Potato,Potato,Potato

Potatoes!

Baked these yams and sweet potatoes with some olive oil, garlic, pepper, salt and rosemary they turned out so good especially the yams.

paired them with chicken and ribs which is a whole other posts that will be posted.

You can eat your cake too!

I recently baked my first ever, not from the box, cake. and it just happened to be a gluten free dairy free all organic ingredients..... CARROT CAKE yum! even the frosting was dairy free!

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with DAIRY FREE  Frosting

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 4 eggs
• 6 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 8oz vegan cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tablespoons almond milk

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together the carrots, raisins, almonds, coconut, almond meal, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Mix in the agave syrup, eggs, and coconut oil until the batter is even.
4. Pour the batter into a 9-inch cake pan and spread out evenly.
5. Bake for 40 minutes until the cake rises and the center has cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl with the "cream cheese"
8. Add in the extract and almond milk and beat until completely mixed.
9. Spread on to and around the sides of the cake.
10. Garnish with toasted coconut and chopped up walnuts

Post Workout Protein Smoothie

I HAD TO SHARE THIS Smoothie I MADE TODAY!
oh my goodness, I was sort of in a hurry today and was running out of time but I knew I had to have something before work because I had just left the gym and was about to go into work in less than an hour so I came up with this super good for you protein smoothie

• One scoop of (RAW brand) protein powder
• half a frozen banana 
• 1 cup of mixed cranberries, blueberries, raspberries,strawberries
• one tablespoon of almond flaxseed butter (available at trader joes)
• 1 1/2 cup of vanilla almond milk

Blend and serve 

I topped of my smoothie with pumpkin flaxseed granola also avail. at trader Joes.

Mango Pineapple Chicken, Skewers

This was my first time making skewers and it was allot of fun. They're easy to make but definitely take time to prepare.

For some reason I felt like grilling today so I checked the fridge to see what ingredients I had to work with and came up with this.....
I defrosted some chicken and left it marinating in some fresh tangerine and pineapple juice and then glazed the chicken with mango butter (available at trader Joe's)
then I sliced some onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, cut up some mango chunks and pineapple pieces. and began skewering. Then took them over to the grill and wah lah! you have a nice summer dish to enjoy. I had my skewers with a side of cilantro quinoa, which is a great side dish for almost anything you cook bake or grill :)

Juicing!

Juiced this the other day....
Green apples, celery, carrots, kale and BEETS! Yum!!

Steel cut oats

For breakfast I decided to make this delicious and filling oatmeal with unsweetened almond milk.
I added blue agave and organic blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It's simple and so healthy!

Salmon Plate

Wild Salmon cooked in extra virgin olive oil. seasoned with salt and pepper and a few capers on top
For kale: there are many ways to cook it but I sauteed it in olive oil lemon juice salt and pepper
For the Quinoa: I used organic chicken broth some salt and blended cucumber (seeded) and parsley to give it more flavor then added it to the quinoa while it cooked. It makes a very refreshing plate.

Ensalada Green

After a 5 mile run this salad was well deserved.

Ingredients:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Avocado
• tomato
• cucumber
• olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• pepper, cayenne pepper and wild tuna

Provecho.

Wild Alaskan Salmon

grilled this bad boy with extra virgin olive oil added 21 seasonings from trader joe's, alot of CAYENNE pepper (my new favorite spice) pinch of salt. squeezed some lemon juice on top

lightly steamed broccoli and carrots with gluten free brown rice. Enjoy! :)

Bonsai bowls

Bonsai Bowls in the morning
This is what I used:

ALOT of blueberries
frozen raspberries, strawberries
almond milk (blue diamond brand)
blend and pour into bowl
i added some sliced bananas, pumpkin flax seed granola and flax seed meal (bob's red mill brand)

My specialty: French Toast

The way I like my french toast.....

• 2 eggs
• splash of almond milk
• dash of cinnamon
• raisin Ezekiel bread
• Irish butter
• agave syrup

Mix together and serve with Apple slices! and egg whites too ... if you would like.

Smoothies

Berry Delicious.

once again, all organic, trader Joe's products- sorry I can't help it. I want nothing but the best for us.

• frozen blueberries
• raspberries
• banana
• almond milk
• ice
• and MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!- A FEW TABLESPOONS OF BEE POLLEN.

FYI: Bee Pollen benefits:

Bee pollen benefits stem from the fact that it contains more than 96 different nutrients, including every single nutrient that is needed to sustain human life. It is made up of 40% protein, nearly all of it usable by the body without any further breakdown or metabolism.The health benefits of bee pollen have been known for thousands of years. It was a mainstay of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, a discipline that is gaining a great deal of respect among western doctors recently.

