Tag Archive for: cooking class

Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-6 Cups Low sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot finely chopped.
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed.
  • 1 pound Shitake or a mix of mushrooms of your choosing
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon My Sage Gourmet's Savory Spring, Summer, or Tuscan Blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fresh cracked Black Pepper and the zest of one lemon
  • 1 1/2 Cups Arborio rice
  • 1/2 Cup white cooking wine (Any dry white wine will do)
  • 1 Cup + 1/2 Cup reserved for topping, freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 Cup fresh chopped parsley for topping

Instructions

Over High heat into medium pot, add stock and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, move to a back burner on low heat.

In a deep wide pot, heat olive oil to medium heat, test heat by adding a small piece of shallot. It should simmer, not pop. Reduce heat, if necessary, then add remaining shallot and cook until translucent, stirring frequently.

Add mushrooms and butter. Cook until mushrooms have reduced and softened.

Add garlic, My Sage Gourmet seasoning, and pepper, stirring for 1 minute or until butter is melted.

Add Arborio rice, stirring to coat on all sides. Let toast for a few minutes until well coated and a nutty scent forms.

Add wine and cook till evaporated, stirring often.

Add 1/2 cup of stock, stir to combine, then add another 1/2 of stock. repeat this process until most if not all of the stock is added, allowing it to absorb after each 1/2 cup add, before adding more. This crucial step makes this dish come out perfectly- don't rush it.

Once you reach the perfect consistency, no need to add more stock. You may have some left and that is ok.

When done, remove from heat, Add 1 cup parmesan cheese, and stir to combine.

When serving top with parsley and more parmesan if you wish to.

Sprinkle a bit of fresh pepper over the top. Perfection!

Notes

Risotto is one of the more satisfying dishes to make. The way it transforms, its depth of taste, it really does make one feel like they've created something spectacular.

I sometimes like to use a mixture of wild mushrooms in this dish for a little extra wow.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 500Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 1500mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 6gSugar: 14gProtein: 16g

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Yield: 1 dozen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes

Delicious and Healthy-ish gluten free muffins you will love.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Cassava flour
  • 1/2 cup Coconut flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 small very ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons NuNaturals
  • 2 tablespoons blueberry syrup
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cool
  • 1 whole egg (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Lightly grease muffin tins or use liners.
  3. In a medium bowl whisk together cassava and coconut flours, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice blend and salt - set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, combine mashed banana, both maple syrups, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract whisking together.
  5. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredient bowl stirring gently to combine.
  6. Gently fold in chocolate chips
  7. Spoon batter into muffin tins filling ¾ of the way to the top
  8. Bake approximately 20-22 minutes depending on your oven
  9. Allow to cool 10 mins on a rack then hide them from your family 😊 Or Share if you dare!

Notes

I recommend Bob's Red Mill Flour
If you prefer not to use NuNaturals Maple Flavored Syrup, increase the maple syrup by 1 tablespoon instead. I find it plenty sweet either way.
You can find both of these items on Amazon, at Sprouts (certain locations) and Thrive Market.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 3g

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Are you ready to be part of the growing plant based foods movement?   If you haven’t tried these 6 plant based dips and toppings, we  recommend giving these a try. I keep a few on hand for last minute guests.
Love dip, but don’t love the dairy or eggs that are often in them? Dig into these velvety plant-based spreads, sauces and schmears made without animal products.

Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread

Use this almond-based spread as a vegan base for dip recipes that call for cream cheese, such as spinach-artichoke dip. Made with cultures, salt and vinegar, Kite Hill’s version is tangy, smooth and fantastic for bagels and cooking alike.

 

 

The Honest Stand Cheddar Style Dip

Who knew? When they’re blended, potatoes, carrots, onions and cashews transform into a creamy, low-calorie dip that’s a dead-ringer for cheese sauce. Pour over cooked macaroni for a dairy-free meal, or heat and serve with mini pretzel bites for a cholesterol-free, ballpark-perfect nosh.

