Archive for May, 2010

Wild Blueberries Loaded with Antioxidants

This time of year is the perfect time to begin adding more berries to your diet. If you can get your hands on exotic berries like goji, açaí, or maqui berries, then go for it, because they have some of the highest antioxidant content on the planet. But blueberries are close behind…especially wild blueberries. I [...]

Wild Blueberries Loaded with Antioxidants is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Review: Kardea Nutrition Bars

I just got the opportunity to try out some new nutrition bars this week and wanted to share my review. Nutritionally, Kardea’s bars look pretty good. They have whole grains, natural sugars, healthy plant sterols (good for cholesterol management), lots of fiber and protein, and are free of trans fats. Two of the bars are [...]

Review: Kardea Nutrition Bars is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Twisted Pair Gemelli with Mushroom Marinara

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the pasta. Cover, reduce the flame to low and simmer for 30 minutes. When the sauce is almost done, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Place the pasta in serving dishes and ladle sauce over.

Healthy Breakfast – Tropical Summer Smoothie

I’ve been busy planning a quick getaway vacation in June, and since I’m looking for somewhere by the water, I’ve got my mind on the beach and tropical drinks. I whipped up a tropical-inspired smoothie for breakfast this morning, and it was a refreshing way to start the day. I love using organic frozen fruits [...]

Healthy Breakfast – Tropical Summer Smoothie is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Raw Nori Maki (Sushi Roll)

Place the nori on a sushi mat. Place the lettuce leaf on top. Lay several strips of avocado, cucumber and bell pepper lengthwise across the lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with several drops of ume plum vinegar. With cold water, moisten the end of the nori sheet farthest away from you just slightly. This will help seal the nori around the vegetables when rolled. Roll up in a jelly roll fashion. Wrap the sushi mat around and very gently squeeze for 2 or 3 seconds to seal the nori sheet around the vegetables. With a slightly moisten knife, slice the roll in half. Slice each half in half. Then slice each quarter in half. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Yields: 24 equal size pieces of sushi

Stovetop Popcorn

This weekend I had a movie night at home and decided some homemade popcorn was in order. Most people don’t know this, but you don’t need a special popcorn popper to make your own popcorn at home. I try to avoid microwave popcorn because there are sketchy chemicals in most microwave popcorn bags. Plus, the [...]

Stovetop Popcorn is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Rigatoni with Mushroom Marinara

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the pasta. Cover, reduce the flame to low and simmer for 30 minutes. When the sauce is almost done, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Place the pasta in serving dishes and ladle sauce over.

Spicy Rice & Pinto Bean Burritos

Preheat the oven to 300°. Place the shells in a tortilla warmer or a covered casserole dish. Heat until warm. Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice and beans and the refried pinto beans. Mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer on low until hot, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When the shells and rice and beans are hot, place a lettuce leaf on each shell. Place an equal amount of rice and beans on each. Place red pepper strips, sliced avocado, and salsa on each. Roll up and place on individual serving plates.

Healthy Lunch – Avocado Pineapple Smoothie

Doesn’t it feel great when you have a light lunch that doesn’t drag you down the rest of the afternoon? I made a quick smoothie today that I just love. I got the idea for putting avocados in smoothies after I tried it at a raw juice bar a couple weeks ago. Avocados are super [...]

Healthy Lunch – Avocado Pineapple Smoothie is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Healthy Lunch – Quinoa Nut Burgers

I love to experiment with my recipes! Recently, I tried a new take on a veggie burger made with yummy nuts, vegetables, quinoa, and spices. I used a Feeding the Whole Family cookbook recipe as a basis, but then changed up the ingredients to match what I had in the house. I ate mine without [...]

Healthy Lunch – Quinoa Nut Burgers is a post from: Laurel On Health Food