Salt and Apple Cider Vinegar Kale Chips

My favorite kale chips to date!
Especially if you have that "Salt N Vinegar" craving,
these are perfect :)

Ingredients:
2 bunches of green kale
1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (or vinegar of your choice!)
3 tbs EVOO
1/2 tsp Kosher sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250.
2. Rinse kale and tear into manageable (easy to eat) segments.
3. Place in medium bowl.
4. In separate bowl, combine vinegar, EVOO, and salt.
5. Gradually pour liquid mixture over kale turning in the bowl
    until all surfaces are coated.
6. Place coated kale on baking sheet wrapped in parchment
    paper or aluminum foil.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Following 20 minutes, cook for 5 minute increments moving
the kale around until are sides are crisp!
9. Enjoy!

Fun Recipes to Try This Week

Happy Monday!
I am really trying to decrease the flour and refined sugars in my everyday noshing!
Just feeling super sluggish lately; I want to see if revising my diet creates more energy.

Paleo Pizza Salad
Pork Chops + Cauliflower Fried Rice
Sweet Potato Crisps
Summer's End Bake

I will also continue to make juice / vegetable blends...
Sweet & Spicy Carrot
Fruity

Xo,

Stormy Weather

Happy Monday! As the rain pours and the wind howls due to Tropical Storm Isaac, I enjoy our apartment ... cleaning, reading, job applying, hand standing, etc. If you were to ask what I am excited about right now, in this moment... I would tell you "College Football." We are tailgating in Gainesville on Saturday since Justin has inherited a great spot from his friends at work ... My sister and her boyfriend are coming into town to stay with us and fun is to be had!!

I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to serve at the tailgate. I always wonder why tailgates aren't healthy. I am not saying we need to munch on carrots all afternoon, but I am going to add a touch of health to this Saturday's tailgate. People can bring and eat whatever they want, right ? I know I will indulge slightly, but wouldn't it be great to have healthy options, too ? :)

Fruit Kabobs with Greek Yogurt Honey Dip ... Fruit can always be changed per what is in season. (via SkinnyTaste)

Guacamole ... May add cilantro to this one, but looks incredible! (via EatLiveRun)

Peach Mozzarella and Basil Salad ... Excited for this twist on a classic caprese! (via Keep it Simple Foods)

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers ... Throw it on the grill, like anything else! I love black bean burgers as well, sweet potato will be new for me in the kitchen this week! (via Healthy Happy Life) 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Coconut Cookies ... Sweet Disposition! Maybe I should call them PBCBCC's ?!  These cookies are Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, and Egg-Free. (via The Family Kitchen)

Xo,

To Sugar Snap Peas and New Surroundings!

After being in Gainesville for about 3 weeks, I am currently searching for a full time job and working to stay healthy - eat well, sweat once a day, and read a bunch to keep a healthy brain!!

So, why not update the blog ?!

We are living downtown, just 15 blocks from campus (a 15 minute walk or a less than 10 minute run!) and adjacent to the Hippodrome "the Hipp" theatre, eateries, coffee shops, vintage shops... surrounded lots of neat, eclectic stuff!

We have finally finished unpacking and I am just working on a few projects around the apartment. For the most part, everything is done though, so it is feeling like home more and more each day.

I am terribly missing Colorado!! Definitely thinking about all of the aspens changing color for fall! In order to "replace" that change in season, Justin and I will be in Virginia at the end of September for his 10 year high school reunion. This is best time to see fall in Virginia, so I am super excited! Justin always says that even Colorado didn't show him FALL the way he grew up with it... So, bring it on Virginia!!!

I have really been trying to focus on whole food eating. Non-processed, preservative-free, GMO-free food. Food that is full of loveliness - in its natural form! This morning I have been snacking on raw sugar snap peas!! These are so fun to snack on! They crunch, they are tasty even without adding sodium!! Here are 5 fun blogger recipes I have found with Sugar Snap Peas...

