Snack: Herban Guacamole

we try to have something green with every meal we prepare, infact we try to stick to a vegetarian diet most nights, and if we have meat it's usually just to enhance. i try to plan a special dinner one night out of the week, a night where we can be Bad with our diet (i hate diets, but found out that after this night i was being put on one). This week the Special night was Appetizer Night - i prepared a couple of things from my favorite blog The Pioneer Woman: Potato Skins, Jalapeno Poppers, and my very own Guacamole.

i never can seem to make her recipe's come out perfect - her's are made with such ease, and the presentation is Beautiful. Mine came out alright, good enough for us to finish it all....but i wanted to share with you my recipe for Guacamole:

Herban Guacamole

Step 1: 2 Ripe Avocado's, 1 Med. Tomato, 1 Jalapeno (Seeded), 2 Green Onions,
1 Handful of Cilantro, and 1/2 Fresh Lime, 1 lg Clove Garlic, Pinch of Salt.

Step 2: Remove Avocados from their skin & discard seeds, 1/2 the lime,
and chop all the rest of the veggies.

Step 3: Place all ingredients in bowl

Step 4: (optional) Handful of Flax Seed

Step 5: Mash well (i like mine chunky)

Step 6: Enjoy!

Snack: Herban Popcorn

after a long day at work and hectic subway ride home, it's nice to come home to a home cooked meal. we do our best to eat healthy, and keep in mind portion control..... i don't usually succeed, but never the less we get it done. afterwards it's the same ole story, take a shower to wash off the day, and then chill in bed with either a book, or to watch a movie. Normally we watch a movie...

in my opinion, no movie is worth watching without a nice bowl of popcorn - and there is no better way to prepare it, than on a stove top. My cousin Russ used to prepare the BEST popcorn when we were growing up. He had a special science and ratio of seeds per oil, and afterwards he would melt butter for the top. Today, it's not so good for me to have butter, but i can have a good seasoning, and nothing top's Bragg: Nutritional Yeast Seasoning.

Nutritional Yeast Seasoning is a live yeast that is easily added to your everyday life. it's cheese like flavor carries several of the B vitamins your body usually misses within a normal diet. Besides all that, it tastes Amazing - i swear it is like having a cheese popcorn, and to know it's healthy is even better. so without rambling on, here is my recipe for Herban Popcorn.

Herban Popcorn

Step 1: The Supplies: Dutch Oven, Sea Salt (Himalayan), Bragg Seasoning,

Organic Popcorn Kernels, Organic Olive Oil

Step 2: Put a single layer of Kernels along the bottom of Dutch Oven -

Cover with a thin layer of Olive Oil

Step 3: Cover

Step 4: Crank up the heat to High - Let pop till there is about 5 seconds between popping

Step 5: Uncover and let steam escape

Step 6: Season with Salt, and Plenty of Bragg's (i usually shake it up so it will spread)

Enjoy!

* i normally buy my kernels in bulk from Perelandra (Brooklyn Heights) &

transfer them to a glass jar for safe keeping.

Megan: Homemade Granola

happy february!

while our white northeastern winter is here to stay, i have devoted my spare minutes to cozy nooks, comfort food, hot cups of tea and good books. this month, I have been consuming green tea (with a drop of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon) by the gallon while pouring over my new gifted copy of julia child's my life in france. julia child is simply adorable. i can't help but fall a little more in love with mrs. child with each page turned. while my new food heroine captures my heart, i also can't help the growls that erupt from my stomach as i read in great detail of her journey to concoct the perfect hollandaise sauce, her discovery of the best method to cook the most succulent coq au vin and her hunt for aged cheese wheels to accompany her fresh strawberries. o, julia...

well, needless to say, reading can make you hungry. the perfect cozy-nook-tea-in-hand-whilst-reading-snack? sweet, crunchy, fiber-filled and packed with protein - granola! one of my favorite personal creations is a very simple, tried-and-true granola recipe (i mentioned i was from oregon, right?) this time, i tweaked it slightly, adding dark chocolate, dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds to make it valentine's day ready.

i hope you enjoy it. stay warm, well-read and cozy this month!

ingredients:

2 tbl olive oil

2 cups rolled oats

1/3 butter

2 tbl honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup salted and roasted cashews

1 cup dried fruit (i chose to use a cranberry and pomegranate mix).

1 cup dark chocolate chips

heat oven to 350.

heat oil on medium heat in large deep skillet. add rolled oats and almonds stir (about 5 minutes) until oats and almonds are toasted and starting to brown. empty into deep baking dish and set aside.

melt the butter on medium heat, add the honey and brown sugar. stirring constantly for 5 minutes, until bubbling.

mix oats and almonds and cashews into the butter mixture and stir well. add fruit.

empty contents into the baking dish and bake for 8 minutes. remove from oven and let cool. once cool, add chocolate chips and mix well.

happy snacking!

Snack: Krispy Kale

the name kale always brings some kind of sea life to mind. not to be confused with Kelp - Kale is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage, having so many good thing written about its health properties. if you want to learn more about the phenomenal Kale click here.

like so many other vegtable's, you can prepare Kale in many different ways - i have been hearing so much about "Krispy Kale", so i decided to team up with my good friend Megan to come up with a tasty treat to share. Here is our recipe:

Krispy Kale by: David & Megan

these are the ingredients you will need:

1 Bunch of Kale

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Olive Oil

Salt

step 1: Pre-heat oven to 350º

step 2: seperate Kale leaves from center stem (the less stem the better)

step 3: wash leaves thoroughly and spin dry.

(if you don't have a salad spinner: wrap in clean kitchen towel and swing the water out like you

are windmilling in a bar room fight) the drier the better.

step 4: once dried, lightly coat with olive oil & toss.

step 5: once tossed lay on parchment lined baking sheet (do not salt at this point)

step 6: bake till krispy & still green (time depends on oven), just keep checking on it.

step 7: once out of the oven sprinkle with salt (to taste)

& parmesan cheese (i like a lot)

step 8: enjoy! it's so addictive

photo's by: Megan H.

Snack: Berry Smoothie

most people in NY end the day with a night cap, however in our house we end it with a refreshing fruit smoothie. smoothies are a fun way to get in your fruits, or veggies along with whatever you think might be nutritious. when i was working on my cholesterol i would always add some cinnamon, flax seed etc. when we were working out (working out is like a bad relationship in this house, on and off) we would add protein..... it's endless, and completely up to you! Anyways, here is a good base to start with, and you can change it up as you please! have fun with it, it's all about taste.

(PS: those are organic chives in the vintage chicken pot)

step 1: you'll need these supplies...

2 cup organic frozen berries

1 organic banana (peeled of course)

1 cup frozen (or canned) organic pineapple

spoonful organic honey

H20 or apple juice

organic lemon juice

step 2: measure out 2 cups of frozen fruit

i used 1 cup blueberries, and 1 cup strawberries...

step 3: add peeled banana

step 4: measure out 1 cup pineapple

i get mine from Trader Joes: "Frozen Pineapple Tidbits"

Organic of course

Step 4: slip in a splash of lemon juice (don't get crazy with it though)

only like 1 tsp - this is when you add the honey (spoonful to taste)

step 6: add some water or apple juice and blend it up

this makes enough for two, but if your a pig like me

you can have it all to yourself!

photo's by: David Y.