 

 

Let Thy Food Hatch Valley Queso

Ingredients like Hatch green chiles, lime juice, garlic and hickory smoke infuse this cashew-based sauce with Southwestern flavors. Scoop with tortilla chips, or drizzle this paleo-friendly sauce over burritos, tacos, beans and rice, and more.

 

 

La Onda Almond Dip & Spread Roasted Garlic

A goes-with-anything dip made with blended raw almonds, grapeseed oil, lemon juice, gluten-free tamari sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic and spices—that’s it! Swap in La Onda’s spread instead of mayo for a seriously delicious sandwich.

 

 

Good Lovin’ Dip Chipotle Chili

Tired of plain ol’ hummus? This thick vegan dip contains nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews and pepitas to impart creamy texture and protein-dense nutrition. Nutritional yeast, coconut aminos, garlic and mushroom powder add umami flavor.

 

 

Daiya Strawberry Cream Cheeze Style Spread

Place this slightly sweet, strawberry-flavored dip on the brunch table, and watch it disappear one fruit slice at a time. Like all Daiya’s products, this one is totally vegan and soy free, made with coconut oil, tapioca and potato starch, pea protein, non-GMO safflower oil, and more.

 

 

Author Credit: Jenna Blumenfeld

Art Credit: New Hope Network

This post (or portions of this post) was provided by New Hope Network. I am a member of the New Hope Influencer Co-op, a network of health and wellness bloggers committed to spreading more health to more people.

newhope.com                                                                                                                                  newhopeinfluencers.com

DISCLAIMER–The views and opinions expressed here are based solely on personal experience, research and my interactions other professionals in the field of health and wellness. This article is not a diagnose, or medically based advise. Your experiences and sentiments may differ from my own. If you are suffering from any serious medical condition, you should consult your doctor or naturopath for a diagnosis.

 

 

(CNN) The red meat or white meat debate is a draw. Eating white meat, such as poultry, will have an identical effect on your cholesterol level as eating red beef, new research indicates.

The long-held belief that eating white meat is less harmful for your heart may still hold true, because there may be other effects from eating red meat that contribute to cardiovascular disease, said the University of California, San Francisco researchers. This needs to be explored in more detail, they added.
Non-meat proteins such as vegetables, dairy, and legumes, including beans, show the best cholesterol benefit, according to the new study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

‘Bad’ cholesterol can lead to heart disease

It is well-known that saturated fats increase the concentration of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, in your bloodstream and if this harmful waxy substance builds up in your arteries, the result could be a heart attack or stroke. Saturated fats, most of which come from animal sources, include butter, beef fat and poultry skin. Read more on this vital topic!

Updated 3:24 PM ET, Tue June 4, 2019

 

Life can get in the way of you doing the things you know you should do to be healthy. Luckily, there are simple hacks you can try to get back—and stay—on track.

 

As a person who prioritizes wellness, you already know you should prioritize healthy foods, stay hydrated, move your body often and get plenty of sleep for optimal health. But following a healthy lifestyle is a juggling act full of distractions and diversions. Sometimes you drop the ball on healthy habits. You may have to work through lunch and end up eating from the vending machine. Or, you may have trouble falling asleep at night and then fail to get up for your morning exercise class.

It can be tempting to just give up on healthy habits when your plans go awry, but there’s generally something you can do to reroute your course when things get off track. The secret is to address glitches in your wellness routine as they happen rather than letting them spiral into days, weeks or months of derailed healthy habits. Just as one unhealthy action can lead to another, one healthy action can give you the confidence and motivation to tackle other healthy habits.

Here’s help navigating ten real-life scenarios, complete with ways to make the healthy choice the easy choice by having the strategies and tools you need at your fingertips.

 

INSOMNIA ATTACK

It’s 9 p.m., and you crawl into bed to watch a couple of episodes of your favorite TV show that you downloaded on your tablet. Four episodes later, you decide you’d better get some sleep. After turning off the lights, you toss and turn, struggling to fall asleep. Frustrated, you reach for your tablet and start checking your social media accounts.