  

1. Snap Peas with Meyer Lemon and Mint from The Kitchn

2. Kale Dip with Snap Peas from Whole Living

3. Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries and Sugar Snap Peas from Washington Post

4. Snap Pea and Shrimp Curry Recipe from Eating Well (I would sub the canola oil for Coconut Oil.)

5. Beef with Sugar Snap Peas from Whole Food Matters

Xo

Sunday Ponderings

Wow it has been a crazy week!! Thankfully it was followed by a super relaxing, no strings attached weekend!! J was in Atlanta for the Tough Mudder and I held down the fort... cooking, cleaning, hanging with Baci, relaxing, practicing yoga... :) Yesterday, I had an hair appointment with Dana who I completed teacher training with... I am loving the outcome - a darker shade with random hints of warmer, lighter color pops!! All good stuff and very natural looking - just richer in tone :) I also went to a mini spa night with Meg, her mom, and sister. We used all-natural exfoliators, facial steam bath, (2) masks... one was honey based the other cacao based! The cacao one LOOKED like pudding and actually had to be refrigerated. All of the products are edible, just in case... LOL. We finished with a toner and moisturizer; my skin still feels so amazing...  I truly believe: You have to be good to yourself always and treat yourself sometimes :)

I have been trying to make a few fun dinners a week - lately the *fun* dinners have been on the weekends!! Last weekend, it was a Sweet Potato Kale Pizza from Two Peas and their Pod. I used ready-made dough from Sunflower Market ... AMAZING!! I will definitely be buying it again when quick, creative pizzas are on the menu again :)

Today, Chinese Curry Chicken is in the Slow Cooker via Full Bellies, Happy Kids, whose author has actually relocated to a new blog. It's currently cooking and making the house smell absolutely delish!! We have been loving homemade Asian food these days!


Ever since I began the QuickShape Challenge, I have been thinking more about why I am eating what I am eating .... I try to determine the benefits and outweigh the positive and negative sides to food/drink I am investing in and trusting in .... Everything we place in our bodies becomes a part of us, a part of our health; aren't you interested in food's effects on your body ?
I have read quite a bit in regards to curry and its benefits. It is an immunity booster, asthma combator, and it actually aids in easing joint swelling... Read more about curry's health benefits here.
Red onions are one of the foods I seem to be putting into everything I cook these days...And they are such a beautiful vegetable! I adore chopping them except for some of the tears that arise!! Then I find myself sticking my head in the freezer to relieve my eyes... J taught me this! Red onions contain the flavonal Quercetin which helps keep your memory in shape.. Love this :)
I also found that you should try to keep the outermost layers of the onions you chop in the meal, as these layers are most rich in flavonoids. Read more regarding red onion health benefits here.

   
J returns from ATL this afternoon, so I want dinner to be ready to go whenever he walks in the door... :) I will leave you with a photo I took of Baci this week... 

Happy Sunday!
Robyn

Food For Thought

I came across this publication containing fabulous recipes paired with heart-felt stories... What a great idea, I may just have to ask for this for the holidays :) Remedy Quarterly will leave you inspired, with real stories from real people...and great recipes ... The magazine is centered on the fact that food brings people together. Now, who wouldn't agree with that?!

Black & White Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies... They are creeping up everywhere and with the holiday upon us, I knew I had my chance to bake something fun! I originally was going to bake Pumpkin WPs, but I decided to go a bit a simpler... Black & White...


They turned out great ... If you decide to try the recipe, check out Delish :) Some things to keep in mind....


1. My recipe yielded (8) not (12) pies. I might have made the cookies to small, but they seemed pretty large to me!
2. The recipe instructs 3 tsb of filling/icing per sandwich, but this amount tended to be too much and dripped off some of the pies. I recommended 2 tbs.
3. Make sure to have some milk nearby to wash these babies down as they are uber rich!
4. ENJOY!

Sweet Corn and Cashew Chowder...

The eve of the our BBQ I wanted to cook something light for Justin and I. Something vegetarian, something EASY! And that it was - all you need are the few ingredients below and a blender :)

Here is the chowder, adapted from Food + Wine magazine...

Ingredients...

3-1/4 c fresh yellow corn kernels (or 4 ears of corn)

2 c water

1/2 c raw cashews (I would revise this to 1/4 c, it was pretty nutty!)

6 tablespoons EVOO

1 small garlic clove (no need to chop, blender will do it for you!)

