Ann Claire's Healthy Adventures

Buh-Bye Blogger

2010-11-08T20:40:00.000-06:00

I have officially made the switch to wordpress.

My new site is http://theflourishingfoodie.wordpress.com/

I Sceam, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!

2010-11-01T21:59:00.001-05:00

Hello!
Happy All Saints Day or eve of all Soul's day or post Halloween day -so many things to be celebrated today!
I'm a bit pressed for time but I just wanted to post quickly to tell you about something I made yesterday that was absolutely delicious. Homemade ice cream. But, you may be thinking "I thought you are trying to limit your dairy consumption?" Oh right, oops I forgot. Just kidding!! Of course I remember, Mr.Headache won't let me forget. This was dairy free ice cream!

So creamy. So chocolately. So coconutty. So delicious

Regardless of if you consume dairy or not, you need to try this recipe! It only consists of 4 ingredients, too. Coconut milk, agave, coco powder, and vanilla. What could be simpler?

Absolutely delectable.

I wish I could take credit for this wonderful recipe, but sadly I cannot. I found it at The Nourishing Gourmet. Recipe here

On another note, I'm working on improving my picture quality. The pictures of the above ice cream were actually taken on my diving board. I find that natural light, as opposed to flash helps the pictures turn out better. But, seeing as I have tons of trees in my yard, sunlight is pretty limited. So the diving board was the natural choice for an ice cream photo shoot.

Any other tips for improving picture quality? Do you ever do silly stuff to make your pictures look better? (I didn't even mention the sprig of mint I added to my ice cream!)

Hope your enjoying this beautiful November day!

-Ann Claire

Dairy? Kale?

2010-10-24T17:51:00.000-05:00

Hey There!

So I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that I"ll never be one of those people who blogs all the time. At least not during the school year, I just don't have the time. I guess I could make time, but that would take away from other things I enjoy doing and need to do. As much as I love blogging, it's just not worth it.

Some friends and I on 80's day and Western Day this past week. This is a big deal as we usual wear uniforms!

I know everyone has different reasons for eating healthfully; my main reason for eating healthy is because I feel much better when I eat well. That being said, for many years I have had a lot of issues with headaches. I'm beginning to think that the cause of said headaches are diet related. So, I'm doing some experimenting to see what food could be causing the headaches. Currently, I'm thinking it may be dairy. I'm working on totally stopping eating dairy to see if the headaches go away. I'll let you know. Aside from the headaches, I'm leery about consuming dairy anyway. The whole idea of drinking an animal's milk seems weird to me and there are so many hormones and chemicals added to the milk that is available in stores today. So fortunately, almond milk and I are already close friends. Coconut oil and I have been growing closer in recent weeks, too.

In honor of my lack of dairy and a salute to coconut oil, I made HEAB's Oreo Truffles and boy am I glad I did! I used coconut oil instead of butter and used chocolate that did not contain dairy. These are so delicious. Seriously, even my mom who doesn't even like Oreos loves these. Even after I blended the Newman O's into a fine powder and added plenty of coconut butter, once hardened the truffles had such a fantastic texture. Overall, I love these little truffles. Thanks Heather!

Served up with a glass of almond milk. Sorry dairy, but I haven't been missing you :)

A few other recent eats

Zucchini and Spinach with Tuna

Quinoa and Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Whole Foods Inspired kale salad.

I had bought kale and couple of times and attempted kale chips without much success. I was beginning to give up hope that I would ever be a kale fan. But, the other day I was at Whole Foods and saw a delicious looking kale salad in their raw/vegan food bar. Having some kale at home that needed using up, I checked the ingredient list and decided to create my own kale salad. The result? I am now a kale fan!

Annie's Guacamole Kale Salad

1 small bunch kale (washed, dried, and torn into pieces)

1 avocado

1/4 of a red onion chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Direction: Mash up avocado with a fork and add the onion, lemon juice and salt and pepper to form a guacamole type mixture. Massage avocado mix onto the kale. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Serve and enjoy!

1. What is your opinion on dairy consumption?
2. Favorite non-dairy recipe?
3. Are you a kale fan?

Have a glorious week!

-Ann Claire

Score One for the Sweet Potato

2010-10-06T21:44:00.000-05:00

Remember last post how I told you I didn't like sweet potatoes? Well, just a couple days after I wrote about that my mom made something involving sweet potatoes that I absolutely loved! What could have possibly gotten this sweet potato hatin' girl to enjoy the previously loathed starch? Thai-spiced Sweet Potato Soup. This stuff was delicious. Creamy, bursting with flavor, the perfect way to fill the tummy on brisk fall evenings.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon canola or peanut oil (coconut oil would probably work well too)
1 onion -chopped
3 cloves garlic -chopped
2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 pounds sweet potatoes-peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup red lentils
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar (my mom says she thinks agave would work well, will be trying that next time)
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and red curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the sweet potato, red lentils, stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Puree the soup in two batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan and stir in the citrus juice. Serve garnished with cilantro.

I highly recommend this soup. It's really so delicious; the Thai seasonings give the soup lots of flavor while the coconut milk and sweet potato contribute to the great creamy texture, not to mention add lots of flavor themselves.

What is your favorite fall food?

I"m really going to try to post more regularly in the future. I made numerous yummy dishes recently that I look forward to sharing with you. I've been experimenting with making homemade whole-wheat bread. I"m still working on perfecting the recipe but certainly be expecting that soon. I'm currently in the process of making some home made nutter butter cups, so I better go check on those. Yum!

Thanks for reading,
Ann Claire

I"m Back!

