"I hate tofu..."

"I hate tofu..."

I hear that sentiment all the time. And my response? "If you don't like tofu, you're not making it right!" And yes, just because you ordered it from a restaurant does NOT mean that it was made right and that's how it's supposed to taste like. Some people like to just eat tofu no matter which way its prepared. But not me. I've spit tofu out and refused to eat it. It makes sense though. Most people don't just take beef, chicken, or fish and throw it in the oven or on the stove to cook without taking the time to prepare, tenderize, and season it before cooking. So why wouldn't you take the same time to prepare the tofu before cooking it?

Having a husband that is a definite meat-eater...I was pleasantly surprised to know that he loves when I make tofu. It's easier to make one protein option for the both of us, which can be difficult with a vegetarian-carnivore couple! So I thought that I would share my way of preparing tofu so that maybe you guys at home can see whether or not your family likes it too. Granted, take into consideration that even if it is prepared right it may not be something that delights your taste buds. But you might as well try it! The great thing about tofu is that it is so versatile. It will soak up whatever flavor you are cooking. For example, are you making Asian food? Well, your teriyaki tofu will be a great replacement to chicken. Barbecuing this weekend? Well, bite into a delicious BBQ tofu dish! Going Italian instead? Let the flavors of Italy dance on your palate from your tofu. Get the point? But if you miss the first two steps you will miss the mark COMPLETELY!! So go on and read what I do to prepare my tofu.

FIRST STEP:
1. BUY THE CORRECT TOFU!

You can buy different types of tofu and each of those are used for differing recipes. These can  be purchased at WalMart, Earthfare, and Whole Foods. Unfortunately Aldi's and Giant Eagle do not sell blocks of tofu. They only sell soy-based foods like soy burgers, etc. Of course, Giant Eagle will give you more soy options like breakfast sandwiches, ribs, burgers, crumbles for stews or sauces, and hot dogs. Regular tofu has soft, medium, firm, and extra firm options. These describe the sturdiness of the tofu block. This is usually the brand and consistency that I buy.

For example, the soft tofu will crumble very easily compared to the extra firm option. Soft tofu is best for putting into smoothies/shakes, tofu scrambles instead of eggs for protein, or casseroles. I also buy the extra firm tofu because I personally like to be able to cut the tofu into either squares, triangles, slices, etc depending on my need. Besides regular tofu, you can buy silken tofu. I do not like silken tofu at all and therefore don't deal with it really at all. I do not prefer the slimy, slick consistency of the silken tofu. So it could be possible that one of the reasons that you didn't like the tofu was because silken tofu was used instead of regular tofu. Regular tofu has more of a meat-type consistency to it. So this first step could make or break your recipe. If you don't like one type of tofu, try another. For example, if you don't like Salmon you might try Tilapia. They are both fish, but have different tastes and consistencies. All tofu is not created equal, just like all meat is not created equally.

SECOND STEP:
2. DRAIN YOUR TOFU!

As I mentioned before, I always purchase the extra firm tofu so that it was actually keep its shape when I work with it. When you buy the tofu cut open the package and drain the juices.

(The package of tofu will contain juices in it to preserve the quality of the tofu. Drain out the juices and the following picture is what you are left with.)

If you are not going to use the entire block at once, you can keep it in the fridge. But make sure to put some water in the container. It'll keep for a few days. I usually use the entire block because I make several days of lunches or dinner for two. Now that you have the block of tofu out of the container, you HAVE to drain it further. Like I mentioned before the tofu will soak up any flavor you are cooking with. But it cannot do that if the juice that was in the package is still in the tofu. Think of the block of tofu like a sponge. I cut the tofu into slices and line them up on a clean kitchen towel.

                                                              (Tofu already drained)

You can use paper towels but you will end up using a LOT of towels, so it is cheaper to use a real towel. I line up the tofu and roll it up in the towel. Carefully press down on the tofu and you will feel the towel soaking up the juice that was once in the tofu. If you have bought the extra firm tofu it will keep it shape even with the applied gentle pressure used to drain the tofu. Unroll the towel to expose your tofu slices. You can see in the picture above the towel has soaked up the rest of the juice within the tofu.


THIRD STEP:
3. Cut the tofu!

I cut the tofu dependent on what I am using the tofu for. I'll use cubes for wraps or just to eat, larger slices for burgers or sandwiches. etc. But usually I cut the tofu into cubes.

