Gift Ideas: Groovy Gadgets I'd Love to Give a Go!

Christmas Gift Ideas for the Kitchen :)

Here are some items that I either love or would love to have! From dessert, to dinner, to bread making -- there is something for you :)

#1 Yonanas 902 Frozen Treat Maker

To see how cool it is, watch this Yonanas video!  Thank you Marne, for showing me this awesomeness!

Yonanas Ice Cream Maker

#2 Nostalgia 4-Quart Electric Ice Cream Maker

This ice cream maker gets great reviews for only $25t!  I don't have a traditional ice cream maker or a Yonanas, so if you do, I would love to see your recommendation in the comments :)

#3 Spiral Vegetable Slicer

More wonderful reviews and it's only 31! This slicer opens up many possibilities!

Spiral Vegetable Slicer

#4 Belgian Waffle Baker

So fun, but again I don't have one! Perhaps a Christmas present?  Again, this one gets great reviews for only $26!

Belgian Waffle Baker

#5 Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Grill (Panini) Pan and Press Lid

This was a lovely gift from my hubby who knows what I want before I even ask!  Works beautifully! Pan and Lid (More wonderful reviews of course :) )

Lodge Panini Pan (Press Lid, sold separately)

#6 A Food Dehydrator is always on the list of things I'd like to own and try!


#7 My Breadmaker  is AMAZING!  Another fantastic gift from my man!  It looks like there are many bread makers that are much less expensive with high ratings, but I can only speak for the one I own.  It is SO easy and my bread comes out beautifully!!!

So far, and I've had this for almost a year, I just make whole wheat bread (sometimes with basil, cocoa, or cinnamon), pizza dough, and this SWEET AND SMOOTH BANANA BREAD!

I am a member of the Amazon Associates program, so if you happen to buy any of these items, or even click on the links for them, Amazon may pay me something, so you'll be supporting www.fresh-you.com :)  Thank you!

COMMENTS:  Have you ever looked deep into the sea? Check out these amazing animals with their crazy shapes, and abilities to light up AND change shape, color, texture, size ... pretty much transform from one thing to another: Underwater Astonishments video from TED.com :)

Samoas Bites (Healthy Version of the Girl Scout Cookies)

These were a big hit at my nutrition class last night! Thanks ladies for being open-minded to open your mouths to so many new foods and combinations :) This is a healthy version of Samoas Girl Scout cookies so healthy that you could eat them for breakfast! I've enjoyed Samoas Girl Scouts Cookies long before I labeled myself as a person who likes coconut.  Here you go!

Samoas Bites (Healthy Version of the Girl Scout Cookies)

1-3/4 c walnuts
1 c raisins, unsweetened
1/2 c cocoa, unsweetened
1/2 c rolled oats, we use Old Fashioned
1/6 c chia seeds
1/3 c water
1/2 c coconut, shredded, unsweetened, plus extra for outer coating :)

Blend all but the coconut in a food processor for a minute, then add coconut. Process until mixture comes together as a dough. Transfer to plastic bag and form into balls. Roll in shredded coconut to add a bit of fanciness :)

HEALTH OF COCONUT 

As often as possible, I try to choose unprocessed, plant foods, so coconut is in the mix. Unsweetened, shredded coconut provides a unique FLAVOR and some FIBER. However, the jury is still out regarding the health benefits. While there are endless lists of all that coconut can do for you, they aren't always backed by scientific data. Due to saturated fat content, reliable sources even put coconut in the same category as animal fat. Since animal products have many other harmful components, I would definitely limit meat well before I would limit coconut. On the other hand, there is no need to try to learn to like coconut in an attempt to be healthy. If you enjoy the taste, choose UNSWEETENED, and appreciate it!

There are plenty of awesome fats that are especially HEALTHY, which include nuts, seeds (especially chia and ground flaxseeds), and avocados!  WHY EAT HEALTHY FATS!

Unfortunately, when choosing which "butter-type" fats to consume, there doesn't seem to be a magic bullet, a best option. While all are saturated, options include COCONUT butter, EARTH BALANCE BUTTERY SPREAD, and EARTH BALANCE VEGAN BUTTERY STICKS. Always use as little as possible, treat as a treat.

Here is an interesting Huffington Post article by Dr Katz, director or Yale Prevention Research Center: Is All Saturated Fat the Same? which provides a sort of "history of macronutrient trends".

1-Minute Roasted Almond and Broccoli Slaw

Ever since I tried a yummy sample at Trader Joe's, I have been wanting to try something like this. Considering almonds are one of the bests nuts you can eat and broccoli is one of the best veggies, they are a super combo!