2 tsp kosher salt

1-1/2 tsp chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish)

Freshly ground pepper (for garnish / flavor)

Directions...

n a blender, combine 2-1/4 cups of the corn with the water, cashews, olive oil, garlic and salt and puree until smooth. Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with the remaining 1 cup of corn kernels, the cilantro and a sprinkle of pepper, then serve.

CHRISTMAS EVE EATS

I was in charge of Christmas Eve dinner, kind of the prelude of what is to come for Christmas Day dinner, which hubs is in charge of. I always try to make something Justin has never tried before....


This year I came up with a vegetarian meal - Caprese Salad and Sweet Potato and Gruyére Turnovers... I knew Christmas day would be more "carnivorous", so this is where the vegetarian part came in...

Sweet Potato and Gruyére Turnovers

1 medium onion, grated

3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and grated

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems discard and leaves chopped

1/4 pound Gruyère, grated

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

kosher salt and black pepper

2 refrigerated rolled piecrusts

1 egg


1. 
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400°F. Pour the oil into a medium 
saucepan and heat on medium high until shimmering. Add the onion, and cook, stirring 
frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the swiss chard, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.

 



2.
 Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in the grated sweet potatoes, Gruyère, fresh thyme, 
1/2 teaspoon salt, and pinch of black pepper. Let cool for a few minutes.
 



3.  Cut the pie crusts in half, so you have four half circles. Spoon about 1/2-cup of the sweet 
potato mixture on one side of each half circle, leaving 1/2-inch border. Fold the dough over 
and crimp the sides. Using a knife, slice three openings on the top of the turnover. Repeat 
with the other three half circles. 



4.  Crack the egg into a bowl, and whip with a fork. Brush the top of each turnover with                     
egg. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the turnovers on top. Bake in the 
oven until the turnovers are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes

1/2-c mixture per turnover...

egg wash...

applying the wash...

waiting for turnovers to cool!!!

Sleepy hubs is excited for his main course ;)

HAPPY HAPPY!

PUMPKIN CRAZE - PUMPKIN BLACK BEAN CHIPOTLE SOUP

Pumpkin Black Bean Chipotle Soup

4 1/2 cups black beans (about three 15 1/2 ounce cans), rinsed and drained

1 15 1/2 ounce can organic whole tomatoes, fire roasted or regular

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced, with 2 tbsp of the adobo sauce*

1 teaspoon salt**

freshly ground black pepper

4 cups organic vegetable broth

15 ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 1/2 cups)***

4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, a bit on the side for garnish

Pureé 3 1/2 cups of the beans and the tomatoes.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt, and cook, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Add the chipotle and adobo sauce and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato-bean pureé. Stir in broth, and pumpkin until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, add the rest of the beans and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt (if needed) and freshly ground pepper. Add the chopped cilantro.

Garnish your soup with cilantro sprigs.

*Careful that you only add two of these, I accidently added the whole jar and had to remove 4 of 6 peppers!!

**If needed only. The broth may enough salt all ready.

***To create pumpkin pureé, I buy pure pumpkin from Whole Foods and then mix in just a dab of soy milk to soften it up.

PUMPKIN CRAZE - PUMPKIN CHICKEN TACOS

This weekend is the weekend of pumpkin. I am cooking at least 3 recipes that are pumpkin-alicious. Last night I decided to try my take on Pumpkin Chicken Tacos. I knew they were pushing the envelope bit, but I just had to try them. The grocery stores are filled with pumpkin this year (last year we had a drought) so I had to take advantage!!


Pumpkin Chicken Tacos

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 peppers (1 red and 1 green), chopped
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 lb. chicken breast (I used tenderloins), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 can pureed pumpkin, 15 oz. (I bought a 15 oz. can of Pure Pumpkin and added a bit of soy milk to create the puree.)
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
• 6 wheat tortillas
• 1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 roma tomatos, chopped
• Cilantro (optional)

Chop your peppers and onions. Place pepper/onion mixture over medium heat with a dot of  olive oil. Cook chicken on stovetop and cut into small pieces. Add chopped chili peppers to chicken while over heat. Add pumpkin puree to chicken - be sure the chicken is cooked through before adding the pumpkin. Add cumin and chili powder to vegetable mixture while moving the pan over medium heat. Create your taco!! Top with grated cheese and cilantro for some added flavor and color.

This recipe was adapted from We are Not Martha.