Afternoon Snacking!!!

Bug inhaling kale chips! Afternoon snacking done right! A very proud mommy moment indeed :)

how to make kale chips>>

Simply toss fresh kale in some olive oil and add some (Himalayan-I'm obsessed lol) sea salt and pepper. Bake @350 till crispy, just be careful not to burn them, sometimes I have to take a few cooked ones out and wait for the rest..Voila! Simple, easy, crunchy and nutritious after school snack!

Healthy Eggplant Pizza Recipe

Love pizza but hate the bloated belly bomb that comes from all that gluten and bread? Let fresh produce stand in for the traditional carb loaded crust...

Check out these Eggplant Pizza Recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

Canola oil spray
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1-inch rounds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup low-sodium tomato sauce
1 cup low-fat mozzarella shreds
10 grape tomatoes, sliced
1 tablespoon diced red onion
Fresh basil, to garnish
Red pepper flakes, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Lightly spray two baking sheets with canola oil spray, lay out the sliced eggplant, and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the eggplant trays from the oven, and construct your minipizzas. Spread out a heaping tablespoon of tomato sauce, follow with a sprinkle of mozzarella, then a few grape tomato slices, and a sprinkle of red onion on every eggplant round.
Set the oven to broil, and place the trays back in for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is crisp and bubbling. Watch the oven closely to make sure they don't burn.
Remove the trays from the oven, top with basil, red pepper flakes, or the garnishes of your choice, and enjoy warm.

YUMMMO!

KALE SUPER SOUP

  SUPER SOUP FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

Stay away from the winter blues (and sniffles) and warm yourself up with this delicious bowl of goodness! 

Who else has suffered from the inevitable winter sickness? Well, no fear my friends, this is sure to do the trick! Kale is known as one of the healthiest foods around..Here is a delicious and nutritious recipe that hubby made the other night to bring me back to life again :)
 

INGREDIENTS:

 

• 2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

• Himalayan salt and pepper, turmeric, adobe spices to season

• LOTS OF GARLIC, hubby roasted them and then threw them in

• Chopped up mushrooms, onions, carrots (add in your favorites!)

• 1 sweet potato, slice and bake then add to soup to soften

• Organic Chicken-slice, bake or sautee, then chop and add to soup

• throw in a bunch of chopped up kale within the last 5 minutes to wilt

• Add on some Parmesan cheese! (*optional) Voila!

Enjoy THIS EXTREMELY HEALTHY SOUP ELIXIR! :)

CAULIFLOWER BREADSTICKS RECIPE

EASY SNACKING>>

*Attn: Parents! So good the kids will LOVE them!*

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, large (7" - 8" wide)
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) Mozzarella/Mexican cheese, shredded (Vegan Cheese optional*)
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning or any dried herbs like rosemary, basil, parsley
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
optional: Marinara sauce for dipping

For full recipe visit http://ifoodreal.com/cauliflower-breadsticks-recipe/

WE GOT A LITTLE FANCY AND ADDED GROUND TURKEY WITH JALAPENO ONCE BEFORE AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THIS WORLD! Especially considering this is a guilt-free pizza! :)

THE VERSION PICTURED IS SHRIMP MARINATED IN:

1. TUMERIC 

2. HONEY

3. GARLIC

4. GINGER

5. SOY SAUCE

WE THEN TOPPED IT WITH FETA CHEESE CRUMBLES AND SAUTEED SPINACH! 

CAULIFLOWER SAUCE

Here is the recipe to this easy yet scrumptious Cauliflower Sauce to add to your quinoa, brown rice, or sprouted grain pasta dish! (Could even be used as just a soup!)

1. CHOP UP CAULIFLOWER INTO TINY BITS
2. ADD CAULIFLOWER TO ORGANIC CHICKEN STOCK (OR WATER) TO STOVE TO CREATE A BROTH
3. ADD CHOPPED UP SAUTEED ONIONS AND GARLIC 
4. ADD IN SOME SPICES (i am obsessed with Tumeric hence our Orange-y dish below)
5. ALLOW CAULIFLOWER TO BECOME TENDER
6. THROW MIXTURE INTO A BLENDER/MIXER TO CREATE A PUREE

You now have your Cauliflower Sauce! Feel free to get creative with your dish. As you can see below we added a variety of delicious goodness: Spinach, Peppers, Sautéed Garlic and Organic Chicken Sausage with Brown Rice Pasta! It's was soooo delish!!! Definitely another staple in the Cronin household :)

TUMERIC LATKE RECIPE WITH APPLESAUCE

OK BEFORE YOU STIGMATIZE LATKES…YOU CAN'T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU TRY IT! YOU DONT NEED TO BE JEWISH AND CELEBRATE HANUKKAH TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE! (Although my family LOVES these traditional treats for the holidays they could be made all year round as a nutritious snack or side..SHALOM!)

HEALTHY LATKE RECIPE

Golden Turmeric Latkes with Applesauce
*Turmeric has incredible medicinal value>>It is amazing how many benefits it can give to you and your body*

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups shredded peeled russet potatoes (*We modified ours with sweet potatoes and they came out AMAZING!!!)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1-2 fresh green serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional)
1/2 cup chickpea flour  (*Sprouted grain flour was our preference)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
 

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and cook, stirring, until light brown and aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in turmeric and cloves. Cook until the spices are fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Scrape the spices into the applesauce in a small bowl and stir well to combine.

2. Preheat oven to 200°F. Place a baking sheet in the oven to keep latkes warm but not over cook while making the rest.
3. To prepare latkes: Thoroughly mix potatoes, onion, chiles to taste, cilantro, flour, cumin, salt, turmeric and eggs in a large bowl.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place a heaping tablespoon of the potato mixture in the skillet and flatten with a spatula into a disk roughly 3 inches in diameter. Form as many latkes as you can in the pan without overcrowding. Cook until golden brown and crispy on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then transfer to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and potato mixture.
5. Serve the latkes with Organic applesauce.

TIPS & NOTES

• TIP: Cover and refrigerate the Apple sauce for up to 3 days.

• Note: Chickpea flour and Sprouted Grain flour is a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. Look for it in the health food section or gluten-free are of your local food store.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 187 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 71 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 221 mg sodium; 327 mg potassium.