Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Festive Easy Christmas Apples

Merry Christmas, everyone! Took me awhile to think of a healthy, festive, fun & easy homemade treats idea to bring to the in-laws today. I found a few cute ideas online, but the items weren't in my house. Finally, morning of Christmas, I opened the refrigerator & realized I had a few good red apples & green apples. So, right before we left, I sliced the apples up, put them on a cute plate, drizzled some honey on them & sprinkled some cinnamon. Done!

Festive Christmas Apples
(2) red apples
(2) green apples
honey
cinnamon
Slice apples & place on plate in circle, alternating red & green
Drizzle with honey
Sprinkle with cinnamon
Optional- Add whatever other toppings, such as walnuts, nutmeg or dried cranberries

This picture was taken after part of it was eaten already. I think they were a big hit, I know I ate plenty of them! Eating them kept me away from the other sweets that I just can't eat.

Merry Xmas & happy, healthy eating!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Oh, Christmas Salad

Trying to eat healthy during the holidays isn't easy! It's Christmas Eve and I wanted something festive with Christmas colors, but no sugar or wheat or cheese. I could've easily and secretly gotten into my husbands sugar cookie stash he thinks he hid from me, but I refrained. I know that if I caved, in a few hours my allergies would start a sinus pressure war for about 2 days. Within 6-48 hours, the gluten & sugar would wreck havoc on my immune system, causing RA inflammation in my joints, stomach issues similar to celiac, terribly itchy skin & extreme fatigue, also lasting about 2 days. So what's a girl to do about cravings for pretty, colorful, festive, sugary Christmas Eve treats?!
Oh, make an Easy Christmas Salad, of course!

It's so easy to throw together this salad.
Here's how I like my colorful, festive Christmas Salad...
Just pile all ingredients on top of each other, no specific order.
Bunch of spinach leaves
White chicken
Sunflower seeds
Dried cranberries
Chia seeds
Ranch dressing
Lime juice

Enjoy...Eat Healthy Always...and Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Drink Up!!

No matter what the season, it's crucial to drink lots & lots of water through out the day, every day. I know if I don't get enough daily water, I get a whole host of health problems. I personally love water just the way it is. Sometimes I do get a little bored with trying to drink plain water all day. Here's a few ways I'm trying to get my full water intake daily!

Emergency Time! Emergency! drink is a favorite of mine. I prefer Pink Lemonade flavor. Just add a packet to a glass of water...easy! Sometimes I also add a few slices of lemon, or orange, depending on flavor packet I choose. Easy to make, and an easy way to stay healthy all winter!

Fruity Fiesta! Sometimes I like to add frozen fruit to my water. The fruit stays frozen for awhile & adds instant flavor to your water. Here I used frozen strawberries & mangos. Doesn't get easier than that! Tastes like paradise.

Happy Water Hour! Add some ice, slices of lemon & lime & a cute little umbrella. Cat optional.

Spa Water... add cucumber, or any fruit you like! I like to let the cucumbers sit for a few hours or overnight. Just like spa water!

 Water Fun. So easy, just use a fun glass! :)))

Last idea...drink more decaf tea! :)

CHEERS!!!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Easy Sunday Dinner - Cabbage Salmon

Dinners can be tough to figure out or make, especially in the winter, especially on a Sunday night! More so if you're always fighting fatigue or don't feel well. So, I whipped this up with what I had in the house. Voila!

1 frozen salmon
handful purple cabbage
1 orange
I prefer Morey's Frozen Fish Creations Salmon. This flavor I chose is already seasoned & marinated. I just cut the plastic end off & pop the salmon on the stovetop!

Throw the red cabbage on at the end for just a few minutes. The cabbage will become seasoned with what's on the pan & nice n warm. If you cook the cabbage too long, it will become soft & no longer crunchy...I prefer crunchy.

Easy as 1,2,3! I added pieces of an orange to complete the meal. A hint of thousand island dressing is on the plate, too. I like to dip the cabbage in it. Add whatever sauce, if any, that you like. Ginger dressing or lime juice would go great, as well.
Happy Healthy Easy Sunday! nom nom nom

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Saturday Breakfast - So Easy Homemade Jelly Bagel

Happy Saturday! I'm sore & hurting today and craving bread, but that doesn't mean I can't still eat healthy! It's crucial for me, and others like me with autoimmune diseases. Today, I show you how I made my easy, healthy, carb craving breakfast!

Easy Homemade Jelly:
1 cup mixed berries (frozen or not)
splash water
(Blend & spread onto favorite treat!)

Here I put my delicious, sweet jelly, and peanut butter, on a gluten free bagel. Added 2 small oranges...easy,, healthy breakfast! :D

Friday, December 20, 2013

Simple Beautiful Pomegranates

We all need our sweet snacks, right! Guess what my new best snack food is? Pomegranates! Sweet! Juicy! Fun! Easy!

These babies are so easy & so healthy! They're also beautiful, or as my Grandpa David would say, 'The food is gorgeous!' I love the different, rich colors of foods from the earth. Pomegranates are in the top 3, for sure. They're cheap & you get a ton of juicy, healthy seeds from 1 fruit. Just cut the fruit in 1/2 & pop the seeds out! I find the seeds come out easier in a bowl of water, fruit facing down. Try it sometime! Picture below shows only 1/2 of one fruit! Wish you were here to grab a spoon & help me eat this!

