Recipe Swaps

Coffee, the favorite drink of many. Some drink more than three cups of coffee per day. Many never stop to think about the chemicals, pesticides or other issues with consuming large amounts of coffee. The debate over coffee’s benefits are conflicting at best. Research shows it is beneficial to drink, but there are also studies that show it can be detrimental. For those reasons, I chose to spend some time revamping my daily coffee fix to ensure I am getting the most out of it.

Last year, there was a disturbing video on Facebook showing a little thought of issue with using a Keurig coffee maker. As I watched this video, I vowed to stop using my Keurig immediately. This machine, found in most homes and offices, has been shown to create mold. It makes perfect sense that this could happen as water just sits inside of the machine’s inner mechanisms. This dark environment is ripe for breeding mold. Additionally, the fact that this machine and the pods used cause damage to our planet are not lost on me either on this Earth Day. My husband and I when we used the Keurig always used the reusable attachment and did not purchase pods. It was not only better for our environment, but more cost effective.

Aside from mold, coffee is a crop that is known to be heavily sprayed with pesticides. Most people don’t stop to think about this when they are sipping up to six cups a day. My husband drinks 5 cups of coffee per day. If we didn’t purchase organic coffee, his exposure to pesticides would be extremely high. Though it may be more expensive to purchase organic coffee beans, I am asking today that you think about the long term effects of drinking cups of chemical laden coffee.

Finally, most people use coffee creamers in their daily coffee. I was a huge fan of french vanilla flavored creamer and thought nothing of adding it to my cup to make it light and sweet. Others use artificial sweeteners to avoid adding calories to their morning cup. Research has strongly linked these sweeteners to autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer.

With all these dangers lurking, you begin to wonder if your daily cup of coffee is even worth drinking. Then you read that coffee has many benefits to your health, plus you just plain love it. The simple solution here is to do a recipe swap and upgrade your coffee drink.

Here is how I updated my coffee routine to ensure I was getting the benefits of drinking coffee while limiting the dangers.

Change Your Pot

I stopped using the Keurig after watching the mold video. I definitely don’t want coffee laced with mold. Honestly, I was so grossed out I don’t think I’ll ever use one again. I immediately pulled out my old Faberware pot given to me 30 years ago when I got married. When it finally died a few months later and I began looking for a replacement. The newer Faberware pots did not have great reviews, so I decided not to spend the extra money to purchase one. I purchased a Presto pot and absolutely love it.

An added benefit to percolator coffee, aside from the fact that it’s a hearty cup, is that it is hot. I never felt the drip coffee pots, or Keurig made a hot enough cup. I often put it in the microwave for 30 seconds just to heat and you know how I feel about using the microwave. Here is the actual pot we purchased. We also bought one for all our family members over the past year in hopes they’d make the change. Not everyone has joined us on this journey, but we tried.

Presto 02811 12-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker

My son purchased a French Press for his girlfriend. This is another great option for a healthier cup of coffee. This is a great option if you don’t drink a lot of coffee in one sitting. It wouldn’t be a good choice when you have a lot of company. Here’s the French Press I liked.

French Press Coffee & Tea Maker Complete Bundle | 34 Oz | Best Coffee Press Pot with Stainless Steel & Double German Glass

Change Your Coffee

I only purchase organic coffee at this point. My husband occasionally picks up coffee on sale which is not organic. I will drink it, but really try to limit my exposure to pesticides through coffee consumption. If you order coffee at Starbucks they have organic options. I’m betting you can request this when you go in for a cup as they do sell organic coffee beans. I’ve tried many different brands and have settled on one of these two options. Both are available through subscribe and save for further discounts.

Cafe Don Pablo Gourmet Coffee Medium-Dark Roast Whole Bean, Subtle Earth Organic, 2 Pound

I prefer to purchase whole beans for the freshest cup. I grind the beans on a weekly basis.

Bulletproof Whole Bean Coffee 12 oz.

This coffee is slightly more expensive so I only get one bag per month on subscription and fill in with the other less expensive option in between.

Change Your Recipe

I stopped using flavored creamers completely and will not use artificial sweeteners to replace it. I’ve written and shared about my switch to drinking superfood coffee. I only drink one cup per day and it’s very satisfying and has been said to improve your health. When intermittently fasting, this coffee, with its healthy fats is very satiating and provides a nice energy boost. Here is my recipe for coffee (based on bullet coffee):

Ingredients

1 cup brewed hot coffee
2 tbs collagen
1 tsp ghee (or Kerry gold unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp organic raw honey (optional)
5 drops of liquid stevia
dash cayenne pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, vanilla extract
1/2 tsp raw cacao
1 tbs brain octane oil (or coconut oil)

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend (hold the cover) until smooth for a refreshingly delicious frothy cup of coffee.