2010-09-24T20:55:00.001-05:00

My goodness it has been over a month since I last posted. Ridiculous I tell you, ridiculous. While I could go on and on providing you a multitude of excuses for why I haven't posted I"ll spare you the boredom of reading about it. For, as a wise uncle once told me "excuses are like feet, everybody has them and they all stink." haha
A few recent eats.....

Black bean oat burger (not to dissimilar for this recipe but simplified and I kinda over blended so I added oats for textural reasons and it turned out delicious), on a bed of mashed cauliflower and topped with guacamole.

Oat flour pancakes topped with smashed strawberries (courtesy of my immersion blender) and coconut butter aka my new love.

My favorite greens topped with carrots, chicken, red onion, and banana peppers (various versions of this have been consumed many times by me in the last month). Also, if you're looking for a totally delicious salad dressing recipe check out Kelsey's Ultimate Salad Dressing....so good.

A new product I discovered that I really enjoy. Dairy free, soy free, nut free, preservative free, pretty much everything free. Heck, I don't even know how you could be allergic to these things. One thing they certainly aren't lacking in is yumminess! Even my dad snuck a few of these out of the freezer.

I highly recommend Sweet Nothings!

Question of the day: Are there any foods you don't like that you wish you did like? For me, I really really wish I liked bananas and sweet potatoes. Bananas just seem like such a great fruit, so perfectly package by nature and a great base for smoothies and ice creams, a wonderful topping for oatmeal or perfect just plain, but, by golly I just don't like them! Same with sweet potatoes; I've seen several bloggers post some good-looking recipes involving sweet potatoes that I would love try except for the fact that I don't like sweet potatoes! Do you have any foods like this? I hope one day I grow to like bananas and sweet potatoes. Are there any foods you used to dislike but have grown to enjoy?

Thanks for reading. I promise it won't be another month before I post!

Have a whimsical weekend!

Orange Oat Waffles!

2010-08-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

I'm officially one week into Junior year! Wahoo!! Overall, it has been really good. It's great getting to see some people I hadn't seen in a while. I'm a little worried though because all the teachers say junior year is the most difficult academically. The teachers encourage us to be in extracurricular activities and sports and all these different things but when are we supposed to do these things and complete all the homework/studying necessary to be a good student? There are so many things I want to be involved in, but it's just hard to find the time and still maintain good grades! That's my rant for the day.

On to some food. A few weeks ago I decided I wanted waffles. Yes, it was dinner time, but so what? I googled a few waffle recipes, even went so far as to print one out. However, recipe following and I just don't get along. For me, cooking is a creative outlet and how creative can you be when following a set of instructions? I'd heard many other bloggers talk about oat flour but had never tried it myself; I decided this needed to change. Into my trustee little Magic Bullet went a bunch of oats and some flax seed. The base of my waffles was formed.

Upon opening my fridge, I realized I was all out of almond milk which I was planning to use as the liquid in my waffle batter. Orange juice caught my eye, so I decided what the heck, why not use OJ as my liquid?

Cinnamon and a few other ingredients were added and it was show time.

I poured the batter into my waffle iron, closed the lid and anxiously awaited the completion of my waffle cooking. And then I realized....I had not greased/sprayed/buttered the waffle iron. Oh no! Needless to say, this was a bit of a disaster and took a while to clean.

Yet, even after I was finished washing the waffle iron, one thing was still on my mind: I wanted to eat some waffles. I had a little batter left, enough for a mini waffle, so I sprayed the pan and poured it in. The results were very good so I mixed up some more batter and cooked up some more waffles. I made several waffles, but was waiting to eat the last one I made so it would be nice and fresh. I had just enough batter left for one more waffle so I poured it in. A few minutes later I opened the waffle iron and realized I had forgotten to grease the pan, again! Luckily, this time wasn't nearly as bad as the pan had already been sprayed when I was cooking previous waffles. In fact, I was able to salvage most of the waffle. But still, you'd think I'd learn from my first mistake!

Mistakes aside, these waffle were delicious and I couldn't stop thinking about them. So a few days later, I decided to make them again. I remembered to spray the pan this time and even made enough that I was able to freeze some and now can just pop them in the toaster for an easy weekday breakfast...or dinner, whichever.

Spread with cashew butter and a little orange agave dipping sauce (I've never been a fan of syrup).

These waffles are so good! I wish I had an exact recipe to share, I may try to come up with one to post in the future. I can tell you that the following things went into the mix

oats (blended to a flour consistency)
flax (also blended)
orange juice
eggs
cinnamon
vanilla
baking soda

I encourage you try your favorite waffle recipe, but substituting oat flour and using orange juice and part of the liquid. It adds a really nice flavor and a little sweetness without being too sweet.

When I make them in the future, I plan to add some orange zest as I think it'll boost these waffles to an even higher level of flavorfulness.

When you don't have all the ingredients for a recipe you want to make do you improvise or wait until you can get the ingredients called for?

Whats the biggest mishap you've ever encountered while cooking/baking?

I hope you are having a magnificent Monday.

-Ann Claire

School Fuel

2010-08-17T07:00:00.009-05:00

Most likely I am currently getting ready for my first real day of school. Gotta love prescheduled post. I was a little misleading in this post when I said I would be starting school Monday. While technically yesterday was my first day of school, we didn't actually go to class or anything. On the first day we pretty much just get our locker assignments and books, take pictures and go. Seriously, I would have been out of there by 10 am if it wasn't for student council duties. So today I is my first day that we actually go to class and what not.

What will be my mid-day fuel this first day of school?