FOURTH STEP:
4. COOK IT!

After the tofu has been drained and cut, I cook the tofu. I add some olive oil or Pam spray to the pan and throw the tofu in when it gets hot.

I usually cook the tofu longer then some may because I like the crispiness of it. Cook the tofu and consistently flip them over or they will burn only on one side. Once the tofu starts to get crispy I will season it.

 You can season it before hand or marinate it, but I just season it as I cook it. If I am looking for a BBQ tofu I simply put some of my favorite BBQ sauce in the pan and let the tofu soak it up.

You may want to try cooking it different ways to see which way you like it best. But our family likes its crispy! You can also cook the tofu on the grill if you put down aluminum foil (so it doesn't fall through the cracks) and oil the foil before cooking.

FIFTH STEP:
5. ENJOY!

The next step is my favorite! Just enjoy your tofu as a family! You can even include this tofu in a casserole in order to hide it better so your family wont notice. But as for our family we just have it as a side of protein!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cake

Most people go out to a restaurant and will order some food to enjoy with friends. And if there's room and the desire, they may even decide to order desserts. You have all been there. You've heard the laughs, seen the smiles, and felt the love. At the end of the experience they all go home and that's that. But for some, it is not that simple. Those who suffer (and I think suffer is a good word to use) with food allergies or intolerances things can be more difficult then you think. It is not as easy as just picking up a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk on the way home from work. These are items that could set their digestive system off and make them miserable for days.

And so the search starts for foods that you can tolerate without the pain that follows. So below please find one of the easiest recipes I've found for a gluten-free, dairy-free double layer chocolate cake! It is a crowd pleaser. Many times people refuse to try gluten-free, dairy-free, or meat-free options because they "know" they wont like it. So why not serve this cake to those people and see if they can tell the difference!

Double Layer Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients

Cake -

Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix
Oil
2 Eggs
Water

Frosting -

Unsweetened Coconut Milk (Do NOT Use Light Version)
Enjoy Life Dairy-Free Chocolate Chunks






1. The cake takes a little bit of forethought. The day before making the cake put the cans of coconut milk in the fridge overnight to chill them so that you can work with it easier.

2. The day you want to make the cake just simply follow the instructions on the back of the Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. You can make cake mix from scratch but for those of us who are too busy this cake mix works just great! I did use 2 eggs instead of 1 in order to make the cake more spongy instead of dense. The package calls for 1 but I used 2 and was very happy with the consistency. I used two 8 inch round cake pans and split the mix into two batches to make even layers. The instructions on the back of this package suggest baking two 8 inch round cakes 22-28 minutes. I baked them for 22 minutes and the cake came out perfect.

If I had baked it anymore the cake would have been way too dry. Cook the cake less and check it. You can always cook it more if needed. After the cake was finished baking I put them on cooking racks and let them sit for a few hours. I didn't want the frosting to melt when I frosted the cake.

3. Now that the cake is done and set aside, let's focus on the frosting. This is one of the easiest and tastiest recipes for frosting that I've ever had. There are only two ingredients in this frosting recipe which makes it even easier and cheaper. The containers of frosting sold at the store pale in comparison. Take your cans of coconut milk out of the fridge and open them. Have a bowl next to you when you open the cans. When you open the cans, pour the liquid part of the coconut milk in a separate bowl. The solid part of the coconut milk is what you will use for the frosting. I got two cans but the store only had one normal can and one light. So I got one of each. But do not get the light coconut milk because it has very little solid coconut to work with. Most of the can is liquid which you cannot use for this recipe. Put the solid part of the coconut milk in a pot with your dairy-free chocolate chunks. I like to use the Enjoy Life brand. Slowly melt the two ingredients together on the stove and stir consistently to prevent burning.

4. After the two ingredients are melted together, put the warm frosting in a separate bowl in the fridge for 3 hours. The consistency of it must be firm. Don't worry it will soften up.

5. After the 3 hours, make sure that the frosting is firm. If it is use a blender and mix up the frosting. After mixing it, it will have that beautiful frosting consistency. It will be easy to spread and will be a little lighter then when it was in the fridge.

6. The next step is the fun part! Put one of your cake layer on a plate and frost the top of it.

 Then put the second layer on it and frost the top of that one. 

Next frost the sides. Your cake is almost done, but it already looks delicious!

