Category: Food

Overnight Oats, Chia, and Then Some

Overnight Oats, Chia, and Then Some

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Recipes for overnight oats are all over the net. Oats are pretty bland, for the most part, so I like to spice it up. The more I put in the better it tastes!  There are so many goodies you can include in your overnight oats including seeds, nuts, and/or fresh and dried fruits. Don’t stop there! You can use any kind of milk and a bit of your favorite sweetener too (just stay away from anything artificial). My point is, don’t limit yourself to just one recipe. Switch it up, put some variety into it and add some flavor!

This is just a side note but I like making these on a work night so I can grab my breakfast and walk out the door in the morning. Plus they’re a healthy way to start the day!

Make your own favorite combination out of these ingredient ideas. I would suggest only using one type of oats at a time and one type of milk with or with out yogurt. Put as many fruits, seeds, nuts and sweeteners in as you’d like. Take it easy on the sweeteners too, you don’t want a sugar high. 

Types of Oats:

    1. Organic rolled quick oats
    2. Steel cut
    3. Regular rolled oats
    4. Scottish oats

    Types of Seeds:

      1. Chia
      2. Sunflower
      3. Pumpkin
      4. Hemp
      5. Flax
      6. Sesame

      Types of nuts:

      1. Almonds 
      2. Cashews
      3. Peanuts 
      4. Pecans
      5. Pistachios 
      6. Walnuts

      Types of Fruits (fresh or dried):

      1. Blueberries
      2. Raspberries
      3. Strawberries 
      4. Cherries
      5. Currants
      6. Pomegranate 
      7. Acai berries
      8. Bananas
      9. Blackberries
      10. Dragon fruit (so pretty to look at and packed with nutrients but not much flavor)

      Types of Sweeteners:

      1. Agave
      2. Raw sugar
      3. Brown sugar
      4. Honey
      5. Maple Syrup

      Types of Milk:

      1. Traditional cows – whole, 2%, or skim (try to stick with organic)
      2. Plain Greek Yogurt in addition to your choice of milk (again organic)
      3. Almond
      4. Coconut
      5. Soy
      6. Rice

      I’ll share my personal favorite combo to give you a better idea. I put 2 Tbls of oats and chia and 1 Tbls of the other ingredients in a mason jar. At the end, I fill it up with milk. 

      • Quick oats
      • chia seeds
      • sunflower seeds
      • pumpkin seeds
      • flax seeds
      • almonds 
      • fresh blueberries
      • dried cherries
      • agave
      • organic milk
      • Greek yogurt

      P.S. All of my ingredients are organic even though I don’t always say it and highly suggest you do the same.

      Enjoy!

          Dark Chocolate Detox Bites

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          One of the reasons I love Pinterest so much is because you find amazing food ideas. That’s where I found these and made them my own of course. 

          Dark Chocolate Detox Bites
          Dark Chocolate Detox Bites with fruit and nuts

          What you’ll need:

          • 2lbs dark chocolate
          • pistachios 
          • almonds 
          • coconut
          • pumpkin seeds
          • sunflower seeds
          • flax seeds
          • dried figs
          • dried cherries
          • dried currants
          • raisins 
          1. Prepare the nuts, seeds, and dried fruits by coarsley chopping the bigger ingredients. Mix all together in a bowl.
          2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30-60 seconds. 
          3. Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper.  
          4. Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper in cookie size. Sprinkle the fruit and nut mixture over the chocolate. Work with one at a time so it adheres to the chocolate. 
          5. Place in the refrigerator to harden and serve!

          Enjoy!

          Dark Chocolate Detox Bites

          Dallas, TX

          Image WhyILoveFoodLeave a comment

          Well Dallas, it’s been real but it’s time for me to go home. You have amazing food, nightlife and history. I will miss the crowded Deep Ellum streets, endless steakhouse and BBQ choices, great local Texas brews and the historic JFK sites and memorials. One thing I won’t miss is the freaking HEAT! If it […]

          Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Sriracha Honey Garlic Sauce

          WhyILoveFood2 Comments

          Warning: These are not healthy by any means, however, they are SOOOOOOO delicious. I made them for a food day and brought them into the office for my team. They were a big hit! They would also be good as an app for any kind of party or get together. Eh hem….Super Bowl party 🙂

          What you’ll need:


          Meatballs…

          • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
          • 2 eggs (I forgot to add them in the pic)
          • 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
          • 3 carrots
          • 3 stalks of celery
          • 1/2 medium onion
          • Handful of parsley
          • Fresh cracked pepper
          • All season salt
          • Blue Cheese dressing, I like Kens

          Sauce…

          • 1 cup Franks hot sauce
          • 1/2 cup Sriracha
          • 1 cup honey
          • 4 cloves garlic, minced
          • 2 sticks butter
          • 1 Tbls whole grain Mustard
          • Fresh cracked pepper
          • All season salt