Yummy Mango/Spinach Salad

So easy. So yummy. So healthy! Definitely one of my go to salads anytime of the year! If mangos aren't in season, just buy sliced mangos in the jar.

spinach leaves
sliced mangos
walnuts
dried cranberries
shredded coconut
lime juice as dressing

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Joyful Fruit/Veggie Smoothie

It may be cold out, but I still like my smoothie snacks! I label this one 'joyful' because of it's bright red color & its many healthful benefits. Cherries & strawberries are both high in anti-inflammatory properties. I normally dislike beets, but this way I can't tell it's in there!

1/2 beet
1 carrot
1 granny smith apple
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen cherries
3/4 lime wedge
Blend with ice till smooth! Put in fun, cool glass. Add lime as garnish.
Stay warm while bein' cool!


I'd like to mention I'm listening to my hubbys music (www.youtube.com/tevemith), sippin on my drink, just dancin around the house. Weeee!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Acorn Winter Squash with brown sugar & walnuts

I'm learning about healthy foods from the earth. I'm learning what grows when & how easy & tasty they are. Squash is one of them. I've usually eaten only Butternut Squash in ravioli or diced up in a stir-fry. This, my friends, is the easiest, most delicious earth recipe I've tried yet!
Baked Acorn Squash with brown sugar & walnuts

Acorn Squash. First time I tried it was today. Omg...it's soooo good. Here's what one looks like before it's cut up.

You simply cut it in half. I accidentally cut off the top first. Mine was also going bad already in some spots, so I cut those out.

Then just scoop out the seeds & extra stringy pieces to look something like this...

I added some brown sugar. Pre heat oven to 400 & cook for 1 hour 15 min's.

While it baked the place smelled so good, like caramelized sugar! I put mine in lots of tinfoil to catch any dripping juices.

It came out of the oven so soft, but also sooo sticky! I guess some put butter on theirs also, maybe that would've made the final outcome less sticky. This is a picture of my spoon sticking to the foil trying to remove the squash that was stuck to the foil.

Best part about cooking with tinfoil is that you can just throw it out when you're done- no dishes!

All ready to eat it for the first time! It looked & smelled so good, I couldn't wait.

But then I had an idea. I added some of my new walnuts I just bought! OMG Perfect!! I highly recommend making this at least once this winter. Your senses will thank me.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Apple Carrot Kale Ginger Juice

It's winter time...bbrrrrr! Now more than ever I love juicing my favorite, oh-so-easy, delicious & healthy juice. First time I tried this, I went to the store for a single apple, two carrots & a smidgin of ginger. I fell in love. Now I always have those items in my fridge, recently adding the kale.


2 apples sliced, I prefer green Granny Smiths since they're sweeter
2 carrots peeled
3-4 kale leaves washed
1 chunk ginger washed
 

If you have trouble with your hands like me, I recommend an electric peeler to peel the carrots. Makes it so easy & no sore hands. I use something like this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Speedy-Peel-Electric-Power-Peeler-/121223747423?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c397f975f

It can't be any easier if you have a juicer. I highly recommend making the investment. Did you know you can juice kale? I never knew till I decided to try it! I like to juice the kale first to see how much juice it makes. It's usually a nice, healthy dose. It looks so neat to me, so green. Don't worry, you'll mostly taste the sweet apple juice balanced with carrots & as much ginger as you put in. The kale I don't really taste!

This is what it looks like when done. So pretty! So swirly! Yumm.
Guaranteed to keep you healthy all winter long!
Add a colorful straw & enjoy!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Hot-tea

Winter time brings out my inner hot-tea (haha get it). I love hot tea. Since I'm always cold to the bone, hot tea warms me up & helps me drink more water. I try not to drink coffee, as it seems to upset my stomach. Not tea...I can have as much as I want & feel great! Since winter mornings are chilly & usually gray, I start my mornings with a hot cup of Yogi's Tangerine Positive Energy tea. The scent of orange is supposed to trigger feelings of happiness, it does for me! I love how this tea smells & tastes...so orange-y. I drink it plain. It has caffeine, but less than coffee. Starts my day off happy & oh so hot.

Another favorite winter tea of mine is Bigalow's Vanilla Caramel black tea. Beware it has caffeine, so don't drink it too late. Delish in the morning plain or with honey. A sweet treat!

Sometimes the best tea isn't store bought, it's homemade. This delicious & easy concoction is simply hot water, ginger root slices, lemon slices, cinnamon stick & honey. Drink this to sooth a sore throat or regularly to prevent getting sick. Tastes like cinnamon w hint of lemon & ginger. Ooohh Aaahh Soothing.

Don't want to get sick? Need to boost your immune system? I highly recommend drinking multiple cups of Republic of Tea's Get Wellness tea. Hands down is my favorite winter time Don't Get Sick tea. I drink it on a regular basis, I think it helps. Tastes like subtle cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg. On a hot summer day, I enjoy their Iced Pomegrante Green Tea.