7. Then decorate the cake however you want to. I used sliced almonds to accent the edge of the cake and to add a little bit of a crunch.

You have so many options for decorating. You can use macadamia nuts, sprinkles, cocoa powder sprinkled on top, fresh berries, or anything else you desire!

8. Finally I put the cake in the fridge to help set the frosting. When the frosting is applied it will be soft and so chilling the cake will help it stay on the cake properly!


I got this recipe from ohsheglows.com. I didn't believe the description that it is a dangerous recipe because of good it is. But I tried it, and YES it is a dangerously delicious recipe!

Homemade Sweet Potay'ta Fries

Fries aren't my go to food at a restaurant. Whenever possible I'll switch the fries out for the vegetable of the day or a side salad or something else. I don't even really like mashed potatoes all that much either. Every once in awhile I'll eat either one and then I'm good for some time. But when sweet potatoes are on the table, I just can't help myself. But I got to a point when I couldn't order them anymore. Why? Some of them were barely sweet potatoes but more a holding cell for grease. And some of them were covered in about a pound of sugar and cinnamon. I sat there and dabbed my fries with a napkin or scraped the sugar and cinnamon off with a fork. I just couldn't get the sweet potatoes that I really was looking for. So I made them myself! I went to Earthfare and got two organic sweet potatoes. I washed them really well with a natural veggie wash and brush and was ready to cut them up. I didn't even consider peeling the sweet potato and I was glad I didn't. The skins made a great addition to the finished product. 

This sweet potato looks quite small but it was enough to feed Adam and I. The larger sweet potato I cut in half and we only ate half of it and we're saving the rest for another day!

I cut the fries in long strips. Some people are finicky about their fries whether they like the long and skinny ones or the short and thick ones, the great thing about making your own is that YOU decide what you want! I made mine medium thickness. Just remember the thicker the fry the longer it will need to cook, so that can come into play if you have a short period of time to make dinner. 

I enlarged this picture so you can see the julienne style of cut I did to make my fries. If you notice I used the ends of the potatoes even though they didn't make nice clean cut fries and were stubbier. I kept those ends because...honestly...to keep the beauty of the food. Food nowadays is to "perfect" with no imperfections. People want perfectly rounded tomatoes and plump peppers and potatoes that are the same size and shape. But if you ever frequent a farmer's market you'll notice that all of the fruit and vegetables are unique in their own right. I remember the first time I saw produce from a farmer's market. I was volunteering at CityFresh in Cleveland and I remember thinking to myself in my own ignorance at the time, "Why does the produce look like that?" If you've never been at those types of places or seen that type of produce I encourage you to go and explore it for yourself! I included an example of what I mean. You can see what people would call "imperfections" in the color and shape as well as other features too. But anyway I digress...

The first time I made these I put the fries in a bowl and put some coconut oil in and tossed it with some spices such as garlic powder, black pepper, himalayan salt. Some prefer sugar and cinnamon for more a dessert-style snack. The second time I made it I just sprayed the pan with Pam spray, added the fries and spices and then mixed it around. Then I added another light coat of Pam spray again. Either method depends on the desired crispiness you want to achieve. You may add more oil for a crispier texture or less for a more sweet potato flavor and texture. We prefered to taste the food itself! I set the oven to 350 degrees F but ended up turning it up to 375 degrees F just because I needed it to be done a little quicker for dinner; I was running out of time. Cooking times depend on the amount of potatos as well. I put it in for 20 mins and then checked them. You may need to add more time. I know, I know. Some of you may want to know everything in exact measurements of ingredients and time. But to me cooking is not a science, its an art form. I think that playing around in the kitchen can be therapeutic as well as a creative outlet. If you are one of those people who hate cooking...maybe you've been doing it wrong all these years!? =] 

But in the end this was the finished product! It was lightly salted (DEFINITELY...A...LOT...LESS salty than what you find at any restaurant. That just allowed us to truly enjoy the flavor of the food!) I highly recommend this recipe. Adam does not like sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries, but he enjoyed these. He tried them when I first made them and then asked for them the second time I made them! So again...husband tested and husband approved! 

Phineas the Pup and His Homemade Cookies!

After work you're headed home thinking about what's in the fridge and what you're going to make for dinner. The traffic lights change, time passes, and the dishes are done. You and your family are full and happy now. But then you look down and see those big puppy dog eyes. You want the best food for your family and that includes your pup. Come on, how can you resist that face?

Unfortunately food and treats nowadays are filled with what you might expect...fillers. Working with dogs and feeding them I see a whole range of types of food. This food ranges from all decadent homemade masterpieces to canned-shape,brown-colored glop. Now you're furry best friend has been faithful and loyal throughout the years. So why not give them something great?

Try this great recipe, I promise you you're pup will love you even more for it!

2 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 cup plain oats
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups hot water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then add the peanut butter and water. If the dough is too     sticky you may need to add more flour.
3. Knead the dough well.
4. Roll out the dough into 1/4" thickness.You can use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. I like to use     little dog bone cookie cutters!
5. After putting the cookies on a baking sheet I put an egg wash on them to give them a nice look.

6. Bake them for 40 minutes. I let them cool overnight on wax paper and was able to put them right in     a bag to keep. You can also try freezing them for later.
   (dogtreatskitchen.com)

*Now its important to remember that since these are simple cookies with very few ingredients there are no preservatives in them. So if you keep them for too long they will get moldy so make sure to watch out for that before feeding them to your pup.*

Not only do these make great treats for your own pup, but they make great gifts! Phineas couldn't wait to dig into his present!

It's fun for you to make and fun for them to eat. Phineas would agree, but as you can see...he's pretty busy at the moment!

If you have kids, cousins, nephews or neices this is also a great project to do with them to get them in the kitchen playing with recipes and ingredients! 

I know they're dog cookies but don't be afraid to try them! Again, there is only 4 ingredients and its all normal food that you would eat anyway...so go ahead and try one...if you can wrestle it away from pups like Phineas that is! 

"Organic Manifesto" by Maria Rodale

I started reading the book “Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe” by Maria Rodale. Maria Rodale is qualified to write a book on the organic movement. Her grandfather J.I. Rodale found the magazine “Organic Farming and Gardening” in 1942. Her parents, Robert and Ardath Rodale, as well devoted their lives to organic farming and supporting local farmers. Her grandfather and father launched Prevention magazine in 1950. And before her father died in 1990, he began the lonest-running scientific study comparing synthetic chemical versus organic agriculture.  So she grew up in among the organic movement and devoted her life as well to the cause.

  (Maria Rodale)

I read half of the book during the week we were on vacation. It was one of those reads that I couldn’t put down! This book explains, as the title suggests, all about organic farming and how it impacts each one of us and our world. It goes into depth beyond just “buy organic” and really explains the reasoning behind the idea.  People can tell you to buy organic and that’s all good and fine. But why? Who cares? And that is why this book was so interesting to me.

But…I couldn’t believe the reaction I received when I started to share some information with some extended family members. 

Sitting in the sand on the beaches of South Carolina I flipped the pages of this book and highlighted what seemed like every paragraph. Alongside me my family laid out as well soaking in the rays. 

 A soft breeze rustled through my hair and the salt air flooded into my lungs as these thoughts filled my mind. The laughter of children playing in the sand broke the silence of my relaxing family. I brought up a point from the book that I found interesting.  

“Recent studies suggest that behavioral and developmental problems may be linked to childhood pesticide exposure. And that exposure begins at almost the moments of conception. Pesticide residues are routinely detected in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women.”

Instantly a defensive conversation broke out. Now I wasn’t pressuring anyone or forcing my opinions on anyone. I’ve learned that those of you who want to know what I think will ask. That’s the same reason I even created this blog in the first place. I know and respect that everyone has their own decisions to make in life in regards to health, nutrition, and overall wellness. And to each his own as I would also hope to be given the same respect in my own opinions, decision, and lifestyle. I was simply just stating a thought that this book had brought out and I found I was met with only defensive reasoning and forceful opinions. I was astounded, especially as I continued to read the book it explained some of the same things I was then experiencing.  On that beach that afternoon, I heard the usual arguments that each news broadcast spells gloom and doom on a new food item. I also heard that you can’t be so crazy about that “stuff”. And again, the thought that everything must be done in moderation. I sort of chuckled behind my distaste of the whole situation. All of this coming from people who eat pizza 3-4 times a week and fast food the rest of the week. Moderation. That’s a funny thought. Moderation is a sensible thought. I encourage it. But I couldn’t help but think, do I want to be ingesting pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones, and antibiotics in moderation? And my unequivocal answer was NO!

This whole situation is explained simply by these two following quotes.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.”

-Wayne Dyer

Now I am not the most informed person on all issues. But I am a naturally curious person. And therefore I read, I study, I experiment, I think. But not everyone does. And I know that those who were “attacking’ the cited thoughts are not informed on the issues at hand. Ignorance is dangerous.

How about you? Are you curious about the organic food, farming, and how it impacts our environment and health? This book is a great read! Be someone who is informed, not ignorant. The biggest mistake you can do is to make a decision (really in anything) based on ignorance. And it is ONLY THEN that you should make your own decision about the issue of organic vs conventional (chemical) foods. It is ONLY THEN that you can take a stand on either side and be taken seriously for your opinions. But again to each his own, and opinions should be given and taken respectfully…the complete opposite on how I was met with mine.

**For those of you who want to read this book and don’t want any spoilers stop reading here. But for the others who want samples of some information you can find in the book I took the liberty of including some direct quotes that I found extremely interesting. Of course, there is SO much more that I haven’t included below. But I do recommend this read to those of you who are curious about organic food and what the hype is all about.

The following is some of what you’ll find in this book: (quotes in ITALICS)

Ever wondered what GMO means?

“Most food crops start with a seed. But the seeds today are not like the seeds farmers have used for thousands of years. Instead, farmers are strongly encouraged to choose those that have been genetically modified with the help of a bacterium—perhaps Escherichia coli or salmonella—in order to resist the herbicide they use to keep their fields week-free. (Isn’t it interesting hat those are two of the bacteria that worked?) These bacteria act as a kind of barrier for the DNA being transferred and they create antibiotics in the process (another contributor to our overexposure to antibiotics). Billions of dollars were spent to develop this seed, yet the government required absolutely no health and safety testing before the seeds were planted.”

From my research I’ve noticed, quite obviously, that the food industry runs solely on money instead of ethics. Let’s take a look at India…

“For years the price of cotton was low around the world because there was more cotton than people needed—and most companies buying cotton choose the lowest-priced source. Then US farm subsidies artificially reduced the price of American cotton and suddenly, the cheapest cotton was coming from America, not India. Even though the cost of living in India is a fraction of what it is in the United States, suddenly Indian farmers couldn’t make a living. That was the first blow.

Now you have the follow-up blow. Desperate Indian farmers get calls from companies using Bollywood movie starts and Hindu deities to help sell the farmers on “magic” seeds. Wither literally nothing to lose, Indian farmers borrow money to buy the seeds and the companion chemicals, never realizing that the price will increase each year. After the first year, they find out that it costs much more to maintain their crops due to the ever-increasing prices of seeds and chemicals. Yet they are still plagues by insects and, like all promises of magic, the yields are disappointing at best. Before long, the money lenders are knocking on their doors and there is not enough revenue from the crops to pay the debts.

More than 160,000 Indian cotton farmers have killed themselves in the past decade. The favored method of suicide? Ingesting chemical pesticides.”

People worry about the antibiotics in chicken and other products.

“Believe it or not, arsenic is still used today—even in chicken feed! It’s used to promote growth, kill parasites, and “improve pigmentation of chicken meat,” even though arsenic is strongly linked to many types of cancer and diabetes. In 1999, 318,000 pounds of arsenic were used in California alone.

The US Congress responded to concerns about the food supply by establishing the Federal Trade Commission in 1912 and the Food and Drug Administration in 1927. But then as now, the industry fought standards with lobbying money and lots of advertising. The government usually sided with the groups who were making the most money—industry. Meanwhile, a host of new chemicals hit the market….Methyl bromide, a soil fumigant, was introduced in 1936, and DDT reached the market in 1945 and was widely viewed as a less-toxic substitute for lead arsenate. These are just a few notable examples among thousands. You probably have seen the pictures of trucks with hoses spraying children at play and eating sandwiches to “prove” just how safe DDT really was.

We now know it wasn’t safe at all.”

DDT ended up being banned in the United States in 1972. I actually found some advertisements from the 50s in connection with the use of DDT. It was marketed well to increase trust in the product and to alleviate any concerns.

“But make no mistake, without the farm bill, organic food would cost less than chemical food—far less. Organic foods are already much less than expensive to taxpayers. The funds spent on cleaning up the toxic messes agriculture has made of our soil, water, oceans, and health, as well as the costs of chemical foods, are impossible to calculate.

In Congress efforts to “protect jobs” (mainly at chemical companies) and American farmers, it produced a farm bill that put farmers on an economic treadmill by providing payment incentives to keep growing crops like corn and soybeans chemically and made it almost impossible to switch to  organic or growing other crops…

Myra Goodman, cofounder of Earthbound Farms, has done the math. 

She and her husband sell organic fruits and vegetables grown on 33,000 acres of farmland in California (what the farm bill would call “specialty produce”). They don’t own all of the land themselves. Rather, the group consists of 150 independent, certified organic farmers. They don’t get a single penny from the government. In 2008, these organic farmers kept 10.5 million pounds of chemical fertilizers and 305,000 pounds of chemical pesticides out of the environment and saved 1.7 million gallons of petroleum. The carbon they have sequestered, according to the Rodale Institute’s measurements, is the equivalent of taking 7,500 cars off the road every year.”

These were just some quotes I found interesting and I am only halfway through the book so far. Why not pick up a copy? I got mine on Amazon for a few dollars. I have to admit that it sat on my bookshelf for 2 years before I got around to reading it. I don’t think I was in the right frame of mind then. But now I can’t put it down! 

Lil' bit of Limeade

The sun was warm and it felt nice as we walked along the pathway. Children ran past us laughing all the way to the habitats followed by a mix of awe and fear.  There Adam and I were walking the Toledo Zoo enjoying the company of each other, but it was definitely time for something to eat and drink! We stopped by the café and Adam ordered a lemonade and I ordered an unsweetened iced tea. We sat down at a table and found refreshment from the drinks, rest, and company of each other. I decided to try his lemonade. Now take into consideration that I haven’t had lemonade in quite some time. My taste buds were in for it when I took that sip. I instantly put it down and my face scrunched up like a little kid. I couldn’t take the overwhelming power of the sugar and lemons. I have never had lemonade that strong before. All of this brought me to a new venture. I like lemonade but what is offered in stores and restaurants is too much for me. I wanted to make my own but didn’t have any lemons available. But I did have limes! And so my homemade limeade made its debut! Its husband tested and husband approved! 

My homemade Limeade Recipe:

           4 cups iced water

           3 fresh squeezed limes

           2 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar (I only used 2 Tbsp as a starter amount of sugar. You can add less or more depending on your taste buds but for us 2 Tbsp was definitely enough!) 

            Ice

People have gotten used to the beverages offered today. All of them are loaded with sugar, artificial flavorings and colors, and let's face it...empty calories. Adam described this limeade drink as a great summer drink that was refreshing. 

So if you're a lemonade person or you like tart things why not try this recipe at home? You can even more more and keep it in the fridge or take it to a party for others to enjoy. I haven't tried it with lemons instead of limes but that would taste just as great. 

Health Benefits of Limes: 

Limes, of course, are part of the citrus family. They are often used in culinary feats to enhance the flavor of other foods. Limes are rich in sources of phytochemicals. Anytime that the word "chemical" comes into play people tend to back off. But phytochemicals are chemicals made naturally from plants and are not harmful. Actually the limes are rich in flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant and antibiotic effects. Limes can aid in digestion because it helps breakdown food molecules and will also help stimulate the secretion of digestion juices. The Vitamin C content of one lime is equal to 30% RDA and has the most potent antioxidants available. Vitamin C helps iron to be absorbed in the blody and improves blood circulation as well as most people attribute Vitamin C to...immunity. One medium sized lime contains 22 mg of calcium and that high calcium can contribute to strong teeth and bones. (www.fitday.com)

So not only is this beverage refreshing, light, and tart it gives you additional health benefits!

Homemade Granola Bars

People today are so busy and all of us have skipped meals or grabbed unhealthy food items on the go. I like to stock my locker at work or at home with granola bars in order to have something healthier to snack on instead of the usual chips or candy bars. I have scanned the grocery aisles looking for the most nutritious granola bars and always come across the same conclusion. Each one of these products has something in them that steers me away from them whether its preservatives or artificial flavors or other items. I just wanted to bring granola bars on our trip to Myrtle Beach so we had some snacks in the car. Why is this so hard? Irritated, because to me food should just be food, I decided to go another route. A day before we left on vacation I found a recipe for granola bars and decided to try them. And man, was I happily surprised at the outcome. Even Adam said that those granola bars were the best granola bars he had ever had. And they contain ingredients you can pronounce without the preservatives or artifical flavors or several types of sugar hidden under the names of different ingredients. As a matter of fact, these granola bars only contain 5...yes, I said it...5 ingredients! And these ingredients may be ones that you already have at home. It took me about 15 minutes to make these granola bars from start to finish and it definately made my family happy.