It's more of a summery dish, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying this broccoli slaw all day!

Roasted Almond Broccoli Salad

4 c fresh broccoli
1 c roasted almonds
1/4 c balsamic or rice wine vinegar
1/4 c raisins, unsweetened (suprisingly Dole sweetens raisins!)
1 apple

In a food processor, pulse all ingredients for just a quick minute or so, and enjoy! 



Notes

• This salad becomes more flavorful the longer it sits.
• This becomes an easy and complete meal, and tastes delicious, when combined with some brown rice (this combination grain is awesome!) and some garbanzo beans.
• If you aren't craving a cold salad, this dish is tasty warm.

COMMENTS: What is your favorite way to eat broccoli?  My kids like it frozen!  I love it in this stir-fry, and this post's recipe is my new favorite way to eat raw broccoli!

Top 5 Whole Foods Market Bargains!

These organic, whole wheat 365 tortillas with just a few ingredients are great!  Watch out for hydrogenated oils in MANY brands of tortillas!  Make Sense of Bread Labels

Organic kefir for only $3.99 is less than I would expect! Check out Crazy for Kefir! for benefits.

Organic is better than conventional, but I recommend NON-DAIRY versions!!!

Nutritional yeast is a great deal in the bulk section of Whole Foods Market! For benefits and uses: Savory Cheese Substitute (Soy-Free and Dairy Free)!

Dried beans from Whole Foods win the prize for an insane variety!  There are loads!  Our favorites are still black, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, white, adzuki, and lentils.  They have gone up in price in the last few years, but are still a huge deal compared to canned!  Lucky 7 Sweet Things about Dried Beans, Plus Homemade Refried Beans, and Bean Conversions

And the MOST AMAZING DEAL OF ALL: bulk spices, virtually all ORGANIC!  For a small fraction of what you would pay at other grocery stores.  Heck, you can even compare prices to those prepackaged spices at Whole Foods Market to really see your savings!

COMMENTS: Please share your favorites when you shop at Whole Foods Market!

Lucky Seven New Costco Eats!

Kirkland Organic Natural peanut butter disappeared after the Salmonella peanut scare a few years back.  Finally it's BACK, more expensive than before, but only $3.42/lb for organic peanuts!  Thanks, Melissa, for letting me know...about the cashews too!  Nut Butters are Neat-O!

The new thing here is that these Kirkland cashews are UNSALTED!  Even if you like some salt, you can buy some of each and mix them up, for half the salt!  Eat for Energy -- Whole Grains and Nuts -- Top 6 Reasons!

Antioxidant Solutions Fresh Frozen Triple Cherry Blend is unsweetened and delicious.  These literally seem to melt in my mouth!  Lucky 7 Sipping Suggestions!

Great Valley Healthy Expectations Multigrain Rice Blends Whole Grain Fusion (whew!) is a delicious grain that can be eaten with your favorite veggies, beans, or meat, or even all alone.  When this is cooking, my whole house SMELLS fabulous!  What's SO Big about Brown Rice?!

Tasty Bite Channa Masala is another great dish that can be made in a hurry!  Note the ingredients: onions, water, chickpeas, tomatoes, sunflower oil, coriander, garlic, ginger, salt, mango powder, spices, chilies, bay leaf, turmeric. Everything you could go buy at the store and your second grader could read!  Delicious on the rice above!  If you don't use the microwave, easily warm it on the stove!  There are other brands that have healthy, yummy, quick versions of Indian dishes (but they often have dairy :(...)!

Ah, to end with some sweetness!  These Kirkland Dark Chocolate Super Fruits are fabulous!  The best part is the chocolate that they are made from!  These are a great substitute for an old favorite of my Brookside Foods which provides no information about where their chocolate comes from on its website, so considering my new knowledge of Fair Trade Chocolate, I am happy to go with a product that highlights this information on the packaging!  Details below!

"Costco Wholesale has co-created an ongoing program to develop a more ethical and sustainable cocoa supply.  Our goal is to procure cocoa beans that are traceable, of high quality, and grown in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

What does this mean for the cocoa farmers and their families? It means they get fair prices for their high quality cocoa beans. It means they learn better skills for managing their farms through pre- and post- harvest training.

This program is bringing about improved community infrastructure, farmer livelihoods, education, and healthcare." 

 

COMMENTS: Do you remember the Amy Mihaljevic abduction and murder?  It happened in the town beside mine, Bay Village, and was all totally unbelievable when it was happening and since.  She was my age.  Well, James Renner was also a kid then, and a few years ago, he investigated the whole unsolved mystery. He wrote Amy: My Search for Her Killer, Secrets, Secrets and Suspects in the Unsolved Murder of Amy Mihaljevic. I'm not done reading it, but I am intrigued and am quickly making by way through it, and only wish there could be a happy ending!  Apparently, James is STILL looking...I'm going to finish the book before I read this!

