! can you believe it? I forgot to put that and this picture of our wreath in my last Advent post. It is known as Gaudete Sunday, which means "Rejoice" in Latin. The pink candle is lit for the third week.

Today was the day for….SNOW ICE CREAM!!!! My husband isn't a fan so the boys and I made it this afternoon and enjoyed it while he was at work. The kids were so excited! There was some rejoicing in my house today when I told them our activity!

First we got a heaping bowl of fresh clean snow. Notice how Benjamin was dressed for the occasion. :)

Then we mixed in 1/2 cup sugar, approximately 1 cup almond milk and a tsp or two of vanilla extract.

Mix and put sprinkles and enjoy! It tastes pretty good and we had fun making it today.

What activities did you do today?

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the great 12 Days of Christmas specials we have going right now!! And visit me on Facebook soon too!

Have a great day!

~Rebecca~

Gratitude Challenge Day 19!

I can't believe it's day 19 already! This month is flying by! Is it for you too? Thanksgiving is just around the corner!

My youngest son needs to bring the snack to his preschool tomorrow. When I asked him what he would like to bring he said Cookies and Apples:) So that is what he will bring. 

The boys helped me bake chocolate chip cookies today and they turned out so yummy! I have a horrible sweet tooth so I am glad we are baking these to give away. Of course we will have a few to share at home but the sooner they are eaten (by not me!) the better.

I did manage to sneak a bit of nutrition in them today and they still taste so good!

I used the recipe on the back of the dark chocolate chip bag. Dark chocolate is a better choice then milk or white chocolate as it has some good stuff that can help with blood pressure and it also has antioxidants in it. These can  help with free radical damage. When eaten with milk however, it can lose this effect. Just remember moderation is key here. :) (telling myself! )

I also added about a tablespoon of chia seeds, which are a tiny whole grain that are so easy to mix into recipes like baked goods, soups, drinks, etc. I add them to my morning smoothee and they help to bulk up my breakfast and keep me feeling full. Chia seeds are rich in omega 3s, protein, fiber and antioxidants!

The last healthy ingredient I added was this instant baking protein that does not lose any bioavailability when heated. I replaced almost half of the flour with this protein in the recipe. I also add this to soups, stews, other baked goods, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. There are some great recipes in the more info section on the protein link above. It is an easy way to get extra nutrition and when mixed with water makes a wonderful homemade soy milk! Soy has a bad reputation but when it is processed correctly (water washed rather then the cheaper alcohol wash) it is a great and complete plant based protein choice.

My kids and I had so much fun making these cookies today and even more fun sampling them after! Benjamin is excited to share them with his friends tomorrow at school. :)

Today I am thankful for fun time in the kitchen with my kids.

What are you thankful for today?

Have a great day and don't forget to check out my Flash Sale that is going on Now!!!

~Rebecca~

Baked Salmon, Quinoa and Sweet Potato/Parsnip Fries

I have been making a lot more fish lately. It's Lent and I am Catholic, so it makes sense, right? 

I had an assignment this week in my online nutrition class to create a recipe that had some cultural or religious significance to me. So I came up with this one. It was really good and my family loved it too.

Baked Salmon:

4 oz salmon filets. I used wild caught (healthier then farm raised) and I get frozen ones from Aldi. Frozen ends up being less expensive then fresh and still tastes good!

Dillweed (I like Pampered Chef's Blend)

Fresh garlic (I save time by buying it minced in a jar)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Recipe:

Place salmon on foil square

sprinkle with oil, garlic and dill

Form a pouch with the foil around the salmon

Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes until flakes lightly with fork

Quinoa Pasta With Vegetables:

1 cup quinoa pasta

2 cups water

salt

fresh garlic minced

chopped onion

chopped tomato

chopped fresh spinach

Recipe:

Cook quinoa according to package. I added a little salt, garlic and onion to the water for flavor.

In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the tomato and spinach for color and nutrients

Sweet Potato and Parsnip Baked Fries:

Parsnips and sweet potatos

extra virgin olive oil

garlic powder

dash of salt

Recipe:

Peel and slice vegetables 

spread evening on baking sheet

sprinkle with salt and garlic powder

Place in oven with salmon

Bake until you remove salmon from oven

Turn vegetables over and continue to bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes or until desired crispness is reached.

Enjoy!!!

This not only fit in for my class assignment, but it was really healthy and tasty too.What meatless dishes do you like to make?

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

Rebecca