Recipes | Amber Keinath

Get Healthy Recipe: Raw-Dark Chocolate Syrup

Sep 172010

I can’t believe it is Friday again already! These days just seem to keep flying by! This week I had a bit of a challenge finding a recipe for you. There are so many recipes out there it is hard to choose what is the healthiest and most delicious at the same time.

I grew up (and still am) a very picky eater and really didn’t eat many vegetables at all. It seems like all the healthy recipes out there consist of vegetables (which is reality since they are so nutrient rich).

To give you a little insight into my relationship with veggies, my husband has helped out a lady in her 90’s with various house and yard work for a few years now. Older ladies are really a joy to be around with so much wit and personality; you never leave their presence without learning something new!

Well, when my husband first introduced me to this lady he helps out, she was really concerned with whether or not I like tomatoes. I could not figure out why on earth she was so worried about that fact, until after I told her I did not like them raw but only in like sauces etc. Her response: “That explains a lot”. Now I was really confused! She went on: “Is that the reason you married [your husband]; because he doesn’t eat tomatoes either? You two met and found out neither one of you eat tomatoes and decided to get married”.

Well, that’s not exactly how that happened but that is beyond the scope of this article. She, of course, was joking but those words have made me laugh over and over again because it is not far from illustration the challenge I face when choosing healthier ways of eating.

My husband has more experience with eating vegetables but he always had them either plain such as baby carrots or cooked and covered with lots of butter. However, I think that is boring and vegetables are just plain and gross. So, I have a big challenge to getting more whole foods into my lifestyle and eating habits that are probably not too different from your own.

That is why this week I have found an awesome raw food chocolate syrup that your family is going to LOVE! It doesn’t involve veggies this week, but it’s one of the easiest starts to incorporating more whole foods. The key for increasing the health of your family is to start with small changes and start with the ones that will have the whole family wanting more!

If I like it then you definitely will find this HEALTHY dessert AWESOME since you do not need to feel guilty.

The majority of us love our chocolate. Well, this recipe is a way to get that awesome taste and texture of chocolate syrup you buy in the grocery store, but TOTALLY HEALTHY!

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

This recipe is from “Raw Energy” by Stephanie Tourles and is simple, easy, and delicious!

So what are the health benefits this week?

B vitamins, sulfur, phosphorous, potassium, copper, manganese, fiber, antioxidants, magnesium, calcium, iron, protein, and an awesome source of healthy fats.

The great thing about this recipe is that it does not have any refined sugars or food additives and chemicals. It is low on the glycemic index which means it won’t cause the spike in your blood sugar like regular desserts and chocolate syrup.

Stephanie recommends using it to “drizzle over fresh pear or banana slices, dip for sweet, ripe strawberries, or atop muesli or parfait recipes”. Who knew eating raw healthy food could be so versatile?

The recipe: Raw Dark-Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients (makes about 1/3 cup)

3 tbsp raw agave nectar (found in regular grocery stores)

2 tbsp raw cocoa (cacao) powder

½ tsp raw, unrefined coconut oil

1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Dash of ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Directions

Put the agave, cocoa, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and stir vigorously to blend. The mixture should resemble traditional chocolate syrup.
Store the syrup in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

YOUR TURN! What do you think about incorporating raw, whole foods into your diet? Does this recipe seem to give you one small way to start making changes? Don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends by “sharing the love” and leaving a comment below! Also, don’t forget the facebook “recommend” and “share” buttons below!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Get Healthy Recipe: Not-So-Guilty Apple Cake

Healthy Eating, Recipes 4 Responses »

Sep 102010

Welcome to another healthy recipe! I can’t believe it is already Friday! These days are going by way too fast.

This week I have decided to provide you with a healthy dessert option. I know you have been waiting for this! A lot of people think that desserts have to have the connotation “guilty” connected with them.

However, given the right knowledge about healthy eating and the right ingredients, you can set yourself up for some pretty awesome desserts you don’t have to feel too guilty about enjoying!

