Showing posts with label cinnamon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cinnamon. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Small Add Ins That Make a Difference

Stephanie here with an update on cinnamon and other healthy ideas for you to sprinkle in every week that makes a big difference. I'm a big believer that it takes both large and small life changes to have a generally healthy lifestyle.

Large changes = kicking out processed foods and sugars for the most part, cooking meals at home, gym several times a week - all of these take a lot of time and effort.

Small changes = sneaking in flaxseed and cinnamon to every day meals to make them a bit healthier, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, poppin a daily vitamin - these just take a minute to do during the day but can add up to a big difference.

via

This post is spurred from my Healthy Smoothie Add Ins post where we chatted about the health benefits of adding in flaxseed [antioxidant rich, prevention of cardiovascular disease, etc] and the benefits of using raw cacao powder [cardiovascular benefits, cancer protection, lower cholesterol, etc] instead of chocolate syrup or other sugary alternatives.

In the March 2013 Prevention magazine had an article about Stabilizing Blood Sugar with Cinnamon. They noted that: Cinnamon has been used since ancient times to aid digestion, and a teaspoon has more antioxidants than half a cup of blueberries. Plus, studies show that cinnamon helps blunt the rise in blood sugar that can occur when you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal—good news, since a spike in blood sugar raises levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors, which may increase the risks of diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.

So why not add it in daily? Even if you can't squeeze in 2 - 4 teaspoons, just adding in 1 or 2 to your morning oatmeal and nightly smoothly is sure to add some taste and health benefits throughout your week.

I also started doing some research on vitamins... so more to come on that!

via

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Grocery List for Smoothies

Hey there, SH checking in with my smoothie grocery list. I didn't find a lot of smoothie recipes that I wanted to make to the T. So I used the recipes that I found most intriguing and took ingredients from all of those.

via

Basic Stock Up > Flax Seed and Cinnamon are super good for you, so I'm going to add them to every smoothie I make
Peanut Butter
Raw Cacoa Powder
Flax Seed or Flax Oil
Cinnamon
Liquid Basics: Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Water, Orange Juice

Recipes > I used these recipes are inspiration starters for my own smoothie recipes
http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/29/healthy-cocoa-banana-almond-smoothie/
http://www.allparenting.com/my-table/articles/946149/5-fabulous-kid-friendly-smoothie-recipes
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-superpower-morning-smoothie-recipes-from-the-kitchn-183353
http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2013/02/13/berrylicious-rainbow-smoothie/

via
Fruits > Trying out my favs first
Bananas
Strawberries
Blueberries

I will let you know my favorite smoothie mixes I come up with! Have you tried making your own smoothie recipes? Do you add in usuals like flax or cinnamon? What is your favorite liquid base  for smoothies? I'm going to try to keep mine dairy free with soy/almond milks and coconut water and OJ. Any tips for creating my own smoothie recipe?

via

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe #4: Fig-Pecan Suffed Acorn Squash

This recipe is totally not my own. I saw this online and couldn't help but want to make this immediately. I found this on Tiny Green Mom, a wonderful site with a little bit of everything, from crafts to cooking, all with the focus of organic & eco-friendly living. This might be the recipe I'm most excited to try.

From Tiny Green Mom's blog.
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash (halved lengthwise & seeded)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
3 Tbsp "butter"
1/3 cup agave nectar (you can find this in the baking aisle near the sugar & flour)
3/4 cup dried, de-stemmed figs (chopped)
1/3 cup pecans (chopped)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Rub insides of squash with olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Turn upside down onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes (or until soft).
3. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl.
4. Remove squash from oven and turn right side up. Fill halves with fix mixture.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until soft & bubbly.
6. Let cool & enjoy!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe #3: Curried Corn & Red Pepper

Ingredients:
4 cups of corn
1 sweet onion
3 red bell peppers
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a skillet on medium-high heat, saute bell peppers in olive oil. Once cooked (don't over-do it, leave a little crunch), add the corn and turn to medium heat. After 5 minutes add all of the seasonings.

Easiest side dish EVER.