An Ezekiel pita spread with a mix of mashed avocado and lime juice and stuffed with chicken, spinach and lots of tomato. Carrots and a pear to be spread with homemade walnut/cashew butter round out the first day of school meal.

A great start to completing goal #3 of incorporating more fresh fruits and veggies into school lunches.

What is your favorite portable meal?

Wonderful waffle adventures coming soon :)

Have a beautiful day.

-Ann Claire

So Long Summer

2010-08-15T21:09:00.002-05:00

Well hello there. I am officially awful at posting regularly. To all those bloggers who post daily, you amaze me. It's odd because even the days I don't post I still spend time reading all the amazing blogs out there, yet never take the time to post myself. Today is officially my last day of summer. That's right, I start school tomorrow. I'm honestly really looking forward to having a somewhat regular routine as this summer my schedule has been quite erratic.

I started this blog at the beginning of the summer as I journeyed to eat and be healthier in this lovely summer of 2010. Have I eaten perfectly this summer? No way. But, I have learned a ton about nutritious eating and realized how much better I feel when I eat healthfully.

A few goals for this school year:

1. To actually eat a good breakfast. Last year I never woke up early enough to sit down and eat breakfast so usually I either skipped breakfast or just ate whatever I could grab and eat in the car. This year I plan to wake up in time to prepare and eat a nutritious breakfast that will fuel me throughout the day.

2. To exercise regularly. In past years I've done cross country, swimming and tennis so I pretty much always was in some type of organized sport and exercising regularly. This year I am only playing tennis so I will certainly have to make more of an effort in order to be sure I get plenty of exercise. Whether it’s taking my dog for a walk, going running, going to the gym, playing tennis, or whatever other activities I discover, I will certainly be exercising frequently.

3. To incorporate more fresh vegetables and fruits into my lunches I take to school.

4. To get to bed early enough that I am able to get plenty of sleep. Of course this means not procrastinating on homework and studying....easier said than done, but definitely something I'll be working on this year.

5. To listen to my body, not to worry excessively about following a specific eating plan or eating the way others do, but to eat what makes me feel good and what is best for me. (For more about eating for your body check out Heathers wonderful post about it.)

6. To have an enjoyable and fun year!

These aren't resolutions that I expect to do instantly, but things that I will be working on continually. I don't expect myself to do these things perfectly but just to do the best I can. I believe being healthy is a continuous process, a wonderful adventure that lasts a lifetime. While I must now bid the summer farewell I am excited to say hello to what will surely be a wonderful school year.

More food post coming soon!

Thanks for reading,

Ann Claire

Dr.Kracker Review Part I

2010-08-03T22:16:00.004-05:00

My recent lack of posting has had nothing to do with a lack of cooking. I have made many dishes recently that I can't wait to tell you all about. Unfortunately, do to camera/uploading issues I currently cannot tell you about the recipes using pictures. And a post without pictures is like a post without fun, so I've decided to wait until the issue is resolved to tell you about my recent culinary creations. I considered resorting to extremely low-quality cell phone pictures, but you guys deserve better!

Anyway, I realized I have a product review that is long overdue. I was excited when I discovered I already had some pictures uploaded of this particular product. What product am I referring to?

Dr.Kracker of course!

George Ekrich, one of the company founders, was kind enough to send me an array of their products to review.

So what kind of products does Doctor Kracker make?

"Our Flatbreads and Snacker Krackers are 100% percent natural, and USDA certified organic. We bake with whole grains and seeds, and none of our crackers contain trans fats. From Pumpkin Cheddar to Seedlander, there's a seriously delicious Dr. Kracker for everyone in your family."

They sent me 3 of there snacker crackers and 3 of there flat breads.

For this post I am just going to review of the snacker cracks, but check back soon for my review of the flat breads.

I received the Fire Roasted Crisps, the Apple Crisps, and the Cherry Semolina Crisps.

First up. Apple Crisps

My first impression was that I really liked these little guys. They have a fantastic texture, very crunchy and the oats and seeds on top to keep things interesting.

My mom and I both enjoyed these. However we both had one major problem with these crackers. We couldn't taste the apple flavor at all. If you're going to call yourself apple flavor, I expect you to be able to deliver. They were also a bit sweet for me. I was disappointed to find out the ingredient list included cane sugar, butter and brown sugar. All in all, still a really good cracker. Especially good topped with a little almond butter, yummy :)

Onto the Cherry Semolina

(I actually forgot to take a picture of these but found this one here)

I honestly have no complaints about the cherry crackers. The flavor was great; you could taste the cherry but yet it wasn't over powering. The cherries also added a nice chewiness to the texture which was a great contrast to the crunchiness of the cracker itself. My favorite of the culinary crisps.

Fire Roasted Crisps

The package boasts "Tart sun dried tomatoes and rich sweet potatoes, blended with black sesame seeds, chili peppers and organic cheddar cheese. "

The texture of this cracker was my favorite of the three culinary crisps I have tried. The black sesame seeds just really added something to the overall texture of these crackers which put them over the top. These crackers also I had a nice bold spiciness to them. Overall, I really enjoyed the flavor and texture of these crackers. Unfortunately, they seemed to make my stomach feel a bit weird. I think it might have something to do with the spiciness. Still a very good crackers.

Bottom Line: Doctor Kracker is a wonderful company which is makes fantastic Culinary Crisps (more on the flat breads later). I highly recommend them to anyone (and no I am not required to say nice things about them). Another bonus is that they are widely available. They even sell them at some Costco's! For a list of locations near you where they are sold go here

What are you waiting for? Go buy yourself some Dr.Krackers. Now

Living LIFE

2010-07-28T21:43:00.011-05:00

Why hello there bloggies. Yes, in fact, I am still alive :). Let me tell you, I had every intention to set up a prescheduled post or two so it wouldn't be so much time between post, but it just didn't happen. Now, where have I been for this long absence? LIFE Camp of course!!

