Healthily Inspired

I've been trying to shed some pounds and just eat healthier, especially focusing on fruits and veggies. I took a trip to Whole Foods with my mom and I got a lot of great veggies and fruit. I'm planning on making lots of soups this week. I picked up some Beets, Zucchini, Swiss Chard, Red Leaf Lettuce, Sea Beans, Yellow Squah, White Asparagus, Dinosaur Kale, Avocadoes, an Heirloom Tomato, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Delicata Squash, Ginger, Garlic, Oranges, Pomegranates, Apples, Kiwi, Peaches, and some White Sweet Potatoes from Publix. I'm really excited about all the fresh recipes I'm gonna make. Again, sorry for not blogging again I'm gonna try to continue this blog and not abandon it.

I'm back!

I know it has been a long time since I've blogged. Sorry guys. :( I figured that If I could find a camera then nobody would want to visit my blog. Hopefully I'll have a camera soon. I had to share a recipe I made this morning that was beyond delicious.

It's called Cookies N' Cream Shake.

1 Avocado
1 Banana
1 - 1 1/2 Cups of Milk
Handful of Ice Cubes
1/2 Cup of Sweetner
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

Put everything in the blender and blend! I actually wasn't going for Cookie N' Cream but somehow it ended up that way. And for those who aren't fans of Avocado, you really can't taste it. :)

Healthy Liver, Here I Come!

My face broke out after a party where I ate more stuff than I should have and some foods I shouldn't have eaten. No, I don't have an allergy. It's Acne. I've struggled with it since my early teens but since then I have changed my diet into a natural diet. My Acne lowered tremendously. What may you ask does the liver have to do with Acne? Well, The liver is responsible for detoxifying the blood as it comes from the colon, lungs, and lymphatic system. Once detoxified, this blood moves into your entire body to provide your cells with oxygen and digested nutrients.
Because you eat, breathe, and create so many toxins, the liver has a hard time neutralizing these toxins. If you are constipated, this puts an extreme toxic load on your liver, which eventually leads to the excretion of these toxins through your skin and face.

Garlic and onions – It is highly recommended to include garlic in the daily diet plan as the natural properties of garlic comprises of a sulphur based compound which is essentially used by the liver for an effectual removal of toxins from blood.
Green vegetables – Green vegetables like broccoli, cabbages etc comprises natural minerals that are capable of reducing the effect of toxins commonly present in cigarettes and tobacco. Green vegetables also provide liver with glucosinolates that further assists liver in producing the required enzymes for detoxification. Green vegetables should be consumed at least once in a day.
Wake up drink – To keep liver healthy, start your day with fresh lemon juice mixed in a cup of lukewarm water. This drink acts as a washing agent for liver, promotes detoxification of blood, increases bile generation and stimulates as a bowel motion.
Apples – Apples possess the enzyme pectin which binds heavy metals in body. This lessens the burden on liver for detoxification. It is advised by the doctors that an apple should be consumed daily.
Artichoke – The consumption of artichoke once a day augments the production of bile which rinses out the contaminants out of body.

Sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-the-Liver-Prevents-Acne&id=32910
http://www.bodybuildingtipsguide.com/blog/diet-for-healthy-liver/

Deliciously Mango Sorbet

I had mangoes in the kitchen and thought a frozen treat might be delicious...And delicious it was! I will definitley have to make this again. I was very pleased. It has great texture and is sooo good!

Deliciously Mango Sorbet
4 Mangoes (Whatever variety is currently in season or available)
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Water
3 Tabelspoons Lemon Juice

1. Chop mangoes up into small pieces. Next, place mangoes in your food processor. Process until smooth. Pour the rest of the ingredients into the food processor. Process until mixed well.
2. Pour the mixture into a container and put in refrigerator about five hours or overnight. (This step is optional but will speed up time in the ice cream maker)
3. Freeze according to your ice cream maker instructions. I suggest leaving it in the freezer overnight as it will have a much better consistency.

Originally Made In Italy #1

Mamma mia! I love italian food! Who doesn't? Me and my mother recently went to the local farmers market and got a huge box of tomatoes for $6! We weren't sure what we were going to use them for, so today we decided on pizza! I made the crust and sauce homemade.

Pizza Crust
2 packages active dry yeast (1/4 ounce each)
2 tablespoons sweetner (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil, and more for oiling the bowl
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1. Place the yeast and sweetner in a small bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water and whisk. Let the yeast mixture sit until it begins to foam. Add the olive oil to the yeast mixture and stir until properly combined

2. Place the flour and salt in a bowl with a stand up mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Add the yeast mixture. (If you do not have a stand up mixer, use a hand mixer and it will not mix all the way so as soon as all the liquid has been absorbed. There will be flour on the bottom so roll the dough in the flour until you've got all the flour into the dough).

3. Take the dough out and move it to a large bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let the dough sit in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in size. (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

4. Punch the dough down. Roll the dough into whatever size you want your pizza to be. For me, it made about 4 10-12 inch pizzas.

Pizza Sauce
2 Cans Tomato Paste (6 oz cans)
3 or 4 Shallots (If you have an onion on hand use an onion, but we were all out of onions, so we used the shallots)
9 Tomatoes
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
Fresh or Dried Basil, Use around 2 tablespoons of dried basil OR 1/2 cup of fresh basil. (You don't have to use these measurements but this is what I used)
2 tablespoons of Fresh or Dried Oregano
Salt/Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sweetner (optional)

1. Chop all of the tomatoes up, next throw the tomatoes into a ziploc bag and smash until thoroughly soft. Heat oil in large steel pan. Add shallots and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until transparent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in tomatoes, paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Then simmer, uncovered for about an hour. Puree in your blender or food processor.
2. Pour tomato sauce on pizza dough and cover with your favorite toppings and cheese.

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

I saw this recipe on the Nourishing Gourmet and I wanted to make it. So I did! I can't take any credit for this recipe but I wanted to share it!

Here's the recipe!

3 Cups of Unsweetened Coconut Milk (Around two cans)

2/3 Cup of Cocoa Powder

6 Tablespoons of Agave Nectar (Honey would probably work if it was a thin enough honey)

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Whisk about a half of a cup of coconut milk with the cocoa powder until well combined. Then combine the rest of the ingredients. Make according to your machine instructions. I did notice with my batch at least it was very liquidy even after it was done. I left mine in the freezer overnight and it was perfect. Very Delicious!

Blueberry Smoothie

I made a variation of my Cherry Chocolate Delicious Shake. Using blueberries, It definitley had a very berry blueberry flavor unlike the Cherry which had more of a chocolate flavor. Very good though!