Monday, May 09, 2016

Have you tried Turmeric?

Last month at Liam’s birthday party one of his good friends mothers hung around for a little bit when she dropped her son off.  It had been a while since we chatted about something other than the boy’s school or crazy nonsense.  We were talking about gardening and growing different plants.  She had recently been adding turmeric to her foods because of all the wellness properties and encouraged me to as well.

I had heard of turmeric but never really gave it much thought.  I don’t think I have ever used it to cook or as a wellness supplement in recipes.  I am sure somewhere in the back of my spice rack I have a bottle of the dried stuff lurking.  After listening to my friend rant and rave about this plant, I had to do a little research for myself.

Turmeric contains anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, AND anti-inflammatory properties….man, there are a lot of good “anti’s” there.  Turmeric also contains curcumin, a power substance that has been linked to cancer prevention.


Curcumin has been shown to slow the growth of preexisting cancer tumors and destroy cancer cells.


On top of all the “anti’s” and cancer prevention, turmeric also can relive arthritis, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, reduce the risk of heart disease, liver detoxification, reduce cholesterol, reduce weight gain, regulate insulin levels, reduce cramping, and strengthen the immune system…just in case you needed any more reasons to consume turmeric.

After my research it was clear that I needed to consciously start adding turmeric to my diet.  Instead of digging around in the back of my spice rack I decided to go out and buy some fresh roots, I found some at my local Whole Foods.

I had an idea how to prepare this root but wasn’t 100% sure so I jumped back onto the internet.  I found that peeling it and either slicing, chopping, mincing, or grating it works depending on the recipe.

I found countless recipes to add turmeric to like: smoothies, green juices, marinades, sauces, dressings, pots of rice, homemade veggie burgers, added to tofu scrambles, stir fries, in soups and stews, and so many more.  It is clear that turmeric can be added to just about anything.


I made my first turmeric added soup this afternoon and can’t wait to try it tonight.  I am surprised I haven’t experiment with this fabulous and healthy root before.  Do you use turmeric in your recipes, what are your favorites?

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Friday, April 15, 2016

Green your Plate


It is very important to eat a diet high in nutrients to make sure your body has the essential vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.

Your plate should be a spectrum of bright colors.  We are naturally attracted to bright things, whether it be lush landscapes, clothing hues, bright flowers, or whatever it might be.  The foods you chose to eat shouldn’t be any different, the brighter in color the food is, the more likely it high is nutrients.

Foods that are bland colors often don’t provide as much nutrients as bright fruits and vegetables.  I taught my kids to fill their plate of color.

From when they were little, we always made sure we had at least three colors on our plate for every meal.

Liam and Hannah will even comment if our dinner or lunch is lacking in bright colors and find some fresh veggies to add to it.

Instilling good eating habits to our children is essential to their health.  Here is a list of five food color groups that are great for growing children.

Orange fruits and vegetables are often high in vitamin A, improve immune and reproductive health, and also have anti-cancer properties.  Sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, carrots, and apricots are all good sources of your daily dose of orange.

Yellow fruits and veggies like squash, potatoes, bell peppers, and apples; promote skin and eye health.  They can also improve cognition.

My favorite color, green is great for lowering the risk of cancer, improved eye health, and stronger teeth and bones.  Some of my favorite green veggies are asparagus, kale, spinach, and broccoli.

Blue and Purple fruits and vegetables are my second favorite to eat.  Eggplant (my favorite), purple cabbage, prunes and raisins help to protect cells from being damaged and help lower the risks of heart disease, and cancer.  They also have anti-aging and brain boosting properties.

Red fruits and vegetables like cranberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, and pomegranates contain antioxidants that benefit heart health and can help prevent some cancers.

If you have young children there was a rainbow game we used to play that can be found here.  It is a great way to get them involved with the meal and healthy choices.

I challenge you to try having three different bright colors on your plate this week.  It is not as difficult as you might thing, but the rewards will be well worth it.

Eat the rainbow.


Go green and stay keen,

Julie

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Feeding a Family on a Budget

There is no doubt if you have a family, budgeting is extremely important during grocery shopping.  This morning while I was shopping I ran into one of my good friends and we were joking around that feeding a family needs its own full time job to pay for it…especially growing boys.  After thinking, I realized I do a lot to budget and save a little at the check outs.


