-
How to Make Almond Milk {step-by-step photos}
I have been making homemade almond milk for about a year now and it has been such a success that I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the bland store-bought varieties again. It always seemed like a daunting process and since I don’t have a VitaMix, I was initially even worried my regular blender couldn’t handle it. None of this proved to be true. In fact, almond milk is actually super easy to make and requires only a regular blender. The only mildly tedious part of the process is soaking the almonds overnight before you make the milk. I have outlined all of the steps I use to make the milk in the photos below. Once you start making it, you get used to the process and it becomes easy and quick. I make it weekly (or more) and couldn’t live without it!
-
Frozen Almond Butter Banana Bites
I recently whipped up a batch of a very fun and healthy treat that I couldn’t wait to share, Frozen Almond Butter Banana Bites. They are pretty simple to make and a really satisfying mini frozen treat. I keep a batch in the freezer if I want something sweet, but I don’t want a full serving of ice cream. When the banana and almond butter freezes, it has an ice-cream like texture and the chocolate coating tastes like a proper chocolate covered ice cream bar. Enjoy!!
-
Triple Berry Superfood Smoothie
For a healthy, energizing breakfast or afternoon snack, you can’t beat a nutrient-packed homemade smoothie. I have been experimenting with dozens of combinations lately and I’m excited to share with you one of my favourites – a Triple Berry Superfood Smoothie. I used a base of almond milk and added three types of berries — strawberries, raspberries, and goji berries (which are packed full of antioxidants and vitamins) — as well as
-
Gwyneth’s Bummer Bars
I recently picked up Gwyneth Paltrow’s book, It’s All Good, and, in short — I’m obsessed. I have tried 6+ recipes within the last few days and all have been fantastic. Having said that, I do not think I’ve ever seen so many different opinions on a mere cookbook – some people love it, some despise it and want to blog about it constantly. I really like her style of cooking. She advocates clean eating and tries to cook with healthy, natural ingredients including lots of fruits, vegetables, natural sweeteners and “good for you” grains. It’s a concept I could get very used to and, with recipes like these, I think anyone would enjoy them regardless of the obvious health benefits.
Yesterday I decided to make Gwyneth’s “Bummer Bars,” which are a healthy form of a granola bar made instead with quinoa flakes, ground flaxseeds, prunes, walnuts, maple syrup, olive oil and plenty of warm spices.
-
Cherry Vanilla Popsicles
My latest food obsession: popsicles. I got a Zoku Classic Pop Mold from my Mom this Christmas and I have been having a blast experimenting with different homemade popsicle recipes. It’s very easy to make popsicles into a healthy snack full of nutritious ingredients like fruit, Greek yogurt and a small amount of honey or agave nectar. Of course, you can go wild with “ice cream” style pops complete with half & half and melted semisweet chocolate, but since I am on my New Years health kick, I am sticking with the low-cal varieties for now.
One of my favorite combinations is cherry and vanilla. To make the pops, I
-
Strawberry Vanilla Protein Shake
This recipe is so simple that I hesitated to even post it, but the result is SO delicious and healthy I couldn’t resist. It’s my new go-to 132 calorie healthy snack that satisfies my sweet tooth and packs in 20 grams of protein. All you need is
-
Almond Butter Rice Cakes
I am so excited to share with you all my latest food obsession: almond butter. Luckily, almond butter is not only delicious and satisfying, but it is good for you too. I hate to admit it, but I learned about this snack from a recent episode of Dr. Oz where Snooki (yes, Jersey Shore Snooki), was on the show to share the diet she used to drop 42 pounds
-
Balthazar Granola
This morning I popped into Balthazar Bakery to pick up a bag of their handmade granola. Good granola is hard to find and I have to say Balthazar’s is one of the best I have ever tried. The bakery, on 80 Spring Street in Soho, is adjacent to the famed and timeless Balthazar Restaurant, and offers a selection of pastries, breads, cookies, cakes and tarts that allow you to take a little taste of the restaurant–and its Parisian-inspired style– home.
-
Orange Date Oat Bran Muffins
I had some extra dried dates around (see Pan-Latin Picadillo), so I decided to put them to good use by creating a healthy oat bran muffin recipe that features this delicious dried fruit. I love dates for a special reason. They remind me of my unforgettable trip to Istanbul last summer, where bazaars overflowed with hundreds of plump dried figs, apricots and dates around every corner of the city. For this recipe, I used oat bran and whole wheat flour as a base and Greek yogurt and applesauce as a substitute for oil. The finishing touch is the addition of freshly grated orange rind and, of course, chopped dried dates for a Middle Eastern-inspired health muffin.
-
The Best Homemade Granola Bars Ever
Warning: these bars are addictive!! I finally found the perfect, healthy Granola Bar recipe and I am thrilled to share it with you here. Most granola bar recipes contain loads of butter to obtain their distinct crunchiness, but this recipe only has a couple tablespoons of oil and is loaded with texture and flavor.