Dental X-Rays?

Dental X-Rays and Brain Tumors

Have you heard about limiting exposure to radiation?  It's something we can do to protect ourselves from CANCER.  Then there are those routine dental x-rays. I am normally all for preventative health practices, but this one was always a struggle for me.  Until now!  I was happily surprised to learn that even the American Dental Association does NOT recommend ROUTINE (every 6 months or every year) x-rays.  American Dental Association updated their recommendations on dental x-rays last year (Dec 2012).  Here it is:

The ADA’s "Dental Radiograph Examinations: Recommendations for Patient Selection and Limiting Radiation Exposure" are intended to be used in conjunction with dentists’ professional judgment to determine whether and when dental X-rays are needed. Dental X-rays help dentists evaluate and diagnose oral diseases and conditions, but the ADA recommends that dentists weigh the benefits of taking dental X-rays against the possible risk of exposing patients to the radiation from X-rays, the effects of which can accumulate from multiple sources over time.

"As doctors of oral health, dentists are in the best position to make decisions on whether to prescribe dental X-rays after an oral examination and with consideration of the patient’s health history. Prescribing dental X-rays should be an individualized process," said ADA President Robert A. Faiella, D.M.D., M.M.Sc. Since 1989, the ADA has recommended the ALARA principle in relation to dental X-rays—that radiation exposure to patients is "as low as reasonably achievable."

Here Dr Greger has a quick and informative video reviewing research on dental x-rays and brain tumors.

So if you pretty much have healthy oral hygiene and healthy teeth, I AND the AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, recommend you pass on x-rays at your next check up!  SAVE YOUR BRAIN, and you might even save some money! There is a time and place when a dental x-ray may be helpful, so when you need one, be sure that there is a THYROID COVER (like the usual chest cover).

COMMENTS: Do you like to go to the dentist?  We actually don't mind it all in my house!  The kids go to a pediatric dentist, Rebecca Robbins, and everything about the visit is fun, fun, fun!  When we left the house yesterday morning, my son said after I brushed his teeth, "Is Dr Robbins going to be proud?".  The office that takes care of my hubby and I, Klineman Group, is very welcoming, friendly, gentle, and respectful!  We all look forward to our visits.  It probably also helps that we are a cavity-free family :)

Chocolate Milk = White Milk + CANDY

The message is simple.

Kids love CHOCOLATE MILK.  Who doesn't?  Unfortunately, when your child chooses chocolate instead of white milk (at school lunch for example), he or she is actually choosing white milk PLUS lots of added sugar (13g)!

This sugar adds and extra 60 CALORIES or so!

That amount of sugar (13g) equals any of the following:

A TABLESPOON of sugar (12g)
13 Skittles (1g each)
Nearly half a cup of chocolate ice cream (15g) Ben and Jerry's is transitioning ALL of their products to be used by fair trade ingredients by the end of 2013
2 rolls of Smarties (6g each)
2 or 3 small Laffy Taffy bars ~ the 2 inch kind (5g each)
1 and a half or so small boxes of Nerds! (9g each)
9 Gobstoppers (14g)
1 Fruit Roll-Up (14g)
4 Hershey's Bliss Dark Chocolate squares (13g) OR Divine Dark Chocolates!
7 Dark Chocolate-Covered pretzel Crisps (13g)

Similarly, it takes up to four oranges to make one cup of orange juice.  The whole fruit (or whole candy even!) are much more satisfying!  So you can eat less, a square or two of dark chocolate, and get more satisfaction!  SAVOR YOUR SWEETS

I am not recommending your child eat a box of Nerds every day. When he or she chooses chocolate milk, that child is in fact having the extra sugar of more than a small box of Nerds!

Show and explain this to your kids!  What do they think?

It makes my kids lick their lips and know why they love chocolate milk!  Since my oldest started kindergarten, we've had a "chocolate milk on Fridays" plan.  Often she has given in to the yumminess, AND peer pressure ("My friend was having it, and wanted me to have it too!), having chocolate milk lots of other days!  Now I have another kindergartener, I am actually showing both of them that if they have chocolate milk it's like having that candy.  They know that candy is a treat, not something we always have every day.  I'm giving them a square of dark chocolate or some other piece of candy more often than I have in the past, and they are coming home telling me "I had white milk today!".  That chocolate ice cream comparison is pretty wild, eh?  I served them a scoop one afternoon last week after school!  SO much more satisfying and fun!

