Categories
Healthy Meals

Orange apple smoothie

Side Note:  Blend these ingredients in a blender and not a juicer.  Using a juicer eliminates the very important fiber, which helps a person’s body absorb the natural sugars slower and increase their satiety level.  

Directions:

2 apples – cored

1 orange – peeled

1-inch piece of ginger – peeled

4 small or 2 large carrots

3 cups of water

Blend together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Chill before serving or add ice 2 cups of ice and reduce the water to 2 cups.

Health Benefits

The apples are loaded with fiber and a compound called pectin, which can help in weight loss, aid in digestion, and promote a healthy gut.  The orange provides fiber and vitamin C, which benefits the immune system and many more metabolic reactions in the body.  The carrots are loaded with beta carotene, which promotes healthy eye sight. And finally the ginger aids in digestion and weight loss. Enjoy!!

Categories
Dessert

Warm, sunny weather = ICE CREAM

Cherry Walnut Ice Cream

When the weather turns warmer, I turn to ice cream to cool me down. Not just regular ice cream, but ice cream made from almond milk, fruits, and spices. By replacing cow’s milk for almond milk, you remove the saturated fats and the cholesterol from this dessert.  In addition, using fruit for the sweetness is healthier than the added sugars that are in most commercial ice cream.  It is fast, easy, and super healthy on those hot summer days. 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk    (or any plant based milk of your choice)

1 cup of frozen bananas

½ cup of frozen cherries

2 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cacao or coco powder

¼ cup of walnut halves

Directions:

Add the plant-based milk, bananas, vanilla, and cacao powder to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Then add in the cherries and walnuts and pulse, leaving chunks throughout the ice cream.  Transfer to a freezer safe dish and freeze until solid or able to scoop out.  Top with additional various berries.  Note:  Experiment with different fruits and nut combinations or add peanut butter to the ice cream.  Enjoy!

Categories
Healthy Meals

Healthy Tacos…Happy Taco Tuesday

 

Smoky Lentil Pecan Tacos

When we first began to eat healthier options, the first thing that I was missing was a healthier version of TACOS.  With this recipe you get plenty of fiber and protein from the lentils and some healthy fats from the pecans.  Hope you like this recipe as much as we do. BTW…you can cook this recipe on the stove top on a slow simmer, if you do not have an instapot.  Enjoy!!  – Eric