I am sure, if you have kids, you already know how to save but why not share a few of my secrets in case you don’t already use them. :)

•    Buying in season and at the farmers market is a lifesaver for me.  It is a great way to get fresh fruits and produce and to save a few dollars.  Buying straight from the farmer or farm cuts down on the transportation costs and also minimizes the harmful emissions from big trucks.  Shopping at the farmers marketing is an experience in itself, full of vibrant foods, interesting people, and plenty of laughs.



•    Instead of getting fancy “super foods” find your own super foods and concoct a super food recipe.  Social media, the news, and word of mouth spreads food hype so quickly it is hard to know what is actually true and what is just made up to make a little extra money.  There are so many wonderful foods that are readily available for a low costs that are high in nutrients.  Skip the hype and go for something that has lasted the test of time.

•    I never skip the frozen section at the grocery store.  Fruits and vegetables that are in the frozen section are always in season.  Because most of these products are picked and frozen during their peat ripeness, they retain all their nutritional values.  They also go on sale more frequently than fresh products, so stock up.


•    Skip the name brand and chose the store brand.  I know there are those products and brands you can give up, but does it really matter what kind of pasta it is or what brand the olive oil is.  Save a few cents goes a long way when you’re shopping every week.  To make sure I am getting a good quality store brand I always make sure the check and compare the ingredients list.  Sometimes the store brand is even healthier!

•    Coupon!  I don’t mean like “Extreme Couponing” but going on the stores website or browsing a paper before heading to the store can help schedule meals during the week in accordance to what is on sale.  Many stores accept competitor’s coupons and online coupons presented on your smart phone to save on paper.

Saving a few extra bucks a week on groceries can go a long way when you are saving up for college tuition.  What are your grocery saving tricks?

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie



Sunday, February 14, 2016

Valentine’s Day with the Family

Happy Valentine’s Day cyber world!  Today is such a wonderful day, you can’t go anywhere without feeling the love in the air.  I love Valentine’s Day because it celebrates one of the greatest gifts of life, love.  I love my husband, but instead of sneaking off today and doing our own thing we decided to have a family Valentine’s Days.  Our kids have allowed us to grow and fall in love even more and I fall deeper in love with my husband and my children every day. 



This morning my husband and I woke up early and made heart shaped pancakes with pink and red M&M’s in them for Hannah and Liam.  We surprised them with their first breakfast in bed.  They thought it was so great they didn’t have to get dressed to have breakfast. :)  It was fun being sly with my husband to surprise the kids.  I don’t know why we didn’t think about doing stuff like this before.




After breakfast and the kiddo’s finally got out of bed and got dressed we went to the park to play a game of Frisbee and have a picnic lunch.  It was fun getting out and being active on such a beautiful day.  We may have ruined a few couples romantic park setting by running around and whipping the Frisbee around, but we sure had a fabulous time.

A few hours later and we were exhausted and ready for our picnic.  Liam and Hannah thought it was funny that we were one of the only families in the park and the rest were couples.  They picked out a spot in the middle of the big clearing where there weren’t that many couples.  We sat there for almost two hours laughing, making duck faces, and rolling down the hill.  I don’t know what got into the kids and my husband they were so silly. 

We made it back to the house late in the afternoon and the kids, including my husband, fell asleep on the couches watching a movie while I made dinner.  I made some spaghetti with garlic bread and a delicious Valentine’s Day cake for desert.  By the time I was done cooking all my children woke up, set the table, and we had a fabulous dinner.


We concluded our family Valentine’s Day with a competitive game of sorry and apples to apples.  Today has easily been one of the best Valentine’s Day I have ever had.  Spending time with my three loves was so special and it definitely was a laugh filled day.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Monday, February 01, 2016

Need a Quick Side Dish?

Cooking dinner in our house always seems to become a family event and I am not upset about it at all. :)  I believe that cooking is a great way to bond and have a little fun as a family.  Hannah loves helping and learning about recipes and cooking.  Not only is cooking a great skill for her to have but it is also really good practice for using fraction and math skills.

