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Holiday Baking

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Many people have family traditions of baking cookies, candies or breads around the holidays. These time honored traditions are a great way to connect with loved ones and cultivate creativity in the kitchen. During the month of December we’ll be highlighting delicious holiday treats. Cookies and sweet breads are my favorite holiday foods, to eat and share! I’ll be baking up several festive creations that you could serve at your Holiday party or share with your family and friends.

Any recipe is only as good as its ingredients. Be sure to have fresh baking soda, baking powder, eggs, flour and sugar in your pantry. Fresh oil, butter and coconut oil are also great to keep on hand for last minute holiday baking. By cooking up your own holiday treats you’re limiting the amount of extra preservatives, artificial ingredients and food dies that are often found in store bought desserts. It’s also possible to create mostly organic treats in your own kitchen by choosing base ingredients that are USDA certified organic. Let the baking season begin! Have fun preparing, sharing and enjoying your favorite holiday treats.

Fall Favorites

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

FALL FAVORITES

Cinnamon, maple, squash, apple and pumpkin…ohhh the sights and smells of Fall. When the sweaters and scarves come out we also start changing our meal habits and food choices. Fall often brings us back to soup, casseroles and warm pasta dishes. A common misconception is that these warm comfort foods have to be heavy on the calories and light on nutrients. Here are a few simple tips to make comfort foods healthier.

1. Make a cream sauce without heavy cream. Experiment with evaporated milk or use 2% milk instead.

2. Swap your noodles. Try whole wheat pasta for your spaghetti or in your macaroni and cheese.

3. Try new varieties of potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes work great for creamy mashed potatoes without all the butter. Also try chicken stock verses butter for extra creamy and smooth mashed potatoes.

4. Choose lean meat. Instead of ground beef use grass fed free range meat.

Eat More Vegetables

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES

The world of nutrition and fitness has multiple different approaches and opinions, but one thing everyone can agree on is vegetables are a vital part of living well. Veggies can improve your health if you incorporate them into your meal plan on a daily bases. However, that is part of the challenge. Many people find vegetables hard to cook and lacking in flavor. So when you hear that you need to eat vegetables everyday and we need to add more of these super foods to our diet we start to dread what that might involve.
Here are a few easy ways to eat more veggies.

1. Try a new vegetable based recipe. Scan the web for appealing photos of vegetables, and test out a new way to prepare a veggie you enjoy.

2. Add extra vegetables to an existing recipe. It’s easy to add extra veggies to a soup or hot dish. Also try adding vegetables to a non traditional recipe like homemade meatballs or meatloaf. You can add minced carrots, cauliflower or broccoli to these recipes.

3. Try a veggie smoothie. You know you need more greens but the thought of eating another salad is nauseating? Try a spinach, frozen berries and almond milk smoothie.

4. Make a veggie bag. The prep work for vegetables is usually what keeps people from eating them. If you can set aside one day to wash, chop and prep your veggies you’re far more likely to get your needed 5 plus veggies servings each day.

Roasted Beets

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

ROASTED BEETS

3 whole beet bulbs
3 Tablespoons Clearly Organic Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Clearly Organic Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets and cut off green leafy tops if they are still attached. Using a vegetable peeler, skin the beets. Slice beets into 1/3 inch slices. Grease a baking sheet with Clearly Organic cooking spray. Coat beets with olive oil and arrange on the greased baking sheet. Sprinkle Ground Pepper and sea salt on top. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, stopping to flip beets over half way through cooking time. My favorite way to enjoy roasted beets is on a salad with goat cheese and toasted walnuts.

Homemade Latte

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

One of my favorite ways to celebrate Fall is with a warm frothy latte. Once I realized how easy it is to make a latte at home I didn’t feel the need to limit this kind of goodness to a five dollar splurge at the coffee shop. Making your own latte doesn’t require any fancy equipment or milk foaming machines. You can mix up a latte with a jar, a lid and some strong brewed coffee.

Simply brew a strong batch of coffee or expresso beans. I like using a french press or aeropress to ensure the coffee is bold and smooth. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on how strong you prefer your latte) strong brew coffee into your favorite mug. Pour desired amount of milk into a jar. Secure the lid and begin shaking the milk until it’s frothy. It should double in size with about 60 seconds of shaking. Then remove the lid and microwave the milk for 30 seconds. Pour the milk into the espresso, holding back the foam with a spoon. Finally, spoon the foam on top and sprinkle with cinnamon to garnish. Your homemade latte can even be sweetened with honey, vanilla or chocolate. Watch the Clearly Organic blog for a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Rice Syrup

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Recently we received an online question from customer Maureen N. Her question was in regards to rice syrup. She was wondering what rice syrup is, and if a recipe calls for rice syrup what is a proper substitute if you don’t have this product? Thanks for your question Maureen, we’re happy to provide some clarity on this food.
Rice syrup or brown rice syrup are sweeteners often used in packaged foods. It is made by breaking down the starches and simple sugars in rice. When the simple sugars are separated out they are in a liquid form called maltose which is then boiled down into a syrup. Rice syrup tends to be less sweet than sugar and a little more nutty in flavor. When substituting rice syrup in a recipe it’s best to trade it out with another nectar-like sweetener such as agave nectar, corn syrup, maple syrup or honey.

Diabetic Meal Planning

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

According to the Centers of Disease Control approximately 29 million Americans have diabetes. With this condition there comes a need to be more aware of the foods you are consuming and the impact they have on your body, particularly your blood sugar. The right meal plan can help keep your blood glucose within normal limits, it can also improve your cholesterol numbers and overall blood pressure.

When following a diabetes meal plan the thing you want to prioritize is finding nutrient dense foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. You also want to stick with consistent meal times, this helps balance blood sugar. Some key elements of a diabetes meal plan are vegetables, lean proteins, sprouted grains and fresh fruit. Honestly, a diabetic meal plan is a great guide for anyone trying to maximize the impact of the foods they consume and keep their weight in check. Watch the Clearly Organic blog for more info about diabetic friendly recipes and meals.