Quick fix: Using social media at midnight can be too mentally stimulating. Instead, get up and do something relaxing, such as reading a paper—not digital —book. Or, wind down with an adult coloring book.

Long-term hack: If you binge-watch shows, at least take a break between episodes to give your mind a rest, and turn off all screens at least 30 minutes before bed. Additionally, download f.lux (justgetflux.com) on your tablet and other digital devices to reduce your evening exposure to blue light—wavelengths of light especially prone to suppress your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep.

 

SUPPLEMENTS SLIP YOUR MIND

There’s a growing collection of dietary supplements in your cabinet that seem to be collecting dust rather than fortifying your body. You have multivitamins to fill nutritional gaps, vitamin D to boost immunity in the winter months, an omega-3 fish oil pill, a probiotic for gut health, curcumin for inflammation, a bone health supplement and more. You just can’t seem to remember to take them regularly.

Quick fix: Get a pill container that breaks doses into time of day and day of the week. Divvy the pills into the container based on the label instructions or advice from your health practitioner.

Long-term hack: Use your smartphone to create a photo inventory of each supplement bottle, capturing both the front and the Supplement Facts label. Next time you’re considering adding a new supplement to your regimen, cross- check it with what you’re already taking to make sure you’re not duplicating.

 

TAKING TIME FOR TEETH

During a dental checkup, you’re told you have gingivitis, meaning you have red, swollen gums that bleed easily. Fortunately, it’s a mild form of gum disease that you can likely reverse. Your hygienist reminds you to brush twice a day and floss daily. You’re consistent about brushing but have never mastered the flossing habit. It just seems like such a chore.

Quick fix: Set a goal to floss just one tooth after you brush your teeth tonight, and then celebrate your achievement with a little happy dance. It may sound silly, but it works, according to research by behavior scientist BJ Fogg, PhD, at Stanford University in California. He advises tackling new behaviors by making them so tiny and simple that you can’t help but do them.

Long-term hack: Once you’ve tackled the initial hurdle of starting to floss, every night add another tooth (or more) to your flossing routine. Continue to celebrate your efforts until you’re flossing your entire mouth every night. Try this approach with other new health habits, too. Get tips at tinyhabits.com.

 

HOME DETOX

You’ve heard that many products used in homes contain ingredients that can potentially harm health and the environment. As you look around your house and take stock of the chemical- laden detergents, hand sanitizers, air fresheners, perfumes, body lotions, hair products, deodorants, soaps, cosmetics and bathroom cleaning agents, you become overwhelmed.

Quick fix: Build your motivation and know-how for ridding your house of potentially toxic products by watching a documentary on the topic, such as stinkmovie.com.

Long-term hack: Decide whether you want to donate products or gradually replace them with natural alternatives as they’re used up. Research clean product choices at ewg.org/guides/cleanersand ewg.org/skindeep, and download an app such as Detox Me at silentspring.org/detoxme to walk you through the process and track your progress.

 

FAMILY FOOD TIES

You come from a close-knit family and see your parents and adult siblings often. Here’s the rub: Their eating habits don’t mesh with your get-healthy goals. Mealtime gatherings often involve carryout pizza, fried chicken, bratwurst, chips, soda and sugary desserts—so you end up eating such foods a lot more often than you’d like.

Quick fix: The next time your family gathers for a meal, don’t try to change the whole menu, but try to get at least one healthy item on the table. For example, bring a big, leafy-green salad or a colorful tray of fresh fruit to share.

Long-term hack: Invite your family over for meals, and subtly show them how good it can taste to eat healthy. Consider getting them involved in helping you make meals, too. For inspiration, flip through old issues of Delicious Living or peruse recipes at deliciousliving.com, take a cooking class or watch a cooking channel on TV.

 

FOOT FLARE-UPS ON FLIGHT

Your connecting flight on a cross-country business trip is delayed by two hours. As you walk to your next gate, you notice your shoes are feeling tight and you’re thirsty. Anxious to get off your feet, you head into a Mexican restaurant near your gate and enjoy a margarita with chips and salsa while you wait. After polishing off half the basket of chips, you notice you’re feeling even thirstier than when you sat down and now your ankles are swollen.

