Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (Nutella II)

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (Nutella II)

The last time I tried to make Homemade Nutella, I used a can of coconut milk and melted chocolate and although I enjoyed it and gobbled it up within days, I wanted to try making it again with slightly different ingredients.  This is a twist on my Chocolate Walnut Butter recipe, using hazelnuts instead and switching around the ratio of a few ingredients.  I have to admit, I think both my kids and I preferred this version, although it had been so long since I made the last one, it is a little hard to remember.  I like knowing that what goes into this yummy chocolate spread is all fairly healthy, so that I can enjoy it on toast, or a piece of fruit, or simply with a spoon, and know that I am treating myself in a responsible way.  And it tastes amazing. If you are not as big a fan of chocolate as I am, you should try the Maple Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter recipe instead.  That is definitely my son's favorite and honestly, a close second in my opinion to this one as well.

Maple Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter

Maple Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter

A jar of something similar to this could go for upwards of $20 in a grocery or specialty store and I guarantee it wouldn't taste even half as good as this amazing, easy to make hazelnut butter. Adopted from my recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (Nutella II), this spread omits the chocolate and instead lets the flavors of the hazelnuts and cinnamon take center stage.  Since it is more like a regular peanut or almond butter, this is great as a sandwich spread, or on toast, or even mixed into oatmeal for some flavor and sweetness.  The best part of all of my nut butter recipes is the simplicity of combining all the ingredients in a food processor and letting the machine do all the work.  And if you aren't completely satisfied with the taste or texture the first time it is easy to add a little more of one ingredient or another until it is just right for you.  And although I know buying nuts and real maple syrup is not cheap, I know it is less expensive, and more nutritious, to make a recipe like this yourself. And it is a perfect project to get your kids to join in on, if only to be expert taste testers.  I know mine certainly enjoyed that part!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Happy Thanksgiving, and early Christmas all baked into one!  This delectable dessert brings together my favorites from both holidays (pumpkin and gingerbread) into one taste of heaven. Not too sweet, and full of flavor, this dessert was so good that the large pan of them were eaten by my small family of four within a couple of days.  I actually put half of them into the freezer, only to take them out two days later for breakfast. I found a recipe like this online, but used whole wheat flour, cut the sugar in half and replaced the cool whip with organic whipped cream and a touch of sugar. They do take a little more work than most of the desserts I throw together, but this one is worth the extra effort.  So even if you don't have time today to make something extra for the big feast, this sweet treat will be in season for at least another month, if not all winter!  Happy Holidays everyone!

Healthy Happy Meals: A Local Fight to End Childhood Hunger

 

Healthy Happy Meals

As a mother, I can think of very few things that would be as heartbreaking as not being able to adequately nourish my own children.  My two kids are lucky that they have healthy, delicious food available to them all the time and will most likely never know what it feels like to go to bed hungry or not know where they are going to get their next meal.  Unfortunately, not all kids are so blessed.  Millions of children in the United States, supposedly the most prosperous country on Earth, live in homes that are "food insecure."* For many of these kids, the only guaranteed meals they get are the ones provided at school.  But what happens on the weekends, especially long weekends, or extended holidays?

Last Spring I attended a PTO meeting at my son's elementary school because there was going to be a presentation by the dietitian from my local grocery store. I wanted to meet her and was curious to hear her advice about healthy eating and maybe give me some suggestions for this blog.  I was able to do all of those things, but the best part of the meeting was when the principle asked the PTO if they would provide a start up fund for a food assistance backpack program for kids at the school that the principle knew were in need.  I had recently seen a television segment about a program just like that at an inner city school and although I knew there was a need where I live as well, I didn't necessarily have the contacts or resources to start something on my own.  But the idea jumped out at me as something that I really wanted to be involved in, so I contacted the principle as soon as the meeting was over to offer my services in whatever way she would need.  Shortly thereafter, the principle, the dietitian and I sat down and drew up plans to start our own backpack program, which we entitled "Healthy Happy Meals."

Lacking the funds to provide assistance every weekend, we decided to focus on long weekends and predictable snow days and to fill the bags with the equivalent of two breakfasts and two lunches.  Since the items have to be non perishable, some of the choices are limited, but we came up with a bag that I think is not only fun for the kids, but nutritionally balanced.  It is only meant as a supplement to whatever food they will hopefully have at home as well, but as the principle has said, anything to help alleviate this problem is important, since a hungry child is not a child who is ready to learn, laugh or have fun.  We successfully sent home bags with about 40 kids over Easter break and Memorial Day weekend, using the money from the PTO with the plan to extend the funding to the community this fall.

So a couple of month ago, we held a fundraiser at the local Shoprite and sold the bags for $3.00 a piece (the generous family owned store fronted us about $ .80 per bag).  People were able to use a ticket with a code on it to buy as many bags as they wanted when checking out and the total was recorded and the bags were sent to the school. We packed most of the bags on the premises, so that people who weren't sure what we were doing or putting in the bags were able to see it all first hand.  Over the course of about six hours, spread over three different days, we sold close to 600 bags, which is more than enough to provide Healthy Happy Meals to numerous elementary age children for the next couple of long weekends.