Check out this week’s recipe from Dr. Weil (who has awesome information on naturally healthy living). I would like to call it “Not-So-Guilty Apple Cake”. So what makes this dessert classified more on the healthy eating list?

Health Benefits of Ingredients:

Cinnamon:

Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol

Regulate blood sugar (great for diabetics)

Combat yeast infections

Anti-clotting in the blood

Arthritis pain relief

Natural food preservative

Boosts cognitive function and memory

Maganese

Calcium

Iron

Fiber

Apples:

Protect bone

Asthma relief

Lower cholesterol

May prevent breast cancer

May prevent lung cancer

May prevent colon cancer

May prevent Alzheimer’s

Weight loss

Manage Diabetes

Plus, it has whole wheat flour and dates which have great health benefits on their own. Most important, it allows your body some great ingredients that don’t involve unhealthy hydrogenated oils (trans fat) or a lot of the other processed or high fat ingredients that most desserts (even those you make from scratch) consist of. So enjoy!

“Not-So-Guilty Apple Cake”

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons softened butter or Spectrum Spread

2 eggs

2 cups apples, peeled, cored, finely shredded

1/4 cup finely chopped dates

1/4cup confectioners’ sugar

GARNISH (Optional)

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix the flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and stir thoroughly.
Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs and whisk until smooth. Stir in the shredded apples and dates until they are completely distributed throughout.
Slowly stir in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly into the batter.
Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and pour in the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes.
Put the confectioners’ sugar in a sifter and dust it over the cooled cake a few times until all the sugar is gone. If you want to garnish, mix the walnuts with the maple syrup and drizzle over individual serving plates. Cut the Apple Cake into 9 squares and arrange each one on top of a decorated plate and serve.

YOUR TURN! Let me know what you think of this recipe and any other recommendations you have to make this recipe extra healthy! Leave me a comment below and don’t forget to share the love by sharing this with your friends and clicking the “like” button below!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Get Healthy Recipe: Strawberry, Fennel, and Orange Salad

Healthy Eating, Recipes No Responses »

Sep 032010

Hey there everyone! We have reached another Friday which means its recipe time!

The past 2 weeks I have brought you the All-Year Berry Smoothie and the Roasted Vegetables with/without Fish or Meat. If you missed these recipes click on them and check them out!

I thought it was about time to bring you a salad recipe. It is getting towards the end of summer and I was in the mood to soak up as much as that fresh summer fruit as possible before autumn produce arrives.

This salad is very easy to make (take it from me with NO cooking or preparing skills) and will have you switching your favorite healthy lunch to this scrumptious one!

This week’s recipe’s health benefits:

Oranges: We all know oranges have lots of Vitamin C, but did you know it was also loaded with lots more?

Betacarotene (antioxidant), Calcium (bone health), Folic Acid (brain development), Magnesium (blood pressure), Potassium (healthy heart), Thiamin (Food -> Energy!), and Vitamin B6 (produces hemoglobin which carries the oxygen in your blood) are all other nutrients that are found in the orange! Hand me that orange!

I love oranges! They taste great and I feel energized after eating them! Awesome!

Strawberries: I love strawberries! Who doesn’t? They can be used in so many things such as in smoothies, salads, desserts, side dishes, yogurts, drinks, fruit dishes, and ice creams! They not only taste good, they are awesome for you!

High in Antioxidants. Phenols have been in the news and in commercials lately due to the crazy health benefits recent studies have found. Phenols are known to protect your body against cancer, heart disease, and inflammation. Emerging science is showing that a great majority of chronic diseases could be linked to inflammation in your body. Having a diet high in antioxidants can have profound health benefits for you!

Protection against Rhematoid Arthritis has been found to be a health benefit of strawberries due to the vitamin C levels as well as the ability to serve as an anti-inflammatory.

Low in sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat allows you to have a healthy snack and guess what? With one cup of strawberries that is only 50 calories you can’t have a better snack that is full of health benefits and will help you feel full quicker and longer than processed snacks!

Lemons: Lemons contain flavonoids, a compound that contains antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. It helps to prevent osteoarthritis, diabetes, and arthrosclerosis. It is also a natural antiseptic.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: EVOO as Rachel Ray says, contains lots of heart healthy fats. These fats are vital to our heart health. It can reduce blood pressure, inhibit the growth of some cancers, protect against diabetes, help sufferers of asthma and arthritis, and actually help your body maintain a lower weight.

Give me some EVOO!

Fennel: Have you heard of fennel before? It is most often associated with Italian cooking. It is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged.

Fennel is a great source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, folate, molybdenum, and niacin as well as the minerals phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. This makes it great for heart, colon, and immune health. Eat up!

These ingredients are all definitely something we should use more of! With this it is important to keep it as a small topping or flavoring for your food. It can be high in calories if used liberally. This should not scare you away from using it because, like I said before, if used properly can help you maintain a lower weight!

Alright! With all those awesome ingredients, are you ready to dive in! Let’s get to the good part: the recipe! Here is this awesome salad recipe that will have you loving your greens, not dreading it! Imagine love eating salads and not thinking of the word “diet” while eating it!

Strawberry, Fennel, and Orange Salad

Ingredients (4 servings):

2 navel oranges

8 ounces strawberries (about 16), hulled and quartered or halved

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise, some fronds reserved for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

8 Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions:

Zest one orange, and reserve zest (2 teaspoons). Cut peel and pit away from both oranges. Use a paring knife to cut out the segments, letting them fall into a bowl, along with the juice.

Add strawberries, sliced fennel, orange zest, and fennel fronds to the bowl of orange segments and toss together gently. Stir in the lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce, toss, and serve.

YOUR TURN! Let me know what you think of all these awesome health benefits! Have anything to share with this community? Don’t forget to leave a comment below, share the love by sharing this post with your friends, and click the “like” button below!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Get Healthy Recipe: Roasted Vegetables with/without Fish or Meat

Healthy Eating, Recipes 2 Responses »

Aug 272010

This week I am bringing you a great recipe for dinner which will help you increase the amount of vegetables you are eating and the overall health of your meals.

As far as health benefits go, this recipe is packed full of them! It is based on vegetables, which the majority of you already know are full of vital minerals and vitamins that are essential for your overall health and well-being. This recipe is great for protecting against heart disease, some cancers, obesity, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases.

This recipe also uses a good amount of olive oil which has essential omega-3 fatty acids for heart health. Do not be concerned about the fat that is part of olive oil because this type of fat is essential for your heart health.

For the majority of us, switching to a vegetarian, vegan, or raw food diet does not sound very appealing. In order to get similar health benefits of these diets, it is essential that we focus on getting more vegetables into our diets and decrease the amount of animal sources of protein.

However, this does not mean you have to be extremely strict in avoiding animal products, but it does mean to cut down on them.

So, with this recipe, we just use a little less meat than you are used to, but it will still give you the meat flavorings and appearance that we are used to. It will help lower your chances of heart disease and lower cholesterol. Even extreme meat eaters can’t go wrong with this recipe!

With this recipe you can choose whatever vegetables you have or what is in season. Vary your cooking times by increasing the time for sturdy vegetables and decreasing the time for more tender vegetables.

Ingredients:

½ pound waxy potatoes

½ pound carrots

½ pound celery root, turnips, or rutabaga

½ pound of parsnips or beets

1 medium onion, chopped

3 Tbsp olive oil, or more as needed

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp fresh minced rosemary or sage (optional)

½ to 1 pound of fish fillets, chicken breasts or tenders, boneless pork chops, or lamb ribs, divided into 4 portions (optional)

Juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 450F. Trim and peel the vegetables as necessary and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Mix them together in a large roasting pan or baking dish, along with the olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they’re just beginning to get tender. Add the garlic and herb if you’re using it; toss to combine.
If you’re adding fish, chicken, or meat, lay it directly on top of the vegetables, brushing with some of the oil from the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return to the oven for another 8-15 minutes, depending on what you’re cooking, basting, once or twice with the pan juices. Taste and adjust the seasoning; add the lemon juice if you like, and serve.

