Spelt Everything Crackers:

Some of my recipe's are very clean low fat, low carb diet type meals ...and some are created for my son ...these crackers are something that we can both enjoy.
So don't freak when I tell you the ingredients list for these crackers...I was disturbed how easy it was since I had never made crackers ...so maybe you want to sit down ...

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Salt
1 1/2 Cup Spelt Flour
1/2 Cup Cold Water

yup ...thats it 

the rest is up to you ....for these everything crackers I added:
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds

This makes one large cooky sheet of crackers

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Dissolve the salt in 1/2 cup cold water.  Stir in the spelt flour until combined.  Add the garlic/onion powders and seeds.  Kneed the dough a few turns until a ball forms.
2. Roll out dough on a piece of parchment or pie sheet if you have one.   Do your best to get them as thin as possible.  Transfer to cooky sheet lined with parchment.  Using a spray bottle filled with water, spray dough to give a glossy finish.  Prick dough all over with a fork.
3. Bake until dough is crisp and golden and snaps apart ..about 15 to 25 minutes.  WATCH these cook.... check them after 10 minutes then again at 15 and so on.  the thinner they are the faster they will cook.  You'll get it :)

WE always make snack plates.  Crackers are often involved..The spelt flour is an excellent option.  Spelt contains 15 - 20 % protein which happens to be higher than plain wheat flour.  In comparison it is also higher than wheat in complex carbohydrates, iron, potassium and B vitamins.  Spelt is easier to digest because it has better water solubility.  Spelt also contains nutrients that aid in blood clotting and stimulate the bodies immune system.  Also high in fiber it aid in reducing cholesterol and heart disease.  ANd we think its yummy.

enjoy!

Bodo thinks The BlueBerries should be the king of the castle

LOVE & FOOD

Eating right is Not Easy.....
Every where you turn there are going to be reasons to eat poorly
Birthdays, Summer BBQ, and other celebrations...one after another these creep up on our calenders
...even just a crappy day at work seems to justify eating poorly or just over eating
indulging makes it feel better ...or so it may seem
to eat right you have to really think about what you are doing
The majority of your meals should be clean, healthy, full of veggies and vitamins
because after all ...THAT is what will make you feel good
Nobody is perfect and you really don't have to be
Keeping a balance is really important ...sometimes you need your treats
Aim for trying to keep it at a 10 % rule per week
this means about 4 of your meals during the week can be those things that you crave
That you cannot live without
BUT
WHen you want these things check with yourself first
comforting yourself with food can really back fire and make you feel worse
invent other ways....
Have a hot shower and brush your teeth
This sounds weird..... but trust me it can change everything
Or.....Hot tea in bed
OR SIMPLY going for a walk ...not for exercise ...just to decompress
better yet if you have someone to walk with and talk with
I guess what I am saying is figure out what you can do to feed your soul
most often that is what you are forgetting to do
balance is the key
Be good to yourself
You are worth it
 also
Another big key to keeping on track is eating small meals often
munch on veggies
This keeps your metabolism rolling
and keeps you away from that crazy over hungry feeling that cannot be satisfied
A common mistake is eating too little throughout the day
when evening hits your body is starved
and you eat
find your balance
eat your meals properly portioned  and give yourself time to feel full
it takes about 15 minutes after eating for your body to register that satisfied feeling
if you over do it you will feel too full
as a result you wont be hungry for hours and when you do feel hungry again
you might feel over hungry and fill yourself too full once again
bad cycle!!!

Try this:

Eat your meal portioned properly
3 meals
3 snacks

meals should be:

• clean protein (about enough to fit in that palm of your hand)
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup of clean carbs 
• and colourful veggies to fill up your plate

Snacks should be:


a small portion of protein and veggies

...in a pinch if I am busy i will eat 6 or 7 almonds when snack time hits
 this will keep me satisfied until I can eat next
 ....but if you are prepared with proper snacks it really takes no time to eat a 1/2 Cup of cottage cheese with pumpkin seeds ...or a rice cake with nut butter ...or a hard boiled egg
THE key is
IF you eat the right amount you should be hungry ever 2 to 3 hours
if you are VERY hungry by the time 2 hours rolls around
you arent eating enough
if you are not hungry by the 3rd hour
you are eating too much
find your own balance
OH ALSO
Drink your water
sometimes when you feel hungry
actually you are really just thirsty
keep hydrated
sometimes you just want to much ....keep a supply of cut veggies of all sorts
you can eat these whenever...
IMPORTANT to mention ....do not drink calories ...soda, juice, coffee with tons of full fat milk ..isnt on the menu
get in the habit of only drinking water, green tea, and no calorie beverages
the other stuff fits into the treat category ..

Next ... you need to exercise
build muscle
this is KEY to getting fit and losing fat
one thing at a time
focus on your DIET

next we can talk about exercise.....

Indian-Spiced Vegetable Fritters With Curry -Lime Yogurt:

I know some that are not huge Curry fans ...but the curry is only in the Yogurt so can be avoided...the fritters are basic and So good
I think once my Food Processor arrives in the mail (yay) these will be a snap to make since most of the prep is just grating the Veggies.
I made a bunch and plan to freeze some in stacks between wax paper so I have easy Dinner and Lunch box prep food ....I love stuff like that....IT is just so important to have good food that is a bit different from the every day around so you can stay on track with healthy food choices.
Also trying different spice combinations keeps food flavorful and interesting :)

Ingredients:


Fritter:
1/2 Cup Peas
1 Medium Onion
1 Parsnip
1 Yam or Sweet Potato
1 Large Carrot
1 Zucchini
1 Large Egg + 1/2 Cup or so of Egg White
!/2 tsp ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp ground Cumin
A Pinch of Cayenne
2 TBSP Minced Fresh Ginger
2 TBSP Minced Fresh Cilantro

Curry Lime Yogurt:


1 Cup Plain Yogurt (I use Greek Style = 0 Fat ; 20 G Protein per 175 g !!!)
1 Tsp Curry Powder
A squeeze or Two of Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper

Make Them :

First thing Cook your peas.  I did mine in the microwave in some water for 2 - 3 Mins.
Also Cook your yam just a bit in the microwave to the point that you can still grate it, but it is mostly cooked.

SO Start out by Grating all your veggies  ...Onion, Yam, Carrot , Zucchini, and place in a colander in your sink to let drain.  Sometimes these Veggies can sweat out a lot of water.  You will want to give them a good squeeze to get out as much moisture as you can before you add to the rest of the mixture...
meanwhile
the rest of the mixture.....
In a Large Mixing bowl, lightly Beat Eggs, Coriander, Turmeric, and Cumin.  Mix In Ginger, Cilantro, and Peas.
NOw Squeeze those veggies then add to your mixture.  Season with Salt and Pepper, combine mixture with a wooden spoon.
Drop 1/4 Cup Portions into heated skillet to make little Fritter Pancakes.

Mix your Yogurt Ingredients together to make this very quick and tasty sauce.

OR PUT all these ingredients into a wrap, Crumble your Fritter add sprouts or Lettuce 

NEXT DAY 

I used the Yogurt Dressing to spice up my Breakfast with 1 Egg, 1/2 Cups Egg whites, 1/4 Oatmeal, and some left over cherry Tomatoes 

Mung Bean Info

GREEN is GReAT
MUng Beans are so good for you !!!
Mung Beans are a great sources of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, chlorophyll and protein. They are low calorie and contain little or no fat. The fat they do contain is the healthy fat that your body needs. They are one of the most nutritious foods that exist.


Use in salads, on sandwiches, added to soups or stir fried with vegetables. Enjoy these nutrient-packed delicacies as a snack all by themselves or added as a garnish to a main dish. Eat them raw or cooked. Of course, as with all food, the nutritional value is greater when they are eaten raw. But eating them cooked is better than not eating them at all.


When I say Raw I mean Sprouting them :)
Sprouting magnifies the nutritional value of the seed. It boosts the B-vitamin content, triples the amount of vitamin A and increases vitamin C by a factor of 5 to 6 times. Starches are converted to simple sugars, making sprouts very easily digestible. You can have them fresh all year round, even when fresh vegetables are hard to find. It's easier than planting a garden outside and they're ready much quicker. You can even grow them when the ground outside is frozen solid. And the best part is that you can grow the freshest, tastiest sprouts right in the comfort of your own kitchen. It takes less than 2 minutes a day and they are ready in 3 to 7 days, depending on the variety.

You can sprout seeds, beans, grains and nuts. Some of the most popular varieties are alfalfa, broccoli, red clover, radish, mung beans, lentils, garbanzo beans and peas.

For more Sprouting Information and supplies go see Annetta or Barb at amped on nutrition on Quadra Island :)
http://www.ampedonnutrition.com/ 

Garbonzo, Brown Rice, Sprouted Mung Bean, Red Curry Salad

THis was a bit of a creation and was a few days in the making ....I wanted to make something that was super healthy
some crazy prep that you actually don't have to do ....
I went to purchase Garbonzo beans and realized after reading the ingredients list that a can of beans actually contains a lot of preservatives ...I don't want to feed this to my kid or me for that matter so I decided I would try to start making an effort to soak and cook my own beans ...so I did
this inspired me to soak and sprout some Mung beans as well
MUNG beans are awesome by the way

Next crazy prep step:
I added a couple of nice chunks of Dulse Sea Weed to the rice water before cooking it this adds to the nutritional value of the rice you can pluck them out after the rice is done but I don't mind the added color or taste at all so I leave em in.

SO when all of these things were in my fridge I was ready to throw the salad together
I also added

• Cherry Tomatoes slices in half 
• Green Onions
• Toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tsp Peanut Oil 
• 1 tsp Red Curry paste
• 2 Tbsp Braggs Soy 

Just add all the ingredients together and give it a good stir ....I had this on its own as a but of a side dish

I also added some Tuna and had it for my lunch at work 

I ALSO added some spinach leaves and a bit of cooked Red Snapper for a dinner meal 

very yummy and very versatile :)

PICTURE is somewhat what my dish looked like so it might lead you to be inspired to make it .....

Lost Camera.....maybe some stock photo's this time...:(

As it would turn out I have been cooking up a storm the past few days AND cannot find my Camera
SO I am posting my recipes but do not have Photo's to include which is really no fun .....
I love reading Foodie mags and beautiful cookbooks full of color its what grabs me and makes me want to make the recipe I am certain that might be what would inspire someone to recreate one of my bloggies

but for now you are just going to have to take my word for it and believe the recipes are all to die for good and healthy as can be ...well mostly
the one exception is the Herminy Granger Ranger Cookies that Bodo and I made ...well they have some good ingredients in them ...oats....ummmm yeah..... but of course they are supposto be good summer camp lunch box cookies so they are really quite loaded with sugar ...Bodo gives these cookies two Nintendo Harry Potter worn thumbs UP!

So after that intro lets start with the cookies

Herminy Granger Ranger Cookies (Bodo influenced the naming of this Raisin Oatmeal Cookie)


Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of unsalted Butte, OR 1 Cup Shortening 
• 1 Cup packed Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups all Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Large Eggs Beaten
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla
• 3 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1 1/2 Cup Raisins
• Eye of Toad Tail of Newt

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two large cookie sheets or line with parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy, beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.  Stir dry ingredients into butter sugar mixture.  Stir in raisins and oats.
4. Spoon Cookie dough by large tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets,  leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.
5. Bake until cookie edges turn brown, about 10-12 mins

Makes about two dozen cookies :)