What amazed me last week, right before we were set to send the first group home with kids, is that Dr. Oz highlighted a teacher who created a very similar project at her school after hearing that one of her students had not eaten since the previous Friday.  I almost lost my breath while watching it because the story is so similar to what happened with the principle at my local school.  That could easily have been her up there being congratulated and applauded for her efforts to help curb child hunger.  I am just honored that I have been able to take part in such a worthy cause and cannot wait to see how much more we are willing to do in the future.  Attached is the link to the Dr. Oz episode, as well as a newspaper article about the program we did here locally.  So this Holiday season, when you are busy planning your own parties and feasts, and worrying about eating too much, remember that there are people in your community who only wish they had that same problem. Please do your part and help out, whether it means donating a few more items than usual to the local food drive, helping out at a food pantry or homeless shelter, donating your grocery store's free turkey to a family in need, or finding out if there is a program like this... and if not, maybe figuring out how to start one. Because no child should ever go to bed hungry.



http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/holiday-cheat-sheet-eat-your-way-through-season-without-gaining-pound?video_id=3888009619001

http://www.poconorecord.com/article/20140926/NEWS/409260319/-1/WAP100&template=wapart


* http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html

Items in the "Healthy Happy Meal"

ready to go in a backpack

Curried Onion Soup

Curried Onion Soup

If you live in the North like I do and have a backyard garden, this is the time of year when you have to watch helplessly as mother nature claims the last of whatever you might have been growing and you are forced to pull up the remnants of your once fruitful plants in anticipation of watching your land be covered in snow.  But if you tended your garden well and stored certain produce correctly, you may still have a few precious root vegetables lying around.  To be honest, I made this soup back in September when the last of my onion crop looked past its prime and  I figured I had better pick them before they began to rot.  But I know of a lot of local gardeners with fresh onions still being picked or brought out of storage.  Obviously, you can purchase all that you need for this soup at your local grocery store as well, but when I made this, I was lucky enough to have a lot of fresh produce still available right out my back door.

Everyone has heard of French Onion Soup, which is a hearty, and often buttery, beefy soup smothered in toast and cheese.  Onions are one of the most healthful foods on the planet and have been consumed and revered for their medicinal properties since ancient times, so in my opinion, the more you can include them in your diet, the better.  Even if you have to cover this soup with bread and cheese, at least you are getting the onions into you first.  What is so great about this recipe is that by adding the flavor of green curry and coconut oil, you transform a traditional soup into something exotic and surprising.  The addition of the chick peas adds some protein and the kale adds a boost of antioxidants and texture.  So as the weather turns and you are craving something to not only nourish your body, but warm your soul, give this soup recipe a try.

Creamy Broccoli and Pea Soup

Creamy Broccoli and Pea Soup

Having just finished a bowl of this soup for the second night in a row, I knew I couldn't wait any longer to share the recipe.  It is honestly my new favorite soup, not only because it is healthy and filling, but because it is so easy to make.  I know when my meat and potato loving husband asks me "what is in this... it is really good!" that I am on to something.  Usually when you order Broccoli and Cheddar "Soup" in a restaurant you get some glorified cheez wiz and chicken broth concoction with tiny pieces of broccoli in it.  Not exactly nutritious, or appetizing, in my opinion.  While most of the ingredients in the following recipe are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, there is a considerable amount of cheese as well, which you could easily reduce if you are watching your weight or your heart health.  I divided this soup into five hearty servings and the nutrition information (listed below) is still not that bad.  And it is an easy way to get yourself and your family to eat their greens, and some fiber, which is always a good thing.  I love that I was able to sneak in a whole block of organic tofu for some extra protein... no one would ever know it was in there, just that this soup is extra creamy without the addition of any actual cream. Best yet?  It uses frozen vegetables, so you can make it year round, it's affordable and really easy to throw together.  You can even make it ahead and let it simmer on the stove for an hour or two which is great on a busy weeknight with kids getting home at different times and needing help with homework.  So when the weather turns cool this week, why not give this soup a try?

Nutella Cake

Nutella Cake

I love Nutella.  I know it isn't good for me, but it is delicious, and so every once in awhile I have to let go and make something incredible out of this addictive food.  I got the idea for this dessert after making both my Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies and my Almond Butter Birthday Cake, and wondering what it would taste like if I substituted Nutella for the healthy nut butters and maple syrup in these recipes.  The result is this cake, which tastes as good as it looks and had my daughter exclaim that it is "the best cake you have ever made mom, ever!"  I think I actually cooked mine a few minutes too long and if you were to slightly undercook it, so it was gooey in the center, it might be even better.  But if you like fudge, and brownies and chocolate, and of course Nutella, then you have to try this cake.  It has to be better for you than simply eating spoonful after spoonful straight from the jar as I have sometimes found myself doing!

Spicy Chipotle Bean and Corn Chili

Spicy Chipotle Bean and Corn Chili

Considering I just finished the last of the portioned out meals I had in my freezer of this soup, I figured it was time to post this amazing, and incredibly spicy recipe.  I got the inspiration for this dish from the same dried beans I used in my Curried Pumpkin Bean Soup with Kale, but since I purchased black beans I wanted to make something with more of a southwest flavor.  I had never cooked with chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce before, but I had a can in my pantry and remembered hearing Rachel Ray many years ago, go on and on about their amazing smoky flavor and how it can change the whole feel of a dish.  I don't remember her saying that they are extremely spicy however, so if you are not someone who likes your food to burn a little then you could definitely leave them out and replace them with some smoked paprika or a different type of pepper.  The greatest thing about this recipe, is that it is literally the most clear cut "throw everything into the pot, cover and wait" concoction I have ever made.  I don't think I even stirred the soup once, since I left the house to take my daughter to a birthday party all afternoon the day I made this.  I just stirred together all of these amazingly healthy ingredients together in my crock pot, turned it up to high and walked away.  And about six hours later, dinner was ready.  My favorite way to eat this is with a generous heap of plain Greek yogurt (about 1/3 cup per cup of chili), but it would also make a fantastic dip, especially as part of a layered dip for a party perhaps, or on top of nachos.  It made a lot as well, so I had many meals individually portioned out in my freezer which is fantastic on a cold rainy day like today.  Now I will just have to make myself another batch!