I seriously experienced one of the most amazing weeks ever. I met some of the most wonderful people ever, grew closer to God, got to know myself better, had a ton of fun and so much more during my week at Life Camp. I really miss it and all of the amazing people there! Sadly, it's a program you can only attend once :(.

Any who, so as you might imagine, camp food is not exactly the healthiest or cleanest thing out there. While I did take a lot of my own food, quite honestly, I didn't end up eating most of what I brought. I've eaten a lot of things in the past week that were in no way healthy. Many processed, refined, gross foods entered my body. And you know what? I don't regret any of it. Say What?

Don't get me wrong, I am a total advocate for healthy eating, but you know what else I am an advocate for? Living life. If healthy eating interferes with ability to be an active part of a community, I really just don't think it's worth it. Being healthy is about more than the foods you consume. There is so much more to overall health than just the physical aspects. Part of being healthy is being happy. If someone stresses about eating the "perfect" diet, are they really any better off than someone who eats a few not so healthy foods but enjoys them? I don't think so. Sometimes I just think that the joy that comes from eating a few Oreos with friends outweighs the badness of the actual Oreo.

I could go on about this subject all day, but I'll stop for now. I want to know what you think about healthy eating in social situations? What about the importance of enjoying food? Feel free to disagree with me.

-Ann Claire

My First Product Review Ever! -Blisscuits!

2010-07-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

I really love blogging. There are many things I love about it, but, I"m not going to lie, the fact that companies are willing to send me free products to sample is a nice plus. It really means a lot to me that companies are willing to send me products as I know I'm not (yet) the biggest or most read blog out there. That being said, I was really excited when I received some Blisscuit samples in the mail the other day.

Now you might be thinking, "A Blisscuit? What's that?" Well as they say on their website, "Neither a health bar nor a traditional cookie, Blisscuits™ are part of a new building category known as "functional food". No refined sugar – still sweet – low carbs – no wheat with a gluten free recipe – high comfort – real food and Blisscuits help to boost your immune system! Customers will come from the health food, snack food, protein bar, and cookie categories."

Each Blisscuit has 120 calories, 4 grams of protien, and 2 grams of fiber. They are also free of articfical colors, flavors and preservatives. Additionaly, they contain Omega 3's, cage free egg whites, are glueten free and have no hydrogenated oils. More about their nutritonal info here. The product is designed to "give you balanced health and energy, while satisfying your hunger and your sweet tooth."

I was sent both lemon and cinnamon varieties, both of which I was eager to try. I decided to try the lemon first. Upon opening the package I was greeted with a wonderful fresh lemon smell. I was intrigued and couldn't wait to take a bite. The flavor was nice and they were certainly moist, but there was something about the texture that I didn't love. I think they were a bit more dense than I would have liked.

I then got my mom to try the Lemon Bliccuit to see what she thought of them. She said they had a good aroma and flavor, but that she wouldn't buy them because she thought the texture was boring. She suggested they would be better if they had chunks of dried fruit or something like that to make the texture more interesting.

Later, I had my dad try the blisscuit. He said he liked that you could taste the zest and overall thought the Blisscuits had a nice flavor and texture.

Onto the cinnamon variety.

Upon opening the package, these too had a nice aroma. Of course a completely different aroma than the lemon but still a very appealing smell.

As you can see, these little guys really do look like a cookie biscuit hybrid (the lemon flavor looked just the same but different coloring). My opinion on the Cinnamon Blisscuits is very similiar to what I think of the lemon ones. They have a very good flavor and smell and are plenty moist but again the texture wasn't great, it was just too dense. Not awful, but not fantastic.

Bottom Line: Overall, I think Blisscuits makes a good product. However, they aren't perfect. They are a good choice as an on the go snack or dessert. As the package says, "Ones a snack, two is almost a meal." I really like the fact that they are all natural, and have no refined sugar or hydrogenated oils but, because of the dense texture, I wouldn't buy them regulurly.

Interested in trying Blisscuits yourself? Go here to see where you can purchase them.

Thanks! Please let me know what you think of my first product review ever.

-Ann Claire

French Toast, Preparation, and Product Reviews.

2010-07-12T21:28:00.000-05:00

It seems like lately I've been in a bit of a breakfast eating rut, eating the same thing day, after day, after day. Toasted Ezekiel bread with cashew butter and maybe a piece of fruit is what I've had for breakfast many mornings in a row. Saturday morning I decided to use these same basic ingredients and mix it up a bit. In went 2 eggs, some almond milk (next time I think I want to try orange juice as the liquid), some cinnamon and a small amount of agave. Oh, and a few smashed up blueberries. I doused my Ezekiel bread in the mix and threw it on the griddle. While it was cooking I mixed some strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon and a drizzle of pure maple syrup and topped the French toast with it after it was finished cooking. Scrumptious, I tell you, scrumptious.

Doesn't my french toast look lovely?

Any who, I've been trying to focus on being prepared in terms of eating healthy. I am not the type to take my own food to a restaurant, as I don't find it necessary, for me personally, though I understand that for others it may be necessary. I generally just make the best choice I can out of what's on the menu and not worry if a few ingredients in it our not exactly "healthy" or "clean." However, there are some situations where I do bring my own food. One of these is theme parks.

I've never been a fan of theme park food; I find it overpriced, not very tasty, not to mention super processed and unhealthy. Hence, the other day, prior to going to Six Flags, the following went into my bag.