This sounds yummy! This recipe will fit in with any family with any preferred style of eating. Even the picky eaters will enjoy a meal with roasted vegetables and a little meat for a great topping! You can always mix up the vegetables to fit with your family’s desires!

For this great recipe and others by Mark Bittman, check out his book “Food Matters”!

YOUR TURN! You have got to let me know what you think of this recipe! Does it sound great tasting, healthy, and easy to make for even the beginner cook (like me)? Leave your comments below. Don’t forget to share the love by sharing this recipe and its health benefits with your friends and clicking the “like” button below!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Get Healthy Recipe: All-Year Berry Smoothie!

Healthy Eating, Organic/Raw, Recipes 14 Responses »

Aug 202010

Welcome to my first ”Get Healthy Recipe”!

As many of you have voiced in your comments to me, you are struggling to add more whole foods into your diets! This is such a common problem that I have even struggled with, so I am going to find us some good looking, great tasting, and awesomely healthy recipes. This will allow us to get healthy together!

Today I found an Amazing looking and tasting berry smoothie! As fall approaches and with it less local fruit berries, you do not have to say good bye to the taste and appeal of this fruit! Even though fresh fruit is always best, frozen fruit is picked at its peak and frozen right away to maintain the majority of its nutrients.

Some of the fresh fruit you get at the grocery store has traveled thousands of miles, was picked before its peak, and allowed to ripen upon travel. This can great reduce the amount of total nutrients your body is getting. At this time of year, frozen berries are a great option! When you do buy frozen, spend a little extra to buy the organic if you can because the conventionally grown fruit can have a higher concentration of pesticides when frozen.

Health Benefits of this Smoothie:

Soy milk (again try to go with organic if possible) is great with people with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy. Unlike cow’s milk, soy milk has isoflavones (antioxidants) which may help lower cholesterol, prevent diabetes and some cancers, and help menopausal symptoms. It also does not contain hormones. Soy milk is a better source of calcium because it is a vegetable protein which prevents the body from getting rid of too much calcium. (you can substitute regular milk if you just are set on the dairy kick)

Berries are awesome for your health! They are very rich in antioxidants like Anthocyanin, vitamin C, B complex, vitamin E, vitamin A, copper, selenium, zinc, iron. Berries help boost up your immune system and prevent infections. They are great for heart health, vision, preventing cancer, neutralizing free radicals, bladder health, digestion, and brain health. Grab me a bowl of berries right now! Better yet, let’s make this smoothie! I think we can all use a little healthy pick-me-up!

Kale. What is Kale? It is a green leafy vegetable and the good news is it is available even in the winter! (Yes! Told you this was a year-round smoothie!) It has awesome health benefits such as may help protect your body against cancer, help your body get rid of toxins, protects your vision (it has beta-carotene like carrots!), protects your lungs and immune system (who knows! This could be great for the winter with improving your immune system to protect against colds and the flu!), rich source of calcium (like the soy milk it is a vegetable protein which doesn’t lead to calcium loss like cow’s milk protein), and heart and brain health. Whoa! I think we can use a little of that for our health!

Putting it all together sounds awesome! It is going to taste amazing and look at all the health benefits! all you need is a blender to mix it all together! Okay, enough talk…let’s get making some of that berry stuff!

Get Healthy All-Year Berry Smoothie

1 and 1/2 cups vanilla soy milk
1 cup frozen mixed berries such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
1-2 drops of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vegetable greens powder (available at Whole Foods & some grocery stores, optional but healthier)
1/2 cup Kale
ground up some flaxseed for a healthier boost! (optional)

Mix all together in a blender and enjoy!

YOUR TURN! What do you think of this recipe and all the health benefits? Pretty awesome huh? Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think! Don’t forget to share the love by sharing this post with your friends. They may need a healthy pick-me-up! Be their health hero!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!