Did I just blow your mind? Am I really posting a recipe for bonbons here? Yes, but pay attention – did you happen to notice the quotations around the word “bonbons?” See? You knew there was a catch, right? But have no fear, these Chocolate Cherry Almond Bonbons do NOT disappoint, even with my trickery.
“You can pickle that!”
decree Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein – from the show Portlandia
Perhaps you haven’t seen this episode of one of my favorite shows. If you haven’t, Google it, because it’s hilarious. The premise is that you can pickle anything. And they mean anything from dropped ice cream cones to parking tickets. The skit is genius and I love it.
I know, that sounds a little bossy, “eat more salad!” But, I really think you should. Why? Well, because my guess is that you’re not eating as many servings of fruits and vegetables as you should!
Oh, don’t get upset, I’m not mad at you, I’m just trying to bring some awareness to what you’re putting in that body of yours. The statistics back me up when I say that you’re not getting enough – to the tune of that 85% of us aren’t getting our 2 1/2-cup equivalent servings of vegetables each day! Don’t believe me? The newest Dietary Guidelines for Americans discusses our deficit and encourages us to shift to a diet that places more focus consuming vegetables.
Happy Fourth Of July!
In honor of this awesome day, I am sharing a recipe inspired by a recent conversation with my husband. Here’s the backstory on why I created these Red, White and Blue Crispy Rice Treats.
Growing up in Indiana, I always looked forward to summer.
What kid doesn’t, right? Summer meant no school and that meant lots of warm days and nights filled with fun. I remember playing so hard that when my head hit the pillow, I almost instantaneously fell asleep. Those thoughts and memories make me smile, because I love remembering how easy and wonderful life was then. Summer to me also meant sweet, delicious fruit. And I loved it all, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, peaches, strawberries and WATERMELON!
Shame on Me!
Who starts a blog post like that? Oh, I do! Why? Because I’m feeling a little bit like a slacker dietitian, because…well…because I’ve NEVER made overnight oats. Nope, never have. I know, crazy, right? Overnight oats are everywhere and everyone claims they’re awesome. They always look tasty, but I’ve never tried them. When I heard that this month’s Recipe Redux theme was to try a fellow Redux-er’s recipe, I knew I had to try Amber’s Blueberry-Walnut Overnight Oats as my overnight oats “guinea pig.”
There’s something so incredibly delicious about Mexican hot chocolate. If you’ve never had it, you must try it. At first all you taste is delicious, creamy chocolate and then, something special happens – a kick of heat. Oh yeah. It’s unexpectedly tasty and leaves you wanting another sip. That hot chocolate is great, but when it’s summer, I’m not in the mood for hot beverages. How else, then, could I celebrate those flavors? Well, through yogurt, of course – with this Mexican Hot Chocolate Yogurt with Berries.
Avocados are great and if you know me, you know I live for guacamole. But sometimes, I could be a little more creative when it comes to what I do with them. Feeling inspired by the upcoming grilling season, I stepped out of my guacamole comfort zone and tried the latest avocado trend, grilled avocado.
And let me tell you this, grilled avocado is awesome. Really, believe the hype. I simply adore the slightly smoky flavor of them and they’re delicious so many ways. Besides being tasty, they still supply that same powerful nutritional punch. All of those satisfying healthy fats can help with everything from cardiovascular health to keeping your skin looking radiant. Time to get to the grocery store and fill your cart with avocados.
Want more ideas? Of course you do! Check out my Shape.com article on how to make grilled avocado, recipes included!
It’s Friday! Yahoo! Besides being the start of the weekend, Friday also means it’s time to focus on fertility. This week’s post is all about kale and peaches. Really? Yes, really.
Kale has an important nutrient that many mommas-to-be may be missing in their diets. Bonus, peaches work synergistically to help get the most out of that nutrient. How? Well, let’s look a little closer at each food for a moment:
Kale — Are you bored with this dark, leafy green yet? I sure hope not because even though it may not be the trendy, hip culinary sweetheart that it was a year ago, it still packs a serious nutritional punch. In the case of fertility, eating kale makes sense. Why? Well, because it’s a source of iron which is a nutrient that can be lacking in women’s diets, especially women of child-bearing age. And iron is important because it helps transport oxygen in your blood. If you don’t get enough, it can leave you feeling tired and weak. A big enough deficiency can even lead to anemia. And a possible link to infertility is another reason you need to protect yourself from iron deficiency.
Peaches — Yum, who doesn’t love a good peach! Besides being sweet and juicy and delicious, peaches also contain vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can protect us from the damage done to our cells by free radicals. This is awesome because free radical damage can do serious harm to our health and has been linked to diseases such as cancer.
KALE + PEACHES — Now why the two together? Because while that kale has iron, it’s a plant-based (or non-heme) source of iron versus an animal-based (heme) source of iron, which isn’t as readily absorbed by your body. Bummer! But have no fear because that’s where those peaches come into play. More specifically, the Vitamin C in those peaches. By including a Vitamin C food source with your non-heme iron food source, you’ll increase the absorption of that non-heme iron. How awesome is that?
AND FERTILITY? — As I mentioned above, women of child-bearing age, may be missing out on iron. It can happen pretty easily because your needs increase during this time as well as during pregnancy. And research from the Nurse’s Health Study revealed a possible link between iron deficiency and infertility. Talk to your doctor if you expect a deficiency. In the meantime, eat a variety of heme and non-heme iron foods. And don’t forget that Vitamin C!
Now, get my Lacinato Kale Salad with Peaches and Maple Vinaigrette Recipe!
In my opinion, canned salmon is an unsung hero in the food and nutrition world. Convenient, versatile and super-nutritious, it’s a shame that it’s so under-appreciated.
Why don’t we use canned salmon more often in our recipes and meals? Perhaps it conjures up memories of the dry, flavorless salmon patties of your childhood. Perhaps it has to do with the lack of foodie “buzz”, because the culinary world hasn’t exactly embraced it either. I mean, when have you ever seen it featured in a dish on a menu at a trendy restaurant?
With the negative connotations and the lack of fanfare, canned salmon hasn’t had much of a chance to shine. I think it’s time to change that! Here’s why:
A nutrition-packed bowl loaded with lean proteins, whole grains and vegetables.