A cherry pie Lara Bar and an Ezekiel bread and cashew butter sandwhich (maybe my Ezekiel/cashew rut goes beyond breakfast?). What are your thoughts on taking your own foot to places where food is served?

Another reason preparation has been on my mind is because in a week I leave to attend a camp for eight days. One thing on the list of things to bring is food (in Ziploc bag so as to keep bugs away). While most of the other teens at the camp will probably bring things like gummy worms, potato chips, M&M's and other not-so-nutritious snacks, I of course will not. I've already been thinking about the foods I want to take. I'd really like to take some things that could be meals, as I don't know what type of food will be served at meals. So far I plan to take Lara Bars, crackers, cashew butter, and dried fruit. Any ideas of other foods that I could take with me to camp?

Oh guess what? On Saturday I received not one, but two products that were sent for me to review. Must have been my lucky day, huh? I'm still trying to decide which product will get the honor of being my first product reviewed ever! Check back soon for the reviews!

Thanks,

Ann Claire

Veggie Lovin'

2010-07-10T07:00:00.004-05:00

Veggie Lovin' had me a blast
Veggie Lovin' happened so fast
I saw carrot calling my name
Tasted asparagus green as can be

Tell me more, tell me more
Did you eat very much
Tell me more, tell more
Like did it have much fiber?

Okay, so maybe I don't have a song writing career in my future, but who doesn't love Grease?

Anyway, here are a few yummy veggie dishes I've made recently.

Stir-fry consisting of tofu, broccoli, edamame beans, carrots, and yellow bell pepper.

Fish on a bed of broccoli and tomatoes.

Mushroom tossed with jalapeno, red onion, corn and black beans. (Are mushrooms even a vegetable?)

Or how about some baked potatoes loaded with chicken, spinach and blue cheese with a side of broccoli.

Speaking of veggies, the other day I went to see Eclipse with a group of friends. One of them, Kat (mentioned in this post), brought a tupperware type container of carrots and grapes to snack on during the movie. Certainly a girl after my own heart. So much healthier and better than typical movie snacks! Anyway, all this to say, "Who says you can't snack on a big plate of veggies while you go watch Grease?"

What's your favorite movie snack?

Thanks for reading,

Ann Claire

Oey Goey Chocolatey Goodness

2010-07-08T16:35:00.006-05:00

So, I know I told ya'll my next post was going to show some much needed veggie appreciation. I hate to break my promise, but I made something today that I couldn't wait to blog about. So will ya'll forgive me if I share with you an easy, delicious, chocolatey recipe? That's what I thought.

The hardest thing for me about clean eating is desserts. Sure there are many great sweeteners besides sugar; agave and honey being two of my favorites. In breads and things like that it is easy to use whole wheat flour instead of regular flour. But, when it comes to cookies and cakes, whole-wheat flour just isn't the same. Then it dawned on me: flour less chocolate cake! No need to substitute whole wheat flour for regular as there's no flour to begin with. Off to the test lab, I mean kitchen, to experiment. I began with this recipe.

A few minutes and a couple of tweaks later, I had this.

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp almond milk

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbsp agave

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp oil

Crack the egg into a microwave safe bowl (I used a glass cereal bowl). Beat the egg and add remaining ingredients. Stir together until combined. Microwave for 30 seconds, continue to microwave in 5-10 second increments until desired texture is reached. Be careful not to overcook. Enjoy!

Be extremely careful when cooking this. The first time I made it I microwaved it for 1 minute and it was overcooked but the next time after 45 seconds it was not cooked enough. It totally depends on how powerful your microwave is (mine is very powderful).

What's your favorite way to enjoy chocolate? Dark or Milk? Plain or mixed with other stuff?

Now go make yourself some chocolate cake; you deserve it!

Fruity, Fruity, Frooty

2010-07-07T20:04:00.003-05:00

Wow, how does some much time manage to pass between when I post? I haven't even been out of town or anything. The only excuse I can muster is that any time I've gotten on the computer lately has been devoted to online drivers ed which I completed this morning. Whoo!! I will be getting my license very soon! :)

I have made many yummy things lately; I'd love to tell you about them all but that would be a bit much for one post. Today, I want to focus on something we all know and love: fruit.

As I mentioned in my last post, I made Katie's Fudge Babies. I made the original recipe, but substituted cashews for walnuts and rolled them in a mix of cocoa powder and coconut. These were really good! Super simple to make, too. With the only ingredients being dates, nuts, cocoa powder, and vanilla, they are very healthy, too. I was amazed at how sweet they were without having any added sweetener. All in all, super yummy. I encourage you to try them! I didn't take a picture but Katie's has lots of Fudge Baby pictures and many other great recipes.

I made another fruity recipe recently courtesy of Chocolate Covered Katie. This flavorful recipe was in the form of a pizzert. Not sure what that is? Head of to Katie's blog to find out.
I made the blueberry pizzert and topped it with cashew butter and halved grapes to add even more fruity goodness. Yummo! (so what if yummo isn't a word..neither is pizzert :))

Speaking of yummy things involving blueberry, in my last post I mentioned something about blueberry muffins. You see, the other morning I woke up and upon walking into the kitchen I was greeted by fresh baked blueberry muffins courtesy of my wonderful mother. As appealing as they were, I decided I better make myself something else as surely these muffins were surely loaded with lots of white flour and sugar. My mom soon informed me that she had "cleaned up" the muffins. She substituted whole wheat flour for regular flour, used unsweetened applesauce instead of oil, and because of the natural sweetness of the applesauce she was able to use 1/4 cup of raw cane sugar instead of the 1/2 cup regular sugar the recipe called for. My mom and I both really enjoyed these. My brother said he didn't think they were that great; of course, he said this after consuming 2 and learning that they were healthy....besides what does he know?