I played with this recipe for a bit until I got it the way I liked it. The first day I wasn’t sure about this whole concept, but gave it a week. I love it so much now that I can’t drink a regular cup anymore.

If you are a big coffee drinker, I hope you’ll spend some time reflecting and exploring. Read up on healthier options for your daily cup. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Here’s the link to the collagen I use and the brain octane oil in the event you’d like to give those a try.

Bulletproof Upgraded Collagen Protein – Net Wt. 16 oz

Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil – 16 oz.

Recipe Swap

Sunday sauce is a staple in this house. We love spaghetti and meatballs and afternoons spent together as a family. I’ve tried to find ways to update this comfort food without changing it too drastically. Yes, I have tried turkey meatballs and personally they are not my favorite recipe swap. I’ve also invested in a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash as options to replace the traditional spaghetti noodle. Both of these are good options for the meal, but I personally am not prevented from eating gluten for any health reasons and do prefer pasta with my Sunday meals most weeks. Below is my updated version of the traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner.

Bison is a great choice for your meatball dinner. My family can’t tell the difference when I use bison in place of beef. I can’t say the same about turkey meatballs. Grass-fed Bison is a low fat, low cholesterol meat with as many Omega-3s per serving as a serving of salmon. The taste, texture and color is the same as beef, but this meat packs a nice amount of iron as well. I order mine online, but am sure you can find bison in any store that has quality meats. The pricing is very similar to that of beef. Be sure to always buy grass fed, organic versions of any meats you eat.

Bison Meatballs

Ingredients

1 egg
1 pound ground bison
1/2 cup homemade gluten free bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
2 tbs water
Optional – I finely chop two kale leaves and mix in to sneak in a vegetable serving sometimes.

Directions

Combine all ingredients and form into small meatballs. Roll them firmly in your hand to ensure they hold together.
Place on tray and cook in oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees to brown.
Remove from oven and drop meatballs into your sauce.
Cook for at least 45 minutes, or however long you like your sauce to simmer.

Homemade Spaghetti

I do not have any gluten sensitivities, but I do try to limit my intake. When it comes to pasta, I really only eat it once per week. I prefer to make my own pasta and have an easy to use attachment for my Kitchen Aid that doesn’t require me to roll out the pasta. I simply drop it into the machine. You can substitute the all purpose flour for whole wheat and it comes out fine. You can also find many gluten free recipes, but they do require many ingredients. This is the actual recipe I use for my pasta. I prefer that I know exactly what is going into my pasta, all ingredients I can pronounce.

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 flour 00
1/2 cup semolina flour
2 tablespoons water Add all ingredients to list

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine all flour and salt.
Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

The above directions are for those who do not have a pasta machine. I make mine right in my Kitchen Aid with the dough attachment so I don’t have to manually knead it. I let my dough rest covered for at least 30 minutes. I then roll into small balls and drop into my pasta cutting attachment. So simple, so delicious! Here is the attachment I use on my Kitchen Aid –

KitchenAid KSMPEXTA Gourmet Pasta Press Attachment with 6 Interchangeable Pasta Plates

The white attachment on this machine is the actual unit I have. I love it and it has made making homemade pasta so easy. It’s simple to use and clean. It comes with 6 blades for different shape pastas.

Homemade breadcrumbs – Gluten Free

Toast gluten free bread in oven on sheet tray. Remove, process in food processor. Season as you wish. I just use a slight amount of garlic, pepper, salt and Italian seasoning.

If you try the Bison as a healthier option, let me know how you like it. My family hasn’t noticed and my daughter is super picky! Please leave a comment if you have a different recipe swap for Sunday sauce. It’s one of our favorite meals so I’m always on the lookout for healthier versions.

Recipe Swap

How many of you love pesto? I know I love it, but am not always a fan of the basil versions. I’ve experimented with many different pesto recipes and found that I prefer versions that don’t use basil leaves as the base. Here are two of my favorite pesto recipes, along with a new one I plan to try in the coming weeks. They are presented in order of preference with spinach always being my first choice. I love to use pesto as a spread for grilled chicken and on tasty panini sandwiches on my grill.

Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, well-washed and stemmed
1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, preferably Italian flat leaf
1⁄2 cup walnuts or 1⁄2 cup pine nuts
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into food processor and process to a fine paste.
Taste and adjust seasonings and transfer to a glass container and top with a thin coat of olive oil to prevent the top of the pesto from discoloring.
Keeps for weeks in the refrigerator. (Food.com)

Avocado Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
1/2 large ripe avocado
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons water, plus more if necessary
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
sea salt & pepper

Instructions:

Add spinach, avocado, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds or until pesto is chopped. Add in water and process again until completely smooth. You may need to add more water to get desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. (Ambitious Kitchen)

This version uses no oil and it is super creamy and delicious and is a great substitute for mayonnaise. I also love it as a spread and dipping sauce.

Fresh Pea Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fine lemon zest
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions:

Pulse peas, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice and zest in a food processor. With machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until well combined. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve as a spread, on grilled fish, or over your choice of hot pasta. (Dr. Weil)

Just a note on the nuts. I have tried all different types of nuts in my pesto sauce. I’ve used pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pistachio, etc. I’ve found they all work well, so if you don’t have pine nuts no need to fret. I can’t wait to try the pea pesto as it sounds heavenly and just perfect for the upcoming fresh pea season.

I make my pesto in my blender to avoid investing in a food processor. This one works really well and is easy to use and clean.

What recipe swaps have you made? Please share your recipe below.

Sugar & Spice

Those of you who know me well know my love affair with coffee began only two short years ago. My dear friend Donna is actually to blame, though Bonny tried for years during our many Dunkin and Starbucks runs enroute to visit our horses. On this day, Donna offered me a pumpkin spice latte and I decided to try it. Wow, what a sugary delight that was. She clearly told me to, “go easy” on them because they are loaded with sugar and calories.

Of course, as we all know one sip of that sugary delight and you are hooked and craving more. I began having a daily cup of coffee, or should I say sugar. I purchased sweetened, chemical laden creamer and began my love affair with coffee. My daily cup at that time consisted of half a cup of creamer (yikes) and half a cup of coffee. My husband didn’t care how much creamer we went through, he was just thrilled that I was making the coffee after 30 years of marriage. I tried to wean off the creamer a little each day, but never fully got it under 1/3 cup of creamer. I was addicted to the sweet, sugary taste and couldn’t take the taste of coffee without it.

Many people told me how they sweetened their coffee to avoid the chemicals in the creamer. Some used powdered creamer, but most used what I call “fake” sugar. Yes, they thought it was healthier to use Sweet n Low and Splenda in place of creamer. I did try that, but was not comfortable with the fake sugar as I now full well the consequences of long term use. But, when looking at the creamers I was using, I realized they weren’t any better. What’s a newly addicted coffee addict to do? Look for healthier sweeteners of course. This week, I ‘d like to share what I learned in my quest to replace the coffee creamers I used to sweeten my morning coffee.

When I first made the change, I was using organic, hormone free dairy cream with stevia. This was a good alternative, but I wasn’t happy about how much cream I was still adding to my coffee. Here’s what I learned about stevia and other healthier options for sugar replacement.

Stevia

Stevia is a plant based, natural sweetener that contains zero calories. It is perhaps the safest sugar alternative on the market today. All types of stevia are extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. It’s not great for baking, but is delicious in tea and coffee. This is my go to coffee sweetener these days, along with raw honey. All Stevia is not created the same, so please be careful and read labels. For example, Truvia, a commonly sold version is really a sweetener that is only in part made with stevia. It’s actually made from stevia extract and a sugar alcohol. Further, some of the ingredients in it are made from genetically engineered crops. I only use organic stevia drops that I purchase online, but if you read labels you can find healthy versions in any supermarket. I recommend using liquid stevia over the readily available powdered versions. Just a few drops go a long way!

SweetLeaf Sweet Drops Liquid Stevia Sweetener, Vanilla Creme, 2 Ounce

Honey

Honey has a low glycemic index, so it won’t lead to the dreaded sugar crash. It does have a higher fructose level, so please go easy on it. It’s easy to overindulge in the decadence of it’s sweetness, but I caution against over doing it. Also, not all honey is created equally so please read the labels carefully. I use only local, raw honey. When not available locally, I source my honey online. Side benefits of using honey as part of your health regimen are that it is contains cancer defending antioxidants and has healing properties when applied to cuts and burns. Lastly, it is thought to help alleviate some allergy symptoms. This is the honey that I use and love. I add one teaspoon per day to my morning coffee. That’s it, not a drop more, though I could just eat it right out of the jar!

