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Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Who Knew?

For Valentines Day I got a "Dinner for 2" from Whole Foods. Let me just tell you... best thing ever!! It came with tons of gourmet food, all you had to do was warm it up. Could not be better for a mom with a toddler! Anyways, one of the side dishes that came with our meal was KALE. Neither Brett or I had ever had it before, so we gave it a try. It was cooked with raisins and apricots, so it tasted pretty good.

I looked for it at the store yesterday and found some right by the lettuce/spinach area. To be honest, I had not idea how to cook it, so I came home and googled, "how to cook kale" (what did we do before the internet?) I ended up sauteing it with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and some extra virgin olive oil. It turned out pretty good! As I was doing my research I was amazed with the health benefits that Kale provides, here are just a few:

Nutrition Know-How

  • Three servings of leafy greens each day has been found to slow cognitive loss by 40 percent.
  • Kale is packed with phytochemicals like sulfur-containing glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that help ward off cancer.
  • The fiber in kale helps absorb and sweep out DNA-damaging chemicals and other toxins that enter our bodies.
  • Open-leafed plants in the cabbage family, like kale, have higher amounts of vitamins C and A and carotenoids than plants whose leaves don’t see the sun. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that also support proper functioning of the immune and reproductive systems and lower the risk of cataracts.
  • Kale is an excellent source of minerals, including calcium, and manganese, a mineral the body requires for many physiological functions.
  • One cup of kale provides 1,300 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K, which is important for healthy blood coagulation and maintaining bone mass.


I think this just may be something I add to my morning smoothie, and weekly dinner menu... just to make sure we get all benefits!
I gave some to Crew to try and I think you can tell what he thought of it by the picture. I think it will take some getting used to for him, but hopefully he will come around. The health benefits make it too good to pass up! So load up on some Kale, your body will thank you!


Kale, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and olive oil

Tilapia dinner with roasted potatoes and kale

What is this stuff mom?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Common Household Products with Uncommon Uses







So, I have seen this article before, but this time I decided to save it just in case. It is "Common Household Products with Uncommon Uses." Never fails that when I need something we are out of it or I forgot to buy it at the store. Here are some great uses with things I'm sure you have lying around the house. I will have to try the dryer sheet to get baked on food off a pan! ha!

http://shopping.aol.com/articles/2011/01/11/common-household-products-with-uncommon-uses/?ncid=AOLCOMMshopDYNLprim0001&icid=mainnetscapedl7sec1_lnk3194807






Friday, December 17, 2010

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Well its beginning to look ALOT like Christmas around here this week! Crew counts down the days for baby Jesus' birthday and Santa Claus to come on his advent calendar. Well, he actually tries to eat the little candycane that goes in the days, but we try! Shopping is done and gifts are wrapped!
I wanted to give the grandparents an ornament with Crew's picture and a Santa pic from this year- so here is the finished product- shh.. I was happy with how they turned out and even made a few for our tree.
Also, I have never made gingerbread before so I decided to give it a whirl! I made the dough during Crew's nap, it had to sit in the fridge for 3 hours or more. When Brett got home we cut out and baked the cookies. They turned out great, taste so good, and made our house smell yummy!!
How are your preparations going?

Crew's advent calendar

Counting down the days...

Presents wrapped!


Crew's ornament for his grandparents.
I got these neat strofoam shaped ornaments at Hobby Lobby and
glued Crew's pics on the front and back, decorated with ribbon,
and poked holes so the ornament could hang.
Super Easy!

Other side of ornament.


Gingerbread recipe from TomKat blog...Yum!=)


Cut out and ready to bake!


The finished gingerbread men- yum yum!

All bundled up on a COLD night!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Carson Low Cal Pumpkin Bread!

So, with all the cool weather and Halloween just around the corner a little treat with pumpkin is always something special! Trying to eat healthy and not eat sugar is super hard- especially around this time of the year! I searched and searched online for a healthy pumpkin bread recipe and tada- here it is! Several of you have already received a loaf of this from me this year! (I already made probably 10 loaves! ha!)

I have found it to be the perfect fall treat- yummy, yet low cal and healthy too! Tie a cute ribbon around it with a tag and there ya go!! Instead of the sugar I used Splenda instead- just a thought! So at the request of a few- here is the "Carson Low Cal Pumpkin Bread." (Aka- Lowfat Pumpkin Bread from Taste of Home).

Yummy "Carson Low Cal Pumpkin Bread"


Print a cute Halloween "tag" and tie onto the bread and the gift


Finished product!

Pair the bread with a few Halloween Towels and the gift is ready!
Perfect for any fall gathering!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice
  • 1 cup chopped nuts or raisins (optional)

Directions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, applesauce and egg substitute; mix well. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts or raisins if desired. Pour into two 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 slice) equals 122 calories, 0.55 g fat (0.55 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 149 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch.