Health Tip Of The Week: Good News Chocoholics!

The British Medical Journal reported in 1998 that dark chocolate consumption is linked to longer life. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol. It opens blood vessels and allows blood to circulate more freely, which is good for heart health.

Cocoa beans are high in antioxidants. Chocolate has more antioxidants than fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. One study showed that people that ate 3 ounces of dark chocolate everyday for 3 weeks had lower blood sugar and increased insulin sensitivity.

Provided you do not have a weight problem, eating 1 to 3 ounces per day is good for you!

Eat only chocolate that has:

-Low sugar levels
-60% or higher cocoa content
-All organic ingredients
-No dairy content

Dough for anything you want to make!

I was given a bread machine but it didn't have the recipe book. I wasn't too sure where even to start. I'm good at a lot of things in the kitchen but bread is something I've never really tried. I asked my friends on Facebook and got lots of great responses! One lady gave me this recipe and I just had to share it! 

1 3/4 warm water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour (reg flour)
2 tsp bread machine yeast (found next to the regular yeasts)

Add ingredients in the order they are listed. Turn on machine for dough cycle or use a mixer with dough mixers.

Once it's mix you can use it for anything! Bread, pretzels, pizza crust, cinnamon buns, buns, it's all up to you!!

I used it the other day and made whole wheat pizza crust, and had lots left over so I made cinnamon buns too! So tasty!!

Baking Goal: Crepe Cake

Doesn't this look great but hard to do? Nope, it's made from cake batter crepes! You just cook them up pancakes and put them together! Isn't that great!

Check out all the details at Making Memories

Baking My Way: Jumbo Candy Cookies

Candy-coated pieces aren't my favorite but again I have to try all of the recipes.  They turned out great and I love jumbo cookies. It's a really simple recipe and kids would love it too.


Ingredients
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 cup sunflower seeds or nuts

Directions
Heat oven to 350

In a bowl combine sugars, shortening and butter, beat until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.

Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.

Stir in candy-coated chocolate pieces.

Drop dough in 2 inch balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheets.

Savory Sunday

Wow! Yum!! Check out this weeks picks and link up! I am more and more impressed each week with what you all come up with!! And I love that you're linking up simple things that everyone came make! I may be great at baking but cooking, I'm still working on that so to get simple recipes always makes me very happy!!

Happy Sunday all!!

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas from The South Padre Island Flip Flop Foodie

Chili -Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon from LouLou Sucre

Delicious Meatless Spinach Lasagna from Joyful Homemaking

Sweet-Potato and Black Bean Chili Mostly Food & Crafts

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips from The Gunny Sack 

Cake Pops from Suburbs Mama

Here's how it will work:

1) Link up to the link below (link as many as you want but try to link something savory if you can)
2) Grab the Savory Sunday button and put it in the post you are sharing
3) Leave a comment after you post
4) I'd love for you to become a follower if you're not but it's not a requirement :)

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Guest Writer: Allison from No Carb Left Behind

I am a Central Illinois farm girl that is stuck in the craziness of Southern California.  I love to bake/cook and spend WAAAY too much time searching cooking blogs for my next project!  My blog started out simply to create a record of my recipes and to share them with my family back in Illinois.  It also gives me the convenience of looking up the ingredients needed if I find myself at the grocery store without a list!  Now, after a year of blogging, I just love getting to know others with the same passion as I.  I am so excited to do my first guest post and can’t wait to feature someone’s great recipes on my blog sometime!  Thank you to Amanda for inviting me to post!

My Blog: No Carb Left Behind

Name: Allison Moffitt

Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA

  
What's your favorite recipe?    Wow, this is tough one....I have had a serious relationship with mac & cheese my entire life.  My all time favorite recipe for this is my Mac + Cheese (Lottie & Doof style)  

        

What's your favorite kitchen tool?  I love making my own pasta, so I would definitely pick my pasta roller/cutter

What do you live by in life? "For those who have, give....for those who have and don't, shame on you!" - Edd Butch

Aspen Power Bars

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Heaping 1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (4 ounces) nuts or sunflower seeds
3/4 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) raisins
1/2 cup (2 ounces) dried cranberries
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon peanut butter (chunky is best)
1 1/8 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon raspberry jam

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, coconut, salt, nuts, powdered milk, raisins and cranberries.

Note: You can substitute some of these ingredients to your liking.  For example - I did not use raisins and added some chopped white chocolate that I had in my cupboard.  Just make sure that the total amount of your substitutions, equal the original amounts.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract and jam until melted and fully incorporated. Remove from heat.

Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until fully mixed.

Press the mixture into the pan, compressing the mixture as much as possible. Bake until golden , 12-19 minutes.

I have found that 19 minutes create a bar that holds together better and has a nice crunch to it.

Remove from heat and cool completely on a wire rack.  Once cooled, run a knife along the edges to loosen from the sides.  Then invert the 9x13 inch pan onto a large platter or cookie sheet.  Cut into bars with large knife. 

Each of 16 bars: 262 calories; 7 grams protein; 33 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 7 mg. cholesterol; 22 grams sugar; 108 mg. sodium.

Recipe from the LATimes

If you're interest in doing a guest post here's all the info! I'd love to have you post!!

Health Tip: Piggy Polish

Non toxic Low Odor Water-based formula Hypoallergenic Fun, vibrant colors Dries to a hard, durable finish Cruelty-free Safe for use during Pregnancy!

Piggy Paint is specially formulated from God’s natural ingredients and dries to a hard, durable finish. There are no toxic chemicals; it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone. Click here to see how our polish compares! Say good-bye to harsh, smelly chemicals and hello to Piggy Paint…it’s as Natural as Mud!

Doesn't this stuff look great? I haven't found a place out here yet that sells it (and I'm trying to use up what I have before I buy new polish) but I can't wait to try it!

Source

I love my water bottle

I finally made a carrier for my water bottle. It's glass, and pretty heavy when it's full and so often when I'm leaving the house my hands are all full and I get so close to dropping it so a "case" was very needed.

I (still) don't have a sewing machine so I took the time and did it all by hand. It took me forever (I got through a lot of House episodes!) but I really love it. I made it from a table center clothe my mom gave me. It was more the size of a napkin so I didn't really know what I was going to do with it but I just loved the pattern so I was really happy to be able to find a use for it.

Check out more fun posts like this, and all sorts of other random things at my other blog- Captive Creativity!

Baking Goal: Mounds Bars

Wow, why didn't I think of this sooner or at all for that matter because it's not my idea! 

Check out the recipe at That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Baking My Way: Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Just a great classic cookie. It's a great go to cookie. This used to be the only thing that I would make (easy, quick and simple) so I think it's funny that I have to bake it on a challenge that is supposed to make me bake different things. 


Ingredients
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chunks
1/2 chopped nuts or sunflower seeds


Directions

Heat oven to 375


In a bowl combine sugars, shortening and butter, beat until light and fluffy.


Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.


Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.


Stir in chocolate chunks and nuts/seeds.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.


Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheets.


Check out all the link parties where I share my recipes (at the bottom of my blog!)

Savory Sunday

Hey all!

Sorry for not posting anything yesterday! I had a spontaneous trip out to the lake to meet up my with husband and his family at a house they built for someone. Long story short they were finishing off some things and the owner let us all stay there, cooked amazing food for us and we all played in a golf tournament yesterday (when I say "played" my version is driving the cart and reading a book!). I'll have photos up soon but I just wanted to let you know that I didn't forget about my guest writers and I'll have one up for you next week!

But of course this is Savory Sundays so here's back to that! Wow, another great week with another great group of recipes! I loved all the salads so I picked two that I just can't wait to try! Check out all my favs and don't forget to link up! (And grab my new tasty button!)

