New year, new beginnings
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I’m excited about the new year!
Today finds me fresh from holidays that began with anxious listening, in the wee hours of the morning, to the moaning and cracking of the 100-year-old oaks in the woodlands that surround our house. The ice storm meant we had to cancel our annual Christmas tea and our get together with my husband’s family. Our big maple’s branches hung precariously over the driveway and I couldn’t get my car out of the garage. Small problems compared to those who were without power for days and days. We are very grateful that we had heat to keep us warm as the temperatures dropped and power to make meals. A big shout out to the hydro workers who left their families during this holiday time, to get power back on as quickly as they could!
On my first day of work in 2014, I spent the morning in the Alpha Vitality kitchen creating some recipes for you to try.
Last time we were talking about not wasting food. Well another tip is to put bananas, that are on the cusp of being compost bin fodder, into the freezer with their peel still on. Thanks to my friend Helga for teaching me that little tip. They are super easy to peel when you take them out. But remember to use them in a timely manner. Sublimation will eventually make the bananas look like those black pods you see from Honey Locust trees. Not appetizing!
Ok – so first we’ll start with a way to begin your day with greens
Green Light Smoothie
The ripeness of the pear and the banana will determine the sweetness of the smoothie. If you don’t have very ripe fruit, you can add a Medjool date or two to make it a little sweeter. If you don’t have frozen bananas, throw in a few ice cubes as the blender warms things up.
1 ripe pear – cored and quartered. I use organic pears, so I leave the peel on it
1 very ripe FROZEN banana, peeled and broken into chunks
1 cup of firmly packed baby kale or spinach or watercress or green of choice
1 cup water
Process all ingredients in blender for about 2 minutes. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy your greens.
Note: If you are looking for something to BE breakfast versus complementing your first meal of the day, add 1 cup almond milk and a scoop of protein powder or 1 cup Greek yoghurt, instead of water.
Roasted Beets
Red and yellow beets – well scrubbed but not peeled
Olive oil
Fresh rosemary
Roast in a roasting pan with lid for 1 hr at 400 degrees F. Check for fork tenderness. If the beets are large they may need up to 30 minutes more.
Serve and enjoy
Leftovers? Slice over greens, top with goat’s milk cheese or daiya, add some cranberries for a quick and tasty lunch.
I enjoy checking facebook to see what my friends and family are posting. The recipe that follows was adapted from one posted by my friend Linda M. and my version uses more frozen bananas (are you sensing a theme here?)
Most of us have had goodies over the holidays. This is a recipe to help you transition to healthier eating as it has no refined sugar. Make a batch and take to your workplace to share.
Banana Bread Bites
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy and egg free, but not taste-free : )
3 ripe bananas – mashed
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 cups of gluten-free oats*
¼ cup almond milk
½ cup chopped dates
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minute mark)
* Oats do not inherently have gluten, but unless they are specifically labeled as gluten free, they are likely dusted with wheat flour.
And finally …
I would love to hear from you. Let me know if you try any of these recipes OR if you have recipes you would like to share.
Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2014!!!