Snack Attack: 'Snip Chips!

If you live in New York, then there's a good chance you've contemplated moving to the Bahamas in the last few weeks. I know I have! It's been F-R-I-G-I-D here, and when it's not frigid, it's rainy. I mean, I'm wearing a thick hooded coat and carrying an umbrella, and I'm still wet and cold. For me, the only positive side of winter is the rosy glow it gives to my cheeks. Beyond the natural beauty assistance, I'm over it. 

When the weather's chilly and I'm looking to heat things up in the kitchen, I grab some root vegetables! Root vegetables are some of the best foods for warming up your body and feeling grounded during the long, cold winter season. My longtime favorite root vegetable used to be the sweet potato, but these days I have my sights set on the parsnip. 

Image via parsniprecipes.co.uk

Here's why you should snack on a 'snip...

LOW CAL - One cup of parsnips is just over 100 calories. It's a sweet snack without the excess baggage! 

FIBER - Parsnips contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping to lower your cholesterol, regulate your blood sugar and keep things moving! 

POTASSIUM - The potassium in parsnips works to maintain your tissues and organs, helps send nerve signals and also aids in the metabolizing of protein. 

VITAMIN C - Parsnips are a natural immune system booster! Plus, the vitamin C they contain helps your body absorb iron and aids in the formation of collagen.

FOLATE - Eating parsnips can help protect your unborn child from birth defects, while also lowering your blood homocysteine levels, helping to prevent disease.

See? It's a smart snack AND a snack you can make yourself!

Just in time for this post, I stumbled across the most glorious blog - Good Things Grow - and was inspired to try Jacqui's recipe for Parsnip Chips, which I've affectionately shortened to 'Snip Chips! Head on over to her blog for the full recipe, but if you'd like the quick rundown play-by-play style, here's my attempt!

Happy Snacking!

Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Grab as many parsnips as you want chips (3 small-medium sized parsnips yielded me a cereal size bowl of chips). Wash them and peel the outsides like you would a potato.

With a mandolin or a very sharp knife, slice your chips very thin. The thinner the better!

Now pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess perspiration.

In a pan, melt 2 Tbs. (or more if you're making a larger batch) of organic virgin coconut oil. We're using coconut oil because it has a much higher smoke point than olive oil. You can find it at Trader Joe's for about $6/jar.

In a large mixing bowl, drizzle the melted coconut oil over the chips and toss gently with your hands to spread evenly.

Now toast 1 tsp. of fennel seeds over medium-high heat (this should only take a couple of minutes)...

...then grind or crush the fennel seeds.

In the same bowl, add 1/2 tsp. each of ground cumin, chili powder, paprika and black pepper.

Mix the spices together and toss evenly onto the chips in the mixing bowl.

Now roast the chips on an ungreased baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, flipping the chips halfway in and at the same time, moving the pan from the top rack of the oven to the bottom rack. You have to watch them very carefully, as they burn easily!

Let them cool for a few minutes, then dive into your homemade, healthy snack!

Snack Attack: Spicy Baked Chickpeas!

Image via flickr.com

In honor of full-disclosure, I should tell you a few things...

1) No matter how health-conscious I become, I will never say 'no' to a good snack.

2) If I ever have the pleasure of being invited to your home, I WILL (no doubt about it) sneak a peek inside your pantry to assess your 'snack factor'. 

3) If your snacks are savory, kiss them goodbye.

4) If they are sweet, breathe a sigh of relief. You're in the clear.

5) I consider a person's 'snack factor' very important when choosing a mate... and you should too!

It's pretty clear I love to snack. I can barely get through the hugs and hello's when I go home to see my parents without making a beeline for the pantry to see what's up. It's shameful but true (right, mom?). So since February is all about the   L-O-V-E and snacks are my one true culinary love, why not spend the month featuring my favorite healthy treats?

Last week, I went back for more of Ella Nemcova's 'Cleanse Cooking Class' at Freshmade NYC. We started things off with her recipe for Spicy Baked Chickpeas. This snack is reminiscent of munching on a handful of your favorite nuts, without the high fat content! Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are a great source of protein. Just 1 cup provides you with 30% of your daily requirement! In addition to protein, chickpeas are packed with fiber, antioxidants, potassium (for heart and kidney health) and thiamin (for brain health and mood regulation). Could this snack be any more impressive?!?