Quick fix: The salty snack, alcohol and air travel is a triple whammy to your hydration and increases risk of foot and ankle swelling. Walk around the airport to get the blood flowing in your limbs, fill up your water bottle and drink it while putting your feet up for a bit.

Long-term hack: The day before your next flight, drink plenty of water and limit your sodium intake as much as you can, which will reduce the fluid retention that contributes to swelling. Also, consider starting a supplement of the well- researched pine-bark extract Pycnogenol (take 50 mg three times a day) three days before your next flight to minimize ankle swelling during travel.

 

CRUMMY-WEATHER WORKOUTS

You love fitness walking outside in the fall, but when the temperature nose-dives you’re prone to put exercise on hold. You live in a small town, so there’s not a mall where you can walk inside. There’s not even a local gym to join. You’d buy a treadmill, but you don’t really have space for it.

Quick fix: Try a walking video you can do in a small space in your home. Check out youtube.com/walkathomemedia to start.

Long-term hack: Though you can exercise indoors in colder months, it’s healthy to get fresh air when you can, too. Dress in weather- appropriate layers, and explore new ways to exercise outside when the sidewalks aren’t clear, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or simply walking in snow boots.

 

CAFFEINE ADDICT

You work two jobs, take college classes in the evenings and help care for a wheelchair-bound parent. Most of the time you feel frazzled and on edge. You rely on caffeinated drinks to keep you going when you’re tired and stressed. Your doctor says you need to get your blood pressure under better control or you may have to take medication.

Quick fix: Stress and anxiety can increase your body’s excretion of magnesium, a mineral important for controlling blood pressure. Supplement with 300–500 mg of magnesium (such as magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate) daily in divided doses with meals.

Long-term hack: Drinking highly caffeinated beverages, such as energy drinks, can increase anxiety and blood pressure in some people. Gradually wean off the energy drinks and caffeine, and replace them with a stress-reducing tea, such as ashwagandha or decaffeinated green tea.

 

THE LUNCH CRUNCH

Your late-morning meeting ran long, leaving you just 5 minutes to eat before your next meeting. Though you planned to visit the salad bar at your local natural foods store, this is no longer an option. With a sigh, you buy a granola bar from the office vending machine. You munch it hungrily and peer at the wrapper, noticing it contains several common GMO ingredients, including sugar, canola oil and soy lecithin.

Quick fix: Though you can’t take back the GMOs you just ate, you can balance out the sugary carbs. Pick up some peanuts at the vending machine to keep your blood sugar from dipping halfway through your next meeting.

Long-term hack: Assemble a lunchtime emergency kit with organic and non- GMO items such as freeze-dried fruits and veggies, grass-fed beef sticks and single-serve nut packs. You’ll be prepared the next time your lunch plans derail.

 

 

MOM MISSED HER WORKOUT

As a full-time working mom with young children, your workouts are hit or miss— mostly a miss. Before kids, you used to love going to the gym after work. Now, even if you could manage to get out of the house to exercise in the evening, you’re usually too exhausted to consider it. The mornings aren’t a great option, either, as getting everyone fed, dressed and out the door already feels so chaotic.

Quick fix: The few minutes of extra sleep you get in the morning between hitting the snooze button generally aren’t very restful, so retrain yourself to get up as soon as your alarm goes off the first time. To boost motivation initially, think of something you really love to do—such as reading a novel or watching a reality TV show—and get up to do that first thing in the morning.

Long-term hack: Once you’ve retrained yourself to enjoy getting up earlier, start using the early-morning hours for quick exercise, whether it’s doing a workout video in your living room with the kids or setting up a home gym in your basement. If it’s more motivating, invite another mom to join you—in person or virtually.

 

Author Credit: Marsha McCulloch, RD

Marsha McCulloch is a registered dietitian and freelance writer.

Art Credit: New Hope Network

 

This post (or portions of this post) was provided by New Hope Network. I am a member of the New Hope Influencer Co-op, a network of health and wellness bloggers committed to spreading more health to more people.