          Back to the meatballs…

          1. You’ll need a meat grinder. I used my Kitchen Aid attachment. If you don’t have one, just buy ground chicken.
          2. Preheat the over to 375.
          3. Trim some of the fat from the thighs. Put all the chicken through the meat grinder. Also, put the carrots, celery, onion and parsley through the grinder. If you’re not using a grinder, mince it in a food processor.
          4. Add the Panko, eggs, salt, and pepper to the mixture.
          5. Mix everything together and use a teaspoon to make mini meatballs.
          6. Bake for 15 minutes

          And now back to the sauce…

          1. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan on medium low heat.
          2. Add the garlic and simmer for 2 minutes continuously stirring to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn
          3. Add the remaining ingredients
          4. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Taste to make sure it’s not too spicy for you. If it is, add more butter. Just remember that it will always taste spicier on its own.
          5. Poor the sauce over the meatballs in a crock pot and place on warm.
          6. Serve with the blue cheese dressing and some fresh celery and/or carrots

          Enjoy!

          Inspired by Turkish Kofta

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          I was recently introduced to Turkish Kofta and found it is really what I knew to be meatballs, just with a Turkish cuisine spin. Traditionally, they are made with ground lamb or beef and, the recipe I saw, served with a spicy tomato sauce. I opted to go healthier and chose a combination of turkey and pork. I was also pressed for time and used organic ketchup with a splash of hot sauce. 

          Honestly, I didn’t know how these were going to turn out because I literally used what I had in the fridge to make them. I don’t have any picture other than one I took when I was packing the leftovers. I never anticipated they would be so delicious.   

          These are so easy to make. My prep time was about 15 minutes. 

          What you need:

          • 1lb Ground Turkey
          • 1lb Ground Pork
          • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese 
          • 3 Splashes of Milk
          • 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
          • 1 Cup Cubed White Bread, Crust Removed (not prepackaged, fresh bakery bread that is a couple days old)
          • 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
          • 2 Handfuls Toasted Pine Nuts
          • 1/2 Medium Onion, chopped small
          • 1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
          • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
          • Olive oil spray 

          Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together except the olive oil. Make small patties or balls out of the mixture (I made patties). Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray lightly and place the patties on it. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and slightly browned. It really depends on how big you make them. Serve with ketchup, spicy ketchup, or eat plain. 

          If you’d like to see what inspired me, click here.

          Enjoy!

          Start The Day Off Right | Breakfast Sandwich

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          Farm fresh, organic eggs are simply the best! They’re even better if you mix them with the right stuff. These items are the makings of my favorite Sunday breakfast. 

           
          What you need:

          • 2 eggs
          • 2 slices of Fresh Whole Grain Bread
          • Avocado
          • Your choice of greenery, butterhead lettuce is shown
          • 1 Slice of Cooper Cheese
          • 3 Tbls Greek Yogurt
          • 3-5 Dashes Hot Sauce
          • All-Season Salt
          • Black Pepper
          • Garlic Powder
          • 1Tbls Olive Oil
          1. Make the sauce. In a tiny dish, mix the yogurt, hot sauce, garlic powder, all-season salt, and pepper. You choose how much hot sauce to use. Deathwish is my absolute favorite and made from habanero peppers and cayenne, so, this is really spicy.  It should like like this…   
          2. Mash the avocado and spread it on one slice of bread. Spread the yogurt sauce on the other slice of bread and top with lettuce.         
          3. In a nonstick pan, coat olive oil and heat the pan on medium high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan. Cook on one side until the whites are almost cooked through.    
          4. Flip the eggs and put 1/2 slice of cheese over each egg. Cover and turn off the heat.    
          5. Put the eggs on the bread, put the top on the bottom and slice in half.       

          Enjoy!!

          Drink Enough Water

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          Water doesn’t have to be boring. Add some flavor to it! 

            
          Did you know that “…you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day?”* That’s a lot of water so why not make interesting…as much as you can. I promise this is tasty. 

          Add a 1/2 of each fruit and some fresh mint to a pitcher of water, whal la. I used a blood orange, lemon, and lime. Put it in the refrigerator for at least two hours before drinking it. You can truly use any type of fruit you want but I was in a citrus mood today since it was so hot outside. Not only are you getting closer to your daily water intake goal, you’re getting your vitamins from all that fruit!

          To top it off, mint is beneficial to your health. To name a few, it helps with digestion, nausea, headaches, and weight loss. Check this out.

            
          If your having people over, it looks even better in a fancy pitcher!

            
          Enjoy!

          *Source

          Bean, Quinoa, and Kale Salad

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          What a tasty dish for Summer! It’s light, nutritious, and filling at the same time. I decided to make this after reading about switching out one or two meals a week to vegetarian. You will save a few dollars on your grocery bill and you still can get all the vitamins and nutrients if you choose the right products for the meal.  I, of course, want to be sure my family and I are getting enough protein if we were leaving out the meat. So, I loaded it with beans, quinoa and kale. Believe it or not, raw kale has 3g of protein in one cup.* 

          Here is an article about all the great benefits of quinoa:

          http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/06/26/7-benefits-of-quinoa-the-supergrain-of-the-future/

          This recipe makes A LOT! That’s usually how I roll lol. What’s good about making A LOT is that it saves time for me during the week. I can bring some to work for lunch, have it as a quick dinner at night, and it’s an easy meal for me to send to daycare for my toddler! He loves it by the way 🙂

           
          Ingredients:

          • 3 stalks of kale, chopped
          • Cilantro, chopped fine (about 1/4 cup)
          • 2 Corn on the Cob
          • 1 Red Pepper, chopped
          • Juice of 1 Lime
          • 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
          • 1 cup Uncooked White Quinoa
          • 2 cans Black Beans
          • 1 can Cannellini Beans
          • 1 can Pinto Beans
          • Salt
          1. Prepare the corn. Clean off the husks and boil in a large pot until corn is soft. Remember to salt the water. 
          2. While the corn is cooking, chop the pepper, tomatoes, kale, juice the lime,  and rinse the beans in a strainer with cold water. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. 
          3. Remove the corn, set aside, and let cool. Using 2 cups of the same water, cook the quinoa until all the liquid is absorbed. Put a little more salt in the water. (Tip – Don’t boil the quinoa. Let it simmer on low for 10 minutes while covered. Remove from the heat and let stand another 5-10 minutes until you start to see the rings). Once done, add to the other ingredients. 
          4. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the other ingredients. 

          Once it’s all mixed, I stored portion sizes in snack and sandwich size ziplock bags and then put them all into a freezer bag. Organization is key for me! I also save some for the next day or two. If you do the same, I suggest adding a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. It will be a little dry if you don’t. 

          Enjoy!

          *Source

          Healthy, Simple Grilling

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          Ah, the simple things in life. Summer is the best time to cook on the grill for so many reasons. The weather is perfect (usually), cooking becomes easier and it’s a great way to hang outside with friends and family! Let’s not forget it’s one of my favorite times to enjoy a beer or two while sitting in my lawn chair on the patio. 

          This was my latest dinner on the grill: 

           

          I have to give some credit to my husband because he did help out with this one. You’re looking at Spiced Grilled Chicken, Corn The Cob, Potatoes with Onions and Sweet Bell Peppers, Broccoli, and Asparagus. Keep in mind that you can use any veggies you like and prepare and cook them the same way as the broccoli and asparagus. 

          I like to use chicken thighs instead of breasts simply because they don’t dry out. However, breasts do have better nutritional stats and can be substituted if you really want an even healthier meal. When comparing equal portions, some that are noteworthy…

          1. Protein – 21g in thighs and 25g in breasts*
          2. Fat – 13g in thighs and 7g in breasts *
          3. Calories – 210 in thighs and 170 in breasts*
          4. Cholesterol – 80mg in thighs and 70mg in breasts*

          CHICKEN:

        1. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
        2. Paprika
        3. Crushed red pepper, a few pinches or more if you want heat
        4. Garlic powder
        5. Cinnamon
        6. Sea salt
        7. Black pepper 

          8. Mix all spices together (equal parts except the crushed red pepper), coat the chicken, and put it in a covered pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the sides. 
          CORN:

        8. Corn on the Cob
        9. Water 

          10. Don’t clean the corn, just keep it as is and soak it in water for at least 10 minutes​
          POTATOES:

        10. Russet potatoes
        11. Olive oil spray
        12. 1/2 Red bell pepper, slices
        13. 1/2 Sweet onion, slices
        14. Paprika
        15. Garlic powder
        16. Sea Salt
        17. Black pepper 

          18. Lay out a long piece of tin foil and then double it with the second piece perpendicular to the first. Spray lightly with oil. Place all ingredients on top of the foil, wrap it sealing all sides. Put these on the grill first since they usually take the longest to cook. 
          BROCCOLI:

        18. Broccoli
        19. Olive oil spray
        20. Sea salt
        21. Black pepper 

          22. Same as the potatoes, lay out a long piece of tin foil and then double it with the second piece perpendicular to the first. Spray lightly with oil. Place all ingredients on top of the foil, wrap it sealing all sides.

          ASPARAGUS:

        22. Asparagus
        23. Olive oil spray
        24. Sea Salt
        25. Black pepper 

          26. And…repeat preparation a third time.
          Cook everything on the grill over medium heat together until steamy and the chicken is cooked through. Don’t worry if one thing is done before the other, just keep it in its foil or cover it until you’re ready. Cooking is suppose to be stress free!

          ENJOY!!

          *Source