Month: January 2019
Roasted Almonds
Healthy snacks that are also satisfying can be difficult to come by. Especially when you’re looking for something to get you through the afternoon lull… or afternoon munchies since you can make them sweet or savory to meet anyone’s needs.
I like to use these for a weekday meal plan snack. After roasting, I put them in single serving bags to make it easy to pack or grab and go. Especially when I’m training for a race or working out during lunch, it’s perfect to have a little afternoon pick me up. But they are also great if you’re having company and want to add some flavor and texture to your spread.
My favorite is roasted almonds covered with cinnamon or cocoa powder but you can really use pretty much any of your favorite seasonings for endless sweet and savory options. They also make a great base for homemade trail mix.
Ingredients for Roasting Almonds:
– Almonds
– Olive Oil
– Salt
Optional Flavors:
– Cinnamon
– Honey Cinnamon
– Spiced with cumin, garlic, cayenne, and/or paprika
– Cocoa powder
Kitchen Items You’ll Need:
– Baking Sheet
– Bowl
Cooking Instructions:
1. Lay almonds in a single layer on baking sheet and drizzle with oil and salt
2. Roast 250 for 1 hour
3. Coat with preferred seasonings and store in single serve containers/snack size bags for easy grab and go snack
Alternative:
– Coat with seasonings before cooking almonds. Typically I do this more with savory seasoning or when mixing with honey.
You Gotta Frittata!
Great for serving brunch or having eggs for days
Breakfast, and coffee, are the key to starting every day off strong in my book! Many of you have asked for recipes or ideas for frittatas so I hope this serves you well. In this post, I’ll provide a few tips and tricks for frittata making along with ideas and cooking instructions.
Frittatas have become a favorite for a weekend brunch with friends or family or eggs for days to fuel weekday breakfasts. You can load them up with meats, cheeses and vegetables of your liking. My favorite is to pack them with vegetables, often whatever I have in the refrigerator, and usually some cheese.
Healthy fats mixed with your eggs are a key to getting the creamy rather than spongy texture. This is most often achieved with milk, heavy cream or yogurt. I have recently also started using cottage cheese and even tried coconut cream for a non-dairy option which worked well! In dedication to using up leftovers in my frittata, I even used guacamole as a substitute and was pleased with how it came out. One thing to note about that, like all avocados do, it did begin to look a little off-colored after a couple of days. Just remember, non-fat versions will not work as well so do yourself the favor of not skimping here.
As I mentioned, I love to fill up my frittatas with veggies, but be sure to cook them first! Some veggies will be alright raw by the time the eggs cook, but many will either not be cooked completely and/or release too much water while cooking leaving your frittata with a less than ideal consistency.
There are also many ways you can prepare your frittata so try a few and see what is best for you. Probably my favorite although not necessarily what I do most often is to start on the stove, finish in the oven. This is best in a cast iron skillet and allows you to cook most veggies and then add your egg mixture and into the oven. You can also bake your frittata in either a baking dish or muffin tin. By simply baking in a baking dish, it simplifies the process especially when you’re using leftovers to fill your frittata. Muffin tins are great for on-the-go simplicity but for some reason I’ve never liked them quite as much.
Frittata is great to eat on its own or served with sliced avocado, fresh fruit or smoothie, greens, or a slice of bread, gluten free of course. (see: Zucchini bread).
Tomato Basil in Cast Iron 
Kale, Cherry Tomato, Mushroom Baked 
Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, Mushroom Muffins
Ingredients for Basic Frittata:
– Eggs (1 dozen)
– Dairy (1/2 cup dairy or non-dairy alternative)
– Veggies (up to 2 cups)
– Cheese (up to 1 cup)
– Salt
– Pepper
– Cooking oil/fat (coconut oil, ghee)
Kitchen Items You’ll Need:
– Knife
– Cutting Board
– Cast Iron Skillet / Baking Dish / Muffin Tin
– Mixer or Blender
Cooking Instructions:
1. Chop and cook (if appropriate) veggies
2. Lay veggies in bottom of cast iron or greased baking pan
3. Mix or blend eggs with dairy of your choice. Pour into pan on top of veggies. If veggies move around when you do this, mix to ensure they are evenly spread out.
4. Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes if baking / 425 for 10 minutes if stovetop to oven in cast iron
Suggestions for Frittata Combinations:
– Spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushroom, mozzerella
– Kale, cherry tomatoes, mushroom
– Broccoli, red onion
– Tomato, basil
– Bacon, spinach, cheddar
– Sausage, spinach, red pepper, cheddar
Don’t Wait For Perfection Before You Start
Strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection – Kim Collins
And so starts a new adventure…
Last weekend I took my mom to try a Float for the first time. Talk about trying something new… lying in a float tank (sensory deprivation tank) filled with salt water for an hour. Never being someone to spend quiet time alone or meditate in stillness, I have to admit that it was a great experience for the mind, body and soul!
After floating for long enough to not realize that’s what I was even doing anymore, or what I assume to have to guess was about 30 minutes into the my hour with my thoughts I was struck by the concept of ‘perfection’, the pursuit of it, and how it impacts our lives – not for the better.
The ‘perfect plan’ or the ‘perfect time’ are sought after, but these are ways to avoid what it is we really want to accomplish. Perfection instills fear. Imagine the progress you could make if you just get started and keep improving.
Personally, I am always looking to learn and improve by either doing something new or doing something better. I am proud to live my life this way. However, when it comes to doing things to further my desire to help others eat, move, and live well, I have found myself distracted by ‘the perfect way’ to get started.
As this idea of ‘perfection’ swirled in my head, I realized how counter intuitive this. Instead we should strive to do our best and be the best versions of ourselves. Start somewhere, then do better!
With a new year upon us maybe you are working to keep your resolutions. Or if you’re like me, you’ve traded in those resolutions for goals and intentions. Or you are just at a point in your life where you want to make a change. Don’t wait for perfection to start and don’t expect to be perfect right away.
Here are a few things to think about
Find what fits – It’s important that when you decide to do something different, that is both of interest and realistic for you. Don’t tell yourself “I should run more” if you hate running or that you’re going to work out 7 days a week for 2 hours when 7 days feels like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Find what fits your life and the version of you that you want to become.
Reframe your thoughts – Don’t focus on what you will be losing or the difficulty of the new task, you are adding something you want in your life. How can you enjoy your new habit more? Running (or the exercise of your choice) for food – yes I’ve done it! Fun with friends when you invite them over for dinner instead of going out! Better mental stamina or less stress when you spend some time on the yoga mat! There is goodness to be gained by getting started.
Start with something small – You can’t get anywhere if you don’t get started. Eat out one less time a week. Moving/exercising two days a week. Do one thing a little different, and then more or another. You don’t need extreme action to ‘be perfect’, start with anything that is a change.
And remember to celebrate progress and don’t get discouraged if you get off track. Life changes. Our needs, wants, or plans change. Be flexible enough to change with them. The important thing is to refocus and keep going
Life is to short to wait for everything to be perfect. Start now. You will start feeling good and want to do better. With the right mindset you can build momentum towards continuous improvement.
So what can you do to push perfect aside and start something today?