Here the recipe.

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour + I Tbs Gluten (the gluten probably isn't necessary if whole wheat pastry flour is used)
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg slightly beaten
1 Cup blueberries

Combine oats and orange juice to moisten oats. Add remaining ingredients. Drop batter into a greased or lined muffin pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

My last tribute to fruit is in the form of a restaurant I dined at today called Froots. Upon entering, I immediately loved the place. The atmosphere felt very fresh and welcoming. Trouble occurred when looking at the menu. Too many things sounded good; I couldn't decide! Luckily, I was dining with my wonderful friend Kat. She suggested we each order something and trade half. Great idea Kat! I ordered the Mediterranean Wrap (hummus, feta cheese, onion, tomato, black olives, cucumber, spinach balsamic vinaigrette). She ordered the California Turkey Wrap (turkey breast, bacon, Monterrey jack cheese, tomato, onion, sprouts, avocado, spring mix, ranch dressing). I really enjoyed both wraps; if I had to pick a favorite though, it would be the Mediterranean.

We also both enjoyed small Razz Attack Smoothies (raspberries, strawberries, strawberry-kiwi juice, fat-free vanilla yogurt). These were super tasty too! The total for my order was $7.55, not bad for a wrap and smoothie. My only complaint is that they asked if I wanted a white or wheat tortilla for my wrap and naturally I said wheat. The tortilla of the wrap they gave me looked pretty white. All in all, I really enjoyed this place and can't wait to go back. I'm thinking next time I"ll order a Go-Go Veggie Wrap (tofu, blue cheese, tomato, onion, sprouts, black olives, cucumber, spinach, balsamic vinaigrette). I highly recommend Froots! Check their website for locations near you!

All this time dedicated to fruit, I think our wonderful vegetable friends are feeling a bit deprived! My next post will feature some much needed vegetable appreciation! Check back soon.

Thanks for reading,

Question of the day: What is your favorite recipe involving fruit?

-Ann Claire

Black Bean Burgers

2010-06-30T19:35:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note to let you guys know I posted the recipe for the Cilantro Black Bean Burgers. I'm still working on setting up the recipe tab the way I want it to be, but if you just click recipes the burger recipe is right there. I encourage you to try it and let me know what you think. The measurements I put are pretty exact but feel free to make substitutions or put more or less of certain ingredients. Experiment, have fun.

Please check back soon as I have some super yummy foods recently that I can't wait to tell ya'll about. Blueberry muffins or Fudge Babies anyone?

Also, I still trying to decide if I should switch over to wordpress or stay with blogger. Wordpress users feel free to let me know your likes/dislikes with wordpress. I'm also still pondering what I want to rename my blog (even if I stay with blogger I am going to change the name).

Thanks for reading,
Ann Claire

Home is Where the Healthy Food is

2010-06-27T11:08:00.003-05:00

I"m back! So what's the reasoning for this long blogging absence anyway? Well I've been out of town for the past week and a half. The first few days spent at my grandmothers and the rest at the lake, neither of which provided computer access. Sure, I could have blogged more from my phone. Why didn't I you ask?
Well, who wants to spend time staring at a screen when they could be swimming, kayaking, skiing, wake boarding, fishing, jet skiing, boating, or even watching the sunset over the water..............

I've enjoyed many wonderful dishes since my last food post.

Some yummy fish and veggies topped with mango salsa, with coleslaw and new potatoes on the side.

or how about the delicious cilantro black bean burgers I mentioned in my last post?

Prior to cooking.

Post cooking, topped with tomatilla-avocado salsa and diced tomatoes. Squash and strawberries completed the meal. (I promise I eat tons of fruits and veggies besides squash and strawberries, not sure why this is their second blog appearance on the same plate. For normality sake, I left them separate this time :)). I actually enjoyed the black bean burgers and tomatillo salsa multiple times while gone, it was that good. Never fear, I will be posting the recipe for both very soon. If you want it sooner, feel free to email me and ask.

Though I had lots of fun while out of town, I'm glad to be back. It's so much easier to prepare delicious, healthy food at home with my own ingredients, kitchen, ect. After all home is where the healthy food is, right? ( wait, is that not how the saying goes?)

Question of the Day: What is your favorite healthy on the go snack?

Thanks for reading,

Ann Claire

P.S. My apologies for the low quality cell phone pics in this post. I forgot to back my camera.

Apology to My Dear Old Friends the Carbohydrates.

2010-06-20T22:47:00.004-05:00

Okay first I just want to clarify something from my last post. I mentioned how during the retreat I was on they served an excessive amount of carbs (bread, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and I think cake too -all in one meal). I do NOT think carbs are bad. In fact, I think they can and should be part of a delicious and nutritious diet. I know I couldn't live without pasta! What I didn't like about the carbs served on the retreat was they were all super refined and processed. I have no problems with carbs in general. Bring on the complex, whole grain carbs please!

I know I have been really bad about posting lately. My computer access has been quite limited (I'm currently on my phone). I did make some delicious cilantro black bean burgers recently that I can't wait to share with you. I've always been drinking an ton of green tea recently. I know it has many supposed health benefits but I really just drink it because I love the taste!
I'm also considering switching over to wordpress. If I do I want a new name. Ann Claire's Healthy Adventures is a bit of a mouthful. Name suggestions are encouraged!