Madhava Natural Sweeteners Organic Raw Honey, 22-Ounce

I don’t do a lot of baking, but when making any healthy treats, I use natural sweeteners such as coconut sugar, molasses or pure maple syrup. These have all the benefits of sweetening your treats without the damaging effects of sugar. When the recipe calls for sugar, you can always substitute that with a healthier sweetener. When I am unsure of the conversion amounts, I simply google it.

I don’t advocate consuming large quantities of any of these natural sweeteners. They are meant to be a simple change you can make to modify your daily habits. These changes have helped me totally eliminate unhealthy flavored coffee creamers. I don’t even use creamer at all anymore. My philosophy has always been, small changes toward a healthier lifestyle. Total avoidance of food groups has never worked for me. Revising recipes and substituting healthier versions of foods is an alternative approach that has worked for me over time. Remember, I’m in this to become healthy, not just lose weight. Becoming aware of healthier alternatives was the first step for me.

What substitutions have you made in your life to make healthier choices? Please share in the comments section below.

A Homemade Life

A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table

I’m an avid reader who also loves to cook. It started when I had my first apartment right out of high school. There I was at age 18 living in my own and eating cake for dinner. I remember calling my mother from work and asking her to tell me some recipes for the food I had grown up on. I typed them on index cards as she recited them and began experimenting with cooking.

Fast forward to my life as a newly married young mother. I still relied on those trusted index cards, but I began experimenting a bit. Unfortunately, my kids like me, didn’t like too much variety and even less vegetables than I did. It became easier to fry up some cutlets and make some macaroni and cheese.

Sunday dinners were different though. Every Sunday my parents would come out to our home and spend the day. The day always revolved around the family meal. In the beginning I used mom’s recipes, but as the years went by I began trying out new recipes. My interest in cooking grew and I began collecting recipes and cookbooks. Sunday dinners, laughter, football, wine and family. Life was so complete and very simple back then.

When my mom started showing signs of Alzheimer’s it really rocked my sense of normalcy. Dad had just been diagnosed with colon cancer and mom was extremely confused. Sunday visits continued but were forever changed. It was hard for mom to hold a conversation and even harder for me to deal with that. My meals became even more elaborate as I sought to escape my new reality. My cutting board provided comfort and a beautiful distraction. I’d cut and chop and cook away while mom watched, or sat with dad. The meals provided comfort to us all. Comfort food took on a whole new meaning.

As mom’s disease progressed she stopped cooking. Initially I would cook and bring food over to them, but living an hour away made this hard. I’d freeze food whenever I could but it was clear dad needed to learn how to cook. Sunday dinners now became Sunday cooking lessons. Dad was a quick study and he too discovered the joys of this form of escapism. He made delicious roasts and healthy meals for them each day and proudly talked of cooking. He talked recipes with his Dunkin morning crew and anyone who’d listen. He made pies from scratch and began collecting recipes.

Food, I’ve come to realize, holds the stories of our lives when you stop and look for them. Memories of times spent around the table are often the warmest kind. I’ve recently been binge reading narrative cookbooks, like A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table . It’s a new genre for me, but one that’s continually pulling me in. I’m finding comfort in the pages, knowing that others have captured so beautifully what I discovered. Our lives revolve around food, our laughter and tears can be found there. Comfort food gets its name from the comforting memories it evokes. Whenever I smell onions roasting I’m transcended back to those Sunday dinners of long ago. My mom browning onions for a Sunday roast. What a beautiful aroma to wake to as a child.

My Sunday table has grown smaller these days. My kids are grown and off on their own. I still cook this important family meal and make care packages for dad or my son. Early Sunday mornings always find me planning my menu for the week. I no longer make Sunday roasts as it’s now just the three of us. We love our Sunday meatballs and football these days. Traditional German roasts are to be enjoyed with family or friends around the table. Thankfully, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

Run Fast Eat Slow

LAURA'S BOOK BLOG

Run Fast. Eat Slow.: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes

I heard about this book through my running group before the Olympics started. I’d never heard of Shalane Flanagan, but the premise of this book spoke to me. Who doesn’t want to run fast and lord knows I need to learn how to eat slow.

Eating slow in this book doesn’t meant put your fork down between bites. Gosh that’s so boring and unrealistic, at least for me. Eating slow, rather means sitting down at a table, preferably with those you love and eating a home cooked vs fast food meal. Well amen to that. I am a huge fan of home cooking and thankfully love to cook. The biggest obstacle for me is time. Thankfully the recipes in this book are simple, quick, delicious and healthy. Sounds like a winning combination and it truly is.

Elyse and Shalane are both runners…

View original post 156 more words

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: