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Food, Going Healthy

Going Healthy: Pumpkin Black Bean Chocolate Pudding *Easy and Healthy*

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Since I’ve started eating a whole foods based diet and avoiding most processed foods, many of my unhealthy cravings have vanished. To those reluctant to switch, I promise, it gets easier if you stick with it. Plus, you’ll look better and feel amazing!

I used to have ice cream and boxed cereal on a daily basis, and although the ice cream was usually a lighter version, it was loaded with either sugar or artificial sweeteners along with other chemicals to attain that “perfect” consistency.

The cereal I had seemed healthy, but even those whole wheat biscuits have to undergo processing to be transformed into pretty little shreds of wheat compacted together to get their shape. To me, that’s not really in its “whole” form anymore.

One thing I am unable to shake, though, is how these things are consumed; with a spoon (and cup in my case). So, I still have my cup and spoon, but you’ll usually find organic carrots that I diced and put in the freezer along with frozen organic wild blueberries. The carrots satisfy my desire for crunch and the blueberries are just awesome.

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Yes, I like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and this cup has been with me since I was a little boy. It’s the perfect serving size and I’m pretty sure everything tastes better inside my turtle cup!

I simply love eating cool, creamy, and/or crunchy food with a spoon and cup. I’ve nixed the ice cream a long time ago, and only eat the Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Cereal for my boxed choice.

Think Grape Nuts, only a lot healthier! I love it plain with almond milk or as a crunchy topping to my homemade puddings/purees. Like, for instance, this super healthy and scrumptious chocolate pudding made with black beans and pumpkin.

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Here’s all you need to make your own healthy pudding to savor guilt free…

Pumpkin Black Bean Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 15oz. can pumpkin puree (I use the Farmer’s Market Pumpkin Puree in a BPA-Free can)
  • 1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (I used organic, BPA-Free canned beans)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp pure stevia powder (if you are not a fan of using all stevia, use only 1/4 tsp and add 2 tbsp raw honey or more if you want it really sweet)
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened coconut milk from the can and have had success with unsweetened almond milk too)
  • pinch of baking soda
  • dash of sea salt
  • *Optional: 1 tbsp natural peanut butter and/or 2 scoops high quality chocolate or vanilla protein powder (Sunwarrior makes a great protein powder)
  • *Optional #2: Add 1 or 2 digestive enzyme or probiotic capsules to help digestion and bloating because you will want to eat a lot of this!

Directions

  • I like to keep things simple and easy; add all ingredients to your food processor and mix until you have a creamy consistency. I pulsed it a few times and then let it run non-stop for almost a minute.
  • Put into an air-tight container and chill in the fridge until ready to devour.

Here are what the cans I used look like…

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And then you transform these into this!

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What do you think? Does this sound like something you’d try or are you repulsed by the combo?

If you make this, please let me know how you like it and if you made any changes. I bet adding banana and shredded coconut would seriously up the flavor profile!

Going Healthy

Going Healthy: Homemade Egg “McGriddle” Sandwich

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Have you ever had a McGriddle breakfast sandwich from McDonald’s? The soft maple-flavored pancake “buns” sandwiching crispy bacon or sausage, egg and cheese creates a sweet and savory fast food breakfast.

Mmm, I really enjoyed these sandwiches back in my “ignorant to how food is made” days. Now…not so much.

Glad I’m free from food ignorance now, and can see right through the “M” branded griddle cakes stuffed with fluffy egg and crispy bacon.  I only see low-quality, non-nutritional ingredients like enriched flour,  chemicals created in a lab to obtain that certain “flavors”, and cheese that is anything but.

Starting from the top, lets break down the ingredients in one of these sandwiches from McD’s. This info comes right from their site here.

Who brands their buns anyway?

One Bacon, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle (source) packs a whopping 420 calorie handheld heart attack served neatly in colored paper wrap. You get a substantial (not in a good way) 18g of fat, 240mg of cholesterol, 1110mg of sodium, 2g fiber, and 15g of sugar.

Still sound good? Lets keep going….

The top-level ingredients for a Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles® are:

Griddle Cakes, Folded Egg, Pasteurized Process American Cheese, Bacon, Liquid Margarine
Seems somewhat safe, but dig deeper and we find the Griddle Cakes have a little more than you or I would use to make pancakes:

Water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, dextrose, palm oil, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), brown sugar, salt, soybean oil, rice flour, whey powder, modified tapioca starch, buttermilk powder, caramel color, natural (dairy and botanical source) and artificial flavors, soy lecithin, corn oil (processing aid).
Surely there’s nothing in the Folded Egg besides “egg”….right?….wrong:

Pasteurized whole eggs, food starch-modified, soybean oil, natural flavors (botanical source), sodium acid pyrophosphate, carrageenan, flavor enhancer [salt, maltodextrin, natural flavor (plant source), spices, herb, turmeric (color)], monosodium phosphate, citric acid, soy lecithin (release agent).

And the topping on (and in) the “cake” is Liquid Margarine:

Liquid soybean oil and hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, mono-and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color).

This, among numerous other reasons, is why I happily prepare my own food at home!

My version is actually what you would expect an egg sandwich with pancake buns to be; two pancakes with a cooked egg in the middle. Wow, shocker!! I made a batch of coconut flour protein pancakes from ProteinPOW.com for the “buns”, but you can use your favorite pancake recipe if you choose.

The fluffy white one was obviously my egg-cellent first choice.

For the egg, I had this bright idea to microwave it in a small, circular glass dish to make the perfect round egg patty.

As you can see, I did this 4 times, and the egg just expanded and wrinkled into a brain-like resemblance. #FoodieFail.

I made do with the best rounded one of the bunch and just saved the other eggs to put on salad. Since my pancakes were too big, I trimmed around them a little; not necessary, but I wanted to make it look good!

Topped with a drizzle of raw, local honey, sprinkle of cayenne, and dash of pepper, this was a delectably sweet and spicy sandwich I devoured immediately after the last picture; pancake trimmings included.

I was pumped when the idea to make this sandwich came to mind, and I’m glad I did. These non-McGriddles are a delightful (and healthy) way to start or end the day. Not to mention they can be fun to make with kids!

I think it’s smiling at me…

My favorite breakfast on the weekends would be a scrambled egg sandwich with ketchup that my mom would make, and I could eat several! Did I mention I was a heavy boy?  I don’t have ketchup anymore, but salsa suits me just fine and I don’t feel like I’ve given up anything!

Have you ever made your own fast food version into something healthier?

Do you like egg sandwiches with ketchup?

Dad Creek

Read more: http://www.dadcreek.com/news/who-needs-a-gym-fitfamilyfriday/

Going Healthy

Going Healthy: Baby Bok Choy Crab Sliders (Easy and Low Calorie)

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Looking for easy entertaining dishes that are unique, healthy, and delicious? Or maybe you just want something a little out of the ordinary for yourself and your family. Either way, I have a recipe for you and you don’t even have to turn on the stove or oven!

Now that we’re getting into the warmer months, avoiding the stove or oven is always preferred, unless you enjoy higher energy bills. If you know me, you know I’m pretty uptight when it comes to food and healthy, and these little “sliders” make the cut in taste and nutrition!

For anyone watching their diet (or at least needs to), these sliders are an easy substitute. Did you know the average beef slider packs anywhere from 150 to 300+ calories each? And obviously you don’t eat just one slider; amiright?

On the other end of the health spectrum, you can enjoy a generous 2 ounce serving of lump crab for only 40 calories giving you 8 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat. Since you can’t fit a full 2 ounces on one rib of bok choy, you’d have to make about 8 or 10 of these to get close to the calorie content of just one slider!
If you’re someone guilty of mindlessly snacking, like me, then these are perfect to snack away! The invigorating crunch of fresh baby bok choy packed with slightly sweet and tender lump crab meat provides instant gratification allowing you to give up high calories but not taste!
Bok choy is loaded with phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants which help protect against many cancers and may reduce bad cholesterol levels. In addition, boy choy provides a healthy dose of A, B-complex, and C vitamins plus multiple minerals. Swapping hamburger buns for a nutritionally rich green like bok choy is a smart way to serve your kids and yourself.  So do yourself, friends, and family a “flavor” (Yep, I went there) and make something cool, light, and crisp to beat the heat; like these sliders!

Baby Bok Choy Crab Sliders

Ingredients (Serves 2 to 4)

-Jumbo lump crab meat; I bought it fresh at a reputable seafood counter, but you can get it in 6.5oz cans too

-2 stalks baby bok choy, separated, rinsed, and pat dry

-¼ tsp cayenne

-2 tsp cumin, garlic powder, and celery seed

-1 tbsp dried parsley and dill (If you have the fresh stuff, use it!!)

-2 tbsp condiment, sauce, or spread of choice; I used horseradish mustard, but plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or salsa can and will work perfectly

-Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

-In a small mixing bowl, add about 3/4 cup of fresh lump crab meat or one 6.5oz can, herbs, spices, and about 2 tablespoons condiment/spread/sauce of choice.

-Mix everything until well combined.

-Scoop mixture on the groove of your bok choy and repeat until you’re all out. If you want, save some for a healthy dip or to make a wrap for work

-Fold leafy part over and stick with toothpick to hold in place or eat as is.

Avery is not quite to this level of her baby-led weaning adventure, but soon enough, we’ll have these on her highchair tray ready to savor and enjoy throw across the kitchen.

Hopefully she’ll catch on…..

The versatility of this recipe is perfect for the time-strapped parent as you can easily omit or sub other herbs, spices, and condiments as you need or desire. I think using a tangy barbecue sauce in the mix would fit right in at any outdoor gathering.

Please, give these a try and let me know how you and others enjoyed them. And whenever possible, get your kids in the kitchen to help! For this recipe, have them mix the crab and other ingredients together as you prepare the bok choy.

Hope you enjoy your bok choy. See, again with the corniness!! 🙂