Thanks for reading,

Ann Claire

Two Hits and a Miss

2010-06-14T16:58:00.000-05:00

I apoligize for the lack of updates in the past week. Much of it is due to the fact that I spent Thursday through Sunday on an ACTS retreat. Fantistic experience, but the food there really gave me new appreciation for the way I eat. While I did my best to make healthy choices out of the food that was offered, I certainly didn't stay clean all weekend. Rather than seeing this as a set back, it has just revitalized me to want to eat even healthier now.
At first I was thinking, "Seriously? Who eats like that?" when seeing the food they were serving. I mean mashed potatoes, bread and macaroni and cheese all in one meal??? Carbohydrates anyone? Then I realized that most people woud find the food they were serving there a lot more normal than what I eat on a daily basis. If the average person were to be served what I eat on a typical day, they would probably think it was completely weird.

Take for example what I ate as an afternoon snack about an hour ago: Sauted Yellow Squash and Strawberries. I began by sauting the squash with some olive oil, a whole shallot, red pepper flakes, and herbes de provence (love that stuff!). When the squash was al dente, I plated it. Before consuming it a container of strawberries on a nearby counter caught my eye. Thinking the sweetness and softness of the berries might be a nice contrast, I took two, cut them into small chunks and tossed them with the squash.

Odd? Sure. Delicious? Definitely.

The other day after lunch I was wanting something sweet and desserty yet not overly indulgent. Grilled peaches were the perfect solution. I just took two small peaches, cut them in half, removed the pit and sprinkled with cinnamon. An outdoor grill would work best, but not wanting to take the time I just threw them onto an indoor griddle/grill type thing.

They get so sweet and juicy as they cook; it is delicious. Just plain they are fantastic, but if you wanted to take it a step farther grilled peaches with ice cream would be fantastic.

On a side note, I made clean pancakes this morning using this recipe. Honestly, I really didn't like them that much. Topped with a little cashew butter, some nectarine chunks and a sprinkling of cinnamon, they were okay, but still I really I wouldn't really recommend them. It was a little disappointing actually. I guess I'll have to keep looking for a good, clean pancake recipe. I'll let you know what I find.

Question of the Day: what do you do in situations where other prepare your food? Do you pack your own food, try to make healthy choices out of what is offered, or just eat what is served and vow to eat healthy in the future?

Thanks for reading,

Ann Claire

Cleaning Up

2010-06-07T15:12:00.004-05:00

I think this photo speaks for itself: a piece of pan grilled tilapia on a bed of mustard greens, topped with a bruschetta-like mix of tomatoes I got at the farmers market yesterday, fresh basil from my moms garden, salt, pepper, balsamic and olive oil. A delicious lunch if I do say so myself.

In my first post I said I was not going to follow a specific type of eating such as vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, low-carb, etc. However, I've changed my mind. As I don't have a specific eating plan to follow, I find it very easy to make excuses for my self. "Well, I didn't specifically say I wasn't going to eat......," I’ll say to myself and then let myself eat something that really doesn't align with the way I want to eat. Another good thing about following a specific diet (I use this word meaning the food one eats, not a weight loss diet) is the resources available. Cookbooks, magazines, blogs, and many other things are all available to assist people following a specific type of eating plan.

I have decided to follow a clean eating diet. I was browsing http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm and was encouraged by the recipes and resources and just decided this is right for me. Consuming food in its most natural state, which is what clean eating is all about, is exactly what I want to do. I will now be following a clean diet and look forward to trying many of the clean recipes I have already found.

What is your opinion? Do you find it easier to follow a specific diet or do you find you’re better off carving your own path to healthy eating?

Check back soon for some Clean Eating Adventures!

Thanks,

Ann Claire

To Follow or Not To Follow

2010-06-04T15:46:00.000-05:00

I've never been one for following recipes. I see them more as guidelines or suggestions. I look through recipes in cooking magazines, not so that I can cut them out and follow them, but merely for ideas and inspiration. I realize that recipes certainly do have a purpose, but rarely do I limit myself to one. Of course when baking you can't get quite as creative. I don't suggest throwing in a tablespoon of baking soda instead of a teaspoon of baking powder when baking cookies; it is unlikely the results would become a family favorite, in fact it might be rather disastrous.

As far as flavors and seasonings I see nothing wrong with adding a little extra of something here or there. Recipes are not perfect, if you read a recipe and think hmmm "(insert random delicious ingredient) would be good in this" by all means add some! Heck, half the time I don't even base my cooking off of a recipe. I just throw in an array of ingredients, taste it and repeat the process until the results are to my liking.

Another thing I don't like about following recipes precisely is often I don't have all the ingredients for a recipes on hand. If I want to make French toast for breakfast, I want it now! Not next week once I've gone to grocery and gathered all the required ingredients.

Anyway, on the trip to Whole Foods the other day I had picked up some 100% whole wheat organic pasta. For lunch yesterday I decided to cook some. What goes well with pasta? Veggies of course!
I began by steaming some fresh broccoli and some frozen edamame beans in the microwave for about 2 minutes (I just put them in a bowl added a little water and pressed some plastic wrap tightly across the top). I then tossed the broccoli and edamame into a saute pan with some tomatoes, lemon juice, lots of red pepper flakes and fresh garlic.

At This point I added in some Herbes De Provence, black pepper, and olive oil and let the mix continue to cook.

At this time, the pasta was cooked so I tossed that in.

It still wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked so I added in more red pepper flakes, some garlic powder (yes fresh garlic and powered garlic in one dish) and some dried parsley. Wow this was delicious! Who ever said healthy food is bland I beg to differ! Seriously this was the perfect blend of veggies and pasta, not lacking protein either (edamame beans have 11 grams of protein per serving, a serving of whole wheat pasta has about 7 and I'm sure the broccoli has a little protein too). So flavorful and yummy!