Bee pollen combines 22 amino acids, vitamin C , B-complex and folic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, enzymes, and carotene - all of the major antioxidants that have so far been discovered.

In addition, bee pollen benefits your body with a number of vital trace elements that it can't manufacture, but needs in order to stay healthy. Those trace elements include iron, zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, and potassium - all minerals that have proven health benefits.

The Health Benefits Of Bee Pollen

It's been suggested - and accepted by most doctors and nutritionists - that 35 grams of bee pollen daily contains all the nutrients needed by the human body to sustain life. Because bee pollen contains EVERY KNOWN NUTRIENT that your body needs, it's a highly recommended health supplement to "fill in the cracks" when your diet sometimes falls short of ideal. In fact, bee pollen supplements are often used to bolster nutrition in famine-stricken areas.

Besides the obvious, though, there are specific health benefits of bee pollen.

• Bee pollen benefits your immune system. Bee pollen contains proteins, mono and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins B, C, D, E, and beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, selenium, nucleic acids, lecithin, and cysteine, all of which have been proven effective in strengthening the immune system.
• Bee pollen helps build resistance to allergies. Because bee pollen contains traces of the substances that can trigger allergic hay fever, some allergists prescribe it to help lower sensitivity to local plant pollens.
• Bee pollen helps you to cope more easily with stress. Because it has a full complement of amino acids, essential fatty acids and vitamins that help regulate mood, taking bee pollen supplements can help you control the stress in your life.

Lunch time

Not your typical kind of sandwich...

First, it is made  on wholesome, Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Flour less Cinnamon Raisin Bread (available at Trader Joe's). I love this bread its like no other bread the ingredients include :Organic Sprouted Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Raisins, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Lentils, Organic Sprouted Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt, Organic Cinnamon. YUM. (toasted with a little bit of Irish butter= my favorite)

Okay so to make this Turkey sandwich you will need:

• organic turkey patties -found in the frozen food section
• 2 slices of Ezekiel 4:9 raisin bread
• Trader Joe's organic American cheese
• lettuce
• tomato
• mayo(your choice, it's a little dry without it)
• ADD NOT ONE BUT TWO! MANZANILLA OLIVES NOT FOR DECOR BUT FOR YOUR HEALTH.

I chose to add papaya as my side because of the amount of fiber it contains.

mmm mm mmm!

FYI: Manzanilla olives contain-Vitamin E, Vitamin E is an antioxidant and helps counteract the free radicals that occur in the environment and damage cells, contributing to the development of cancer and heart disease. Studies have found conflicting results about how large the benefits are, but adding moderate amounts of manzanilla olives to your diet may reduce your risk of some health problems.

About my Blog

I am well aware that there are tons of food blogs all over the web but recently I've gotten a few request from friends asking to help them with their food choices. And although I am no food guru or health care professional I do know some helpful suggestions that may change your liver, metabolism or your overall well being for the better. Since I enjoy cooking and making delicious good-for-you foods I've decided to take on the challenge to create a blog with beneficial recipes that could steer you towards the direction of a more healthier you. I've decided I am going to write and upload as much as I can or know about food. This blog will contain anything from writing about food facts, cooking tips  or uploading pictures of my latest creations. Most importantly, I friends to be able to prepare their own  meals and know that they can be tasty and healthier than if someone else were to cook your meal. If just one of my friends gains that from my blog, that would satisfy me. :) So I dedicate this blog to friends and family who are ready to step in the kitchen and start cooking! :)

Bon Appetit.

breakfast #1

Wake up call at 7am, means breakfast for champions.

I figured I should make this power packed breakfast considering my day would be starting as early as 7a.m.. ahh!! I don't usually wake up that early, at least not since high school days. but a calcium-full, omega rich and protein packed brkfst couldn't hurt.

So this is what I did....

•  2 eggs (1 egg white) served your choice (personally i prefer over easy :-D)
•  boiled spinach (don't boil too much as boiling any vegetable looses more of it's  nutrients)
•  tomato slices!! (my favorite to add to basically any dish)
•  1 sardine ....Yes, I said it sardine...suck it up they are very good for you
•  seasoned and tossed hash browns....(I can't be good ALL THE TIME)

Of course all the products I use are from Trader Joe's so you can find everything I use there. If you can't make it to TJ just make sure your products don't contain additives, preservitatives or in some scary cases harmones ahhh!!