The onset of Blizzard Nemo last weekend left me with all the time in the world to try making them on my own. Did I forget to mention that they're SUPER EASY too?

Here's the play-by-play...

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. You'll need 2 cans of chickpeas (again, chickpeas, garbanzo beans... same thing) and extra-virgin olive oil (try to use the good stuff)!

Drain and rinse your chickpeas well. Then pat them dry with a paper towel or clean dishrag and throw them in a large mixing bowl.

Add 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle with 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Mix well to evenly coat.

Place the chickpeas in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet...

...and bake 30-40 minutes until crisp. Just watch carefully at the end so they don't burn!

Look at that beautiful snack! This basic recipe has endless possibilities! Next time I'm making a sweet version!

Snack away, my friends! There's no shame in THIS snack!

The Breakfast Revolution: Recipe Time!

Image courtesy of blog.sweetlydias.com

I have a BIG FAT BREAKFAST DILEMMA. As you know, I'm not a fan of the traditional breakfast fare. Breakfast is my least favorite meal. Though I fantasize about avoiding breakfast completely, my body is just not cooperating. I'm literally starving the second my alarm goes off. 

My stomach and I are fighting right now.

Here's the problem. The more I read and the more I learn, I'm beginning to see the problems with eating a traditional breakfast. Take yogurt for example. If you're skeptical of dairy or it doesn't sit right with you, then that's out. Then there's eggs, which don't seem so appetizing when you're trying to eat less animal products. Oh...and bagels! Unfortunately, they're not really the best choice for fueling up either!

Thankfully, I stumbled across the site YumUniverse last week and after looking around a bit, received  the perfect dose of breakfast hope! A recipe sent straight from heaven to solve ALL my breakfast problems! 

I humbly present to you... Honey Chia Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds and Toasted Pepitas! It even sounds glorious!

Let's break this one down. First there's the chia seeds, which are a perfect source of complete protein, packed with antioxidants and omega-3's. Best of all, they keep you hydrated throughout the day! Next up - pomegranate seeds! In addition to being high in fiber, pomegranate seeds are packed with vitamins C and K and have proven cancer-fighting effects! Then there's the pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, as I like to call them! The combination of zinc, selenium, essential fatty acids and vitamin E in pumpkin seeds make them great for skin health and radiance. They also help to reduce cholesterol and prevent kidney stones! 

Sounds like one powerful breakfast to me! 

This weekend I decided to give YumUniverse's recipe a try! Here's how it went down...

The ingredient army - chia seeds, hempmilk, raw honey, raw pumpkin seeds, a pomegranate, vanilla extract and sea salt.

Because I didn't have cashews in the house, I went with her alternate suggestion and mixed 2 cups hempmilk with...

2 Tbs. raw honey...

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract and...

a pinch of sea salt.

Then for the fun part, the blending.

Add the blended mixture to 1/2 cup of chia seeds in a separate bowl and stir well.

Let the mixture sit for about 10-15 minutes, in or out of the fridge. This gives the seeds time to absorb the liquid mixture, creating  the desired pudding consistency.

Cut the top of the pomegranate off, like you would to an onion.

Score the pomegranate into 4 pieces and pull apart with your hands.

Look at all those beautiful seeds!

Now toast a handful of pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring or flipping constantly for about 5 minutes.

Looking good!

The toppings for your breakfast creation!

Once the pudding has thickened, top with the pomegranate and pumpkin seeds and you've got yourself one snazzy breakfast!

And if you need some extra help figuring out how the hell to get into that pomegranate, here's a quick (and very cheesy) tutorial to give you an idea, but keep in mind, you don't have to use the water (you can just pick them out with your fingers). The kiddos might enjoy this project too!



One more thing... for those of you who are hitting the gym hard this month, chia seeds REALLY do give you a boost of energy and hydration. I ate some on Sunday and had more energy on my run this morning than I've had in awhile! The proof is in the pudding!

If you don't have a blender or want to keep this simple, here are my suggestions...

1) Just add hempmilk/almond milk/oat milk/etc. to the chia seeds and add honey later when you're dishing it out for a meal.
2) Buy pomegranate seeds instead of a whole pomegranate - no prep work required!
3) Add any topping your heart desires... nuts, fruit, granola, etc! Make it your own!

Here's to a happy breakfast!

Brothers From Another Mother: My Favorite Root Vegetables!

Image courtesy of saltandspatula.com

I don't know about you, but I can't walk two feet without running into a cookie... a cake... or a pie. It's that time of the year! Watch out pearly whites, Santa's got a sweet tooth and so do I! 

My mother has been making my favorite holiday cookie (Russian tea cakes) for as long as I can remember. Wait, hold on. I should actually give credit where credit is due, my mother's friend (and former college roommate) Carolyn is actually the one who's been making tea cakes for as long as I can remember.

...my mother just stole the recipe and claimed it as her own.

As lovely as tea cakes are, eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner is clearly not the best move for optimal health (or desired waistline). Today I'd like to fill you in on a easy (and sneaky) way to curb that holiday sweet tooth... roasted root vegetables!

Now before I lose you to the cookie jar, hear me out. Roasted root vegetables give you that same feeling of satisfaction without leaving your body in crisis mode. When I'm craving something sinful, I just head to the organic produce section for some carrots and parsnips.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which when converted into vitamin A, improves your vision, aids your skin in repair and slows down the aging process throughout your body. Carrots are also high in the carotenoids alpha-carotene and lutein, which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease. Then to make matters even more spectacular, carrots produce a natural pesticide called falcarinol. Falcarinol protects the carrot's roots from fungal disease but has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Lastly, eating carrots stimulates your gums and triggers the production of saliva. The alkalinity of saliva works to counteract the destructive acidic bacteria that can cause cavities!

Image courtesy of jointhereboot.com

Parsnips are just as exciting! If you're not familiar with parsnips, they look like carrots but are usually larger and more creamy in color. They have a nutty sweet taste and contain a bit more potassium than their brother the carrot. Your body uses potassium to control your blood pressure and fight the negative effects of sodium intake on your body. Parsnips also contain more folate than carrots, which you will remember is needed to prevent birth defects in babies and to ensure healthy cell creation and cancer protection throughout life. In addition to potassium and folate, parsnips have both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping to reduce your blood cholesterol and keep your digestive track healthy! And if that wasn't enough already, parsnips are full of vitamin C, which helps you maintain healthy tissue, teeth and gums, while also scavenging your body for cancer-causing free radicals.

On top of all their nutritional benefits, carrots and parsnips are exceptionally delicious when roasted. The process of roasting allows their natural sugars to release, making them sweet as can be! Some people even propose that because they're grown underground, root vegetables can help you feel grounded when you're feeling scatterbrained, confused or 'all over the place'. I know when I eat them, they make me feel calm and peaceful (maybe because they remind me of my grandmother's kitchen and the comfort I felt there). 

Today, I'm sharing my former roommate Katie's recipe for roasted carrots and parsnips (see? I know how to give credit where credit is due). She's one hell of a cook, and this recipe is just too delicious not to share. Thanks, Katie!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and gather your ingredients (a bunch of fresh dill, 1 huge parsnip, a small bunch
of carrots, 1 lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper).

Wash and grate the outer, dirty layer off both the carrots and parsnip (especially if they're not organic!). Slice the
carrots in half lengthwise, then in half again, then cut into thirds (you want thin bite size slivers).

Do the same thing for the parsnip. Because it's larger, you'll have to make a few more cuts. You want both vegetable pieces to be similar in size so that they cook at the same rate.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly coat the mixture with extra virgin olive oil or your choice of oil (you'll need just enough
so that they don't burn, around 2 Tbs. or so).

Salt and pepper them to taste and mix well.

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray (you won't need much) or line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Pour the vegetables over the tray and spread them out as best you can. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes total.

While your veggies are roasting, wash and finely chop a few sprigs of dill and cut your lemon open.

After about 20 minutes, flip the veggies and place back into the oven.

You'll know they're done when they start to brown and slightly crisp after about 40-45 minutes. They should have the
texture and consistency of a french fry.

Squeeze half a lemon over each cookie sheet (this recipe makes about 2 sheets worth) and sprinkle with fresh dill.
These roasted veggies make the perfect side dish, or like I said before, can easily substitute for dessert!