What is your opinion: are you a strict recipe follower or do you look at them more as suggestions/guidelines? When you don't have an ingredient on hand do you improvise or wait until you can get the exact ingredients? I look forward to reading your response!

Thanks,

Ann Claire

Breakfast To Go!

2010-06-03T12:15:00.002-05:00

I went to Whole Foods yesterday to get a few things, and wow, I love that store! However, I have mixed feelings on buying organic foods. Yes, I think it's great to buy foods that are natural and without chemicals, pesticides, ect. What bothers me is the fact that it is necessary, that so much food is made with so many chemicals and what not that you have to go out of your way to buy food the way it it naturally grows. Anyone else think it's a bit crazy to pay extra for food grown the way the earth naturally produces it? Okay, I'll stop ranting.

When I got home, I decided to make some homemade granola bars using this recipe.
In went 2 1/2 cups rolled oats, a cup of whole what flour, 1tsp vanilla, 1tsp baking soda, 2 1/2 Tablespoons flax seed, 1/4 cup of honey, 1/2 a cup apple sauce and 1/3 a cup brown sugar.

At this point you could probably add in whatever you want. I stuck with the recipe by adding unsweetened shredded coconut, pecans and almonds. I then added some dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice) and a mix of dried papaya, mango and pineapple. I thought the mix needed a little more flavor so I added in some cinnamon too. A little cloves, nutmeg or even a dash of salt to bring out the other flavors might have also been a nice addition.

I pressed the mix into a greased 9x13 and into the oven for 20 minutes (at 325 degrees).

After they cooled, I cut them into bars and sprinkled a little unsweetened coconut on top!

They are really good, a great healthy snack. Also, an easy breakfast when you're on the go!

They were pretty crumbly and some of the bars got a little broken so I took a few of the falling apart bars and crumbled them up and put them back in the pan to bake a little longer, creating impromptu homemade granola. I think it will be perfect atop some coconut milk yogurt for breakfast tomorrow!

Last night for dinner, I had a salad I really enjoyed. Here is a picture!

A nice mix of romaine, carrots, tomatoes, pecans and cranberries (again sweetened with apple juice). I topped the salad with what has become my favorite homemade salad dressing (I have primarily topped all my salads with homemade dressing for the past 2-3 years.) A simple mix of lemon juice, honey olive oil, pepper, and Beau Monde seasoning. So simple, yet so tasty! I really recommend you try it! The Beau Monde really makes it; if you don't have any on hand, I think it's worth it to pick up a jar!

Product I recommend: Apple Juice Sweetened Cranberries. I know I've already mentioned them a few times in this blog, but they really are great. They taste much better then typical craisins as they have a nice tangy/tartness and aren't overly sweet as many brands are. Much healthier too! Available at Whole Foods Market in the dried fruit section.

Thanks for reading! If you guys could do me a huge favor and help spread the word about this blog I would really appreciate it.

Thanks a ton,

Ann Claire

Hello Blogging World!

2010-06-01T11:54:00.006-05:00

Dreams of attending the CIA in Hyde Park or Napa Valley, opening a restaurant, or having a cooking show on the Food Network have filled my mind since age eight. I have always had a passion for food and gourmet cooking. Food is just such an amazing thing. Everyone eats it, yet there is oh so much variety and variation in the foods people consume around the world. I find it fascinating.

Recently, my passion for food has taken a slightly different turn. One that I'd certainly say is for the better. I've gotten really interested in healthy cooking and eating. I mean anyone can cook decent food using ingredients such as butter, sugar and other equally unhealthy things.

Okay, so that isn't completely true. We all know someone (or maybe even are that person) that somehow manages to mess up boxed macaroni and cheese. But really, when cooking with these types of ingredients is not all that difficult to have the end product be pretty tasty. The real challenge is making tasty food that is nutritious and good for you.

When I say healthy please do NOT do not let your mind go to images of 100 calorie packs, low-fat, or diet food and drinks. This is not what I am aiming towards. I plan to cook foods that are natural, fresh, and chemical free. While I have no specific diet or plan that I am following I do plan to eat a bit of an eastern diet and base my food choices on Michael Pollan's quote in his book In Defense of Food. "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time but I have never gotten around to it. Alas, summer is here and my free time is greater so I have time to focus on nutritious and healthy cooking and eating. This is not something I am doing to lose weight or anything like that. I am doing this because I truly believe this is the way God intended humans to eat. I am tired of feeling gross and sluggish after eating the typical "American" diet. There are so many diseases today that are diet induced and are much more abundant in the Western world. Coincidence? I think not.

I invite you to join me as I branch away from the typical Western diet। I invite you to join me on my journey to a healthier self in this wonderful summer of 2010.

But enough with the chit-chat. Let's get cooking!

Unfortunately this morning I didn't have time to eat before heading out the door. Upon returning home around eleven I was quite hungry. I haven't had a chance for a Whole Foods or Sun Harvest trip yet so ingredients were slightly limited.

I began by warming on the stove some veggies that were left over from the weekend (eggplant, onions, red, orange and yellow bell peppers already sauteed with some red wine vinegar for flavor)।

After the vegetables were warmed I cracked in two eggs and some Herbes de Provence (a natural blend of garlic, herbs, spices, sea salt, and lemon peel)

When the eggs finished cooking I put the mixture on a whole grain tortilla and topped it with some homemade salsa।

Completed veggie burrito served with a sliced apricot and a few blackberries। Yum! (although extremely messy)

Thanks for reading! Check back soon!

Ann Claire