Fire Roasted Tomato and Chicken Tortilla Soup from Cook Lisa Cook

Spicy Asian Cucumbers Salad from Cooking with K

Honey Apple Chicken Salad from Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Soft Pretzel Doggies from The Kitchen Cookie

Crab Cakes with Lime Aioli Sauce from From Which Things Grow

Don't they all look wonderful! There were lots more tasty dishes but I just can't pick them all!!

Let's get on to this week!!

Here's how it will work:

1) Link up to the link below (link as many as you want but try to link something savory if you can)

2) Grab the Savory Sunday button and put it in the post you are sharing

3) Leave a comment after you post

4) I'd love for you to become a follower if you're not but it's not a requirement :)

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Flower Bread, My Way

 I found this recipe and posted it as one of my Baking Goals. Unfortunately I forgot to ask for consent before hand and just let the blogger know when I posted it that I featured the recipe. Long story short she wasn't too happy to be featured and I had to reluctantly take the recipe down (I don't understand why someone wouldn't love to be featured on another blog but that's a whole other story!). I wanted to still post the recipe because I thought it was a really cool idea. I looked for another source, and found one! 


I adapted it from this site and I hope you really enjoy it. I had to rework the whole recipe, and all the photos are my own so I feel really great about getting to post this "original" for you all :) 

(When I was converting this recipe I didn't catch the C to F in time and I was cooking the bread at 200C! I salvaged it but I just wanted to let you know that this bread normally is a lot fluffier! It still tastes great though and I think I'll bake it again some time!) 

Ingredients for the dough:
3 1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 3/4 tablespoons fresh yeast (about 17 grams)
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt

 
Also needed:
1/2 melted butter
 
Optional: 
Flax seeds
Sesame seeds
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of milk

Optional:
Seasoning of your choice 





Preheat the oven to  400 F.

In lukewarm milk sprinkle sugar and yeast and let it foam. When it foams add the rest of the dough ingredients and kneads into smooth dough. 

Cover with a clean cloth and leave in warm place 30 minutes to rise. After the dough has risen knead it and divide it in half, then cut a small piece off one end (a little less then half of the half)

Leave the smallest piece on the side, which will be the center for the pogaca. Divide the biggest piece into 5 five equal parts. 

Roll each one into disk shape and grease everyone except the fifth with the melted butter and stake them on one another. 

Optional: After buttering the piece sprinkle your favorite seasoning between each layer. I did lemon pepper and it turned out great!

Roll the fifth piece a bit wider and put it over other disk shaped pieces and fold up the the others pieces to get a shape of pogaca. 

Move the pogaca carefully in the butter and then into a flours cheese cake pan (28cm). 

With a sharp knife cut eight pieces, leaving at least 1 cm from the end of the crust.
 
Pull each cut section up towards the edges of the pan, away from the middle of the area.

Repeat this with the other half that was put aside (disk shapes, buttering, and cutting etc.) Make sure to put the cut "peddles" in between each of  the first large rings peddles.  

 Form the smallest piece of the dough into a ball and put it into the middle of pogaca. 

Optional: 
Whisk the egg yolk with milk, and brush over pogaca. Sprinkle the center round with some flax seeds and the rest of the petals with sesame seeds. 

Put the pogaca in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes cover the pogaca with parchment paper and reduce temperature to 180 ° C and bake for another 20 minutes. Then remove the paper and bake another 6-7 minutes. When baked remove it from the baking pan and cover with clean kitchen cloth till it cools a bit.

Enjoy!! 



Tip: This recipe wasn't in English when I found it so I used Google Translate to get me started. Also the measurements were in grams and ounces so I used Calculate Me to help get a good North American measurement. 

All the ice creams of the rainbow

Kiwi Sorbet

As you know I got an ice cream maker recently (yay!!!) and so I'm trying to collect all sorts of recipes to try. I have already tried a few (don't worry, the posts are coming!) and am so excited to try all of these! Click on the links below each picture to get to the great blogs that have posted these wonderful treats!

Brown Sugar Chai Spice Ice Cream from Sweet as Sugar Cookies

from Crazy for Crust

Blueberry Ice cream

Cherry Chip Ice Cream from Turning the Clock Back

Lemon Sorbet from Goodbye City, Hello Suburbs

Sesame Seed Ice Cream

Strawberry Ice Cream

Rockie Road Ice Cream

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream 

If you have a wonderful ice cream recipe I'd love to hear about it!! (I'd LOVE if you would be a guest writer posting about it! Even more fun for us all!)

Baking My Way: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar

These are wonderful! I love a good bar and this one is a gooder! It's a perfect mix for me: Chocolate chip cookies in a bar! It doesn't get much better :)

Ingredients
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Heat oven to 375

In a bowl combine sugars, shortening and butter, beat until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.

Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread dough in 13x9 inch pan.

Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, cut into bars.

Better design & a button too!!

I wasn't totally happy with how my blog was looking. I didn't feel like it totally showed "Me" when you came onto it so I made a couple of changes AND I created myself a button. I had been getting a lot of requests for my button so I thought I better get on it and make one right? Here you go!! Have a wonderful Monday everyone!!

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Health Tip: The Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

I am really low in iron. Not sure what's wrong with my body (I could try to explain the process of how I got low in iron but it's complicated and long!) but I know what I can do to start making positive changes! My holistic doctor told me to start taking blackstrap molasses, 2 tablespoons a day. I did, and wow, what a difference! More energy, and just all around more alert which I was so lacking! I'm not the best at explaining certain health tips so I thought I would being you part of an article from Zen to Fitness! If you're not convinced after this well, you've got a problem!

Blackstrap Molasses is a syrupy sweetener that can be bought pretty cheaply these days. Thankfully it is very different to other sweeteners which are highly refined, processed and stripped of all their nutrients (Glucose Syrup, White Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup etc….). I am a big believer in getting our vitamins and minerals from real food – For me a small amount of real food nutrients are far better utilised by the body than any synthetic vitamin could ever be.
Now I know a lot of people will think this post is basically touting sugar, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As blackstrap molasses is totally different from other types of sweet foods or sugars and works as a very healthy sweetener for tea, coffee, oatmeal and many other dishes.

Our society is so chemical laden that we are leeching the minerals that we need from our systems. Blackstrap puts back some of those minerals naturally.

This is because Blackstrap Molasses is one of the most nutrient dense foods around – full of vitamins and minerals containing the following:

- Iron
- Calcium (more calcium than dairy)
- Magnesium
- Mangenese, Chromium, Molybdenum, and many other trace minerals.
- B Vitamins
- Vitamin E

The high and bio-available source of Iron makes it a great addition to females diets as well as growing children – To put it in perspective Molasses has more iron than red meat. It is also rich in calcium which makes people think of dairy or green vegetables as the only source. We forget how important calcium is for metabolism, muscle contractions and correct cell function. 2 TSP’s of blackstrap molasses will provide you with a large proportion of your daily needs of many of these vitamins and minerals, most importantly though they come in a form that our bodies are familiar with and can make use of.

 

If you want more great health tips head over to my other blog: Captive Creativity! 

Savory Sunday

Oh wow, yet another week where you all bring some seriously tasty looking recipes. I couldn't stick to 5 recipes, there were just way too many good ones to pick from! Here are my picks for this week but I strongly recommend checking out all of the recipes!!

Fruit Salsa from Shugary Sweets 

Company Pot Roast from Lady Behind The Curtain

Super Easy Strawberry Jam from The Kitchen Cookie

Spanakopita from Hezzi-D's Books & Cooks

Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce from Sweet Lovin' In The Kitchen

Chicken Florentine from Kuzak's Closet

Ham, Potato and Green Bean Casserole from Easy To Be Gluten Free

Here's how it will work:

1) Link up to the link below (link as many as you want but try to link something savory if you can)
2) Grab the Savory Sunday button and put it in the post you are sharing
3) Leave a comment after you post
4) I'd love for you to become a follower if you're not but it's not a requirement :)  

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