I usually set Hannah up to make the meals side dishes.  It allows her to prepare and execute the entire recipe… and eat her hard work.  I usually give her free range to what she thinks would work well with the dinner and give her a little guidance.  She is really becoming quite the chef.
Side dishes really can make a meal, here are a few really easy and healthy side dishes that anyone can make.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients-
•    1 ½ lbs. red potatoes, cubed in 1 inch pieces
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    1 tbsp. chopped rosemary…(from my herb garden :D)


Instructions-
•    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
•    In a bowl mix the potatoes, olive oil, and rosemary.  Toss until the potatoes are coated and spread on the baking sheet. 
•    Roast for about 40-45 minutes until the potatoes are browning and season to taste.  Enjoy!

Perfectly Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients-
•    3 tbsp. olive oil
•    3 tbsp. butter
•    1 lbs. button mushrooms, sliced
•    1 clove of garlic, minced
•    1 tbsp. red cooking wine
•    1 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
•    ¼ tsp. garlic salt
•    Pepper to taste

Instructions-
•    In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat the olive oil then stir in the mushrooms, garlic, cooking wine, teriyaki, garlic salt, pepper, and better.  Stir until the mushrooms are lightly browned, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5-8 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Enjoy!

Spinach Soufflé
 
Ingredients-
•    1 egg
•    1/3 cup milk
•    1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
•    1 tsp. crushed garlic
•    2, 10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.

Instructions-
•    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
•    Whisk together an egg, milk, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Fold in the spinach and pour into a small casserole dish.
•    Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Friday, January 08, 2016

New Year for the Restaurant

With every New Year, it is important to grow and stay up to date and appealing to our customers.  At our monthly meeting this morning my good friend, the owner, announced we will be adding a few new main courses to the menu and will be introducing a new weekly special.  I am excited to see how our customers like the new changes and how can reach a larger audience.

Since I started managing the restaurant, we have continued to grow and become more and more popular; not only in the vegetarian community but also to non-vegetarians.

A few months ago we created a sampler plate special that allows customers to try a variety of dishes to see what they like and what they want a full portion size of.  Our wonderful chef came up with this idea, and it has been a hit amongst new customers.

The new weekly special is going to be a great way to showcase our main courses.  The special will allow the patron to get a glass of wine or drink, a side and the main course for one flat rate.  I think it is a great idea that will definitely be popular among our regular customers and hopefully bring in some new ones.


The owner of the restaurant is brilliant and has brought such a wonderful restaurant to our community.  We are constantly changing and modifying our menu to better fit our customers and the community.  I am so happy I am part of such a positive work environment and can’t wait to see how the new changes will benefit the restaurant. 

Go Green and Stay Keen,
Julie

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Christmas Recap, Looking Ahead to 2016

Time really does fly when you are having fun.  I can’t believe that it is New Year’s Eve already! 2015 has been such a fun year for our family, full of new experiences and growth.  To end such a wonderful year, Hannah and Liam are having a New Year’s Eve slumber party at our house.  To conclude such a wonderful year, we decided that the kids deserved a little party.  :D

My little party planner, Hannah came up with the great idea to host a New Year’s Eve party.  At first my husband I am were a little hesitant but after a little discussion we decided that it had been such a wonderful year the kids deserved to have a party; only if they agreed to clean up, which they did. :) 

Liam didn’t care about the décor or the themes, he was just excited to have friends over and be able to stay up until midnight playing video games.  Hannah on the other hand had an entire party itinerary up her sleeve.  She wanted to have a black and white themed party and all her friends would dress up in black and white with one bright color. 

Hannah always comes up with cute ideas; I don’t know where she gets them from.  This afternoon Hannah and I made little snacks and decorated the house for her themed party.  It ended up turning out really great.  She made a black and white clock cake and cupcakes, marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate, and Oreo milkshakes. 
  

She also found some black and white party ideas on Pinterest; she is really starting to take after her mother.  Earlier this week I took her to our local party store and gave her a little budget to buy some decorations.  It is amazing what good ideas she came up with.
 
We finished baking and decorating the house earlier this afternoon, and it looks incredible.  You would have never guessed an eight year old girl came up with this idea and decorated the house so nicely.  Our house looks like a New Year’s wonderland.  :)


Both Hannah and Liam are taking a “powernap” to make sure they can stay up all night.  I am excited to have a house full of kids tonight, I love seeing both Liam’s friends and Hannah’s friends interact.  The little bit of an age difference makes it so fun for them.

On that note, I should start preparing dinner before all the kiddo’s come over. 

Happy New Year!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

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