A Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte, without the Guilt!

 

 

The hubby has a cold, and brought PUMPKIN DONUTS home last night. Apparently, he felt the need for some "comfort food". They are REALLY good!  (I've had them before .... )

AND right now, I'm not going to have ONE.  NOPE.  Not going to do it!  (The struggle is real.)

 

BUT, I wanted something that would help satisfy that "pumpkin craving".  This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte was SO good.  I mean, really good.  And, did just the trick. 

 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

(Modified from a recipe via Against All Grain)

 

*21 Day Fix-Approved*

1 cup brewed coffee

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tsp. local organic honey

2 tbsp. pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat.  Simmer until hot.  Carefully transfer to a blender and cover the top with a towel.  Blend until thoroughly combined and foamy.  The blender really helps to create that foam we all love from our local favorite coffee shop! 

 

(21 Day Fixers: 1 yellow, 2 tsp. and a bit of a green [if you want to count that])

ALL THE BEST,

Trick-or-Treat doesn't HAVE to kick off a downhill spiral.

Does Halloween mean the start of a long, downhill spiral for you?  It used to for me.  It all starts with the plethora of trick-or-treat candy, then Thanksgiving is around the corner, followed by some of our favorite Winter holidays! 

It is one, long, "food festival", from the end of October until the New Year, when many make their New Year's resolutions.  At the expense of 8-15 pounds for the average person!

BOO to that!  So, I thought it might be beneficial to provide some tips, so that you can STOP the downhill spiral before it even STARTS.

1. Plan your workouts -- especially on Halloween day.  You'll feel better, have a lot more energy, and it will put you in the right mindset to make healthy choices later on that evening.
2. Don't buy YOUR favorite Halloween candy.  If you like chocolate, buy only sour and gummy candies to hand out to the little ones.  You will find that you are much less tempted when you don't have YOUR greatest temptations immediately at hand.
3. Don't skip any meals on Halloween day.  You may think that you want to bank your calories for Halloween evening.  Don't do it!  You'll be hungry, and more likely to binge on too many sweet treats.
4. HAVE A PLAN.  If you do want to splurge a tiny bit, do so -- but PLAN it.  If you love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, buy 2 (only!) and enjoy them.  Then STOP.  Don't buy a bag of peanut butter cups to hand out (see #2).
5. If you have young children, the reality is that they will come home with candy.  If you live in a neighborhood like we do -- they will come home with a lot of candy!  Put it out of sight.  If you see it daily, you are more likely to eat it.  Put it away, up high, in a closet or pantry.
6. Plan your workout for November 1st. 

We exercise because we want to feel good, be healthy, look good, and perhaps drop a few pounds.  Who wants to work out because they feel guilty and need to work off a day's-worth of unnecessary treats?  Not me. 

 

 

However, if you DO go overboard, I have a plan for you:

My upcoming ***SKINNNY TURKEY SLIM-DOWN!***

This short, 5-day group is coming soon, along with plenty more details! This revamped group will include a fresh, brand-NEW menu-plan and grocery list -- just in case you've participated in one of my previous free 5-day challenges.

AND, daily workouts will be provided, if you need them.

You can detox after a sugar-filled Halloween ... and before the next big holiday ---> Turkey Day!

If you want to be the first to know as details about this new group become available, click here: Skinny Turkey Slim-Down, and I'll add you to the list.  Space is limited.

P.S.  Did you know that Halloween is my BIRTHDAY?  I'm a good witch ..... most of the time. 

XOXO

Turkey Chili and Wine Pairing

Sure, I know beer is a more typical pairing choice for chili. Some folks even swear by milk! But wine is definitely my beverage of choice to enjoy with a meal, so I've been working on getting chili and wine pairing down to a science.

During my latest chili and wine pairing adventure, I started with the wine I wanted to serve. I had another bottle of the 2012 Halter Ranch Syrah from Paso Robles waiting in the wings. It paired nicely with this grilled tuna, which was served with a mix of grilled eggplant and spicy peppers. I had a notion that it could also do very nicely with a chili.

One key that I've found to chili and wine pairing is to make a chili that is flavorful but not overwhelmingly hot. You start making 5 alarm style chili, then you are going to need to defer to beer. I made this chili with some healthy ground turkey, and a nice blend of spices to give it plenty of flavor without overwhelming heat. Though I prefer wine with the chili, I did use some beer in recipe. And yes, a little bit of chocolate goes in to deepen the flavor.

Here are the details:

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped, most of the seeds removed (a few left for a bit of extra kick!)
1 carrot, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red kidney beans, cooked (I started with dried)
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, and paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
generous pinch cinnamon
juice from 1/2 lime
about 1/2 cup beer
1 tsp bittersweet chocolate
for toppings: grated cheddar, chopped avocado, sour cream

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the vegetables through carrot as they are chopped.

Next, add the ground turkey and brown, about 10 minutes.

After the turkey has browned, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and beans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the dried spices, cover and simmer for at least an hour.

After an hour, add the lime and beer simmer, and simmer for 1 more hour.