UPDATE: NO ONE IN MY HOUSE even drinks WHITE COW'S MILK NOW, and the kids have been drinking almond milk INSTEAD for the last few years, and my husband has been drinking almond milk instead for the past year (since Feb 2016). This message comparing white and chocolate ALMOND milk still applies. Chocolate Almond Milk is a treat!! Enjoy :)

If we are honest with our kids and teach them about how different foods may help and harm us, they can learn to make better decisions ON THEIR OWN that can last a lifetime!

Pumpkin Overnight Oats

I finally gave these overnight oats a try, and when last night I made them for the third time in a week, I thought I should share! If you don't want to wait until tomorrow to eat them, just cook them up on the stove! Here is the recipe for two hearty servings.

Pumpkin Overnight Oats
1.5 c rolled oats
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 tsp cinnamon (more or less depending on your taste buds!) or some pumpkin pie spice
1-1.5 c water (I used 1.25 for thick oatmeal)
1/2 c Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Laraball crumbs

Stir it all up, put it in the fridge, and go to bed.  Enjoy a nice breakfast with no work in the morning!

NOTES

If you don't have any Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough handy, just chop up some walnuts and dates, and add a dash of salt!

Pumpkin puree: I got a HUGE can at Gordon Food Service and divided it into 1 cup servings (a dozen or so!) for easy use in the future!

Instead of water, you can use any type of milk for a creamier version.

Try other Laraball flavors as well (minus the pumpkin most likely :).

Please omit salt :)

COMMENTS

What is your favorite activity for fall?  I really love apple picking, and it's getting cold, and we haven't done it!  Fingers crossed for one more nice day when we aren't busy!

Fair Trade Chocolate

While until very recently I knew very little about the subject of Fair Trade Chocolate. Now that I know more, it is clear that the MAJORITY of the chocolate across the whole world is a result of terrible injustice. I suspect that if you watch this documentary called Chocolate the Bitter Truth you may think twice about buying another bag of chocolate.  I know I am! Here is the first part of the documentary. If this link stops working, just look up "Chocolate the Bitter Truth" or "The Dark Side of Chocolate" on www.youtube.com

For an awesome introduction to this terrifying topic, check out this wonderful article by Tsh of Simplemom.net which informed me of this heartbreaking injustice.  Thank you Katy for the link!

Also, Divine Chocolates are among the many great options available which are produced by means of FAIR TRADE and ~ OWNED by cocoa farmers!  It's Chocolate Week :)

COMMENTS: What do you think?  Are you shocked?  Numb to it?  Would you show your kids?

Three Things My Kids are Loving Lately!

I love that nutrition and wellness is popping up everywhere for adults (Dr Oz Show, for example), and especially for kids!

YUMMILOO is an ipad game that my kids (3, 5, and 7 years old) love which teaches them to pick all the colorful produce from their garden, fuel themselves with quality so they can run properly, and even shows them about composting!

This Sesame Street song by Common and Colbie Caillat with Elmo, called BELLY BREATHE, teaches kids to calm themselves down.  I've pressed play and put my camera right in front of my daughter, right in the moment and actually cooled off heated situations with my 7-yr-old, very cool.

FIZZY'S LUNCH LAB is a PBS Kids show that my kids came across ON THEIR OWN while spending some time on www.pbskids.org; I kept hearing awesome nutrition buzz words over at the ipad until I came over and saw what they were all gathered around watching, having fun, and learning!  Looks like it was introduced in 2009 and it's still around  four years later, so other kids besides mine must also enjoy it :)

BONUS APP: Toca Boca is an awesome music app for kids, unrelated to nutrition; video isn't explanatory like the Yummiloo video, but it shows the game in action.  Kids just pick different characters to be on stage and they each have different instruments and beats, and it all sounds (to me) pretty good together :)

BONUS CLIP: It's Halloween Night by Fizzy's Lunch Lab Band (~1 min)

Miracle Paper by Fenugreen

Sick of your veggies and fruits going bad?  Try this awesome paper, FreshPaper, and your produce will last two to four times longer before going rotten!

It all started when the inventor, Kavita Shukla, was visiting her grandma in India, drank some untreated water, and her grandma made her a concoction of spices to drink, and amazingly Kavita didn't get sick!

Fenugreen FreshPaper should be placed under or within any produce package and the organic Indian spices will significantly slow bacterial growth!

Every time you buy a pack, Whole Foods makes it possible to donate a pack to a food shelter!  So when you buy, you're helping others!

