The Sweet Details: September 2012

Thursday, 27 September 2012

Health Tip of the Week: Omega-3 Recipes

Back in May I did a series on Omega Oils and I thought it would be a good idea to follow up with some great recipes to help you along the road to increasing your omega oils. Now these are for sure not the healthiest recipes, so I almost didn’t want to post them, but for those of you who hate pills, or fish, this might be an ok option from time to time to help you along the way.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Bars

Canola cooking spray 1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine 1/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter 2 cups miniature marshmallows, lightly packed 1 cup low-fat granola 1 cup Rice Krispies 1/3 cup ground flaxseed (golden flax works better in this recipe)

Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray. Put the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until mixture is just melted. Stir to blend.
Microwave again briefly if the mixture isn't melted or smooth. Then stir in granola, puffed rice and flaxseed.
Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, flattening it evenly with a sheet of waxed paper. Let it cool completely before cutting into 8 equal-sized bars.
Yield: 8 bars
Per serving: 207 calories, 5.5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams of fat ( 2 grams saturated fat, 1 gram monounsaturated fat, 1.8 grams polyunsaturated fat) , 4 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams fiber, 174 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 35%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.7 gram.

Mocha-ccino Freeze

1 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or light vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup low-fat milk 1/4 cup strong decaf coffee, chilled
1 cup ice cubes 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Add all ingredients to your blender or food processor
Blend on highest speed until smooth (about 10 seconds). Scrape sides of blender, and blend again for five more seconds.
Pour into two glasses and enjoy!
Yield: 2 smoothies.
Per serving: 157 calories, 7 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, 4.5 grams fat ( 1.3 saturated fat, 1 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.9 grams polyunsaturated fat), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 2.3 grams fiber, 79 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 26%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1.5 grams. Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.4 gram.
Both recipes are from The Flax Cookbook by Elaine Magee

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Free Day Fun

So as I told you it was free day and we were going out to find some good stuff! We did really well (I'll take pictures of it all yet and post again!) and it was another successful free day!

I'm not sure if you can totally tell but this house has a river in front of it! They made their own mot! Pretty cool!

This house is so cool! They took an old brink house and totally modernized it. If it was so sale (and I had that kind of money) we would totally buy it!

This chair was great but just a little too much work to make it useable again.

It's a little hard to see in a picture but there is a herd of horses made out of wood in this yard. Very neat idea.

Unfortunately not free.

After a long day of getting free stuff we went to The Grove for lunch. I had a Groupon so that was great (we've been waiting for a reason to use it). They all ordered the same burger, which they all said was really good, so that's great. It's like a pub in there but it's designed to look old, it's not really old, so it's not as nice, like the Elephant and Castle or somewhere like that down town. Still good though!

Our friends Katie & Kyle. They're wonderful

On a sale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazing, would go back again and again!) I give it “8- Good Service, good food, good pricing, I’d go back if someone really wanted to.”

I had a veggie burger for the first time. It was really good! I would get it again!

(This is the closer you will get me to do one of those nude face posts, I'm not wearing any makeup here)

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Baking Goal: Watermelon Cake

Isn't this great? This is a wonderful idea and I can't wait to have a reason to try it this summer!

Check out the recipe at Ramblings from the Sunshine State

Monday, 24 September 2012

Link- Candy Corn Fudge

WOW! I am totally going to make this! I thought I'd share this yummy find that's been sitting in my drafts folder for almost a year. It's that time of the year, so I'm bringing it out! check out the how tos here.

Chicken Chili

OMG, so good right? I can't wait to make this...I think I'll wait until it's colder and the weather is bumming me out cause I know chili like this would cheer me up. Check out the recipe here.

Beer Cheese Dip

Doesn't this look yummy? I have a party coming up and I think I just might make this! Check out the recipe here!

Friday, 21 September 2012

Link- Lemon Scrub

I know it's for your hands but doesn't it sound yummy! Check out how to make it here!

Christmas Baking Ideas

Ok I know it's not that time of the year yet but to prepare ahead of time (you know me!) I thought I'd share this great list I found (here) of great ideas of what to make or bake for Christmas! What your fav thing to make?

Thursday, 20 September 2012

Health Tip: Taking Control

ONLY I CAN CONTROL:

· How hard I work
· How much I learn
· How close I am to my team
· How creative I am in business -Mark Sanborn

I got this quote from a girlfriend who sends out daily quotes (which I think is wonderful) and thought it was a perfect health tip. I know it’s not my usual health tip material, but I’m planning to switch it up a bit! (Change is good!)

How often do we try to pin things on others? “It’s not my fault it’s not going faster”, “It’s not my fault, they didn’t teach me how to do it very well”, “It’s not my fault we don’t get along”. You have the power to change almost anything in your life (with enough effort).