Recipe:


1 cup dates, pitted (The BASE of the granola bar...you can find these at any grocery store located near the rainsin and plums)

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (I used honey I think the thicker consistency holds the granola bars together better)
1/4 cup peanut butter (I used salt and sugar free peanut butter from Giant Eagle. It tastes great!)
1 cup almonds, chopped (I used chopped unsalted peanuts because I don't like almonds, but you can choose any type of peanuts or none at all)

1 1/2 cups oats

Instructions:

1. Process dates in food processor to create a "dough-like" consistency

(these are the dates prior to processing. I used my VitaMix, but you can use any food processing machine.)

2. Toast oats in oven 350 degress F for 15 minutes (This is optional, but it does give the bars an added taste factor)
3. Combine oats, almonds, and dates in bowl (I washed my hands and went to town using my hands as the spoon. The force from your hands helps mix the mixture easier than a spoon.)
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in sauce pan over low heat. Stir and pour over date mixture and mix well. (Make sure to watch it so as to not burn the ingredients. Slight stirring is important, and the smell is amazing!)

5. Transfer to pan and smash mixture down to form granola bar. (You can use parchment paper under the mixture to get them up easier, but I did not have any issues getting the bars back out of the pan. In this stage you can make the granola bars as thick or thin as you want. I used an 8x13 glass pan but only filled up half of the pan in order to make thicker granola bars. Then I drizzled some extra peanut butter on top for just an extra touch. )

6. Set in fridge to harden 15-20 minutes (I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Before I put them in the freezer I used a pizza cutter to cut the bars in advance because they are hard to cut after freezing. And in this stage you can cut them to look thinner and longer or in a square shape. Have fun with it! Freezing them just solidifies the bars. After I freeze them I kept them in an airtight container in the refrigerator as storage.)

I did make some alterations to this already easy recipe just to humor my own intentions. And the second time I made this granola bar recipe I did play with some of the ingredients just to make something different. Feel free to play with it yourself to make differing variations. You can feel free to add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, any type of fruit, or anything else you can think of or want. Obviously the more you add in then the calories, sugar, salt, and fat will go up.

Health Benefits of Dates: 

Dates resemble large raisins and are one of the sweetest fruits around. But they have so many health benefits that are often overlooked when people do not include them in their diet. Dates are high in fiber. They contain 6.7 grams of fiber in 100g of dates which is 27% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The high level of fiber, of course, helps relieve constipation and reduces risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.  They also contain 696 mg of potassium per 100g which is 20% of the RDA. Potassium is important in a diet as it counteracts the effects of sodium. Because of this dates helps regulate blood pressure and the high level of potassium can help decrease high blood pressure. Dates boost heart health and they also ask an an anti-inflammatory due to the levels of magnesium they contain. Studies have also shown a reduction in stroke risk by 9% for every 100 mg of meagnesium a person consumes a day. A date contains 54 mg of magnesium per 100 g which is 14% RDA. For those of you trying for a baby or already pregnant dates have been discovered to impact labor and delivery outcomes. A study was done in 69 women that found that "the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labor, and produced a more favorable, but non-significant, delivery outcome." (NaturalSociety.com "Health Benefits of Dates - Promoting Heart, Brain, and Digestive Health" by Mike Barrett)

I appreciated the fact that dates can help with bone health and strength. The mixture of selenium, magnanese, copper, and magnesium are integral to healthy bone development and strength. My grandma has osteoporosis and my mom has osteopenia so of course, bone strength is something that I have been aware of for some time. Also the impressive levels of iron can help those who have anemia because the iron will balance out the lack of iron that anemia suffers have. This will help increase energy and strength, and decrease the feelings of fatigue and sluggishness. (www.organicfacts.net)

I highly recommend this recipe to anyone. If you have cranky kids, hungry husbands, or need a little pick-me-up yourself try them out! I promise you wont be disappointed. Its a husband tested and husband approved recipe!