Lots of people, besides me, think it's really cool too!  For example, Oprah Magazine said, "The best non-diet tip we've ever heard!".  Check it all out in this brief CNN clip below:

There is also a TED talk by Kavita which is when I first learned about this product.  Remember www.TED.com?  It is this awesome website that I just love!

FreshPaper is sold at Whole Foods and other in-store locations (though they didn't haven't it at Woodmere when I went last week -- boo!), and www.fenugreen.com.

Before you get some of this paper, or instead, you can always use a VINEGAR AND WATER solution to wash produce, removing the bacteria that causes food to go bad.  I have found this technique to be quite effective!

Basically, a 1:3 ratio of vinegar-to-water works well, though measuring isn't important.  Two methods work well, including filling a spray bottle to squirt on your fruits and veggies.  The other method is to give your fruits and veggies a quick soak/swish in a bowl of the solution.  According to Cook's Illustrated, vinegar has been shown to kill 98% of the bacteria on produce!

BONUS TIP: Once ripe, store avocados in your refrigerator until you use them; they'll keep for weeks this way!  Click here for other quick tips for the kitchen.

Peanut Butter Brownies -- Healthy Disguised as Sinful!

Like I often say, these are so healthy you could eat them for breakfast! In fact, I fed them to my kids as an appetizer before dinner! They still ate well, but if they filled up just on these, it would be ok! Dates rock! Peanut butter and walnuts are healthy fats, and cocoa has it's own laundry list of mental and and other health benefits!

To mention dates again, I go back to Dr Greger's endorsement of dates as a healthy food. Here it is in a nutshell: dates are made mostly of sugar, so the worry is that like sugar, dates may raise our blood sugar, raise our triglycerides, oxidatively stress our bodies, and make us fat. According to recent studies: DATES are FANTASTIC for us! No harmful affect on triglycerides or weight, improvements in antioxidant stress level, and one study considers that dates may be an almost IDEAL food with its many essential nutrients and health benefits!

Peanut Butter Brownies

2 c walnuts (or pecans, or some combination of the two, or probably another nut would work!)
3 c pitted dates (60 dates if you're counting!)
2 t vanilla
1.5 c warm water
1/2 c ground flaxseed (optional: updated additional, nutritious ingredient!)
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c natural peanut butter (1/4 c for more of a chocolate brownie; 2/3 c for a peanut buttery brownie!)

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until you have a brownie-batter-ish consistency (no eggs so feel free to enjoy some!). It helps to blend the nuts a while before adding the water.  You may wrap your food processor with a towel when you add the water. Fill pans to thickness you want your brownies to be. I made mine a half inch or so thick. I use two silicone bread pans (4x9" or so) so there are more edges! I also fill something else with what is left; this afternoon I used an 8" round pan.  I bake for ~30 minutes at 375 convection, so that's around 40 minutes at 400 conventional.

Unlike brownies with beans in them, you can feel free to taste and enjoy piping hot from the oven! SO YUMMY!  Happy weekend!

COMMENTS: Do you camp? I've mostly camped as a kid, Girl Scouts, and another random trip or two. I think it's an awesome experience with nature, for anybody, and especially for kids. Now, if I can get my hubby on board! He's a good sport. We did go once when our friends graciously offered up their camper to us, while they slept in their tent. It was fun! I want to do it again! It even had a lasting effect of turning my daughter into a self proclaimed nature-lover :)

Smooth and Sweet Banana Bread!

This delicious banana bread is egg-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free!

So no butter, eggs, milk, or sugar...what the heck is in here?

I adapted this recipe from one that came in the recipe book that goes with my bread maker, the Zojirushi Virtuoso Breadmaker.

Dr Greger Daily Dozen Check Marks: 1 and 2) bananas and dates, 3) flaxseed, 4), spices, 5) whole wheat flour, 6) walnuts 

Egg-free, dairy-free, sugar-free banana bread!

Smooth Banana Bread

3 bananas, very ripe (add an extra half banana if they are small)
1/4 c flaxseed, ground
1 c water, warm
1 t vanilla (optional)
1 t cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (you can't taste it, but you're adding antioxidants!)
3/4 c dates, well-chopped (~145 grams OR 15 pieces)
2 c whole wheat flour
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
Optional add-in: 1/2 c walnuts, chopped, and folded in just before baking

Mash bananas, combine with flax, water, vanilla, and dates. Separately, combine remaining dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet gradually until just mixed. Bake at 375 degrees for an hour, and enjoy! Allow less time if making as cookies, instead of bread, ~20 min.

In my bread maker, I just throw it all in without even mashing the banana, and hit the "cake" button! Awesome :)

Egg-free, dairy-free, sugar-free banana bread!

COMMENTS: What is your favorite season, and why?