So if you don’t like what’s going on, if you don’t like your situation make some change! Sit down and write a list of what you want to have happen, what you want to be better at, what would be healthy options for a better and more productive you! It’s time to care a little more about your mind, and take up the responsibility of getting the job (of life) done well!

What could you do better at? I know I have my list going!

Thursday, 13 September 2012

Health Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Fibre Pt. 3

Keeping Weight under Control

Foods containing plenty of fibre have more bulk than low-fibre foods. If taken in the right form at the right time and at sufficient quantities, fibre can sometimes slow the onset of hunger.

Nice To Know:
To help control your weight with fibre:

Always try to take fibre in the natural form. For example, instead of sprinkling bran over your food, choose foods naturally high in fibre.

Avoid foods that have been made easier to eat and digest by removal of fibre, especially sugars (including fruit juices).

Choose foods that satisfy hunger without providing many calories, mainly vegetables and most fruits, which are rich in fibre.

Need To Know:
Some individuals claim that fibre alone can cause weight loss without the need to diet. But in fact, the only effective and safe way to lose weight is to:

- Reduce calorie intake to a safe level
- Get enough exercise to burn off excess calories

However, fibre can be a useful aid in reducing calorie intake.

I posted a while ago a great fibre muffin recipe; check it out here if you want!

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Baking My Way: Cherry Poppy Seed Twinks

These cookies are good! They are a melt in your mouth short bread and are on so tasty.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup cherry preserves

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C ).
Cream together butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, and poppy seeds until well blended. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Make an indention in the middle of each cookie with your finger. If the dough is too sticky, dip your finger in water first. Fill each hole with about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry preserves.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.

Recipe Source

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Baking Goal: Snickerdoodle Blondies

If you love snickerdoodle cookies I bet you would love these! My husband loves these cookies so I can't wait to try making it into a brownie!

Check out the recipe at Arctic Garden Studio

Thursday, 6 September 2012

Health Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Fibre Pt.2

Preventing Certain Diseases

Getting enough fibre in the diet can lower the risk of developing certain conditions:

Heart disease. Evidence is now growing to support the notion that foods containing soluble fibre (such as oats, rye barley, and beans) can have a positive influence on cholesterol, triglycerides, and other particles in the blood that affect the development of heart disease. Some fruits and vegetables (such as citrus fruits and carrots) have been shown to have the same effect.

Cancer. The passage of food through the body is speed up when fibre is eaten. Some experts believe this may prevent harmful substances found in some foods from affecting the colon and may protect against colon cancer. (However, a recent study conducted by Harvard University concluded that eating high-fibre food did not appear to protect people from colon cancer.) Other types of cancer that are linked with overnutrition and may be prevented by a fibre-rich diet include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer.

Diabetes. Adding fibre to the diet helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is important in avoiding diabetes. In addition, some people with diabetes can achieve a significant reduction in their blood sugar levels and may find they can reduce their medication.

Diverticular disease. Diverticular disease is a condition in which small pouches, called diverticula, develop in the wall of the colon. In a small percentage of people, these diverticula become inflamed or infected, a condition known as diverticulitis. Diverticular disease can cause pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and other problems.

Gallstones and kidney stones. Rapid digestion leads to a rapid release of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. To cope with this, the body has to release large amounts of insulin into the bloodstream, and this can make a person more likely to develop gallstones and kidney stones (in addition to diabetes and high cholesterol).

For further information about diverticular disease, go to Diverticular Disease.

For further information about gallstones, go to Gallstones.
For further information about kidney stones, go to Kidney Stones.

Come back next week for part 3 and the completion of this series!

Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Amanda's Sauce Pan Brownie

I love chewy, soft, fudgy brownies. I never seem to find the right combination so I played around and created my own! This brownie is so decadent, sweet, very chocolatey. It's rich and wonderful! It's like fudge but so so much better!! (no sweetened condensed milk, ick!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons almond extract
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

PREPARATION:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9" baking pan. In medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add sugar, almond extract and eggs; blend well. Add flour, cocoa and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate. Pour into greased pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut into bars.

Frosting:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting Instructions:
- In a saucepan combine white and brown sugars, salt, milk, butter and chocolate chips.
- Bring to a boil and stir constantly
- Reduce heat and let it simmer for 3 minutes
- Remove from heat
- In in icing sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Frost cooled brownie

Monday, 3 September 2012

Chocolate Indulge: Tallgrass Bakery

I don't think I've ever had a pound cake before and if so I have never had one that has tasted this good!! It has the perfect amount of chocolate and mint and then the chocolate layer on the outside-wow. Between the three of us and the two desserts we had we didn't finish this one so half of it is still in the freezer and I can't wait to have more.

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