Serve the chili in bowls with the toppings. Avocado is a very nice touch here! I found we needed less cheese and sour cream with the healthy fruit in the mix. Enjoy!

Wine Pairing: The Halter Ranch Syrah has a big fragrance of violets and forest floor. I got blackberry jam and white pepper taste. The Syrah opens nicely and shows a lot of finesse on the long finish. There's a depth and complexity to the wine that works nicely with the lively flavors of the chili. This wine definitely qualifies as a good pairing for a flavorful, mild to medium chili. Give it a try!

Full disclosure: I received a complimentary sample of the wine from the winery. As always, the opinions and recipe are entirely my own.

Healthy Crunchy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

 

For ME, chicken or tuna salad MUST have some crunch.  Do you concur?  If so, give this recipe a shot!

 

 

Plain Greek yogurt is a great alternative to mayo.  I use it with tuna, and for this fresh and tasty Chicken Salad recipe -- which is oftentimes my lunch!  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Healthy Crunchy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
(Makes 2 hearty, filling servings)

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped red grapes
About 15 almonds, chopped or crushed
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 packet of Stevia
2 tsp. chopped dried parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.  Enjoy with fresh peppers and celery, or some whole-wheat crackers.

*Note:  Tastes better after chilling in the refrigerator for at least several hours.

(21 Day Fixers: Count 1 serving as -- 1.5 red containers, 1/2 a green, 1/2 a purple, and an orange.)


ALL THE BEST,

12 Healthy Favorites for #FoodDay2014

Happy Food Day 2014! I'm very committed to eating healthy food, but also making it taste great. So I had to join in on this day celebrating real food, and share 12 healthy favorites for #FoodDay2014. 

Good, healthy food means something a little different for everyone. For me, it means building meals around vegetables, whole grains (yes, I like whole grain pasta!), and a modest amount of lean protein. We love our cheese, but use it in moderation and always the real deal. Extra virgin olive oil goes quickly in our house. Organic and local when possible; meat and fish that meet humane and sustainable standards. Limiting highly processed foods is a must. If you've read this blog before, you know that many of these wholesome meals are enjoyed with a glass or two of nice wine, typically from a small producer.

I also believe that if most of our eating conforms to the above goals, we don't have to sweat an occasional veering from this path. But I find when you come to appreciate what good, real food tastes like, you will opt for the sweet potato with cumin sage butter over the potato chip most of the time!

OK, that's it for my #FoodDay speechifying. On to 12 recipes that prove healthy and tasty work wonderfully together!

Grilled Tuna with Eggplant and Peppers This one shown at the top of the post gets lean protein from the tuna, and was a creative way to use the abundance of eggplant we had on hand from our farmshare.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms and Sage This simple vegan soup gets a touch of elegance from the sautéed mushrooms. One of my popular posts to date!

Cilantro Lime Marinaded Pork Tenderloin I had to get a pork recipe in here! Tenderloin is a lean cut of pork, not to mention delicious. The healthiness and flavor of this dish gets punched up a notch by serving it with Sweet Potatoes Mashed with Cumin Sage Butter.

Grilled Swordfish with Garlic Soy Marinade This is a quick, easy way to enjoy healthy swordfish. We use the low sodium version of soy sauce in the marinade. Our 9 year old loves it, so we have this a lot.

Salmon with Mixed Mushroom Sauce Probably my favorite fish, it was hard to pick which recipe to feature here. I gave the nod to this tasty one with mushrooms, which goes very well with a nice glass of Pinot Noir (I'm in the red wine is healthy camp!).

Linguine with Kale Pesto I was excited to come up with this way to make one of my favorite things--pesto--featuring the super-healthy green kale. For someone skeptical about kale, this could be the one to sway them over!

Muhammara Spicy Red Pepper Dip Figured I'd throw in one appetizer here! No cream here like other dips. The flavor comes from plenty of garlic, and it has pomegranate molasses in the mix to get some of that healthy fruit.

Mediterranean Chicken with Penne, Red Peppers and Spinach A nice way to get your healthy protein and veggies all into one dish.

Hearty Chicken Stew I make this stew with homemade broth, made from leftover roasted chicken. Packed with veggies along with chicken, I'd anticipate this might be even better for you than traditional chicken soup!

Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple Salsa Swordfish is good many ways, but topped with this pineapple salsa is especially tasty! And pineapple is a good fruit to mix into the diet. In fact, reminds me I haven't chopped one up for us in awhile.

Penne with Red Lentils and Ginger Ok, I just posted this recipe, but it definitely qualifies! It's a lightened up version of one I got originally from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons. You get protein from the lentils, some good green spinach, and ginger which is pretty healthy too. Not to mention, it's super-tasty!

Farm Fresh Tomato Sauce with Ground Turkey OK, you may need to bookmark this for next summer to make with farm fresh tomatoes. But I needed one more to make it an even dozen here, and this was another one of my post popular posts so thought it would be good to share. That makes dozen of my favorite healthy recipes to enjoy on Food Day or any day!

