Buckwheat Pancakes

   

    I became a lover of buckwheat for a few reasons. Not only is it amazing tasting, but its gluten free! Buckwheat is not actually "wheat". It's like being able to eat pancakes for a great healthy reason without the guilt, bloat and maple syrup hangover. Have you ever had a craving for pancakes or waffles and then immediately after you finish them you have that instant regret that you just consumed something that did absolutely nothing for you except make you full and sticky? If so this recipe is for you! 

     Beside the fact that this is a gluten free dish it is high fiber and protein. It will keep you full for a long time as well as help with digestion. Buckwheat reduces high blood pressure and researchers believe that it may help treat diabetes. One of my favorite things about these pancakes is that buckwheat draws excess water out of the body, so it will help you with a bloat! It is currently being studied for its benefits in plasma cholesterol reduction and the reduction of body fat. An all around great food to try. 

     I follow the recipe on the back of the mix I buy. You can find it at Lassens, I found this one at Pavilions for just under $5. I use raw honey & almond milk. You do not have to use almond milk, but I do so since I use cows milk in my cappuccini and do not like over doing it on the milk. Using almond milk as I do will also cut a few calories too! Also, this particular mix is all organic and they do not add ANY sugar! The sweetness is added just with the honey. I LOVE this because there is no extra hidden calories. If you can't find a mix this is another thats great:

Ingredients

1 Cup Buckwheat Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt (I use Kosher)

2 Teaspoons of honey ( I use raw)

1 Cup Milk

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

(if you feel like your mix is too runny with this recipe as I often do...sprinkle in more flour until you get the desired consistency)

    I only eat 2 pancakes at a time, so I make the whole recipe then store it in a glass measuring cup to use it the next couple of days.

     Slice up fresh fruit; I use strawberries or raspberries usually.

(I sometimes heat the strawberries up in the oven for a bit if I'm in the mood for a little more richness)

Top with your favorite yogurt, I use Greek 0% fat vanilla

     If prepared my way with the mix, 2 pancakes with the yogurt and fruit comes to approx. 380-400 calories a plate. 

Enjoy!

Polenta with Crumbled Sausage & Parmesan

     Polenta is perfect for cold rainy days inside. Today was not particularly cold or rainy but I was in the mood for it anyway. I encourage anyone who hasn't tried polenta to give it a go. When freshly cooked, it has a consistency I would describe as a softer grits or cream of wheat. When you cool it, it becomes a solid that you can slice and pan fry with a bit of olive oil. Polenta became popular in Italy in the 1700's. Back then polenta was considered peasant food due to the fact it was plentiful and cheap. Because food was more scarce during the winter months, polenta became a winter food staple and still is. You can find polenta at a few local chain grocery stores, I found mine at Pavilions for $2.99 a bag. However, it is more popular at grocery stores geared towards more organic and health food interests like Sprouts and Whole Foods. Since polenta is a gluten free food, it is a must try to anyone who is interested in reducing wheat intake, looking for new options! In addition to polenta being a gluten free food, polenta is said to be a great natural source of carotenoids, which are known for their role in cancer prevention and protection against heart disease. Polenta is low carb, rich in Vitamin A and C.

     My recommendation is to enjoy polenta with a hearty veggie. I chose Kale Blossoms roasted with garlic. You can do a lot to dress up your polenta, in this recipe I crumble sausage and parmesan cheese over mine. Here is how it's done:

For this recipe, I made enough for 4 people at having 1/4 cup dry polenta servings each. This would be approx.  400-450 calories a bowl with the parmesan cheese and sausage as pictured. 

You will need these ingredients: 

• Chicken Broth (better to go low sodium but I didn't have it on hand)
• A large can or jar of marinara sauce, I usually make my own but if I have to use pre made I use Trader Joes Low Fat Tuscan Marinara Sauce. It's awesome for pre-made, canned easy sauce. 
• Polenta
• 3 Mild or Hot (depending on your preference) Italian sausages
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• Kosher Salt

Method

1. Empty the sauce into a saucepan and add 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup broth. Add in the sausages, cover and stir often on medium-low heat so that the sauce and sausages do not burn. 
2. Continue to cook the sausages until they are so soft you could cut them with a spoon. You may have to add another 1/4 cup of broth if you start losing liquid. 
3. In the mean time boil 4 cups of water. Salt the water with 1/2 a teaspoon of Kosher salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add in 1 cup of polenta. Cover until the mixture is boiling. Once the mixture is boiling reduce the heat and stir. Cover for a couple minutes then take the lid of and stir again for a couple minutes, repeating these steps until you have a soft, thick polenta that is about the consistency of grits. Make sure to keep the heat on medium-low, you do not want to burn the polenta. Add 2 Tablespoons of butter into the polenta and mix in well until melted. 
4. On a cutting board, remove the sausages from the sauce and crumble them up with a fork and knife. They should be soft enough to make this easy. Add back to the sauce. 
5. Divide the polenta evenly into 4 bowls. Top with the sauce and sausage mixture and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. 

A great fact about this meal is you could feed four people for less than $10.00!!!

Cheap, Healthy, Easy & Delicious!!!

Buon Appetito! 

Instant Vitality You Can Drink Up! Water, Aloe Vera & Coffee

Water, Aloe Vera Juice, & A Espresso Shot with 2% milk

     Here are a few ways you can improve your vitality today. Ways that are not hard, but easy. Ways that are not expensive, but affordable. Ways that will help you feeling better and looking better, ASAP!  Add these liquids to your morning routine and let me know how they worked for you.

Water

     You don't need me to tell you that increasing your water intake daily is good for you. This you know. What you might not know is that before you take your daily sip of morning coffee you should drink a nice tall glass of water first. Why?

• This will aid in weight loss. Hydrating yourself first thing in the a.m. boosts your metabolism.
• Drinking a nice tall glass of water fills up your stomach and curbs your appetite. Since most of us wake up hungry, this will aid in you fighting "eyes bigger than stomach" disease (from which I am a long time sufferer) and having a more appropriate sized meal. 
• Hydrating yourself right away prevents sickness.
• Water detoxes the body, why would you not want to start that first thing in your day? Detoxing your body makes you more beautiful inside and out! It clears your skin up and makes it more radiant. Drinking water also keeps you regular and helps clean your colon, making you prettier on the inside too!

Step it Up with Lemon!

     Adding lemon juice to your morning water (to your lunch water, dinner water...) is like a power packed boost and natural detoxer. Not only does doing this help prevent kidney stones but the acidity in lemons makes them a great alkaline food that can balance your body's PH. Lemons contain pectin which aids in digestion and helps weight loss. 

Aloe Vera Magic

2 to 4 oz per day goes a long way. 

     The benefits of Aloe Vera Juice are vast, but a few that are immediate are the detoxing properties. The juice helps aids in digestion, clearing out body and colon. Having some helps with tummy aches and heart burn. Additionally, it helps regulate blood sugars and blood pressure. Since Aloe increases metabolic rate to burn more calories, it can contribute in weight loss. More positives that you might not feel immediately: 

your improved circulation

the help in healing internal tissues

the strengthening of your immune system 

the delayed development and growth of cancerous tumors

& reduction in inflammation. 

Like most things, careful with the excess! Aloe is healthful in 2 to 4 oz amounts a day only! So break it up or take it at once but be careful to not go overboard! 

Coffee

     Don't worry, I am not about to tell you that you need to quit your morning fix. But....everything in moderation. Some things you should know about the pleasure that is coffee is excess can lead to irritability, nervousness and anxiety. Even if you think you are one of those people who don't get side effects from too much java, you are. Trust me. Caffeine is like a HELLO to your body, and if you are having so much of it that you are building an immunity and need more to get that spike; it is time to start cutting down my friend. Too much of our robust buddy can raise your blood pressure, increase the feeling of stress, especially in people with hypertension. Having too much of it in your system can impact your sleep quality and  cause insomnia. If you find yourself not having a restful sleep, this might be why. Additionally, coffee can give you cravings! If you are someone who at times does not have a lot of will power proceed with caution! Remember how a nice full glass of H2O in the morning helps curb cravings? This is why its key to have one before that first morning sip. If you are a multiple cup drinking (especially through out your day) have a glass before every cup. Caffeine can dehydrate you so hydrating can counter that effect. Since coffee is socially connected we often grab it while we are out with a friend....its no mistake that pastry case at your favorite coffee spot is looking ever tempting. Since you are out with a friend to grab a coffee and gab, your cravings and need to be entertained while you're hangout out lead you to add on that scone, cookie, bagel, brownie, etc...(sorry if you are now heading toward a craving spiral). Lastly, conventional coffee is overloaded with pesticides, try to go organic if you can! Since you consume if everyday, paying a little bit more for a whole lotta less nasty stuff is well worth it. Trader Joes & Sprouts has reasonably priced beans that are organic and in an ultra dark roast! 

     If you haven't quit on me now because I blasted our B-F-F coffee (I hope you didn't) then lets talk about the goodness of coffee besides that fact that its just plain fantastic. 

Coffee is full of healthful antioxidants. Like Aloe, it can fight inflammation. It gives us a short term memory boost and lowers the risk of heart disease (in 2 to 4 cup daily drinkers). Researchers have tied coffee drinking to curbing certain cancer developments and lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Your liver loves coffee! Drinking it lowers incidences of cirrhosis, even alcoholic cirrhosis. To round it out, coffee battles fatigue, curbs depression and helps prevent gout. Coffee has many benefits and can be healthy in moderation. It's not that we can't order that white mocha, or triple grandly mocha with chocolate drizzle...but reserve those for cheat days. Coffee often hides calories with all the yummy, sinful joy we add to it and just call it our morning coffee (or if you are like me who wants a fancy, sophisticated coffee 3x a day) instead of a bomb of empty calories that will go straight to your ass. By ass I mean anywhere that your unwanted hub of jiggle develops. You know what I'm talking about. 

    So please, add the water in. Try the Aloe and be responsible with your coffee! I promise you its an easy positive change that will bring you nothing but goodness!