Penne with Red Lentils and Ginger for #WeekdaySupper

Fast, inexpensive and tasty: all that you want in a #WeekdaySupper! No wonder why we make this Penne with Red Lentils and Ginger so often. I tend to have most of these ingredients on hand, making it easy to whip up. A great follow-up to the theme of the recent Budget Friendly #SundaySupper.

This dish is based on a recipe from The Vegetarian Planet. I've lightened it up with less butter then the original recipe, offset by an increase in garlic. So it's got healthy going for it too.

We enjoy this year-round, but there's something about sage that says fall to me, making this particularly well-suited to fall. Give it a try next time you are looking for something fast and tasty!

1 lb. dried penne or other short pasta
3 tbsp butter*
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 2 inch piece of ginger, minced (or ¾ tsp powdered ginger)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced sage, or ½ tsp dried sage
¾ cup red lentils
1 cup water (plus extra during cooking as needed)
3-4 cups tightly packed baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

*Substitute dairy free spread or olive oil for the butter to make this dish vegetarian.

Begin boiling water for pasta. Melt butter in a medium pan, let it start to brown slightly, then sauté garlic and ginger for a couple minutes over medium low heat. Add the lentils, sage, a bit of salt, cup of water, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, cover pan.

Check and stir the lentil mixture every few minutes. If the lentil cooking liquid begins to evaporate, add another quarter cup or so of water. The lentils take about 15 minutes to soften...they should be soft but retain their shape as opposed to turning to lentil mush which can happen if you cook too long or too much water.

Add the spinach after the lentils have been cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring it in so that it wilts slightly.

Start cooking the pasta about 5 minute after you start cooking the lentils. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

When the pasta is done to your liking, drain and combine the cooked pasta with the lentil mixture and an extra tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Wine Pairing:  A chardonnay works well with the lively ginger flavors, or you can also go for a Sauvignon Blanc.

Check out the Weekday Supper lineup!
Monday – 15 Minute Beef Soup by MealDiva

Tuesday – Salmon with Kale Chimichurri by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Wednesday – Penne with Red Lentils and Ginger by Cooking Chat
Thursday – Curried Chicken Wraps by A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
Friday - Spinach Ricotta Meatballs by Feed Me, Seymour

An Act of Violence.

That's right.  An act of violence.

I've often heard the quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy."  Solid truth there, right? 

Recently, I was browsing Pinterest one morning, and came across this photo and quote, also about COMPARISON.  Wow.  Did this one hit home?  Right in the gut.

We all know how dangerous comparison can be, in theory.  We all get -- on some level -- that it is damaging to our self-esteem.  We are deluged daily with photo-shopped images and advertisements, magazine articles and television shows:  perfect lives, perfect bodies, the perfect balance. 

And, don't even get me started on Facebook.  Known as the "highlight reel", where you never see the behind-the-scenes stories and struggles.

We all do it.  We are all guilty of comparison.

• Our friends have perfect lives, perfect spouses, and such well-behaved children.
• Our fitness friends have perfect bodies, and their scale cheers for them every morning.
• Our neighbors have perfect houses, that are perfectly decorated.
• Our acquaintances have the perfect hair and the perfect make-up.
• Our mom-friends have their lives together, and are so balanced. They somehow manage to get it all done, have a clean house, look great, and aren't stressed.

Bullshit (excuse the language).

I know I don't have a perfect life.  My husband isn't perfect.  My kids are sure-as-heck not always well-behaved -- just listen for the bickering coming from our house nearly every night.  I certainly don't have a perfect body and I'm pretty sure my scale groaned when I stepped on it this morning (I'm chalking that one up to PMS.)  My house is far from perfect, and I think I just saw a "tumbleweed" of dog hair go floating by. 

I am sitting here typing this with my glasses on, covered in post-workout sweat, yesterday's make-up on, and in my workout pants.  In which I slept last night.  I am SO NOT balanced and stress-free.

WHO IS?

Read it again:  "Comparison is an act of violence against the self."  VIOLENCE. 

I want to stop this cycle.  It is no good.  I'd love to see others stop it as well.  Here is what I know. 

• We ALL do our best.  Nearly every day.  And, that's simply enough.
• My life is good, and I'm thankful for it -- all of it, especially this past year.  I'm thankful for my husband, and for my constantly-bickering children.  They all bring joy to my life daily .... despite the craziness, fighting, and chaos.
• I work out almost every day and I aim to eat healthy.  I am in NO WAY perfect and deal with serious food issues (more to come on that in a future blog post) daily.  It is a struggle, but I am trying.  Recovery is hard, but I'm in it.  I know for a FACT that if I wasn't at least trying:  I would weigh well-over 300 pounds.  That is my truth.
• I love my house,  and the people that fill it, despite the clutter that also seems to fills it.
• Perfect make-up?  Nah.  I don't even know how to properly apply eye-shadow.
• I am not balanced and not stress-free.  Like, ever.  I am a true work-in-progress in that area.

So, let's stop the violence, okay?  Stop the comparison.  It is nonsense, it is false, and it isn't what we all deserve.

Just do your best.  Your best may not look like my best, either.  But, guess what? 

It is good enough.  And, SO ARE YOU. 

XOXO